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How to find a job in Denver

How to not find a new job: Fill out an application online, attach résumé, hit send. Wait.

OK. That can work, some hiring professionals admit. But here in the approachable metro Denver community, there are multiple ways to reach out and meet someone who could help you land your next job. Everyone interviewed for this story mentions networking.

“If you’re a job seeker, spend 75 percent of your time meeting people, taking people out to coffee, and navigating social and professional networks,” said Luke Vernon, who runs Boulder-based Luke’s Circle to connect job seekers with local companies. “Most job seekers spend 75 percent looking on job boards. That’s backwards.”

What you probably know about job hunting

By now, you’ve heard that it’s hard to hire tech workers in Colorado. Well, it’s also hard to hire hotel housekeepers, bus drivers and account managers. The state’s low 3.4 percent unemployment rate is evidence that many companies are likely having a challenging time finding the employees they need.

Some moaning is valid, but the situation isn’t so dire that all companies can’t find applicants. Some report getting hundreds of résumés — even a thousand — for a job. But few applicants are qualified.

Take Ibotta: The fast-growing Denver shopping-app developer pays cash rebates on ordinary consumer purchases. It received 1,000 résumés for an account manager position. After a quick 15- to 30-second glance at all of them — yes, a human looked at each one — roughly 10 percent made it to a phone interview and five were hired, estimated Alison Meadows, Ibotta’s head of human resources. That’s less than a half percent.

“I would always rather have quality over quantity. If I had 10 amazing account managers come through, I’d take that over 1,000 (applicants) any day,” Meadows said. “Most just aren’t qualified for the job.”

This includes the candidate who made an Ibotta sculpture out of Legos after reading that Meadows likes to build Lego structures with her son (“She stood out. Did she get an interview? No,” Meadows said. “She wasn’t qualified.”)

Entry-level jobs with a favorite company are a good place to start. Ibotta, for example, wants to hire five customer-service representatives a week. Pay starts at $12 an hour and people can work from home. They also can choose which shift they work.

“We’ve hired and promoted many (customer-service representatives) who are now in our core team,” Meadows said. “It’s a good steppingstone, and there are a lot of good leadership positions. For people who want to see if they want to work for a startup, customer service is a great place to start.”

Getting to know one local company may lead you to another. Kevin Bridges, with web developer newmedia, said the local tech companies often talk among themselves, even if they aren’t in the same industry. Newmedia, which moved into Ibotta’s old headquarters when Ibotta expanded elsewhere, considers Ibotta a competitor since both need developers, Bridges said.

“It’s almost like a friendly handshake. The talent pool is small and employees will move between the organizations,” Bridges said. “You can be draconian about it or realize it’s a two-way street. We’re able to share resources. Like, if I get a good candidate that comes along but it not a right fit but I know Bryan (Leach, Ibotta’s founder) is hiring for a lead developer and is a good fit, I’ll share.”

What you should know about job hunting

If you do manage to get that phone call, make sure you know what the company does — and what the job entails.

“Research, research, research,” said David Bacon, founder of recruiting firm BW Bacon in Denver. “And be prepared.”

And please, he said, when you know the phone interview is in a day or two, prepare by learning about the company or job.

“They maybe give us a one liner to show us they were on our site two minutes before the interview,” Bacon said. “There is a war for talent and unemployment is low. But that’s my biggest pet peeve.”

Do enough research on the company or job to know what problems the company faces. Mention fixes.

“Every time we need to hire somebody, we have a problem to solve,” Bacon said.

Research may also clue in job candidates on prime hiring details, such as timing. A company that just received more venture-capital funding — especially after a second or third round — tends to start hiring like mad because these are growth rounds.

And by all means, show some enthusiasm. Gusto, which opened a Denver office last year, posts its values on its site. Read those before applying, advised Maryanne Brown, head of recruiting at Gusto. Make sure you’re qualified for the role and be prepared to find out whether your motivation aligns with the company.

“We at Gusto think we’re solving a unique problem to provide better payroll and insurance for small to medium businesses. We want to make sure people who join the company are actually excited about the product,” she said. “One of the reasons Gusto decided to go to Denver was the talent pool. We did our research before we moved.”

“If the recruiter or hiring manager has done a lot of work up front, they know what they want,” said Josh Ashton, senior director of people operations at SendGrid, estimating that 50 to 60 percent of applicants aren’t qualified. “That’s why you can go through résumés quickly.”

And if you have a lot of experience, keep the most relevant stuff at top. Matthew Conforti, client manager for Flux Resources, puts it this way: “A résumé is essentially a tool to get an interview. Once in the interview, he’ll be able to dive into as much detail as needed given the desired job.”

