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I see posts like this on LinkedIn all the time. A job seeker says the market is impossible. They’ve applied everywhere. No one will give them a chance. And then, right there in the post, are some of the biggest reasons they’re not getting interviews. Take this example. “I’ve applied to 300+ jobs.” Doing something more, if you’re doing it in an ineffective way, doesn’t often lead to different results. Then they list the roles they’re targeting: “Project Manager. Operations Manager. Customer Success Manager. Business Analyst. Program Manager. HR.” Being open to more opportunities feels like it should increase your odds, but in a job search, it often does the opposite. Those jobs require different positioning. When you try to look qualified for everything, you often stop looking like the obvious choice for anything. Then they say: “I’ve listened to every career guru.” I don’t know which gurus they listened to, but I looked at this person’s LinkedIn profile and immediately saw vital changes they should make to get companies interested. Then they point to their bachelor’s and master’s degrees as proof that they should be getting calls. While degrees have value, they often aren’t the differentiating factor that get employers to pay attention. What really interests employers is showing you have experience and get results. And finally: “I’ll take almost anything.” This one is especially counterintuitive, because you think being flexible makes you easier to hire. But if your resume, networking conversations, or interviews give off “I’ll take anything,” companies are worried you don’t actually want the role, and people you network with don’t feel sure how to help you. So be careful when you see posts telling you the job search is hopeless. The market can absolutely be difficult. But sometimes what looks like proof that “nothing works” is actually evidence that the strategy needs to change. And that’s good news, because your strategy is something you can actually do something about. Hang in there! And when things get too negative online, step away and stop reading the LinkedIn posts! PS - I have a live job search masterclass in 2 weeks, link in bio