Mass applying to jobs isn’t a strategy — it’s a black hole. Try these 5 steps instead.

It feels productive, but it’s hurting your chances. Here’s a smarter way in.

Someone, somewhere, may have told you that job hunting is a “numbers game” — if you just submit enough applications, eventually something will stick. As someone who’s actually hired people: that’s like trying to eat soup with chopsticks.

If you play the numbers game, you become a number.

In a different time, when the market was booming, that strategy might have somewhat worked. Not because it was a good one, but because companies were growing so fast that pretty much any approach worked. But even then, the randomness of the numbers method led to randomly acceptable jobs…not not the dream job you really wanted...and may have been able to get.

Stop mass-applying to job postings with a kiss and a prayer.

In 2025 blindly applying to as many jobs as you can is the career version of spinning in circles and hoping you hit a piñata. Yes, even if you’re customizing your resume and cover letter for each one. This is especially true if you’re a generalist or early in your career. With the sheer volume of applicants and the rise of AI-powered screening tools, your application is unlikely to ever be seen by human eyes. Even experienced professionals with top-tier resumes are getting auto-rejected.

So what should you do instead? 

Here’s an approach that actually works: 

1. Curate a list of companies you genuinely want to work for. Make it no more than 20. Once you’ve done this, choose your top 5. Notice I said companies, not jobs. Don’t worry if you don’t see an open posting.
2. Then dig in and learn about them. What’s the latest news coverage? How are they funded? If they’re public, what came up in their last earnings call? Who are their competitors? What challenges are they up against and how might you help solve them?
3. Now research the people. Follow the company’s top leadership, then the middle managers lead or are adjasent to the types of roles you’d want. Look them up on LinkedIn, X; see if they have blogs. Start paying attention to what they share. Spend at least a week or two doing this.
4. You’re now ready to engage. As the leaders you’re following post fresh content, engage with your own thoughtful commentary. But don’t skip ahead — this only works if you’ve already done your research, which is why steps 2 and 3 come first. Your comments need to add insight, not just emojis and compliments.
5. And finally, connect. If you’ve been engaging in a meaningful way, there’s a good chance they’ll start to notice and perhaps even engaging with your comments. This creates organic opportunities to connect. When the time feels right, reach out with a message that shows what you’ve learned from them and ask a thoughtful question or suggest ways you can contribute. Tell them you’d love to stay connected about any future opportunities. And you know what? They may know of a role that hasn’t even been posted yet….or come to you first when one opens up.

When you play the numbers game, you become a number. But hiring managers don’t want to hire a number — a.k.a. just another qualified candidate. They want the best candidate. This approach helps them discover you: someone who stands out, shows real interest, and brings a unique perspective to the table. It’s your chance to be seen, make an impression, and share a side of yourself that a resume can’t convey — even if it happens in micro-doses, one social media comment at a time.

Yes, this takes more effort than uploading a resume and hitting send. Fewer targets and higher quality engagement: that’s the game. It gives you much better odds of landing a job….one that you actually want.