Job boards are a black hole. Companies post jobs they're not really hiring for. Four thousand people apply using automated tools. Your resume never reaches a human. This is not a you problem. It's a broken system problem. The fix is to stop using the broken system.
Find a company you actually want to work for. Research it enough to have a real conversation — read the CEO's letter in the annual report, watch a talk by someone senior, pick up the language they use to describe themselves. Then find someone in your network — one, two, or three degrees out — who can introduce you to someone who works there.
Not HR. Not a job posting. A person.
Don't ask if they're hiring. You're not there for a job. You're there to learn about the company and let them learn about you. Be curious. Be specific. Show you did the work.
When they ask what you're looking for, lead with skills — not job titles. Describe the work you want to do, not the title you want to have. Then ask where that kind of work lives in their company.
If they can't make that work, take the HR path — but follow up with your contact a week later.
Your college alumni database is underused. Search LinkedIn for alumni at your target companies and reach out — the shared school is enough to get a yes. Professors and former employers are connectors you haven't tapped. People who post publicly on LinkedIn are self-selected as people who like to share what they know. Engage genuinely, then reach out.
The full playbook has the rest — every scenario, every script, how to handle every curveball. Leave your email at nepworking.com and we'll send it.