📌📌ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER + FAQs
If you're new here, this post is a great place to start
If you're new to this newsletter—welcome! And thanks for your interest! This post is a great place to start. It explains what Keep, Ding, Ghost is all about and why you'll love it here! I’m L. C. Serrão, the founder. If you’ve already come across an overview of this newsletter elsewhere, feel free to scroll down to the list of FAQs I’ve also included in this post to help you get further acquainted :)
Also, if you haven’t already, please make sure you’ve completed the New Subscriber Suvery (which will take less than 1 minute)! Thanks!
If you’re one of my new platinum or premium subscribers, make sure to also check out this (platinum) post or this (premium) post, which contains a list of your exclusive perks and benefits.
Keep, Ding, Ghost
Keep, Ding, Ghost is a (roughly) weekly newsletter that provides feedback to graduate job applicants through FREE CV reviews.
Remember that company that rejected your application despite your strong CV? This newsletter will show you what probably happened.
In other words, this newsletter demystifies the graduate recruitment screening process by providing feedback (which we all know employers usually withhold from applicants) that uncovers the factors—and nuances—that can lead to a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision on your CV.
This newsletter was created by me, L. C. Serrão. I have 10+ years of experience helping highly selective graduate employers (like Morgan Stanley and the World Bank Group) recruit candidates for Analyst and Associate level internships and full-time graduate roles. So, I have a solid take on what it takes for a CV to successfully pass the screening round for coveted entry-level graduate jobs. Plus, I’ve actually worked in the roles a lot of you are applying to, having worked as an investment banker and impact investor. Hence, I have first-hand experience on both sides of the table: applicant and recruiter. This is especially beneficial to applicants as I can show you how to present your CV in a way that makes it easier for recruiters to quickly see its strengths—since, at the end of the day, they are the ones who will decide whether your CV is better than your competitor's CV.
I will be as candid as the internet allows when providing feedback on the CVs I will share with you if you subscribe to this newsletter. You may not always like what you hear, but it's better to hear it from me and fix any issues raised than be in the dark and let your top-choice employer use the same issues as the reason to reject your CV.
The feedback will primarily be shared as posts categorised as ‘Keep, Ding, Ghost CV Review Sessions’, which, if you’re really clever, you should use as test runs before you apply for your ideal graduate jobs—i.e., treat them like revision classes or mock exams but for job applications.
In these review sessions, I’ll use CVs submitted by subscribers to create ‘CV batches’ that will compete with each other in head-to-head simulations to mimic the rigorous, fast-paced, competitive CV screening round conducted by top graduate employers. This process will result in one CV advancing to the next round (i.e., keep), one receiving a soft rejection (i.e., ding), and one receiving a hard rejection (i.e., ghost).
Hence the name ‘Keep, Ding, Ghost’.
Sign up as a FREE or Premium/Platinum subscriber to get the feedback you need—or didn't know you were missing—to enhance your chances of passing the CV screening round for your dream graduate job!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
In this post, you’ll find FAQs about this newsletter.
I also host a podcast that provides additional support to graduate job applicants. To check out the FAQs about that, click here.
If it’s FAQs about graduate recruitment that you’re after, click here.
If it’s FAQs about me (the founder) that you’re after, you won’t find one, lol. However, you can click here to learn more about my background or here for my Linktree.
FAQ: Why was this newsletter created (i.e., what issue is it trying to address)?
How often did you receive feedback after being rejected for a job? Exactly. It's no secret that employers are often reluctant to give feedback to unsuccessful job applicants (In fact. Good luck getting feedback even if you are successful). This lack of feedback is why I created the Keep, Ding, Ghost newsletter to fill in the gap—and I am all about telling it like it is: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I know first-hand that a lack of feedback can hinder an applicant’s ability to tackle the job market efficiently, especially when competing for highly competitive graduate jobs like insight programs, internships and full-time graduate roles. I faced not 5, not 10, but 25 rejections as an Imperial College undergrad when I was applying for my first set of graduate jobs. While I was ultimately able to secure internships with top investment banks, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, I am confident that access to feedback would have expedited my success and spared me the anxiety and confusion I most definitely endured during that time. I wish I had something like this newsletter and the FREE CV reviews I also offer when I was applying for graduate jobs, so I created it.
