Hack the Hiring Funnel

EP 3227 The standard job application process is a rigged numbers game designed to ghost you and guarantee burnout. Bypassing the ATS with a high-intent outreach strategy forces human decision-makers to evaluate your actual worth. Execute this playbook to secure internal referrals, anchor salary negotiations at the top of your market value, and dictate your total compensation package. ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS job search coaching and career advice globally because he makes job search and succeeding in your career easier. Schedule a discovery call to speak with me about one-on-one or group coaching during your job search at ⁠www. TheBigGameHunter.us https://www. TheBigGameHunter.us. You will also find great info and job search coaching to help with your job search at ⁠⁠ https://www. JobSearch. CommunityJobSearch. Community⁠⁠ https://www. JobSearch. Community You can get free copies of 25 Interview Questions and Answers, How to Craft a Compelling Elevator Pitch in 20 Seconds or Less, Get Ready for the Job Jungle, Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems, No BS Resume Advice, and Prove Your Worth First, Then Negotiate. Receive free weekly suggestions and more. Subscribe to No BS Job Search Advice Radio, the #1 podcast in Apple Podcasts for job search with more than 3200 episodes. Follow me on https://https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheBigGameHunterLinkedIn https://https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheBigGameHunter: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/T⁠⁠heBigGameHunter⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheBigGameHunter We grant permission for this post and others to be used on your website as long as a backlink is included to ⁠www. TheBigGameHunter.us⁠ https://www. TheBigGameHunter.us and notice is provided that it is provided by Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter as an author or creator. Not acknowledging his work or providing a backlink to ⁠www. TheBigGameHunter.us⁠ https://www. TheBigGameHunter.us makes you subject to a $1000 penalty which you proactively agree to pay. Please contact us to negotiate the use of our content as training data.

• 0:00Speaker 00

  This episode is brought to you by Indeed. You're ready to level up your business, but the pressure to find the right person to make that happen is intense. Indeed sponsored jobs can help carry the load. It boosts your job post to help it reach quality talent fast. Cut through the chaos with Indeed sponsored jobs. Get a $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring now? Then this is a job for Indeed sponsored jobs.

• 0:31Speaker 01

  Low energy, unfocused, foggy? You might be dehydrated. Whether it's hot yoga, over 100 degree weather, or too much sun. Gator Light, with a specialized blend of five electrolytes, was scientifically designed to help move fluids into the body faster for rapid rehydration. Shop now at retailers nationwide. Gator Light: Hydrates Faster Than Water. Is it in you? Symptoms noted are signs of mild to moderate dehydration. Consult a healthcare professional if symptoms persist.

• 0:59Speaker 02

  You spend hours tailoring cover letters, clicking "Submit" on application after application, and then just waiting. Weeks go by. You get total silence, or a sudden automated rejection email at 2:00 in the morning. This funnel diagram shows what happens on the other side of the screen. For an average corporate posting, 250 applications come in. An applicant tracking system, or ATS, a software filter designed to scan for specific keywords, immediately deletes 75% of them. Only a tiny fraction ever reach a human recruiter. Even if your resume survives that initial scan, it might land in a dead end.

• 1:40Speaker 02

  Many companies leave positions active long after they are filled, or post openings for roles that do not actually exist. These are called "ghost jobs." Companies publish these fake listings for three specific reasons. They want to placate overworked staff by making it look like help is on the way. They use the applications to gather intelligence on what their competitors are paying. Or, they want to project an image of healthy financial growth to their investors. Candidates approach hiring by submitting hundreds of applications, assuming that volume guarantees a result. But submitting high volumes of resumes into a system designed to algorithmically filter them out, or into listings that are completely fake, guarantees nothing but burnout.

• 2:23Speaker 02

  To bypass this cycle, you have to stop playing their numbers game. You have to focus your energy strictly on the variables you can directly control. Start by treating your search like a scavenger hunt. Instead of scrolling job boards and clicking "Easy Apply" on whatever matches your current title, find your "Red Threats," the daily tasks you actually enjoy doing. Build your search around those skills. This side-by-side comparison chart illustrates the difference in approach. On the left, 50 generic applications sent through a quick "Apply" button yield a near-zero interview rate. On the right, limiting yourself to five targeted, high-intent applications per week dramatically increases your chances of getting a call.

