As a person who regularly received (and rejected) many candidates from Stanford/MIT/etc for positions at a Silicon Valley company that people would be happy to have on their resume, I can tell you what was in my mind about it.
I once received a resume for a technical position from a recently graduated Ph.D., from a very “desirable” school.
Their resume contained years of educational “stuff”. It was lacking any work experience, and also had no “personality” – no hobbies, nothing other than school, school and more school.
All I could conclude from the resume was that this person was what I would consider a “professional student” who was somehow unsuccessful in procuring a research position somewhere.
I didn’t bother bringing them in to find out.
If you don’t care enough about a company to at least show them why you’re applying, and make the hiring manager able to picture you working there, there are plenty of other people who can and do.
Originally Posted: https://www.quora.com/If-people-like-Jessica-Su-pursuing-PhD-in-Stanford-cannot-clear-Quora-interviews-what-hope-do-I-have-that-Ill-make-into-such-a-company
Originally Posted On: 2016-01-18