Are You Feeling Stuck In Your Job Search?

Good morning,

This is Unlike The Others, the career newsletter that gives you the same feeling as opening a brand new tin of tennis balls (ah… I can hear the *pop* as I write this). We’re your number one spot for tips, tricks, and real-world, tried and true advice to help you advance your career.

Here’s the deal — You give us 5-10 minutes of your time, and we help you change jobs, land a promotion, or make your next career move through our expert advice.

So, what’s on the agenda for today? I’m glad you asked.

Today we’ve got:

1. Learning how to identify problems (in your career or job search).

2. Understanding how to solve specific problems.

3. A story about our client Paul S.

Sneak Peek: Paul went from struggling to land interviews as a Senior Vice President of Product to landing multiple Chief Product Officer interviews at $300K+ in just a few simple steps.

Are You Feeling Stuck?

If you’re reading this you’re likely feeling stuck. Maybe you’re feeling stuck in your job search due to a lack of results, stuck in a dead-end job that you don’t want to work at anymore, or maybe you feel stuck because you aren’t sure what you want to do with your life.

And you know what? That’s okay. It’s normal to feel stuck. I feel stuck every day regardless of all I’ve accomplished over the past 2-3 years.

But there’s something that I’ve noticed throughout my time mentoring and coaching clients that I’d like to share with you today. One key differentiating factor between clients that persevere and ‘win’ and those that fail and ‘lose.’

Can you guess what it is?

Winners recognize where they’re struggling in their job, career, job search, and even life and put together a plan to solve the problems they’re facing.

Losers tend to continue doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. I’m sure you’re familiar with this famous quote:

So with that being said, let’s dive into learning how to identify what the problem is, and putting together a plan to solve it. Are you with me?

Identifying The Problem!

The first step to overcoming obstacles in your career or job search is to identify the problems you’re facing. This might seem straightforward, but it’s often easier said than done (trust me… I go through this every week with new clients).

So why is it difficult? It’s because problems can be hidden beneath layers of symptoms and misdiagnosed issues.

Here are a few strategies that I use with clients to help you pinpoint what’s holding you back:

1. Self-Reflection: Take some time to reflect on your recent experiences. Are there recurring themes or challenges? Are you consistently facing rejection at a particular stage of the hiring process? Are you feeling unfulfilled in your current role? Write down your observations.

2. Feedback: Seek feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, or even past interviewers. Sometimes an external perspective can shed light on issues you might not see. Prepare yourself for feedback you may not want to hear!

3. Professional Assessment: Consider working with a career coach or using professional assessment tools. These resources can help you gain a deeper understanding of your strengths and areas for improvement. If you haven’t gone through the free coaching exercises I provided you in the 7-Day Job Search Challenge, now is the time to look at them!

Examples of problems & solutions:

Problem: I’m procrastinating and feeling unmotivated…
Solution: Start with something small, like 10 minutes of job searching each day.

Problem: I’ve sent out 100 applications but I’m not getting any interviews…
Solution: Did you follow up? If not, try networking. If you did, fix your resume.

Problem: I fixed my resume, but now I’m still not getting any interviews…
Solution: Try sending out more applications or networking for a referral.

Problem: I’m getting interviews but I keep failing the first round phone screen…
Solution: If you’re failing the phone screen, did you prepare properly?

Problem: I’ve gotten past the phone screen stage now but I can’t get an offer…
Solution: Your offer will come in due time. You likely lost out to better candidates.

Solving The Problem (Easier Said Than Done)

Once you’ve identified the problems, the next step is to develop a plan to address them. Here’s a simple framework to get you started:

1. Prioritize: Not all problems are created equal. Identify which issues are having the most significant impact on your career or job search and prioritize them. I typically use a ranking system over a prioritization framework to help me prioritize.

2. Research: Look for resources, strategies, and best practices to tackle your top issues. This could involve reading articles, attending workshops, or speaking with experts in the field.

3. Action Plan: Develop a step-by-step action plan to address each problem. Set clear, achievable goals and timelines. For example, if your resume isn’t getting you interviews, your action plan might include updating your resume format, adding quantifiable achievements, and tailoring it for each job application. Set a schedule and abide by it.

4. Implementation: Put your plan into action. This is often the most challenging part, as it requires consistency and persistence. Remember, change doesn’t happen overnight.

5. Evaluate and Adjust: Regularly evaluate your progress. Are you seeing the desired results? If not, be prepared to adjust your strategy. Flexibility is key to overcoming obstacles.

Identifying and solving problems in your career or job search can be challenging, but with the right approach, it’s entirely possible.

Remember, the key is to be proactive, seek feedback, and stay flexible in your strategies.

How Paul Went From 0 Interviews To 3+ Per Week

Paul came to me back in December of 2023 and ended up signing up with us in January of 2024. He was enjoying his current role as a Senior Vice President of Product, but he wanted to take the next step in his career and become a Chief Product Officer.

So, after a 60-minute chat, I found out that Paul had been trying on his own for a few months with no luck. He was making a pretty good wage, came from a technical background (10X engineer), and had spent the last 15+ years working in Product. We decided he’d be a good fit to work with me 1-on-1 and he enrolled in one of our career coaching programs.

We proceeded as usual and went through the motions. After a couple of months, we had landed a few interviews but nothing that met all of Paul’s goals. But then something unexpected happened… the company Paul worked for was ACQUIRED!

Now what?

Well, we hit the ground running (I hate that saying). Paul and I scheduled a few coaching calls and came up with a strategy to target specific companies and create a networking list that relied on his existing network (and his networks, network). I set up an accountability tracking sheet and gave Paul an action plan.

All of a sudden we were attending 2-3 interviews a week, and scheduling multiple recruitment calls with private recruiters, head hunters, executive search firms, and even venture firms.

Now, we haven’t landed a role yet but we’ve gotten to the final round a few times and are close to landing a new role for multi-six-figures. We’ve got the strategy down and are producing repeatable results. All we’re waiting on now is the right role to come along.

So why am I telling you this?

Because much like I taught you above, Paul recognized that his current strategy wasn’t working so instead of sitting around and doing the same old thing, he met with me and we shifted his focus entirely to what had produced results in the past. After tripling down on what was working, we began seeing repeatable results.

If you want to be like Paul, learn to identify what the problem is and then put together a plan to solve it.

Or sign up with us, your choice (haha).

Regan Setter
CEO & Founder
Unlike The Others
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