Every week I see the same questions getting asked on Reddit: “I applied for 100 jobs and not a single call back. What am I doing wrong?” Or the classic, “Roast my resume?”.
While I do agree that job search funnel is broken, I think the main issue is that people are playing the wrong game. If you keep sending out blind applications, you are competing with hundreds of others for roles that may not even be real (if you’ve been lately on LinkedIn, you know what I am talking about).
I am writing this article in hopes that it gives you a guidance on how you should be approaching job hunting.
The Problem with “Easy Apply”
LinkedIn’s Easy Apply feature feels productive, click, click, click and there you go, 50 jobs applied within a day. If you check closely, most of those job applications have hundreds of applicants. Many of them are never seriously reviewed. They exist mainly to collect resumes, not hire (yes, it is a requirement in some companies to have a certain number of resumes in your pool as a recruiter). Sponsored or reposted jobs? Usually already filled, just kept live for compliance reasons.
Bottom line: Easy Apply is a black hole.
How I Would Use LinkedIn
Instead of wasting clicks, use LinkedIn for what it is best at, connections.
If you see a role and the hiring manager is listed, don’t just apply. Send a connection request with a short, thoughtful note. That visibility matters more than an ATS filter. Chances are high that you will not get a response, but still have better odds than not giving it a try.
If the role looks genuine, apply through the company’s career portal. You will have better odds than applying through LinkedIn directly.
Networking is The Job Before The Job
If you are still in college, start now. I wasted years not building a network, which I regret. If I had the chance to re-do it again, I would do the following:
Connect with Alumni, they are more likely to accept and respond.
Lead with curiosity, ask about their career journey, do not jump straight into asking for a referral. Over time, as trust is built, referrals happen naturally.
Networking is not about begging for jobs. It is about building relationships months before you need them.
Resumes That Don’t Get Ignored
Your portfolio should always be linked in your resume. Will every recruiter click on it? No, but a hiring manager might and that’s what matters.
For resumes:
Keep it simple and ATS friendly. Fancy templates hurt more than they actually help.
Put professional experience above education. If you do the opposite, it means you believe eduaction is more important than work experience or you are just starting out with your career.
Skip the generic “professional summary” unless you believe there is a message you want to convey which was not already captured in your work experience.
Quantify your impact:
“Improved reporting efficiency by 14%” - OK
“Responsible for running complex SQL queries” - NOT OK
Focus on business outcomes, not duties. It is about your impact and not about your team.
The Certification Trap
Too many people chase certifications thinking they are the golden ticket. Sorry to break it to you, but they are not. Certs can help you move up once you are already in the door, but they rarely help you land your first job. Real world projects and internships matter more so focus on that.
Tailor Your Effort, Not Just Your Resume
If you don’t care about the industry, you will blend into the pool with all other candidates. If you want to stand out, tailor your portfolio and projects to the industry you are targeting. Show you understand their business context (finance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, etc..). That is what hiring managers actually notice.
Start Creating Content
Future holds lot of uncertainty on how we will go about jobs. While you are in the process of applying for jobs, I would highly suggest start creating content on platforms like LinkedIn. Yes, you will suck in the beginning, it will look cringe, you will question yourself, but trust me, after you are 100+ posts in, you will slowly pick up pace and followers will guide you on the content they want to be served with. Especially in tech roles or data roles, you can start building projects/dashboards and those will lead to more opportunities than blindly applying to every role out there.
LinkedIn Connection Request Templates
I have created a few templates which you can use next time you try to reach out to someone on LinkedIn. They will do no magic, but at least it will improve your odds of getting a response back.
To a Hiring Manger
Hi [Name], I came across your job posting for [Job Title] at [Company]. Instead of just applying online, I wanted to connect and learn more about your team.
To an Alumni
Hi [Name], I noticed you are also a [University Name] alum, I would love to connect and hear about your path into [Industry/Field].
To a Recruiter
Hi [Name], I see you work with/for [Company/Field]. I am building my career in [Area] and would really value staying connected.
To Someone in Your Target Industry
Hi [Name], I have been following your work in [Industry/Field]. I am exploring this area myself and would love to connect and learn from your perspective.
Keep it short, don’t ask for a job in your first message. If they accept, follow up with a genuine curiosity and do not throw your resume on their face. Trust me, I get it, you want the job so bad but that is not the smart way to do it.
If you want more practical strategies, I wrote a detailed guide on how to use AI to land your next job: How to Use AI to Land Your Next Job.