July 17, 2025 • 29 mins
Many job seekers are taking action, following advice, and putting in consistent effort. Yet despite that, the interviews still aren’t coming.
In this episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal shares six common mistakes that quietly disrupt even the most well-intentioned job search. These patterns often go unnoticed, but they can have a big impact on whether someone gains traction or stays stuck.
This episode offers clarity and perspective for job seekers who are ready to take a more intentional and aligned approach.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Caroline (00:03):
Why is it that you can be doing everything you're
supposed to in your job search,keeping your resume sharp,
staying active on LinkedIn, evennetworking, and still feel like
you're going nowhere.
Why does it seem like no matterhow many steps you take,
something keeps pulling you backinto the same frustrating spot?
(00:23):
Maybe you've even caughtyourself wondering late at
night, am I missing somethingbig here?
Or is this just how it'ssupposed to be?
If you are in the thick of a jobsearch right now, questioning
whether it's really the marketor if there's something deeper
at play, keep listening.
This is the Your Next Successpodcast, and I'm your host, Dr.
(00:45):
Caroline Sangal.
I'm a life first career coachand strategist on a mission to
normalize questioning yourcareer because I believe each of
us is made on purpose for apurpose only we can fulfill.
The longer we live out ofalignment with who we are, what
we do best, and why we're here,the more we miss out.
(01:07):
And the more the world missesout On what only we can give the
Your Next Success Podcast iswhere we explore how to build a
career that truly fuels yourlife.
We talk about self-discovery,smart job, search strategies,
professional growth, and you'llhear stories from people who've
navigated big career transitionsthemselves so you can see what
(01:32):
it's really like to make boldchanges and feel inspired to
create your own version ofauthentic success, one that is
aligned, meaningful, and trulyyours.
Today we are talking about sixsubtle ways.
Your job search might actuallybe keeping you stuck, even
(01:53):
though it feels like you're onthe right track.
And first I wanna share a storywith you.
It is one that Napoleon Hilltold in his book, Think And Grow
Rich.
And yeah, it's almost a hundredyears old, but I swear it might
be more relevant now than ever.
Picture this with me for asecond.
(02:13):
You are standing on the edge ofa dock and there's a big ship
getting ready to pull out of theharbor.
It has got a captain at thehelm, a crew buzzing around,
maps and charts all laid out,and they know exactly where
they're going.
So when they untie the ropes andthey push off, there is zero
hesitation.
(02:33):
Now barring a storm or somefreak accident, that ship will
arrive at its exact destinationright on time, but then there's
another ship, same harbor, samewater, except this one has no
captain, no crew, no map.
It just drifts off wherever thetide decides to pull it.
(02:57):
Where does it end up?
Who knows, maybe it washes up onsome random shore, maybe it
crashes on the rocks, But whatit's not going to do is get
anywhere intentionally.
And the reason I tell you thisisn't to get all philosophical.
It's because if you are outthere in the middle of a job
(03:17):
search right now, whether you'regraduating, reentering the
workforce after a break oryou've experienced and found
yourself laid off, there's apretty good chance that your
approach looks a whole lot likethat second ship.
And look, that is not a dig.
Most people do it this way.
You're out there firing offapplications, maybe applying on
(03:40):
LinkedIn, tweaking bulletpoints, refreshing your email
inbox, and hoping maybe thistime someone replies and you
tell yourself, Hey, I am moving.
I am doing something.
It has got to pay off soon.
But let me ask you, does itactually feel like there's a
captain at the wheel?
(04:00):
Do you have a clear chart or areyou just hoping the wind pushes
you somewhere good, becausehere's what I want to promise
you today.
By the time we are done here,you're gonna see exactly why
your job search might be takingyou further off course without
(04:21):
you even realizing it.
I am gonna show you threemistakes that you might be doing
that are keeping you stuck inyour job search, and more
importantly, we will talk abouthow to shift it so that you're
not just drifting, you'reactually steering, you've got
the map, the compass, and yeah,you are the captain.
(04:42):
Sound good?
Alright, let's keep going.
Tell me if this rings true.
You've got your laptop open, orlet's be real, your phone and
you scroll LinkedIn, Indeed, orwhatever your portal of choice
is.
You click on a job title andyour stomach does this tiny
flip.
Could this be it?
(05:02):
And you start reading and youthink, yeah, I could do this.
You read the description two orthree times and you try to see
yourself in it.
Then maybe you adjust yourresume.
You pull out a bullet point thatmatches, you swap a line, you
upload, you hit submit.
And for a moment there's hope, alittle spark of maybe this one,
(05:26):
but then a few minutes, hours ordays later, nothing.
Crickets or that cheeryautomated rejection email that
somehow still manages to feellike a punch in the gut, or
worse, just total silence, butyou get up and you dust yourself
(05:48):
off, and then you do it againbecause that's what you've been
told, right?
Keep applying, keep trying.
It is just a numbers game, butcan I tell you something gently,
if it's not working now, doingmore of the same is not going to
suddenly flip the switch, andthat's exactly what we're going
(06:11):
to unpack today.
