My first job application as a spotty teenager landed me a job. This developed a false impression of the job market for baby me (in my country it’s perfectly legal to pay minors less than the minimum wage, thus an incentive to exploit children).

My second job, in my spotty mid-twenties, took me around 100-300 applications, and I only ended up getting the job due to some programme that let companies get cheaper onboarding through a government scheme.

I’m in my spotty mid-thirties (I might have bad skin), I’ve had success only applying for the occasional job that actually interests me, and putting my best foot forward (each application generally takes 3-5 hours preparation). I’m fortunate enough to not be desperate though (employed, just seeking something better).

Even with LLMs, I think most employers are savvy enough to tell if a person is genuinely interested.

Side note: Don’t use em dashes. I love em dashes—but so does ChatGPT—it’s one of the first things a recruiter will look for apparently.