CareerFlip LLC · Updated
The most reliable way to get a job application noticed is to reach a person on the hiring team, not just the applicant tracking system. You can do that yourself, pay a service, or use software that researches contacts and organizes your outreach. Here is how the options compare.
| Option | Who does the work | How you pay | Who sends messages | Who keeps track of everything |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The shotgun approach | You | Free | No outreach | You |
| Network on your own | You | Free | You | You |
| Reverse recruiter | The service | Monthly fee; sometimes a share of salary | Often the service, in your name | The service, within your plan |
| Career coach | You, with guidance | Per session or package | You | Usually you |
| LinkedIn Premium | You | Recurring LinkedIn plan | You | You, across your outreach |
| CareerFlip | CareerFlip researches and drafts; you decide | One-time license plus provider usage per job | CareerFlip drafts; you send | CareerFlip Contact Book, calendar and reminders; you record sends and replies |
Sending applications to many online postings gives you volume but leaves you to track them. Popular postings draw hundreds of applicants, and automated filters screen many qualified people out. A short, specific message to the right person gives your application a second path to a human reader.
You try to find the likely hiring manager and other relevant people, then write to them directly. It is free and fully in your control. The cost is time: working out who to contact, finding their details and writing a good message can take an hour or more per job. Start with our guide to researching the hiring manager.
A reverse recruiter is a service you pay to run parts of your search, often including applications and outreach. It saves you time, but you give up some control over what is sent in your name. Read what a reverse recruiter is before signing a contract.
A career coach helps with your story, your target roles, your resume and your interviews. Coaches are most useful for strategy and confidence. Most do not find contacts or send outreach for you.
LinkedIn Premium is a paid LinkedIn plan. For job seekers it adds InMail credits, which let you message people you are not connected to, and extra insight into job postings and other applicants.
CareerFlip assesses your fit for a posting, researches relevant people and drafts messages for the contacts you pick. A hiring manager cannot always be identified. You review, edit and send each message, then use CareerFlip's Contact Book, outreach calendar and follow-up reminders to stay organized. See how CareerFlip finds the right people.
To compare costs for your own situation, use the job search cost calculator.
Reach the hiring team, not just the applicant tracking system.
See how CareerFlip works