Larger, established companies are known for using computers to vet incoming résumés. But every company is different.

Newmedia, which has 16 job openings, uses software to track and filter applicants. “A lot of times we can put multiple-choice questions on there to prescreen people,” said Bridges.

Sendgrid, which has 30 job openings on any given day, doesn’t, Ashton said.

“A lot of job seekers get frustrated because they apply and don’t have enough buzzwords on their résumé,” Ashton said. “We don’t do that because what may happen is there might be someone that is missed if you have a robot that is looking for buzzwords. You also might run into someone who looks great for another position.”

And if you make it to the phone interview or an in-person interview, ask questions. Interview the company.

“What I’ve seen work beyond technology tools is conversations and relationships. What’s worked for me and my friends is to do research and become an expert,” Conforti said. “Those men and women leading (area tech companies) said that someone who does that makes them miles ahead of everyone else — just for asking good questions.”

Gusto, which looks at every résumé that comes in on its site, hires perhaps 1 percent of all candidates who apply.

“But a lot of times, a ‘No’ the first time doesn’t mean a ‘No’ forever,” Brown said. “We may revisit candidates a year down the road.”

What you don’t know about finding a job

Apparently, there are known jobs that are made public and then there are the more obscure “unknowable” jobs, said Kris A. Erlewine, who five years ago started a Colorado job board called Colorado Base during his own search for a job.

“My personal feeling is that 70 percent of the jobs available out there see the light of day,” Erlewine said. “The other 30 percent don’t. And the only way you’ll find out about those is if you know somebody, or know the recruiter or the company has a bunch of talent acquisition (employees) mining LinkedIn and contacting you out of the blue.”

Sendgrid posts most of its job openings publicly. But not all, Ashton said. That’s to give existing employees a chance to move up.

“There are sometimes open jobs that are not posted on our career page because we want an internal employee to apply for them first. In some cases, employees who start off in our support team have skill sets that can be applied to other jobs inside the company,” he said.

There’s also the irritating trend by some companies to post a job with such lofty goals that they can’t find anyone. And then they complain about not finding enough applicants, said Julie Sandschafer, director of business development for Built In Colorado, a site that shares news and job openings of about 1,000 local tech companies.

“A lot of times, a company comes up with a hybrid position where it’s two different roles but they want one person for it. We have to explain to them that it’s two jobs. It’s a battle. And then they say they can’t find anyone,” Sandschafer said. “There is a disconnect between expectations and the actual marketplace.”

Built In Colorado staffers work with tech companies to adjust expectations and encourages them to take a second look at candidates with potential.

“Right now, we’re dealing with a shortage, especially in the tech space. Unemployment in the tech space is pretty much 1 percent for any tech job,” Sandschafer said. “If a person comes off as having potential and is teachable, the company needs to be open to training.”

And then there is the black hole.

“Most employers over the size of 20 have an applicant-tracking system and they’re trying to solicit résumés. That’s where a lot of people fail. They think that because they sent their résumé through that black hole, they are good to go,” Erlewine said. “In a lot of ways, that’s a lot of wasted effort.”

Erlewine advises to find the company or job you want and then hunt down the hiring manager — “Not HR,” he said — on LinkedIn.

“HR doesn’t exist to help you get that job with the company in general. You need to get over to the hiring manager. And at that point, people need to get aggressive and connect with them through LinkedIn directly. And not with that little ‘Join my professional network.’ But sit down, write a message to them and say, ‘I see you’re interested in hiring for this, can you tell me who I can talk to?’ ” Erlewine said. “That’s the one thing about LinkedIn invitations. People read them. You’re able to rise above the noise.”

Like others, Sandschafer ultimately recommends networking to meet people. Built In Colorado offers tech-related events at builtincolorado.com/events and is also hosting a special showcase recruiting event July 20 (details are at dpo.st/builtinsummer16).

“It’s a big community and small community too,” Sandschafer said. “You never know who will get you your next job.”

When networking isn’t natural

A common thread among readers who shared job-seeking woes is that they are introverts. Getting out and meeting new people makes them anxious, especially for older workers.

Like Lloyd McConnell, who at 63 has more than 40 years of technical experience. He has worked as a manager, owned a company, and has degrees in electrical engineering and business. McConnell, a Greeley resident, now has a job after searching for 22 months but said the process was disheartening. Networking was even more difficult.

“I am a ‘doer,’ not a ‘joiner,’ by nature. This (was a) painful and almost an out-of-body experience for me,” McConnell said.

Those in the tech-recruiting industry understands introverts.