Mistake number one is believingthat the more applications you
send out, the more chances thatyou'll have.
Now it feels like common sense,right?
Everyone says it.
Keep applying, keep puttingyourself out there, and
eventually something has tostick, especially if you're
(06:33):
analytical and results focused.
It seems obvious that increasingthe number of submissions will
increase your odds.
What I see over and over thoughis something very different.
Because volume by itself doesnot create the momentum people
expect.
Real traction happens when yourenergy and focus go into
(06:58):
clarity, into understandingexactly what problems you solve
best and targeting where thoseproblems actually exist.
A scattered approach often leadsto scattered results.
I worked with a chemicalengineer who applied to 47 roles
(07:18):
in three weeks.
She cast such a wide netthinking that if she showed she
was open to a lot of differentopportunities, then she would
land something faster.
But the reality is nothingmoved.
Then we slowed everything downand she got clear on what kinds
of projects litter up.
(07:38):
And how her natural abilitieslined up with those roles.
The next month, she sent outjust five applications, and that
focus turned into threecallbacks and two on-sites.
It changed everything.
So think about it.
Are the people landing the bestroles, usually the ones who
(07:59):
flood the market withapplications, Or is it often the
people who zero in on where theycan create the most value and
make it unmistakable how theyfit?
Imagine you're fishing andyou're on a boat with a single
fishing line, but you drop it ina spot where you know the fish
gather that line matters morethan 50 lines dropped randomly
(08:23):
all over the ocean.
Intentional effort almost alwaysoutperforms random effort.
That is why clarity is sopowerful.
When you take the time toidentify exactly what problems
you want to solve, then youposition your resume and
LinkedIn around that story.
(08:46):
Every application becomes astrong signal.
You are not hoping someone willsort through your experience and
guess and figure out where youfit.
You are already showing them,and that makes decisions easier
for them and more fulfilling foryou.
Imagine sending out fewerapplications, knowing each one
(09:10):
is a direct match.
You can almost feel the reliefof no longer playing the numbers
game.
It's a quiet confidence thatcomes from knowing your path and
seeing your effort actually payoff.
Mistake number two happens whenyou turn your resume into a
patchwork of keywords for everyjob you apply to.
(09:34):
Now, it makes sense why peopledo this, because every career
article says, tailor yourresume, match the language, hit
the right keyword so that thesoftware moves you forward.
It feels strategic, likechecking all the right boxes.
But what I found is thatconstantly changing up your
(09:54):
resume for every job post canactually water down your
message.
Instead of showing a clear,strong story about who you are
and the problems that you'rebest at solving, it becomes a
collection of borrowed phrasesthat blend you in to everyone
else.
I worked with someone who didexactly this.
(10:16):
Every time she saw a newopening, she adjusted the lines,
swapped out the words, pulled inlanguage from the post, but her
resume became an echo of eachjob description rather than a
statement of her own uniquevalue.
Once we anchored her resume inwhat she truly did best,
(10:37):
something shifted.
Employers no longer had todecide who she was anymore, they
could see it right away, andthat's when interviews started
lining up.
So really ask yourself is aresume that tries to be
everything for everyone,actually more effective.
(11:00):
Or does a resume that speaksconsistently about your
strongest contributions, buildmore trust and pull in the right
roles to you.
It's like trying to grow agarden by planting a handful of
every type of seed and randomplaces.
Nothing gets the consistent careit needs, so nothing thrives.
(11:24):
When you plant the same kind ofseed in the right soil, you give
it a real chance to take rootand flourish.
When you build your resumearound the specific problems you
are uniquely wired to solve, itbecomes instantly clear to the
(11:44):
right people.
They don't have to wonder whatyou do there or how you'd fit,
it's obvious.
Imagine the relief of knowingyou are presenting the same
confident aligned story everytime, and that story is strong
enough to stand on its own.
(12:05):
It becomes easier for the rightopportunities to say yes because
you've already shown them why.
Mistake number three isexpecting your work to speak for
itself and naturally bring theright opportunities to you.
I completely understand why thisis a common belief because you
(12:26):
have worked hard deliveredresults, built a solid track
record, and maybe even gatheredglowing endorsements on your
LinkedIn.
It feels fair to think that bystaying focused on doing
excellent work, the right peoplewill notice.
It often feels more dignifiedtoo.
Like, I'm not out there chasing,I've proven myself.
(12:49):
If someone wants what I bring,they'll reach out.
But what I see play out time andagain is something different.
The best opportunities rarelystart with a random recruiter
stumbling on your profile.
They grow quietly throughnetworks, through referrals and
(13:11):
conversations long before a jobever gets posted.
People look for someone they'veheard about, someone who has
already shown curiosity andengagement.
Your track record matterstremendously, but it becomes
powerful when you are the oneputting it in front of the right
(13:32):
people.
I worked with a scientist whohad an incredible background.
She figured her results would beobvious enough that companies
would reach out.
Months passed without anythingmoving.
When she started reaching outdirectly, just three short,
thoughtful messages to hiringmanagers, doing work that
(13:54):
genuinely excited her,everything changed.
