Nerd Level Tech logo
|
Lesson 15 of 15

Networking & Job Search Strategy

Job Application Strategy & Tracking

5 min read

Where to Find ML Jobs

Best Job Boards:

ML-Specific:

  • ai-jobs.net - Curated ML/AI roles
  • deeplearning.ai/jobs - Andrew Ng's job board
  • huggingface.co/jobs - ML/NLP roles
  • kaggle.com/jobs - Data science and ML

General Tech:

  • LinkedIn Jobs - Best for networking + applying
  • levels.fyi - Salary transparency + job listings
  • otta.com - Startup jobs with ML roles
  • wellfound.com (formerly AngelList) - Early-stage startups

Company Career Pages:

  • Apply directly (higher response rate than LinkedIn Easy Apply)
  • FAANG+, OpenAI, Anthropic, Cohere, Stability AI
  • Check weekly for new postings

Avoid:

  • Indeed (too many spam postings)
  • ZipRecruiter (low quality for ML roles)
  • Random aggregators

Application Strategy

Quality > Quantity Don't spray and pray. Target 10-15 high-quality applications/week.

Tier Your Applications:

Tier 1: Dream Companies (2-3/week)

  • FAANG+, OpenAI, Anthropic, top startups
  • Customize resume heavily
  • Get referral if possible
  • Write custom cover letter

Tier 2: Target Companies (5-7/week)

  • Companies you'd be excited to join
  • Customize resume for role
  • Personalize cover letter template

Tier 3: Backup Options (3-5/week)

  • Companies you'd accept for experience
  • Minimal resume customization
  • Generic cover letter okay

When to Apply

Timing Matters:

Best Times:

  • Tuesday-Thursday (recruiters most active)
  • Early morning (7-9 AM in company's timezone)
  • First 48 hours after job posting (less competition)
  • End of quarter (companies rushing to fill roles)

Worst Times:

  • Weekends (applications get buried)
  • Holidays (recruiters out of office)
  • Late Friday (won't be reviewed until Monday)

Referral Strategy

Referrals Get 5-10x Higher Response Rates

How to Get Referrals:

1. Direct Asks (If You Know Them):

Hi [Name],

I saw [Company] is hiring for ML Engineer (Req #12345).
Given my background in [relevant experience], I think I'd
be a strong fit.

Would you be comfortable referring me? Happy to send over
my resume and a brief summary you can forward.

Thank you!

2. Indirect Approach (If You Don't Know Them):

Hi [Name],

I'm really interested in the ML Engineer role at [Company]
(Req #12345). I've been building [relevant projects] and
think I could contribute to [specific team/project].

I'd love to learn more about the role and team. Would you
be open to a quick 15-minute chat?

[Link to portfolio/LinkedIn]

→ After the chat, ask for referral

3. Referral Platforms:

  • Blind - Anonymous referral requests
  • TeamBlind - Tech employee network
  • Rooftop Slushie - Startup referrals

Customizing Your Application

Resume Customization (15 minutes/application):

  1. Mirror job description keywords:

    Job says: "Experience with PyTorch and transformer models"
Your resume: "Built LLM chatbot using PyTorch transformers"

  2. Reorder bullet points: Put most relevant experience first

  3. Highlight matching tech stack: If they use AWS, emphasize your AWS projects

Cover Letter Template:

Paragraph 1: Why This Role

I'm excited to apply for the ML Engineer role at [Company].
Your work on [specific project/product] is particularly
interesting to me because [genuine reason].

Paragraph 2: Why You're Qualified

I have experience building production ML systems, including
[Project 1: brief description with metrics] and [Project 2].
These projects demonstrate my ability to [key skill from
job description].

Paragraph 3: What You'll Bring

I'm particularly interested in [specific team/technology
mentioned in job posting]. In my recent project, I [relevant
achievement], which aligns with your team's focus on [their
focus area].

I'd love to discuss how my background in [your strength]
could contribute to [their goal].

