Yea I understand that a lot of hiring is based on formalism rather than ability. It's why I try to get my resume in front of devs or technical people higher up

Yea I understand that a lot of hiring is based on formalism rather than ability. It's why I try to get my resume in front of devs or technical people higher up in a company. I will add a personal statement, what you've said makes sense. Perhaps then it doesn't make much sense to apply through job portals unless they are also looking for someone with chemistry knowledge? I'm wondering if my time can be spent in a wiser manner. I've done a lot of LinkedIn messaging through adding connections, but I should probably just get premium for direct messages at this point...