Job searching

If you’ve followed along with our previous guides, you’ve already tailored your master CV and written your base cover letter. Now, it's time to start searching and applying for jobs.

If you haven’t done that yet, go back and read those first, and then come back to this guide.

1. How to search and apply for jobs

Set up your job board profiles

Start your job search by creating accounts on the major job boards (and any industry-specific ones), uploading your CV and completing your profile.

A detailed profile improves the quality of the job alerts you’ll receive and increases your visibility to recruiters searching for candidates on those sites.

Target the right jobs

Once your profiles are set up, focus your time and energy on finding roles where you have the best chance of getting interviews.

Prioritise jobs where you meet close to 100% of the requirements – especially ones you’ve already done in the same industry. The further you move away from that experience, the lower your odds.

Search job titles and keywords

The next step is to find those suitable jobs on job sites.

Start by typing your target title into the keyword search, plus close variations. For example, if you’re looking for a role in customer service, you might search for “Customer Service Agent”, “Customer Success Agent” and “Client Success”.

You can also search using skills or keywords related to tasks you’re good at or enjoy, e.g., “training”, “mentoring”, “event planning”, “process improvement”, “onboarding”, “curriculum development”.

Apply directly on the company website

When you find a role you like, first check the company’s careers page and, if it’s listed, apply there.

Applying on the company site helps you avoid scams and expired listings, and sends your CV straight into the company’s ATS (the database recruiters search first when new roles open), which can increase your chances of being considered for future roles too.

If you’re using Rodeo, you’re already covered here as all our listings come directly from company websites, so you know you’re applying to real jobs.

It won’t always be possible to apply directly on the company site, as some employers only accept applications on specific job boards, but go direct whenever you can.

It’s also worth targeting small businesses, especially local ones. You'll have less competition – since most job applications are going to a handful of large companies.

How to increase your odds

Applying early for a job increases your chances of being called for an interview. Candidates are generally interviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. As soon as the job goes live, the company is already scheduling interviews.

To be an early applicant:

• Filter by new jobs: Use the “Date Posted” filter on job boards to prioritise applying for the newest roles first. For example, on Rodeo, start with ‘Past 12 hours’, then work back through ‘Past 3 days’, ‘Past week’ and ‘Past 14 days’.

• Create job alerts: Set up alerts on each site for your target role (and variations of your job title) so new roles land in your inbox as soon as they’re posted. Turn on email notifications on your phone and check your spam folder daily.

• Register for candidate / talent pools: Stay on the radar of companies you’d genuinely like to work for, even when there’s nothing available right now. Make a list of those companies and visit their careers page. If there’s no suitable role, register for their candidate/talent pool. You’ll be added to their list and emailed when jobs go live.

• Set a schedule: Pick a realistic daily application target you can sustain. Even one fully tailored application per day is plenty if you can do it consistently. Dedicate a set time for browsing jobs, ideally once in the morning and once in the evening.

• Use a job tracker: As you browse through job sites, save roles to apply to later. On Rodeo, click ‘Save Job’ to add it to your tracker so you can keep all your jobs in one place, track your progress and store job descriptions — even after the listing has been taken down. This helps you stay organised, apply early and avoid losing track of jobs.

How to tailor your CV for each role

When you find a suitable job you want to apply for, I recommend tailoring your CV for the specific role. This gives you the best chance of landing the interview.

To do this, first you’ll need to save a master copy of your CV. Your master CV includes all of your accomplishments and responsibilities. 

When you go to apply for a job, make a copy of your master CV (Click File, then select Make a copy) and tailor it using the 4-step process below.

Step 1: For each requirement listed in the job description, ensure your CV includes a duty/responsibility you’ve managed or an achievement that aligns with it.

Keep in mind that requirements listed first are typically the most important to the role. They are generally listed in order of priority. Employers usually prioritise the essential qualifications, followed by additional “nice-to-haves.” As you move further down the list of requirements, these requirements are often less critical for the role.

