198: How to 'Shoot Your Shot' at your dream job (even when they aren't hiring)
About this episode
<p>Ever spotted your dream company online only to realise they aren’t advertising any roles? It can feel like there’s no way in, but what if you could <em>create your own opportunity</em>?</p><p>In this week’s episode, Sarah and Emma break down how to “shoot your shot” with a company when there isn’t a job listed. From crafting a specific, targeted pitch to finding the right person to email, we cover everything you need to know to get your name noticed.</p><p>We’ll walk through the do’s and don’ts, how to research the company and role, and the best ways to follow up so you stay on their radar. Plus, we explain when this strategy is a good idea and when it might be a long shot.</p><p><strong>Disclaimer:</strong> This is a “shoot your shot” approach. It doesn’t guarantee outcomes. You might not get a response, and that’s normal. The goal is to put yourself on the company’s radar, not to expect a job offer.</p><p>🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Grace who bought us 3 coffees!</p><p>"WOW. I’ve been manifesting writing this LOL and it’s finally my reality! I have been interviewing for NINE MONTHS and could not understand why I kept getting runner up. Well, I was starting to interview with a company I was really interested in, thought I flunked the recruiter call and then luckily got a call back for the hiring manager interview, just in time for me to come across you ladies! I binge listened while I was flying across the USA and realised… I have been interviewing backwards. I had a COMPLETE mindset shift going from guessing interview questions to focusing on my best bits. This was a complete game changer. I killed the hiring manager interview and the skip level interview (continuing to listen to episodes along the way). I just had the Team Interview left in person. On my way there I randomly decided to listen to the episode about if you have bad interviewers and while I enjoyed the people I talked with, they didn’t ask me a single question!!! Luckily I knew how to take back MY interview and sneak in my stories I knew I wanted to share. I got an email saying they wanted to offer me the role before I even got home. I’m so stoked!!! Thank you both for the time you spend helping people during a very vulnerable, stressful time. I’ve recommended the pod to everyone else I know who is interviewing - I have no doubt y’all helped me land this role."</p><p>🎥 Check out BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips <a href="https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips</a></p><p>🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy<a href="https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy</a></p><p>☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here:<a href="http://www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss</a></p><p>☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to<a href="http://www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching</a> </p><p>❤️ Follow us on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/interviewboss/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Instagram</a></p><p>📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resources</p><p><a href="https://www.interviewboss.com.au/resources" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.interviewboss.com.au</a></p>
Listen to this episode in English to learn English
Podcast episodes are one of the highest-density ways to absorb English at native pace. 198: How to 'Shoot Your Shot' at your dream job (even when they aren't hiring) from Interview Boss gives you natural dialogue, unscripted speech, and vocabulary that actually appears in real conversations.
In the Clue app, every word in the transcript is tappable. Tap an unknown word, see the translation in your language instantly, and keep listening without breaking flow.
Episodes to Learn English
- 232: The Best Resume Format for Temp and Short-Term Contract Work Jul 8, 2026
- 230: Are you missing out on opportunities by not following up? Jul 1, 2026
- 229: You've done your time in the grad job post uni. Where to next?! Jun 17, 2026
- 228: FYI: The Interview Starts Long Before the First Question! Jun 14, 2026
- 227: The Skill No One Teaches You: Job Ad Literacy Jun 3, 2026
- 226: Considering moving for a Job? How to Ask for Relocation Assistance May 20, 2026
- 225: The Biggest Mistakes People Make When Researching Companies May 14, 2026
- 224: Screen Sharing During Remote Interviews: The New Live Task Trend May 6, 2026
- 223: The Disclosure Dilemma: Neurodivergence in the Workplace May 1, 2026
- 222: 6 things we think our listeners need to hear right now! Apr 22, 2026
- 221: The Counter Offer Trap: Should You Stay or Go? Apr 16, 2026
- 220: Neurodivergence in the Job Search: Practical Tips and Accommodations - Part 2 Apr 11, 2026
- 219: To Give or Not to Give: The Post-Exit Feedback Dilemma Mar 25, 2026
- 218: How to Impress in an Internship (and Get Hired After) Mar 18, 2026
- 217: Neurodivergence and accommodations in the job search - Part 1 Mar 4, 2026
- 216: Trial Shifts: What Employers Are Really Looking For Feb 25, 2026
- 215: You Can’t Hack Your Way Into a New Job: Correlation Does NOT Equal Causation! Feb 18, 2026
- 214: Applying for Your First Manager Role: Owning your Experience (Part 2) Feb 11, 2026
- 213: Applying for Your First Manager Role: Getting the Mindset Right (Part 1) Feb 4, 2026
- 212: The Interview Horror Story that left us SPEECHLESS Jan 28, 2026
- 211: Quitting your DISASTER new job. How much do you tell them about why you're leaving? Jan 21, 2026
- 210: Why you should start tracking your 'Best Bits' before you urgently need them Jan 19, 2026
- 209: The benefits of applying for a job directly through the company website Dec 10, 2025
- 208: How to explain why you're taking a step down (convincingly!) Dec 5, 2025
- 207: Unpacking the dreaded 'weaknesses' question Nov 26, 2025
- 206: Should you bring a display folder full of achievements to your job interview? Nov 20, 2025
- 205: Should I apply if I don't have quite enough experience? Nov 12, 2025
- 204: Don't be fooled by the 'casual chat' trap Nov 5, 2025
- 203: What it means when a job ad gets reposted after you apply Oct 29, 2025
- 202: When it’s not a match: How to pivot an interview into a coffee chat Oct 22, 2025