Job Search Mindset Tips

We lost the humanity in hiring with auto-reject emails. People are now applicant numbers & keywords. When clients come to me, they're often beaten down and questioning their value and worth. It's not their fault. The job search strips away everything human about you. Your career is widdled down into two or three pages. You get ghosted by people who demanded your time. It's brutal and you have to look out for you. Here's how to protect your humanity: 1/ Create non-negotiable self-care boundaries ↳ Your brain needs rest to perform, so shut the laptop and protect part of your day. 2/ Have a daily practice that isn't job searching ↳ Whether it's pottery or powerlifting, find something that brings you joy even on tough days. 3/ Set daily limits on applications ↳ Send 5 thoughtful and tailored resumes out and call that your "done point" for the day. 4/ Talk to someone daily who sees you ↳ Find that friend who remembers your talents when you've forgotten them yourself. 5/ Document three non-work wins weekly ↳ Maybe you made perfect coffee or helped a neighbor. These small victories matter. 6/ Take rejection as redirection ↳ The "no" saved you from a toxic culture or bad fit that would have made you miserable. 7/ Connect with other job seekers ↳ Join online groups where people understand the sting of rejection after five interview rounds. 8/ Celebrate the small victories ↳ Getting to round two is growth, even if you don't get the job. Progress is progress. 9/ Write yourself a recommendation letter ↳ When imposter syndrome hits, read your own words about your accomplishments. 10/ Help someone else in their search ↳ Making job searching a team sport keeps you accountable and makes the process bearable. Make your search easier with my FREE resume guide: https://lnkd.in/eTWdKUrG Your job search doesn't define you. Your response to it does. Stay strong, I believe in you. How are you taking a break this weekend? 👇👇👇 ♻️ Repost to help a job seeker take care of themselves 🔔 Follow Ashley Couto for daily career help

When employed, people have routines. When unemployed, suddenly having 8-12 hours of spare time a day feels unnatural, therefore it must be filled with job search, right? Not right. But that’s what most people do because they crave the routine and feel productive — and that’s how job search fatigue sets in. I need a job → I must apply → I’ll spend 12 hours applying → I’m not hearing back → I’ll apply to even more jobs It’s an endless, exhausting cycle that gives the impression of productivity while in reality, it’s a recipe for burnout. What’s the solution? Create a productive routine by allocating a fixed number of hours to your job search and sticking to it. Adjust as needed, but be sure to leave time for rest and human interaction. By job search I don’t mean just applying to roles, but also: >Upskilling >Resume edits >Interview prep >Salary research >Filtering job boards >Practice negotiation >Networking or informational interviews Treat this new routine like a job. You clock in, do your job, take breaks, clock out. This way, your applications will be quality-focused instead of quantity-focused, which will eventually lead to more interviews and more offers. Spending 12 hours “on call” isn’t healthy, sustainable, or productive.

66% of job seekers are burned out from searching and workforce confidence has hit a 5-year low. The job market isn't just competitive anymore; it's emotionally breaking people. If you're feeling burned out from job searching, here's how you protect your mental energy and still move your job search forward: 1. Research companies BEFORE you apply. Don't waste emotional and mental energy on companies that don't value you as a candidate. Check Glassdoor for recent "Interview Experience" reviews. Look at their careers page; do they mention candidate experience or just requirements? If their application process is clunky or requires re-entering your resume info, that's a preview of their culture. 2. Set realistic expectations. 70% of job seekers expect to get hired within 10 applications, but hiring has slowed 6-7% each month. Triple your timeline expectations and cut your application volume in half. Ten carefully researched applications (with network outreach) will outperform 50 generic ones. 3. Protect your energy for quality opportunities. You're not being picky by walking away from poor processes. 35% of job seekers abandon applications that take too long and 21% decline offers after a poor interview experience. Your time has value. Focus on companies that show they respect candidates as humans, not just data to process. Their hiring process is your preview of company culture. 36% of people leave jobs within 90 days because the role didn't match what was promised. Trust what you see during the application and interview process, it's telling you exactly what working there will be like. And you're not imagining it, this market is harder than before. But by being intentional about where you invest your energy, you'll not only preserve your mental and emotional health but actually improve your success rate. Sources: 2025 Job Seeker Nation Survey (Employ, Inc.), LinkedIn Economic Data, Bloomberg #LinkedInTopVoices #Careers #JobSearch

