Most job seekers approach employment the same way: they see a job, submit a resume, and then wait, hoping an employer will contact them with good news.
I understand that approach, and it is one that most people use; it is also the most crowded path.
The problem isn’t necessarily that there aren’t enough opportunities. The problem is that the most visible opportunities attract the greatest concentration of job seekers.
Suppose you think of the employment market as an inverted pyramid. At the very top are the jobs everyone can see: the online postings. As you move down through the pyramid, you encounter opportunities that require progressively more initiative, research, relationships, and courage.
As you delve towards the point of the pyramid, the number of people competing for those opportunities generally decreases as the job seeker becomes more proactive.
I am not suggesting you or anyone seeking employment abandon this first level because the goal isn’t to abandon online applications. It’s to stop making them your entire job search and, when you apply for these jobs, to start purposefully standing out from the crowd.
INVERTED PYRAMID LEVEL 1 — POSTED JOBS
Everyone Can See Them, and this is where virtually every job seeker starts, and for far too many people, this is the only level they use.
Indeed. LinkedIn. Government job boards. Specialized employment websites. Industry-specific boards. There is nothing wrong with using them.
In fact, you should. The problem is what happens when this becomes your entire strategy.
You’re looking at the most visible portion of the employment market, and you’re looking at it alongside almost everyone else.
The problem with Level 1
When 100 people see the same posting, you aren’t simply competing against 99 people. You’re competing against people with more experience, people with better résumés, internal candidates, referrals, people who already know someone in the organization, people who have applied to that employer before, and potentially hundreds of other applicants.
Worse, increasingly, you’re competing against an initial screening process involving applicant-tracking systems and AI-assisted tools.
So, the question becomes: How do you stand out when everyone is applying to the same job? And your résumé has to do more than document your employment history.
A conventional résumé says: Here is where I worked. Here is what I did.
A stronger résumé says: Here is what I know how to do, what I have accomplished, and the problems I can help you solve.
Your résumé must be truthful, professional, and easy to read, but it doesn’t have to look exactly like everybody else’s.
At Level 1: Assume your résumé may be scanned before a human reads it.
That means use terminology that genuinely reflects your experience, pay attention to the language in the job posting, identify recurring skills and qualifications, use relevant keywords naturally, don’t bury your most relevant experience, make accomplishments visible rather than simply listing duties, and make the document easy for both software and humans to understand by focusing on what the employer has identified they want.
But don’t stop there. Write the cover letter—even when they don’t ask for one. If everyone else follows the minimum requirements, doing a little more can create differentiation.
But don’t write, “I am very interested in this position and believe I would be an excellent candidate.”
Tell the employer something more useful. Show that you understand their problem. If the employer needs someone who can improve customer retention, explain how your experience has done that. If they’re growing quickly, demonstrate that you’ve worked successfully in environments experiencing growth. If they’re struggling to recruit or retain employees, explain the relevant experience you bring.
The cover letter should answer, “Why should this employer care that I have applied?” not simply, Why do I want this job?” Additionally, you need to follow up on every application. This is one of the easiest ways to differentiate yourself because relatively few applicants do it thoughtfully. Follow up professionally; never simply ask, “Just wondering if you’ve made a decision;” instead, “I wanted to follow up and reiterate my interest. After learning more about your organization, I was particularly interested in ____. My experience in ____ could allow me to contribute to that area.”
By following up, you’re giving them another reason to remember you. You are not bothering them; done respectfully, you are standing out from the crowd.
Rejection isn’t necessarily the end.
If someone else gets the position, congratulate the person who gives you the bad news. Thank the employer for the opportunity. Then ask a question most candidates never ask: “If circumstances change or the successful candidate doesn’t ultimately work out, I would appreciate being considered. Would it be appropriate for me to stay in touch?” Also, ask, “If you are comfortable sharing it, is there anything I could have done better during the process?” Doing this changes rejection from a dead end into a relationship.
The Level 1 mindset: You aren’t trying merely to submit an application. You’re trying to become memorable.
INVERTED PYRAMID LEVEL 2 — TARGET EMPLOYERS
Stop Waiting for Jobs to Be Posted. This is where the job search begins to change, and your competition starts to lessen.
Instead of asking, “What jobs are available?” start asking: “Which organizations could use someone with my skills?”
