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US Job Market Shows Signs of Cooling, But Resilience Remains in Key Sectors

Written by stephanie on June 1, 2025. Posted in Blog, Business Development.

The U.S. labor market showed mixed signals in March, as job openings fell to their lowest level since 2024 while hiring remained steady, and layoffs stayed relatively unchanged. Data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics points to a job market that’s no longer overheating but not in free fall either.

Total job openings dropped to 7.2 million, down from 7.4 million in February and nearly 1 million fewer than a year ago. This decline suggests companies are reining in recruitment efforts amid growing concerns over inflation, interest rates, and global instability. Yet despite the dip, the market remains far more dynamic than during pre-pandemic years, with hiring still strong in some sectors.

“This is what a gradual soft landing looks like,” said labor economist Diane Reynolds. “The job market isn’t crashing, but it’s certainly cooling off from the rapid growth of the past two years.”

Hiring Holds Steady—But Not Everywhere

Employers added 5.4 million new hires in March, matching February’s pace. The healthcare sector once again led the way, adding more than 51,000 jobs. Transportation and warehousing also saw strong gains (+29,000), likely boosted by pre-summer supply chain preparation.

Other industries experiencing hiring momentum include:

Financial Services and Social Assistance, both of which continue to respond to growing demand for support and advisory roles.
Education Services, particularly in early childhood and special education, saw modest increases.

However, this strength was not universal. Job losses hit several sectors hard, including:

Technology, which shed an estimated 29,000 jobs, continues a trend of restructuring as companies shift priorities and consolidate roles.
Manufacturing, particularly in automotive and electronics, where ongoing tariff tensions have created uncertainty.
The Federal Government saw a reduction of 9,000 roles due to departmental streamlining.

Corporate Layoffs: A New Normal?

While the layoff rate held steady at 1.6 million, the headlines tell a different story. A number of high-profile employers announced major job cuts in Q1 and Q2, including:

UPS eliminated 20,000 roles amid automation initiatives.
Chevron cut up to 9,000 jobs in energy and support services.
Meta, Microsoft, Workday, and others in tech continued workforce reductions tied to AI integrations and operational shifts.
Estée Lauder, Kohl’s, and Wayfair trimmed staff as the retail sector realigns around post-COVID consumer behaviors.

Universities and media companies were also affected. Johns Hopkins University cut over 2,000 staff, while CNN, Grubhub, and the Washington Post implemented smaller but notable workforce reductions.

“We’re seeing a trend where companies are getting leaner not because they’re failing, but because they’re preparing,” noted HR strategist Carla Grant. “They’re streamlining for agility and cost-efficiency.”

Engagement Falls to a 10-Year Low

Even as the labor market avoids a dramatic downturn, employee engagement has quietly slipped into crisis territory. Gallup’s latest research shows only 31% of U.S. workers are actively engaged in their jobs – the lowest figure since 2014.

Among the key drivers:

Unclear expectations: Just 44% of employees report knowing what’s expected of them at work.
Lack of purpose: Only 30% feel connected to their organization’s mission.
Wellbeing concerns: A mere 21% believe their employer genuinely cares about them.

Perhaps most concerning, managers, the people expected to drive culture and performance, saw the sharpest drop in engagement, falling to just 27%.

Hybrid Work Offers a Glimmer of Hope

One bright spot: flexibility. About 74% of U.S. companies now offer some form of hybrid work, which research shows can increase autonomy, reduce burnout, and help retention.

“It’s not just about location – it’s about control,” said workforce researcher Maya Jenkins. “Employees feel more engaged when they have a say in how and where they work.”

A Delicate Balancing Act Ahead

As 2025 progresses, the U.S. labor market seems to be tiptoeing the line between resilience and retreat. While certain industries continue to grow and unemployment remains relatively low, companies are hiring more cautiously, trimming headcounts where needed, and rethinking workforce structures in response to new technology and economic headwinds.

For job seekers, this means focusing on industries with sustained demand, like healthcare, logistics, and financial services, while keeping a close eye on employer stability and culture.

As the job market shifts, one thing is clear: adaptability and clarity, both from workers and employers, will be key to staying ahead.

The Most Nervous Person in the Room

Written by Don Orlando on June 1, 2025. Posted in Blog, Career Coaching, Résumé Writing.

“The words ‘job interview’. . .are a red flag. Danger ahead. Our instinctual brain causes us to react before we have analyzed the threat. Overthinking whips us into a state of constant anxiety and stress in the days leading up to . . . a job interview. . .” – upliftrecruitment.au, March 2025

In this article I hope to give you ways to help defuse some of that anxiety in your clients. A proven approach is to complete the phrase in the title above, but with an unexpected, and stress-relieving answer. Here it is: the most nervous person in the room is the interviewer.

