Everything is a numbers game.
The source of truth for everything is data, and that's also what matters the most when you apply to a role, especially in startups.
Imagine you're a hiring manager at a startup. You’ve got limited time, you're juggling a million things, and now there’s a stack of resumes to sift through. Who stands out? The candidate who gets what a startup needs—and proves it through data.
Today, you’ll learn how to leverage data to make your resume and story irresistible to startup hiring managers / Founders.
What we’ll cover:
Decoding startup job descriptions, reading between the lines
Showcasing the right metrics, the ones that matter
Telling data-driven stories that help you stand out
Ready? Let’s break it down.
Before getting into it, celebrating the fam-wins -
Jaimit Doshi (GrowthX member since 2021) has now joined Lenskart as the Global Head of Marketing & CEO, Hustlr ✨
Now, getting to the topic for this week.
How to analyse a job description?
Job descriptions are often a mix of buzzwords and big expectations. But if you read between the lines, you can decide what matters and why. Before getting to the JD, make sure you understand the product and the user it’s been built for. Build enough context on the industry, only then will you be able to connect the dots.
Let’s look at an example below -
Now, after reading this what will you ideally highlight in your resume? Take a pause and think about this. A few things that should go in -
The mention of working closely with a Founder is made twice if you have worked with Founder/ CXO Leaders previously - add that. This implies you know how to prioritize, how to make the most of the time you get with them and also how to report metrics/ insights that can further help business decisions.
Customer insights for decision-making and building the product roadmap is highlighted. Talk about the insights you gathered that led to a decision that impacted metrics.
For example, we spoke to ~130 users and collected insights which led to us launching the 7-day trial plan of the product, with the paid conversions going up by 12%. If you have a project where you spoke to XX number of users that led to a product development decision, mention that.Documentation as mentioned is crucial. Show them what you have done on this front with examples - Attach that PRD/ BRD you wrote for a product/ feature you worked on.
There’s more that you need to understand when you read a JD. How to accurately dissect the JDs and get the meat out? Find out here.
Commonly used keywords like "MVP," "scale," and "product-market fit" will tell you they want someone who’s navigated early-stage challenges before. Show relevant skills by understanding the role requirements clearly, for example -
Getting it done: Startups want people who can get things done with minimal resources. This isn’t just a buzzword.
If you're applying for a Growth role, mention a time you managed a campaign or scaled an acquisition strategy without much budget, focusing on creative problem-solving.Data-driven: Whether you're targeting a marketing role or a product role, showcase your experience with metrics like customer acquisition cost (CAC), lifetime value (LTV), or retention rates.
For example, mention how you improved conversion rates by 20% by analyzing user behaviour data.Innovative: In Business roles, startups want individuals who aren’t afraid to suggest new processes or pivot strategies when needed.
For example, you might have suggested a pricing strategy change that led to a 15% increase in monthly recurring revenue (MRR).
Understanding cultural fit
Beyond the hard skills, startups care deeply about cultural fit. Take note of the language used—words like ‘ownership, hustle, figure it out’ reflect the unique pace of startup life.
If you’re applying to a startup that emphasizes "team culture" or "cross-functional collaboration," your resume needs to reflect that you thrive in fast, often chaotic environments where adaptability is key. And not just by stating it but by highlighting any experience/ project where you showcased this.
Now, coming to metrics
Make sure you talk about what’s relevant for the role, and not have everything that you have done. Ultimately, if it doesn’t add up for the hiring manager, it won’t count.
Marketing roles:
Focus on metrics like channel efficiency, traffic to conversions, and customer acquisition cost (CAC). For instance, if you were responsible for a marketing campaign, explain how you optimized channels: "Increased channel efficiency by 15% by reallocating budget to high-performing channels, leading to a 10% improvement in traffic-to-paid conversions."
Product roles:
The emphasis should be on metrics that tie to revenue impact. Talk about how your product initiatives contributed directly to revenue growth. For example: "Implemented a feature that increased user retention by 15%, translating to an additional $200K in annual recurring revenue."