Build a simple employer database, and importantly, don’t build it only around organizations currently hiring. Build it around organizations where you would genuinely like to work.
Depending on you and the number of possible employers in your area, that could mean 25 employers, or 50, or 100.
Your database might include the name of the organization, the industry, website, location, contact information, relevant contacts, types of positions they hire for, skills they frequently seek, current and previous vacancies, company news including expansion plans, new locations, new contracts, leadership changes, seasonal hiring patterns, date contacted, who was contacted, what was discussed, and next follow-up date.
Now you’re doing something most job seekers don’t do; you’re studying the employer rather than simply studying the job posting.
Maybe none of these organizations are hiring today, but perhaps they just opened a new location, they won a major contract, they’re expanding, someone just left, they’re launching a new service, they’re experiencing rapid growth, they’re repeatedly hiring people with your skill set. Those are all signals, signals that may appear before a job advertisement does.
Don’t just look for vacancies. Look for evidence that an employer is going to need someone like you.
That’s a fundamental change in conventional job search thinking.
INVERTED PYRAMID LEVEL 3 — NETWORKING & REFERRALS
Stop Asking Who Is Hiring
This is where your network becomes an employment resource, but not because you’re asking everyone for a job. The traditional networking conversation goes something like, “I’m looking for work. Do you know anyone who’s hiring?”
That’s not terrible. But it’s limiting, and it is conventional. It just turns the person you’re talking to into a potential job board. Instead, turn them into a source of knowledge, perspective, and connections. Try: “I’m exploring my next opportunity, and I’d really value your perspective.” Ask for an informational interview. Prepare, talk, listen, learn. Ask:
- What is happening in your industry?
- What skills are becoming more valuable?
- What are employers struggling to find?
- What would you recommend someone with my background learn?
- What do you think I’m overlooking?
- If you were in my position, where would you be looking?
- Who else would you recommend I speak with?
The objective isn’t to walk away with a job. The objective is to walk away with knowledge and another relationship, because networking isn’t asking people for jobs. Networking is giving people enough understanding of who you are that they recognize an opportunity when they encounter one.
You want people eventually saying, “I know someone who might be exactly what you’re looking for.” That’s the power of a referral.
Everyone you know should know you’re looking for new opportunities; that is the key principle. Friends, family, former colleagues, neighbours, former managers, professional contacts, community connections, people you’ve volunteered with, people you’ve worked alongside; all can help, especially when you have built a solid reputation.
However, don’t make the conversation a desperate broadcast using phrases like, “Please help me find a job.” Make it a conversation: “I’m exploring what comes next, and I’m talking to people who understand the field. I’d love to hear what you’re seeing.”
That’s a very different experience for both people.
INVERTED PYRAMID LEVEL 4 — DIRECT OUTREACH
Create the Conversation. This is what many people call “cold calling”; however, this isn’t the best description because if you’ve done the work in Level 2, this isn’t really cold. You’ve researched the organization. You know what they do. You’ve identified potential contacts. You understand their business. You’ve looked for signs of growth. You know what you might be able to contribute.
That’s not random; it’s not “cold calling”; it’s targeted outreach, and it can happen through In-person visits, telephone calls, email, professional networking platforms, introductions, industry events, community events, professional associations, and any other conversation.
Targeted outreach is not about asking “Are you hiring?” as that answer will normally be “No.”
Conversation over. Instead, start a conversation around value, for example:”I’ve been following your organization and noticed you’re expanding into ____. My background is in ____, and I’ve spent several years working with ____. I’d really appreciate the opportunity to learn more about where you see your organization going.”
Now you’re not asking, “Do you have a job?” You’re asking: “Could there be a place where my experience could help?”
That’s much more powerful.
KNOW LEVEL 4 REQUIRES COURAGE
This is where job seekers have to become comfortable with doing things that feel uncomfortable. Things like walking into an organization, making the phone call, sending the email, asking for the conversation, introducing yourself, following up, asking questions, asking for advice, asking whether there may be an opportunity that isn’t advertised, and knowing most people will likely say no.
The courage is necessary because it’s okay to be nervous, and our objective isn’t to eliminate rejection. Our objective is to increase the number of meaningful opportunities you encounter.
INVERTED PYRAMID LEVEL 5 — CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY
What If the Job Doesn’t Exist? This is the logical conclusion of the pyramid. Eventually, the job seeker should reach a point where they’re asking, “Where is the problem I can solve?”
