So I’ve been looking for a job for a few months now. Why I’m leaving my current role is a whole ‘nuther discussion, which I’ll have when the dust settles, all paperwork is signed, and the past is the past.
I’m tracking what jobs I apply for, when I apply, and when I have interviews or a ‘no’. I’m tracking the time it takes from application to ‘no’ and seeing why so many feel so frustrated, myself included.
This is the great spreadsheet I’m tracking these things on. The first column is the organization, the next is the job title, and the date I applied. The next column is the date I got a ‘no’ followed by how many days passed between the application and the ‘no’. Beyond the ‘no’ column are the dates of interviews, if there are any.
First off, to date, I’ve applied to 172 positions. I have 59 ‘no’s. That’s only 34%. The rest? The void. You submit an application, you get an automated response that it’s been received. And then………..crickets. Absolutely nothing. Usually.
Sometimes, they take a while to get back to you. So far the longest was 72 days, but to be fair, there was an interview. The interview came two months after I applied and I thought it was a void, but no, it was an eventual interview followed by a quick no.
The fastest has been 1 day. I think they knew who they would hire and the rest of us were just grist for the mill. One of the two organizations with that lightning-fast turnaround has billboards saying they “hire people who love people”; I don’t know how they can tell that from a resume. Had they interviewed me, they’d probably learn that I love all people, but no, they denied me within 24 hours.
Of all the ‘no’s, the average turnaround time is 16 (15.88) days. Those are calendar days, not workdays, so I don’t know if that’s over one or two weekends or not, but regardless, it’s about two weeks, often with nothing more than the automated response.
So I’m sitting on 66% of my applications cast to the void. I’ve heard nothing, not a whisper, not a fart. What does this do to your psyche? It throws it for a big loop, feeds your imposter syndrome, and makes it really hard to keep throwing one’s resume into that void again.
I don’t know how to improve it–I don’t want to do HR or recruiting work. Do you know how to improve it? How can we make this process less brutal and soul-crushing? I’m asking for a friend.
1- Make your application count. We often assume that the more lines we have in the water, the more fish will be reeled in the boat. However, its the quality of the lure/bait given the time of year that will yield more results.
– Timing is everything- if you’re applying to a position 6-7+ days after a requirement has been released, the recruiter likely has likely performed their 7-15 recruiter (this varies by recruiter) calls and have their top 3 candidates identified and moving through the interview process. They will not likely revisit the applicant pool unless they have to go back to the drawing board. Be sure to set specific job alerts if you have not already.
– Quality of your resume as it relates to what is outlined in the scope of work will better your chances to landing that first “sell” call with a recruiter. A good majority of tech recruiters do not know how to decode your true skills given the projects and experience you have outlined. Instead, they search for key words and short-list those who have the most matches. GPT is handy for this task.
2- Do less and obsess- its hard to manage 100+ applications among various companies, industries and skill-set needs.
– With a little research, shortlist 10 companies that you are most interested and excited about. Keep into account your interest as it pertains to industry, company performance, product, and org size ect.
– Once you have these identified, start building relationships/connections with recruiters and security leaders alike at each company. Let them know why you’re interested, key and relatable strengths, and ask for introductions that are relevant (having 2-3 targets outlined helps)- Include the req ID if there is a position you have your sights on.
*** Key tip- the recruiter can often be identified on the posting, Look for #LI(initials) on the JD or the owner if posted directly on LI. Repost of the JD can often lead to Directors, Managers, or leads on the hiring team.
3- Leverage your network, common communities (user groups, B-sides, events ect), and tools/digital communities (stack overflow, GIT, LinkedIn) and contribute as much as you can.
– Look for 1st and 2nd level connections and dont be afraid to ask for introductions or schedule a call for further insights to understand how to better stand out. – Essentially connect the dots with your warm relationships.
I could go on but at the core this should offer a lift in your search and outcomes.
Let me know if you have can provide clarity or help in any way!
Wesley, thanks for these suggestions. They’re great! My only concern is scaleability. I had a good 10-15 companies I’d be *thrilled* to work for, and I applied the day they posted their positions. All of these are in ‘the void’ category. I had a catered resume, pinged the recruiter, all crickets. Once I move beyond these 15, again I’m facing the scalability problem.
Don’t get me wrong — I sincerely appreciate your feedback and suggestions. You know what you’re talking about and I value your sharing.