Growth roles:
For growth roles, focus on metrics such as customer acquisition and funnel optimization. "Optimized the sales funnel to increase conversion rates by 20%, leading to a 25% increase in new customer acquisition within six months."
To stand out, make sure your resume, portfolio, or cold reachouts align with role-specific data. Not every metric is relevant for every role, so ensure you add what matters.
Sometimes, especially if you’re transitioning into a new role, you may not have direct data to present. Here’s how you can estimate or get the data:
If you’ve worked in cross-functional teams, ask your manager or colleague about the business impact of your work. For example, “I contributed to X project, what did that mean for our user growth or revenue?”
Ensure no matter which role you are in, your focus is on knowing and defining the impact your work drives on the end goal for the business.Let’s say you worked on a website redesign as a product manager. You may not know the exact numbers, but you could estimate:
Redesigned the checkout flow > resulted in an estimated 15-20% decrease in cart abandonment based on similar industry benchmarks > based on AOV what’s the impact that had on revenue can be calculated.
Finally, data-driven storytelling
Once you have listed everything down, time to put it together in your resume/ cold reach-out messages. Here your depth of understanding about the user, product and market is very critical.
For example, If the startup is a fintech company offering small business loans, you could say: I’ve been following your product’s growth in enabling small businesses to scale faster through accessible loans. With my experience in improving user flows in a fintech app, I believe I can help drive your user acquisition and retention further by optimizing loan approval processes.
Highlight and show that you know what you are trying to get into, you understand the business and the industry. Do this with a project you have worked on in the previous org, a personal project you have built out or a freelance/ consulting role in which you solved a relevant problem will work. Your proof of work is what helps you give the hiring manager confidence in your work & skills.
Especially in resume/ cold reach-out messages, your work is doing the talking before even you get a chance. Start with adding the ones that you built during immersion at GrowthX, here’s how.
Building focused projects (on the specific company/ product) always helps. And here’s a full-blown course on how you can build one -
Aiming for a product role, enrol here.
To crack a marketing role, get started here.
When you have this all, how to tell a compelling story and build the right narrative. How to talk about yourself to drive curiosity, how to make it matter to the other person - learn here. This is also the most critical part where things make or break. Learning this will help you cross- -
The first call with a hiring manager/TA
Offline networking events that you go to
Cold emails/DMs that you send out, and more
Making data accessible
Startups move fast, and their decision-makers don’t always have time to dive into complex data. Make sure your numbers are clear, digestible, and aligned with their goals. Avoid overwhelming hiring managers with too much information—focus on what’s most relevant and impactful.
Break it down: “Increased customer retention by 25%, leading to a $200k increase in ARR within 6 months.”
Here’s how you can communicate your craft & experiences impactfully. There’s a way to do it right, and you can learn it too.
Putting it all together
When you tie everything back to the data, you’re not just showing that you’ve "done the work"—you’re proving that you know how to make a measurable difference. That’s what startups are looking for. They don’t just want someone who understands their world; they want someone who’s going to move the needle.
Your job, when applying to a startup, is to show them exactly how you’ll do that.
So block some time this week to get this done.
Featured roles this week ✨
Brand & PR Head at Coverfox [Insurance]
Growth Manager at Dodo Payments [Finance]
Growth Marketer at d’you [Beauty & personal care]
Brand Manager at Youneek Pro Science [Personal care]
Bonus tip:
Increase your chances of getting shortlisted, here’s how -
You just need to block 60 mins this week to get this done.
Curated resources for you 🚀
Story-telling 101 - The Dan Harmon story circle
Thoughts on TAM by Sajith Pai, VC at Blume Ventures
Stay on top of your game with insights exchanged by the fam this week.
Prep for any interview in just 5 minutes with these Interview cheatsheets
These small, yet impactful steps will make a lot of difference the next time you apply for a role. Action on it, learn and iterate.
Reply back to send your resume for a quick review and I will share feedback with you.
See you next week!