My Job Search Data Insights

In late September 2025, I began searching for a new role. In thinking about the process, I looked at it through the lens of search engine terms. When I send out an application, is a web crawler finding it? When my application is found by a human or ATS scanner, how often do I move on to be ranked by further decision-makers? This is how it looked for me over a ten-week span.

Number of Jobs Applied and Last Stage Reached

Here is how my search looked month by month. My search was limited to companies where I felt I was a strong fit, and in all cases, I applied directly on the company's website.

2025

	Applications Sent	No Response	Automated Response	Recuruiter Call	Team Member	Multiple Team Members
September	8	3	3	0	1	1
October	40	23	14	1	1	1
November	24	15	4	2	3	0
December	12	8	2	0	1	1
Total	84	49	23	3	6	3
Percent	-	58%	27%	4%	7%	4%

Insights

There are a few things to consider:

• My resume was optimized in October by a professional resume writer.
• Each of the last three months of the year, I had one new opportunity that I was almost solely focused on.
• Of the three opportunities that involved me meeting with multiple team members, two were introduced to me by an Agency Recruiter..

Signals

1.2% of all applications (1 in 84) had me advance to the later rounds with genuine excitement. That particular role was brought to me by an Agency Recruiter. What drew me in was the company culture, small but mighty. It is a goal for me to get noticed by more of these types of companies.

66% of the applications in which I advanced to the later rounds ended at a role playing exercise. Amateur theater is not a good showcase for my abilities, in my experience performative dishonesty leads to a bad customer experience. Going forward, when I see it as part of the process, I will withdraw my candidacy. It feels like a red flag to me and I will not likely be a fit with the organizational culture.

42% of all applications were responded to by a bot or a human. That feels like a healthy number to me. From what I can gather, it seems higher than most and gives me faith that my resume is well-crafted and honest. Also, it may be a little too high, I may need to consider applying for roles were I am a 70% or more fit.

Noise

4% of all applications (3 of 84) ended after speaking to a technical recruiter, two of them surprised me. On the other hand, I also advanced twice where I felt it was not likely a fit.

A non-response rate of 58% is difficult to benchmark, although many sources report a non-response rate of around 75%. There were wild swings in market expectations throughout the last three months of 2025, and hiring objectives certainly were adjusted.

There was a definite lull after Thanksgiving, which is to be expected. I believe that may have exacerbated the ghost rate toward the end of 2025.

During much of the time I have been looking, I have had multiple opportunities active concurrently. I feel that may be indicative of companies being cautious in hiring and long hiring processes.

2026 Plan

Focus On Company Culture

Thinking about my career, the happiest I have been is when I am at a place that feels small in size but gigantic in ability. I want to focus on targeting those types of companies, regardless of job title.

Keep Moving Forward

I got bogged down a few times in over-preparing for interviews and feel that was a mistake. Not because of the outcome, but because I feel the right opportunity for me should feel natural.

Become More Noticeable To Agency Recruiters

Part of the reason for creating this website is to find people who are strong at placing candidates and have a good feel for their customers' requirements.

Find Contract or Contract to Hire Opportunities

One good thing to arise from the aforementioned RPGs. I am always willing to bet on myself and feel comfortable around customers moreso than I do pretending to work somewhere I do not. A 30 to 90-day trial could help both sides determine if it is a fit.