FAQ: What kind of posts and resources can subscribers to this newsletter expect (i.e., what solution does this newsletter offer to the ‘lack of feedback’ problem it is trying to solve)?
This newsletter will share posts categorised as Keep, Ding, Ghost CV Review Sessions. Such posts, and the FREE CV reviews, aim to provide a solution to the lack of feedback by allowing job applicants to finally get the candid, nuanced feedback, practical tips, and advice employers often withhold from them. Click here to request a free review of your CV, which is available to all subscribers!
While there are several employers that try to be helpful regarding feedback, most only provide it if you get to the interview or a later stage in the recruitment process (and even then, the feedback is usually quite vague). If you’re rejected at the CV screening round, however, it’s less likely that you’ll receive any feedback on why they were rejected or why the person whose CV made it through was selected. This, and the fact that most applicants are rejected without an interview, is why this newsletter will focus on providing feedback related to the CV screening round.
More specifically, the CV feedback you’ll receive if you subscribe to this newsletter will focus on the CV screening round for graduate jobs—i.e., Analyst and Associate level insight programs, internships, and full-time graduate roles. If you don’t know the difference between a graduate job and a job you get after graduating (they are not necessarily the same thing), click here to learn more about.
FAQ: Why the focus on ‘graduate’ jobs?
Since they are so notoriously hard to get, graduate jobs make for an excellent benchmark: if your CV can meet the standards required to successfully pass the CV screening round for graduate jobs, it will likely be strong enough to meet the standards required to successfully pass the CV screening round for any job. So, whether or not you’re planning to apply specifically to a graduate job, the CV feedback you’ll get access to as a subscriber to this newsletter will be helpful for almost any type of job.
FAQ: Is there a limit to the number of FREE CV reviews subscribers can request?
Nope! A CV is a ‘live’ doc that you should be regularly updating and improving, especially if you’re actively looking for a job. So, I’m happy for you to request a FREE review of different versions of your CV. Go nuts!
FAQ: What’s the best way for subscribers to familiarise themselves with this newsletter and the content they can expect to receive? Where should they start?
Reading through this list of FAQs is a great place to start! Once you’re done, click here for the Master Index post. It has a detailed overview of the types of posts and resources available to subscribers, which you can use to familiarise yourself with this newsletter.
FAQ: Who is the target audience for this newsletter?
I created this newsletter to provide graduate job applicants with a way to get feedback on their CVs—from someone who has reviewed many, many CVs for top graduate employers recruiting for entry-level positions. So, my target audience is exactly that: people applying for graduate jobs. Or rather, my target audience is anyone interested in seeing the behind-the-scenes screening that takes place after you apply for graduate jobs that can lead to ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decisions on a CV, whether it is to learn something for themselves or to pass it on to someone else. Hence, most of my subscribers are indeed students and recent graduates actively applying for jobs. But! I also have a lot of subscribers who fit into a broad range of categories, such as parents, staff members at sixth-form colleges, universities and grad/business schools and, of course, recruiters.
*Insight programs are typically for students in their first year of a three-year degree course or second year of a four-year degree course;
**Internships are typically for students in their penultimate year of a degree course and;
***Full-time graduate roles are typically for students in their final year of a degree course and recent graduates.
FAQ: Who is the founder of this newsletter?
I am! I.e., the person writing this, is the person who founded this, lol. Allow me to (re)introduce myself: I’m L. C. Serrão. I’ve spent 10+ years helping some of the world’s most selective employers (like Morgan Stanley and the World Bank Group) screen CVs and interview candidates for Analyst and Associate level internships and full-time graduate roles (yup, it’s not just CV screening that I’m great at!). So, I have a solid take on what it takes to successfully pass the screening round for coveted entry-level graduate jobs. Click here to learn more about my background or here for my Linktree.
