So let’s start 10 underrated job hacks:
1. Apply to jobs that were posted 30+ days ago.
A lot of people assume they’re dead. But a LOT of companies never hire the first batch because the candidates sucked. The job is still open, just a bit hidden, so try your luck. Your competition is very often zero or maybe a small percentage, but give or take, try your luck.
2. If a job requires “3–5 years experience,” apply even with 0–2.
I know on this point not many people will agree, but this is a Tipp I always give my clients and it always works. You have to be confident enough to actually apply. HIRING MANAGERS wrote that number, not HR. They put random ranges because they have to.
If your resume looks strong, they don’t care. I’ve seen plenty of my clients beat 5-year candidates simply because their resume reads sharper.‼️
3. The person who interviews you is NOT always the one who decides.
(This is not for all companies, but a lot of times it’s like that.) Your interview performance matters, but your resume and backchannel references matter MORE.
4. Recruiters make a “yes/no” decision in the first 6 seconds based on layout alone.
People with huge experience get rejected because their resume looks unprofessional. That’s why it’s so important to have a good resume, because no matter how experienced you are, no matter at what company you worked at, if your resume reads shit and hiring managers have to guess and figure out by themselves to actually understand what you’re saying, they will skip you faster than a left swipe on Tinder 🤷🏼♀️
I’m sorry if this might sound harsh but it is the truth. Recently I worked with a young lady she was very well experienced but her resume was absolutely horrible. I didn’t understand what her goals were, where she was trying to apply to, her achievements nothing. It was just written like a raw technical dump. Once me and my team rewrote it, you could read clearly that this lady is actually a senior who is well experienced.
5. Write your resume AFTER reading 5 job descriptions, not before.
You have to look for patterns:
- Same keywords
- Same expectations
- Same responsibilities
You build ONE resume that fits the entire cluster. This converts way higher than rewriting for every job. That’s it. It sounds simple if you know the trick, and if you don’t understand it you might consider hiring someone professionally.
6. Stop applying to jobs with 10,000 applicants. Apply to ones with under 50.
Those “hot jobs” on LinkedIn? They’re engagement traps. I’ve never liked LinkedIn, never used it. For me personally it’s massively overrated, and if you’re genuinely looking for a job on LinkedIn you might consider switching sites.
For example:
- Otta – great if you’re looking for jobs in tech or startups.
- Wellfound – perfect if you want to join early-stage startups.
- EuropeRemotely – focused on remote jobs within European time zones.
- Remote OK – one of the best sites for fully remote tech and creative jobs.
7. If the company posts a job on their website BEFORE LinkedIn, apply there first.
As I stated, LinkedIn is horrible for job searching. Of course you can get lucky, but the keyword is lucky. Company sites always have fewer applicants. LinkedIn gets flooded fast.
8. Look up the hiring manager on LinkedIn and match 1–2 keywords from their profile.
If their profile says:
- “process improvement”
- “cross-functional communication”
- “risk management”
…and your resume uses those same exact terms? Your chances skyrocket. Humans hire who feels familiar.
9. Avoid uploading a PDF with clickable links, some HR monitors block external URLs.
Your resume might never open properly on their system. A surprising number of companies block:
- Drive links
- Portfolio links
- GitHub links
- Personal website links
So it’s way safer to keep them text-only or use short URLs.
10. Apply with a great resume.
This is the last point but it should actually be the first, because a great resume that properly explains who you are and what you can bring to their company will open so many doors for you you would be shocked.
If you don’t know how to make your resume great, it might be a bigger ROI to hire someone who specialises in that. And make sure before you hire anyone they’re actually good at what they do ask for before/after samples and be direct in what you want or not. Too many fake coaches who aren’t good are in the market.