Questions Job Seekers Are Actually Asking Right Now

Real questions from real people

Career advice content tends to answer questions nobody actually asked. "How to leverage synergies in your professional narrative." Nobody woke up wondering about that.

Meanwhile, in job search communities, people are asking questions that are practical, specific, and sometimes a little desperate. These are the questions that come up over and over — the things people genuinely need answers to when they're in the middle of a search. We've collected the most common ones and given them the straightforward answers they deserve.

"Should I apply if I only meet 60% of the requirements?"

Yes. Apply.

This question comes up constantly, and the answer is almost always the same. Job postings list ideal requirements, not minimum requirements. Hiring managers frequently interview and hire candidates who don't check every box, especially when those candidates demonstrate the right aptitude and enthusiasm.

The commonly cited threshold is 60-70% of the listed requirements. If you're there, you're likely qualified enough to be considered. If you're below 50%, the role might be a stretch. But the only way to know for sure is to apply — the worst outcome is a rejection you never hear about.

The bigger risk is self-selecting out of roles you could have landed. Multiple hiring managers in online discussions have shared that their best hires didn't meet all the listed requirements. The posting is a wish list, not a checklist.

"Is it okay to apply to the same company twice?"

Generally, yes — especially if it's a different role or if a few months have passed. Companies receive thousands of applications. Unless you made a memorably negative impression, the recruiter for your second application probably isn't the same person who reviewed your first one, and they likely wouldn't remember anyway.

Where it gets more nuanced: if you were interviewed and rejected for a specific reason (lacking a required certification, for example), reapplying for the same role two weeks later without addressing that gap won't produce a different result. But applying for a different role, or reapplying after gaining new experience? Absolutely fair game.

"How long should I wait before following up?"

After submitting an application: one to two weeks, if the posting is still up and you haven't heard anything. After an interview: within 24 hours for a thank-you email, and one week after their stated timeline if you haven't received a decision.

The community consensus on follow-ups is that one well-written follow-up is professional and appreciated. Two is the maximum before you risk seeming pushy. More than that, and you're doing more harm than good.

If they gave you a specific timeline ("we'll get back to you by Friday"), respect that timeline and follow up the following Monday or Tuesday if you haven't heard. If they didn't give a timeline, asking for one is perfectly fine. Our follow-up email templates have language you can adapt for different situations.

"Do I need a cover letter if the application says 'optional'?"

"Optional" in hiring is complicated. For some companies, it truly means they won't look at it. For others, "optional" is a soft test — they want to see who goes the extra mile.

The practical approach: if you're applying to fewer than 10 jobs per week and can write a tailored cover letter without losing your mind, include one. It's rarely going to hurt you, and for certain roles and companies, it gives you an edge. If you're applying at higher volume and tailoring resumes already, prioritize the resume and skip the cover letter for roles where it's clearly optional.

The key word is "tailored." A generic cover letter you paste into every application does more harm than good. If you're going to write one, make it specific to the role and company. If you can't do that, your time is better spent elsewhere.

"Should I include my GPA on my resume?"

If you graduated within the last two years and your GPA is above 3.5, sure. Beyond that, it's taking up space that could be used for something more relevant. Once you have professional experience, nobody cares about your college GPA.

The exception: certain industries (finance, consulting, some engineering fields) where GPA is used as a screening criterion at the entry level. If you're applying to those fields and you're a recent graduate, include it. Otherwise, drop it and use the space for actual work accomplishments.

"Is it bad to have gaps in my resume?"

No. Not in 2026. The stigma around resume gaps has decreased significantly, partly because millions of people experienced employment gaps during recent years and partly because hiring attitudes are genuinely evolving.

That said, you should be prepared to address gaps if asked. The best approach is straightforward honesty without over-explaining. "I took time off to care for a family member and I'm excited to return to work" is a complete answer. You don't owe anyone a detailed justification for a period of unemployment.

If you used the time productively — freelance work, courses, volunteer projects — mention those. Not because a gap needs to be "justified," but because it demonstrates initiative and gives the interviewer something positive to talk about. Our article on explaining career transitions in interviews covers this in more detail.

"How do I handle being asked about salary expectations?"

This question generates more anxiety than almost any other in job search communities. The fear is that naming a number too early will either price you out of consideration or lock you into a lower salary than the company would have offered.

The approach that works best, based on both community experience and hiring industry advice: try to get the company to share their range first. "I'm flexible on compensation and want to make sure we're in the same ballpark — could you share the budgeted range for this role?" works in many situations.

If they push back and you need to give a number, research the market rate on sites like Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, or Payscale, and give a range rather than a single number. "Based on my research and experience, I'd be looking for something in the $85,000 to $95,000 range" is a professional answer that leaves room for negotiation.

"Should I use LinkedIn Easy Apply?"

It depends on the role. Easy Apply is convenient, but that convenience means more people apply, which means more competition per opening. For roles where you'd be one of hundreds of generic applicants, the time savings might not offset the lower odds.

For roles where you're a strong match and the application is genuinely straightforward, Easy Apply is fine. But for roles you really want, consider applying directly through the company's careers page. It often gives you more control over your application materials, and some companies prioritize direct applications over aggregator submissions. We covered the pros and cons of LinkedIn Easy Apply in depth if you want the full analysis.

The questions underneath the questions

Most of these questions share a common thread: uncertainty. Job seekers are making dozens of micro-decisions every day — what to include, what to skip, when to follow up, when to move on — and there's very little feedback to tell them whether those decisions are helping or hurting.

That's the fundamental challenge of job searching. You're operating with incomplete information in a system that doesn't give you data back. The best you can do is make informed decisions based on how hiring actually works, stay consistent, and not let the uncertainty paralyze you.

If you have a question we didn't cover here, chances are someone in the job search community has asked it too. And if the answers you're finding feel contradictory — that's because they often are. Context matters more than rules.