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Office Hours: I’m the Talent Lead at Grow Therapy (we’re hiring on Elpha!). I’m Karishma Sharma Desai. AMA!Featured

karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 07
Posted in:Mental HealthPeople & HROffice HoursJob Hunting

Hi Elphas!

I’m Karishma Sharma Desai and I lead Talent at Grow Therapy, where we’re transforming mental healthcare accessibility by helping therapists launch tech-driven, in-network practices.

Before Grow Therapy, I’ve spent the last 8 years recruiting technical talent for various startups, as well as in an executive search environment.

During my downtime, I enjoy watching movies, bollywood dancing, and spending time with family and friends.

Ask me anything about recruitment, job interview prep, technical interviews, talent acquisition, my day-to-day at Grow Therapy, career growth, resumes, job applications, or anything else!

ElphaStaff'sElphaStaff·Oct 07
Thanks so much for joining us @karishmasharma!Elphas – please ask @karishmasharma your questions before Friday, October 11th. @karishmasharma may not have time to answer every questions, so emoji upvote your favorites 🔥👍🏾➕
nlong2000'snlong2000·Oct 07
Hi Karishma! I'm curious how you feel about requiring industry experience. I'm a seasoned product leader and I'm just sick of working in ecommerce. I'd love to align my professional work toward impact. I've been trying to break into mental health tech and have continued to have doors close. Why is industry experience so important? As a lifelong learner, I've never struggled to understand the industry or space after the first few months on the job. Anything you suggest to reduce that as a barrier?
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
This is a fantastic question, nlong2000. I completely understand this situation and highly appreciate your passion for impact driven work! Candidly, at Grow, industry experience is really just a nice to have, the passion for the space is more important! I would encourage continuing to voice that on your resume and applications. I believe that if your skills are the right match for a role, a strong recruiter and hiring manager would overlook the lack of industry experience, especially if you are passionate for the space.
Kera'sKera·Oct 08
Thanks for being here, Karishma! I'm curious - how is your team thinking about differentiating the product in a world with (what seems to be) a lot of health care platforms, like BetterHelp and Octave? I love this concept, but it does seem like there's some steep competition.
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Great question, Kera! There is definitely steep competition in this market. We have a unique differentiator in the way that we work with providers, that no other platform has touched just yet :)
teresahaith'steresahaith·Oct 07
Hi Karishma! Thank you so much for your time. I am looking to transition into People Operations from Higher Education. This market has proven really hard but I am trying to keep my head up high. I wanted to ask, as someone with a lot of administrative experience, what are other steps I can take to transition into an HR people's team? For some additional context, I worked admin positions, and student advisor jobs. I am looking to pivot into HR as it allows me to build relationships, foster an inclusive and supportive workplace culture, and support others in their career journeys. I can see myself in the realm of HR long-term and want to continue learning more about the space and gain experience.
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Hi Teresa! Great question. I am sorry to hear that it has been a difficult transition from Higher Ed to People Ops. I actually believe so many of those skills are transferrable, and I think the market conditions are making this transition abnormally difficult. I would encourage you to keep trying, and ask the market picks up there with more room for this transition!
masoomro16'smasoomro16·Oct 08
Hii @karishmasharma what do you love most about working at Grow Therapy? And has working for a mental healthcare company positively impacted your own mental health in any way?Also, I'm highly interested in the Senior Software Engineer position--what are your tips for getting an interview at Grow Therapy, and also succeeding? Lately I haven't had much success with cold-applying even through a company's website (after tailoring my resume). Thanks so much!
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
I love this questions, Masoomro16! Thank you for asking :) I love working at Grow for so many reasons, but the best part is probably the culture. Everyone is so passionate and like minded about the work we are doing which has made for some incredible collaboration and deliverables along the way. I will say, that working at Grow has really encouraged me to take care of my mental health more than I ever have before.I am happy to hear you are interested in our SWE roles, and I am sorry that you haven't been able to make it past resume review stages. I'd encourage to continue applying and monitor career pages for any new roles that seem like an even better fit! Additionally, a referral can go a long way.
mcorreiaangis'smcorreiaangis·Oct 08
Hi Karishma! Thank you so much for offering your expertise and insight. Have you noticed that the roles you are recruiting for are getting an above average number of applicants? Does that make it more difficult for you to sort through and decide who to move forward with?
