From Overwhelmed to In Control: Riley’s Job Search with Applica
Meet Riley
After 10 years at a HRIS and payroll company (7+ in engineering, ~3 in operations/HRIS), Riley was laid off and decided to pivot away from development and toward people-and-operations roles. It was his first time on the market in a decade and he had a new target role with a tight timeline.
“I was terrified at first. On my own I could only get four to six applications a day. That speed was not going to cut it.”
The Challenges Riley faced:
Career pivot risk: Product roles were skewing senior, and Riley’s resume did not fully match those requirements.
Volume vs focus: Early efforts went broad and included many senior product positions that were misaligned.
Signal tracking: Responses and next steps were getting buried in email.
Why Applica?
Riley paired his targeted applications with Applica’s App Booster service.
“It felt like I cloned myself. I would wake up and see applications already out the door. Even on sick days, I was still moving forward.”
What Applica changed for Riley:
Throughput: ~250+ applications submitted by Applica while Riley applied on his own.
Learning loop: Seeing what Applica applied to revealed market patterns and helped Riley refine target roles.
Confidence: Daily momentum without burning out.
The Aha Moment: Refining his Target
Early on, Riley aimed at a product management role. As he reviewed job postings and job application feedback from Applica, a clearer match emerged: HRIS and Business Analyst roles, including Associate and Technical PM flavors.
“A single insight shifted everything. Adding ‘HRIS’ as a keyword unlocked a whole lane of roles that fit 70% of my background.”
Riley’s favorite Applica feature is the kanban-style Interview Tracker
“10 out of 10. I changed a status to ‘Interviewing’ and it appeared right where I needed it. It let me see progress at a glance and trust the process.”
Riley’s Results
Applications: ~250+ via Applica
Interviews: Multiple interviews in processes, including a close final-round decision
Would Riley Use Applica Again?
“Yes, in a heartbeat. This is the best route to secure a job as fast as possible. I haven’t found anything else like it.”
He’s rebooting his Applica run with a tighter focus on Business Analyst and HRIS roles, including leadership paths.
If you’re navigating a pivot like Riley, Applica can multiply your output and help you find the lane where you actually fit.
Ready to move faster with less stress? Start free, then add App Boost when you want us applying for you.