💌 Ghosted by 100 Applications? Here’s What to Do Instead

It happens almost all the time. You polish your CV, tailor your cover letter, click “Apply”… and then you wait.

And wait. And wait some more. Maybe you follow up. Maybe you refresh your inbox. But mostly, what you hear back is… silence.

Like shouting into a career void 😶‍🌫️

It’s not just frustrating, it can become demoralising. And it’s happening a lot. You could be motivated, switched-on, hard-working graduate, and still feel like you’re just... invisible.

So, let’s talk about it - what’s going on with this weird job-hunting black hole, and more importantly, what can you do when traditional applications don’t work?

Let’s break it down, human-to-human!

Here’s what’s supposed to happen:

• You apply for a job you’re a decent fit for.

• A human reviews your application.

• If you’re promising, they give you a shot.

• You get interviewed, maybe hired.
  
  

Nice, simple, logical.

But in practice? It’s more like this:

• Your CV goes into an Applicant Tracking System (aka a robot inbox).

• It gets filtered using AI, keywords, and weird algorithms.

• Hiring managers are overwhelmed; some jobs get 500+ applicants in 48 hours.

• Most people are screened out without anyone even reading what they wrote.
  
  

That’s not much of a reflection on you. That’s just how the system works right now.

Especially at entry-level, it’s become a numbers game, but a game where you don’t control the rules, and linear effort doesn’t equal outcome.

You start asking yourself things like:

• “Is there something wrong with me?”

• “Am I not good enough?”

• “Should I give up and go do something else?”
  
  

You might start shrinking, playing smaller, lowering your standards just to get something.

But here’s the thing: ghosting doesn’t mean you’re unqualified.
It means you need to learn how to pivot your strategy.

🧲 1. Go Where the People Are

Instead of endlessly applying on job boards, shift your focus to real-life conversations.

• Reach out to alumni or peers on LinkedIn.

• Join online communities in your industry (Slack groups, Discords, Reddit threads).

• Attend events, webinars, or uni meetups - even virtually.
  
  

Start small: “Hey, I’m exploring paths in sustainability design. Would love to hear how you got started.”

You're not coming from a place of asking for a job. You're coming with a desire to learn and expand. Connections grow from curiosity. You’d be surprised how generous people can be, especially if you’re genuinely interested in their story.

🎨 2. Show, Don’t Just Tell

You don’t need a job title to show you can do the job. Build a portfolio, start a side project, solve a real problem.

Examples:

• Want to work in marketing? Create a mini campaign for a local café.

  Interested in UX design? Redesign a clunky app and explain your thinking.

• Exploring data analytics? Analyse a public dataset and share your findings visually.
  
  

Even better, put it online. A personal website, a blog, a Notion page, a PDF deck. It shows initiative, creativity, and follow-through, qualities way more powerful than bullet points on a CV.

🎤 3. Speak Up About What You’re Learning

Use social platforms (especially LinkedIn) to document your journey.

It doesn’t have to be “thought leadership”, it can just be:

“Trying to understand AI prompts today. Realised I’ve been overcomplicating it!” or “Volunteered to help a nonprofit improve their newsletter - small tweak doubled their open rates! 🎉”

This makes you visible to people who might have hidden opportunities. Plus, it builds confidence and community.

📮 4. Create Warm Referrals (Without Being Pushy)

You know what works so much better than applying cold? A warm intro. A “nudge” from someone already inside. And that doesn’t mean being creepy or salesy, it just means building actual relationships.

Here’s a soft approach that works: “Hey, I saw you’re working at [Company] - I’ve been really curious about your work there. If you’re ever open to sharing what your path looked like, I’d love to hear more.”

Then ask questions, stay curious, be open and kind. People remember that.

🎯 5. Treat Your Search Like a Creative Project, Not a Slog

The job search doesn’t have to feel like a shame spiral. What if you treated it like a design challenge instead?

• Define your “user” (you!).

• List your strengths, interests, skills.

• Map out different possible paths.

• Test ideas, gather feedback, adjust.
  
  

Suddenly, you’re not “failing to get hired”, you’re running thoughtful experiments. You’re learning, you’re iterating. That’s realistic progress.

• Conversations that spark new ideas.

• Projects that build your portfolio.

• Content that shows your growth.

• Skills that make you future-ready.
  
  

In a way, the system ghosting you gives you a gift: Permission to stop playing small and start being creative.

Have you been ghosted by job apps? Tried something unconventional that actually worked? Or just feeling stuck and not sure what to try next?

Share your story below 👇 I’d love to hear how you’re navigating this. Let’s swap notes and build smarter paths - together 🤝💥