Vervoe logo

5 min read

Help Candidates To Stand Out And Escape The ‘Experience Paradox’

Time for a radical career change

My name is Tyler, and earlier this year, I did something that some might call irresponsible. At the age of 30, I decided to change the trajectory of my career completely. In 2009 I graduated from college in pre-med and then decided to pursue a career in the mental health field. I held several positions in and out of the field. And after the overwhelming state of affairs in the last year, I had a realization. I wanted something different.

I live in Austin, Texas, lovingly referred to as “Silicon Hills” for the cluster of tech companies that have either migrated or opened here in the last decade. After several lengthy conversations with friends, family, and coworkers, I decided to break into tech sales.

Having made my decision, I updated my resume, practiced interview questions, and began applying for every single job I came across. I quickly realized that my lack of direct experience was working against me. Time after time, I received the dreaded email, telling me that “while we appreciate your interest and your resume is impressive, we’ve decided to go with a candidate who has more direct experience in the role.”

Background is in the eye of the beholder

“But,” I thought, “I DO have experience!” 

I do not regret the last ten years of my life. I’ve worked in schools, hospitals, in-patient treatment centers, and physical therapy centers. I’ve traveled. I’ve been on medical mission trips in Asia and South America. I’ve lived and experienced the world in a way that I am extremely proud of and grateful for. Yet, I kept getting the feedback that I don’t have the background to perform a sales role.

Here’s the thing — I understand that for many skilled roles, it is a risk to give the position to an individual who has not previously performed in that role. However, I know that despite not having done any cold prospecting or tech sales pitches, my work and life experiences have formed me into the kind of person who is CAPABLE of learning to do those things. 

I also have many of the “soft skills” that are sought after in this position. I’ve had to “sell” the idea of wellness to every single patient or client I’ve ever encountered. I’ve had to begin jobs feeling completely unprepared and just figure it out as I go. I’ve taught classes, done hours and hours of tedious paperwork, and cultivated relationships based on trust and shared values.

On top of that, I did have direct sales experience! I was a pedicab (aka rickshaw) driver in New Orleans for almost three years. It was a competitive environment in which I was simultaneously marketing, selling, and performing the service. To be told that my experiences “didn’t count” was frustrating, and at times patronizing.

The ‘Experience Paradox’

Fast forward a few months into my job search. I had just received a particularly painful rejection after a 5-week long interview process. I was sure I had the job, and yet once again, I had been passed over for another candidate with more experience. I began to ask myself, “Am I making the right decision?” More than once, I had pondered, “How can I realistically gain experience if I need the experience to get a position in the first place?”

My recruiter (and guardian angel) forwarded me some information on a company called Vervoe. The more I read up on them, the more excited I became. I wasn’t sure what an “AI-powered skill testing platform” was, but when I saw “we’re on a mission to make hiring about merit, not background” I knew this was MY job. 

After months of being told that I just wasn’t quite enough, the idea of working for a company whose entire mission is to provide chances for folks like me sounded too good to be true.

Getting-a-job paradox
Getting-A-Job Paradox

No resume, just skills

I immediately responded to my recruiter, telling her to send them my resume. She told me they didn’t want my resume. They wanted me to take a “skill assessment.” Alright, I thought, I can do that. I took the assessment, expecting to manually type in the information already on my resume or fill out a psychological profile. I even researched how to skew the results so that the data would show I have the “personality” of a salesman. Instead, I was given actual sales-related situations and asked how I would respond. I completed the assessment, not knowing what to expect.

Help candidates to stand out and escape the ‘experience paradox’ 1
Example of my answers

I received an email the next day asking for an in-person interview and was informed I had the job two days after that!

On a mission hiring to make hiring about merit

I’m now in my second week working for Vervoe, and the outpouring of excitement and passion from my new work family has been surreal. Everybody here has experienced some version of what I’ve gone through. Many have experienced it from the opposite perspective, sifting through hundreds of CVs and resumes, filtering out bad fits based on a sheet of text, and slogging through dozens of interviews in order to find the “perfect fit.”