Explain your words by tracing how every position is created. It all starts when an employee sees the need for a collection of knowledge, skills, abilities, and passions. These are often approximated by a job title. Let’s explore this with an example:

As the vice president of sales from my company, I’m convinced we need a new district sales manager. I’ve done my homework. But I can’t advertise the position or begin to interview candidates. That’s because it’s not my money to make this hire. It’s the company’s money.

So I must go down the hall to my boss. Only she can approve the funding. And in the back of my mind I remember she has hiring and firing power over me. Here’s how the conversation plays out:

“Boss, I’ve been thinking this out and I would so appreciate your enthusiastic support to allow me to hire a new district sales manager.”

I know the next words I will hear: “We can’t afford that!”

If I’m going to leave this meeting with my credibility intact I can only give her one answer. And it’s the answer that underlies every hiring decision made.

“Boss, I’m so confident about this I’m going to give you my personal pledge: the next district sales manager I hire will make our company a lot more money than it takes for me to find her, hire her, and retain her!”

I now have instant approval. And I have just signed up to be the primary interviewer.

But I’m worried. I see district sales managers in other companies who are not very good at what they do. And I think someone just like me chose that person as the best in a field of eligibles. If he could make that mistake so could I.

My boss and I know the cost of replacing an individual is roughly equal to three times the annual salary. Since that number is roughly $90K in the United States, any mistake I make will cost more than a quarter of a million dollars. No wonder I’m the most nervous person in the world!

But what a great opportunity for our clients if we expand their view. It is so natural for them to concentrate on themselves. But suppose we told them each interview is a great opportunity to help the very person who may get them hired.

This requires us to rise well above the toxic folklore to be seen everywhere, particularly in social media channels. You’ve seen those lists of the top 25 (or is it 75?) interview questions. The suggestion is salvation lies in knowing all those questions. All job seekers must do is memorize each question, associate it with the “correct” answer, and respond fluently and flawlessly, no matter in what sequence they appear or which words the interviewer uses!

It never occurs to thousands what it would have to take for those lists to be true. Even then, the approach is impossible. The authors suggest they coordinated with thousands of hiring officials in every career field and industry you can imagine and got all of them to agree not only on the questions but on the answers as well.

But there is a much more powerful and successful approach, limited to a single question our clients must remember! Our clients must get the hiring official to tell them what keeps them up at night when it comes to their specialty.

After all, all our clients are hired as problem solvers. By asking the question, they give themselves and the hiring official opportunities to explore issues most important to both of them.

I also remind my clients of something I am vain enough to call Orlando’s First Law of Employment when they deal with a company:

Everything you see

Everything you hear

Is condoned or encouraged by the leadership

Without exception!

If my client gets a general answer, it shows the interviewer doesn’t know what the biggest question is. And he’s already employed! If my client took this job, he would get no guidance and be set up to fail.

Fortunately, most interviewers can describe the problem. That puts both interviewers and applicants on very comfortable ground.

Here is where our clients prove their value. They tell the interviewer which problem they solved, how they did it, what the results were, and if there’s any particular context. Thanks to you, they will be very comfortable because you spent considerable time getting just that information, in just that order, as you put together their résumé and LinkedIn profile.

There is only one correction we need to make. Most job seekers, when they tell these stories, do so chronologically. That makes sense. That’s the way we live our lives. But when interviewers hear extended streams of background information first, they lose interest fast. So we remind our clients to always put the bottom line at the top.

Let me give you an example drawn from a recent résumé. Here’s how that story appeared:

Finding Potential Others Missed

Payoffs: Retained top performer who reacted very emotionally to hiring event he thought worked against him. Made time to listen – really listen – to his concerns. Soon recognized the stress of the moment was more than offset by his years of service. Kept $4M contract on course.

Now let’s listen in to the interview:

Interviewer: “Can you tell me about a time you had to deal with a demanding employee?”

My client: “I’ll give you the details in a moment. But here’s the bottom line: I retained a valuable team member when others urged me to fire him.

When I had to reorganize my division, one of my team members became irate. Because he had always been so capable, I made time to really listen to his concerns.

I soon realized he’d misinterpreted what I said. By keeping him on my team, everybody won. We continued to benefit from all we had invested in him. He felt his ideas counted. We both saw the need to think things through before we acted.

More often than we would like, some interviewers ask questions which are unclear. In that case, I suggest my clients answer those questions just as most US presidents conduct press conferences. They answer the question the interviewer should have asked, not the question they did ask.

