Disclaimer: I am not part of our recruiting team. I am not in charge of hiring large groups of people. However, I do interview potential people on the team in which I work – the HubSpot Academy team.

I’ve been at HubSpot for almost four years, and I’ve had many friends, friends-of-friends, or folks in the industry ask me how they can improve their chances of getting a job at HubSpot. Here you’ll see my personal take on what you should consider and do to increase the likelihood of being hired at HubSpot.

Before applying for HubSpot, one absolute must do is to make sure the company is right for you. If hired, it’s hopefully is a long-term relationship that benefits both parties, thus making it imperative that you’re positive the company’s culture, mission and marketing strategies are right for you.

Here are two items to ensure you understand and like the company – from the inside:

1. Make sure you like the culture.

HubSpot works very hard on creating a specific type of culture. And with every potential new hire, we look for people also fit the culture. Our co-founder, Dharmesh Shah, has developed a culture code deck, which is a great way to see exactly what type of culture HubSpot promotes and looks for in team members.

Learn about the culture, by familiarizing yourself with HubSpot’s “Culture Code” SlideShare deck:

2. Understand the company’s mission & marketing strategies:

The co-founders of the company Brian Halligan and Dharmesh have recently released the second edition of their book on inbound marketing. This book provides incredible insights as to the company’s core values, mission and what the company consider characteristics of great employees.

While you can find a lot of great content on HubSpot’s website, the book is what you’re looking to read. Bonus: it’s only about $10 for Kindle and an easy and fun read.
Click here to purchase Inbound Marketing, Revised and Updated: Attract, Engage, and Delight Customers Online.

Great, you’ve decided that a position at HubSpot is for you. Now what?

 

Now you have to make a strong case for why the company can benefit from having you. Our recruiters and employees receive tons of messages and resumes from people all over the globe every day. Why would they choose to read yours and hire you. That’s for you to figure out.
However, there are a few things you can do to make a stronger and more compelling case that you know the industry, fit the culture and would make an incredible addition to the HubSpot team.

1. Build up domain knowledge. 

You’ve already read the book and probably learned a lot from that. Now it’s time to beef up your resume and knowledge of the world of inbound. The best way to do this is by getting Inbound certified. It’s a HubSpot-hosted certification program and it’s free.
And actually, we require every applicant of our HubSpot Academy team gets Inbound certified before applying. Why do we do this, you ask? Because of these benefits:
  • It gives candidates a basic high-level overview of what inbound really is.
  • Shows initiative and discipline to focus on continued learning.
  • Indicates interest in the industry in which the candidate is about to work.
  • Beefs up a candidate’s resume in an important area.

Ready to dive in? Then click the button below, or this link to get certified.

Oh, and if you pass the Inbound Certification, check out the cool badge you’ll get:

2. Build connections & join the community

Follow HubSpotters on Twitter. 
This is easy because you can simply follow this Twitter list,  HubSpotters on Twitter – or find HubSpotters online (or via LinkedIn) and then search for them in a Google search (include the word “Twitter” in your search), to find their Twitter accounts.
A search might look like this “Sarah Bedrick Twitter” – it’s really that easy to find folks in which you can connect.
Connect by reading their blogs and commenting.
Want to see a few blogs from HubSpotters? Here are just a few:

Join the inbound community:

Create an account on inbound.org and participate in the conversation. Inbound.org is the brain child of Dharmesh and Moz.com’s founder and former CEO, Rand Fishkin. There are tons of inbound experts and marketers on there building connections, sharing experiences and helping to advance the industry forward. Plus, if you have your Inbound Certification badge, it will show up on your profile increasing your credibility in the industry.
Check out a HubSpot User Group.
HubSpot User Groups are comprised of some of the most dedicated inbound marketers in your local area. They’re the ones who are doing great things with inbound marketing, using the HubSpot software and leveraging the community’s knowledge to enhance everything that they do.
This is an incredible idea to network with fellow marketers and HubSpot customers. And who knows, you may even be able to meet someone that can put in a good word for your work and/or passion for the company and it’s vision.

3. Refine your resume.

This is an area that I cannot help, sorry. However, a quick Google search for resume advice and tips can provide you with the resources that can help you beef it up.

A few things to keep in mind:

4. Prepare your “personal brand” to apply.

These are things to consider when leading up to submitting your application.

Purge any inappropriate photos from social media.

While HubSpotters are known for working hard, we’re also known for enjoying ourselves too! But, the photos from college where you’re funneling beer, dancing on tables or engaging in things that your mom, dad or future employer would be shocked to see – then delete (or hide or untag) it.

Put your best foot/photo forward. 

While you’re purging the controversial photos from your profile, why not add an element of professionalism. Update your Twitter and LinkedIn photo to be a bit more representative of your professional side.

Do a Google search for your name.

It’s not uncommon for a potential employer to Google you. There is so much information on the web, and it’s silly to not take it into account when hiring the next big star for your company. Do a Google search for yourself. And if you find unflattering photos, information or stories – use your new-found inbound marketing knowledge create better content that will out-rank it. However, if it’s something that is important for your new employer to know, no matter how bad, be prepared to proactively share it, as we also value transparency (found in Culture Code).

Be proactive about your potential future at HubSpot. 

There are tons of applicants that come through the door. If you’ve had a phone interview and haven’t heard back, wait a little bit and be sure to check in. Polite determination is important when vying for a potential role.

5. Prepare for the interview.

If you’ve made it to the interview stage – congrats! Once again, the items below are a bit more generic as there are so many different roles at HubSpot that a person could apply for (marketing, consulting, engineering, finance, etc.) Prepare on the day before the interview:

Prepare on the day of the interview:

What are your thoughts? Do you have experiences that you’d like to share? Add them below in the comments section.

3 Responses

  1. Just getting ready to do my video interview. Thank you so much for the thoughtful tips! I’m definitely taking these into consideration moving forward. I hope to get the opportunity to meet you!

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