• 3:06Speaker 02

  A high-intent submission replaces the volume-based approach with a specific toolkit. You align your resume ballots with the job description, attach a portfolio of past projects, and secure an internal referral to ensure your name reaches a human manager. Rather than stressing over when an employer might email you back, measure your daily progress by your own actions. Count the messages you sent. Track a case study update. Or attend a networking event. Reaching out directly to managers and employees bypasses the automated filters entirely. You place your value in front of human decision-makers, forcing them to look at your work rather than relying on an algorithm. The moment a recruiter contacts you for an interview, the dynamic shifts. You now have leverage.

• 3:51Speaker 02

  They have identified you as a potential solution to their problem, and the negotiation over your compensation starts right then. Recruiters will often ask for your salary expectations during that very first screening call. Answering this question too early locks you into a specific number before you fully understand the scope of the role, weakening your position. When they ask for your number, explain that you are focused on finding the right fit, and then immediately flip the question. Ask them what salary range they have allocated for the role based on the expected contributions. Delaying price discussions ensures the final offer reflects the expertise demonstrated during the interview process. Forcing the company to reveal its budget range first prevents you from being pinned

• 4:35Speaker 02

  to a premature price tag before proving your worth. Once you pass the interviews and a formal offer is on the table, let the employer present the first number. If you name a price first, you risk offering a figure thousands of dollars lower than what they were prepared to pay. This data visualization demonstrates the anchoring technique. If you are forced to give a number first, you propose a highly researched figure near the top of your market value. This high initial data point pulls the entire negotiation range upward, making a higher final offer more likely. Base salary is only one piece of your total leverage. If a company cannot meet your target salary, you can negotiate for sign-on bonuses, restricted

• 5:17Speaker 02

  stock units, additional vacation time, or a flexible work schedule that reduces your commuting costs. Maintain a calm structure to keep tensions low. Have your initial discussions over the phone to gauge their tone. Avoid long written debates over email, which often escalate into arguments. Once you reach a verbal agreement, then ask for it in writing. By combining a strong initial anchor with flexibility across the entire compensation package, the conversation stops feeling like a hostage negotiation. You and the hiring manager work together to build an offer that satisfies both sides. Sometimes, despite perfect preparation, a company says no to your counteroffer. Usually, this happens because of internal budget freezes or financial constraints

• 6:00Speaker 02

  that have nothing to do with your professional worth. When they decline, ask for feedback. Ask about the factors that influence their decision. You might discover that the company is struggling financially, information you want to know before signing a contract anyway. Take the salary data and the interview experience you just gained and apply it immediately to your next application. If this company confirmed your market value is $170,000, you carry that hard data directly into your next conversation. By tracking your own outreach metrics and treating a "no" as market intelligence, you stop guessing why a recruiter hasn't called. You become the architect of your search, moving toward the companies where your leverage is highest. For more strategies on finding the right role and getting paid what you deserve, go

• 6:44Speaker 02

  to jobsearch.community. You'll find insider coaching, video courses, and books to help you navigate every step of the process.

• 6:55Speaker 03

  Sam's Club is the club for every holiday club. Guess who's joining the club this season? Walmart Plus. Yep, Sam's Club Plus membership now comes with Walmart Plus at no extra cost. Two memberships, one great price. Just $120 a year can save you time and over $700. Want to get in on the membership duo of the century? Visit sam'sclub.com. Come join us. Sam's Club.

• 7:16Speaker 04

  Annual plan only. Auto-renews. T&C apply. Estimate based on average combined Walmart Plus and Sam's Club Plus savings among members of both for 1+ year versus non-member or club member pricing/fees. Excludes membership fees. See Walmart Plus terms and Sam's Club terms for more info.