The clients’ brand we both worked so hard to sharpen carries the day. I remind clients to fold in those brand elements in the interview. Those are things my client promises to demonstrate to the target company from day one. Here they are for the client I just described:

Guide entry into new markets fast
Transform change from threat to opportunity
Think and act strategically
Find potential others miss
Maintain a healthy work setting

Please notice this provides the answer to the most critical question clients will ever encounter: “Why should we hire you?”

Many applicants focus on what they did in the past. That focuses on things done for other companies months and years ago. It’s backward looking.

But the intent of the question was focused on the company’s future. The question could have been posed this way: “What will you do to help our company prosper?” That’s very much forward looking.

This approach gives our clients confidence in three ways. First, it reminds them how capable they are.

Second, we should remind clients when companies ask them to interview, they think our clients are qualified. Why would firms ever interview someone they would never consider hiring?

Finally, we should point out our clients interview several times every day on the job! The boss says: “Jim, we have a problem.” Jim asks what the problem entails. There is a brief discussion. Then Jim works to resolve the difficulty. That is an interview! And it is directly related to job performance! Interviewing is something our clients already know they are good at.

Now I hope you have the tools you and your clients need so they see themselves, truly, as the most confident person in the room!

The Resume as Interview Prep

Written by John Suarez on June 1, 2025. Posted in Blog, Résumé Writing.

A résumé is more than a job application tool—it’s a foundation for interview success. Many clients don’t realize how the résumé writing process helps them clarify their story, highlight accomplishments, and build confidence. As their résumé writer, you can show them how it prepares them for the next step.

The Story Gets Clarified | Writing a résumé forces clients to reflect on their career journey, uncovering patterns of growth, skills, and achievements. Seeing this transformation in a polished narrative helps them articulate their strengths with clarity, often for the first time.
Key Accomplishments Get Identified | The C-A-R story model (or its many variations) used to build effective bullet statements on paper is the same model that works verbally in the interview. This is especially effective for articulating the value of soft skills.
Skills Get Aligned | Working with you, the client learns to speak about the most relevant experiences that match the employer’s needs.
Confidence Gets Boosted | A strong representation of their skills and qualifications helps your client feel more prepared for the rigor and uncertainty of responding to questions.
The Discussion Gets a Roadmap | The résumé acts as a built-in roadmap since interviewers often draw from its content. It provides talking points to the interviewer. Clients who know their résumés inside and out will be ready to expand on these key points.
Gaps and Weaknesses Get Addressed | The résumé writing process helps identify potential red flags, such as employment gaps, career transitions, or lack of specific qualifications. By discussing these with you, clients can prepare clear explanations rather than being caught off guard.
Personal Branding Gets Strengthened | Crafting a résumé involves defining a client’s unique value proposition—the combination of skills, experience, and personality that sets them apart. This same branding message can then be reinforced in interviews, cover letters, and networking conversations, creating a consistent and compelling professional identity.

PARWCC members include some of the most skilled interview coaches in the industry. Clients who struggle with performance can benefit greatly from expert coaching. These professionals specialize in interview success, and résumé writers should consider partnering with at least one reputable coach to provide clients with a full spectrum of career support. But don’t underestimate your link in the service chain.

A well-crafted résumé isn’t just a document—it’s a foundation for career success. As a résumé writer, you’re not just writing words on a page; you’re shaping careers and preparing clients for the next step in their career journey. Your process matters, even if it’s more informal than working with a dedicated coach.

When clients walk into interviews prepared and ready to shine, your influence is clear. By guiding clients beyond the page toward a bigger picture, you solidify your role as a trusted career partner.

“A strong résumé doesn’t just open doors—it gives clients the confidence to walk through them.”

Successful Job Interviews Come Down to a Simple Philosophy

Written by Jay Block on June 1, 2025. Posted in Blog, Career Coaching, CEMP, CIC.

All things being equal, hiring decision-makers hire those candidates they come to know, like, and trust. This is a simple philosophical concept that is pretty much a constant throughout the hiring process. It comes down to, “Do I know you and like you well enough to trust that you can perform as expected when hired?”

In today’s volatile, technology-driven job market, outstanding resumes often get job candidates into interviews, but they don’t secure job offers. All things being equal, when choosing between competing candidates, employers hire people they come to know, like, and trust – and this only occurs in interviews. There, the human dynamics of verbal and, especially, nonverbal communications take over. It’s here, in this face-to-face collaboration we call an interview, where even the most qualified job candidates will falter if they do not come across as likable and trustworthy.

