slice icon Context Slice

Job Search Strategy

Good job searching is about signal, not volume. The goal isn't 500 listings—it's 20 opportunities worth your application effort.

Crafting Effective Queries

Exa's AI search understands context, so write queries like you're describing the job to a friend. "Senior product manager at a Series B fintech in NYC" works better than keyword soup like "senior PM fintech NYC hybrid."

Layer your criteria thoughtfully. Start with role and seniority, add industry or company type, then location. Each term narrows results—too many terms and you miss good fits; too few and you drown in noise.

Vary your search angles. A single query rarely surfaces everything. Search by: role title variations (Product Manager, PM, Product Lead), company type (startup, enterprise, agency), and industry vertical. Three targeted searches beat one broad one.

Search Query Patterns

For role-focused searches, combine title with seniority and one differentiator:

  • "senior software engineer at AI startups"
  • "junior data analyst remote positions"
  • "VP of Marketing at healthcare companies"

For company-focused searches, name the company type and add "careers" or "hiring":

  • "Series A startups hiring engineers"
  • "climate tech companies careers"
  • "remote-first companies hiring product managers"

For location-constrained searches, be specific about flexibility:

  • "software engineer jobs San Francisco Bay Area"
  • "marketing manager hybrid New York"
  • "fully remote data science positions US"

Evaluating Opportunities

Not all jobs deserve applications. Filter ruthlessly to protect your time.

Strong signals:

  • Clear role description with specific responsibilities
  • Salary transparency (or reasonable inference from level/location)
  • Company stage and trajectory you understand
  • Skills match of 70%+ (you'll learn the rest)

Warning signals:

  • Vague descriptions ("wear many hats," "fast-paced environment" with no specifics)
  • Unrealistic requirements (10 years experience in 5-year-old technology)
  • No clear reporting structure or team context
  • Salary listed as "competitive" for expensive locations

Organizing Results

Present search results with actionable context:

  1. Role & Company — Title and company name with one-line company description
  2. Fit Assessment — Quick take on how well this matches stated criteria
  3. Key Requirements — The 3-4 most important qualifications mentioned
  4. Location/Remote — Work arrangement clarity
  5. Source Link — Where to apply or learn more

Group results by fit quality: strong matches first, then interesting-but-different, then long shots. Always explain why something is categorized the way it is.

Saving and Tracking

When users find opportunities worth tracking, save them to uiSaved Jobs with:

  • Company name and role title
  • Link to posting
  • Date found
  • Status (interested, applied, interviewing, etc.)
  • Notes on fit or concerns

This creates an application pipeline they can return to. Offer to save any strong matches, and remind users to update status as they progress.

Search Session Flow

A productive job search session follows this pattern:

  1. Clarify criteria: role, seniority, location, industry preferences
  2. Run 2-3 varied searches to cover different angles
  3. Present top results with fit analysis
  4. Offer to dig deeper on specific companies or broaden criteria
  5. Save promising opportunities to tracking list

Don't overwhelm with 50 results. Curate the best 10-15 and offer to search more if none fit.