Why The Job Search Is Harder

The job market has evolved dramatically, making the search for high-paying positions more challenging than ever. Traditional methods of job hunting no longer suffice in an increasingly competitive environment.

This is because of two main reasons:

  1. Increased Competition: The pool of qualified candidates is larger than ever. With more people obtaining higher education and professional certifications, standing out requires more than just meeting job requirements.
  2. Algorithmic Filtering: Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes before they reach human eyes. These systems used to work based on keywords but are now relying more and more on AI, creating black boxes that are difficult to bypass.

The Hard Truth

Intensifying your job search efforts may not always yield the desired results either


A comprehensive meta-analysis reveals that while job search intensity can lead to more interviews and job offers, it doesn’t necessarily improve the quality of employment.

This means that while it’s possible to get jobs by trying hard, it is not possible to get good jobs just by trying alone.

You also need to know what to do. It’s not a matter of trying harder.

It’s All Online Now

The job search landscape has also moved almost completely online.

According to a Pew Research Center study, roughly one-third of Americans have looked for a new job in the past two years. Of these job seekers:

  • 79% utilized online resources or information for their most recent job search.
  • 66% turned to personal connections with close friends or family members.
  • 63% relied on professional or work connections.
  • 55% sought assistance from acquaintances or friends-of-friends.

Given that the majority of job seekers leverage online resources, it’s essential for you to learn how to use digital tools effectively.

How You Search Matters

The way you approach your job search significantly impacts your chances of finding quality employment.

A study integrating goal orientation theory with self-control found that Exploratory Job Search Strategy (EJSS), increased the number of job interviews and employment quality. They also found that Haphazard Job Search Strategy (HJSS), decreased the chance of obtaining job interviews and led to lower employment quality.

Exploratory Job Search Strategy (EJSS)

You actively seek out various opportunities, research different companies, and apply to a wide range of positions that align with your skills and interests. This method ensures that you are not limiting your options and are open to discovering roles you might not have initially considered.

Haphazard Job Search Strategy (HJSS)

You apply to jobs without much thought or planning, often sending out applications to any opening without considering whether the position is a good fit for your skills or career goals. This scattershot method results in fewer job interviews and lower-quality job offers.

What It Truly Takes to Secure a Job in 2024

According to Glassdoor, it takes 250 applications to secure just one job intervew, on average. Of course, this number will vary depending on who you are.

Considering such daunting odds, it’s crucial to approach the job search process strategically. Instead of adopting a spray-and-pray approach, where you send out countless generic applications, focus on quality over quantity. Use online tools effectively. Tailor each application to the specific role and company.

With these basics in place, we almost have the groundwork for discussing our hacks


But before we do, we need to talk about what doesn’t work.

Why Most Mainstream “Hacks” Don’t Work

In the quest to secure a job in today’s competitive landscape, many job seekers turn to so-called “hacks” in the hopes of gaining an advantage. However, several of these mainstream shortcuts often fall short, and can even be misleading.

Failed Hack: Trick the Robots

One common misconception is that by optimizing your resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), you can increase your chances of getting noticed by employers. While it’s true that ATS scan resumes for specific keywords and qualifications, simply stuffing your resume with buzzwords is not an effective strategy.

Why? Two reasons:

  1. ATSs are getting smarter due to AI and the keyword stuffing techniques no longer work.
  2. If you’re sending in a resume to an ATS, you’ve already lost. (more on that below)

Failed Hack: Use Cover Letter & Resume Templates

Another common time saving hack is to use a generic cover letter or resume templates and simply swap out the company name and job title for each application.

To be perfectly clear, this technique CAN work. But there are many nuances…

The way this approach is commonly taught, however, lacks all the fundamentals and does more harm than good. Majority of the techniques taught in the open internet are highly flawed. Hiring managers can easily see through these a templated applications as lazy or disingenuous.

Failed Hack: Let Them Come to You

Many job seekers believe that simply uploading their resume to job sites and waiting for recruiters to reach out will work. It doesn’t.

Without actively networking, applying to specific job postings, and engaging with recruiters, your resume might as well not exist.

(Note: Of course, there are exceptions. We have executives in our network who haven’t sent out a single resume in over a decade, and employers still approach them due to their strong personal brand)

6 Great Job Search Hacks That Work in 2025

Now that we’ve covered the basics, as well as the most common “hacks” that don’t work, let’s focus on what does work.

HACK: Optimize Your Application Timing

Timing your job application can have a significant impact on your chances of getting noticed by hiring managers. Anecdotal evidence suggests that applying early in the morning or within the first 96 hours of a job posting can increase your visibility and likelihood of being considered for the role.

Most hiring managers start their day by reviewing job applications. And applying within the first 96 hours of a job posting can give you a competitive edge by leveraging the anchoring bias.

Action Steps

  1. Set Up Alerts: Use Google Alerts to receive notifications for new job postings in your desired industry or field. Utilize advanced search settings to limit results to the URLs of common Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) used by employers.
  2. Apply Early: Act swiftly upon receiving alerts and aim to submit your application within the first 96 hours of a job being posted. Schedule your application submissions for early in the morning.