To achieve this trifecta requires a new interview prep strategy (Refer to PARWCC’s CIC certification: https://parwcc.com/certified-interview-coach-cic/). It involves communicating the ultimate results one can produce while simultaneously demonstrating cultural fit and values alignment. And then there’s the skill of creating genuine likability, a skill that extends beyond rapport building. I’ve interviewed hiring managers who have, on rare occasion, hired candidates who were not the best candidate or fit. But no one has ever told me they hired someone they didn’t like. So elite interviewing means taking these three concepts – being known, liked, and trusted – and communicating and demonstrating these attributes at higher levels than their competition.

Communicating Results One Can Deliver, Generate or Produce

First and foremost, companies hire people to solve problems and achieve specific results – trusting a job candidate can perform to expectation. A job candidate’s ability to clearly articulate what they can deliver, generate or produce in exchange for a paycheck is all-important. That’s the trust part – where potential employers gain a trust that a job candidate can meet and exceed their expectations. Employers need to envision and believe they will get a solid return on their investment in a new hire.

Speak to the Employer’s Emotions: Outcomes are key. Rather than focusing solely on duties and responsibilities from past jobs, it’s important to address outcomes because past results indicate future potential. Numbers and metrics documented on resumes and in interviews create tangible proof of one’s value, so the more precise the results are when presented in interviews, the more leverage one has at winning a job offer.
Tailor the Message: Seek first to understand the needs and goals of the company one is interviewing with, and then customize one’s presentation to address those needs and goals. And the messages must be emotionally enticing. It’s often called the ‘indispensability message’. It answers the question, what is it that makes you indispensable and highly valued? Like the movie, The Godfather, interviewees must communicate in such a way as to make interviewers an offer they can’t refuse. That offer is called the indispensability message.
Provide Proof: Prepare specific, metric-driven accomplishments / achievements to provide real-world examples of results job candidates delivered, generated, and produced in the past. In reality, it is not storytelling, it is providing evidence of when and how job candidates contributed results in the past, that would indicate future potential. In most cases, this evidence – verifiable proof of producing past results – leads to building the trust factor. Ultimately, a job candidate’s objective is to leave no doubt that hiring them will deliver measurable, meaningful benefits to the company.

Demonstrating Cultural Fit and Value Alignment

An employee’s ability to produce results means little if they don’t mesh with the company’s culture and values. Cultural fit ensures that one will thrive in the environment and contribute positively to the team dynamics. Company cultures vary widely, but some common examples include collaborative, innovative, customer-centric, purpose-driven, and inclusive cultures. Collaborative cultures emphasize teamwork and open communication, while innovative cultures encourage creativity and risk-taking. Customer-centric cultures prioritize exceptional service, and purpose-driven cultures focus on a company’s mission and values. Inclusive cultures value diversity and create a sense of belonging for all employees.

Understand the Culture: Before the interview, job candidates must research the company’s values, mission statement, and recent news. It’s easy to browse their social media, seek out employee reviews, and study their website. Are they formal or relaxed? Innovative or traditional? Community-focused or bottom-line driven? Dress codes, culture background, education, language, and appearance, are just some of the values-centered aspects that make up a company’s culture.
Uncover the Company’s Hidden Culture: A hidden culture and values system may exist… but are not readily noticeable or accessible. Perhaps management styles are different than what is noted on a website or even during the interview. Maybe a stressful work environment exists when the environment was initially introduced as low-key and easy going. Often, there is a discrepancy between what the company posts on the website, and how certain people in the organization actually behave. If one knows the name of the person they are interviewing with, they can Google that person and look for values-based intelligence to address in upcoming interviews.
Ask Insightful Questions: Questions like, “How would you describe the company’s culture?” or “What traits do successful team members typically share here?” show one’s interest in fitting in and thriving within the organization. “How would you describe the ideal candidate’s values and character?” is another strong question. When employers see job candidates as “one of us,” they feel safer and more confident offering them the job.

Building the Likeability Factor (Beyond Rapport)

While skills and fit are critical, likeability often tips the hiring scales. It’s about more than surface-level rapport; it’s about whether people feel comfortable with the job candidate, enjoy interacting with them, and believe working with them will be a positive experience.

