Stop applying blindly.
Before you write a single cover letter, score the job. Rate it 1–5 on the five factors that actually predict whether a role is worth your time — the same five dimensions PursuitRoom scores automatically — and read the verdict. Adjust the sliders to match the posting in front of you.
Skip or park it
Weak fit — your hours are better spent on higher-fit roles.
One more check that stands apart from preference: résumé fit — how well your experience maps to the must-haves. A role can be a great preference match and still be a reach, so keep that as its own read.
How to read your score
Average the five dimensions. 4.0 or higher — apply this week and put real effort into it. 3.5–3.9 — apply only if it's low-effort. Under 3.5 — skip or park it, however exciting the company logo looks. The point isn't to apply to more jobs; it's to apply to better-fit jobs and give each one real follow-through.
Watch for red flags that override a good score
- No compensation and no way to infer it, where a range is normally disclosed.
- Reposted repeatedly over months — the classic ghost-job pattern.
- Vague responsibilities paired with an urgent tone.
- A duplicate of a role you already logged on another board.
Scoring five jobs by hand is easy; scoring fifty is where it breaks down. That's what PursuitRoom automates — it sources openings from across the major boards and company career pages, dedupes them, and scores every one on these five dimensions plus a résumé-fit score, each with a one-line reason. You start from a ranked shortlist instead of a raw feed. For the full method, read how to know if a job is worth applying to.