HACK: Use AI to Optimize Your Resume

AI can analyze job postings and identify key skills and qualifications valued by top companies in your industry. By reverse engineering job descriptions using AI, you can anticipate the skills and requirements they want to see.

With these skills in hand, you can then ask AI to proofread and improve your resume.

Action Steps

  1. Analyze Top Companies: Utilize AI-powered tools to identify the top companies in your industry and analyze job postings from your target companies. Ask AI to extract and highlight the key skills, qualifications, and job requirements.
  2. Update Your Resume: Use AI-generated insights to update your resume and LinkedIn profile.

HACK: Exploit LinkedIn’s Advanced Search

Use Boolean search techniques to find hidden job opportunities and connect directly with hiring managers. For example, searching for “(VP OR ‘Vice President’) AND (hiring OR recruiting)” can yield valuable contacts. This is not a be all end all, but it can save you considerable time filtering contacts and opportunities.

Action Steps:

HACK: Keywords No Longer Work, But Skills Do

As we explained above, keywords in resumes are becoming obsolete. Skills, however, demonstrate your ability to perform specific tasks or functions effectively. Use skills over keywords.

You might think that keywords and skills are pretty much the same thing when it comes to putting together a resume, right? Well, not exactly.

Keywords are those specific words or phrases you sprinkle throughout your resume to catch the attention of automated systems. They’re like little flags saying, “Hey, look at me!”

Skills, however, are not just words; they’re backed up by real experiences and achievements, which are also articulated on your resume. By highlighting your skills and showcasing how they align with the needs of the role, you demonstrate your suitability for the position.

Action Steps

  1. Focus on Skill Development: Invest in developing and honing in demand skills. The Five Core Skills and Seven High-Value Disciplines we outlined provide a framework for enhancing your skill set.
  2. Learn the Language of Value: Utilize resources like the Language of Value framework to effectively communicate your skills and achievements in a way that resonates with employers.

HACK: Apply Directly to the Company

Applying directly to the company rather than through third-party platforms demonstrates a higher level of commitment and initiative. It shows that you’ve taken the time to research the company and are genuinely interested in joining their team.

Especially when you apply through multiple people within the company, such as employees or department heads, you can increase your chances of getting your foot in the door.

Action Steps

  1. Research the Company: Familiarize yourself with the company’s values, culture, and recent developments. Tailor your application to align with their mission and objectives.
  2. Follow a Structured Process: Apply multiple times. (We teach our students to apply four times, and show them a structured process that automates these applications – see Launch Your Career).

HACK: Use the Hidden Job Market

Truth be told: If you’re sending out resumes to job postings, you’ve already lost.

A majority of high-paying jobs never even make it to the job boards. In fact, studies suggest that up to 70% to 80% of jobs are never publicly advertised. Instead, they’re filled through internal promotions or referrals, highlighting the importance of tapping into the hidden job market.

Informational interviews serve as a valuable tool for uncovering such hidden job opportunities. By reaching out to potential employers or industry professionals, outside of a job application context, you can gain insights into their company culture, uncover job openings, and referral pathways.

Of course, even this is a halfway measure. For best results, we recommend the Warm Application Process.

Action Steps

  1. Conduct Informational Interviews: Use these meetings to learn more about their organization, express your interest in future opportunities, and build valuable connections. Learn more about mastering informational interviews here.
  2. Use the Warm Application Process: Rather than blindly submitting applications online, get invited to apply through the warm application process. (Discover more about this process in Launch Your Career, where you can learn effective strategies for navigating the hidden job market.)

Conclusion

Remember, success in the job market is not solely about luck; it’s about strategy, resilience, and continuous improvement.

And every little bit of effort you apply to succeeding in the job market is worth it!

Many professionals spend years, even decades, in the hope of advancing their careers or securing more lucrative positions. They work really, REALLY hard at their job. They please their boss. They sacrifice weekends and holidays. They get advanced degrees…

Yet most professionals – when they are honest – will tell you that they are horribly dissatisfied with their career.

Despite this dissatisfaction, however, only a few dedicate themselves to mastering the career skills that can truly propel them forward… Even though such training requires only a fraction of the time they are already spending in a desperate attempt to “make it”.

They are not flawed people… They are doing it wrong. That’s all. No one showed them how to do it right.

In fact, if more professionals understood that acquiring the right career skills can bypass the traditional notions of “putting your time in” or “working your way up,” the job market would undergo a seismic shift. The whole system would break down.

While we don’t believe – or want – what we teach to spread so far and wide to break the job market… We do hope that it can make a positive difference in your career progression.

By integrating these hacks into your job search and maintaining a proactive approach, you can also realize your career aspirations.

Never allow current circumstances or market challenges to constrain your ambitions.

Take charge of your career trajectory and recognize the transformative potential of these hacks. They’ve made more careers than we’d have time to tell you in one of those “informal coffee meetings”.