Recruiting via BFS vs DFS

Breadth first search focuses on examining one level of data at a time, while depth first search exhaustively investigates one line of inquiry to completion before moving on. Be sure to understand which will work best for you because these algorithms excel at different types of problems.

Most people approach recruiting with a bread first search approach. First, they apply to as many jobs as possible. Then, they try to figure out whether any are moving forward in a structured process.

But in unstructured recruiting, a depth first search approach is likely to be more effective. Not only do you need to convince an employer that you are the single best person for the job, but you also need to convince the company to hire someone in the first place. Choose your targets carefully because you can't chase them all.