Have a look at the top half of the job requirements listed in the job description. Within your most recent role in your CV, show that you have direct experience in each of these core duties and responsibilities.

Pay special attention to terms like “must have,” “required,” “must possess”, or “basic qualifications”.

If the job requires specific credentials, such as a certificate, degree, licenses, a visa, or a security clearance, ensure these are clearly listed on your CV.

If you don’t meet 70%–80% of the total requirements, your chances of getting an interview are low. To give yourself the best chance, target roles where you meet close to 90%–100% of the requirements. Apply for jobs you previously held at similar companies in the same industry with the same scope/goals. The further you stray away from your experience, the lower your odds.

Step 2: Arrange your experience on your CV to match the order of the requirements in the job description. 

Step 3: Use wording similar to what’s in the job description to highlight your relevant skills and experiences. 

Step 4: In each bullet point under your work experience, explain what you did, how you did it, and what good came out of it (what did you achieve, or what did your work facilitate/allow to happen).

Do this right once and you won’t have to keep tailoring your CV for each job you apply for. It will be just a matter of reordering your CV so your most relevant experience appears earlier, or you may have to remove some irrelevant experience.

It will also force you to only focus on the experience that recruiters care about, which will help you get job interviews.

So yes, I recommend tailoring your CV for every job you apply for, BUT the silver lining here is that you'll only have to do the majority of the tailoring once.

Because when you go to apply for another job, your CV will already be a good match for that role (assuming you’re applying for one particular job type), so the amount of editing will be very minimal.

There will be pain and resistance at the start. But as you review more job descriptions, you’ll get better at spotting patterns and understanding which experiences to highlight.

Taking this approach gives you the best chance of getting called for interviews.

If you’d like ChatGPT to help you tailor your CV, try the following prompts.

**Remember to carefully review what ChatGPT provides to ensure accuracy and make any necessary adjustments.

Tailoring CV to Specific Job Prompt:

I need help tailoring my CVto a specific job. Below is the job description, as well as my CV with relevant experience. Please assist me by following these guidelines:

Match Requirements: For each requirement in the job description, identify a duty or achievement on my CV that aligns with it. Where needed, rephrase my experience to highlight this connection.

Order of Experience: Identify the main requirements from the job description and arrange my CV to follow the same order, prioritising key qualifications at the top.

Use Clear, Relevant Language: Describe my experience in language similar to the job description while avoiding word-for-word copying.

Explain Each Bullet Point Clearly: For each bullet point, specify what I did, how I did it, and what positive outcome or achievement resulted from my work.

Job Description: [Paste the job description here]

My CV: [Paste your CV here]

Using this information, can you help rewrite my CV to highlight my fit for the job?

Reordering Experience Prompt:

Please help me reorder my CV experience to match the priorities in this job description. Don’t change or rewrite the bullet points, just reorder them so that my most relevant experience appears first in each individual role I held, based on what the job description emphasises as key requirements. 

Here’s the job description:

[Insert Job Description]

And here’s my CV experience:

[Insert CV Experience]

I want the reordered experience to align closely with the job’s main responsibilities and skills.

2. Following up on job applications

If you haven’t heard back from your application after 5–7 days, it can be worth following up once. If you’re using Rodeo, open your job tracker and check the dates on your saved jobs so you can see which applications to follow up on.

When following up, try to find the hiring team on LinkedIn or track down their email, and use the template below as a guide for reaching out (remember to attach your CV):

Hi [Name],

I recently applied for the [Job Title]. I understand you’re running through your process at the moment, but do you know if there is any update on my application?

I have [Number] years of experience helping [Companies / Departments] do [Objectives related to the job description], which seems relevant for the [Job Title] position, and most recently [Insert achievement].

I have attached my CV for your reference. 

Thanks for your time.

