Show HN: Sifted³ – A Professional Social Network

I feel like an idiot. This may be half Show HN, half seeking free therapy.

I've had an account on here since 2012, I've been a professional software engineer since 2005. I try and read and learn and yet I keep putting myself in the same holes.

I've built out what is essentially a LinkedIn alternative, I've got ideas about how to improve it beyond that, but it's the simplest way of explaining it for now. The key differentiator is that it limits the number of applications a candidate can make (3 in 7 days). Twitter for applicant count seems to convey what I'm trying to do to other engineers. I'm also trying to allow for candidates to receive feedback and generally improve the process.

It's all to try and address what I see is an issue with roles receiving thousands of applicants within hours and how that and the tools to deal with it are failing both candidates and those recruiting. Obviously, OpenAI have just announced their offering is in the pipeline, which perhaps confirms what I see as an issue, even if we have different approaches for fixing it.

I have form for this; writing software, thinking it has some value, but not being able to figure out how to get even the slightest bit of traction. Watch this thread die as yet more proof! :)

This time, I've outdone myself. Knowing that it's particularly an issue in Dubai, with a relatively small, condensed market, but a sought after location, I jumped on a plane to Dubai thinking I would track down some recruiters and plead with them to post some roles, which I would then try and promote, and perhaps I'd get feedback I could use to refine and iterate. I've spent the week in a hotel room with flu, and not managed to get to speak to a single recruiter. Every post I've tried to local facebook groups gets rejected and I can feel myself walking the same path towards abandoning it, even though I don't think that's going to bring answers.

Is it a terrible idea? I have zero sign ups so I don't think I can know if it's terrible execution (it's certainly early, there's bound to be bugs). Am I just terrible at marketing? How do people do this?!