Hey there!

Welcome to your daily dose of curated early-career opportunities! Your job search shouldn’t feel confusing, late, or based on luck.

Here's what nobody tells you about the job search: it's not about applying to more jobs. It's about being first.

The same role LinkedIn shows you 3-5 days from now is already sitting in a pile of 500 applications. Runway pulls jobs straight from company career sites the moment they post, so you see them first, when there are 15 applicants, not 500. 

Who sees the role and applies first is the whole game.

Here are today's fresh opportunities for Thursday, August 27th:

Most people research a company only once they've landed an interview. But doing a little research before you apply is one of the highest-return habits in the job search. It helps you write better applications, avoid bad-fit roles, and stand out from the flood of people who clearly know nothing about where they're applying. Here's how to do it fast and use it well.

Why research before applying, not just before interviewing

Researching upfront changes the quality of your application. You can tailor your resume and cover letter to what the company actually cares about, reference real things about them, and decide whether the role is even worth your time.

It also means if you get the interview, you're already ahead. A few minutes of research before applying compounds through the whole process. Most people skip it, which is exactly why doing it sets you apart.

Start with the basics (5 minutes)

Get the fundamentals down first: what does the company actually do, who are their customers, and how do they make money? Read their homepage and "About" page and be able to explain them in one plain sentence.

If you can't clearly say what a company does, you're not ready to apply, and you'll sound lost if you do get an interview. Nail the basics before anything else.

Check recent news

Google the company's name and look at the last month or two. Look for funding rounds, product launches, expansions, leadership changes, or press coverage.

One recent, specific fact is gold, it lets you reference something current in your application and shows you're paying attention. "I saw you recently launched X" instantly separates you from generic applicants.

Understand the role in context

Read the job description carefully and think about why this role exists and what problem it solves for the team. What are they really trying to accomplish by hiring for this position?

Understanding the "why" behind the role lets you position yourself as the solution to their actual need, not just someone checking boxes. It also helps you spot whether the role is a genuine fit for you.

Get a feel for the culture and people

Look at the company's LinkedIn, their employees, and how they present themselves online. Check Glassdoor for a sense of what working there is like (look for patterns, not one angry review).

This helps you gauge fit and gives you material for tailoring your tone and application. It also flags red flags early, before you invest time in a place that isn't right for you.

Look up who you'd work with

If you can identify the team or hiring manager, glance at their backgrounds on LinkedIn. Understanding who you'd report to and work alongside gives useful context, and can even surface a connection point.

This is also the foundation for reaching out directly, one of the most effective job-search moves, which starts with knowing who the humans behind the posting are.

Use what you find in your application

Research is only valuable if you use it. Weave what you learned into your resume tweaks and cover letter, mirror their language, reference something specific, and connect your skills to their actual needs.

The whole point is to make your application feel written for them, not blasted out to a hundred companies. That's what gets you noticed in a crowded pile.

Don't overdo it for every single application

A caveat: you don't need to deep-dive every company you apply to, that's not sustainable if you're applying to many roles. Save the thorough research for your priority applications, and keep it lighter for the rest.

Match your effort to how much you want the role. High-priority jobs get real research; volume applications get the quick version.

Do this today: Pick your top-priority role from today's list and spend 10 minutes researching, what they do, one recent piece of news, and why the role exists. Then use at least one thing you learned in your application. That small effort puts you ahead of nearly everyone else applying.

-Ford from Runway

See you in your inbox tomorrow morning,

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