How to Get Hired: Job-Hunting Hacks and Strategies for Success

It was a scorching July afternoon, and I woke up drenched in sweat in my tiny Brooklyn basement apartment. For months, I had been job hunting with no success. My savings were drying up fast, and despite using every strategy I knew, nothing seemed to work. I kept applying, hoping for a breakthrough before I ran out of money.

After winning the green card lottery, I made the bold move to the U.S., aiming to start a new career. I had 15 years of experience—five as a software developer and ten in IT management. I had led fintech companies and worked on World Bank projects in regions like the Caucasus and West Africa. My English was good, though I hadn’t lived in an English-speaking country before.

The first challenge was figuring out which role to target. My previous jobs didn’t align perfectly with typical U.S. job titles, so I had to analyze the market from scratch. I used LinkedIn to understand which roles were in demand, Glassdoor to compare salaries, and LinkedIn Premium to see how many potential candidates were competing for the same jobs.

Roles like CIO, Solutions Architect, software developer, Project Manager, and Scrum Master seemed like good fits. Returning to software development was the easiest route, but I didn’t want to step back that much. Becoming a manager without U.S. experience or employee referrals was difficult. After analyzing my skills and career goals, I decided to aim for Project Manager roles.

Next was creating the perfect resume to stand out during the hiring process. My original CV was three pages long, had a photo, and was completely unsuited for the U.S. market. After watching tutorials, I rewrote my resume and sent it to TopResume, a paid resume-writing service. Unfortunately, the result was worse than what I started with.

Job-hunting hack #1: Avoid paid resume-writing services. Instead, tweak your resume yourself. I consulted recruiters on LinkedIn, used Jobscan.co to optimize keywords based on job descriptions, and eventually realized I needed a Scrum Master certification to increase my chances in the talent pool. I studied for three weeks, passed the PSM-I exam, and added it to my resume. Instead get your resume checked by Industry Experts at UnitiQ

To pass the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) used by large companies, I made a small tweak: I listed my previous job in Spain but said I was working remotely from New York. This helped me bypass the ATS filters and finally catch the attention of hiring managers.

With my resume ready, I had to figure out the best hiring strategies for sending applications. I targeted Project Managerroles with a salary of at least $100,000, focusing on New York and San Francisco. Initially, I applied through corporate websites and platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter. But I didn’t get any responses.

Then, I registered on Monster, and the next morning, my phone blew up with calls from recruiters. In just ten days, I was receiving five offers a day. This experience helped me sharpen my responses and boosted my motivation.

Here are the job boards that brought the most success:

Job-hunting hack #2: Get on Monster and BuiltinNYC. These platforms provided the most recruiter attention and sped up the application process.

A key hack I learned was the power of cold emails. I wrote what’s known as "pain letters" to hiring managers. These emails addressed a company’s challenges and positioned me as the solution, even when there were no open positions. This strategy made me stand out in a crowded talent pool.

While I didn’t get immediate results, this bold approach fits well with the U.S. job market’s emphasis on recruiting strategies that value initiative. Cold emails are one of the most effective hacks for finding a job in competitive industries.

One of the biggest job-hunting hacks for getting hired is networking. In the U.S., 80% of positions are filled through employee referrals and social media connections. I actively used LinkedIn, attended networking events, and expanded my circle wherever possible. Referral programs within companies are a powerful tool—if someone refers you through internal channels, your chances of getting hired skyrocket.

Job-hunting hack #3: Leverage LinkedIn’s “open to work” feature. By optimizing my LinkedIn profile, removing outdated skills, and adding relevant keywords, I attracted more recruiter interest.

Networking also included attending hiring expos. These events, often part of tech conferences, give you a chance to meet hiring managers face-to-face. Attending these events allowed me to make personal connections, an advantage over the regular application process.

After a few months of networking and applications, I began landing interviews. Some were with startups, and others were with big companies like JetBlue and PayPal. One of the most memorable moments was during a video interview with a university software company. I had just finished an in-person meeting at Google and couldn’t find a quiet spot. I ended up conducting the interview in a crowded hallway, with people cheering me on as I answered questions. Surprisingly, this didn’t hurt my chances!

One of my biggest wins came during a mock interview organized by Upwardly Global at Accenture. I arrived early and offered to help set up the room. Little did I know, the person I helped turned out to be the hiring manager interviewing me! This small act of initiative made a huge difference, and I quickly got an internal referral.

Job-hunting hack #4: Show initiative in interviews. Small acts of helpfulness can leave a lasting impression and increase your chances of standing out from other potential candidates.

Finally, after countless applications and interviews, I received an offer from an IT consulting firm. The salary exceeded my expectations, and I didn’t even need to negotiate. It felt like a hard-earned victory after months of effort.

The key to landing a job in the U.S. is persistence and constantly improving your approach. The hiring process is competitive, and it’s easy to get discouraged by rejections. But each failure can be a stepping stone toward refining your resume, improving your networking, and sharpening your interview skills.

Networking and employee referrals are crucial to getting hired. Always be open to expanding your social circles and leveraging referral programs. Lastly, don’t hesitate to adjust your strategy. Hiring strategies in the U.S. often reward those who show flexibility, creativity, and persistence.

By using these job-hunting hacks—from crafting an ATS-friendly resume to sending cold emails and networking—you can significantly improve your chances of standing out, making connections, and securing a great job.

I also recommend you to read related articles:
The Job Market Playbook: Selling Yourself as the Top Candidate
The Professional Mindset: How Deep Expertise and Passion Fuel Success
Inside the Mind of a Recruiter: How Companies Really Evaluate Candidates
Common Resume Mistakes: Red Flags Every Recruiter Notices (Part 3)
Spotting Resume Red Flags: Key Lessons from a Recruiter (Part 2)
Resume Red Flags to Avoid: Expert Insights from a Recruiter (Part 1)
What I learned after hiring 1000 people to technology companies: Candidate Perspective
Why your LinkedIn profile is so important?

One of the key job-hunting hacks I discovered was using UnitiQ to get my resume into the right hands. By having my CV passed along by industry experts, I significantly increased my chances of getting noticed by hiring managers. With UnitiQ’s network, my resume wasn’t just another document in a pile; it was vouched for by professionals with deep industry knowledge, which added weight to my application. This strategy helped me bypass standard recruiting strategies and stand out in a competitive talent pool.

Reach out to UnitiQ today to learn more about how we can help you with getting hired.

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