The Unorthodox Job Approach

I’ve been planning to write this blog for a month. Better late than never. Despite the title, my credentials might not seem relevant to the content that follows, so I’ll skip declaring them. These are simply my observations from personal experiences of acceptance and rejection. They might not be the ultimate solution to your goals—given my career trajectory is fairly average—but they’ve helped me maintain a low rejection rate. Feel free to ignore these insights if they don’t resonate with you.

My Background 🔗

I’ve navigated interviews for jobs, internships, and college admissions. While these weren’t “dream opportunities” for everyone, they represent most of the places I applied to. The key aspect of my background relevant to this blog is that I followed my instincts rather than financial security or long-term considerations. This was easier because I didn’t have major financial responsibilities or family expectations—though the financial responsibilities are catching up with time.

Phase 1: Sowing the Seeds 🔗

My first three interviews were disastrous. I applied without understanding the job descriptions or requirements.

1. In the first, I lost to a batchmate whose CV was more polished, even if irrelevant.
2. In the next two, I was humiliated for applying to roles I admired but wasn’t prepared for.
3. My fourth attempt was successful, but I didn’t accept the offer—it was grunt work at a hopeless startup that would have cost me money to survive onsite.

The turning point came after this: a summer of learning and interviews. I focused on technical clarity and researched the kinds of teams I wanted to join. My first acceptance came after a rejection where I was honest about being unfamiliar with part of the job. Ironically, my honesty impressed another interviewer.

Learnings:

1. Honesty is the best policy.
2. Researching the industry and job roles pays off.
3. Technical clarity is crucial for early-career interviews.

Phase 2: Mid-Career Crisis 🔗

I became overconfident and started applying to irrelevant roles, often via long cold emails. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t work. I even turned down an internship interview because my interests had shifted by the time I got a response (luckily, I had backups).

What did work were personal connections and projects:

• I secured three opportunities through casual conversations with senior officials and professors.
• One company valued a niche project I’d done purely out of interest, unrelated to job expectations.

Learnings:

1. Projects and motivation relevant to the job description (JD) increase your chances.
2. Niche domains offer fewer opportunities but less competition.
3. Personal messages, tailored to the role, work better than cold emails.
4. Non-financial motivations can be compelling to recruiters.

Phase 3: The Ripening 🔗

This phase marked the culmination of past projects, experiences, and motivations. Initially, desperation for job security pushed me to apply everywhere. But only roles aligned with my background and career vision turned into interviews. These often converted to positive outcomes without much preparation because they reflected my true interests.

Learnings:

1. Early projects (even unpaid) can add valuable points to your CV.
2. Diverse experiences make you a better candidate.
3. Focus on niches—there’s always one company looking for your unique expertise.
4. Avoid desperation unless financial responsibilities force it.
5. Honesty and confidence are powerful tools.
6. Communication is key; recruiters form impressions within seconds.
7. The best interviews happen when you’re not actively looking for a job.

My Advice to My Younger Self 🔗

1. Start early: Take on projects that add content to your CV.
2. The current job market, especially in tech, values expertise in niche domains over standard job profiles that attract thousands of applicants. Finding your niche not only reduces competition but also increases your chances of standing out.
3. Value experience: It’s worth more than short-term financial gains, remember jobs can’t make you any rich than what you are expected to make the recruiter.
4. Find a niche: One company is all you need.
5. Stay authentic: Don’t oversell yourself or lie about your skills.
6. Communicate effectively: First impressions matter.
7. Be patient: Opportunities come to those who build a strong foundation.
8. Maximize relevance: Tailor your CV and approach to the JD.
9. Personalize outreach: A short, compelling message works better than a generic email.
10. Be confident: Convince them you’re “the one” for the role.
11. Stay loyal after joining, but don’t settle if you deserve more.

The job hunt can be frustrating, but it’s a process of growth. Luck plays a massive role, but preparation, honesty, and persistence matter most. Don’t let rejections define your worth—they’re just steps toward finding the right fit. Furthermore rejections technically change nothing, they are just a step in the forward direction rather than uphill. They dont push you any back then you already are, remember you were seeking opportunities and you will seek opportunities

Signing off,
Aditya Ranjan Jha