Why recruiters ghost you — and the moves that get the callback

Why it happens: 100–200 applicants per role, an ATS filters before a human looks, generic resumes, cold applications with no referral, and no follow-up. The fixes:

1. Tailor the resume to each job’s keywords (get past the ATS).
2. Get a referral — message someone at the company on LinkedIn and ask for advice, not a job.
3. Apply within 48 hours of a posting.
4. Send one short, polite follow-up a few days later. Follow-up template: “Hi [name], I applied for [role] on [date] and wanted to reiterate my interest — I [one specific relevant thing]. Happy to share more. Thanks for your time.”