Conducting an Efficient Job Search

By: Kandice Thorn

In the U.S., when we apply to college, we are told to look at three kinds of schools: "Dream Schools," "Match Schools," and "Safety Schools."  Dream Schools are, of course, the schools we really really want to go to, but have very little chance of getting into.  Safety Schools are those that we can be reasonably certain to  be admitted into with no problem.  Match Schools are those that are a good match for our credentials, and thus we have a reasonable chance of admission.  Students are told that they should apply to a small number of Dream Schools and at least one or two Safety Schools, but that the majority of their efforts should be focused on Match Schools.

While there are obvious differences between the college application process and the job search process, I do think there are some parallels to be drawn that may be helpful in formulating a successful job search.


The "Dream Job" is the job that EVERYONE wants: associate positions in big law firms, the United Nations, etc.  These jobs are highly competitive even among students with the best credentials.  The chance of landing one of these jobs is extremely low.  They look for students with a very specific pedigree and without that pedigree, it is nearly impossible to get a foot in the door.  

The "Match Job" is one that is well-suited to your qualifications.  For foreign students, "Match Jobs" tend to be most plentiful back in the country of origin, but can be found in the U.S. as well (the boutique firm that has strong ties to your home country, the small firm with ties to your home country's immigrant community, the public interest organization that can use your language skills, etc.).  And Match Job opportunities can be created through networking as well. 

Like with college applications, it is most efficient to focus a little bit of effort on the Dream Jobs and the bulk of your efforts on the Match Jobs.  Unfortunately, many students I meet for counseling tend to flip this: spending a lot of time focusing on the Dream Jobs (in particular, the elusive big firm job) and only a little time on the Match Jobs.

While you are in the trenches of the job search, it can be very helpful to take a step back periodically to make sure your efforts are efficiently allocated between these two types of jobs.  I suggest aiming for a 20/80 allocation: 20% of your time devoted to the Dream Job search, 80% of your time devoted to the Match Job search.  "But," you might ask, "how can I tell if a job is a Dream Job or a Match Job?"  Here are some tips:

• Look at credentials of people who hold the jobs you are applying for.  Do their credentials match yours, or are they very different?
• Do you know other people with your credentials who are applying for the same types of jobs?  How are they faring?  How many of them are getting interviews or offers?
• What do the job postings say they are looking for?  Do you meet most or all of the criteria?

Be sure to allocate your efforts efficiently and your perfect job could be just around the corner!