🚀 How To Get Interviews Without Applying

Hello there 😎 

I just got back from Denver, where my friend got married at Red Rocks. It was a stunning wedding.

It was also the first solo holiday Amy and I have been on in 3 years 😯 We had a great time.

On the flight back, I logged into an app and my friend had sent me a DM:

After 11 years in corporate, she's desperate to get out and find something new. But she's hitting the same wall everyone else is:

She's not wrong.

The traditional application process is harder than ever.

You have to find hiring signals. And you can’t rely on referral theater anymore.

But then she said something that stuck with me:

"I don't even care about the title or comp anymore. I just want out. So if chasing them down personally won't hurt my chances, I'll stalk like the best of them.”

That's the right energy…

But “stalking” without the right strategy is basically just annoying people.

Here's what I told her (and what I'm going to show you):

So they want to chase you instead.

Here's what you'll learn today:

• How to research companies like you're already on the team

• The exact framework for creating pitch decks that get responses

• Step-by-step AI workflows to build professional presentations in minutes

• How to get your work in front of decision makers (without being annoying)

...and more!

But first, let's look at some open roles I'm excited about.

🎯 Why Most Job Seekers Never Get Noticed

Here's the problem with traditional job applications: everyone sounds the same.

• "Results-driven professional with proven track record..."

• "Passionate about driving growth through innovative solutions..."

• "Experienced leader with strong analytical skills..."

Hiring managers read hundreds of these. They all blur together.

But when someone shows up with actual work that solves your actual problems? That gets attention.

💡 That’s the Power of Pitching Instead of Applying

I’m resharing a few examples from my career where this approach opened doors that traditional applications never could:

Example 1: Repurposing content for an MMA writer

Example 2: Marketing execution for a coach

Example 3: Research for a NYT bestselling author

The pattern? No permission, no invoice, no worrying about someone "stealing the idea."

This works because the fastest way to get hired is to Show, Not Tell.

🧠 My Favorite Tactic: The 5-7 Slide Pitch Deck

Here's the approach that's worked best for me and my clients:

Create a simple deck that tells a company: "I understand your challenges. Here's how I'd solve them."

My biggest problem with this tactic? Execution.

These decks took forever to build.

They looked like a toddler with a crayon designed them.

Who was too lazy to use spell check.

🙈

But now, there's a better way using AI tools.

And I'm going to walk you through the full 5-step process so you can pitch instead of just applying.

🎯 Step 1: Research Target Companies (Know Where You Want to Go)

Before you build any deck, you need to know exactly who you're pitching and what keeps them up at night.

Most people skip this step and create generic pitches that could apply to any company. That's why they get ignored.

Here's the thing: the best pitches feel like they were written specifically for that company's exact situation. To do that, you need to understand their world better than most of their employees do.

🔍 How to Research Companies Like a Detective

✍️ Use this prompt in Perplexity to find your ideal company:

👉 Then use this research framework to dig deeper:

Example research deep-dive: Let's say you're targeting Notion for a growth marketing role:

1. Company context: Series C, $10B valuation, 30M+ users, expanding enterprise

2. Recent challenges: Scaling from prosumer to enterprise buyers, increasing competition from incumbents (Google, Microsoft, etc.)

3. Leadership focus: CEO posts about AI integration and improving enterprise adoption rates

4. Product direction: New AI features, workflow automation, team collaboration tools

5. Growth bottlenecks: User activation, converting free users to paid, enterprise sales cycle

👉 Do this for 10 target companies and find patterns:

✍️ Then upload to ChatGPT and use this prompt to find patterns:

📋 Step 2: Outline Your Pitch Deck Structure

Now you know their challenges.

Next, you need to organize your solution into a story that makes sense.

Most people jump straight into building slides and end up with a confusing mess. The secret is nailing your structure first.

🧠 The 5-Slide Framework That Works

Here's the structure I like to use:

Slide 1: The Hook (Their Biggest Pain Point). Start with the challenge that keeps them up at night. Make it specific to their situation.

Slide 2: Why This Problem Matters (Stakes & Context). Show you understand the bigger picture and business impact.

Slide 3: Your Solution Framework (How You'd Approach It). Present your methodology, not just tactics. Show strategic thinking. The key here is they can follow the recommendations, even if you’re not the one executing it.

Slide 4: Expected Outcomes (What Success Looks Like). Include specific, measurable results they could expect.

Slide 5: Next Steps (How to Move Forward ). Simple, clear call-to-action.