Maybe the employer doesn’t have a posted position. Maybe they don’t even have a position that matches your background. But they know they have a problem. They may need better customer service, someone to organize a project, someone to improve processes, help with sales, help with administration, someone to develop relationships, someone to manage a new initiative, specialized technical expertise, temporary support, contract work, project assistance, and that problem could become the opportunity and that opportunity might become a job, or a contract, or a project, or a part-time position, or a temporary assignment, or an introduction to someone else.
Regardless, sometimes the opportunity comes before the job description.
That’s a powerful concept for job seekers to understand.
THE DEEPER YOU GO, THE MORE YOU DIFFERENTIATE
This isn’t a mathematical law. Some Level 2 opportunities will be highly competitive, and some Level 4 approaches will go nowhere. But as a job-search strategy, the principle is sound:
The more proactive you become, the less dependent you are on competing for opportunities everyone else can see.
THE DIFFERENTIATION PRINCIPLE – At every level, a job seeker should be asking “What is everyone else doing?” and asking “What else could I do differently to make myself stand out?”
Consider: If everyone submits a résumé, make sure you have reordered your skills to match the job advertisement and focus on solving the employer’s problems. For anyone else that includes a cover letter, write one that directly addresses the employer’s needs. If nobody follows up, then follow up professionally. If everyone disappears after rejection, then thank them and take the opportunity to build the relationship further.
DON’T CONFUSE “STANDING OUT” WITH “BEING LOUD”
Many job seekers can misunderstand the importance and the “how” of doing this.
Standing out doesn’t mean using gimmicky résumés, outrageous colours, unnecessary graphics, clever stunts, flooding hiring managers with messages, ignoring instructions, and/or trying desperately to be memorable. Standing out is the goal: meaningful differentiation.
The candidate who understands the employer’s needs and addresses them is more memorable than the candidate who simply makes the loudest entrance.
Your entire focus should communicate I understand you and your organization; I understand the problem. I have relevant experience. And Here’s how I might help.
That’s powerful without being theatrical.
PREPARATION BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT WITH EACH LEVEL
At Level 1, many job seekers try to get away with relatively little preparation. They see a posting, and they apply. To succeed at Level 4, you can’t. If you’re approaching an employer directly, you had better know something about them.
Before contacting an employer, research: What do they do? What problems might they be facing? What is changing in their industry? What have they recently accomplished? What skills do they repeatedly hire? Who is the person I should be speaking with? What can I offer that is relevant? What do I want from this conversation, and what does success look like? And most importantly, what can I offer them besides wanting a job?
This question may be one of the most important questions in the entire pyramid.
BUILDING A JOB-SEARCH SYSTEM
Success doesn’t come from spending eight hours a day randomly searching job boards. Success comes from using all 5 levels of their personalized system.
For example: Level 1 – Daily search and apply to appropriate posted positions. Level 2 – Research and update the employer database. Level 3 – Always be having conversations with people in their network. Level 4 – Make targeted contacts with employers. Level 5 – Look for ways their skills could solve problems that aren’t currently represented by a job posting.
Creating movement creates opportunities, which creates solutions. So instead of Search → Apply → Wait → Repeat, the job search system is Research → Connect → Differentiate → Reach out → Follow up → Learn → Adjust → Repeat
THE BIGGEST SHIFT
I believe my message for this post is that a job seeker shouldn’t measure their progress only by the number of applications they submit, as that is aterrible measurement; someone could submit 200 applications and have accomplished very little.
Instead, someone using the Job-Search Inverted Pyramid might identify 50 target employers, speak with 15 people, conduct 5 informational interviews, make 10 direct contacts, receive 3 referrals, and uncover 2 opportunities that were never advertised.
That person may have submitted only five applications.
Who is actually further ahead? The second person, not because they’re not merely applying. They are closer to their goals because they are building an opportunity pipeline.
THE OPPORTUNITY PYRAMID IN ONE SENTENCE
The traditional job search asks, “Where are the jobs?” The opportunity mindset asks, “Where are the problems I can solve, who needs what I can offer, and how can I become known to them before the job is posted?”
Don’t abandon the job boards. Just don’t build your entire career on them.
Level 1 is where you start. It shouldn’t be where you stop.
Success comes from using the heart of The Opportunity Pyramid: all 5 levels
Paul.