Should I apply for that dream developer job even if they’re not hiring?

Photo credit: Bloomberg

Regardless of our age, the concept of a dream job never truly leaves us. Whether it’s troubleshooting bugs for a giant like Google or developing software for the next unicorn startup, we always have that one thing we’ve always wanted to do. However, realizing that dream of becoming a rockstar developer isn’t that simple.

More often than not, the companies that we absolutely, truly, and hopefully want to work for are—sigh—not hiring. They are notably absent from online job portals. Their websites are barren of any job openings. For all intents and purposes, they are closed to any new applicants. Or at least, that’s what it seems.

So should you settle for a deadbeat 60-hour IT job at a firm you don’t believe in?

No!

Even if your dream company isn’t advertising any new openings for developers or software engineers, you should still send in your resume. The pros severely outweigh any cons you might think of.

Apply anyway

In fact, here’s the biggest reason why you should still apply: there’s absolutely nothing to lose.

The worst that can happen is a rejection letter that confirms a theory you already have—that they’re not hiring at the moment. You just wanted to ask if they had an opening, anyway. A “no” is just a “no.” There are other companies. They can’t chastise you or ruin your reputation for taking initiative. At the very least, you’ve already got one foot in the door. And that’s what matters.

It’s also very likely that the company is still open to new applicants despite their absence on online job portals.

In a Quora thread, recruiter Stefan Lilienkamp states that “companies are always looking for great people even if they are not officially hiring or even (believe it or not) if they are in a phase of headcount reduction.” Companies will never say no to a great employee.

In fact, only 25.1 percent of software developers today have been hired from online job listings. Most companies today value real, personal relationships in the hiring process. Rather than relying on the internet like waiting for fish to bite on a pole, hiring managers would rather approach potential candidates directly for a job application. There is no reason why you shouldn’t contact them directly as well.

Conversely, only 13.1 percent of developers are actively looking for a job. That includes you. While others are passively waiting for opportunities (or not looking at all), you already have an edge by contacting employers directly.

Even if they really don’t have any job openings at the moment, you’ve already placed your resume in for consideration for when they do need new applicants. By contacting them directly, you’re already ahead of the hundreds of applications they’ll potentially receive when they open their doors for applicants.

It also places you in a very positive light as a jobseeker.

What else can you say besides “give me a job?”