where to apply for jobs

[LaSara]

I went straight for targeted job boards and LinkedIn when I started my search. The trick is to stop spraying your resume everywhere and focus on platforms where recruiters actually spend their time. For my industry, tech, I found that Stack Overflow Jobs and AngelList (now Wellfound) gave me direct access to startups and companies that moved fast. Meanwhile, LinkedIn is a must-have for networking, but I also used it to apply directly to roles.

The biggest mistake I see people make is ignoring company career pages. I set up a spreadsheet of my top 20 target companies and checked their "Careers" sections every Monday. That’s where I found the most accurate, up-to-date listings that weren’t yet scraped by aggregators. Job aggregators like Indeed are fine for volume, but I only used them for lead generation and then applied directly on the company’s site to avoid the black hole of generic applications.

Here’s a quick breakdown of where I focused my energy and the results:

Job Platform	Primary Use Case	My Success Rate	Best For
LinkedIn	Networking + direct apply	30% of interviews	Professional roles, corporate
Company Career Pages	Direct applications	40% of interviews	Target companies, accuracy
Industry-specific Boards	Niche roles (e.g., Stack Overflow)	25% of interviews	Tech, creative, specialized fields
Job Aggregators (Indeed/Glassdoor)	Research & salary data	5% of interviews	Broad search, job market intel

I also leaned heavily on referrals. I asked for a quick 15-minute chat with people in my network on LinkedIn, and that led to two internal referrals. Recruiters told me that referred candidates are four times more likely to get an interview, so I prioritized that over cold applications. The key takeaway: don’t use one platform. Build a system that combines direct applications, targeted boards, and networking.

[EvelynRose]

Honestly, I just used Indeed and LinkedIn for everything. I set up job alerts on both, and I’d apply to anything that looked decent within 24 hours of the posting. What worked best for me was checking the "Posted Today" filter on Indeed. I got way more responses that way. I also made my LinkedIn profile searchable and let recruiters come to me. Sometimes, the simplest approach works fine.

[LeAustin]

I went for a skills-first approach and used platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to build a portfolio. The idea was to get paid work experience, not just a job title. Once I had a solid track record with clients, I started applying to companies on LinkedIn with a strong portfolio link. It worked for me as a career changer, but it’s a slower path. You have to be patient.

[Vivienne]

I made a list of my top 10 dream companies and then used LinkedIn to find people who worked there. I asked for informational interviews, not job referrals. That gave me insider knowledge about the culture and timing of hiring. I also applied directly on their career pages. The key was targeting instead of blasting applications. I tracked every conversation in a spreadsheet and followed up with a thank-you note.