Here at Vervoe, we make hiring about merit. Nothing else matters. Not the blank spots in your resume. Not the college you attended. Not the references on your resume (everybody already knows you just wrote down your friends anyway.)

I am not my work history. I am a person with gifts and weaknesses, successes and failures. Most importantly, however, I am a person with value. At Vervoe, we are here to showcase each and every person’s inherent value and help employers recognize and utilize that value. If that sounds like something you can get behind, you’re in the right place.

Picture of Tyler Tauzin

Tyler Tauzin

Tyler is a dedicated Behavioural Health Specialist with a passion for making a positive impact in people's lives. Currently employed at The Right Step - Hill Country on a full-time basis, Tyler plays a crucial role in providing support and guidance to individuals on their journey towards recovery and wellness. With over five years of experience in the field, Tyler has honed his expertise in behavioral health and life development. Prior to his role at The Right Step - Hill Country, Tyler served as a Life Development Consultant at Innovation360 Austin, where he helped clients navigate challenges and achieve personal growth. Based in Austin, Texas, Tyler is committed to fostering a supportive and empowering environment for individuals seeking assistance with their mental health and well-being. His compassionate approach and dedication to continuous learning make him a valuable asset to the behavioral health community. Outside of his professional endeavors, Tyler enjoys staying active in the vibrant Austin community and finding ways to promote mental health awareness and advocacy.

Recent articles

Featured articles

Similar articles you may be interested in​

The Starting Line: Moving Fast Wednesday, February 24th, 9:30 am I first met Dan Ridd at 9:30 am on Wednesday,

March 29, 2021

Back in April, I wrote about a real job audition we did. Old school, no technology, no efficiency. We agreed

July 2, 2020

After finishing university I joined the graduate program of a major bank. I didn’t really know what I wanted to

April 18, 2020

Popular assessments

The skills tested in this skills assessment for an Administrative Clerk determine whether the candidate can communicate well, both written and verbally, and if they have the ability to engage with multiple personality types. We test to see if the candidate is capable of using their initiative and think pragmatically in an ever changing role

The skills tested in this Assessment for an Administration Officer determine whether the candidate can communicate and articulate themselves verbally and face to face, we tested whether the candidate can organise their day effectively in order to insure the completion of many different tasks, and f they have the knowledge to assist with Technology set up and issues if they arise.

The skills tested in this assessment for a Virtual Assistant is to determine whether the candidate has experience and proficiency in Microsoft and systems to enable them to complete administrative tasks with ease. We tested whether the candidate can communicate well with others from an remote environment and whether they have the discipline and self motivation to work productively in a solo environment.

The skills tested in this assessment for a Secretary include determining how the candidate can cope with dealing with uncomfortable situations while remaining professional and calm. this assessment tested to gauge the level of communication the candidate has and their attention to detail.

The skills tested in this assessment for an Executive Assistant include determining whether the candidate can be discrete with tasks and people holding a level of professionalism. We tested to determine if the candidate has both written and verbal communication skills and if they are able to handle a busy workload with the ability to multitask exceptionally.

A Data Analyst should be proficient in maths but, most importantly, demonstrate a strong business sense. Through this combination, they can drive change to the business based on pieces of information they derive from data. Specifically, in the Vervoe skill assessment, the following skills are looked at in detail, critical thinking, use of data models in different situations, and data classification for the different problem sets.

The skills that are tested in this assessment for a Copywriter include how skilled the candidate is in SEO, copywriting, creative thinking, and research. It tests their ability to plan, design, and create advertising campaigns, the process they would follow before writing content for SEO, their process for creating a landing page, the research, and resources they would utilize when working with a new client, as well as the research they would conduct once being assigned to a project they had little knowledge about.