Mirror the Company’s Language and Attitude: During the interview, use verbal and nonverbal communications that reflect the interviewer’s / hiring decision maker’s communication style. If the interviewer sits forward, job candidates should sit forward. If the interviewer doesn’t smile much, the job candidate shouldn’t smile much. If the interviewer is highly engaged or laid back, job candidates should replicate that style. Likeable is created by demonstrating personality and cultural similarities – not differences.
Be Engaged: People naturally like those who show sincere interest in them. Job candidates must be taught and inspired to listen more during the interview; to be fully engaged. It helps to nod, smile, and respond thoughtfully. When job seekers demonstrate that they are paying attention and are fully present, that speaks volumes in tipping the likeability scale in their favor.
Display Authenticity: Authenticity resonates. Job candidates must come across as reliable and believable. This requires practice – mock interview training. It’s important that job candidates come across as confident, poised, and professional – not rehearsed or robotic. Genuine enthusiasm is contagious and leaves a lasting impression.
Beware of the Twin Scenarios: Job candidates must be confident but not cocky, humble but not timid, proactive but not domineering, and they must demonstrate empathy but not weakness. Likeability often comes down to whether the interviewer thinks, “Would I want to work with this person every day?” The goal is to aim to make the answer an ‘easy yes.’

Tying It All Together: The Integrated Approach

Winning the job offer isn’t about excelling in just one of these areas. It’s about integrating all three into a cohesive narrative that answers the employer’s silent question: “Can I trust this person to deliver results, fit into our culture, and be someone we want to work with?”

The Coach’s Mission:

Prepare Thoroughly: Challenge job candidates to research the company, study the job description, and craft emotional communication that demonstrates results, fit, and personality. Practice articulating these without sounding rehearsed. There is no substitute for mock interview sessions to achieve mastery.

Be Strategic: Early in the interview, job candidates must establish themselves as professional and credible candidates that can deliver, generate, and produce results worthy of a paycheck. Coaches help job seekers create specific strategies, tools, and priorities to ace interviews, because no two interviews are ever the same. Each requires its own tactical preparation.

Simplicity is a Strategy: Interviewing, for most people, is uncomfortable at best, and terrorizing at the other end of the emotional spectrum. Public speaking ranks right up there, fear-wise, with death, snakes, heights, and being buried alive. So within the realm of interview coaching, keeping it as simple as possible helps job candidates focus on what really matters, in a confident and understandable manner.

Conclusion

Hiring decisions are rarely made on skills alone. Employers hire those they know, like, and trust. By clearly communicating the results one can produce, demonstrating that they fit seamlessly into a company’s culture and values system, and by cultivating genuine likeability, job candidates make it easy for employers to say, ‘welcome to our company’.

From Stats to Strategy: Why Career Coaches Need Labor Market Literacy

Written by Angie Callen on June 1, 2025. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Career Coaching.

If you’ve ever felt like the phrase “the job market is weird right now” is coming up in every client session (or career-related conversation), you’re not wrong.

It is weird.
It’s been weird.
And it’s probably going to stay weird for a while.

But here’s the million-dollar question: can you explain why the market feels weird? And, more importantly, are you informed enough to tell them what to do about it?

Weird doesn’t mean unpredictable—if you know where to look, and I want to make sure you know where to look!

Last month, I kicked off the Thrive conference with a half-day bootcamp, including a session all about the Career Economy and the Data Every Coach Should Know.

It was packed with stats, trends, and decoding tools to help you take your market knowledge to the next level and become even more invaluable to your clients.

Let’s talk about why data matters in our world and how to use it to your advantage.

Labor Market Literacy Is a Differentiator

You don’t need to be an economist to talk about market trends, but if you’re coaching job seekers or writing resumes in today’s environment, you do need to understand what’s happening in the hiring world and how it impacts your clients.

Here’s what clients really want to know:

Why is it taking so long to land a new role?
How long should I expect my job search to take?
Is now a bad time to job search?
Am I doing something wrong—or is this just the market?

If your only answer is “Yeah, it’s tough out there,” you’re missing an opportunity to lead and add value to your services. When you can pair strategy with insight, you shift from service provider to strategic partner.

What Data Should You Actually Pay Attention To?

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the acronyms and reports, so here’s a TL;DR breakdown of my go-to data sources that you can start using right away:

Bureau of Labor and Statistics [BLS] Economic Situation and JOLTS Reports (Job Openings and Labor Turnover): Want to know where new jobs are being created, hiring is slowing, or how many people are leaving jobs? Start here.
LinkedIn Workforce Reports: Great for regional trends, in-demand skills, and industry-specific metrics.
Gallup Workplace Reports: Provides insights into employee engagement and satisfaction levels as a measure of overall workforce sentiment.
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Long-term projections for job growth and career viability are broken down by career track, which is especially helpful for career changers.

You don’t need to follow every source down to the nitty gritty (good luck keeping your sanity if you try). A quick skim to keep your finger on the pulse will help you translate data into useful real-time actions for clients.

