Career Corner: One Hundred Job Applications

Copeland and Coaching also offers consultations. – Courtesy photo / Copeland and Coaching

By Angela Copeland

I hear from job seekers every day. You’re tired. You’re worn out. You’re disappointed. You didn’t get the job you really wanted. You were a great candidate and you cannot figure out what went wrong.

I’m with you all the way. I wish I could give you a big hug. Job searching is emotionally and mentally exhausting. Employers will run you through the gauntlet and may not even let you know when you weren’t selected. What is presented as a fair process is pretty much the opposite of fair. Job searching can be such an awful experience.

You’re so tired that you feel ready to give up. I’d encourage you not to. This is why: looking for jobs is a numbers game.

Think of the process like this. First, you apply for a job. Then, you have a human resources phone screen. Next, you have a phone interview with the hiring manager. And then, you come in person to interview with four or five people. Finally, you get a job offer.

It’s a little like a funnel. The more applications you put in, the more phone screens you’ll have. The more phone screens you have, the more phone interviews you’ll have. The more phone interviews you have, the more in person job interviews you’ll have. The more in person job interviews you have, the more job offers you’ll get.

In the past, there were times when it was hard to find enough good jobs to apply for. But right now, we’re having the best job market in fifty years. Fifty. New jobs are popping up every single day. There are now enough good jobs to fill up your funnel.

My theory is this. If you apply to 100 jobs you’re qualified for, you’re going to get phone screens that lead to phone interviews that lead to in person interviews that lead to offers. By applying to 100 jobs, you’re not reliant on getting an offer for every single job you’ve applied to. You’ve got options. By applying to 100 jobs, if a few jobs get put on hold, it’s okay. You have choices.

When you’re looking for a job, both quality and quantity matter. Just because you’re a perfect match for one particular job doesn’t mean you’re going to get it. That’s why you’ve got to look at many jobs.

I know, this takes time. But honestly, a big part of what’s exhausting about a job search isn’t the time it takes to apply. The exhausting part is feeling rejection on the one job you’ve applied to and then having to start all over again. You’d be amazed at how easy it is to keep searching when you’ve got fifty other options in the pipeline.

If you want to find a job in 2019, it’s time to make a new goal. Fill up your funnel with 100 good job applications. They will pay off.

Angela Copeland, a career expert and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.