Being among the first to apply for a job can increase your chances for success. A LinkedIn trick helped a Gen Zer in tech beat the rush of other applicants.
In 2018, when Michael Yan was a freshman computer science major at Stanford University, he wanted a competitive edge when applying to internships. After searching for his desired job and using LinkedIn’s feature that sorts roles posted in the last day, he tweaked the website URL — changing the numbers at the end so he’d only see posts from the last hour instead of the last 24 hours.
“It was extremely helpful in shortlisting jobs that were posted recently that I could basically prioritize applying to,” Yan, 25, told Business Insider.
Yan said this trick helped him focus on the newest job postings, and he thinks it was one of the reasons he landed internships after his first two years in college. During his sophomore year, in 2019, he was offered internships at Microsoft and Meta — and accepted the latter.
In 2020, Yan dropped out of Stanford to start Simplify, which offers an AI copilot that aims to help people find and apply for jobs. He said applying early remains one of his top tips for job seekers.
Hundreds of Americans have told BI that they’ve struggled to find work in the last year. While the unemployment rate remains low compared to historical levels, businesses are hiring at nearly the lowest rate since 2013, excluding a temporary dip in 2020. In response to these challenges, some Americans are looking for ways to stand out. Career experts from LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter told Business Insider that applying to jobs early could give candidates an edge in today’s challenging job market.
When asked about Yan’s job filter trick, LinkedIn told BI that keyword and search filter restrictions frustrate some job seekers, but that the company was working to reduce those limitations.
Applying early could “change your odds”
There are several perks to being among the early wave of job applicants.
Andrew McCaskill, a LinkedIn career expert, suggested that job seekers set up alerts for specific types of roles so they can apply quickly after the listing goes live. He added that applying to a job on LinkedIn within the first 10 minutes of receiving an alert can increase a person’s chances of hearing back from the company by up to four times.
“Being among the first to apply, especially for jobs you really want or are super qualified for, should certainly be part of a job search strategy,” he said.
Sam DeMase, a career expert at ZipRecruiter, agreed and added that some employers close job postings after receiving a certain number of applications, which can happen fast. When possible, she recommends applying within three days of a job being posted.
“Employers are more likely to interview, extend an offer to, and hire earlier applicants, so moving fast can literally change your odds,” she said.
DeMase said applying early could be particularly important for entry-level positions, which tend to see a large number of applicants. She added that roles at startups and in the retail and customer service sectors tend to be filled fairly quickly.
Jennifer Herrity, a career trends expert at Indeed, said that an early application can demonstrate enthusiasm and promptness, and that it’s best to apply to a job no more than a week or two after it’s been posted.
To be sure, the timing of an application is only one factor in a job search. The career experts Business Insider spoke with said job seekers shouldn’t sacrifice application quality just to be early. They added that applicants should tailor their résumés for each role and ensure the positions they apply for match their skills and experience.
“More important than applying quickly — whether that’s within 24 hours or one hour — is that you’re a good fit for the job you’re applying to, and that your application shows you off in the best light,” McCaskill said.
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