The Three-Question Decoder

To keep it simple, I teach coaches to run every stat, trend, or economic article through this filter:

What’s changing?
Who does it impact?
What strategy should my clients deploy?

Here’s a quick example:

Let’s say job openings are down in tech, and remote postings are declining.
→ That’s what’s changing.
→ It impacts job seekers looking for remote-first roles in software or startups.
→ So maybe we coach them to expand location flexibility, broaden their target companies, or shift expectations around timelines.

Context can make a world of difference to a client who is fearful and frustrated while also reinforcing your expertise. Win-win!

Turn Stats Into Strategy

Here’s how to use labor market insights to elevate your coaching practice:

✅ Set realistic expectations: Clients feel more grounded when you explain why things are occurring in a certain way.
✅ Reframe “rejection”: Sometimes it’s not them. It’s the market. That knowledge can preserve confidence and keep people in the game.
✅ Target smarter searches: Data tells us where growth is happening and what skills are in demand. Use that to direct networking, upskilling, and outreach efforts.
✅ Stand out as a guide: Coaches who can translate complexity into clarity become indispensable. Period.

Your Clients Deserve More Than “It’s a Tough Market”

They deserve context.
They deserve a strategy.
They deserve a partner who understands economic conditions and how to respond.

You don’t need to be a data analyst. You just need to be curious, informed, and willing to spend a few minutes each month checking the pulse of the career economy.

That’s how you elevate your voice, differentiate your business, and lead clients through the chaos with calm and confidence.

Here’s your challenge this month:
Pick one labor market source and start following it.
→ Skim the BLS JOLTS summary.
→ Glance at LinkedIn’s latest workforce snapshot.
→ Read one article about Q2 hiring trends.

Then ask yourself:

What changed?
Who does it impact?
And how can I help my clients respond?

Stay curious, stay informed, and keep leading with impact. You’ve got this—and your clients will thank you for it.

Your Friend and Coach,
Angie Callen, CPRW, CPCC

News from PARWCC!

Written by PARWCC Leadership Team on May 21, 2025. Posted in Blog, Weekly Newsletter.

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Get ready! Tomorrow launches our next Master Series – an incredible 2-part series on Emotional Intelligence including empowering tactics to enhance your coaching practice. Join us for this exclusive opportunity to learn profound active listening skills, methods to guide fear into action, and practical tools you can implement immediately.

Job boards are not the be-all-end-all of job searches. Get the details of other options in the blog below. And see them in action in our “Member Updates” section – check out that LinkedIn post to learn how one of our members got his opportunity.

We’re starting a live Ask Me Anything Panel about several topics with industry leaders. The next one is on May 29th featuring lead generation for entrepreneurs. Then we will talk about the Practice of Career Coaching on June 2nd. These sessions are a live discussion guided by your questions – no slide decks, just engaging and empowering interactions. If you have any topics you’d like covered, please email Stephanie.

Check out our “Things We Found Interesting” section for articles on what new grads get wrong about the job search, how to handle a mismatch between duties and job description, and the new paradigm about everybody being replaceable.

Webinars and Sessions

May

June

Bust the Job Board Mentality


	Do you know about the hidden job market? Recruiters often prioritize internal candidates, referrals, and networking before resorting to job boards. You can empower your clients by teaching them proactive networking skills, such as attending industry events and leveraging personal connections, to tap into these unadvertised opportunities. By learning to “think like a recruiter” and focusing on building relationships, job seekers gain access to a wider range of possibilities beyond the limitations of job boards.


	Final chance! Register now for this empowering 2-part Master Series led by Ari M. Weinstein. Learn actionable strategies to guide clients through fear, build deep trust, and create emotionally safe spaces to supercharge results. Grow your impact now!

Save My Seat!

Need More Clients?
Start Here!


	This is your chance to ask: – What actually works for getting new leads right now? – How do I make the most of LinkedIn or referrals? – Should I use email lists, ads, content—or something else? – What’s the best way to follow up without sounding salesy?

2:00 PM ET
Thurs., May 29

Join us for a live Ask Me Anything session focused on lead generation for service-based entrepreneurs. Whether you’re a résumé writer, career coach, or business owner wearing multiple hats, this AMA gives you direct access to experienced entrepreneurs ready to answer your questions.

No presentations, no slide decks. Just real-time Q&A and actionable insights to help you grow your business.