She mentioned a project that sheloved that overlapped with their
interests and offered a friendlyinvitation to connect.
A week later, she was on aninformal call.
Two weeks after that, they werealready sketching out a new role
(14:16):
around her strengths.
So it's worth asking yourself,are the most meaningful
opportunities really going tothe people who stay quiet and
wait to be noticed?
or do they usually flow to thosewho take small steps to get on
the radar early, long before ahiring decision is ever made.
(14:39):
It's like tending a garden bybeing present.
You water, you check the soil,you give it light.
The plants that get seen andcared for, grow the strongest.
The same goes for your career.
You create visibility throughsmall, genuine connections that
build trust over time, sharingwhat you care about, commenting
(15:03):
thoughtfully on someone's work,sending a simple note of
curiosity.
These are all ways that youbecome known.
Hiring conversations often startfrom someone remembering who
showed interest, who understoodtheir challenges, and who felt
like an easy next step when thetime was right.
(15:25):
Imagine what shifts when you arenot waiting, but gently guiding
your future by showing who youare and what you love to solve.
That's how opportunities come toyou already aligned with what
makes you come alive.
(16:28):
Today we are talking aboutsubtle ways your job search by
actually be keeping you stuck,even though from the outside it
looks like you're doingeverything right.
And I wanna share a story thatyou've probably heard because
it's one of those timelesstruths that hits even harder
when you're in a season likethis.
(16:49):
Stephen Covey, in The SevenHabits of Highly Effective
People said, people spend theirwhole lives climbing the ladder
of success only to reach the topand realize the ladder was
leaning against the wrong wall.
(17:10):
Think about that for a second.
You can be putting in all thehours, taking all the courses,
doing everything you believeshould get you ahead and still
end up somewhere that doesn'tactually fit you at all.
Somewhere that feels draining,small, misaligned even though
(17:32):
it's technically success.
I see this all the time incareer transitions.
Smart driven people keeppushing, climbing faster,
working harder, hoping that theeffort will eventually pay off,
but they never stop to check ifthe ladder is even on the right
(17:55):
wall.
And that's exactly what we'regonna unpack you'll see why some
of these patterns might bequietly holding you back and
you'll know exactly how to startshifting them so that you are
not just climbing by habit,hoping it leads somewhere good.
You are actually choosing thewall on purpose with your ladder
(18:19):
steady against something thatfits the life and work you truly
want.
So mistake number four istreating your LinkedIn profile
like a digital business cardInstead of what it can truly be,
a magnet.
Most people spend hours tweakingtheir LinkedIn.
They update their headline,maybe swap in a new banner,
(18:42):
rewrite the about section tosound a little more human.
It feels productive like you'reputting your best foot forward.
But the truth is, if yourprofile still mostly reads like
a list of duties or a string ofsafe corporate buzzwords, words
like results oriented orcross-functional leader, it
(19:03):
blends right in.
LinkedIn is so much more than anonline resume.
It is your positioningstatement.
It's where you get to broadcastif you have this problem, I'm
your person.
When you keep it generic, sureit feels safe, but it also means
(19:23):
that you fade into the noise.
Specifics are what makes peoplestop scrolling.
Being clear about what yousolve, repels the wrong roles
and draws the right ones to you.
I had a client who was a seniorproject manager.
Her old headline was somethinglike Passionate about Growth and
(19:46):
Operational Excellence.
Now, it could have described amillion people.
When we shifted it to, I leadglobal pharmaceutical scale ups,
cutting launch times by 30% byfocusing on lean systems and
quality assurance.
That one change started bringingInMails from exactly the kinds
(20:07):
of companies that she dreamed ofworking for.
So really think about it.
are recruiters and hiringmanagers pausing for profiles
that sound like every othersafe, professional summary?
Or are they reaching out topeople who make it obvious what
kind of problems they can jumpin and solve?
Your LinkedIn is like astorefront sign on a busy
(20:29):
street.
A bland sign says you sellstuff.
A clear focused sign says youhave exactly what that person
walking by is looking for.
Turning your LinkedIn into amagnet starts with deciding what
problems you want to solve nextand how you want to be known.
(20:50):
When your headline, yoursummary, and your experience
sections all reinforce thatmessage.
People don't have to guess.
They see it right away.
Picture someone opening yourprofile and thinking this is
exactly who we need.
That's what happens when yourpositioning does the heavy
lifting.
(21:11):
Mistake number five is hopingthat time will fix it.
Trusting that if you just keepgoing, eventually something will
land.
This one can be tough to facebecause it carries a hint of
truth.
You tell yourself it's themarket, it'll pick up.
Something's bound to comethrough.
(21:32):
It feels patient even resilient.
But here's what actually playsout.
Time doesn't automatically sortthings out.
When your approach ismisaligned.
Time compounds whatever you arealready doing.
So if every month you keepapplying randomly or you keep
(21:54):
waiting for someone to noticeyour profile, you are not
standing still.
You're slowly training yourselfto accept uncertainty, to get
used to polite rejections orcomplete silence.
Your confidence starts to thinout, drop by drop.
