Looking back on my journey, it’s almost hard to believe how far I’ve come. At one point, I was drowning in rejection emails, barely holding on to the hope that I’d ever land another job. But through that struggle, I stumbled upon an idea a tool that not only changed my life but has started changing the lives of others as well. This is the story of how I turned 100+ rejections into the foundation of FastApply.
The Breaking Point
It started like so many stories of frustration and desperation. In September 2023 I was laid off from my job. Those months were the hardest of my life. I worked my way to find work, applying to at least 20 jobs a day, but I only seemed to get rejected over and over again.
I remember vividly the sinking feeling of seeing another email pop into my inbox. By then I had memorized the contents of those rejection emails. I would look for the word “Unfortunately” in my eyes, as if I needed to protect myself from the rest of the email’s texts. The emotional weight was too much I felt like every rejection added another layer of my confidence down the drain.
An even heavier blow followed. Only a few months later, I lost my brother, who had been helping me financially while I searched for a new job. It seemed like my whole life had shattered at that point. Financial stress, grief and the never ending reel of rejections was suffocating me.
I was so worn out filling endless forms that I just started to slack off. I told myself that if I can less effort then the pain of rejection would hurt less. I wasn’t just looking for a job anymore, I needed hope.
The Spark of Change
One night, I was too tired to open another job portal on my screen, when an idea hit me. Why not apply my backend developer skills to make this less painful? It was repetitive, tedious, soul-draining and I had already spent hours copying and pasting the same information into countless applications. If I could automate that process, maybe I could get some relief.
I had nothing to lose so I opened up my code editor. I set up a Node.js and Selenium environment and wrote a simple script. It was crude but functional. Now I can make a CSV file of my details and preferences, save my resume in a folder, and send the LinkedIn job URL through Postman. I would have my script fill in the forms for me and apply to jobs on my behalf.
My script applied to eight jobs that night as I slept. The next morning I woke up to not one but two interview invitations in my inbox for the first time in months. It was surreal, like my prayers had been answered.
I told a few friends and they were excited but wanted to know what the tool was. They helped me to refine it and make it something that someone else could use.
Birth of FastApply
That’s how FastApply was born. I started by addressing the limitations in my initial script. My Friends who wanted to try the tool faced some challenges because it required hardcoding my LinkedIn credentials and manually accessing my local files, which wasn’t user-friendly at all. Another friend said that if I could make the tool available online and secure, they would happily pay to use it. It triggered a stronger sense of purpose in me.
The problem wasn’t about my job search anymore; it was about solving a shared problem. I imagined a tool that would relieve the stress of job seekers worldwide.
I started brainstorming. I needed a user-friendly interface, a secure database, and a way to avoid the need for direct login credentials. I tried a few different approaches and finally settled on using the Google Chrome API. I developed an Extension that can use an already logged-in browser session to simulate human behaviors and surely apply to jobs on their behalf. Now, the tool was ready.
I reached out to the same friend who suggested I make it dynamic, to try it out. He used it and applied to lots of jobs without a hitch. Three days later, he sent me a DM with some screenshots of interview invitations. That was one of the best moments in the entire journey, seeing him land three interviews within a few days. This feedback helped me to keep improving FastApply.
The Human Side of Automation
What started as a tool quickly became a source of hope, not just for me but for others as well. FastApply wasn’t just about automating job applications, it was about taking the emotional weight job seekers carry off their shoulders.
I started receiving messages from users who were feeling helpless and then got interview invites that boosted their confidence. They told me how they didn’t have to dread checking their inboxes or spending hours filling out the same forms over and over again.
Another user told us how FastApply helped them land their dream job after months of not hearing back from recruiters. I had another thank me for creating something that allowed them to spend more time with their family, rather than being glued to job boards all day, because they could literally just set their preference and hit start applying and let the AI do all the job. These stories remind me that every automated application has a dream, a hope, and a person who just wants a chance.
Beyond the Algorithm
FastApply’s success comes from listening to real job seekers and addressing their pain points. Each feature is built with them in mind. For instance, I implemented an advanced AI algorithm that analyzes resumes and intelligently fills in application fields, solving the problem of incomplete or mismatched information after I received some feedback that the tool was missing out on filling some fields that were not explicitly entered during onboarding.
The personal touch is what makes FastApply different. It’s not a bot; it’s a tool built with empathy. Users in our growing community share tips, provide feedback and celebrate each other’s wins. It’s not just about applying to jobs, it’s about building a support system for those on the journey of job searching.
Looking Forward
My vision for FastApply goes beyond automating applications. I want to democratize the job search process, making it less daunting and more accessible for everyone. Soon, I’ll be launching automation features for platforms like Indeed, Glassdoor, and even cold emailing. The goal of these updates is to make the job search process even more efficient.
From personal perspective I can say that this journey has taught me resilience, innovation, and that there is power in community. To anyone still facing the sting of rejection, I want you to know this: it’s not the end. Rejections don’t define your worth and sometimes the hardest moments can be your most unexpected opportunities.
FastApply was a solution to my struggles, but it became something bigger a lifeline for others. We are transforming rejection into opportunity, and dreams into flights.
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