The classical browse job offers, send resume, get an invitation to an interview, get the job does not work anymore. Optimizing for the best cover letter, great

The classical browse job offers, send resume, get an invitation to an interview, get the job does not work anymore. Optimizing for the best cover letter, great resume, or tricky interview questions is a cargo cult. The only reason to optimize here, is if you want to become a priest of this cargo cult, e.g. a recruiter, vocational guidance or other professions who exploit the unemployed. I assume that "tech job" means something in IT tech like coder, designer, admin, and not something like an engineer or chemist. I got all my projects over the last 35 years by listening to others peoples problems. Real programmers are cursed by infinite ideas vs. limited time. So ideas get a negative value. Just pick those ideas where the company has a great culture, and that sound challenging to you. So the positive work environment must balance the negative value of the idea. Ask yourself: The is company work environment good for solving the problem, or a hindrance. Do !NOT! talk to HR, but to the people who have the problem. I always talked to HR last, at the moment after signing the contract when they want my tax numbers and the like. One indicator, that might not work in other cultures (outside Germany), is: You got the job, if they take the time to show you the recreation facilities like coffee kitchen, smokers garden, after the interview.