(22:15):
I've had clients come to meafter a whole year of doing the
same things, mass applying,rewriting tiny bits of their
resume, hoping the next quartermight be different.
By then, they weren't justtired.
Their belief in themselves haderoded.
But once we rebuilt everything,their positioning, their
(22:38):
outreach strategy, theirunderstanding of what they
actually wanted, things began tomove quickly, but it took extra
work just to get their energyback to try again.
So ask yourself, does time onits own create better outcomes?
Or does time only start workingin your favor once you give it
(23:04):
something meaningful to buildon.
Time is like a snowball.
It grows based on what you packat the start.
If you start with misalignment,it just becomes a bigger ball of
confusion.
If you start with clarity andstrategy, it picks up speed in
the right direction.
(23:26):
Time starts working for you whenyou give it a foundation, a
clear resume, a LinkedIn profilethat positions you for what's
next, targeted applications andwarm conversations that build
momentum.
That's how time becomes yourally each week, instead of
(23:46):
feeling more stuck, you seesmall signs that you are moving
toward the work that truly fitsyou.
Mistake number six is pouringall your energy into what you've
done instead of shaping yourstory around where you actually
want to go next.
It's easy to see why thishappens because most of us were
(24:08):
taught that resumes and profilesare supposed to be a running
list of everything that we'vedone, so we stack up job
descriptions, achievements,responsibilities,
certifications.
It feels like that's what givesus credibility.
That if we show enough pastsuccess, someone will figure out
where we fit.
(24:29):
But what I've seen over and overis that employers hire forward.
They look at where you'repointing, not just where you've
been.
When your entire narrative isanchored only in the past, it
leaves hiring managers trying toguess what problems you want to
solve next, and many simply moveon to the person who makes that
(24:52):
crystal clear.
I had a client who was inbiotech operations.
Her resume and LinkedIn werepacked with technical wins and
complex system rollouts, allwritten like dense case studies.
Impressive, sure.
But it read like a historicaldocument.
Nothing pointed to where shewanted to go.
(25:13):
When we reframed it around thekinds of problems she wanted to
keep solving and wrote herprofile to position her as
someone driving innovation andoperational excellence for
future launches, it suddenlyopened doors.
Companies could see exactly howshe fit into their next big
(25:33):
project.
So think about this foryourself, are the opportunities
you want most likely going to goto someone whose materials read,
like a career obituary,documenting everything that
they've already done, or to theperson who says, here's what I
(25:54):
solve, here's where I'm heading,and here's how That connects to
what you need.
It's like driving a car bystaring in the rear view mirror.
The view behind you is valuable.
It shows how far you've come,but you reach your destination
by focusing on the road ahead.
(26:14):
Shifting this means decidingwhat problems you want to keep
solving, what environmentsenergize you and what future you
are intentionally moving toward.
Then your resume, your LinkedIn,even the way you introduce
yourself becomes a story ofwhere you are heading, supported
(26:39):
by the results that you'vealready delivered.
Picture a hiring manager lookingat your materials and instantly
seeing how you fit into thechallenges they're facing right
now and the goals that they'redriving toward.
That's when they reach outbecause you're not just a record
of the past, you are a solutionfor their future.
(27:01):
So just to recap where we'vebeen today, we have talked about
how sending out moreapplications without real
clarity is often what keeps yourunning In circles, we looked at
how turning your resume into apatchwork of keywords for every
new posting actually blurs yourmessage instead of sharpening
it.
(27:21):
And we explored how expectingyour work to speak for itself
leaves you quietly overlookedwhen real opportunities usually
grow through conversations andnetworks long before there's
ever a formal job post.
So let's picture this togetherfor a second.
(27:42):
Imagine just a few weeks fromnow.
Your LinkedIn doesn't just looknice.
It actually does work for you.
It positions you clearly so thatthe right people immediately see
how you fit.
Your resume doesn't blend intothe pile.
It feels like a direct line tothe kinds of problems you want
to keep solving.
You are not sitting back, hopingtime will sort it out.
(28:05):
You've given time something tocompound.
Each week, you are seeing smallsignals, maybe a warm reply to a
thoughtful message or anintroduction to someone that
you've genuinely admired.
You feel lighter because you'renot carrying the weight of
trying to be everything toeveryone.
(28:26):
You are clear, you areintentional, and that quiet
confidence starts pulling theright opportunities straight
towards you.
if you recognize any of this inyour own search, that's actually
a really good sign.
It means you're payingattention.
You are asking bigger questionsabout where your ladder is
(28:49):
leaning, and that's what changeseverything.
The simplest place to begin ifyou need help, is by grabbing my
free LinkedIn profile checklist.
it will help you make sure thatyour profile is not just a
digital resume, but a clear,compelling statement of what you
solve and where you're headingnext.
You'll find that link right inthe show notes, and if you're
(29:11):
ready to take it deeper, tofigure out exactly what kind of
problems you are built to solveand how to position yourself for
work that is truly aligned, youcan book a strategy call with
me.
We will look together at how tomake that happen.
So this is how you stop hopingand start steering.
This is how you build realmomentum toward the life and
(29:34):
career that fit you best.
