The Job Is Still Open. The Recruiter Is Not.
How to apply for a job when the company has no recruiters left, and reach the hiring manager directly.
Uber cut 23% of its People team this week.
HR, recruiters, talent acquisition, all of it. But the listings are still up.
Over 800 of them. That gap tells you how hiring actually works now, and most candidates are still playing the old game.
Three things happen when a company guts recruiting but keeps hiring:
Your application sits longer
Fewer people read the pile, so response times stretch from days to weeks.
More of the first pass goes automated
With fewer humans, the filter leans harder on keyword matching.
Referrals jump the line
A hiring manager with no recruiter support takes the warm intro over the cold pile every time.
So the move is to stop writing a better application for a recruiter who is no longer there.
Route around the funnel, not through it
Weak. You apply through the portal and wait. Your note, if you send one, reads like this:
“Hi, I applied for the Operations Manager role and wanted to express my strong interest. I believe my background makes me a great fit.”
Strong. You find the hiring manager and send something they can act on in ten seconds:
“Saw you’re hiring an Ops Manager. I ran a 12-person logistics team at Company XYZ and cut delivery times 20%. Applied through the portal, but wanted to reach you directly in case it helps. Happy to share more.”
The first one asks them to do work. The second hands them a reason to reply.
With fewer humans on the first pass, the keyword filter does more of the screening before any person sees you.
So before you send anything, make sure your resume actually matches the listing. You can check it in two minutes right here.
A few versions depending on where you are:
No hiring manager name yet?
Message someone one level above the role. They forward good people down.
Applied weeks ago?
Send the direct note now. “Following up” beats “still waiting.”
No metric to show?
Lead with a specific problem you solved, even a small one. Concrete beats polished.
One rule.
Never send a note that only says “you are interested.”
Interest is not information. Give them something to act on.
What to do tonight
Pick three roles you actually want.
Find one real person on each team.
Write one direct note each.
If you can name a problem you solved, put it in the note and send it.
If all you can say is that you are interested, rewrite it first.
The recruiter who would have read your application is gone. The hiring manager is still there tonight.
If you want me to sharpen your note, hit reply. I read every one. Paid subscribers get priority.
Related read:
If They Humiliate You In Hiring, Believe Them, the red flags inside the interview itself
The Layoff Prep Mistake Nobody Talks About, what to do before you ever need to land one of these notes
The Boring Career Coach