After 4 months, nearly 200 applications, 5 HR screens, 3 hiring manager interviews, and no offers — I realized I needed to change tactics.

So I stopped casting wide, and started focusing deep.

Here’s the shift:

🔍 Audited where I’d actually been applying. Exported my Huntr data to see the full picture — what companies, what roles, what patterns.

🧠 Used AI to build a better target list. Uploaded my resume, LinkedIn profile, one-pager, and Huntr company data to both ChatGPT and Claude. Asked them to identify companies with best-fit potential, then expand that list with competitors and peers with similar needs.

🗂️ Loaded everything into HubSpot CRM. Had AI look up websites for each company, organized and tiered the list, and set it up for next-touch tracking.

🖨️ Printed the list and pinned it to the wall. Large font, best printer quality. There’s something about paper — seeing it, holding it — that sharpens focus more than another screen ever could.

👀 Started engaging, not just applying. Followed each target company on LinkedIn and began engaging with their posts — not for vanity metrics, but to build context and connection.

Systems thinking and AI as tools — not shortcuts — to get sharper, not just busier.

The right next role won’t come from randomness. It’ll come from clarity, curiosity, and community.