Good stuff here, Tim — I too went through a rather lengthy process this last time around and several “perfect” opportunities went to others.

My bit of advice? Don’t listen to those would tell you the perfect time or method for applying to a job. We all “know” that hitting the “don’t see what you’re looking for? Apply here” button is akin to taking your resume outside and lighting it on fire in street. Had a round of 3 interviews at one company after hitting that button on a Saturday afternoon and getting a response within 20 minutes.

The simple fact is that every single resume you send out or phone call you make is simply a message in a bottle that may or may not get picked up on a lonely beach somewhere. Unless you are the “person I’ve worked with before” or somehow corral the CEO in the elevator on a surprisingly good day there is a tremendous amount of luck tied to getting that call.