Benjamin Todd

You might need to apply to jobs in other areas or career paths until you've got at least 30 leads.

To compound the problem, there's a huge amount of luck involved.

Most employers are not only looking for general competence, they're also looking for someone who will fit that particular team and organisation, and the specific requirements of the job.

They also have to make decisions with very little information, which means they'll make a lot of mistakes.

You can be very talented but simply not find a match through bad luck.

While bad luck can derail even the best candidates, many people struggle in their job search through a lack of confidence.

We know a lot of people who thought they'd never get a certain job, but went on to not only land the job, but also to excel within it.

Others are overconfident.

We've met people whose backup option was to work at an effective altruism organization, but those roles are also super competitive, so they aren't really a backup at all.

Unfortunately, it's hard to know whether you're underconfident or overconfident, so it's important to pursue both backup and stretch positions.

Backup positions are those that are less attractive, but you think you're likely to land.

Applying to them reduces the risk of not ending up with anything, and having offers can improve your negotiating position.

Stretch positions are those you think you're unlikely to get, but would be great if you do, so offer a lot of upside.

Making all these applications is a lot of work.

It helps to bear in mind that it's also one of the best ways to assess your fit with a career path.

Indeed, job applications are specifically designed to assess fit as quickly as possible.

This means you stand to learn a lot from applying.

You might even discover a totally new career path.

Pursuing lots of jobs is also one of the best ways to find even more opportunities.

Maybe one employer doesn't have any openings, but they know someone else who does.