Applying for jobs is like stand-up comedy

When talking about interviewing, I often say that applying for jobs is like stand-up comedy. Hear me out.

You're rusty and out of practice. Interviewing is decidedly not the same as the job itself. You have to get on stage and perform before you're ready. You try out material you think is good, then find out in the room what actually lands. Some days you bomb. Some days a heckler interrupts you for no reason. And if you keep showing up, you eventually find a groove where you're comfortable even when the room is cold. Nobody gets there by waiting until they feel ready. They get there by doing reps.

The advice that keeps you off the stage

"Don't apply to everything." I agree with that one.

But being hyper-selective won't improve your resume response rate, not in this market, no matter how often some recruiters say so. Being precise about fit is good. Whittling yourself down to five perfect roles and waiting for them is like skipping an open mic until the room feels right (it'll never feel right). You need the reps more than you need the perfect room.

Apply where you fit at least 80% of the criteria. Depending on where you are in your career, that can be double-digit applications per week. You're competing, so compete. Put yourself out there.

Know what you _don't_ want. It's often a sharper screen than knowing what you do. When a role that hits your hard nos shows up, you bypass it in two seconds instead of agonizing, which keeps your reps pointed at jobs you'd actually take. That must-not list is straight out of the Mnookin Two-Pager in Never Search Alone (where I found my career group). And saying a role isn't for you is your own small form of rejection. Saying no sometimes feels _great_.

Sequencing your applications is dated advice, don't do it. People will tell you to apply to your B and C tier companies first to "warm up," then hit your A tier once you're polished. The problem is you don't control the timing. The A-tier role might close before you ever get to it. You have no idea when a req opens, when it fills, or when a hiring manager loses budget.

Apply early and hope for the best. Get your material in front of the room while the room is still there.

Try not to take it personally, even when it might be

Sometimes you do everything right and they still don't like it. I once had a hiring manager tell me, on video, to my face, that she had so many strong options that it would be hard to pick me, even though I had a strong background, because I didn't have direct experience with their SEO tooling (this is very easy to pick up). I personally view that as a miss on their part, especially given how quickly I get up to speed on new concepts and verticals. But c'est la vie. It really is what it is in those moments, and the only useful move is on to the next.

You won't win by arguing with a heckler. So just finish the set and book the next one. Some hecklers you can see coming. "So why did you leave?" is a big one right now, and it's easy to let it swallow half the call. Don't. The market's been rough and short stints are everywhere, so a calm, crisp "that was a layoff" beats a long defensive answer every time. Name it, then steer back to the impact you had while you were there.

Sometimes they don't see the fit, even when it's obvious. I've been a really strong fit for roles and still gotten the no. I've applied to roles that felt like I wrote the job descriptions myself. Early on in your interviewing process, that messes with your head. But the takeaway isn't that you're not good. It's that there are a lot of talented people looking right now, and plenty of them are great fits too. The math is brutal. The verdict on you isn't.

Do not forget that you are good. You've been doing this for years. A single no (or even a dozen) doesn't undo that. And when one doesn't come through, keep the line open with the recruiter, which is my last tactical tip: if you hit it off, stay in touch. Keep a running list of the recruiters you connected with and check in every so often. The role that wasn't right in March can turn into the intro that lands in September.

Protect your peace

Rejections happen for all kinds of reasons that have nothing to do with you:

• An internal candidate was always the favorite
• A referral jumped the line
• The role got closed or reorganized
• The team was confused about what they actually wanted
• You applied a little late, or you were the silver medalist who finished second to someone great

You usually never find out which one it was, so spending your energy decoding it is a losing game. If you can stop refreshing LinkedIn every hour, that's a real start. Check it in the morning and the evening, and carve out parts of the day that belong only to you. The search is a marathon and your attention is the fuel. Don't burn it all staring at a notifications tab.

If you want to stand out, stay in motion

The good news about reps is that they compound. Use the extra time to stay sharp and visible.

Upskill while you've got the time to do it. Build a portfolio site you actually own. Learn more about how AI is changing the work you do. Reconnect with old colleagues. Join a career group. Document your wins while they're fresh, because you will forget the details faster than you expect.

And if you can, do it in public. Share what you're building and learning. It keeps you sharp, it keeps you current, and it shows everyone watching that you're active and worth a conversation. The person who's visibly doing the work is a lot easier to pick than a name on a list.

I built a few Claude plugins during my own search. They're free, and here to help you level up.

Job Search Agent · your AI recruiter, so you can run more reps without losing your mind

Personal Site · steps you through building a portfolio website, so your accomplishments live somewhere you own

Build with Claude · helps you upskill by walking you through shipping apps from your phone

That's it. Now get on stage before you're ready, don't argue with a heckler, and protect your peace. And remember you're good at this, because you are.

On to the next one.