We all know the basics: keep your LinkedIn updated, network when you can, and triple-check your resume for typos. But let’s talk about what actually matters in today’s job market—beyond the conventional advice you’ve heard a thousand times.

The Reality Check

Before anything else, let’s acknowledge a simple truth: in the early stages of hiring, you’re just data in an ATS. Companies can talk about culture and passion all they want, but first, you need to get past “the algorithms”.

This isn’t meant to discourage you—quite the opposite. Understanding this reality lets you approach your job search more practically and, honestly, with less emotional investment in each application.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Your time is valuable. Those applications asking you to manually re-enter your entire work history? Skip them. If it takes more than a minute to submit an application, ask yourself if it’s worth the effort (maybe only do it for the jobs you feel really strong about).

It’s just not worth it—both in terms of time but also your “mental capacity” (aka how much effort you have left to give when job hunting for the day/week/etc.).

Keep Track (Simply)

You need a system to track your applications, but don’t overcomplicate it (avoid any “template” that is/will be a chore to fill out). Whether you use a tool or a simple spreadsheet, track only what matters:

• Where you applied
• When you applied
• Which version of your resume you used (if you’re tailoring them, which most of the time you should)

That’s it!

Your Resume Isn’t Set in Stone

You can’t tell your whole story in one page. And you shouldn’t try to.

Think of your resume as a highlight reel. Different roles need different highlights. When a job posting tells you exactly what they’re looking for, show them that version of your professional story. Move relevant skills to the top, adjust project descriptions to match their needs, use their language, etc.—just subtle tweaks can make a big difference.

It’s not about making things up (although exaggeration is encouraged)—it’s about showing them the parts of your experience that matter most for this specific role.

Handling Rejection

Rejection emails aren’t fun. Even if you know they’re automated anyway—our brains just don’t like them. “Unfortunately”, the job finding process is filled with auto-rejections, and if you’re doing this right (applying to lots and lots of jobs), you’re probably waking up to ~10 rejections a day.

Aside from filtering emails with “unfortunately” into a separate folder you never check (or better yet, just delete them), remember this:

These auto-rejections don’t deserve an iota of your emotional energy—they’re never personal—and most of the time the company didn’t even read your application (they were already done hiring; it was a ghost job, and other reasons).

The Numbers Game

Job hunting is a numbers game. But that doesn’t mean you should apply blindly to everything. It means being efficient with your applications while staying organized enough to follow up when it matters.

Modern tools can help streamline this process, letting you focus on the parts of job hunting that actually require your attention—like preparing for interviews or learning new skills.

Moving Forward

Finding your next role doesn’t have to be a full-time job itself. By focusing on what actually works and cutting out what doesn’t, you can make this process more manageable and, hopefully, much shorter.

Remember: the goal isn’t to perfect each application—it’s to find the right opportunity efficiently and effectively.

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To sum it all up, successful job hunting isn’t just working harder—focus your energy where it matters without letting the process drain you.

We built OAKI because finding a job nowadays sucks—try it and let us know what you think!