[Linkpost] “How Unofficial Work Gets You Hired: Building Your Surface Area for Serendipity” by SofiaBalderson

EA Forum Podcast (Curated & popular)

Content provided by EA Forum Team. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by EA Forum Team or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

25d ago 14:16

MP3•Episode home

This is a link post.

Tl;dr:

In this post, I introduce a concept I call surface area for serendipity — the informal, behind-the-scenes work that makes it easier for others to notice, trust, and collaborate with you. In a job market where some EA and animal advocacy roles attract over 1,300 applicants, relying on traditional applications alone is unlikely to land you a role.

This post offers a tactical roadmap to the hidden layer of hiring: small, often unpaid but high-leverage actions that build visibility and trust before a job ever opens. The general principle is simple: show up consistently where your future collaborators or employers hang out — and let your strengths be visible. Done well, this increases your chances of being invited, remembered, or hired — long before you ever apply.

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Kevin Xia for your valuable feedback and suggestions, and Toby Tremlett for offering general [...]

---

Outline:

(00:15) Tl;dr:

(01:19) Why I Wrote This

(02:30) When Applying Feels Like a Lottery

(04:14) What Surface Area for Serendipity Means

(07:21) What It Looks Like (with Examples)

(09:02) Case Study: Kevin's Path to Becoming Hive's Managing Director

(10:27) Common Pitfalls to Avoid

(12:00) Share Your Journey

The original text contained 4 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

---

First published:
July 1st, 2025

Source:
https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/5iqTPsrGtz8EYi9r9/how-unofficial-work-gets-you-hired-building-your-surface

Linkpost URL:
https://notingthemargin.substack.com/p/how-unofficial-work-gets-you-hired

---

Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

---

Images from the article:

Pyramid diagram showing hiring sources, from job boards to internal promotions.

Dense crowd at Grand Central's 42nd Street Main Concourse subway entrance.

Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try Pocket Casts, or another podcast app.

257 episodes

#Tech #Society #Philosophy #EA Forum Team #Technology #Non-Profit #Future