Job Search Strategy
Spend time where the role can actually close.
More applications are not a strategy. A short list of boards, a tracker, and a follow-up rule will beat a weekend of Easy Apply.
Where each board earns its keep
| Place | Use it for | Do not expect |
|---|---|---|
| Roles where your history is visible, and messages to people who already hire for that work. | A quiet search if your profile says “Open to work” to everyone. | |
| Indeed | High-volume and local hiring, and a wide first pass. | Senior roles that were filled through a network before the post went up. |
| Wellfound | Startup roles that show salary or equity in the listing. | Large-company process and benefits detail. |
| Company career page | The posting of record, often with the real requirements. | Discovery. You already need to know the employer. |
| Association or niche board | Specialized roles and a smaller, warmer pool. | Coverage of every industry. |
A recruiter note that can be forwarded
Subject: Product operations manager — open to a conversation
I’m a product operations manager. In my last role I cut launch slips from 6 a quarter to 1 by putting one owner on each dependency. I’m looking at B2B teams of about 40 to 150 people. If you are filling a role in that range, I can send a one-page resume.
One proof point. A target the recruiter can match. No attachment until they ask. That is enough.
Track it, then follow up once
- Log five fields. Company, role, date sent, who has it, and the next date you will touch it.
- Day 7. One note that adds a new fact. Not “just checking in.”
- Day 21. A last note with the same proof and a clear close: you are still interested, and you will assume the role has moved on if you do not hear back.
- Stop. A fourth message is noise. Put the energy into the next live lead.
Networking works the same way. Ask for a specific 20 minutes about how that team hires, not “a coffee to pick your brain.”
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