A method that is quieter and smarter is quickly taking over.
Recruiters in Europe and the US say they are getting too many online applications and that hiring success is quietly moving to other places. More and more jobs are going to people who never clicked “Apply” at all. This raises a big question for anyone thinking about changing careers: how do you get found instead of lost?
The gradual decline of the traditional online application
For years, looking for a job meant writing a cover letter, polishing your CV, and applying on big sites. That way is still important, but its effect is getting smaller. According to Glassdoor data for 2025, online applications make up about 60% of all job offers, down from 73% a few years ago.
Recruiters say the system is too full. Many job boards are now just noise machines because of mass applications, one-click tools, and AI-written cover letters. When hundreds or thousands of people apply in just a few hours, even good profiles get lost in the pile.
Online applications still make up the majority of applications, but they are no longer the most common way to hire someone.
JT O’Donnell, a hiring expert, told CNBC that she thinks there will be a clear drop in the number of jobs filled through traditional job boards. Her point is clear: the process isn’t working for either side anymore. Candidates feel like they aren’t being heard, and recruiters feel like they are buried. That tension is making hiring more direct, casual, and focused.
The new way to win is to be approached, not just apply.
Another channel is quietly growing in the background: recruiters are finding and contacting people instead of the other way around. According to the most recent data from Glassdoor, the number of hires who came from recruiter outreach has grown by 72% since 2023, and now makes up almost 15% of all successful hires.
When recommendations come into play, the numbers are even more shocking. Candidates who got an interview through a referral were 35% more likely to get an offer than those who applied online between July 2024 and July 2025.
Getting a recommendation or being approached directly now makes your chances of getting the job much higher.
O’Donnell says that this change will speed up in 2026, with fewer people getting jobs through mass applications and more through informal channels like networks, social media, and targeted recruiter searches.
What recruiters want to see now, from CV to “personal brand”
You don’t have to stop applying or delete your CV because of this change. It means that just sending documents isn’t enough anymore. You need to have a clear, consistent, and credible online presence, especially on professional sites like LinkedIn, in order to be found.
O’Donnell says this is how you build your “personal brand,” which is the professional story you tell about yourself, what you know, and how you work. Your profile, your activity, and the things you share all come together to make that story.
Your profile should make it clear that you have experience in the field, proof of your skills, and recent activity when a recruiter looks for your skills.
Five kinds of content that make it more likely that someone will contact you
Candidates who post carefully on LinkedIn and other similar sites tend to get noticed. O’Donnell talks about five useful content angles that send a strong signal to recruiters:
Sector observations: quick updates on news, trends, or changes in your field.
Clear viewpoints: honest opinions about tools, methods, or industry practices, with examples to back them up.
What you’re currently working on, improving, or learning in your job.
Lists and lessons: short lists like “3 things I learned about managing remote teams” or “5 mistakes to avoid in X.”
Concrete achievements are things you’ve done that can be measured in numbers or clear outcomes.
It’s better to post short, regular updates than a long essay every once in a while. Recruiters don’t just look at your past jobs; they also look at how you think, talk, and stay up to date. Even if that’s not the case, a silent profile can make it look like your career is on hold.
How to make your online presence a job magnet
You don’t need to be famous to make your profile a magnet for recruiters. It needs clarity, consistency, and a little bit of bravery.
Start with the basics: keeping your profile clean
Check the main details of your profile before you write a post. Small changes can have a big impact on whether or not you show up in searches and whether or not a recruiter contacts you.
Headlines: Don’t just look at your job title. For example, “Data analyst | Retail & pricing strategy” could be your niche or key skill.
Picture: Use a recent, neutral, and friendly picture. It doesn’t have to be of studio quality.
Write 5–7 lines in the “About” section about what you do, who you help, and what you can do for them.
Experience: talk about what you’ve done, not just what you were responsible for. If you can, add numbers.
Skills: Make a list of the 10 to 15 skills that are most important for the jobs you want next.
Your profile should be a clear offer: Here is what I can do, who I can do it for, and what it will mean.
Then make yourself more visible by doing small things on a regular basis.
When your base is ready, switch to activity mode. The goal is not to impress everyone, but to get the right people to notice you.
A useful weekly schedule:
- Take the time to think about what you want to say about 3 to 5 posts from people in your field.
- Send me one piece of news or an article and a short response.
- Write one original post about a recent lesson, task, or challenge.
- Send 3–4 connection requests to people you really want to meet.
These little things leave a mark on your thoughts and interests. Recruiters and hiring managers start to see your name more often over the course of a few weeks. This makes it easier for them to fill a position.