[Your name]

[Your phone number]

How to find the right person to follow up with (and their contact details)

When following up, ideally you want to reach someone in recruitment first, as they usually handle applications.

If you can’t find anyone in recruitment, look for the manager of your target department. For smaller companies, search for the owner/founder.

You have two options to track people down and reach out, either through LinkedIn or email.

To find them on LinkedIn:

• Go to LinkedIn and click in the search bar (on desktop), then hit Enter to open up the search filters.

• Click the People tab.

• Under Current company, enter the company name and hit Search.

• Look for people with titles like Recruiter, Recruitment, Talent Acquisition, HR, connect with them and drop a DM.

• If it’s a large company, refine your search by typing the job title (e.g. “recruiter”) into the search bar.

• If you can’t find anyone in recruitment, connect with and message the department head – e.g., for a marketing role, look for the Marketing Manager.

To find their email address:

• Look on the company website (staff directory / contact page) or use a free email finder tool like Hunter.io. If you can’t find the exact email address on Hunter.io, it will often show you the email format the company uses. From there, just enter your contact’s name and you’re away.

• If you know the recruiter, department head or hiring manager’s name, Google their name with the “@” symbol and the company name and see what shows up.

• If you know the person’s name, you can also take an educated guess using common email formats like:

  • [firstname][lastname]@[companyname].com

  • [firstname].[lastname]@[companyname].com

  • [firstinitial][lastname]@[companyname].com

  • [firstname]@[companyname].com

3. How to ask for introductions / referrals

Contact people you know on a first-name basis

You can only get referred for a job if people know you need one. So tell them.

Start by listing people you know well:

• Family members, friends, ex-colleagues and managers, old classmates, teachers, lecturers.

• Run through your phone contacts and LinkedIn connections to see who can help you.

If possible, find out where each person works, visit their company’s careers page and see if they are hiring for any suitable roles. If they are, ask your contact if they can refer you for the job. Here’s a template you can use as a guide: 

Hi [Name], I see that [Company Name] is hiring for a [Job Title] and I’m interested in applying as it’s a good fit. I’d love to get my info in front of the hiring manager. By any chance, could you make an introduction for me?

If you can’t see any available opportunities, just let people know that you’re on the hunt. The main thing here is that you specify the types of jobs you’re looking for. Here is a message template to help you along:

Hey [First Name], I just wanted to let you know that I'm starting to look for a new job. If you hear of any [Target Job Title] positions that might be a good fit for me, I'd really appreciate it if you could send them my way.  Any leads or introductions would be super helpful. Thanks for keeping me in mind.

Give your references a heads up

Another way to tap into your network is to let your old managers and coworkers know you’re going to need them as a reference. They may know someone hiring, or they might be hiring themselves. 

Here is a message template you can use as a guide:

Hi [First Name], hope you're doing well. I wanted to give you a heads up – I'm starting to look for a new job in [Your Field/Industry]. Would you mind if I listed you as a reference? Also, if you happen to hear of any openings for a [Target Job Title], I’d be grateful if you could send them my way!

Other people and companies to consider contacting

• Who did you interact with through work? Did you build relationships with any clients, suppliers, vendors, logistics partners or software providers? List them out, then look them up on LinkedIn or track down their email. Use one of the templates above (job listed vs. no job listed) to reach out and remind them how you know each other. 

• What companies would value your insider knowledge? 

• Think of current or previous employers’ biggest competitors.

• Which companies was your employer a customer of, where you understand their target audience? For example, if you worked in retail, a manufacturer that supplies your shop might value your retail experience and insights into customer behaviour.

If you know anyone personally at these companies, reach out via email or LinkedIn, mention how you’re connected and the insights you bring.

If you don’t know anyone at these companies, check their careers page for suitable roles. If you see one, be sure to reference your experience with the company and/or their target audience in your cover letter.

If they’re not hiring, consider reaching out cold. Track down the hiring manager and introduce yourself.

