I started waking up at 5 a.m. to apply for jobs. It helped me land a tech role after a yearlong search.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Preeti Ladwa, a 30-year-old platform manager who lives in New Jersey. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I graduated with a master's in information systems in May 2023, and spent the rest of the year applying to dozens of jobs. After about 30 interviews, I still hadn't received an offer.

In January 2024, I decided to try something different: I began waking up at 5 a.m. every weekday, and after getting some coffee and taking my dog for a walk, I applied to jobs from about 6 a.m. to 10 or 11 a.m., focusing on roles that had been posted in the last 24 hours. I spent the rest of my days networking, attending events, and researching companies to see how my skills might align with their work.

This strategy worked wonders for me. From January to May, after I became more selective in my job search, I submitted seven applications and landed three interviews. On one occasion, I applied for a job at around 7 a.m. and got an interview request two hours later. The role I ultimately landed — a technical projects manager position at the American Association for Cancer Research — was one I applied for during my usual morning window. I believe my strategy didn't just improve my visibility — it helped me get hired.

I accepted the offer in May, and about four months later, I was promoted to platform manager, with my salary increasing into the six-figure range.

Applying early helped me get noticed by recruiters

My job search strategy was partly an experiment, but it was also shaped by conversations I had with recruiters.

I learned that timing can play a big role in whether your application gets seen. When a job posting attracts a lot of applicants, hiring teams may review the first batch of submissions and pause to evaluate those before looking at newer ones. If they find strong candidates early, they might not go back. That's why I decided to start applying to jobs soon after they were posted.

But I decided to take it a step further. I figured that if recruiters start reviewing applications around 8 or 9 a.m. when they log on for the day, then applying early in the morning could help me land at the top of the applicant list — right where they might be looking first. I didn't want my résumé to get buried under hundreds of others, so I started waking up early to apply to the newest job postings.

I focused on roles that had been posted within the past 24 hours, whether they went up that morning or the night before, but always applied during my 6 to 11 a.m. window. The only exception was if I had a strong referral, in which case I'd sometimes apply even if the posting was older.

Visa needs shaped the employers I chased

I first started exploring job opportunities in January 2023 while I was finishing up my master's degree at Pace University. However, most companies I interviewed with said they needed someone who could start immediately.

This was a problem for me because I had moved to the US from India in 2021, and like many international students, couldn't begin working full time until I received my employment authorization. Once I received my authorization in July, I began applying more seriously.

As my search continued, I realized I needed to be highly strategic. The large tech companies and startups I applied to were subject to the H-1B visa lottery, and many had limited sponsorship opportunities for candidates who required a visa. However, I learned that some nonprofit organizations — including some universities and research institutions — are H-1B cap exempt, which means they can sponsor international applicants at any time of year without going through the lottery.

That was a game changer. I had overlooked nonprofits at first, but I soon realized they had real IT needs and could have far less competition than other tech roles. I noticed some nonprofit job postings had fewer than 30 applicants on LinkedIn — compared to hundreds for similar roles in the private sector — which made me feel like I had a better shot. So I decided to focus on nonprofit opportunities.

Cover letters could be more helpful than referrals

In addition to waking up early to apply, I only applied for roles where I met at least 80% of the qualifications listed in the posting. I used the same résumé for every application, which was about a page and a half long.

While I pursued employee referrals early in my search, they didn't lead to interviews unless my experience was a strong match. What I think made a bigger difference was submitting a cover letter. I was also volunteering at a nonprofit during my search, and I made sure to leverage that experience in my applications. It helped me show that I understood the space and was already contributing in a meaningful way.

I didn't have any income during my job search. I had saved money from my on-campus job, and my fiancé — who had started working — supported me and our dog. I'm so grateful for that support.

After months of experimenting, refining my approach, and waking up early, I finally found a strategy that worked.