Job seekers- you are spending too much time on job boards. Do this instead: Use the 90/10 rule- you should only be spending 10% of your time scrolling through job boards. Spend 90% of the time on results driven activity. Things like: 👉 Reach out to people in your personal and professional network. Send an email with a few bullet points on your ideal next step and ask if they know of anything or anyone they can connect you with. People want to help people. 👉 Create a target list of companies you think you’d like to work for. Minimum of 25 companies to start. 👉 From there- jump on their website and see if there are any openings that are of interest. If there is, go ahead and apply but do not leave your fate to an ATS where your resume probably won’t see the light of day. Skip the next step and go to the following. 👉 It’s not super likely they will have something perfect posted so move to the next step… 👉 Next hop on LinkedIn and search for functional line leaders in those orgs. Connect with them AND send them an email expressing your interest in the company and would love a quick intro call (if you applied already-let them know). Preface it with even though they may not have anything right now, you’d love to make the connection should something open in the future (if they are a company of interest now, they likely will later….also if you make an impression, they may create a role!) 👉 They may not make time for it now- that’s ok. Send a follow up email (a short one!) with a few bullet points of your accomplishments and ideal next step. Attach your resume. Important- make sure you ask them to send your info to any one in their network that may have an interest. Keep expanding your list as you go through this exercise. Most reverse the 90/10 and spend 90% of their time on the blackhole of job boards. They then get frustrated/exhausted and lose hope because it’s not yielding results. Change your methods and see the difference. #jobseekers #advice #proactivesearch

One in four job seekers in the US are currently experiencing long-term unemployment, which means unemployment for a period of 6+ months. In many cases, that means: - they are no longer be eligible for unemployment benefits (which likely covered ~40% of their income if that). - benefits from their severance packages have likely been exhaused - they are dipping into savings and retirement to stay afloat - they are working low paying bridge jobs that may make it harder to get back into their field of choice - they are dealing with bias in hiring processes which often works against those who have been out of work for extended periods of time So I want to share some suggestions for those who find themselves in this position: 1. Build relevant skills that will give you an advantage For example, differentiate yourself as the person who builds AI agents that dramatically accelerate results or get a certification in a highly valued area in your field. Document your work, make it visible...that's the stuff that gets people coming to you. 2. Take on some sort of relevant contract/consulting work This could look like volunteering or doing a short project with a local company. But anything you can add to your resume that shows you haven't been totally out of the game will help you in your search. Otherwise, as unemployment goes on, you may be viewed as less and less competitive. 3. Lean on your networks Reconnect with former managers and colleagues and get them working for you. Let people in your community know what you're looking for. Attend networking events. Cold messaging people on LinkedIn who have no real stakes in your success probably isn't going to be as impactful as people who know you and who know your work getting out there and advocating for you. 4. Build something new It's never been easier to build a new product or company, and if the full-time workforce is no longer working for you, then this might be the time to strike out on your own whether that's freelancing or entrepreneurship. 5. Pivot into the fields that are hiring There is no getting around the reality that people are entering some fields at significantly higher rates than jobs are being created. But there are fields that have the opposite problem, and these fields will invest in training new talent and are continually finding new ways to make their work more appealing - teaching, nursing, dental hygienists, trades, construction... These aren't easy pivots to make - they involve a significant shift in identity and career path, they may require investing in education. But for some people, this may be the right time to make that move. If you're in the group of ~2M+ people who find themselves facing long-term unemployment right now, you haven't done anything wrong, you're not a failure. There simply are not enough jobs in your area of expertise right now. You're probably not going to solve that with tailoring your resume a bit more, so it may be time for a strategic shift.

