This number might change your entire job search
Apr 11, 2023
I recently came across a statistic that blew my mind... (blog feat. Love is Blind gifs because why not?)
On average, what percentage is your likelihood of getting an interview when you apply to job postings?
Less than 2% of candidates get through to an initial interview, according to a study cited by Workopolis.
Even so, it can be hard to break the habit of spending a significant portion of your time and energy on browsing job boards, websites, and Linkedin and setting big targets for your weekly applications.
I hear you - job applications can feel super productive, but given the 2% figure, a better way to spend your time is to focus primarily on relationship building.
Here's why:
With such a low chance of getting through the door to the initial interview, what is the return on your time and energy investment for a job application vs a new connection?
You might invest 2 hours of your time applying to a job, only for an automated program to dump your application in the digital garbage with no insights as to what you could have done differently and no new connections at the organization.
BUT you could also spend 2 hours reconnecting with 4 friends and professional contacts in 30-minute catch-up calls and ask each for 3 relevant introductions for a total of 12 new introductions and BAM! From 4 initial points of outreach, you now have 16 people who might be able to help you in your search.
Start with 4 reconnection calls per week, just 2 hours of your time per week, and in just over 6 weeks, you can turn 4 initial connections into +70 new connections.
Here's how to make the most of relationship building:
- Have some intro text ready to share with the people you meet to make their intros for you as easy as possible. Let them know what platform to use for the intro (email? Linkedin? Text? Personally, I love making a LinkedIn group where I introduce people and then leave so they can connect without me!)
- Be sure to take notes and keep track of who you meet! Plan to follow up if you've offered support to them, to give a nudge about the intros, and keep them in the loop on your job search.
- Come ready to introduce yourself and be specific and explicit with your ask. It's much more helpful to say "I'm looking for a Director-level programmatic public health role in a large nonprofit where I make $120k+, working remotely, with 25% travel" vs "I'm looking for my next role in social impact."
- Brainstorm 1-2 ways you might help each person you meet with before you speak - that could be offering introductions, ideas for solving a pain point they may have, sharing travel recommendations if you know they're about to go on vacation, or offering them a shoutout on Linkedin to thank them for their time.
If you're not ready to switch up your approach to job seeking, here are some ways to increase your chances of getting to that first interview:
- Apply within the 1st week of a job being posted
- Only apply for roles where you meet at least 70% of job requirements
- Check if you have a 1st or 2nd connection to someone in the organization before applying - reach out to them after you've applied
- Include supplemental materials in your application - think a short 60-90 second video introducing yourself and stating the contribution you'd like to make towards the org's goals and strategy. Or create a digital portfolio website with examples of your work.
- Pull from the exact language in the job description to break through ATS readers. You can do this by including a skills list in your resume that includes keywords from the job posting, or use Chat GPT to "write a cover letter for the role of "TITLE" at "ORG" that incorporates these requirements [paste in list of requirements from job description]" - then edit this to ensure it's accurate to your experience!
And if you're ready to find a truly joyful approach to job searching, it might be time to try out project-based networking.
