It's not your fault. We've all been conditioned to participate in this "exercise".

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Consider the data. The modern job market runs on four forces:

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• AI Tools / ATS Systems (Company Asset: Most Use One or more)

• Agency Recruiters (Company Asset: About 1 in 3 Companies Use Agencies)

• Corporate Recruiters (Company Asset: Most Companies Have One or more)

• Career Representation (Candidate Asset: Less than <1% use Professional Representation and Referrals)

 

Every hire, for every job, traces back to one of these paths.

 

Yet most professionals considering new roles invest 99% of their job search energy in the mechanical, the automated, and the employer-controlled paths. The biggest energy drains that yield the worst results.

 

 

The "technology" advances are all built with company interests in mind

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That's why...

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According to the Employ / Jobvite Job Seeker Nation 2025 report, two-thirds of job seekers feel burned out, and most expect to submit at least 6–10 applications before hearing back.³

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Worse... anecdotal stories across LinkedIn, Reddit and other review sites suggest "hearing back" is primarily automated rejections, deferrals (e.g. "search is paused"), contradictory (e.g. the job "is closed", when it just got repost), or low value platitudes (e.g. "we'll keep you in mind for the future").

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The Greenhouse 2024 Candidate Experience study showed 52% of U.S. job seekers have been ghosted, and roughly 1 in 5 postings may be “ghost jobs.”⁴

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That's all effort without yield — your digital treadmill. In the moment it feels like you're going somewhere (making the right efforts), but really... you're just spending time on a screen.

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On the flip side, research from Ashby (38 million applications) found that referrals and internal candidates dominate interviews and offers, while inbound applications have seen offer rates fall ~70% since 2021.⁵

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And CareerPlug 2024 reported that referrals make up ~1% of applications but 11% of hires — a 10× conversion advantage.⁶

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Moral of the story: Machines help companies. Relationships help you.

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Why everyone tests the treadmill (even when they know better)

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1. Bulk efforts feel productive. You can tweak, upload, and optimize endlessly. Each click gives a dopamine hit.

2. Job boards promise reach. They make you feel like you’re in motion while your résumé vanishes into queues.

3. Recruiters offer hope. But as the AESC and SHRM have shown, their allegiance is to the employer paying the invoice.

4. Advocacy is unfamiliar. Traditionally, career representation was reserved for athletes and actors. It makes sense, but you probably don't know anyone who's used it.

 

So here we are; the waking nightmare where most candidates are trapped in a high-effort, low-yield loop; doing everything “right,” yet getting absolutely nowhere.

 

 

The hidden advantage (the one most people don't consider): Insider Visibility also fosters trust.

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Referrals and advocacy don’t just generate interviews; they generate confidence in the room.

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The Harvard Business Review reports that referred candidates are more likely to receive and accept offers and stay longer.⁷

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A Career Advocate replicates that advantage at scale; done for you, not as a DIY coach.

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We design your outreach to mirror the quality of a warm introduction; crafting storylines, introductions, and visibility campaigns that land directly with decision-makers.

 

 

HIP Insight: The Visibility Economy

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At Higher Impact People (HIP), we approach the process differently and offer a competitive advantage to our clients.

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• Representation that creates visibility and insider-grade access.

• Representation that measures traction; real visibility, real conversations.

• Representation that shifts your energy towards the highest ROI.

 

 

Sources

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1. EEOC – Artificial Intelligence & Employment Selection Guidance (2024) https://www.eeoc.gov/ai

2. SHRM – AI in HR: 2024 Survey Findings https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/technology/ai-in-hr

3. Employ / Jobvite – 2025 Job Seeker Nation Report https://www.employinc.com/resources/report/2025-job-seeker-nation-report/

4. Greenhouse – 2024 Candidate Experience Report / Axios Coverage https://www.greenhouse.com/blog/2024-greenhouse-candidate-experience-report / https://www.axios.com/2024/09/24/greenhouse-job-ghosting-hiring-rejection-email

5. Ashby – Are Referred Candidates More Likely to Get Hired? https://www.ashbyhq.com/talent-trends-report/reports/referrals

6. CareerPlug – 2024 Recruiting Metrics Report https://www.careerplug.com/resources/recruiting-metrics-report-2024/

7. Harvard Business Review – Build a Stronger Employee Referral Program https://hbr.org/2020/05/build-a-stronger-employee-referral-program

8. LinkedIn – Global Talent Trends 2024 https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/global-talent-trends

9. SHRM – Talent Acquisition & Internal Mobility Insights 2024 https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition

10. Deloitte – Human Capital Trends 2024 / 2025 https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/talent/human-capital-trends.html