I almost doubled my income in the last year—and that even included a months-long stretch of unemployment where some days felt completely hopeless. Now, I have two fully remote positions where I set my own schedule on top of having multiple freelance clients. Since I have the receipts to show for it, I want to share how to actually get a job in 2026.
It’s not AI this, AI that. There are no shortcuts—I’m sorry to report. But the best jobs, where you work with genuinely great people, aren’t coming from companies trying to remove humanity from the interview process (at least in my experience).
So here’s what actually worked for me.
Read the entire job posting and description
I interviewed with nearly ten companies before landing the first of my two roles. In many of those descriptions, there were specific requests buried in the fine print at the bottom of the job posting.
For context, I work as a Social Media Manager. Even when LinkedIn showed the “Easy Apply” option and suggested a resume was enough, many postings still required work samples, a portfolio, or even monthly retainer rates. If I had just submitted my resume without reading carefully and including those materials, employers would have passed me over.
To emphasize this: I was offered an interview—and eventually the job—for one of my current clients because they said I was one of the only applicants who actually read the posting and followed the instructions.
The devil is in the details, which leads me to my next point…
Rewrite your resume for every single application
Yes, I’m serious. In this job market, there are no cutting corners—only the best are landing offer letters.
For every role I applied to, I had my resume open on one side of my screen and the job description on the other. Remove anything that isn’t relevant to that specific position, and add in experience that directly aligns with what they’re asking for.
For example, as a Social Media Manager, some roles I applied to focused heavily on content creation and video editing, while others emphasized copywriting, scheduling, or influencer management and contracts. If a position didn’t require strong content creation skills, I would condense that into a single bullet point and instead expand on the areas that mattered—like copywriting or calendar management.
It’s tedious, I know. But companies are only pulling a small handful of resumes for interviews—and an even smaller group makes it through each round. You have to position yourself as the best fit from the start, and that begins with how you show up on paper.
Your resume is your first impression.
Now, if you’re going to use AI, this is where it actually helps. Assume everyone is using ChatGPT or something similar to fine-tune their resumes. I found it incredibly useful for tightening bullet points and identifying gaps in my experience where I could expand on or clarify if I had overlooked them.
Contact the company after you apply
This one is so important—it might be the most important of all. Once you’ve applied, find someone you can reach out to: a recruiter, someone in HR, or the manager of the department you’re applying to. I would even send messages through the company’s generic “Contact Us” form on their website.
Again, if this sounds tedious, it works. I got about 75% of my interviews from reaching out—and I landed the first of three rounds for my current role because they saw my message and appreciated the enthusiasm.
Your message should be concise and intentional: show that you understand the role, highlight a specific detail that stood out to you, and include a personal note. The tone should be “I’m excited and motivated” without tipping into desperation. Don’t overthink it, and don’t overload it with detail.
If they see your message, there’s a good chance they’ll pull your application and take a closer look.
And if they’re sorting through 800 applicants with no clear starting point, the one person who reached out directly suddenly becomes a very easy place to begin.
I lost count of how many applications I sent and how many messages disappeared into the void. Most of them went nowhere—but every once in a while, someone responded. And that person could end up being your future employer. I know because it happened to me.
So don’t give up. Even when it feels like no one is ever going to get back to you.
Rejection happens often; it’s okay
No one likes to talk about the jobs they didn’t get. But trust me, the more you can let the setbacks roll off you, the easier this process becomes.
From my own experience: I went through three interviews and a sample assignment for one company, only for them to hire internally at the last minute. Another time, I had the best interview of my life and got passed over because they wanted someone “more alternative”—and said I was too qualified. One company told me they chose a better “culture fit” after six weeks, three interviews, and a take-home assignment. Another passed on me because I couldn’t guarantee their content would go viral. And a lot of the time, you just get ghosted with no feedback at all.
It’s all normal. And it doesn’t mean you’re failing or that you’ll never be good enough. I went down that spiral more than once—it doesn’t help.
What actually made a difference was taking the pressure off. I started going into interviews more relaxed and confident. As long as I answered to the best of my ability, showed up authentically, and talked about my work the way I would with a friend (which is when it flows best), I knew I had done my part.
Once I made that shift, interviews stopped feeling like life or death. I could actually connect with the person on the other end as myself—and my results improved. I ended up landing both of my current roles within months of each other.
It can sound dismissive of me to say “relax and do your best.” When rent is due, and gas prices are rising, nothing about this process feels calm. But as someone who deals with pretty intense anxiety at times, even taking 50% of the mental pressure off going in made a real difference.
Treat LinkedIn like a daily habit, not a chore
We all know LinkedIn can feel dull—full of corporate jargon and not exactly the most engaging platform. But if you’re job searching, you need to be on it at least once a day.
First, turn on email notifications for roles that match your job title. I still get daily emails—sometimes multiple a day—with new Social Media Manager postings. It’s an easy way to have a consistent, organized list of opportunities sent straight to you.
Beyond that, actually logging on every day matters. It’s one of the best ways to see what’s being posted in real time. If you apply early and reach out before they get flooded with applications, you give yourself a much better shot at landing an interview.
If a job has been up for two weeks, chances are it already has hundreds of applicants. Staying on top of new postings, whether local or remote, helps you get your application in within that 24-to-48-hour window. That’s when I’ve actually gotten responses, in my experience.
Which is a bit of a setup for my next point.
Be specific enough to stand out
As a Social Media Manager, a lot of people assume the job is just posting content—which, at this point, almost anyone can do. Because of that, roles in this field get an overwhelming number of applicants.
But the reality is, my work goes far beyond posting. I create and edit content, write captions and email newsletters, manage paid ad campaigns, assist with website development, handle influencer contracts, and analyze performance data to build reports.
After focusing solely on social media for four years, I’ve built a skill set that directly serves this industry. Many applicants come from general marketing backgrounds, but I built my last three roles entirely around social media, which gives me a clear edge.
No matter your industry, having a defined skill set helps you stand out. The more specific you can get, the easier it is for a company to understand exactly where you fit and why they need you. Try to get really good at something—and position yourself around that.
Of course, there’s nuance here. This isn’t to say you should stay in a role or industry that doesn’t feel right. If you’re unhappy, pivot. No job or resume is worth that.
But if you do find something you enjoy, there’s real value in staying focused long enough to build depth. It allows you to grow your experience quickly and present a much stronger, more cohesive story.
At the end of the day, the goal is simple: be intentional about your skill set—and equally intentional about how you market it.
And finally, believe in yourself
There have been moments where people around me made me second-guess my career path or made it feel like what I was doing wasn’t “defined” enough. But I knew, both instinctively and through experience, what I was good at and what I wanted. And because of that, I’ve ended up exactly where I hoped to be—working with companies I genuinely love, who value what I bring.
The truth is, how we find work, what we choose to pursue, and where it all leads is impossible to predict—especially in your 20s. No one really knows what they’re doing when they’re starting out. What matters more is showing that you’re motivated, that you understand your work (even just a little), and that you’re willing to learn.
I’m not a “corporate” person. I don’t thrive in rigid schedules or cold office environments, and I’ve always prioritized creativity in my work. And still, I was able to find not one, but two roles that actually fit me. Not because of luck—but because of consistency, hours spent applying, pushing through more rejection than I thought I could handle, and refusing to give up.
Use these tips—they will make a difference. AI isn’t going to be the thing that lands you a six-figure job. You are.
And if it somehow does, you should probably write an article about it.