FAQ: How did you come up with the name for this newsletter (Keep, Ding, Ghost)? And what does ‘Ding’ mean?
Ha! Good questions!
‘Ding’ is a euphemism for ‘rejection’ most commonly used in the United States.
This newsletter is named after its flagship feature, the ‘Keep, Ding, Ghost CV Review Sessions.’ In these review sessions, I’ll use CVs submitted by subscribers to create ‘CV batches’ that will compete with each other in head-to-head simulations to mimic the rigorous, fast-paced, competitive CV screening round conducted by top graduate employers. This process will result in one CV advancing to the next round (i.e., keep), one receiving a soft rejection (i.e., ding), and one receiving a hard rejection (i.e., ghost).
Hence the name Keep, Ding, Ghost.
FAQ: How often will new posts be published?
My lawyer told me to say new posts will be published on a (roughly) weekly basis. Some weeks, you’ll get a little more; some weeks, you’ll get a little less. Whichever the case, my lawyer’s statement has me covered, lol!
FAQ: How will subscribers receive notifications about new posts?
When you subscribe to this newsletter, you will receive new posts via email unless you subscribe via the app—in which case you’ll receive push notifications.
If you choose to engage with this newsletter via the app (which I highly recommend), you can decide whether to receive push notifications of new posts via the app, change to email notifications, or have it both ways. Click here for more information on how to set your notification preferences.
Below are the key reasons I highly recommend the app (aside from the fact that it’s pretty slick with great aesthetics!):
I usually edit posts about a million times after they’re initially published (because, well, Virgo life, lol), so the email version won’t necessarily be the most updated version. To see any edits or changes to a published post, you’d have to view the post through the app (or web browser).
Some posts may only be read in full via the app due to length restrictions set by some email providers (like Gmail).
This one is a reason taken directly from Substack (the platform that hosts this newsletter): the app offers a spam-free, ad-free reading experience, together with audio and community features.
Plus, you’ll need the app if you want to connect with me on here via DMs. Click here for more information about this.
If you choose to receive new posts via email and you can’t find the newsletter in your inbox, check your spam folder. And please mark keepdingghost@substack.com as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder, please check the Promotions tab.
FAQ: Is there a way to access old posts or look for specific content?
There sure is! Check out the Keep, Ding, Ghost Master Index or browse the archive.
FAQ: Is there an audio version of this newsletter, or is it only available in written form?
Yup! Every newsletter on this platform has automatic built-in audio with every post.
FAQ: Is there a student discount?
This is a free newsletter, but for those who want unrestricted access to everything on offer, there are higher subscription levels (premium and platinum) that you can sign up for, which will give you access to extra posts and other exclusive perks and benefits—such as priority for FREE CV reviews. Click here for the full list. You can also use this link to check if you’re eligible for a FREE upgrade to a premium subscription (100% off is a pretty good discount, right? And the best part is that the discount isn’t just for students!).
And for those who can’t get a free upgrade, don’t worry. I got you. Significant discounts for (currently) 50% off are also available if you simultaneously sign up for at least two subscriptions. So, if you have any friends who also want to level up by upgrading to a premium subscription, select the ‘Group’ option at the checkout via this link. You can also use this link to upgrade to a platinum subscription (the highest subscription level).
You should also know that you can earn temporary FREE access to a premium upgrade by referring your friends to sign up for a (free or premium) subscription to this newsletter (click here for more information and to access your unique referral link).
FAQ: I see this newsletter is a ‘bestseller’. What does that mean?
