Does Applying Online Even Work???

Yeah sorry but online applications really suck right now... especially for newcomers.

Only you got in and worked a decade they headhunt you to death but not much people want to put the effort into training people... and AI makes everything worse.... (even if its a bubble and will pop)

If you are really forced to do online applications... depending on the job... have a reference project ready to show...

Other options is to get some connections from somewhere and land a first job that way...

As last resort just overstate your experience and just try to learn fast enough on the job so nobody finds out.

I hope you get a chance

In my experience not really I've only gotten 1 job off indeed and it was a pretty garbage job that was clearly desperate for any employees

In person applications have been the best for my friends. Any place that had a sign sayin' help wanted or to email them has worked so far. Expect retail stores to take a decent amount to respond back. Fast food places are the quickest. Interning helped significantly with some of my friends. Trade schools for some gave them a job immediately after they passed. 

A lot of us that did Indeed basically got nothin' back. A few got quick responses and are fine tho. Try everything! Something has to work.

(I cheated and got hired into a family member's business)

The best tip I was given was to ALWAYS follow up applications. If you think you're harassing them, from their point of view it shows you're really interested in the job. The worst you'll get is a no, you haven't been selected. But even then, it'll be clear.

You should never just apply online and then forget about it, depending on the job sector (restaurants and fast food tend to reply way faster cause they're always short on staff) write down a way to contact them and call around a week after applying if you haven't had news about your application. Sometimes applications get lost, or they forgot to reply.

I've changed jobs a lot in the last five years (minimum a month, maximum a year) and had to apply online a LOT so here are some tips:

- Write down on a paper or excel sheet all the info about the job, INCLUDING the address or a phone number AND the date you applied

- Always include a motivation letter if the option is given to you

- If you don't have an answer (positive or negative) about 1-2 weeks after applying, contact them to ask about it. Two weeks is a lot outside of summer vacation (applying in August in France is hell because half of employers are on vacation and the other half isn't qualified to interview you)

- If the previous step didn't work (and if it's possible), show up in person.

- Know when to give up insisting, after 3-4 weeks without any kind of reply, move on. Consider your application rejected.

But yeah, the best is to go there yourself and physically hand out your application, or to do some digging and find out when the manager is working so you can give them directly.

Indeed and zip recruiter are trash. 

Go directly to the company website and apply there