Beyond the CV: Why Your Job Hunt Needs a Rethink.

If you’re out there trying to apply for jobs right now, it probably feels a bit like yelling into the void. You find a job, click apply, upload your CV, write a cover letter that takes you ages - only to hear... crickets. Or worse, auto-rejection within minutes.

You might start wondering: Is there something wrong with me? Am I missing something obvious?

And then, you look around and see your peers also applying to hundreds of roles, all getting ghosted too, and it hits you - it’s not just you. The whole system is… kind of broken.

So let’s break this down together, because understanding why it’s broken is the first step to finding smarter, saner ways through it.

📉 What’s Actually Going On With Applications?

Let’s start with a stat that might make your jaw drop: for most entry-level jobs today, there are hundreds or even thousands of applicants. Companies use automated systems, called Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), to filter out up to 95% of CVs before a human ever lays eyes on them 🤖

In other words, it’s not just competitive - it’s industrial. You're not applying to a person anymore. You're applying to an algorithm. And that algorithm? It's picky. If you didn’t use the exact keywords or meet the pre-programmed filters, your brilliant, thoughtful application might never get seen.

Even more, a lot of roles you see online are already basically “earmarked” for internal hires or referrals. The job ad could be there for legal compliance, but someone else has already shaken hands behind the scenes.

🌀 The Rise of the “Black Hole Effect”

This is what I call the Black Hole Effect: You pour time and energy into carefully tailoring your application, triple-checking every line on your CV, hoping this one might be the one… and then: nothing. Nada. Radio silence. 🕳️

Over time, I noticed this can feel not just discouraging, but deeply personal. Like maybe you're not good enough, or you’re invisible.

But here’s the truth: it’s not personal. It’s structural. And once you get your head around that, you can stop beating yourself up, and start working smarter instead of harder.

🔁 So Why Are We Still Told to Apply the Old Way?

Because that’s how it used to work.

For years, the advice was: polish your CV, write a killer cover letter, and apply to as many roles as possible. Spray and pray.

And for a long time, that kind of worked. But the world has changed, fast. And the system hasn’t kept up.

Most universities still teach career advice based on that old reality. Parents and older mentors might too, not because they’re wrong, but because they haven’t had to navigate today’s digital hiring jungle. They don’t see how drastically the rules of the game have shifted.

🚪 The Job Market Now Runs on Hidden Doors

Here’s the secret no one really tells you: most of the best opportunities never show up on job boards.

They get filled through:

Internal promotions
Referrals from current employees
Direct outreach via LinkedIn
People who are already in the room (through volunteering, internships, projects)
People who build visibility by sharing their work publicly

In other words, access matters as much as skill, and access often comes through networks, visibility, or being in the right place at the right time.

Now I know, if you don’t come from a well-connected background or don’t have LinkedIn confidence yet, that might feel like a punch to the gut. But don’t switch off, because there are ways to get inside the room without being born there. Promise 💡

🧭 What Can You Do Instead?

Here’s where it gets hopeful.

If traditional job applications are disappearing (or at least not working like they used to), here are three better paths:

💬 1. Get Visible, Not Just Available

Don’t just sit and wait to be picked. Start showing what you can do.

Share things you’re learning on LinkedIn
Post projects, blogs, videos, reflections - anything that shows your thinking
Comment on others’ posts: add value, ask good questions, be curious
Create a portfolio, even if it’s just Google Slides

You’re building a body of work that people can discover, connect with, and remember.

🤝 2. Use Conversations, Not Applications

Instead of sending 100 cold CVs, try having 10 warm conversations.

Reach out to people doing work you admire and ask: “What was your path like?”
Join online communities in your area of interest
Attend events (in person or online), even if it feels awkward at first
Offer to help on someone’s project or collaborate on something small

Conversations build trust -> Trust opens doors -> Doors lead to work.

🔄 3. Think Cycles, Not Straight Lines

Your career isn’t going to be a perfect linear journey. You might try something, pivot, learn, grow, try again. And that’s fine. That’s real. The people hiring you are doing the same.

Don’t stress about landing the one job to rule them all. Just aim to get your next step, something that teaches you, connects you, builds you. Then build from there.

✨ You’re Not Failing. The System Just Needs Rethinking.

If you’ve been applying for months and hearing nothing, don’t blame yourself. You’re not broken. You’re navigating a system that wasn’t designed with you in mind... and hasn’t caught up with the world we live in now.

But here’s the empowering bit: when you stop trying to win at the wrong game, you can start building a better one.

💬 Over to You

How’s your job search been feeling lately? Have you had any success breaking through the black hole? Any creative or surprising routes that led to a great opportunity?

Let’s swap ideas - share your story in the comments 👇 so we can learn from each other 🌱