That’s right, the Keep, Ding, Ghost newsletter is a Substack bestseller! Hence the ‘bestseller’ image at the start of this post and the bestseller ‘verification’ badge on my Substack profile. Okay, so what exactly does it mean if you’re a bestseller on Substack (aka the platform that hosts this newsletter)? It basically means the number of people paying to subscribe to your newsletter has reached a level that makes it one of the most highly purchased publications on the platform. Click here for Substack’s official explanation and an overview of the three bestseller levels, and here to see the ‘Thank You’ post I dedicated and sent out to my subscribers when we—yes, we (because it couldn’t have happened without the amazing support from you guys)—first reached bestseller status!
FAQ: Can subscribers provide feedback or suggest topics for future posts?
Great question—and yes, of course you can! In fact, I encourage you to do so! Click here for the feedback and suggestion form.
If you’re a platinum subscriber, you’ll also receive ad-hoc exclusive polls from me that will allow you to select or suggest new topics for future posts, which will be given priority.
FAQ: Are there any chat features or discussion forums for subscribers?
There sure is! The Keep, Ding, Ghost chatroom is now open! This exclusive chatroom, hosted right here on this platform, is a casual space for you to connect with me and other subscribers. No outsiders allowed! The topics will vary, but I will primarily use the chat to a) share crucial information about things like deadlines and upcoming events hosted by top graduate employers to help you stay updated and organised and b) highlight actionable tips and advice not only for your CV but also other parts of the application process. Click the link below to join!
Highly recommended: The chatroom—and this newsletter overall—is best experienced via the Substack app (here I go, pushing the app again, lol. It’s for your own good, though). So, if you haven’t already, download the app today! As previously mentioned, it's a sleek app with audio features and great aesthetics, and I will regularly provide updates to posts that will only be accessible through the app. Also, please make sure this newsletter is correctly displayed on your Substack ‘Reads’ list; otherwise, you won’t show up as a 'subscriber' to me and others on the app.
FAQ: I hear there’s also a podcast. What’s that about, and how does it differ from the newsletter?
I’m glad to hear that you’re already in the know! Alongside writing this newsletter, your girl is also busy building a podcast for graduate job applicants—i.e. you! What’s the difference between the two? I will use the newsletter to zero in on the CV screening process by primarily focusing on the Keep, Ding, Ghost CV Review Sessions, which are only available to newsletter subscribers. These sessions—which will usually be delivered in a video or audio presentation-style format, are the flagship feature of the Keep, Ding, Ghost brand (hence the name). The podcast, on the other hand, will cater to the entire graduate recruitment process, and usually in an audio Q&A or conversational format. You know how some people like giving advice by listing things like ‘1) make sure your cover letter clearly expresses your interest’, ‘2) build a network’, ‘3) ask good questions at the end of the interview’, etc.? The Virgo in me is usually thinking: okay, but how?? Well, that’s what the podcast will focus on—giving you specific examples and guidance on how to implement the advice given. Think about it like this:
If you want to understand the factors and nuances that can lead to a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision on a CV by seeing me compare different CVs with each other and select a ‘winner’ (if you will)—which is what happens when you apply for graduate jobs (and most other types of jobs)—you’ll get that through the newsletter. And the newsletter only.
If you have questions about a CV on a more standalone basis or want specific tips and advice about any other part of the graduate recruitment process (e.g. cover letters, interviews, online tests, events, etc.), you’ll get that through the podcast.
You can listen to free and premium episodes of the podcast (and without ads) depending on your chosen platform. And—as an exclusive perk to subscribers of this newsletter—if you’re a premium or platinum subscriber, you’ll also get access to every single episode of the podcast at no extra cost, and you’ll get them right here on Substack through the newsletter for your convenience!
Click here to learn more about the podcast and where you can listen to episodes.
Click here to learn more about becoming a premium or platinum subscriber and whether you’re eligible for a FREE upgrade.
Click here to request a FREE (standalone) review of your CV, FREE review of your cover letter and FREE mock interview or to submit a question for the FREE Q&A sessions—each is available to all subscribers and will be covered for the podcast (FYI: CV review requests using this link may also (or exclusively) be used for the newsletter).
