Networking, cold out reach, etc. here are some stats that were released by The job application platform Ashby last year. This was stuff I already knew but seeing the actual numbers Changed everything for me.

Where applications come from: 93.8% are cold inbound applies (applications and the spray-and-pray method). 4.8% are sourced by recruiters. 1% are referrals. 0.05%are internal candidates.

Now, let's look at who actually gets to Interview #1: Internal: 42% get the interview. Referrals: 40% get the interview. (Notice this? A referral puts you on an almost equal playing field as someone who already works inside the company!) Agency/Recruiter: 16% get the interview. Cold Applications: 3%. Read that again. 3%. If you make it past that interview, who actually gets the Job Offer? * Internal: 32% * Referrals: 16% * Agency/Recruiter: 8% * Cold Applies: 6%

What does this math actually mean for you? If your only strategy is hitting the "Easy Apply" button, you are doing exactly what 94% of people are doing to fight for a 3% chance at a first-round conversation. If you get a referral instead of cold applying, you are literally 15 times more likely to get the interview. And if you do get the interview, you are nearly 3 times more likely to actually land the job offer.

You have to start building your network, warming up your leads in the comments, getting in the DMs, and getting people to advocate for you in rooms you haven't even entered yet.

It's easy to want to ignore opinions but the facts and stats prove what method actually works and yields results that other paths just do not.