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12 hours ago
1
17 Jul, 2025
I recently started a new job as a Senior Software Engineer at Headway. Now that I'm a few weeks into my new gig I thought it might be fun to share some numbers from my job hunt.
I started job hunting full time in January 2025 and signed an offer in June 2025. A bit less than 6 months from start to finish. Although, I wasn't actively applying for jobs during all of that time so it's probably closer to 3 or 4 months of intensive job search stuff.
Here's the numbers at a high level:
- Total applications submitted: 73
- Responses received: 48
- Interviews (not counting recruiter screens): 10
- Offer stage: 3
- Offers: 1
And here's a nice funnel graphic:
The above graphic is broken down by application type. My number one take away from this job hunt was referrals are very powerful and by far the most effective way to get to the interview rounds. I did apply directly to some roles but I quickly realized that that method was a waste of time and stopped. I cringe when I see people post on LinkedIn that they've submitted 800 applications and not heard back. Please don't do that. Unfortunately, the spray and pray method will not work in this job market.
A number of times I thought that I had tapped out my potential referrals, but ended up combing back through my network a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th time. I always ended up finding new referrals.
Feel free to contact me with any questions and I'll be happy to expand on any of the above numbers and offer some (maybe) helpful advice.