“It almost seems like there needs to be a mentorship program to teach you that, just like how to build credit. Things like this are so necessary in the world, but nobody taught me,” said Matthew Conforti, client manager for tech recruiter Flux Resources in Boulder.

His advice is to practice networking with a friend and experience being the center of attention. Also, volunteer for a cause you’re interested in. You’ll immediately join a new social network, plus you’ll add additional experience to a résumé.

Then seek out events that you’re either casually or professionally interested in. Events such as Boulder Startup Week or Denver Startup Week mash together entrepreneurs, CEOs and employees from area businesses.

“I wonder how many people actually did the research to see where Ingrid Alongi from QuickLeft would be speaking and go up to her and say, ‘I’m wondering …,’ ” Conforti said. “From my experience and what I’ve seen work, that’s the most effective thing to do, and that sets you apart.”

When age matters in your job hunt

If you are an older worker, use age to your benefit and be proud about your career, said David Pyle, who turns 59 this month.

Pyle took a buyout in 2011 as a vice president at a publishing company. But instead of sitting around for another leadership role, he took the first job he was offered in order to learn something new — at a 70 percent pay cut.

“It was difficult to take that pay cut,” Pyle said. “Don’t be (too proud to take) a job that gives you additional skills, but also be proud about the things you have built for yourself on the life of your career. Those, combined with a fresh skill set, make you very, very valuable. You can bring value and expertise that a younger person can’t match.”

Pyle happened to get hired by Todd Vernon, who at the time was co-founder of a digital advertising-exchange platform called Lijit Networks, now Sovrn. Pyle learned all about digital ads, which proved valuable for his future. He stayed at Lijit for less than a year and currently is the managing director of sales at natural-product lifestyle company New Hope Network in Boulder.

“If I had come in and just positioned myself as having lots of experience but didn’t have that fresh update on skills, I probably wouldn’t have this job,” Pyle said.

And Vernon, who has since started VictorOps in Boulder, said he values older workers because they tend to stick around since they have homes, families and other responsibilities.

“Older employees have the life experiences that help stabilize a young company, and (they) often work smarter,” Vernon said. “At VictorOps, we frequently seek out the more senior developers and engineers because they know exactly what they want, will work hard to achieve it, and their drive for success is paramount to their situation.”

AARP also has a list of companies that have pledged to “value experienced workers and believe in equal opportunities for workers of all ages” at aarp.org/work/job-search/employer-pledge-companies.

Why you didn’t get the job

The top reason people don’t get a job is they’re not qualified. But for those who make it through several interviews and still don’t get it, you should ask the company why.

“A lot of times it’s just that we set up an ideal profile or match and we found somebody that really hit the home run for us,” Bacon said. “If someone is really curious, they should ask. … If you don’t get an answer right away, don’t be discouraged. It may just be an administrative issue. But sometimes, some candidates are really aggressive and persistent about getting feedback. We can’t be a career coach for everybody. Ask a few times and if you don’t hear back, maybe look into getting interview training or contact a career coach who can help you with mock interviews.”

If you find rejection every where you apply, Gusto’s Brown recommends doing a strength-finder assessment by asking friends and family about what they think your strengths are.

“If you’re passed over by 10 companies for the same role, I’d look at your résumé to see if it’s up to date,” Brown said. “Anytime I’m doing a job search, I’ll look at people I admire and try to figure out their trajectories and see the decisions they made. Look for products you admire and (research) what they did early on. What are the core skills they needed? Be as targeted as you can.”

Where to network

The Denver area is full of networking opportunities. Officially, the all-around useful meeting organizer Meetup.com tallied up 750 “nearby meetups” within five miles of Denver.

Not everything gets on Meetup.com. A simple online search for “Denver user groups,” brings up the Salesforce Denver User Group (and a report of the average salary), the Denver SQL Server User Group and Denver Petroleum User Group

Other sites to check for local networking events are Eventbrite, which post events that require a ticket or fee. Check to see if companies you want to work for plan to host their own public events, or attend Meetups themselves. Built In Colorado has a handy events calendar.

Ibotta’s hosts a monthly women in leadership series (lunch is provided!) and participates in area networking events. On Thursday, it hosted Built In Brews, a social gathering of local technologists each month, at its downtown headquarters.

Bridges, at Newmedia, shared his must-attend Meetups, including DenverScript, WordPress, Drupal, Denver Young Professionals and She Says Denver.

Several who hire suggest attending at events like Boulder Startup Week, which just ended, and Denver Startup Week, which runs Sept. 12-16. Numerous CEOs, founders and their employees show up for events like this. Many participate on panels so strategic job hunters can try to meet these people in person.

