[cl42]

Really big thought/strategy: try to avoid talking to HR, and find the hiring manager instead.

HR is a filter for applicants. They want to make the process easy and low-risk for the company, which is a critical part of the role... But the hiring manager needs to want you badly, to hire you... If the hiring manager is saying, "Hire rafiki6 at any cost, JUST DO IT" then HR will help you.

... but HR teams rarely go out of their way to promote a candidate aggressively to a hiring manager.

[rafiki6]

I do when I can. It's not easy to find the hiring manager for every role posted unless the hiring manager promotes the role themselves.