Making connections without feeling fake
A lot of professionals still think of networking as having to make small talk or send awkward messages. The new method is more like structured curiosity: reaching out to learn, not to ask for a job.
You could try sending messages like these instead of “Hi, can you help me find a role?
“I saw your post on X. My company is going through the same thing. Would you mind telling me how your team handled it?
“I want to move into product marketing and saw that you went from sales to marketing. Would you be willing to talk on the phone for a few minutes about what helped you the most?
Asking thoughtful questions can help you make connections that lead to job offers, even if you never ask for one directly.
These contacts can become sources of referrals over time. You are more likely to come to mind when they hear about an opening than someone who just sends in an anonymous CV through a platform.
How to stay realistic, what the risks are, and what the limits are
There are clear benefits to this shift toward online branding and networking, but there are also some risks. Some people don’t like being seen. Some industries are still conservative, and some employers keep a close eye on public posts.
Three things need to be looked at:
Confidentiality: Don’t share client names, internal numbers, or other sensitive information from your current job.
Tone: Strong opinions can get people to pay attention, but being negative all the time or attacking people personally can turn off recruiters.
Balance: Posting every day without anything useful can make you look like noise instead of an expert.
There is also a gap in technology. This strategy may be harder for people who don’t spend a lot of time online or in hands-on roles. For them, offline networking events like trade shows, local meetups, and professional associations can do the same thing: make them more visible and get them more referrals.
What this means for people looking for work
Not everyone will see the same technique the same way. A software engineer, a nurse, and a warehouse supervisor don’t all use the same tools, but they all benefit from them being easier to find.
Real-life examples:
Someone who is changing careers from finance to tech can write about online courses, small personal projects, and what they are learning. Not just intention, but commitment is what recruiters look for.
Mid-career manager: sharing short case studies about managing a team, making changes to processes, or saving money shows that you are a leader, not just a job title.
Graduate just starting out: projects, internships, roles in student societies, and part-time jobs all show that you are responsible and have potential.
The “hidden job market” is a useful idea here. These are jobs that aren’t officially advertised or that are filled quickly through contacts and recommendations. A clear personal brand and intentional networking will get you into that space more than any cover letter template can.
For a lot of professionals, the best way to find a job doesn’t start with clicking “apply” anymore. It starts weeks or months before, with a clear profile, a network that knows your name, and small daily actions that make it easier for a recruiter to find you when they start looking.
A method that is quieter and smarter is quickly taking over.
Recruiters in Europe and the US say they are getting too many online applications and that hiring success is quietly moving to other places. More and more jobs are going to people who never clicked “Apply” at all. This raises a big question for anyone thinking about changing careers: how do you get found instead of lost?
The gradual decline of the traditional online application
For years, looking for a job meant writing a cover letter, polishing your CV, and applying on big sites. That way is still important, but its effect is getting smaller. According to Glassdoor data for 2025, online applications make up about 60% of all job offers, down from 73% a few years ago.
Recruiters say the system is too full. Many job boards are now just noise machines because of mass applications, one-click tools, and AI-written cover letters. When hundreds or thousands of people apply in just a few hours, even good profiles get lost in the pile.
Online applications still make up the majority of applications, but they are no longer the most common way to hire someone.
JT O’Donnell, a hiring expert, told CNBC that she thinks there will be a clear drop in the number of jobs filled through traditional job boards. Her point is clear: the process isn’t working for either side anymore. Candidates feel like they aren’t being heard, and recruiters feel like they are buried. That tension is making hiring more direct, casual, and focused.
The new way to win is to be approached, not just apply.
Another channel is quietly growing in the background: recruiters are finding and contacting people instead of the other way around. According to the most recent data from Glassdoor, the number of hires who came from recruiter outreach has grown by 72% since 2023, and now makes up almost 15% of all successful hires.
When recommendations come into play, the numbers are even more shocking. Candidates who got an interview through a referral were 35% more likely to get an offer than those who applied online between July 2024 and July 2025.
Getting a recommendation or being approached directly now makes your chances of getting the job much higher.
O’Donnell says that this change will speed up in 2026, with fewer people getting jobs through mass applications and more through informal channels like networks, social media, and targeted recruiter searches.
What recruiters want to see now, from CV to “personal brand”
You don’t have to stop applying or delete your CV because of this change. It means that just sending documents isn’t enough anymore. You need to have a clear, consistent, and credible online presence, especially on professional sites like LinkedIn, in order to be found.
O’Donnell says this is how you build your “personal brand,” which is the professional story you tell about yourself, what you know, and how you work. Your profile, your activity, and the things you share all come together to make that story.
Your profile should make it clear that you have experience in the field, proof of your skills, and recent activity when a recruiter looks for your skills.
