Not all job applications are the created equal

Read time: 8 minutes

(This is a special series of my newsletter – the tenth in a series of posts sharing insights, tips, and actions that you can implement when you are searching for a job either to leave your current one, or due to a recent layoff. The principles in the following series can be largely applied to both situations and adapted to your specific scenario. Best of luck in your journey!)

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Imagine this. 💭

The hottest new club has just opened up.

You can’t wait to check it out.

Especially since your favorite artist is headlining.

You have to go!

Only thing is that there is going to be a MASSIVE line just to get in.

Ew. 🤢

But wait…

…you found out that your old high school friend is a part of the headliner’s management group.

Score!

You head to the event.

As expected there is a HUGE line waiting to get in.

And let’s be honest – those in the back aren’t getting in.

You see your friend and they take you past the line.

You continue walking, even pass the line for the guest list.

Where are you going?

Your friend takes you to the side of the building.

No line.

Just a door and a few body guards.

They nod their head…

…and the next thing you know you’re in!

Why did we just spend the past 60 seconds to go over that story?

Just like there are different lines to get into a nightclub…

…there are different ways to apply for a job.

Not all job applications are created equal.

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Why Quality Matters in Your Job Applications

Quality is more than tailoring your resume for a specific job

Oh the age old saying:

“Quality over Quantity”

And how I couldn’t disagree more.

I’ve seen this create more analysis paralysis than anything else.

It causes people to focus on creating the highest quality job application like that is the end all be all.

It’s not.

Imagine spending hours to find the perfect outfit when you go out to the club…

…only to stand in the same line next to someone that is half as good looking.

Spending time to have an appropriate fit is important…

…but what also matters is how you are planning to get in.

I might even say how you are getting in is even more important.

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Feeding the Job App Machine – Quality (Part 2)

We’ve already touched on Part 1 of building a successful Job App Machine – Quantity (Part 1)…

…but a quick recap.

You need to get high-quality reps in.

The last thing you want to do is spend too much time on a single application only to find out that it’s already been filled.

Just like a nightclub has different lines…

…employers have them too.

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Leadership or Hiring Manager Referrals

Imagine you are the headliner coming to perform at the hottest club in town.

You are going to get the VIP treatment with no questions asked.

Why?

You have been vetted.

That is exactly what a referral is within a company.

Companies like Meta (formally known as Facebook) even have dedicated recruiting teams to go through referrals.

But not all referrals carry the same level of influence.

The higher up someone is within the company…

…or closer to being the decision maker – like the Hiring Manager – the referral will carry more weight.

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Employee Referrals

Okay, so you aren’t the headliner being brought into town for everyone to see…

…but you are with the crew.

You aren’t going to get the Restriction-free pass.

But you will get priority access.

Having someone that already works at the company refer your application is still significantly valuable.

Even if the company doesn’t have a dedicated referral team…

…these applications will typically be prioritized within the application tracking system.

The job posting may have 300+ applicants.

And being first in line when the recruiter is most energized to find someone is a great place to be.

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Direct Company Job Posting

Okay, we are getting a tad old school here…

…applying to a job posting.

But Nick, you said that we do not want to stand in the general admission line! 🫤

You’re right, and we aren’t going to.

Applying for a job post on the company website has a higher chance of landing in a recruiter’s lap.

To keep with the nightclub analogy…

…look at it like being on the guest list.

It’s general admission, but just a tad more special.

That “tad” is still an edge.

Here’s how:

First, you can reduce the chance that the job post is out of date.

Since most company-hosted job listings are directly connected to the recruiting team’s management system…

…it’ll show the updates as they make them.

Second, you can use their team’s process against them!

Against them?

Yes.

Even when a recruiting team starts to post the same job across different places…

…they will also need to individually check each one for applicants.

Even if we assumed that they spent the time to connect all of the various sites and technology together- it can still break!

The easiest route for most teams is to start with at the one place they are the most familiar with: the company-sponsored job listing.

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Job Board Postings

Let’s review how we got here:

❌ You can’t get in through the back door.

❌ You can’t get in through the side door.

❌ You can’t get on the guest list.

✅ You need to stand in general admission.

Sure it’s not the fastest route inside the nightclub…

…but it can still get you in.

So how to you standout?

A little bit of patience for just the right opportunity.

Opportunity 1: Is this Job Board their primary place to post?

Not all job boards are bad.

If you were to look for a role at an early-stage startup – they may intentionally choose to use specific job boards.

Why?

The people who are either in that community or know of that job board is a way to vet candidates itself.

I’ve worked at a number of early-stage, venture-backed startups that have only posted on sites like workatastartup.com, Hacker News, or through their network associated with their investors.

