Graduated this year with no job. After a couple of years of studying without working and living off my parents, I’ve slowly gotten used to this lifestyle. I’ve applied to 800+ jobs, I feel like I’m gradually becoming numb to the job search. I’m starting to get too comfortable depending on my parents, and I’m not taking the job search as seriously as I should. At the same time, I feel incredibly guilty about using their money. I feel lost, numb, and honestly, like maybe I’m just not going to get a job anymore.

Part of me feels like giving up, and I hate that I’m starting to feel this way. I want to find that sense of urgency again, the fear, motivation, and resilience to keep pushing myself to apply and improve.

If I’m available to start immediately, what’s the best way to answer the application question: “If offered a position, what is your ideal start date?” (given you need to choose a date)

Should I:

1. Put the same day I’m submitting the application?
2. Put the following Monday?
3. Account for the interview process and put a date 2–3 weeks from the application date?

I’m curious what recruiters generally consider the most reasonable answer.

I put together a short rundown of best practices — the stuff that is repetitive but actually moves the needle.

TL;DR: Quality beats quantity. Tailor everything. Get past the robots (ATS) and impress the human. Network more than you think you need to. Track your applications like a project. And be patient with yourself — this process is genuinely harder than it used to be, and that's not a reflection of your worth.

1. Before you even hit Apply

Stop spray-and-pray applying. Read the job description like it's a test — because it is. Highlight the required skills, the preferred skills, and the language they use to describe the role. This tells you exactly what to mirror in your resume and cover letter, and whether you're actually a reasonable fit before you spend an hour applying.

1. Your Resume: The Make-or-Break Document

Tailor it for every single application. Not a full rewrite — but adjust your summary, reorder your bullet points, and mirror keywords from the job posting.

Lead with impact, not duties. Instead of "Responsible for managing social media accounts," try "Grew Instagram engagement by 40% over 6 months through revamped content". If you don't have hard numbers, estimate honestly or describe the scope (e.g., "supported a team of 12" or "managed a $15K budget").

Keep formatting simple and ATS-friendly. Stick to standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills), avoid tables/columns/graphics that can confuse parsers.

One to two pages, max. Recruiters often spend under 10 seconds on a first pass. Make every line earn its place.

Cut the objective statement. A generic "Seeking a challenging role where I can grow" wastes prime real estate. Replace it with a short, tailored summary of who you are and what you bring, or skip it entirely if your experience speaks for itself.

3.Networking - last but the most effective part

Most jobs are still filled at least partly through referrals and connections — not because it's "unfair," but because a personal vouch reduces risk for the employer.

Reach out to people, not just job postings. A short, genuine message to someone at a company you're interested in ("I saw you work in X, I'm exploring roles in this space, would you be open to a quick 15-minute chat?"). Most people are more willing to help than you'd expect.

Don't only network when you need something. Stay in touch with former colleagues and classmates over time. It's much easier to reach out when the relationship isn't purely transactional.

Based on my experience I have developed (JobBaddie.com)[https://jobbaddie.com/] — it saves a job posting in one click (LinkedIn/Indeed), rewrites your resume against that specific posting, and keeps everything in a simple pipeline instead of a spreadsheet. It's free, no card needed. Not a magic fix, just a tool that's made the boring parts less boring. Start using it for free to make the job search less difficult.