📝 Example Outline for a Growth Marketing Role at Notion

Let me show you how this looks with real content:

Slide 1 - Hook:

"Enterprise user activation has plateaued at 23% while competitors like Monday.com are seeing 40%+ activation rates"

Slide 2 - Context:

"The challenge: Enterprise buyers have different onboarding needs than prosumers, but Notion's activation flow treats them the same. This creates a leaky funnel that gets more expensive to fill as competition increases."

Slide 3 - Solution:

"Three-phase approach: 1) Segment enterprise users at signup, 2) Create role-based onboarding flows, 3) Implement progressive activation milestones with targeted interventions"

Slide 4 - Outcomes:

"Expected impact: 35% activation rate for enterprise users, 15% faster time-to-value, 25% improvement in 90-day retention"

Slide 5 - Next Steps:

"If it makes sense, I’d love to go deeper on a detailed implementation plan. Would that work for you?”

👉 Do this:

✍️ Then use Claude to refine your outline:

🔧 Step 3: Build Your Deck in Gamma

Gamma turns your ideas into professional presentations in minutes, not hours.

✍️ Use this approach:

Sign up for a free Gamma account and choose a professional template (avoid the flashy ones). Then use this prompt:

👉 Do this:

Structure your deck with this proven format:

• Slide 1: Hook (their biggest challenge)

• Slide 2: Your understanding of their problem

• Slide 3: Your proposed solution

• Slide 4: Expected outcomes/metrics

• Slide 5: Next steps

Keep the deck simple. Your goal isn't to solve everything.

Plus, by keeping it to a simple presentation, you should be able to create the deck using your free Gamma credits.

And here’s the real kicker: your recommendations don’t even need to be “right.” Chances are, they’ve already tried implementing your recommendations.

The plan within the plan is to prove that you understand their world and can think strategically about their challenges.

📢 Enjoying Remote LifeOS?

If you are, consider sharing this with a friend who could use help landing their next role.

As a thank you, I’ll send you my Ultimate Guide to AI Tools for Job Searching.

I spent 20 hours testing, iterating, refining, and editing this guide. You’re gonna dig it.

Just use your referral code below 👇

🎥 Step 4: Record a Loom Walkthrough

A deck alone is good. A deck with a personal video walkthrough is magic.

Here's the process:

Open your finished deck, start a new Loom recording (screen + camera), and record a 60-90 second walkthrough hitting these points:

👉 Use this script:

Why video works: It shows your communication style, adds personality, and demonstrates confidence in your ideas.

Technically optional but highly recommended.

✨ Step 5: Save as Template and Scale

Once you nail the format, you can customize for new companies in under 30 minutes.

The scaling strategy:

1. Create your master template with placeholders for company-specific details

2. Research 3-5 target companies and identify their main challenges

3. Customize the template for each company (change data, examples, metrics). You can use ChatGPT for this or do it right in Gamma

4. Record personalized Loom videos for each version

5. Send with personalized context about why you created it

👉 Do this:

🎨 What Makes a Compelling Pitch

Not all pitches are created equal. Here's what separates good ones from great ones:

✅ Good pitches:

• Reference real company data or public challenges

• Propose specific, actionable solutions

• Show understanding of their business model

• Include realistic timelines and metrics

❌ Weak pitches:

• Generic advice that could apply to any company

• Solutions without understanding the problem

• Overly complex frameworks that confuse instead of clarify

• Asking for jobs instead of offering value

In a nutshell: Your pitch should feel like the beginning of a consulting engagement, not a job application.

🎯 Your Action Plan for This Week

You could reasonably produce your first deck in one week without adding too much to your plate. Here’s what that week long plan would look like:

• Monday: Pick one company where you genuinely want to work

• Tuesday: Research their biggest challenges using their blog, LinkedIn posts, and recent news

• Wednesday: Create your 5-slide pitch deck in Gamma

• Thursday: Record your Loom walkthrough

• Friday: Send it with a brief, personalized message

One company. One week. One compelling pitch.

This tactic works best for:

• Startups and growth companies (more open to creative approaches)

• Roles where you can demonstrate immediate value (marketing, product, sales)

• Companies that prioritize problem-solving over credentials

It's less effective for:

• Large corporations with rigid HR processes

• Highly regulated industries

• Roles requiring specific certifications

Also, this isn't about working for free. It's about demonstrating competence in a way that creates professional relationships and opportunities.

💫 The Bottom Line

The tools now exist to create professional, compelling pitches in minutes instead of hours.

While everyone else is optimizing their resumes…

You can solve real problems for companies you want to work for.

I love meeting new people. Say hi on LinkedIn 👋

🤝 When you’re ready, here are 2 ways I can help you with remote work:

That’s a wrap. See you next week 👋