How to Apply for Jobs

If you're like me, you might've missed some opportunities earlier in your life because you either weren't sure how the hiring process works, or you lacked confidence.

For me, it was a mixture of both. I hated being perceived, especially in a system where you hear NO 95% of the time. I wanted to hear yes 100% of the time, or else it would bruise my ego. Sounds like a piece of work? That's besides the point.

What I'm writing here today is a little coming of age story while addressing exactly how you need to position yourself to be received well by hiring managers, and ultimately land interviews that lead to jobs.

Step 1 - Get over yourself You are going to hear no. It is nothing personal, it is just "the machine" at work. Just like Rocky says, the only thing that matters how many times you can keep getting up after being knocked down. The first step is more mental than anything. Get your mind right, and from there you are poised to enter the gauntlet.

Step 1 - Be proud of your Resume If you are not proud of you resume, you are not confident in it, and it will show in the interview (if you even get that far). Use online tools or trusted family/friends to review your resume and figure out what needs to stay and what needs to go.

First you need a template. Those are everywhere online.

Once you have a template, the best way I approach writing bullet points for my jobs is start with a verb like "Created" "Spearheaded" "Led" "Produced", showing that you are an actionable person who takes control of projects at work. Then briefly describe exactly what you did, and end with metrics. That's it. Here is an example from my Resume.

-Managed a team of 28 associates using KPIs to achieve 15% faster stowing rates compared to equivalents.

I start with a verb, I set the scene/explain what I did, and I end with metrics to paint a better picture.

I would go on and on about how to tweak your resume, however this post is about how to meander the job market. So let's move on to the next step.

Step 2 – Find jobs to apply to

This sounds obvious, but this is where most people completely mess up.

They either:

Apply to 3 jobs and wait Or apply to 100 completely random jobs with no strategy

Both are wrong.

You need volume + relevance.

Right now, companies are posting jobs they may not even hire for. Some are testing the market, some are slow-moving, some already have internal candidates. That means you cannot treat each application like it’s precious. You need to treat it like reps in the gym.

The goal is simple: 👉 Apply to jobs that are realistically within your skill range 👉 Prioritize jobs posted in the last 24–72 hours 👉 Apply before the posting gets flooded

This is exactly why I built my tool. I got tired of digging through outdated listings and wasting time competing against 500+ applicants.

If you’re doing this manually, you are already behind.

Step 3 – Write a Cover Letter

Nobody wants to hear this, but yes, they still matter.

Not because hiring managers love reading them, but because: 👉 Most people either skip them or write terrible ones

That means a decent one instantly puts you ahead.

Here’s the key:

Don’t make it long Don’t make it robotic Don’t repeat your resume

Instead: 👉 Explain why YOU fit THIS job 👉 Reference something specific about the company or role 👉 Show that you actually read the job description

You are not trying to impress them with vocabulary. You are trying to make their decision easy.

Think: “This person clearly gets what we need.”

That’s it.

Step 4 – Fill out the online Job Application

This is where your patience gets tested.

You’re going to:

Upload your resume Then manually re-enter everything anyway Answer weird questions Deal with broken portals

Welcome to the system.

Do not rush this part.

Small mistakes here will get you filtered out instantly:

Wrong dates Typos Inconsistent job titles

Also, when you see questions like: “Do you meet all qualifications?”

The answer is yes.

You can learn on the job. Don’t disqualify yourself before they do.

Step 5 – Repeat this 10 times a day until you start landing interviews

This is the part nobody wants to hear.

You are not going to apply to 5 jobs and land your dream role.

You are going to:

Apply Hear nothing Apply again Get rejected Apply again

And then eventually, something hits.

The people who win are not the smartest or the most qualified.

They are the ones who: 👉 Stay consistent when it gets boring 👉 Stay disciplined when it feels pointless 👉 Keep going when their ego gets hit

This is a volume game.