> But because I take some care in selecting who I talk to in the first place to make sure we're a match before even getting that far. My strategy and success r

> But because I take some care in selecting who I talk to in the first place to make sure we're a match before even getting that far. My strategy and success rates are similar to yours, but I don't think that identifying good matches really explains all of the high response rate. The other piece of the puzzle is that when you go through this process you necessarily do a lot of work learning about the company/position and tailoring your application, and that work shows itself in your application package and your interview. You will stand out from the crowd of people who shotgunned a generic resume and cover letter.