4. Working with industry-specific recruiters

Research the leading agencies in your field and set up a conversation with them. At the very least, you’ll start building new relationships while staying up-to-date on the job market.

Google around for specialty recruiters who hire in your field. For example, IT Recruitment Agency, Hospitality Recruitment Agency, etc.

Make sure the recruiter you’re contacting hires for roles within your industry. There are a million recruiters out there, not all of them can help you.

Be clear with them on why you’re reaching out to them. Give them something to action. Tell them you work in the industry they hire in, explain the types of roles you’re suitable for and ask if they can help you.

Get feedback from every recruiter you speak to, it’s free. Ask them:

• Is there anything they didn't understand about your CV?

• What parts of your CV did they like?

• Was there anything missing?

• Do they see any red flags?

5. Cold applying (applying to a company when no job is advertised)

The reason cold applying can work is because:

• You have no competition.

• The company could be preparing to recruit and you caught them at the right time.

• The company could be going through a growth stage and are always on the lookout for ambitious talent.

• It plants seeds for future opportunities, even if they pass on you this time. They may even direct you to a colleague or a different company that is hiring.

That said, most of your time should still go to active roles at companies that are hiring right now. Think of cold applications as a bonus strategy for companies where:

• You know the industry and customers, and

• You have a clear idea of how you can help.

As the old saying goes, if you don’t ask, you don’t get – but make sure the ask is targeted.

What to include in your cold outreach email:

• Specify the types of problems you help companies or departments solve and mention any relevant achievements that the company would care about.

• Demonstrate how you’ve researched the company and explain why you want to work there.

• Acknowledge that you didn’t see an open position on their website, but ask if there may be upcoming opportunities in the department, and clearly state the type of role you can do for them.

• Make sure your CV is attached and include a call to action.

Use this template as a guide to submit your cold application:

Subject heading: Experienced [Job Title] Seeking Opportunities at [Company Name]

Email body:

Hi [Recruiter / Department Manager’s First Name],

My name is [Name] and I wanted to put myself forward for future opportunities within your [Department Name] team as a [Target job title]. Typically I help [Companies / Departments] do [Mention specific outcomes], and most recently achieved [Insert achievement].

I’m currently looking for my next career challenge, and after researching your recent projects with [Reference what the company has/is working on] and seeing your future plans for the company [Reference where they are planning/looking forward to - review press releases, recent news, check them on social media], I couldn’t help but reach out to you. By any chance, are you looking to take on a [Your job title] for your team? 

I was on your career’s site earlier and didn't come across any open positions in your [Department Name] department. 

I have also attached my CV for your reference and would love to keep the conversation going, so if you’re free for a chat at some stage this week – it would be great to link up.

Thanks for your time. I’m available for a chat this week if you’re free. I look forward to hearing from you.

Warm regards,

[Your full name]

[Your phone number]

[Your email address]

6. How to job search while working full-time

Here are some practical steps to follow when you are trying to organise your job search while working a full-time job.

Plan your job search

First, plan ahead. There is usually a 1-to-3 week lag between applying for a job and getting the interview. Use that to your advantage. Once you start applying, request a few days off for 2 - 3 weeks' time. Then, try to batch your interviews. If you can stack your interviews into those off-days, you save yourself the stress of sneaking out constantly.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn has a default setting to notify your connections when you make updates to your profile, so be sure to turn off "Notify network of changes" within your privacy settings before you update your profile. And ensure your "Open to Work" status is set to 'Recruiters Only', not the public green banner.

Scheduling interviews

When you do have to interview on a workday, be upfront with recruiters. Good companies respect that you are employed. Tell them clearly: 'I am available during my lunch break from 1 to 2, or immediately after work at 5:30.'

If you have a hybrid role, schedule interviews on your Work From Home days. 

It’s also worth checking if the interview can be done remotely - especially in the early rounds.

