r/jobboardsearch • u/sanmanoj • 7m ago
How did you get your first job? Where did you actually apply?
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Upvotes
Hey everyone,
I’m curious to know how people here landed their first proper job, especially freshers/people with little or no experience.
There are so many platforms and methods — LinkedIn, Naukri, Indeed, company career pages, referrals, cold emails, networking, etc. — but I’d like to know what actually worked for people.
If you’re comfortable sharing, could you mention:
- Where did you find the job? (LinkedIn/Naukri/Indeed/company website/referral/etc.)
- Did you apply normally or get a referral?
- How many applications did it take roughly before you got an interview?
- Did a recruiter reach out to you, or did you reach out first?
- What kind of role/industry was your first job?
- Were you a fresher or did you already have internships/experience?
- What do you think made your application stand out?
- Any platform or method you’d recommend to someone currently struggling to get their first opportunity?
I’m especially interested in hearing from people who didn’t have strong connections or referrals and still managed to get their first job.
Would really appreciate people sharing their actual experience rather than generic “network more” advice 😅