At some of the tech- or startup-related meetings Ashton from Sendgrid attends, people “literally go around the room and stand up and say what they’re hiring for,” he said.

Some of Sendgrid’s must-attends: Denver or Boulder New Tech Meetups, Built in Colorado’s Built-in Brews, Denver Gophers (for Go programmers), Women Who Code, Denver Splunk, and Girl Develop It.

If you spot someone wearing a blue Sendgrid shirt, Ashton advises to introduce yourself. If you are familiar with Sendgrid and know about a particular opening, share your pitch about why you’re interested.

“We host these Meetups and we participate in them, and not because it’s a huge recruiting angle for us. Obviously we go and have a recruiter there. It’s about the community and that Meetup and the specific agenda,” he said. “Making a personal conversation can get you on our radar.”

The Job boards and lists

While recruiters in the technology industry say they look at Indeed.com and LinkedIn, every industry seems to have its own job board.

As a hobby, Lew Visscher runs Lew’s List, which features finance and accounting jobs. It has a list of more than 10,000 people working in finance and accounting in the front range. Companies share jobs, and he shares them with his e-mail list. He may get a finder’s fee from the hiring company, but it’s an honor system.

“Depending on the role, the location, etc., posting companies will get anywhere from 1 to 150 résumés. They manage the process from there,” Visscher said.

Visscher advises users to keep their LinkedIn profiles updated not just so they’ll see who they might know at a company, but the recruiter is looking for connections, too.

“The folks that are receiving résumés from job board posts need a reason to pull yours out of the stack,” he said. “Knowing someone helps and making sure your résumé or cover letter fit or hit what they are looking for is key.”

Visscher, whose is chief financial officer for Catalyst Repository Systems, also recommends these networking groups for accounting professionals: Financial Executives International Colorado (at feicolorado.org); the IMA, or Institute of Management Accountants; and FTL, or Future Tax Leaders.

Colorado-friendly job sites 

(last updated 7/11/2016)

• AdWorks (Arapahoe and Douglas County jobs)
• Andrew Hudson’s JobsList
• Arapahoe County government jobs
• Architectural jobs via AIA Colorado
• Architectural-landscape jobs via American Society of Landscape Architects Colorado
• Aurora city jobs
• Boulder Staffing (professional jobs in the Front Range)
• Built In Colorado (jobs at Denver-area tech companies)
• BW Bacon recruiter (Denver-area tech jobs)
• Colorado state government
• Colorado broadcasting via Colorado Broadcasters Assn.
• Colorado Base (focuses on jobs in the Front Range)
• Colorado Job Network
• Colorado Jobing
• Colorado.jobs (from online recruiter Direct Employers)
• Colorado community college jobs
• Connecting Colorado via the Colorado Workforce Center
• Court jobs via Colorado Judicial Branch
• Denver city and county government jobs
• Denver Egotist (creative jobs)
• Denver Post Jobs via Monster
• Denver Seminary list of religious organizations jobs
• Education via Young Education Professionals Colorado
• FlexJobs.com, a Boulder-based site for telecommuting jobs
• Food and restaurant jobs via Colorado Restaurant Assn.
• Jefferson County (also Clear Creek and Gilpin)
• Lew’s List (finance and accounting jobs in Front Range)
• Luke’s Circle (newsletter with non-tech jobs at local companies)
• Nature jobs via Colorado Parks & Wildlife
• Nonprofit jobs via Colorado Nonprofits Association
• Outdoor jobs via Get Outdoors Colorado
• Post Independent via Post Independent in Glenwood Springs
• Public health jobs in Colorado via The Public Health Alliance
• SpringsCareers via the Colorado Springs Gazette
• Summit Daily via the Summit Daily
• Tech jobs via Boulder NewTech group
• Tech company jobs via Colorado Technology Assn.

National job boards:

• Cannabis jobs via Northsight Capital
• Career Cloud (lists national, local and niche job boards)
• Conservation jobs (with Colorado jobs)
• Tech jobs via CrunchBoard
• Tech jobs via Dice
• Glassdoor.com/Job
• Indeed.com
• LinkedIn.com/jobs
• Religious jobs via Christian Christian Career Center
• Sales jobs via SalesGravy
• SimplyHired.com
• Hourly jobs via SnagAJob.com
• Teaching jobs (with Colorado teaching jobs)
• U.S. veterans job boards
• Insurance jobs via Work at Home Vintage Experts
• Journalism jobs
• Writing jobs via The Write Jobs

Have a favorite local job board, tip or networking event to add? Let Tamara know at tchuang@denverpost.com.