Silicon Valley's Secret Side Door: Asana CEO Reveals the Real Hack for Gen Z to Land Tech Jobs

The Donut Box Dilemma: Gen Z's Desperate Job Hunt Tactics

Getting a job in Silicon Valley has become so competitive that some ambitious Gen Z job seekers are resorting to extreme measures like hand-delivering donut boxes stuffed with résumés to founders' desks, hoping to stand out for the hottest tech roles. But according to Dan Rogers, the new CEO of the $1.8 billion workflow software company Asana, this flashy approach is nothing new—and it's not the real solution.

The Reality Check: It's Always Been a Long Shot

Despite facing layoffs, hiring freezes, and AI anxiety at unprecedented rates, Rogers warns that landing a job at tech giants like Apple, Meta, or Alphabet "has always been a long shot." He speaks from experience: Rogers is one of the few British Silicon Valley CEOs, having started in the small town of Grimsby and worked his way up through roles at Dell, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, and ServiceNow.

"I don't remember it being easy back in the day, honestly," Rogers exclusively tells Fortune. "For me, it was never going to be possible that I'd go straight to the hottest tech company in the hottest role. I always felt like I was going to have to work my way in."

Asana CEO's Advice: Skip the Stunts, Build a Résumé That Can't Be Ignored

When asked for advice for Gen Z trying to crack California's tech scene, Rogers doesn't offer quick hacks or interview stunts. Instead, he recommends quietly building a résumé that's impossible to ignore—even if it takes years and detours through less prestigious companies. "Maybe come into the side door instead of the front door," he suggests.

Rogers stresses that landing an entry-level job, internship, or grad scheme directly at a top tech firm after graduating "is a long shot." For most Gen Zers, he says, the best route is to build credible experience somewhere that teaches the tech skills big names will eventually want.

"For those of us that don't get through the front door, it's okay," he adds. "There are side doors along the way, and you've just got to build towards that. There are incredible experiences you can get, maybe in smaller companies, maybe in a slightly different region, maybe in a slightly adjacent category. After a stint there, you would be super valuable."

The Mindset Hack: Learning Before Earning

Rogers is proof that rejection from your dream tech company isn't the end. He had to work his way up through "side doors" in Texas and Seattle before finally making it to San Francisco. By then, he'd stacked enough varied experience to present a deep toolkit—his version of the "donut box."

Ultimately, if you chip away at building skills in your twenties, the salary and title will come later. It's slower than a donut box stunt or cold emails, but far more reliable.

"I once received some advice: learning before earning," Rogers shares. "You should make sure that the learning phase of your career extends as long as possible before you even think about the earning phase. What that really meant for me was there's no shortcut to putting the building blocks in place that you're going to need to be successful."