When to Skip Cover Letter:

  • Application explicitly says "optional"
  • Startup with fast-moving hiring process
  • Entry-level role with 100+ applicants

Application Tracking System

Use a Spreadsheet:

Columns to Track:

| Company | Role | Date Applied | Source | Referral? | Status | Follow-up Date | Notes |
|---------|------|--------------|--------|-----------|---------|----------------|-------|
| Meta    | MLE  | 2024-01-15   | LinkedIn | Yes (Sarah) | Phone Screen | 2024-01-20 | Hiring manager: John |
| OpenAI  | Applied Scientist | 2024-01-16 | Direct | No | Applied | 2024-01-30 | Sent cold email to recruiter |

Status Options:

  • Applied
  • Phone Screen Scheduled
  • Technical Interview
  • Onsite/Final Round
  • Offer
  • Rejected
  • Ghosted (no response after 2 weeks)

Why Track:

  • Know when to follow up
  • Calculate your funnel (X applications → Y phone screens → Z offers)
  • Identify patterns (which sources work best?)
  • Stay organized during multi-company processes

Follow-Up Strategy

After Submitting Application:

Week 1:

  • No action (give recruiter time to review)

Week 2:

  • If you have insider contact: "Any updates on my application?"
  • If you applied cold: Check LinkedIn for recruiter, send message

Sample Follow-Up:

Hi [Recruiter Name],

I applied for the ML Engineer role (Req #12345) on [date]
and wanted to express my continued interest.

I recently deployed [new achievement/project update] that's
relevant to the role: [link]

Would love to discuss how my background in [relevant skill]
aligns with what you're looking for.

Best,
[Your Name]

After Phone Screen:

  • Send thank-you email within 24 hours
  • Reference specific conversation points
  • Reiterate interest

After Technical Interview:

  • Thank interviewer
  • Mention specific problems you enjoyed
  • Ask about next steps timeline

Dealing with Rejection

Common Reasons:

  • Not enough experience (apply to earlier-stage companies)
  • Skills mismatch (tailor applications better)
  • Bad timing (they found internal candidate)
  • Over-qualified (you're targeting too junior)

How to Respond:

Hi [Recruiter],

Thank you for the update. While I'm disappointed, I
appreciate your time in considering my application.

If you have any feedback on how I could strengthen my
candidacy for future roles, I'd be grateful.

I'd love to stay in touch for future opportunities at
[Company].

Best,
[Your Name]

When to Reapply:

  • Different role: Immediately
  • Same role: Wait 6-12 months
  • After rejection: Build more relevant experience first

Red Flags in Job Postings

Avoid These Roles:

  • "Rockstar", "Ninja", "Guru" (unprofessional language)
  • Unrealistic requirements ("5 years experience with GPT-4")
  • Vague job description ("work on cutting-edge AI")
  • 10+ different tech stacks for entry-level
  • Unpaid "trial project" (spec work)
  • No salary range (low-ball risk)

Green Flags:

  • Clear responsibilities and success metrics
  • Realistic requirements
  • Mentions team size and structure
  • Transparent salary range
  • Active GitHub/tech blog
  • Employees active on LinkedIn

Managing Multiple Offers

Buying Time:

Thank you for the offer! I'm very excited about [Company].

I'm in the final stages with [Other Company] and would
appreciate until [date, ~1 week out] to make my decision.

Would that work on your end?

Negotiating Competing Offers:

  • Get everything in writing first
  • Use offers to negotiate (don't bluff)
  • Focus on total compensation, not just base salary
  • Consider: equity, growth, learning, team, mission

Decision Framework:

Factor Company A Company B
Compensation $180K $160K
Learning More ML research More production ML
Team 5 ML engineers 2 ML engineers
Growth Slower path to senior Faster
Mission B2B SaaS Climate tech

:::

Quiz

Module 5: Networking & Job Search Strategy

Take Quiz