Five kinds of content that make it more likely that someone will contact you
Candidates who post carefully on LinkedIn and other similar sites tend to get noticed. O’Donnell talks about five useful content angles that send a strong signal to recruiters:
- Sector observations: quick updates on news, trends, or changes in your field.
- Clear viewpoints: honest opinions about tools, methods, or industry practices, with examples to back them up.
- What you’re currently working on, improving, or learning in your job.
- Lists and lessons: short lists like “3 things I learned about managing remote teams” or “5 mistakes to avoid in X.”
- Concrete achievements are things you’ve done that can be measured in numbers or clear outcomes.
It’s better to post short, regular updates than a long essay every once in a while. Recruiters don’t just look at your past jobs; they also look at how you think, talk, and stay up to date. Even if that’s not the case, a silent profile can make it look like your career is on hold.
How to make your online presence a job magnet
You don’t need to be famous to make your profile a magnet for recruiters. It needs clarity, consistency, and a little bit of bravery.
Start with the basics: keeping your profile clean
Check the main details of your profile before you write a post. Small changes can have a big impact on whether or not you show up in searches and whether or not a recruiter contacts you.
Headlines: Don’t just look at your job title. For example, “Data analyst | Retail & pricing strategy” could be your niche or key skill.
Picture: Use a recent, neutral, and friendly picture. It doesn’t have to be of studio quality.
Write 5–7 lines in the “About” section about what you do, who you help, and what you can do for them.
Experience: talk about what you’ve done, not just what you were responsible for. If you can, add numbers.
Skills: Make a list of the 10 to 15 skills that are most important for the jobs you want next.
Your profile should be a clear offer: Here is what I can do, who I can do it for, and what it will mean.
Then make yourself more visible by doing small things on a regular basis.
When your base is ready, switch to activity mode. The goal is not to impress everyone, but to get the right people to notice you.
A useful weekly schedule:
Take the time to think about what you want to say about 3 to 5 posts from people in your field.
Send me one piece of news or an article and a short response.
Write one original post about a recent lesson, task, or challenge.
Send 3–4 connection requests to people you really want to meet.
These little things leave a mark on your thoughts and interests. Recruiters and hiring managers start to see your name more often over the course of a few weeks. This makes it easier for them to fill a position.
Making connections without feeling fake
A lot of professionals still think of networking as having to make small talk or send awkward messages. The new method is more like structured curiosity: reaching out to learn, not to ask for a job.
You could try sending messages like these instead of “Hi, can you help me find a role?
“I saw your post on X. My company is going through the same thing. Would you mind telling me how your team handled it?
“I want to move into product marketing and saw that you went from sales to marketing. Would you be willing to talk on the phone for a few minutes about what helped you the most?
Asking thoughtful questions can help you make connections that lead to job offers, even if you never ask for one directly.
These contacts can become sources of referrals over time. You are more likely to come to mind when they hear about an opening than someone who just sends in an anonymous CV through a platform.
How to stay realistic, what the risks are, and what the limits are
There are clear benefits to this shift toward online branding and networking, but there are also some risks. Some people don’t like being seen. Some industries are still conservative, and some employers keep a close eye on public posts.
Three things need to be looked at:
Confidentiality: Don’t share client names, internal numbers, or other sensitive information from your current job.
Tone: Strong opinions can get people to pay attention, but being negative all the time or attacking people personally can turn off recruiters.
Balance: Posting every day without anything useful can make you look like noise instead of an expert.
There is also a gap in technology. This strategy may be harder for people who don’t spend a lot of time online or in hands-on roles. For them, offline networking events like trade shows, local meetups, and professional associations can do the same thing: make them more visible and get them more referrals.
What this means for people looking for work
Not everyone will see the same technique the same way. A software engineer, a nurse, and a warehouse supervisor don’t all use the same tools, but they all benefit from them being easier to find.
Real-life examples:
Someone who is changing careers from finance to tech can write about online courses, small personal projects, and what they are learning. Not just intention, but commitment is what recruiters look for.
Mid-career manager: sharing short case studies about managing a team, making changes to processes, or saving money shows that you are a leader, not just a job title.
Graduate just starting out: projects, internships, roles in student societies, and part-time jobs all show that you are responsible and have potential.
The “hidden job market” is a useful idea here. These are jobs that aren’t officially advertised or that are filled quickly through contacts and recommendations. A clear personal brand and intentional networking will get you into that space more than any cover letter template can.
For a lot of professionals, the best way to find a job doesn’t start with clicking “apply” anymore. It starts weeks or months before, with a clear profile, a network that knows your name, and small daily actions that make it easier for a recruiter to find you when they start looking.
