5 ways to get unstuck in your job search

Today’s edition is for those of you in the job market or thinking you might want to leave your job or fearful you might get laid off. So all of us? 😬

Speaking of - big shout out and virtual hug to all of those impacted by layoffs. This is a wild time. I hope something in this edition resonates with you and can help you figure out what’s next.

The Situation

I was laid off earlier this year and I have still not found a job. I get lots of interviews so I don’t think it’s my resume or my recruiter screenings, but for some reason I don’t get offers. I prep, practice, do mock interviews with friends, research the company, etc. What am I doing wrong?

My Take

You are not alone. That probably doesn’t make you feel any better, but it’s true. Many of my clients have been in this spot, and here’s are the 5 most common areas we spend time on.

1️⃣ Focus.

I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but you need to focus on fewer roles and companies. This will help you refine your story, target your networking, and not dilute your time or energy.

Narrow down the type of role you are going after. Instead of any and all marketing roles, narrow the level and type.

✅ Senior Manager level in Event and Experiential Marketing

Narrow down the types of companies you want to work for. Big, medium, small? Start up or established? What industries? Make a list of 10 companies to start.

2️⃣ Double down on your unique value.

Stop focusing on the gaps in your experience. Instead double down on what makes your experience badass. Spent 20 years in traditional brick-and-mortar? That is invaluable experience for a tech company who is building a new retail experience. Never worked in this industry but have deep functional experience? That is gold for a team who has only ever worked in this industry, but no functional experience. You will never make up fully for the gap and you don’t need to. Stop wasting energy on it. This attitude shift will make a big difference in your confidence level in interviews, and your strategic POV will be clearer.

3️⃣ Connect with your existing network.

Make a list of former managers, mentors, co-workers, college friends, etc and start connecting with the intention of just catching up. This is the group that will help connect you to the right open roles, other hiring managers, lend some ideas of what’s out there, etc. They might not be hiring or work for a company you like, that’s okay. They know people that do, and you know them…win!

4️⃣ Audit your best 5 examples.

Your friends may not be the best judge of your best examples. Consider using a coach or a mock-interview app to get a more objective opinion. Make sure your examples hit these:

Recent: majority of your examples should be from the last 5-7 years, indicative of scope and complexity akin to the role you’re applying for.

Diversity of examples: give a range of examples from different roles/companies, not all from the same one.

Results: your examples should have great results. Oh, this amazing project you just described is still in flight so you don’t have results yet? Might as well have just thrown out that whole part of the interview. And make sure the results tie back to the original goal you mentioned.

Your POV and approach: What was your unique take on this situation? What was your approach? This explicitly highlights your strategic thinking and ways of working, not just the details of the example.

5️⃣ Do a project for the company you’re interviewing for.

You need to stand out amongst these other applicants. Do a simple 1 pager of business opportunities based on your customer experience. Or 2-3 slides of a new marketing idea. Show them you are already thinking like an employee and ready to add value. It will also help you prep way better for the interviews.

Keep going. You got this!