Being plugged into the community associated with a role that you want may not only reveal an opportunity…

…but also get you on the shortlist of candidates.

Opportunity 2: Avoiding the easy way out by networking your way in the door.

Job boards are notorious for making the job application process easy.

What does that attract?

Significantly more applications.

But that doesn’t mean more competition.

Making the process easier will also attract people who are less willing to put the time and energy into a high-quality application.

But that isn’t you.

And you know how to use that to your advantage.

Avoid doing the minimum for the job application.

This can be attaching a cover letter…

…or making the effort to finding someone at the company on LinkedIn.

Especially for companies that don’t post their jobs on LinkedIn…

…their employees are being contacted less.

A cold message introducing yourself can will make the difference.

Note: Set expectations of the quality of the job posting

There are times that you’ll find a job listing on one a job site that you can’t find anywhere else.

Can’t find it on anther job site.

Can’t find it on the company site.

You can still apply to it…

…but add this to the bucket of “it might be expired.”

If you don’t hear back from this one – it’s okay, you at least saw it coming.

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How to skip the line at the front door

Great, now we know that we need to prioritize getting a referral.

We want that VIP treatment.

But the question remains:

How do I get a referral?

It all comes down to who is in your network and what you do with it.

I’ll cover three of my go-to strategies below…

…but if you need more, I’ve gone into depth on the 10 ways I’ve grown and maintained my network over the years.

Remember: Your network is your net worth.

1st degree relationships

Finding an overlap between people that you already know and the company you want to work at is the best case scenario.

I use the word relationship because that where the true value is unlocked.

At the end of the day, this person is doing you a favor.

And it should be honored and respected like so.

Having 1st degree connections have become more common post-LinkedIn…

…but the striving to build something beyond that should be the goal.

Turning a 2nd degree connection into a 1st degree relationship

A connection may introduce you to someone in their network…

…but it’s harder.

Any time someone makes an introduction or referral – they are attaching their own reputation with you.

And you want to be a strong representation of that person.

After being introduced or referred to someone new – it’s essential to build a human connection before asking for anything.

Yes, that includes asking them for a job application referral.

There are a few things that I focus on…

What’s that person unique story?

What’s something the strive for in the future?

What is something they nerd out about?

That last question is usually the most important because it bridges the gap of a transactional meeting to something of passion and personal interest.

Use that as a spring board and before you know it…

…they are a solid 1st degree relationship.

Affiliations & Network

This is more focused on the where rather than the who.

One of the best places to find people who can help in your job search journey is through the groups and organizations that you are already apart of.

The best part about these groups is that they are centered around a common interest.

In some cases, this has nothing to do with your profession or industry…

…and that is great!

What I’ve learned is that these are people that you have naturally built relationships with rather than just a surface-level connection.

That moves then quickly into the realm of not only being a 1st degree relationship…

…but one that is willing to introduce you to their network.

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💡 Action Steps

This is a sample action plan and how I would prioritize each activity within a one-hour time block.

🧱 Build (15 mins). Create a list of job listings that you would be interested in applying to. You can find these on a number of job boards and community groups. The goal is the create a list that you can then start to evaluate. I try to avoid mixing my listing building and job evaluations efforts as I find it distracting.

• You can mange all of these steps within a spreadsheet, Excel, or piece of paper. I personally used Teal’s Job Application Tracker and Chrome extension since it automated most of the information and details I was looking for.

🤓 Research (20 mins).

1. Confirm that the job posting is valid by researching for it on the company website. In most cases, if someone refers you, they will need the company-posted job listing.
2. Find someone in your network that has a relationship to the company. Ideally, look for someone that is leading the candidate search (i.e. Hiring Manager) or on that team. If that isn’t possible, find someone at that company.

🤝 Connect (25 mins). Start to reach out to your potential connections in preparation for the ask: a job application referral.

• 1st Degree Relationships. Connect with the person directly. Depending on the relationship, the messaging can be direct. This is usually the easiest and fastest way to submit the highest quality job application.
• 2nd Degree Connections. You may need to reach out to your 1st degree relationship and ask for the introduction. In some other cases, you might be able to cold introduce yourself. Since these types of referrals take longer, I usually try to give myself a deadline of about 1 week before I will apply directly to avoid the job posting from expiring.

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📚 Other Notable Resources

• Last Week’s Post: How to Get a Job Fast by Building Your Job App Machine
• Read the Full Guide: The ultimate 5-step guide how to get job interviews and job offers after being laid off
• Articles Mentioned: The 10 Ways I Grow and Maintain My Network
• Free Resource: Resume Templates
• Free Resource: Teal’s Job Application Tracker

Note: I only promote brands and products I know and trust – and as a Teal affiliate, I may earn a commission (at no cost to you) if you sign up with my link.