Should you call an employer instead of applying when there is no suitable job posted?
Yes. If an employer you admire is hiring but has nothing that fits you well, calling usually beats firing off an application for a role you only half-match. If the advert lists a phone number, call, introduce yourself briefly, say you are interested, and ask whether they run a candidate or talent pool and how to be considered in future. Recruiters remember the people who call far better than another mismatched application. No phone number means you cannot call — but where there is one, two minutes can surface a talent pool, an introduction, or at least useful information.
This is aimed especially at entry-level job seekers, but it is good advice for everybody.
Say an employer you find attractive is hiring — but they have nothing that suits you well, or nothing interesting enough. The reflex is to send your CV anyway, even though you are too junior, or only a 50% match. Do something else instead.
Yes, you have guessed it: if there is a phone number in the job advert, call them. Introduce yourself briefly, tell them you are interested in working for them, and ask whether they have a candidate pool — or what else you can do to be considered in the future.
Almost nobody does this. Which is exactly why it works. I always remembered the people who called me far better than any random application that was not a good match. I am certain most recruiters are the same. So few people call that calling makes you memorable. And if you are too shy to pick up the phone, how are you planning to get through an interview?
That is what real connection is about. Stop talking to your AI and speak with a human being instead.
“But what if there is no phone number?”
A fair question I get often. It is true that phone numbers are becoming less common in job adverts. If there is not one, then you cannot call — that part is simple.
But where there is a number, whoever answers should be able to give you some kind of information about a talent pool, or put you in touch with someone who knows. You can only try. You will not always succeed, of course. On the other hand, it is a few minutes invested that may at least give you valuable information. And if it does not work out, at least you tried.
The uncomfortable truth is that finding a job is a job. Nobody really enjoys it, myself included, but it can be genuinely hard work — and the people who do the slightly awkward, slightly braver thing tend to get remembered.
One related point on your CV
While we are here: you usually do not need to put your full postal address on your CV. But you should indicate at least where you are currently based — city and country. It matters more than people think for how a recruiter reads your fit for a role.
Over the years I had many good conversations with candidates simply because they called, instead of pushing an application through for a job that was never a good fit for them. Be one of them.
© 3 December 2025 Andreas Schulz. All rights reserved.
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