Hiring hit a 17-year low in January. Here's what that actually means for your search. According to the newest Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. report, U.S. employers announced 5,306 hiring plans in January. This is the lowest January total since they started tracking in 2009 – and a 49% drop from 10,496 in December 2025. Meanwhile, 108,000 jobs were cut - the highest January total since the financial crisis. More people searching. Fewer doors open. This is the market you're navigating right now. If you want to find a job in this environment, you need to change how you search. Here are three changes you should making to your job search strategy now: 1) Adjust for longer search cycles. A search that took 6 weeks in 2022 realistically takes 4 to 6 months in this market. Plan for that from day one, or month two will feel like failure when it's actually just Tuesday. 2) Stop leading with applications. Posted roles are getting buried. The better move right now: narrow down to 10-15 target companies and findi one person inside each of them — a former colleague, a second-degree connection, anyone. A warm conversation with someone on the team is worth more than 50 cold applications. Work that list and work it some more. 3) Know where hiring is actually happening. Cuts get the headlines, but the bigger picture is that some sectors are still building. Despite the broader tech layoffs, tech companies still announced 2,780 hiring plans in January (the second highest of any sector). Insurance announced 2,500. Meanwhile, industrial goods and energy are also growing. The market isn't uniformly frozen. Find the growth sectors, and target them. In a market like this, doing the same thing and expecting results won't cut it. You have to pivot. Good luck! What's working for you right now (or not)? #jobs #jobsearch #employment

Our client was unemployed and struggling with job search overwhelm and a lack of clarity. We teamed up and they landed a senior IC role with a clear path to leadership in ~100 days. Here are 6 strategies they used to make it happen: Context: When we first met this client, they were unemployed and feeling stuck. The job search was completely overwhelming, they didn’t have a clear path forward, and they were worried about flexiblity. After we partnered up, those worries disappeared. Here’s what we did: 1. Defined Their Dream Role We helped them clarify: – Their ideal team structure – Values like remote flexibility and work-life balance – A meaningful mission or product This clarity helped them spot red flags and recognize a great fit when it showed up. 2. Created A Prioritized Company List Instead of applying blindly, they: – Identified 15 companies – Focused on 10–12 that were actively hiring – Prioritized ones that matched their top values This allowed them to focus time where it mattered most. 3. Made Strategic Recruiter Connections Despite initial hesitations, they: – Stayed open when a recruiter reached out – Did their own diligence on the company – Used interviews as info-gathering tools The openness led directly to the offer. 4. Prepped With Deep Industry Insight Before applying, they: – Spoke with two professionals who worked with the hiring manager – Asked targeted questions about leadership style and culture – Used insights to tailor their application They mentioned these conversations in their cover letter and follow-ups to stand out. 5. Advocated For Their Needs When they got the offer, they realized the PTO package didn’t align. Rather than walk away or settle, they: – Consulted our salary negotiation toolkit – Planned a negotiation strategy – Aimed to protect their non-negotiables It’s not just about the offer. It’s about one worth accepting. 6. Kept Their Values Front and Center The company was: – Remote-friendly (including their snowbird executives!) – Sustainability-focused – Willing to hire to support a better work-life balance They knew it was a fit when leadership said they wanted someone who could “take apart our financial statements and put them back together with a new perspective.” That system led to an awesome outcome that got them back into a role with a clear track to leadership! —— ➕ Follow Austin Belcak for more 🔵 Ready to land your dream job? Click here to learn more about how we help people land amazing jobs in ~15.5 weeks with a $44k raise: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

Sending 200 applications isn't the red flag. Needing 200 applications is. After helping 50,000+ candidates get placed, I've noticed something interesting: The candidates getting interview calls aren't necessarily applying more. They're usually finding opportunities earlier. A role posted today can become saturated within days, yet hiring lists continue circulating for weeks because almost nobody verifies them before sharing. That's why I tell my students to stop chasing lists and start building a simple job-search intelligence system. Here's the exact framework I recommend: 👉🏻 Use "Past 24 Hours" and "Past Week" filters religiously. A role posted yesterday with 30 applicants is often worth far more than a role posted three weeks ago with 500 applicants. 👉🏻 Use AI to identify who's actually hiring. Instead of manually searching company after company, ask ChatGPT, Claude or Perplexity: "Which Indian GCCs, product companies, and startups have announced hiring, expansion, new offices, funding rounds, or capability centre growth in the last 90 days?" This instantly gives you a shortlist of companies showing real hiring momentum. 👉🏻 Follow recruiters, not just company pages. Most candidates follow company pages. Very few follow Talent Acquisition Managers, Recruiters, Campus Hiring Leads, and Engineering Managers. Those are often the people announcing openings before they become crowded. 👉🏻 Watch who is joining the company. Open LinkedIn's People tab and look at recent joins. If dozens of professionals have joined a team over the last few months, chances are hiring is still active. Most candidates never check this. The best candidates do. 👉🏻 Stop manually checking every job description. Use tools like Teal or Jobscan to compare your resume against job requirements and identify missing keywords before applying. 👉🏻 Track off-campus drives beyond traditional job boards. Many hiring drives are announced through Superset, Unstop, HirePro, HackerEarth, and company career portals long before they gain visibility on major job sites. Candidates who rely only on Naukri and LinkedIn often see opportunities after everyone else. 👉🏻 Create a Monday hiring routine. Every Monday morning: ✓ Check your target company career pages ✓ Review recruiter posts ✓ Ask AI tools to surface new hiring announcements ✓ Apply only to roles posted recently This takes less than 30 minutes and is often more effective than spending hours scrolling job portals every day. What's one company you're actively tracking right now? Tell me below 👇 #jobsearchindia #careergrowth #jobsearchtips #hiringnow #interviewtips

