Ignore the number of applicants. That number is not real.

Don't you hate it when you see a job on LinkedIn that sounds really exciting, and then your heart drops because there are already 500 applicants? And the job has been posted for two hours?!

Don't be discouraged when you see 500 applicants for a job. That number is not accurate.

There are NOT 500 applicants. There are 500 people who thought, "Hm, this job sounds interesting, let me click it and see what it's about." The number of people who actually SUBMITTED an application is less and cannot be tracked by LinkedIn. (LinkedIn does not have access to each company's ATS - Applicant Tracking System - so they don't know how many applied.)

And, recruiters routinely report that approximately 15-25% of applicants are actually qualified for the role. So that means the competition is MUCH less than 500.

Don't be deterred by the number of applicants. If you're qualified for the role, go on and apply.

JOB APPLICATION TIPS

When you apply, I've got a few tips:

? Before you apply, customize your resume with keywords from the job description. Read the job description thoroughly and pull out the important keywords (like hard and soft skills), then incorporate them all over your resume. Ask Chat GPT for help too. Plug the job description into ChatGPT with the following prompt: "You are a hiring manager for [type of role and name of company]. I will give you the job description and you will list the top 10 skills that I should include in my resume."

? Whenever possible, apply on the company website instead of applying through job boards. A company's ATS can track where applications are coming from and hiring managers tend to prefer people who apply through the company website because it indicates the applicant actually wants to work for the company and they are not mass-applying to jobs.

? Look for the hiring manager or recruiter for the company and write them. Sometimes the person is listed with the job description, other times you'll have to do some digging. Search LinkedIn for recruiters or HR professionals from the company (search by the "All Filters" tab or try "hiring" + [company name] in the search bar). When you find someone, send them a message: "I applied to x role on y date and this is why I'd be a good fit for the position." You can use my favorite line, "You're looking for someone who can do x, y, and z. I've done it before. Here's how..." and then list some bullet points outlining your achievements and impact.

? Check your network to see if you have any 1st or 2nd connections with someone at the company.

If you have a first connection, contact them: "Hi x, I hope you're doing well. Last time we spoke you were doing y, how is it going? I'm writing because I just applied for z role at [their company] and I'm really excited about it! Do you have any insight about working for the company or about the hiring process?"

If you have a 2nd connection, write your mutual connection: "Hi x, I hope you're doing well. Last time we spoke you were doi y, how is it going? I'm writing because I just applied for z role at [name of company] and I'm really excited about it! I was searching my network for people who work there and I see that [mutual connection] works at [name of company]. Would you be willing to connect me with [this person]? I'd like to learn more about the company and hiring process. Thank you for your help and please let me know if there is any way I can use my network to help you."

I've got one final tip for you: Try to apply within the first 24 hours of the job's posting. The norm used to be 48-72 hours. But In this competitive market, some companies take down job postings when they get enough qualified candidates, and that can happen in 24 hours or less. NOTE: If you see a job great job and the posting is more than 24 hours old, please still apply. You're just in a more advantageous position if you're one of the first to apply.

I'm rooting for you. ??

Thanks for reading this newsletter. I share practical career advice about the job search, personal branding, networking, LinkedIn, and building career confidence. The job search sucks. Let me help you make it a little easier.

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EMILY WORDEN is a certified professional career coach helping driven job seekers get hired, get paid, and get more confident in their personal and professional lives. She helps mid-career professionals with career transitions, whether they want to move into a new industry or return to work after a career pause. Emily created a proven five-step SMART job search method to help people find jobs they love for more money than they were expecting - the typical client receives a job offer in three months with a 20% pay increase. Kick your career in gear at www.emilyworden.com .