Hey friend,
There’s a massive misconception that the way to get hired is to be the best "applicant."
So we spend hours perfecting the margins on a resume, tweaking keywords, and hitting "Easy Apply" until our fingers hurt.
We think that if we just provide enough data, the system will eventually reward our hard work.
But in reality the best jobs are usually filled before the job post even goes live.
By the time a role hits a board, the hiring manager usually already has a "shortlist" of 2-3 people in the back of their mind. .
If you’re spending all your energy trying to win the "Applicant" game, you’re competing with 500 other people for the leftovers.
And I've realized that the only way to skip that 500-person line is to stop acting like a candidate and start acting like a consultant.
Instead of trying to "get noticed" by a piece of HR software that's programmed to find reasons to reject you, try showing that you actually understand what a team is struggling with.
I’ve seen interviews happen because someone sent a quick DM highlighting a specific industry trend the company isn’t taking advantage of.
You’re basically showing them that you know how to do the job before they even hire you.
It’s a lot harder than hitting a button, but it’s much more effective.
Who is one person you could send a note like that to today?
-Megan