I'm glad you're here.
Keep going.
Your next success is closer thanyou think.
Thanks for listening to YourNext Success with Dr.
Caroline Sangal.
Remember, authentic success isyours to define and includes
aligning your career to supportthe life you want.
Why is it that you can be doing everything you're
supposed to in your job search,keeping your resume sharp,
staying active on LinkedIn, evennetworking, and still feel like
you're going nowhere.
Why does it seem like no matterhow many steps you take,
something keeps pulling you backinto the same frustrating spot?
(00:23):
Maybe you've even caughtyourself wondering late at
night, am I missing somethingbig here?
Or is this just how it'ssupposed to be?
If you are in the thick of a jobsearch right now, questioning
whether it's really the marketor if there's something deeper
at play, keep listening.
This is the Your Next Successpodcast, and I'm your host, Dr.
(00:45):
Caroline Sangal.
I'm a life first career coachand strategist on a mission to
normalize questioning yourcareer because I believe each of
us is made on purpose for apurpose only we can fulfill.
The longer we live out ofalignment with who we are, what
we do best, and why we're here,the more we miss out.
(01:07):
And the more the world missesout On what only we can give the
Your Next Success Podcast iswhere we explore how to build a
career that truly fuels yourlife.
We talk about self-discovery,smart job, search strategies,
professional growth, and you'llhear stories from people who've
navigated big career transitionsthemselves so you can see what
(01:32):
it's really like to make boldchanges and feel inspired to
create your own version ofauthentic success, one that is
aligned, meaningful, and trulyyours.
Today we are talking about sixsubtle ways.
Your job search might actuallybe keeping you stuck, even
(01:53):
though it feels like you're onthe right track.
And first I wanna share a storywith you.
It is one that Napoleon Hilltold in his book, Think And Grow
Rich.
And yeah, it's almost a hundredyears old, but I swear it might
be more relevant now than ever.
Picture this with me for asecond.
(02:13):
You are standing on the edge ofa dock and there's a big ship
getting ready to pull out of theharbor.
It has got a captain at thehelm, a crew buzzing around,
maps and charts all laid out,and they know exactly where
they're going.
So when they untie the ropes andthey push off, there is zero
hesitation.
(02:33):
Now barring a storm or somefreak accident, that ship will
arrive at its exact destinationright on time, but then there's
another ship, same harbor, samewater, except this one has no
captain, no crew, no map.
It just drifts off wherever thetide decides to pull it.
(02:57):
Where does it end up?
Who knows, maybe it washes up onsome random shore, maybe it
crashes on the rocks, But whatit's not going to do is get
anywhere intentionally.
And the reason I tell you thisisn't to get all philosophical.
It's because if you are outthere in the middle of a job
(03:17):
search right now, whether you'regraduating, reentering the
workforce after a break oryou've experienced and found
yourself laid off, there's apretty good chance that your
approach looks a whole lot likethat second ship.
And look, that is not a dig.
Most people do it this way.
You're out there firing offapplications, maybe applying on
(03:40):
LinkedIn, tweaking bulletpoints, refreshing your email
inbox, and hoping maybe thistime someone replies and you
tell yourself, Hey, I am moving.
I am doing something.
It has got to pay off soon.
But let me ask you, does itactually feel like there's a
captain at the wheel?
(04:00):
Do you have a clear chart or areyou just hoping the wind pushes
you somewhere good, becausehere's what I want to promise
you today.
By the time we are done here,you're gonna see exactly why
your job search might be takingyou further off course without
(04:21):
you even realizing it.
I am gonna show you threemistakes that you might be doing
that are keeping you stuck inyour job search, and more
importantly, we will talk abouthow to shift it so that you're
not just drifting, you'reactually steering, you've got
the map, the compass, and yeah,you are the captain.
(04:42):
Sound good?
Alright, let's keep going.
Tell me if this rings true.
You've got your laptop open, orlet's be real, your phone and
you scroll LinkedIn, Indeed, orwhatever your portal of choice
is.
You click on a job title andyour stomach does this tiny
flip.
Could this be it?
(05:02):
And you start reading and youthink, yeah, I could do this.
You read the description two orthree times and you try to see
yourself in it.
Then maybe you adjust yourresume.
You pull out a bullet point thatmatches, you swap a line, you
upload, you hit submit.
And for a moment there's hope, alittle spark of maybe this one,
(05:26):
but then a few minutes, hours ordays later, nothing.
Crickets or that cheeryautomated rejection email that
somehow still manages to feellike a punch in the gut, or
worse, just total silence, butyou get up and you dust yourself
(05:48):
off, and then you do it againbecause that's what you've been
told, right?
Keep applying, keep trying.
It is just a numbers game, butcan I tell you something gently,
if it's not working now, doingmore of the same is not going to
suddenly flip the switch, andthat's exactly what we're going
(06:11):
to unpack today.
Mistake number one is believingthat the more applications you
send out, the more chances thatyou'll have.
Now it feels like common sense,right?
Everyone says it.
Keep applying, keep puttingyourself out there, and
eventually something has tostick, especially if you're
(06:33):
analytical and results focused.
