Is a speculative application worth it?

Yes — especially with preferred employers. No competition from other applicants is the greatest advantage. BA employment statistics show: a significant portion of positions in Germany are not publicly advertised — they arise from needs that companies are just recognising. LinkedIn Economic Graph: well-personalised speculative applications with a concrete value proposition meet active demand at 15–25% of companies. Prerequisites for success: a clear offer ('I can solve X because...'), addressed to a specific person (LinkedIn research), research into the company's current challenges. Objection: poor speculative applications ('I would love to work at your great company') damage your reputation. Cedefop: in shortage occupations, speculative applications have the highest success rate.