Why Cold Applying Doesn’t Work — and What Actually Got Me Hired

Let me save you a pile of time: cold applying doesn’t work. Not in 2025. Not in this job market. If you’re sending résumés into black holes and wondering why you’re getting ghosted, it’s not your skills. It’s your strategy.

Here’s what actually moved the needle for me — and how I landed a contract after a long and intense job search.

1. You NEED a Framework

First, join this group: Never Search Alone – LinkedIn. Then pick up the book: Never Search Alone by Phyl Terry.

It’s not a silver bullet, but it is a grounded, repeatable framework that helped me stop spinning my wheels and start making progress.

Once you’ve done that, join a Job Search Council via PHYL. Peer support makes a difference, especially on the rough days.

2. Define Your Market Fit

This part is counterintuitive and HARD — which is why people skip it. Don’t.

Create a Market Fit Statement that clearly and narrowly describes the role you want. Mine looked like this:

“A product role within a small to mid-sized life sciences company focused on using AI to optimize business processes.”

That’s tight. Specific. Memorable. People can imagine bigger from there — but they can’t guess what you want if your ask is vague or generic.

Never Search Alone walks you through how to write one. It’s uncomfortable but worth it.

3. Map Your Network

Once you’ve nailed your fit statement, download your entire LinkedIn network into a spreadsheet. I explain how to do that here.

Then I added these columns:

• Industry

• Contacted?

• Contact Responded?

• Date of First Contact

• Notes (This is where I tracked every conversation.)

  
  

4. Reach Out – Thoughtfully and Daily

Every morning, before 10am, I reached out to at least three people. I didn’t ask for a job. I asked for advice. I asked for 30 minutes of their time.

I made the conversation two-way. I showed interest in what they were working on. I shared what I was exploring and what I learned from my last role. And I always left them with something valuable — an article, a thought, a resource — so the call was meaningful for both of us.

Then I asked if they knew two people I should talk to. And if I didn’t know those folks, I asked for a warm intro.

That snowballed into 4-6 calls a week, and eventually led to 5-6 solid leads — one of which turned into my role with amazee.

5. Juice the LinkedIn Algorithm — Consistently

Posting regularly on LinkedIn isn’t vanity — it’s visibility.

• I use Buffer to queue up a month’s worth of content. So I can just set it and forget it.

• I supplemented with spontaneous updates when I had energy.

• 25+ word comments are key — that’s the magic number for the algorithm to boost your visibility.

• If you let off the gas for a week, the algorithm resets. Don’t.

  
  

Showing up consistently kept my profile visible to recruiters — and put my résumé on top of more stacks than I can count.

If you’re serious about landing your next role, stop cold applying. Start with strategy. This approach isn’t easy, but it works — and you don’t have to do it alone.

If you’re in the middle of it, hang in there and get organized. Also reach out to me, I'd be happy to talk.