How to Job Search in 2025: Quality over Quantity

“Apply to 100 jobs, get 10 interviews. It’s just a numbers game.”

This could not be less true in 2025.

Applications are up across the tech category. Recruiters are getting between 300-1000 applications for one job.

Even if you do everything “right” – apply early, have all the right keywords and experience – you can still be overlooked because they found enough people they wanted to interview before they got to you.

Most times you aren’t being rejected, you’re not being considered.

And worse? Some companies aren’t really hiring, they’re just posting jobs to give the impression of growth and business as usual, even when it’s anything but.

So what do you do? How do you possibly find a job when the deck is this stacked against you?

Well first: you’ve already taken a step to set yourself apart from many job seekers. You’ve identified a target role. I know it seems simple, but it is so crucial and something many people are not doing.

Guide: How to Choose your Target Role in Customer Success

Here’s the truth: most people think they are being focused in their job search. But the last 5 jobs they applied for all had different titles. They were in different industries than their expertise.

They were reading job descriptions and thinking “I can do this job” and not “I can prove I can do this job.”

In 2025, you have to be specific. People are getting hired because they can prove they can do the job.

Next, you want to identify companies you actually want to work for. Make a list of 10-20 companies, filtered by your non-negotiables:

And so on. Whatever you absolutely cannot compromise on, make sure you understand where they stand.

Once you have a list of companies, you need to assess how these companies fit in your network. If you don’t have any connections, start to make them.

Find the people in your current target role and connect with them on Linkedin. Find the hiring managers and connect with them too. Don’t write a big intro – just add them to your network, I promise you people will accept.

I call this Passive Networking – a strategy to start to make sure you are surrounded by people who can help you get your target role.

Imagine this: you want to be a CSM at 6sense. So, you connect with a bunch of CSMs at 6sense, and the managers of Customer Success, and some Directors and the VP, maybe even adjacent roles like AEs or Professional Services. It doesn’t have to be everyone, but enough so that you see posts from 6sense employees in your feed.

Now, the next time 6sense is hiring for a CSM, one of those people will share it to their feed. They may even say “let me know if you’re interested,” potentially setting themselves up for a referral.

Even better, the person sharing could be the hiring manager, and has just given you an opportunity to skip the process and speak directly to the decision maker.

Passive Networking is a way to leverage Linkedin and make your own personalized job board, and it doesn’t require any spammy outreach techniques or even for you to message folks at all. Just research and connect, keep an eye on your feed.

Building your network is important, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Another part of your job search should be good old fashioned job applications.

Think of it like this: Passive Networking is how you should approach your top 20 companies. But what if they’re not hiring yet?

There are companies that you may not even know of, that meet all of your criteria. And there are companies that might not leverage Linkedin or their network for their hiring process at all.

So, how do you determine quality?

My favorite shortcut to determine quality is to find roles with qualitative application questions. Not “are you eligible to work in the United States” but “Tell us about your book of business?” or “Why are you excited to work with us?”

I love application questions like this because:

Even if you’re not a strong writer, these questions are your best opportunity to stand out with a cold application. Focus on clear, specific examples and authentic enthusiasm.

And when you find that great role, where you want just a little edge over other candidates, there is one thing you might not be doing that could help you stand out.

When you apply for a job you really want, one thing you can try is sliding into the DMs of the role’s hiring manager.

Specifically the hiring manager, not the recruiter.

The hiring manager will be your future boss. They ultimately have the biggest sway in whether you are hired or not. But ironically, most job seekers reach out to the recruiter.

If you’re worried about being filtered out by the ATS or by a recruiter, jump the line and introduce yourself to the hiring manager.

Your message should be focused on how you are excited about their company, passionate about the work they do, and make it clear that you want to work there. This is what hiring managers want to hear; not too much fluff about you and your skillset – make it about them.

Go into this process clear-eyed: you might not hear back from most hiring managers, but the point is that it’s just one piece of the puzzle that can sometimes make the difference.

Now, when the applications are out, the DMs are sent, your Linkedin feed is full, but you want to keep making progress on your job search? That’s where the Quick Applications come in.

Quick applications are not a necessity in your job search, but there are just some days where you know it will feel really good to just shoot off a bunch of applications.

These jobs could be slightly off-target, without application questions or cover letter requirements, and certainly not anything that would require you to update your resume. You can still reach out to the hiring manager, but the point is you’re taking no more than 5 minutes to go through the process.

I include this as part of the methodology because I know job searches require momentum. If you have the energy to do something, to make progress, all the other strategies I recommend require patience and waiting. This is something you can do to quickly make progress and help keep momentum up, but it’s not something you need to prioritize.

So how should you prioritize?

In general, I like to suggest a maximum of 10 quality job applications a week. It gives you enough time to focus on the other pieces of the application, like cover letters, application questions, active networking, at enough volume to make a meaningful impact on your job search.

I like to recommend realistic and achievable weekly goals:

But if you’re more of a stretch goal person, try this:

The point is to keep moving forward, and leverage every opportunity at your disposal that gives you an advantage. But most importantly, you’ll need the time to take advantage of these opportunities, so this plan gives you the opportunity to do so.

Customer Success Resume Guide: How to write and format your resume to demonstrate your impact

How to Choose Your Target Role in Customer Success