It seems obvious that increasingthe number of submissions will
increase your odds.
What I see over and over thoughis something very different.
Because volume by itself doesnot create the momentum people
expect.
Real traction happens when yourenergy and focus go into
(06:58):
clarity, into understandingexactly what problems you solve
best and targeting where thoseproblems actually exist.
A scattered approach often leadsto scattered results.
I worked with a chemicalengineer who applied to 47 roles
(07:18):
in three weeks.
She cast such a wide netthinking that if she showed she
was open to a lot of differentopportunities, then she would
land something faster.
But the reality is nothingmoved.
Then we slowed everything downand she got clear on what kinds
of projects litter up.
(07:38):
And how her natural abilitieslined up with those roles.
The next month, she sent outjust five applications, and that
focus turned into threecallbacks and two on-sites.
It changed everything.
So think about it.
Are the people landing the bestroles, usually the ones who
(07:59):
flood the market withapplications, Or is it often the
people who zero in on where theycan create the most value and
make it unmistakable how theyfit?
Imagine you're fishing andyou're on a boat with a single
fishing line, but you drop it ina spot where you know the fish
gather that line matters morethan 50 lines dropped randomly
(08:23):
all over the ocean.
Intentional effort almost alwaysoutperforms random effort.
That is why clarity is sopowerful.
When you take the time toidentify exactly what problems
you want to solve, then youposition your resume and
LinkedIn around that story.
(08:46):
Every application becomes astrong signal.
You are not hoping someone willsort through your experience and
guess and figure out where youfit.
You are already showing them,and that makes decisions easier
for them and more fulfilling foryou.
Imagine sending out fewerapplications, knowing each one
(09:10):
is a direct match.
You can almost feel the reliefof no longer playing the numbers
game.
It's a quiet confidence thatcomes from knowing your path and
seeing your effort actually payoff.
Mistake number two happens whenyou turn your resume into a
patchwork of keywords for everyjob you apply to.
(09:34):
Now, it makes sense why peopledo this, because every career
article says, tailor yourresume, match the language, hit
the right keyword so that thesoftware moves you forward.
It feels strategic, likechecking all the right boxes.
But what I found is thatconstantly changing up your
(09:54):
resume for every job post canactually water down your
message.
Instead of showing a clear,strong story about who you are
and the problems that you'rebest at solving, it becomes a
collection of borrowed phrasesthat blend you in to everyone
else.
I worked with someone who didexactly this.
(10:16):
Every time she saw a newopening, she adjusted the lines,
swapped out the words, pulled inlanguage from the post, but her
resume became an echo of eachjob description rather than a
statement of her own uniquevalue.
Once we anchored her resume inwhat she truly did best,
(10:37):
something shifted.
Employers no longer had todecide who she was anymore, they
could see it right away, andthat's when interviews started
lining up.
So really ask yourself is aresume that tries to be
everything for everyone,actually more effective.
(11:00):
Or does a resume that speaksconsistently about your
strongest contributions, buildmore trust and pull in the right
roles to you.
It's like trying to grow agarden by planting a handful of
every type of seed and randomplaces.
Nothing gets the consistent careit needs, so nothing thrives.
(11:24):
When you plant the same kind ofseed in the right soil, you give
it a real chance to take rootand flourish.
When you build your resumearound the specific problems you
are uniquely wired to solve, itbecomes instantly clear to the
(11:44):
right people.
They don't have to wonder whatyou do there or how you'd fit,
it's obvious.
Imagine the relief of knowingyou are presenting the same
confident aligned story everytime, and that story is strong
enough to stand on its own.
(12:05):
It becomes easier for the rightopportunities to say yes because
you've already shown them why.
Mistake number three isexpecting your work to speak for
itself and naturally bring theright opportunities to you.
I completely understand why thisis a common belief because you
(12:26):
have worked hard deliveredresults, built a solid track
record, and maybe even gatheredglowing endorsements on your
LinkedIn.
It feels fair to think that bystaying focused on doing
excellent work, the right peoplewill notice.
It often feels more dignifiedtoo.
Like, I'm not out there chasing,I've proven myself.
(12:49):
If someone wants what I bring,they'll reach out.
But what I see play out time andagain is something different.
The best opportunities rarelystart with a random recruiter
stumbling on your profile.
They grow quietly throughnetworks, through referrals and
(13:11):
conversations long before a jobever gets posted.
People look for someone they'veheard about, someone who has
already shown curiosity andengagement.
Your track record matterstremendously, but it becomes
powerful when you are the oneputting it in front of the right
(13:32):
people.
I worked with a scientist whohad an incredible background.
She figured her results would beobvious enough that companies
would reach out.
Months passed without anythingmoving.
When she started reaching outdirectly, just three short,
thoughtful messages to hiringmanagers, doing work that
(13:54):
genuinely excited her,everything changed.
She mentioned a project that sheloved that overlapped with their
interests and offered a friendlyinvitation to connect.
A week later, she was on aninformal call.
Two weeks after that, they werealready sketching out a new role
(14:16):
around her strengths.