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Awesome questions, Mccorreiaangis. YES! Currently, we are getting inbound applications more quickly than I have ever seen in my career. While it is a challenge to review them all, our team does an excellent job of ensuring that their eyes make it to every resume, which I am proud of. Because the number is higher, you're right to assume that the market is more competitive - it is much more difficult in the current market to be eligible to move forward based on the "competition", so to speak.
mcorreiaangis'smcorreiaangis·Oct 15
Do you have any suggestions on what someone can do to stand out more in the midst of such steady competition?
iynna'sIynna·Oct 09
Oh that is spot on!
motushiahmed'smotushiahmed·Oct 10
Hi Karishma! @karishmasharmaI’m so excited to have the opportunity to connect with you on Elpha! Thank you for taking the time for this. As a mental health care advocate and someone who began her own mental health therapy journey this past year, I’m truly inspired by the work the team is doing at Grow Therapy.I’m a Product Manager with a passion for building innovative products and experiences that users love within the B2C/B2B SaaS ecosystem. I’ve applied to a few Product Management positions with the Grow Therapy team but haven’t heard back yet. I’ve taken the initiative to connect with recruiters and other team members via LinkedIn, but unfortunately, I haven’t received many responses. I’ve also sent personal emails to the company with no success.I understand the market is quite saturated right now, and recruiters may not always have the capacity to respond. What would you recommend I do to further stand out, in addition to applying online and reaching out via LinkedIn/email?I really appreciate any insights you can share. Thanks in advance!Best regards,Motushi Ahmed
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Hi Motushi, thank you for the great question! I appreciate your patience and interest in the mental health space, and Grow Therapy in particular.I apologize that you haven't heard back from us yet - we will ensure to review your profile and send you an update via. email. Unfortunately, the market is quite saturated right now, so it can be very difficult to cut through the noise of large application pools. To stand out, i'd recommend really highlighting on your resume + application questions your particular passion for the company and space!
rebeccazilberstein'srebeccazilberstein·Oct 10
Hi Karishma! Do you have any suggestions about switching fields, specifically from education? I have 13 years of experience as an educator, and I'm finding it hard to break into another field without a certification, portfolio, or specific experience, even though I may have relevant experience in a school or classroom setting. Thank you!
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Hi Rebecca, thank you so much for reaching out :) This is a great question. I would recommend looking into learning and development positions and exploring that career path. There is tons of overlap in skillsets and the classroom experience would definitely be advantageous in a role where you'd be responsible for training and developing corporate employees. I hope this helps!
EvelinVG'sEvelinVG·Oct 11
Hi Karishma, thanks for your help and overall insight on the recruitment side of things. I have been on the job hunt for a while now and I have also previously applied to Grow Therapy but did not get lucky. I am seeing two roles available that have pretty transferable responsibilities and more growth towards where I'd like to be. My question would be, how would you best advice I demonstrate transferable skills when job roles are not exact? For context my previous role was as a project manager leading a team of 4 and previous to that more towards the technical side) Any input is appreciated. Thank you kindly
jordangross'sjordangross·Oct 10
Hi @karishmasharma! Thanks so much for offering your help!I’m looking for some guidance on submitting job applications. What strategies do you recommend to truly stand out among other candidates? Also, with job postings that already have 100+ applicants, is it still worth applying? Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences!Thanks,Jordan
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Great question, Jordan! It is always worth applying to a role if you believe you are a strong fit, despite how many applications are on there. I can't speak for other companies, but at Grow, we aim to review 100% of the resumes that come our way! For ways to stand out, i'd recommend highlighting your passion for the space and spending time curating thoughtful responses to any application questions. Lastly, to cut through the noise, a referral goes a really long way. Hope this helps!
mahipatel'smahipatel·Oct 10
Hi @karishmasharma! Thank you for your time- love this! I wanted to ask for some insight into the recruitment process and how candidates can stand out. Specifically, what qualities or experiences do you typically look for that help a candidate make a strong impression?Being completely candid, I’ve found that when reaching out on LinkedIn or sending follow-up emails, it can be difficult to even receive a response or rejection at times. Do you have any advice on how to approach these situations? Is there a way to stay proactive without seeming overbearing? Also, what steps does the Grow Therapy recruitment team take to ensure a positive candidate experience?Grow Therapy aligns with my passion for mental health, offers opportunities for professional growth in a fast-paced environment, fosters a collaborative and supportive culture, and prioritizes employee well-being and development.I really appreciate any guidance you can provide!
