Is Applying to 100 Jobs Too Many? How Many Job Applications You Should Actually Be Submitting

As a job seeker, you may have heard the advice to apply to as many jobs as possible in order to increase your chances of landing an interview. However, is there such a thing as applying to too many jobs? How many job applications should you actually be submitting?

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Quality vs Quantity

When it comes to job applications, it's important to strike a balance between quality and quantity. Applying to a large number of jobs can be time-consuming and may not necessarily increase your chances of getting hired. Instead, focusing on the quality of your applications can help you stand out from the competition.

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Tailoring Your Applications

One way to improve the quality of your job applications is to tailor each one to the specific job and company you're applying to. This means customizing your resume and cover letter to highlight the skills and experience that are most relevant to the job.

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Researching the Company

Before applying to a job, take some time to research the company and the role you're applying for. This can help you tailor your application and show that you're genuinely interested in the position.

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How Many Jobs Should You Apply To?

The number of job applications you should submit depends on your specific situation. If you're currently unemployed or looking to switch careers, you may need to apply to more jobs in order to increase your chances of getting hired.

• On average, employers received 39 applications per graduate vacancy in 2022 which is inline with 2021, 2020. For 2023, a lot of companies have forecasted they will increase hiring of graduates - cheaper work, will stay at company longer etc. So even though the macro environment is not the best it isn't too dissimilar to previous years.
• Recent stats show that it takes about 100-200+ applications to receive one job offer! You have an 8.3% chance of getting a job interview from a single job application. That means it takes 10-20 applications to get one interview and 10-15 interviews to get one job offer. That's a lot of applications...

However, if you're currently employed and looking for a new opportunity, you may be more selective in the jobs you apply to.

• (An approach alongside studying) If you allocate 40mins a day to complete 2 application that's 40 applications a month (not inc. weekends), 100 applications within 2.5 months - you only need 1 company to say yes!
• (The approach I used when I was searching after uni) It was to treat it as a full time job while working my part time job so applied for around 20 hours a week. It took me 5 weeks to get a job offer I was happy with and around 150 applications. So 30 applications a week, 6 applications a day - this included cover letters, researching the company to give tailored responses etc.

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Conclusion

Ultimately, the number of job applications you should submit depends on your individual circumstances. While it's important to apply to a sufficient number of jobs to increase your chances of getting hired, it's equally important to focus on the quality of your applications. By tailoring your applications to each job and company, you can stand out from the competition and increase your chances of landing an interview.

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Related Articles:

• Why Do You Want to Work for Us?
• 2023 Graduate Market Analysis Report