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A spray-and-pray approach to your job search might seem productive at first.
But submitting dozens or hundreds of generic applications, in most cases, is “not moving the needle,” says Beth Hendler-Grunt, founder of career coaching firm Next Great Step, which has advised over 1,000 college students and new grads seeking internships and entry-level jobs.
Many young job seekers are finding entry-level work harder to come by; between December 2025 and February, the average seasonally adjusted hiring rate of entry-level workers in the U.S. dropped 6% compared to the same period a year before, according to LinkedIn data.
To land a job in this competitive market, Hendler-Grunt suggests using what she calls the 10/10 rule: Start with 10 companies that interest you, find 10 people across those companies who are working in entry-level roles you’d like, and contact them.
“A lot of students are very afraid and intimidated to reach out to alumni or people they haven’t met,” she says. But “people are willing to help when you are focused, you have a plan, and you come in prepared.”
Tap into your college’s alumni network, whether through an internal portal for graduates or by filtering on the LinkedIn page for your alma mater. Send them an email or LinkedIn connection request opening with something you have in common, expressing curiosity in their career path and interest in the field, briefly mentioning your skills, and asking for a 15-minute conversation, Hendler-Grunt suggests.
“It’s not just, ‘Hi, do you have a job for me?’” she says. “That’s like asking to get married on the first date.”
At the top of the call, you can set a brief agenda. Thank the person for their time, say you’d like to learn more about them, and then you can share a bit about yourself.
Ask the person questions you couldn’t easily answer with an internet search, Hendler-Grunt says, like how they got to where they are, what their biggest challenges are in their role, or how their success is measured.
When speaking about yourself, Hendler-Grunt suggests focusing on three core skills with examples or stories demonstrating each. Tailor how you talk about your skills and experience depending on who you’re speaking with. Even if they’re not a hiring manager, they may be able to share advice on communicating those skills in a job interview, suggest ways to apply those skills, or recommend you for roles requiring them.
There are several questions you could ask to close out the conversation. Does the person have advice on breaking into the industry or company? Are there trade organizations or networking groups they’d suggest joining? Would they be open to staying in touch so you could periodically share career updates or follow up with questions? Is there someone they think you’d benefit from speaking with, and can they connect you?
“One person connects you to the next, and all of a sudden you have your own network,” she says. “This is like the hidden job market.”
Your list will grow beyond the initial 10 companies and 10 contacts as people connect you to other people, and as you cast a wider net on your applications.
If you’ve already applied to a role on a job board, reaching out to an entry-level person at that company or an alum of your school can help your odds. Though they may have little influence on hiring decisions, they may be able to flag your application or submit a referral. They can also share information about the company’s culture or the role’s day-to-day. When reaching out, mention you recently applied, briefly highlight your core skills, and say you’d like to learn more about their experience at the company so far.
Messaging a hiring manager after applying can also boost your visibility; in those cases, share your core skills and say you’d welcome the opportunity to speak further about the position.
As you’re beginning your career, you may not have a proven “rare or unique skill” yet, Hendler-Grunt says, so your application is probably “going to look like a lot of other applications.” That makes it especially important to focus on building connections and relationships that can help give you an edge and set you apart from the crowd, she notes.
“People hire people — not a job board, not an ATS, not AI, even though it might feel that way,” Hendler-Grunt says. To get a job, “you have to forge relationships with people.”
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