Tech layoffs which started at the beginning of 2023 haven’t showed any signs of slowing down. In fact, they have gathered more intensity since the turn of the year. Almost every big company has fired thousands of employees. One such employee was Mariana Kobayashi who was laid off from LinkedIn in June 2023. According to a report by Business Insider, she is now working with Google in Dublin.And it all started because of a viral video.
She made a hiring video which showcased her professional journey, featuring a comprehensive overview of her work history alongside prerecorded testimonials from former colleagues and industry peers. Kobayashi mentioned that the entire process took approximately 10 hours. Upon completion, she used ContactOut, an email lookup utility, to directly forward it to the hiring manager.
She told Business Insider that Lots of people reached out to her offering coffee chats and letting her know about roles. “Then the recruiter for the role reached out, and I had a call with her,” she said.
Kobayashi recounted her experience with a Google recruiter, who initially deemed her overqualified for the graduate scheme she had applied for. Despite this, the recruiter liked Kobayashi’s video presentation and LinkedIn content, assuring her of consideration for future opportunities within the company.
In September 2023, she noticed an opening for an account executive position and promptly applied, despite feeling slightly underqualified.

How she approached the application and interview

Kobayashi feels that her application stood out for its purpose-driven approach, a factor she believes caught the recruiter’s attention. She prepared two documents post-interview: one highlighting her strengths and why she should be hired, and another addressing perceived weaknesses or employment gaps. “It was a document saying: ‘This is why you should not hire me,'” she told Business Insider. “But I also included a page saying: “This is how I’m going to turn my red flags into green flags.””
During the interview process, which spanned three stages consisting of 45-minute calls, including a case study and a leadership assessment, Kobayashi’s candid approach and comprehensive preparation impressed the interviewers. Following each interview, she shared the documents she had prepared, garnering positive feedback from the interviewers.
Despite a month-long wait for a response, Kobayashi remained diligent, following up with the recruiter weekly. Finally, she received the news that she had advanced to the final selection round. Within a week, Kobayashi received the coveted job offer, something which started with a video that went viral.