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People also just shotgun applications, why would a company look at a unpersoanlized lazy shotgunned job application?

Based on anecdotal data, companies don’t look at any personalized resume. Much better use of your time to send your standard cover letter and resume. Just apply to positions where you are, at least, 80% match. And yes you will never find 100% match, most employers make up requirements anyways.

Good thing I never had to write more than 10 to land a job...

This is my experience too. It didn't used to be this way. I always used to research a company, tailor my CV and add a cover letter. I'd be hired within 1-3 applications.

Now? It seems a waste of time because no one responds anyway. I'm incentivised to apply to as many as possible in the hope of having a conversation with someone.

for a while I actually studied the target company, and wrote a half-page cover letter detailing why I thought what they were doing was really interesting, and how it dovetailed with my background.

those didn't come back with any more frequency than the auto-apply

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