So it's worth asking yourself,are the most meaningful
opportunities really going tothe people who stay quiet and
wait to be noticed?
or do they usually flow to thosewho take small steps to get on
the radar early, long before ahiring decision is ever made.
(14:39):
It's like tending a garden bybeing present.
You water, you check the soil,you give it light.
The plants that get seen andcared for, grow the strongest.
The same goes for your career.
You create visibility throughsmall, genuine connections that
build trust over time, sharingwhat you care about, commenting
(15:03):
thoughtfully on someone's work,sending a simple note of
curiosity.
These are all ways that youbecome known.
Hiring conversations often startfrom someone remembering who
showed interest, who understoodtheir challenges, and who felt
like an easy next step when thetime was right.
(15:25):
Imagine what shifts when you arenot waiting, but gently guiding
your future by showing who youare and what you love to solve.
That's how opportunities come toyou already aligned with what
makes you come alive.
(16:28):
Today we are talking aboutsubtle ways your job search by
actually be keeping you stuck,even though from the outside it
looks like you're doingeverything right.
And I wanna share a story thatyou've probably heard because
it's one of those timelesstruths that hits even harder
when you're in a season likethis.
(16:49):
Stephen Covey, in The SevenHabits of Highly Effective
People said, people spend theirwhole lives climbing the ladder
of success only to reach the topand realize the ladder was
leaning against the wrong wall.
(17:10):
Think about that for a second.
You can be putting in all thehours, taking all the courses,
doing everything you believeshould get you ahead and still
end up somewhere that doesn'tactually fit you at all.
Somewhere that feels draining,small, misaligned even though
(17:32):
it's technically success.
I see this all the time incareer transitions.
Smart driven people keeppushing, climbing faster,
working harder, hoping that theeffort will eventually pay off,
but they never stop to check ifthe ladder is even on the right
(17:55):
wall.
And that's exactly what we'regonna unpack you'll see why some
of these patterns might bequietly holding you back and
you'll know exactly how to startshifting them so that you are
not just climbing by habit,hoping it leads somewhere good.
You are actually choosing thewall on purpose with your ladder
(18:19):
steady against something thatfits the life and work you truly
want.
So mistake number four istreating your LinkedIn profile
like a digital business cardInstead of what it can truly be,
a magnet.
Most people spend hours tweakingtheir LinkedIn.
They update their headline,maybe swap in a new banner,
(18:42):
rewrite the about section tosound a little more human.
It feels productive like you'reputting your best foot forward.
But the truth is, if yourprofile still mostly reads like
a list of duties or a string ofsafe corporate buzzwords, words
like results oriented orcross-functional leader, it
(19:03):
blends right in.
LinkedIn is so much more than anonline resume.
It is your positioningstatement.
It's where you get to broadcastif you have this problem, I'm
your person.
When you keep it generic, sureit feels safe, but it also means
(19:23):
that you fade into the noise.
Specifics are what makes peoplestop scrolling.
Being clear about what yousolve, repels the wrong roles
and draws the right ones to you.
I had a client who was a seniorproject manager.
Her old headline was somethinglike Passionate about Growth and
(19:46):
Operational Excellence.
Now, it could have described amillion people.
When we shifted it to, I leadglobal pharmaceutical scale ups,
cutting launch times by 30% byfocusing on lean systems and
quality assurance.
That one change started bringingInMails from exactly the kinds
(20:07):
of companies that she dreamed ofworking for.
So really think about it.
are recruiters and hiringmanagers pausing for profiles
that sound like every othersafe, professional summary?
Or are they reaching out topeople who make it obvious what
kind of problems they can jumpin and solve?
Your LinkedIn is like astorefront sign on a busy
(20:29):
street.
A bland sign says you sellstuff.
A clear focused sign says youhave exactly what that person
walking by is looking for.
Turning your LinkedIn into amagnet starts with deciding what
problems you want to solve nextand how you want to be known.
(20:50):
When your headline, yoursummary, and your experience
sections all reinforce thatmessage.
People don't have to guess.
They see it right away.
Picture someone opening yourprofile and thinking this is
exactly who we need.
That's what happens when yourpositioning does the heavy
lifting.
(21:11):
Mistake number five is hopingthat time will fix it.
Trusting that if you just keepgoing, eventually something will
land.
This one can be tough to facebecause it carries a hint of
truth.
You tell yourself it's themarket, it'll pick up.
Something's bound to comethrough.
(21:32):
It feels patient even resilient.
But here's what actually playsout.
Time doesn't automatically sortthings out.
When your approach ismisaligned.
Time compounds whatever you arealready doing.
So if every month you keepapplying randomly or you keep
(21:54):
waiting for someone to noticeyour profile, you are not
standing still.
You're slowly training yourselfto accept uncertainty, to get
used to polite rejections orcomplete silence.
Your confidence starts to thinout, drop by drop.
(22:15):
I've had clients come to meafter a whole year of doing the
same things, mass applying,rewriting tiny bits of their
resume, hoping the next quartermight be different.
By then, they weren't justtired.
Their belief in themselves haderoded.