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Hi Mahi! It's nice to hear from you, thanks for the thoughtful question. For qualities and experiences, while it does depend on the role and company, I know that for Grow, we look for folks who have a deep interest in our space, who enjoy fast paced environments, and who have comfort in and enjoy ambiguity and fostering proactivity. On the note for responses, I know that on LinkedIn, these days, many recruiters are getting hundreds of messages a day, so it can be difficult to respond to each candidate. I would recommend applying directly for any roles that you are excited about, as well as aiming to find a referral or mutual connection to cut through the noise. In addition to that, the messages will never hurt, but they can help, so I would encourage continuing to that until someone is able to respond! For candidate experience, Grow ensures that we are high touch with all of our candidates. Even if a candidate is not the right fit for a role at this time, we inform them as quickly as possible so they are aware, and encourage them to continue to monitor our careers page and stay in touch!
shradhadoshi'sshradhadoshi·Oct 08
Hi Karishma, Thank you for taking the time for the AMA. I have been interested in mental health tech and specifically at Grow Therapy for some time. However, I haven't been able to get past the resume triage. There has been advice online, to reach out in DMs to recruiters and hiring managers. And the more and more I do that I am directed to apply online. I would like to understand your expert advice on how a candidate can get in front of the right people, if they believe they have the right experience and skills. Resume getting attention or lack thereof, sometimes has to do a lot more to how its written than having the right experience.
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Hi Shradha, it's really great to hear from you, and thank you for the thoughtful question. I am sorry to hear on not moving past the resume review. The market is truly more saturated than ever, but I understand how frustrating that can be. On the topic of the DMs, also due to market, recruiters have been getting hundreds of messages a day.While I am sorry it hasn't worked out just yet, I'd encourage keeping your eyes on the career page for a role that seems to be a good fit. I'd also recommend really expressing your passion for the company + space on application questions. Lastly, a referral can go a long way.Thank you for bringing this important topic to light!
JenniferGamet'sJenniferGamet·Oct 09
Hi @karishmasharma ! I’ve been advised by my career coach that candidates should reach out directly to recruiters and hiring managers, either in addition to or instead of just applying online. From your perspective, what is the most effective way for a candidate with the right experience and skills to get noticed by the right people? Is it more about networking or how the resume is crafted? What’s the key to securing an interview? I’d love to hear your expert advice on standing out in today’s competitive job market and getting the right attention.
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Great questions, Jennifer! I think a couple years ago, messages to recruiters could absolutely help your chances of getting noticed. But unfortunately, given the current market conditions, the messages have been coming at an incredibly fast rate that is hard to keep up with. I'd recommend directly applying and addressing your passion for the space on application questions, and finding someone to refer can go a long way as well.
KathyF'sKathyF·Oct 08
Hello Karishma - I'm in a career transition from customer-facing and leadership roles in SaaS for advertising, to either mental health or climate change solutions - those things I feel strongly about, and that are vital for the survival and thriving of humanity. I come with many transferable skills, but little industry experience. With regard to the mental health industry, what recommendations do you have for making a start in a company such as Grow Therapy? How can I position myself as a desirable and unique asset? Many thanks!
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Hi Kathy, this is a really great question. Congratulations on your exciting career transition, that sounds awesome! The fortunate thing, is for a lot of mental health, and I imagine climate change as well, companies, the lack of industry experience is actually not a deal breaker, so long as someone has the passion for the space and wants to be a part of it. I'd recommend when applying to express your passion for the space :)
Eusebia32·Oct 12
Most of my experience applying to healthcare has been one where passion doesn’t matter. have had health care clients in the past but now when applying the startups I’ve approach ONLY want people with deep industry experience. I’m not applying to hard science/biotech firms but getting no luck. I don’t think we can speak about healthcare as a monolith and I’m pivoting away from focusing on it because it’s just not welcoming in my experience.
OliviaDominguez'sOliviaDominguez·Oct 09
Hi @karishmasharma !All of the career advice I get tells me to reach out to recruiters after applying but I often feel like this may put them off from my application because they are getting bombarded daily. is this something you recommend doing when trying to get a foot in the door at Grow therapy? I recently applied to a People Operations role and I am crossing my fingers that my resume & cover letter comes across the recruiters desk. 🤞🏽 Mental health accessibility is something very personal to me and I admire platforms like these. Thank you so much for taking the time to host this AMA!