This Is What I See in Every Good Cybersecurity Professional I’ve interacted with hundreds of cybersecurity professionals over the years. Here’s what they all seem to have in common. Different backgrounds. Different countries. Different career paths. But the same patterns keep showing up. 1️⃣ First, they never stop learning. Not because they’re chasing titles, but because the field forces them to adapt. Curiosity is non negotiable in cybersecurity. 2️⃣ Second, they understand context. The strongest professionals don’t just know tools. They know why those tools exist, how systems work together, and how security supports business goals. 3️⃣ Third, they communicate well. They can explain complex issues simply. They know how to talk to engineers, executives, and non technical teams without sounding condescending or confusing. 4️⃣ Fourth, they’ve failed more than they talk about. Failed interviews. Missed certifications. Wrong career moves. What separates them is not avoiding failure, but learning quickly from it. 5️⃣ Fifth, they play the long game. No rush. No shortcuts. Just consistent effort over time. Most of the “overnight successes” you see have been at it quietly for years. And lastly, they give back. Through mentoring, writing, speaking, or simply answering questions. The best in the field understand that growth multiplies when knowledge is shared. If you’re trying to grow in cybersecurity, pay attention to these patterns. They matter more than any single course or certification. Follow Jonathan Ayodele for more cybersecurity career advice #CybersecurityCareerGrowth

#JobSearchTips 🛑 Let's face it, we've lost our humanity in the hiring process. Auto-reject emails without any human touch, applicant IDs that reduce us to numbers, and keyword filters that make us question our worth. It's like, hello, there's a real person behind every application! When people come to me, they're often drained, doubting their worth, and wondering if they're even good enough. And honestly? It's not their fault. The job search process can be brutal: ✂ Your story gets cut down to two pages, and that's it. 👻 You're ghosted after putting in hours of prep work. No explanation, no nothing. 💼 You're told to "stand out" in a system that's designed to ignore you. Because, you know, being unique and creative is exactly what they want... NOT. So, here's what I tell my clients (and myself, because I need reminders too): 🔟 Ways to Keep Your Humanity Intact While Job Searching: ⿡ Set boundaries for self-care. Your brain (and body) need rest. Don't let job searching consume you. ⿢ Do something daily that has nothing to do with job searching. Like pottery, powerlifting, or just taking a freaking walk. Joy is resistance, people! ⿣ Limit your daily applications. Quality over quantity, folks! Five thoughtful resumes > 50 rushed ones. ⿤ Talk to someone who actually sees you. That friend who reminds you of your awesomeness? Call them. Often. ⿥ Document three small non-work wins per week. Perfect coffee, clean kitchen, helping someone... it all counts! ⿦ Reframe rejection as redirection. That "no" might've saved you from burnout in a toxic workplace. Silver linings, anyone? ⿧ Connect with others in the same boat. You're not alone. Online groups can be a lifesaver. ⿨ Celebrate small wins. Round 2? Callback? Progress is progress, no matter how small. ⿩ Write yourself a recommendation letter. Read it when imposter syndrome strikes. You've done more than you think! 1⿠ Help someone else in their job search. It gives you purpose and makes the grind slightly more bearable. Your job search doesn't define you. Your response to it does. So, stay human, stay strong, and don't let the system get you down. 💬 Share this if it resonates with you or someone you know. We're in this together. ✨ #StayHuman #MentalHealthMatters #JobSearchStruggles #SelfCare #JobHunting #CareerAdvice #Resilience #JobSearchSupport #HumanityInHiring #JobSearchCommunity #WellnessAtWork #CareerWellness #JobSearchJourney #StayStrong