Michael Yan, Founder & CEO @ Simplify | Looking for a job?, recently shared something that caught my attention: "This month, we're seeing more than 2x the number of people job searching compared to last month." He added, "This happens every January."

If you have ever opened a job board in early January and felt like every role suddenly has a thousand applicants, you know exactly what he means. More jobs get posted, more people apply, and "suddenly every listing feels way more competitive than it did a few weeks ago."

I want to expand on Michael's point because it is both reassuring and actionable: January job searching is not just you. It is a predictable seasonal surge. And when competition spikes, small efficiency gains matter a lot.

"Job searching is already exhausting. You shouldn't have to waste energy on the wrong listings too."

Why January job searching feels like a different sport

Michael Yan is describing a pattern that shows up across industries:

New budgets open up and hiring plans reset
Teams return from holidays and restart paused searches
Candidates ramp up after year-end reflections, layoffs, or graduation timelines
Recruiters post roles that were approved but held until the new year

The result is a double surge: demand (open roles) rises, but supply (candidates) rises even faster. That is why it can feel like you are doing everything right and still seeing fewer callbacks.

The helpful mental reframe here is that January is not a verdict on your candidacy. It is a volume problem. That means you can respond with systems, not stress.

The hidden cost of "wrong listings"

When Michael says he built filters because he "hated clicking into roles that were never a fit in the first place," he is pointing at the biggest leak in most job searches: wasted attention.

Each bad click has a cost:

You spend time reading a description you cannot act on
You get pulled into optimizing a resume for a role you will not take
You burn motivation and start to dread opening job boards
You end up applying to more roles, but with lower quality

In January, that cost multiplies. Competition is higher, response times are slower, and the emotional load is heavier. So the most practical strategy is to reduce the number of "maybe" jobs you look at and increase the share of "yes" jobs you can actually pursue.

The four filters Michael Yan called out (and why they matter)

Michael listed a set of filters in Simplify that are designed to save time:

Minimum salary
Visa/H1B sponsorship
Security clearance
Non-Workday applications ("this is not a joke")

Let's break down why each one is so powerful, even if you do not use Simplify.

1) Minimum salary: stop negotiating with yourself

A minimum salary filter is more than a preference. It is boundary-setting.

In a crowded January market, it is easy to rationalize: "Maybe I'll take less to get in the door." Sometimes that is a valid choice, but it should be intentional, not a reaction to competition.

Practical tip: set a floor that reflects your real constraints (cost of living, debt, dependents, relocation). Then allow a small flexibility band if a role offers unusual upside (equity, learning, brand, mentorship). If a listing is below your floor and does not compensate elsewhere, skipping it is not being picky. It is being efficient.

2) Visa/H1B sponsorship: clarity beats hope

For candidates who need sponsorship, browsing listings that never sponsor is one of the fastest ways to burn out.

Michael's reminder is simple: filter early. In January, you cannot afford to repeatedly reach the final rounds only to discover the company cannot sponsor this year.

Practical tip: treat sponsorship like a hard requirement. If a posting is vague, look for signals (prior H1B history, global mobility language, specific immigration FAQ). If you cannot confirm, do not invest deep effort until you do.

3) Security clearance: a gate you cannot hustle through

Security clearance requirements are a binary gate for many roles in defense, federal contracting, and certain security-focused tech positions. You cannot "pass the interview" to bypass it.

Filtering these out (or filtering them in, if you already have clearance) saves enormous time. It also reduces the frustration of seeing great roles that are structurally inaccessible.

Practical tip: if you are early career and interested in cleared work, consider roles that sponsor the clearance process, but verify it is real. Many listings require an existing clearance specifically to avoid the lead time and cost.

4) Non-Workday applications: friction is a real factor

Michael joked about "Non-Workday applications (this is not a joke)," but the underlying idea is serious: application friction changes behavior.

When an application flow is long, repetitive, and error-prone, you either:

Spend more time per application and submit fewer
Rush to submit more and reduce quality

In a high-volume month like January, lowering friction can increase your throughput without destroying your energy.

Practical tip: regardless of the ATS, build an "application kit" once: a master resume, 2-3 tailored variants, a reusable project portfolio section, and a bank of short answers. Then you can move faster when the market is crowded.

A simple January system: fewer tabs, better outcomes

Michael's post is fundamentally about conserving energy for the work that matters. Here is a lightweight system that aligns with that idea.

Step 1: Define your non-negotiables

Pick 3-5 hard filters before you browse:

Location or remote requirement
Minimum salary or total comp
Sponsorship requirement
Clearance requirement
Target function and level

Write them down. If a listing fails a non-negotiable, close it.

Step 2: Build two queues: "High-fit" and "High-upside"

Not every job you apply to needs to be perfect. But you should know which bucket it is in.

High-fit: you meet most requirements, strong alignment, fast apply
High-upside: stretch role, brand name, unique team, but requires a stronger story

In January, aim for a steady base of high-fit applications so you keep momentum, then spend focused time on a smaller number of high-upside roles.

Step 3: Treat tailoring as a scalpel, not a sledgehammer

High competition does not mean you rewrite everything for every role. It means you tailor the parts recruiters actually scan:

Summary line to match the role's core theme
Top 2-3 bullets to mirror the job's must-haves
A short note (optional) connecting one project to one requirement

Step 4: Use timing to your advantage

January is busy, but it is also when "a lot of offers get made," as Michael noted. That means speed matters.

Practical timing rules:

Apply within 48-72 hours of a posting when possible
If a role is older, look for a referral or a direct recruiter contact to stand out
Follow up once, politely, with one sentence of relevance

The real takeaway from Michael Yan's post

What I appreciate about Michael's message is that it does not romanticize the grind. It acknowledges that January is harder, then offers a lever you can actually pull: reduce wasted effort.

"One small reminder that might save you some time"

In a month where applicant counts spike, your competitive edge can be operational. Better filters lead to better focus. Better focus leads to higher-quality applications. And higher-quality applications lead to more interviews, even when the market is loud.

If you are searching right now, I will echo Michael's encouragement: good luck. January can be brutal, but it is also a month where teams move quickly and hiring pipelines fill.

This blog post expands on a viral LinkedIn post by Michael Yan, Founder & CEO @ Simplify | Looking for a job?. View the original LinkedIn post →