Things We Found Interesting


	What New Grads Get Wrong About the Job Search


	Ask HR: What to Do If Your Duties Don’t Match the Job Description


	‘Everybody’s Replaceable’: the New Ways Bosses Talk About Workers

Member News and Updates

“I experienced this first-hand: a recent client found me not through LinkedIn or Google, but through the Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Coaches member directory. […] For anyone currently in (or thinking about) a job search: consider joining your industry’s top professional association. It could be the connection that leads you to your next role.“

Thank you Scott Gardner for highlighting our services on LinkedIn! In case you didn’t know, PARWCC’s job board is thriving! We currently have 1,400 jobs listed with 3,400 job seekers. You can find your next opportunity here!

Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches
204 37th Ave N, #112, St. Petersburg, FL 33704
Phone: (727) 350-2218
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://parwcc.com

If you would like to unsubscribe: @@unsubscribe_url@@

News from PARWCC!

Written by PARWCC Leadership Team on May 14, 2025. Posted in Blog, Weekly Newsletter.

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Do you have seasoned 50+ clients returning to the workforce? Want to know how to up-skill and empower these experienced professionals to thrive in this challenging job market? Get effective tactics in our interactive session tomorrow with Mark Smith and learn practical strategies to help these ‘forgotten’ workers regain confidence.

Emotional intelligence is incredibly important while guiding our clients. Register now for our newest Master Series for 2 intense sessions where you will learn active listening skills to transform conversations, methods to move from fear to action, ways to create safe spaces, and practical tools you can implement now.

How quickly do you switch into ‘fixer’ mode when your clients come to you? Try prioritizing curiosity instead! Check out the blog below to learn how strategic questions can uncover the roots of surface-level issues. This will build your business and differentiate you from your competition.

Feedback needed! We value our members and want to make PARWCC even better. Tell us how we can serve you better with this survey – your testimonial may get featured in our marketing materials too!

Webinars and Sessions

May

June

Learn Simple but Powerful Techniques


	Transform your coaching practice with practical emotional intelligence techniques designed specifically for career and résumé professionals. This intensive two-part master class equips you with accessible tools to help clients manage emotions and achieve better outcomes during career transitions.

Save Your Seat!

Serve Better by Asking
Smarter Questions


	Do you immediately offer solutions when assisting your clients? Try prioritizing curiosity instead! By asking thoughtful questions and truly listening, you will uncover the root of the struggle beyond surface-level issues like resumes. Cultivating this learnable skill of strategic curiosity fosters trust and deeper understanding, leading to more personalized and impactful guidance. Ultimately, this approach differentiates you from your competition, improves client outcomes, and strengthens your professional relationships.

Learn More

Get Your Work Done

11:00 AM ET
Thurs., May 15

Designed to help you focus, stay accountable, and make meaningful progress on your projects, this co-working session will give you a boost. Whether you’re tackling a big task, working through a to-do list, or brainstorming your next steps, this is the perfect space to stay motivated and productive.

Join a community of like-minded individuals as we set goals, work in focused intervals, and celebrate accomplishments together. There’s no formal presentation so bring your project, a clear intention, and let’s boost your productivity!

Things We Found Interesting


	I Help Midlevel Leaders Become Senior Executives by Using ‘Vanity Titles’


	5 Skills to Hone for a Job Interview


	3 Tips to Stay Relevant in Your Job as AI Takes Over

Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches
204 37th Ave N, #112, St. Petersburg, FL 33704
Phone: (727) 350-2218
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://parwcc.com

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News from PARWCC!

Written by PARWCC Leadership Team on May 7, 2025. Posted in Blog, Weekly Newsletter.

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Let’s get this season started right! PARWCC’s renowned Certified Professional Career Coach program got a major overhaul and now includes LIVE coaching sessions designed to bridge the gap between theory and real-world application. This comprehensive program also pulls in several features from our new Learning Platform for an even more immersive experience. Register now to earn this industry-recognized credential!

Freelancers face several challenges while building their career documents and guiding their next steps. Get the tools you need to help these clients in our webinar on May 22nd to learn how to target their documents, how to clarify their services, and ways to structure their value propositions.

The winners have won their prizes and now it’s time for you to reap the benefits. The PARWCC Bookstore now features the Elite Circle Resume Contest Winners 2025 book featuring over 30 pages of premier documents for your professional development. Bonus: you can also purchase a book with all 4 years worth of winners in one place!

Check out the blog below for a proven blueprint to rapid employment by using a 5-step program for consistent results. Discover actionable strategies to empower your clients to cultivate a winning mindset to proactively manage their career trajectory.

