Applications: Quantity vs Quality

In 2015, I signed up for my first marathon.

It wasn’t something I had planned. A coworker mentioned she was signing up, and in a moment of impulse, I said I’d do it too.

I had never run more than a 5K. I didn’t own 'running' shoes. I knew nothing about heart rate zones. It was quite naive to sign up for a 26.2 mile race, but I learned how to be successful with the right training plan.

The Training Mix

Instead, each week builds gradually with a mix of shorter runs, rest days, and one weekly milestone: the long run.

The long run is where you stretch your capacity... you go about ~10% further than you did the week before. And rather than focusing on a certain pace, you focus on hitting the distance with the right nutrition, heart rate, and recovery.

The other runs matter too. They build your strength and endurance.

But it’s the combination of quantity (short/medium runs) and quality (the long run) that gets you ready.

And it’s the same principle that applies to job hunting.

##Why the old “numbers game” doesn’t work anymore There was a time when job hunting was a pure volume play.

You’d upload your resume to 30 postings in an afternoon, wait for a few interviews to come through, and keep doing that until something landed. If the numbers were high enough, eventually something stuck.

But for most people today, that doesn’t work. I’ve spoken to job seekers who’ve applied to hundreds of roles and heard nothing back.

The truth is, the market is more competitive. Systems are automated. It's easier to hit 'Apply'. And the world of hybrid/remote opened things up even more.

Which means you have to adapt your approach.

Some roles benefit from quantity. Others require quality. Knowing which to use, and when, is the difference between spinning your wheels and gaining traction.

Quantity vs. Quality (and which one you need)

It all comes down to a few key differences:

Quantity is better if:

There are a lot of relevant job postings right now.
You're applying to well-defined roles in common functions (e.g. project management, account executive, customer success).
Your experience aligns easily with multiple industries or companies.
You're not trying to pivot... you’re continuing within your current track.

If this is you, volume can work. Here's what that might look like:

Have 3–5 tailored versions of your resume, each geared toward a specific title or industry.
Set up job alerts to be one of the first applicants (timing matters more than people think).
Keep a spreadsheet or tracker (like the free one I offer) to avoid overlap, missed follow-ups, or confusion.

Quality is better if:

You're applying for competitive roles at well-known companies.
You’re more senior and there are fewer openings aligned to your level.
You’re making a pivot into a new function, industry, or company size.
You’re targeting dream jobs.
You’ve already done the volume play, and it hasn’t produced results.

If this is you, every application counts. Here's what that might look like:

Tailor your resume line by line to reflect the job description and company voice.
Reach out to someone at the company to warm the lead; share interest, context, and curiosity.
Deep preparation for interviews; organize your impact stories, research the company, practice responses.

Most people need both.

A routine that blends activity and precision gives you a smarter way to navigate today’s market... without burning out or stalling out.

If you’re not getting traction from the roles you’re applying to, pause and ask:

Are these roles I’m truly qualified for?
Am I putting in the right kind of effort for the opportunity?
Does my current strategy match the type of job I’m targeting?

Then take five minutes to plan your week:

How much time will I commit to volume? Is there a number of applications I should try to hit this week?
How many opportunities will I go above and beyond for?

Knowing your game-plan gives you a smarter approach to the efforts ahead. As Ben Franklin originally coined, "If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail." This is your push to plan your application mix.

It's more like training.

The job search is not that.

It's closer to the training that comes before the race. Days of running with no finish line. Fatigue from tired legs. Resting because you have to.

That's why application mix matters. It's the training plan that gives structure to the effort, guiding what to focus on each day.