But once we rebuilt everything,their positioning, their
(22:38):
outreach strategy, theirunderstanding of what they
actually wanted, things began tomove quickly, but it took extra
work just to get their energyback to try again.
So ask yourself, does time onits own create better outcomes?
Or does time only start workingin your favor once you give it
(23:04):
something meaningful to buildon.
Time is like a snowball.
It grows based on what you packat the start.
If you start with misalignment,it just becomes a bigger ball of
confusion.
If you start with clarity andstrategy, it picks up speed in
the right direction.
(23:26):
Time starts working for you whenyou give it a foundation, a
clear resume, a LinkedIn profilethat positions you for what's
next, targeted applications andwarm conversations that build
momentum.
That's how time becomes yourally each week, instead of
(23:46):
feeling more stuck, you seesmall signs that you are moving
toward the work that truly fitsyou.
Mistake number six is pouringall your energy into what you've
done instead of shaping yourstory around where you actually
want to go next.
It's easy to see why thishappens because most of us were
(24:08):
taught that resumes and profilesare supposed to be a running
list of everything that we'vedone, so we stack up job
descriptions, achievements,responsibilities,
certifications.
It feels like that's what givesus credibility.
That if we show enough pastsuccess, someone will figure out
where we fit.
(24:29):
But what I've seen over and overis that employers hire forward.
They look at where you'repointing, not just where you've
been.
When your entire narrative isanchored only in the past, it
leaves hiring managers trying toguess what problems you want to
solve next, and many simply moveon to the person who makes that
(24:52):
crystal clear.
I had a client who was inbiotech operations.
Her resume and LinkedIn werepacked with technical wins and
complex system rollouts, allwritten like dense case studies.
Impressive, sure.
But it read like a historicaldocument.
Nothing pointed to where shewanted to go.
(25:13):
When we reframed it around thekinds of problems she wanted to
keep solving and wrote herprofile to position her as
someone driving innovation andoperational excellence for
future launches, it suddenlyopened doors.
Companies could see exactly howshe fit into their next big
(25:33):
project.
So think about this foryourself, are the opportunities
you want most likely going to goto someone whose materials read,
like a career obituary,documenting everything that
they've already done, or to theperson who says, here's what I
(25:54):
solve, here's where I'm heading,and here's how That connects to
what you need.
It's like driving a car bystaring in the rear view mirror.
The view behind you is valuable.
It shows how far you've come,but you reach your destination
by focusing on the road ahead.
(26:14):
Shifting this means decidingwhat problems you want to keep
solving, what environmentsenergize you and what future you
are intentionally moving toward.
Then your resume, your LinkedIn,even the way you introduce
yourself becomes a story ofwhere you are heading, supported
(26:39):
by the results that you'vealready delivered.
Picture a hiring manager lookingat your materials and instantly
seeing how you fit into thechallenges they're facing right
now and the goals that they'redriving toward.
That's when they reach outbecause you're not just a record
of the past, you are a solutionfor their future.
(27:01):
So just to recap where we'vebeen today, we have talked about
how sending out moreapplications without real
clarity is often what keeps yourunning In circles, we looked at
how turning your resume into apatchwork of keywords for every
new posting actually blurs yourmessage instead of sharpening
it.
(27:21):
And we explored how expectingyour work to speak for itself
leaves you quietly overlookedwhen real opportunities usually
grow through conversations andnetworks long before there's
ever a formal job post.
So let's picture this togetherfor a second.
(27:42):
Imagine just a few weeks fromnow.
Your LinkedIn doesn't just looknice.
It actually does work for you.
It positions you clearly so thatthe right people immediately see
how you fit.
Your resume doesn't blend intothe pile.
It feels like a direct line tothe kinds of problems you want
to keep solving.
You are not sitting back, hopingtime will sort it out.
(28:05):
You've given time something tocompound.
Each week, you are seeing smallsignals, maybe a warm reply to a
thoughtful message or anintroduction to someone that
you've genuinely admired.
You feel lighter because you'renot carrying the weight of
trying to be everything toeveryone.
(28:26):
You are clear, you areintentional, and that quiet
confidence starts pulling theright opportunities straight
towards you.
if you recognize any of this inyour own search, that's actually
a really good sign.
It means you're payingattention.
You are asking bigger questionsabout where your ladder is
(28:49):
leaning, and that's what changeseverything.
The simplest place to begin ifyou need help, is by grabbing my
free LinkedIn profile checklist.
it will help you make sure thatyour profile is not just a
digital resume, but a clear,compelling statement of what you
solve and where you're headingnext.
You'll find that link right inthe show notes, and if you're
(29:11):
ready to take it deeper, tofigure out exactly what kind of
problems you are built to solveand how to position yourself for
work that is truly aligned, youcan book a strategy call with
me.
We will look together at how tomake that happen.
So this is how you stop hopingand start steering.
This is how you build realmomentum toward the life and
(29:34):
career that fit you best.
I'm glad you're here.
Keep going.
Your next success is closer thanyou think.
Thanks for listening to YourNext Success with Dr.
Caroline Sangal.
Remember, authentic success isyours to define and includes
aligning your career to supportthe life you want.
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