Jonathan Li

Move Fellow - Handshake

Featured Story: Jonathan Li

Background

Jonathan Li is a standout academic, excelling in his graduate studies with top marks and a clear dedication to research and learning. While his strengths in the classroom and lab were unquestionable, the leap from academia to industry left a lot of uncertainty about where to start and how to stand out.

Champion Objective Process

When Jonathan connected with Champion Objective in August, he was in an “in-between” stage — balancing a Master’s project, navigating the gap between academia and industry, and beginning his outreach for software engineering roles.

Our process focused on:

  • Value-Driven Target Outreach: We introduced Jonathan to our methodology of positioning outreach around the value proposition he brings to teams, rather than solely on qualifications. This shifted how he approached conversations at career fairs and interviews.

  • Assertive, Strategic Outreach: Using structured methods, Jonathan reached out both online and in-person - his discipline helped him land his interview with ExtraHop.

  • Mentorship & Community: By broadening his network into communities of interest, Jonathan began finding peers and mentors who could offer perspective beyond traditional job boards.

Results

  • Secured a part-time contractor role with Handshake-AI, applying his academic skills to cutting-edge LLM task design.

  • Currently interviewing for a Software Engineer role with ExtraHop — a direct result of assertive outreach.

  • Developed a mindset shift: focusing on “whether you act” rather than “how you act,” and building confidence to bridge the academic-industry gap.

  • Clarified his career direction, weighing SWE roles against PhD paths while continuing to build a personal project portfolio.

Reflection

Jonathan describes this period as a pivotal step forward. With Champion Objective’s guidance, he shifted from uncertainty to a clear, proactive approach - proving that the job market can be navigated with strategy and persistence. By leaning into outreach, value, and momentum, Jonathan opened doors to immediate opportunities and maintains a structured approach to continue advancing his career with purpose.