Job Hunting in 2025? Treat Your Job Search Like a College Search
Job searching right now can feel like swimming against the current—especially in this unpredictable market. Layoffs. Hiring freezes. Ghosted applications. It’s real out here, y’all.
But if you’re in the thick of it, here’s one strategy I’ve found grounding and surprisingly effective:
Treat your job search like a college search.
Yep, just like those high school days when we built college lists broken into Safety, Target, and Reach categories. This framework helped us dream big while staying practical—and it can do the same for your career journey now.
And listen, I’m an engineer and project manager by training—so I need structure. Here’s how I break it down:
🛟 SAFETY: The roles you know you’re qualified for
These are jobs that align with your current title, skill set, and years of experience. You could likely land these with strong interviews and solid references. Don’t underestimate the power of these roles—they may not be the flashiest, but they can keep you growing, paid, and in motion.
✅ Best practice: Apply to 2–3 safety roles weekly to keep momentum and your confidence up.
🎯 TARGET: The roles that are a stretch, but well within reach
These jobs may require you to level up slightly—maybe it’s leading a bigger team, owning a larger scope, or entering a new adjacent industry. You meet most of the qualifications, and you have a strong narrative for why now and why you.
✅ Best practice: Personalize your outreach. Leverage your network. Align your story to the company’s current goals.
🚀 REACH: The dream roles
These are the bold moves. The job you’d love to have but aren’t quite sure they’d say yes. Maybe it’s a leap in title, a major brand, or a seat at the leadership table. Maybe it’s a mission that speaks to your soul.
Here’s the deal: Sometimes we’re more ready than we realize. And even if you don’t land the role, the process levels you up by sharpening your story, your pitch, and your clarity.
✅ Best practice: Apply anyway. Let them tell you “no.” And even if they do, you’ve planted a seed.
✨ Now that you’ve built your list… Time to Refine
Once you’ve got your Safety, Target, and Reach roles mapped out, the next step is making sure you’re comparing apples to apples. Because here’s the thing: what looks like a step forward at one company might actually be a lateral move—or even a step back—at another. That’s why it’s so important to understand how job titles and responsibilities translate across different organizations—and how compensation levels line up accordingly.
But it doesn’t stop there.
The next step? Refining how you show up on paper.
Your resume matters—a lot. It’s often your first impression, and it needs to clearly communicate where you stand, what you bring, and how you align with the role.
Below are a few tools and tips that can help you better understand role alignment and make your resume stronger in the process.
🧭 Know Your Ladder: Titles, Levels, and Compensation
One often overlooked—but incredibly important—part of the job search?
Understanding how roles translate across companies.
A good friend introduced me to Levels.fyi—and it’s been a game changer. A big shout-out and thank you to Scott Hanselman for this one. This site helps demystify career ladders, leveling systems, and pay structures, especially in tech. Whether you’re trying to figure out if you’re applying for a lateral move, a step up, or a step down—knowing the level behind the title is key.
It’s also a powerful tool when it comes to negotiation. Knowing what others at your level are earning, and how compensation scales across companies, gives you real data to advocate for yourself.
⚠️ Note: It’s definitely more tech-heavy—but still helpful if you’re in adjacent industries navigating big tech orgs.
✅ Best practice: Check the level before applying. Use the data when negotiating. Don’t leave money—or growth—on the table.
📄 Let’s Talk About Resumes
A recruiter recently told me, “I need candidates to make my job easy for me.”
Your resume should do just that. The top third of your resume—often the only part that gets a real glance—should clearly articulate how and why you’re qualified for the role you’re applying for. This is especially true for target and reach roles where your fit might not be instantly obvious.
Also, most mid-to-large companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes before a human ever sees them. That means your resume needs to play nice with software—not just impress a recruiter.
✅ Best practice: Keep formatting simple. Avoid fancy templates, tables, graphics, and columns—they often get misread by ATS. Use keywords from the job description. Include a strong summary or headline. Think of your resume as your own personal billboard—clean, bold, and clear.
🧠 Resume Etiquette: Little Things That Make a Big Difference
Your resume is your first impression—make it count. A few things that matter more than people realize:
🔹 No typos. Run it through spell-check or a GenAI model (ChatGPT, etc) and read it out loud.
🔹 Tailor it. One-size-fits-all resumes rarely stand out. Customize for each role.
🔹 No fluff. Cut the buzzwords. Use active language and quantifiable results.
🔹 File format. PDF > Word doc. Keeps your formatting clean across devices.
🔹 File name. Use a clean naming convention like FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf.
🔹 Length matters. For seasoned professionals, 2 pages is standard and expected. Early career? Stick to 1 page—but make every word count.
✅ Bonus Tip: Keep a “master resume” with everything you’ve done. Then pull relevant highlights to tailor each version.
✉️ What About Cover Letters?
Hit or miss. Some recruiters require them.
A lot of the recruiters I’ve spoken to? They don’t have time to read them.
So unless the application specifically calls for one—or you’re applying for a role where writing is part of the job—it’s okay to skip. But if you do write one, keep it short, tailored, and compelling. Not the ChatGPT auto-generated stuff. :)
✅ Best practice: Focus more energy on making your resume compelling and undeniable.
Bonus Bonus Tip: Diversify your search
Job boards alone won’t cut it. Build and expand your social capital. Tap into:
Your existing network
Thoughtful LinkedIn content to stay visible
Alumni groups, industry meetups, and referrals
And yes… even the “cold” outreach—done well, it works.
Final Thought:
Remember, this is both a numbers game and a clarity game. The more you understand what you bring—and where you’re headed—the more powerful your job search becomes. So build your list. Mix in Safety, Target, and Reach. Know your level. Polish your pitch.
There’s an old saying: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” But I believe it’s deeper than that. In the words of Nicki Minaj, “You’re not lucky—you’re blessed.” Amen?
Stay ready—mentally, professionally, and spiritually—so you don’t have to get ready when the moment comes.
Happy Job Hunting, Peeps!
With Love,
Peta-Gay