Budget extra time

Interviews run over all the time. If you have a 30-minute call, block off 45. Because if you come sprinting back to your desk 20 minutes late, sweaty and flustered, you’re going to have some explaining to do.

Workplace best practices to follow

You need to make sure you aren't accidentally tipping anyone off at work. Here are the workplace best practices to stay under the radar:

• If you usually wear a hoodie, don't show up in a full suit on a Tuesday. It raises eyebrows. Change in the car if you have to.

• If you’re flat out checking your phone at work you may draw attention from Sharon, who’s the all-seeing eye of the office. Block off specific time to check your phone and reply to recruiters.

• Don’t use your work phone or computer for anything related to your job search.

• Don’t tell your coworkers you’re interviewing with other companies. Loose lips sink ships.

References

Regarding references, exclude your current manager. When you get a job offer, explain that your current employer isn't aware of your job search, and offer alternative references, such as an ex-manager who recently left or even your supervisor or team lead. 

You have to protect your income at all times. It would be great if you could be transparent about your career goals, but in reality, the moment your manager finds out you’re looking elsewhere, your job is at risk. 

That is why you should only hand in your notice once you have countersigned the offer letter and received written confirmation of acceptance.

Self-care

Lastly, take care of yourself. The stress of managing this double life can cause a drop in your job performance - so make sure to take care of yourself during your time off. Use your weekends to fully disconnect. Spend your downtime filling your cup with the things you love to do.

7. FAQs

Can I Apply for Multiple Jobs at the Same Company?

Absolutely you can. But there’s two things to keep in mind so you don’t look like you’re just spamming the company and hoping for the best.

First, the roles must make sense together. You can apply for a 'Customer Success Manager' role and an 'Account Manager' role because they require similar skills. 

But if you apply for 'Head of Marketing' AND 'Junior Accountant,' you look confused. From the recruiters POV, you’re just praying and spraying to anything and everything. You won’t be considered as a serious candidate. 

Secondly, if you’re applying for two different roles, don’t send the exact same CV and cover letter to both roles. 

You need to connect the dots for each specific hiring manager.

To do this, tailor your CV to match each job description. We covered exactly how to do this in our previous 'CV Tailoring Guide' (Video 5 in the playlist). Go back and watch that to see how to use your 'Master CV' to quickly create two different versions of your CV in minutes.

In your cover letter, be transparent. First, explain exactly why you are a fit for the specific job. Then, simply acknowledge the other application so they know you are being intentional rather than spamming the company.

You can add a line that says: 'Given my background in [Area], I have submitted an application for both [Role A] and [Role B], as I believe I could add significant value to either team.'

So, as long as the roles are relevant to your skills, and you can make a specific case for each position, don't be afraid to put your hat in the ring for multiple roles.

Why Was I Rejected Within Minutes of Applying?

If you receive an almost immediate rejection, it's likely due to one of two reasons. First, you may have failed to answer knockout questions correctly. For example, if the job application asks if you have a work visa for the UK and you answer "no," it will trigger an automatic rejection. Second, recruiters often review applications in real time. They can quickly assess whether you're a fit for the role. 

Should I use Easy Apply on boards to submit applications?

If your CV is well-tailored to the role, then yes, Easy Apply can be a convenient option. However, if your CV isn’t personalised for the specific job, it's better to apply directly and take the time to tailor it first. A more personalised CV can make a stronger impression.

8. Final reminders

Before we wrap up, there are two things to keep in mind as you start your job search:

1. Always take the earliest interview date possible. The hiring company could stop the interview process early if they get too much interest. The goal is to be at the front of the queue.

2. Not hearing back from most job applications is unfortunately the norm. There are many factors outside of your control that influence hiring decisions that have nothing to do with you. Don’t be discouraged by rejection, it’s just part and parcel of landing a job. Keep going, you only need one yes.

Start searching for jobs on Rodeo

It's time to put these strategies into action. Check out our jobs board where we have over 70,000 open roles waiting for you.