If you’ve been applying to jobs and hearing crickets, you’re not alone. The job market is ruthless right now. Companies are taking forever to hire, some are ghosting candidates after multiple rounds, and competition is fierce.

But people ARE still getting hired—so what’s the difference between those landing jobs and those stuck in the endless “apply and hope” cycle? A smarter job search strategy.

Let’s get into what actually works (and what’s a complete waste of your time).

🔥 What’s NOT Working (So You Can Stop Wasting Time)

🚫 Mass Applying Like It’s 2015 – Spraying your resume across 100 applications won’t get you hired faster. If anything, it buries you in the rejection pile.

🚫 “Networking” That’s Just Begging – If your version of networking is sending “Hi, I’d love to work at [company], are you hiring?” messages, I promise you—it’s not working.

🚫 Ghost Follow-Ups – If you’re only following up with, “Just checking in!” …yeah, they’re ignoring you. Hiring teams are busy, so you need to add value, not just pop up in their inbox again.

🚫 Only Applying to Public Job Postings – 60-70% of open jobs are never posted online. If you’re only applying to what’s visible, you’re missing out on thousands of unlisted roles.

What IS ACTUALLY Working in 2025

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💡 1. Apply Less, But Apply Smarter

Instead of submitting 100 generic applications, target 10-15 high-impact roles per week. But here’s the key: those applications need to be strategic.

✅ Use CareerFlow.AI to make sure your resume is optimized for the job you’re applying to. Yes, ATS is real.
✅ Use ChatGPT to tailor your resume and cover letter in minutes based on the job description.
✅ Make your LinkedIn profile recruiter-friendly so they find you before you even apply.

💡 2. Let’s Talk About Outreach – You Hate It, I Know

Look, I already know what you’re thinking: “I’ve done the outreach. It doesn’t work.”

But 90% of people are doing outreach wrong. If you’re just cold DMing strangers and asking for a job, yeah… that’s why it’s not working. Here’s how to fix it:

🔹 Don’t ask for a job—ask for insights. Instead of “Hey, are you hiring?” try:

🔹 Stop only messaging recruiters. Hiring managers, senior employees, and team leads are the ones making the calls. Reach out to them.

🔹 Follow up with something valuable. If they ignore your first message (which happens), follow up with a relevant article, a podcast they might like, or a thoughtful question. Don’t just “check in.”

💡 3. Get in on the Hidden Job Market

The best roles? They’re not even posted yet. Here’s how to access them:

🔥 Reverse-engineer where hiring is happening. Use LinkedIn to find out which teams at which companies are growing.
🔥 Find job postings that almost fit & pitch yourself. Sometimes companies don’t even realize they need someone with your skill set until you show them.
🔥 Look at past job postings. Just because a role was posted 3-6 months ago and reach out directly, because sometimes they don’t know what the hell they are looking for & need to to get their internal mess sorted before actually hiring someone.

💡 4. Follow Up Like You Mean It

Most people send one follow-up and give up. Here’s how to actually get a response:

📅 After Applying:
✅ Week 1:

“Hi [Hiring Manager],

I recently applied for the [Job Title] role and wanted to reach out directly. Based on what your team is looking for in the job description, here are 3 ways I can immediately add value if given the opportunity:

1. [Key Skill/Experience #1] – [Brief explanation of how it aligns with a key responsibility in the job description].
2. [Key Skill/Experience #2] – [Brief example of how you’ve successfully applied this skill in a relevant situation].
3. [Key Skill/Experience #3] – [How this specific expertise can support the team’s goals or solve a challenge they’re facing].

I’m reattaching my resume and portfolio [if applicable] for your reference. If you believe it makes sense to connect, I’d love to set up a quick call at your convenience.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Best,
[Your Name]

📅 After an Interview:
✅ 1-2 Days Later: Send a thank-you email, but make it personalized. Mention something specific from the conversation.
✅ 2 Weeks Later: “Hey [Interviewer], I really enjoyed our conversation about [topic]. I’d love to stay on your radar as you finalize decisions. Let me know if you need anything else from me!”

🎯 The Bottom Line?

💡 The job market has changed drastically. If you’re still using the same job search tactics from 2015, you’re going to struggle. Adapt, be strategic, and get proactive.

📢 Over to You – What’s Been Your Biggest Job Search Struggle?

📌 Hit reply and tell me: What’s the hardest part of your job search? I’ll tackle the best questions in the next edition.

See you soon,
Erica
🚀 Global Career Strategist | Career Diva | AI & Global Careers Expert

P.S. Big things coming soon. If you’re ready to level up your job search, stay tuned. 👀