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> that applying for jobs on LinkedIn and other job listing sites is GIGANTIC waste of time unless you already have a connection in the company you are applying for.

In my experience, that's not my case. I found my last 2 jobs by applying to a post in linkedin... but I also contacted the recruiter that posted the job ad via DM. In my whole career (+10 years) I've never relied on my "network" to get a job (mainly because I don't have one).

Same. My current job resulted from: seeing a hiring manager post about the role, applying at the link she shared in her post, and spending 2 hours crafting a DM to her. Interviewed and got the job, and knew nobody at the company.

> rely on your network

This has been conventional wisdom for my entire (half century now) life, but every job I've been referred into has ended up being a nightmare. The best jobs I've ever gotten were the "cold approach" ones... hopefully those aren't going away forever.

I (also half a century life now) have always relied on my network for work, mainly because almost no interview time wasting (interviews are short and 'with the boss', no homework or other nonsense), higher wages and work from home. My first network were my classmates; some fathers worked in positions that were able to get me in; grew from there.

It would make sense because theyre hiring based on networking being a higher priority than qualifications.

I'd recommend against taking any advice from Reddit, especially subreddits like:

- /r/recruitinghell

- /r/jobs

- /r/cscareerquestions

That's like asking a meth fiend for lifestyle advice. Most people there have no idea what they are talking about and never took part in recruitment on the company side, they just repeat some bullshit they were told or try to rehash some opinion pieces as universal rules.

FWIW I recently got a great job off a random LinkedIn EasyApply for a company I never heard of at the time. I didn't even remember applying to it when the recruiter reached out to me to set up and interview. I was on unemployment at the time and the state I was in required a minimum of two job contacts a week, and sometimes I would just apply to random jobs that looked interesting. Turned out I picked one that was perfect for me and the recruiter actually followed through.

That being said, you're still right when you point to reliance on the network. My network didn't get me that job per se, but I had a strong network from which to pull from for employment references (old mangagers, etc.) as well as a friend from school who now does career counseling/interview prep at a college.

I'd been unemployed for over a year, but was able to get a quick pep talk from an old mentor and some good interview advice from that friend from school. It was definitely great to have that support to lean on.

> If you are serious about finding a job, you HAVE to rely on your network

This is not a hard rule. My last 4 jobs I got without a network connection, and I work at a large, well-known company now.

Most jobs I've had, I got by cold applying to a website. In a few cases recruiters reached out to me by email/LinkedIn (this is also fairly unreliable). The approach you're describing is definitely higher yield and you absolutely should cultivate and use a network, but all is not lost without a referral.

In answer to the overall question, I think most places leave a job posting up for a few days/week at least just as standard practice. Within that window I don't think it matters.

A better approach is probably to figure out what recruiter the company is using and contact them directly, indicating that you're looking for a job.

Even if they can't get you in there, they can link you up with other openings they have available.

One thing I found interesting is people saying DM me for a req on Blind. Might be a side door around the network barrier to entry.

Many companies are now conscious of junk referrals from employees referring people they don't actually know.

The referral form at my current employer asks you how you know that person, and to briefly describe why you think they're a good fit.

I’ve worked in recruiting and with countless career coaches.

This is the best advice for anyone looking for a job. Thanks for sharing.

My friend Sarah’s company has some free resources that can help you get started if networking for a job feels uncomfortable: https://www.briefcasecoach.com/

My network sucks and doesn’t do that for me. Annoying

However, what I generally do is use LinkedIn to find postings then apply directly at the company’s site. I generally had about a 20% response rate I think? (I’d have to check my spreadsheet)