Winning a job in a selection process can be challenging, especially on recruitment platforms like Gupy, which automate and filter candidates based on specific criteria. If you're hoping to find a step-by-step or ready-made recipe for success here, I'll warn you: that's not the purpose of this article.
What I'm going to share is my personal experience - what I did, what worked for me, and how I managed to stand out and become a finalist in a selection process through Gupy. Every journey is unique, and what worked for me may not be a magic formula, but it may inspire you to find your own path to success.
The Quest
It all started while I was browsing LinkedIn, looking for vacancies that could be a good test of my knowledge, and maybe even a better job opportunity. It was during this search that I realized how demanding the market has become. I came across absurd job descriptions, with requirements so extensive that, despite my 7 years of experience, it seemed that nothing I had done was enough.
Among the discouraging vacancies and those that clearly didn't fit my profile, I found some that seemed more possible. And it was these that I decided to focus on - jobs that, although not exactly my dream, had what I was looking for: the possibility of working remotely, in companies in the South (I'm from the Northeast), and in the area of Systems Analysis and Development.
My search was 100% via LinkedIn. I didn't sign up for any other job search platforms, focusing exclusively on LinkedIn. Often, however, when I applied, I ended up being redirected to external sites, such as Gupy, where I had to fill in my CV all over again. This process was undoubtedly long and tiring, not to mention the occasional bugs that cropped up along the way.
Getting Found
With each new vacancy that appeared on an external site, I wondered if my strategy of only applying for vacancies with the “Simplified Application” button was still the best option. The answer I found was: no. I realized that I needed to be found by recruiters. Unlike a game of hide and seek, where the aim is to hide, in the job market you need to be visible. That's how I dedicated hours of my day to optimizing my LinkedIn and Gupy profiles, ensuring that I could be easily found.
The first step was to completely overhaul my LinkedIn. I detailed as much as possible all the experience I already had, highlighting the skills I used or developed in each of them. Next, I focused on my presentation in the “About” section, where I wrote directly about the areas in which I have the authority to speak, based on my practical experience. I also highlighted my main achievements, making it clear that I have already achieved significant results throughout my career.
Another strategy was to share each personal project that really added value to my professional career. I didn't post just anything so as not to give the impression that I was just seeking attention. Instead, I chose projects that showed I was working on real solutions to concrete problems. Companies may not pay attention to all your posts, but your future colleagues will. They'll investigate your online life, your social networks, and anything else they can find on you.
Gupy
I spent a whole day just registering, reviewing and adjusting my profile on the Gupy platform. I filled in every field calmly and patiently. It was almost like admiring a work of art: seeing the “Check” on each item in the list of things I needed to include in my profile brought me a certain sense of relief. However, after finishing everything, I asked an external person to review my profile. Someone with no writing skills or preconceptions, just to check that what I had written made sense. A tip: family can be biased, so look for someone outside your immediate circle for this review.
Next, I filled in each necessary category on the platform, without mincing words. I detailed everything - every little skill, every detail of my experiences. Gupy's algorithm uses a minimum percentage of compatibility to match you with vacancies, so it's essential to include as much information as possible to increase your chances of being accepted into the selection process.
Now, a phrase that can scare you: “You haven't advanced in this process.” This message is the perfect recipe for demotivation. However, I adopted a strategy that helped me stay focused: I never clicked on the “My Applications” tab until the end of the process. Controlling my anxiety and trusting in the process allowed me to feel calmer about each job I applied for. Today, when I reviewed this tab, I realized that I had received two rejections out of the three jobs I had applied for.
The Next Step
Now I was about to have an interview with the person in charge of the process. Even though it was online, I dressed as if it were in person. I entered the call five minutes early and waited for it to start, but to my surprise, the recruiter also arrived early, and the conversation started ahead of schedule. The difference in accents was an excellent icebreaker, providing immediate relief and making the atmosphere more relaxed.
During the interview, I kept my CV open on the computer screen, like a script written on a notepad. This helped me speak with confidence, citing specific dates and details, showing that I had actually lived each experience and had ownership over what I was saying.
