Run a focused job search while you build

Start learning about teams early. Begin targeted applications once you have a runnable project, a credible explanation of the work and evidence for the role’s core skills. You do not need to finish every optional topic first.

Use a weekly loop

1. Review five relevant openings. Save the role, location, experience requirement and the skills your project demonstrates.
2. Send three to five careful applications with a resume matched to the actual job. This is a suggested starting cadence; adjust to your available time.
3. Have two thoughtful conversations with practitioners, alumni or people in your existing network. Ask about their work, not just for a referral.
4. Spend one session improving the weakest part of your portfolio or interviewing ability.
5. Review your funnel: applications → screens → technical interviews → later rounds. Use the evidence to decide what to improve next.

Match evidence to requirements

For “Python and APIs,” link to your tested service. For “RAG and evaluations,” point to the reproducible comparison. For “communication,” show a short case study explaining the user problem and tradeoffs. For an experience requirement you do not meet, be transparent; consider adjacent roles where your background is a stronger fit.

A message you can adapt

Hi [Name], I’m learning about [specific team/problem]. I built [brief project] and measured [real result, with context]. Your work on [specific detail] caught my attention. If you have time, I’d value one piece of feedback on [focused question]. Here is a short demo: [link].

Use your own voice and only real claims. Respect a lack of response; one brief follow-up after about a week is enough. Keep private contact details out of public project files.

Diagnose the bottleneck

• Few screens → review role fit, location constraints, clarity and evidence in the resume. Ask a person in the field to review it.
• Screens but weak technical rounds → practice coding, debugging and explaining your project under time pressure.
• Technical rounds but no offers → ask for feedback where available, rehearse product tradeoffs and improve the match to team needs.
• A small sample is noisy. Do not conclude that one rejection proves your route is wrong.