The CDO Employer Partnerships Team shares timely tips from recruiters and alumni to consider when searching and applying for roles today:
Don’t wait to apply
Many roles receive a large number of applications within the first few days after posting. Recruiters typically vet these first applications immediately and pass them along to the hiring team. Recruiters rarely look at later applications, doing so only if additional applicants are needed. If you wait too long to apply, your application may be missed.
It is ideal to have a network built first before you apply, as this helps your application get noticed. However, if you don’t have a network, apply first! Then immediately go to work to get your application noticed.
Note that many roles are never posted, and many others already have viable top candidates in the interview process by the time of the posting. The only way to know of these opportunities is through networking.
Be first to know of new roles: build a network and set notifications
Network to find undercover roles
Networking with individuals in your desired industry or function is critical to recruiting in the United States for many reasons. One huge benefit to jobseekers is that as you build your network and showcase your eagerness and capabilities, you also learn where to find “undercover” opportunities. These can be functions to explore in unexpected organizations or startups building out new teams.
Undercover roles also are anticipated roles about to get approval – in many cases, hiring managers and recruiters start vetting candidates before the role is posted. They find these candidates from their personal network, from internal referrals, and previous applicants who have stayed in touch.
Set a personal goal each week to expand your network and to reconnect with those already in your network. Tap into alumni networks at Yale SOM, Yale, and your previous employers and schools – there are over 12,000 alumni in the Yale SOM alumni directory! CDO coaches can help you navigate the variety of methods to develop a networking plan and outreach approach that will work for you.
Set job alert notifications so new opportunities find you
Cover the basics:
- Set daily notifications for new postings directly on the sites of your preferred organizations
- Set daily notifications in CMS and LinkedIn
Go one step further:
- Set notifications on jobs boards dedicated to specific functions or industries, such as Business of Fashion Jobs, TeamworkOnline (roles in sports,) Tech Nonprofit Job Board
- Don’t forget to review CDO provided resources that are updated frequently, such as Careeronomics, MBA-Exchange, Reconsidered.co, WorkMaze, etc.
Get your application noticed! Just-in-time hiring works differently than campus hiring
Recruiters only have seconds to review the hundreds of applications per job they receive in the first few days. Getting noticed is key to getting an interview.
Leverage your previous experience and current skills to rise to the top
Campus route roles often are identified by including a degree name in the job title or a specific start date, such as Summer 2025. Other current students compete for these roles, and the type of degree – and even the specific school – matters. Recruiters often do not expect student candidates to have all or most of the requirements, understanding that some students are transitioning functions or industries.
This time of year, though, most roles are not campus roles. Rather, they are just-in-time roles, also known as experienced hire, immediate hire, or lateral roles. These roles reflect immediate hiring needs and the competition for these roles is anyone searching for a job – other students, those returning to work, and those currently employed seeking a change. With an abundance of applicants per role, recruiters and hiring managers focus first on applicants with the most relevant experience. The type of degree and the school name are nice, but often not most important. Applicants leaning into their previous experience and current skills are more likely to progress in the candidate review process than applicants hoping to do something very new.
Leverage relationships and referrals
Strong referrals can be helpful in getting your application reviewed. In many organizations, the employee making the referrals must include how, how well, and how long they have known the applicant. The strongest referrals know you from previous professional work and can speak about your work qualities and successes.
Pitch yourself as the solution
This strategy is particularly effective for internships, bridge work in small businesses, social impact roles, and startups. Through networking and research, identify needs or opportunities that aren’t being addressed. Offer to tackle these as a project or part-time work. Build a case that you have the experience and desire to do so and share what you will gain from the experience beyond salary.
The CDO offers workshops on this topic, and CDO Coaches will work with you to develop your personal strategy. Additionally, financial support through either the Internship Fund or the Small Business Internship Fund may be available.*
Applying these tips to international searches
Take advantage of Yale’s global network
The benefits of networking are not limited to the United States, nor is your access to amazing alumni. In CDO conversations with alumni, they have expressed a willingness and desire to connect with students interested in their function or their organization, even if the student wants to work in a different country. Alumni based in international offices have played roles in US based recruiting for their organization, and alumni in the US have offered to connect students with colleagues internationally.
- Search the Alumni Directory, join Alumni Groups, or sign up for an alum mentor in SOM Connect, the Yale SOM Alumni Directory. The SOM Connect Alumni Directory lists over 3,000 Yale SOM alumni outside of the US and boasts 34 Regional Alumni Chapters outside of the US.
- Use CMS, LinkedIn, WeChat, Yale Cross Campus, etc. to find alumni living and working where you desire. Reach out to the CDO if you have questions about how to make the first outreach.
Take advantage of the CDO’s global support
- Virtual resources from the CDO share job openings globally and overviews of the recruiting landscape internationally: Careeronomics, GoingGlobal, MBA-Exchange, WorkMaze, and more
- The CDO Employer Partnerships Team connects with recruiters and alumni across the globe, sharing notes, contact information, and roles in CMS – both those sponsoring international students in the US and roles outside of the US. Read these tips to navigate CMS
- CMS also has detailed information on the location of roles past graduates and MBA interns accepted in the Who Went Where documents
- CDO Coaches meet with students on a myriad of international search topics, from navigating resources, to outreach, to managing personal searches
Have empathy for the recruiting team
Recruiters are overwhelmed. In the past few years, many recruiting teams have shrunk. Teams have not expanded as quickly as hiring has. These lean teams now are managing a growing number of applications per role. Recruiters now have less time to spend per applicant or per role than before.
The result is that recruiters don’t have time to post roles on school sites, but rather, only on their organization’s website. Recruiters don’t have time to respond to every individual’s email. Recruiters don’t have time to thoroughly review every application.
What does this mean for you? You have an opportunity to become a solution for the recruiter! Follow the above ideas to make your application stand out:
- Apply quickly
- Highlight your relevant experiences and skills for each role
- Leverage internal advocates, from previous colleagues to those you have connected with through networking
- Pitch yourself as able and willing to tackle the work needed
Connect with the CDO to personalize your approach
Recruiting is personal. Your values, desires, skills, experiences and more are most important. In addition to the abundance of resources the CDO offers, meeting with a CDO Coach can help you build a recruiting approach that addresses the insights here and works for you. Coaching appointments are made in CMS, available virtually or in-person, and offered daily.
*Pitch yourself as a solution written in collaboration with Microsoft Copilot
