An Instagram account is required for your Raya application—you’ll have to make an account for yourself if you don’t have one. Raya asks applicants to “use an Instagram account that is most representative of your online identity as it will be used for verification purposes. ” So, make sure you aren’t including a friend or random celebrity’s Instagram here, or your application probably won’t be accepted. According to Raya’s website, the committee uses your Instagram profile to get an idea of “how you see the world. ”[2] X Research source
You can select up to 2 career industries on your application. You don’t have to list your employer if you don’t want to.
Check in with your friends and acquaintances and see if any of them are already signed up through the site. If you don’t personally know anyone on Raya, try networking on social media instead! Make a quick Twitter or Instagram post asking for a referral, and see if anyone reaches out.
Some people hear back from Raya in a matter of days, while some people are stuck on the waitlist for over a year. [6] X Research source Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get accepted. Raya only greenlights about 8 out of every 100 applicants, which gives them a tougher admittance record than Harvard Business School. [7] X Research source Some celebrities don’t even get accepted onto Raya! Singer Demi Lovato and reality TV star Hannah Brown have both had trouble getting on the platform. [8] X Research source
Try boosting your social media presence on sites like TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter, too.
Use the checklist of career industries provided on the Raya application as a reference point. Careers in athletics, film, food, journalism, literature, music, philanthropy, TV, theater, travel, business, media, government, medicine, science, tech, beauty, fashion, design, and photography are all professional backgrounds that Raya seems to be on the lookout for. Raya is especially interested in accepting people who add “something extra” to the conversation, like “poets, painters, NASA scientists, and cancer researchers. ”
Some people claim that Raya membership only costs $7. 99 per month, but this price point isn’t listed on their official app page. You can also pay for extra features on the app, like buying extra likes and signing up for a premium Raya+ membership.