The company was an EdTech in the education sector, which began its journey by selling books. Looking for a point of connection, I remembered that I spent two years selling books in another state to pay my way through college. I used this personal experience to establish a link and strengthen my argument.
I needed that company to understand that they didn't need just any professional, they needed me. While the recruiter talked about the company, I threw in examples from my personal life that matched her descriptions. This made the conversation flow naturally, lasting more than an hour, full of laughter, expressions of surprise and a strong alignment with the company.
After passing this stage, I came to the practical test, something that scared me a lot. Even though I had experience of large projects, the thought of being assessed made me anxious. However, I realized that the test had a long deadline and involved a task that I had already done before: using a system entry point to update customer data in another database via an API request.
With other candidates at this stage, the question I asked myself was: “How can I stand out?” The answer came quickly: use time to your advantage. So, the moment I received the test details, I promised myself that I wouldn't get up until I had 80% of the work done. I immersed myself in the documentation, consulted examples I had already built, looked for tips on YouTube - I explored every possible source of knowledge.
I managed to complete the challenge in record time (at least for me), proofreading and testing everything before sending it off. Shortly after sending it, I got in touch with the person in charge of the process, who was always very helpful and present. “Hi, I've just sent the finished test,” I wrote. In response, I received confirmation that the test would be immediately forwarded to the development team to evaluate.
The Development Team
I've reached the dreaded technical interview. And remember when I mentioned that your future colleagues might investigate your social networks? Soon after sending the technical challenge, I realized that some of the company's employees had started viewing my LinkedIn profile. During the technical interview, I prepared to explain how I carried out the challenge, justifying every decision I made. However, the focus of the conversation ended up being: “How did you do that here in that previous project? What about over there at the other company?”
The Tech Lead had my LinkedIn profile open, reading it in front of me and checking every detail I had written. Incredibly, there were no questions about how I carried out the technical challenge itself. Instead, there were several questions about how I had carried out previous projects, based on the experiences described in my profile.
Something that also helped me was having doubts. I remember a physics teacher who loved it when students asked questions, and I realized that in that interview there was an opening for me to do the same. I asked about the structure of the company, how they worked, what the team was like and how the system was divided. All this with one goal in mind: to connect this information with my own experiences and say things like “I've done this before” or “I solved a similar problem once.” Once again, I was showing the company that I had much more to offer than what Gupy or LinkedIn could reveal.
The interview ended, and with it began a long journey of waiting. The anxiety became increasingly difficult to control, but fortunately the support of friends and constant communication with the recruiter, who explained the reason for the delay (and that it had nothing to do with me), helped me stay calm.
Finally, the day came to talk to the team manager, who, for unforeseen reasons, had been unable to attend the last interview. The conversation followed a similar pattern: I applied everything I had already demonstrated. And when he asked me if I had any questions, I mentioned the issues I had raised in the previous call and how they had been answered, showing that I really listened and cared about what was said.
The Yes
And then, finally, the long-awaited “yes” arrived. It was a mixture of emotions - weeks of dedication to the company, reviewing the website daily in search of information I could use in the interviews, remembering every line of code from the test. It all came together with a feeling of relief and happiness.
The company made me an offer, talking about benefits, salary and finally asking me if I wanted the job. With my heart racing, I almost shouted “yes”! All the effort was worth it. I was faced with a wonderful opportunity and, as in all my previous experiences, I'm grasping this new challenge with determination.
To close this article, I want to leave you with a message: you are not defined by the “no” or “yes” that a company gives you. What really defines you are the experiences you've had throughout your life. Most of my experiences didn't take place in corporate offices, but alone, in my bedroom, thinking, creating and building real things. Real experiences.
A phrase that always motivates me is: “He who is not seen is not remembered.” Be seen. Show your work. Post your projects, write an article, post on a social network, share a repository on your GitHub. Whatever the form, do it today. Don't put it off until tomorrow, because today there are companies looking for exactly what you have to offer.
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