sophiascott51'ssophiascott51·Oct 08
Hi Karishma! Would you be able to provide insight on what actually sets you apart as a candidate applying for a role? I feel with the current job market and the copious amounts of information online its hard to know what works and what doesn't. I'd like to know more about what you can do as a candidate that would actually get a recruiters/hiring managers attention. I know a lot of folks, like myself, have experienced long job searches and it can really mess with your mental health/ self worth especially when you receive lots of rejections. I'd also be curious to know how Grow Therapy approaches rejecting a candidate in this market? Do you guys have any strategies in place to make sure the candidate still feels value from the process?
ajtate'sangiltate·Oct 07
Hi @karishmasharma! Thanks for taking the time :) I see Grow Therapy is hiring for Senior Product Designer - could you provide any insight on the design practice and what skills the design team is prioritizing most right now for this role?
alyssacorace'salyssacorace·Oct 09
@karishmasharma What stands out the most to you on an application? Do you feel messaging the recruiter on LinkedIn is helpful?
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Great question, Alyssa! What stands out to me the most on an application is a clear, concise resume, that expresses career history and skills really well. Additionally, I love when folks express their passion for the space and company. I think that the messages can definitely help, but as of late, I know that recruiters are getting a lot in their inboxes making responding more difficult.
kanchankhemani'skanchankhemani·Oct 08
Hi Karishma, love the Elpha access, thanks for taking the time! I’m an MBA student looking into join the health & wellness sector. I have a background investing and operating ‘real / physical’ assets at both startups/large corp but never digital and never health/wellness. Given the two bridges to gap, which one would you advice focusing on first?
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Hi Kanchan, great question! I would definitely recommend looking to break into the health and wellness space first! I believe that will go a longer way for your goals, and they are many amazing health tech companies currently hiring!
iynna'sIynna·Oct 08
@ajasinger Ask Karishma anything about technical interviews ;-)
mjordan'smjordan·Oct 08
Thank you for offering your time and insight, @karishmasharma! I am curious about your HR team at Grow Therapy (or previous startups). Eg. who was the second HR hire? I am helping a medtech startup develop its HR Department (team of one so far) and am currently involved in budget and team growth planning. Looking for advice or suggested resources for growing an HR team in a tech startup. Thank you!
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
This is a great question, Mjordan! We started with a Head of People and second HR hire was Senior People Ops Generalist to help with PBP, EE & Ops :)
moneishacran'smoneishacran·Oct 08
Hi @karishmasharma thank you so much for being willing to take our questions. I have applied to Grow Therapy several times and was just curious what sets one candidate over another that ends in an offer l?
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Thanks for the question, Moneisha! I am sorry to hear it hasn't worked out yet, I'd encourage you to keep monitoring our careers page for the right role! The market is more competitive than usual currently, and as it picks up, there will be more chances to move forward. While I can't identify one trait that sets candidates apart, in the resume review stage, a clear and concise resume goes a really long way!
katiebabs'skatiebabs·Oct 08
HI Karishma! Would you be able to describe what the interview process is like for a candidate?
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Definitely, Katie! While it depends on the role, for Grow, usually we start with a recruiter phone screen, followed by a hiring manager interview, and then usually there is some sort of live exercise or take home. After that, we move to a final round :)
jessicarosenthal'sjessicarosenthal·Oct 07
I’m job hunting and would love to work for a mental health provider. Could you help?
karishmasharma'skarishmasharma·Oct 11
Yes, Jessica, feel free to check out our careers page! https://growtherapy.com/careers/
iynna'sIynna·Oct 09
YES grow therapy is hiring https://elpha.com/companies/grow-therapy
iynna'sIynna·Oct 07
Woohooo thank you for giving us some of your time this week, Karishma! I already know you'll get a lot of fantastic questions from elpha members (a lot are exploring next steps as well)
vanessaazen'svanessaazen·Oct 09
@karishmasharma Hi Karishma, thank you for taking the time to share your insights! I’m particularly interested in the role Grow Therapy has posted on Elpha, especially in relation to Security Risk, PM- Given your extensive experience in recruiting for tech-driven startups, could you share some tips on how to stand out as a candidate in this unique space, especially when it comes to showcasing transferable skills in mental healthcare technology? Additionally, what do you find most valuable in a candidate’s application for roles at Grow Therapy? Thank you so much!
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