The One Approach You Need to Increase Your Job Search Performance

Table of Contents

• What Is a Job Search Strategy with Metrics?

• How I Used This Approach to Get a $35K Salary Increase

• 5 Steps to Start Tracking Your Job Search Performa …

  • 1. Establish Key Job Search Metrics (With Benchmar …

  • 2. Set Up a Simple Job Search Tracker

  • 3. Identify Your Bottlenecks

  • 4. Be Intentional with Applications

  • 5. Get Feedback & Adjust

• Success Story: Jessica

• Wrapping It Up

Sending out application after application and hearing crickets? Or maybe you’re getting prescreen calls but not moving to the next round?

Job searching can feel like a frustrating guessing game, but what if I told you there’s ONE key strategy that can take the guesswork out and get you real results?

I’m here to walk you through how to set up a job search strategy with metrics, so you can pinpoint exactly where your process is breaking down and fix it. 

Grab your emotional support matcha, coffee, or wine (no judgment), and let’s dive in, Glow-Getter! ✨

What Is a Job Search Strategy with Metrics?

You’ve probably heard the saying: "What gets measured, gets managed." The same applies to your job search!

A job search strategy with metrics means tracking each step of your application process so you can identify where things are falling apart. Instead of applying blindly and wondering why you’re not getting interviews, you’ll have data to diagnose the issue and adjust accordingly.

For example:
👉🏽 Not getting prescreen calls? Your resume or LinkedIn profile might need improvement.
👉🏽 Getting prescreens but not interviews? Your answers in initial screenings might need work.
👉🏽 Interviewing but not getting offers? Your interview, presentation, or storytelling skills may need refining.

See how powerful this is? Instead of feeling stuck, you’ll have clear insights on what to tweak!

How I Used Job Search Metrics to Increase My Salary by $35K

You might assume that, with my HR and Recruiting background, landing jobs has always been easy for me. Spoiler: It wasn’t.

A few years ago, I was unemployed due to COVID, broke as hell, and had ZERO confidence in my ability to land a new role. I second-guessed myself at every turn. Then, in the summer of 2020, I filed for divorce, and something shifted. It was like a fire got lit under me.

I realized that I had been approaching my job search all wrong, so I started tracking my progress with real data. And let me tell you—it changed EVERYTHING. Here’s what happened:

• I celebrated small wins—whenever I felt down about rejections, I looked at my conversion rates and celebrated when my numbers improved.

• I tweaked my strategy in real time—when my prescreen-to-interview rate dipped, I started asking recruiters better questions at the end of calls to get insight into potential feedback.

• I landed multiple offers at once—which gave me leverage to negotiate my butt off and walk away with a $35K salary increase.

5 Steps to Start Tracking Your Job Search Performance

Here’s how to track and optimize your job search like a pro:

1. Establish Key Job Search Metrics (With Benchmarks!)

Before making changes, establish baseline metrics to understand your starting point. Here are strong conversion rate benchmarks to aim for:

• Applications Sent → Prescreens Received: ~10-20%

• Prescreens → Interviews Scheduled: ~30-50%

• Interviews → Final Round Interviews: ~30-50%

• Final Rounds → Offers Received: ~20-30%

If your numbers are falling below these ranges, that’s your signal to adjust your strategy!

2. Set Up a Simple Job Search Tracker

Use an Excel sheet, Google Sheet, or Notion board. Include columns for:

• Job title

• Company

• Date applied

• Method (LinkedIn, company site, recruiter outreach)

• Prescreen date

• Interview dates

• Final round outcome

3. Identify Your Bottlenecks

After 2-4 weeks, analyze your data:

• Not getting prescreens? Update your resume/LinkedIn and reach out to recruiters directly. Here are some scripts you can use.

• Getting prescreens but no interviews? Refine your elevator pitch & screening answers.

• Interviewing but not getting offers? Work on your STAR-method storytelling.

Below is a quick chart you can use to calculate your conversion rates:

4. Be Intentional with Applications

Instead of mass-applying, focus on high-quality applications where you tailor your resume. Quality > Quantity. Your emotions might say, “I just need to apply more!” but if you’re applying 100+ times with no interviews, your strategy needs to change - don’t ignore the data!

5. Get Feedback & Adjust

Ask recruiters for feedback when possible. Invest in a LinkedIn/resume audit or mock interviews if needed!

Success Story: Jessica

Jessica, one of my coaching clients, was sending 40+ applications a week but wasn’t getting prescreens—a clear sign that her resume alone wasn’t cutting it.

After working together, we: 

✔️ Optimized her resume & LinkedIn for visibility.
✔️ Improved her outreach messaging to recruiters & hiring managers.
✔️ Refined her prescreen answers to highlight her strengths.
✔️ Boosted her interview confidence so she could sell herself effectively.

Within six weeks, Jessica landed THREE final-round interviews and secured a $20K salary bump! 

Her words? “Tracking my progress changed everything! I could see what was working and fix what wasn’t.”

Wrapping It Up

People like you and Jessica are exactly why I started Alchevate Coaching and The Corporate Glow Up. I know how frustrating it is to feel stuck in your job search, and I want to help you move strategically—not just throw spaghetti at the wall and hope something sticks.

P.S. Let me know in the comments—what’s the biggest challenge in your job search right now? (If you’re reading this by email, click the “Read Online” link at the top right corner of the email.)