Webinars and Sessions

May

5 Steps to Rapid Employment


	Learn a 5-step process for rapid employment by using planned and repeatable steps for consistent outcomes. You will discover actionable strategies to empower your clients to cultivate a winning mindset, define enriching career goals, and create impactful communication tools. The process further highlights the importance of developing a strategic written plan and taking massive, consistent action, learnable skills that enable job seekers to proactively manage their careers with greater confidence and engagement. By focusing on the whole person, this framework offers a transformative approach beyond traditional job search methodologies.

Congratulations to
Elite Circle Winners!


	Now Available! The Elite Circle 2025 Résumé Contest Winners. 30 pages of award winning resumes featuring CMO, Project Manager, Customer Service Representative, and Executive Assistant categories. Want more? Quadruple your learning and access the winners from the last 4 years in one place!

Want More?

Effectively Frame Freelance Work

You will learn:

How to target the goals and audiences for freelancers
When and how to clarify services
Ways to structure types of experience
and adding portfolio elements

1:00 PM ET
Thurs., May 22

Freelance work is a broad category, from a side gig babysitting to a full-time contract with a large company. Let’s discuss how to frame this experience to highlight our clients’ readiness for their next step. We’ll also look at ways to make one résumé serve multiple purposes—applying traditionally via ATS and sharing with potential clients.

Things We Found Interesting


	The Great Flattening Experiment


	Laid-Off Federal Workers Hoped to Land in State and Local Jobs: the Reality is Messy


	Corporate America is Leaving More Jobs Unfulfilled

Member News and Updates

Thrive! 2025 Chicago Reviews

Sara P. Camilo: I LOVED meeting so many of you at THRIVE this year. What a fantastic first experience, thank you to all who planned the event. Y’all did an amazing job. Thank you thank you thank you!

Anthony D. Sharp Jr CPRW: Had an awesome time at the Thrive Conference here in Chicago. For those of you who could not make it, please make an esteemed effort to attend next year. The Collective Evervescence was mind blowing. #thriveconference2025 #parwcc

Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches
204 37th Ave N, #112, St. Petersburg, FL 33704
Phone: (727) 350-2218
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://parwcc.com

If you would like to unsubscribe: @@unsubscribe_url@@

Automating Job Search Strategy

Written by John Suarez on May 1, 2025. Posted in Blog, Résumé Writing.

When it comes to job search strategy, two primary approaches exist: Résumé First, Person Second or Person First, Résumé Second. They aren’t mutually exclusive—success is often a byproduct of mastering both.

Résumé First, Person Second

This strategy prioritizes crafting a strong résumé and applying before networking. Here are its pros and cons:

✅ Pros:

Ensures your résumé is polished, ATS-friendly, and tailored for job applications.
Effective for traditional job searches that rely on online applications.
Works well for positions where networking has less influence (e.g., large corporations with formal hiring processes).
Efficient for applying to multiple jobs simultaneously.

❌ Cons:

High competition—your résumé may get lost among hundreds of applicants.
Limited opportunity to build relationships that influence hiring decisions.
May result in fewer responses if relying solely on applications instead of networking.

Person First, Résumé Second

This approach prioritizes networking, informational interviews, and personal connections before résumé submission.

✅ Pros:

Increases the likelihood of referrals, improving your chances of landing an interview.
Minimizes the pitfalls of the ATS intake process.
Allows for tailoring your résumé based on insider insights from connections.
Builds relationships that can support long-term career growth.
Provides a clearer understanding of company culture before applying.

❌ Cons:

Slower process compared to mass online applications.
Requires confidence in networking and direct engagement with professionals.
Less effective in industries where personal connections have minimal impact.

Putting AI to the Test

Can AI help your clients create and optimize an effective job search strategy? Résumé writing strategy is still largely a human-driven skill, but let’s put AI to the test. I attached my résumé and asked ChatGPT to generate a tailored job search strategy incorporating both approaches. Below is the response, with only minor edits for clarity.

Person First, Résumé Second (Primary Strategy)

This approach is ideal for leadership roles in career services, higher education, and talent development, where networking plays a crucial role.

Steps to Implement:

Leverage Your Existing Network: Reach out to colleagues, alumni, and industry professionals from Southwestern Illinois College (my current employer), DeVry University (a former employer), and Career Ready LLC (my current writing/coaching business). Engage with professionals in career services associations, hiring committees, and employer relations teams.

Optimize LinkedIn for Visibility & Networking: Share insights on career coaching, résumé trends, and job search strategies to establish thought leadership. Engage with career services groups (PARW/CC, NACE, NCDA).

Conduct Informational Interviews: Connect with career services directors at universities and professional associations. Target institutions looking to expand career services, improve KPIs, or implement strategic planning.

Attend Career Services & Higher Ed Conferences: Position yourself for speaking opportunities or panel discussions at NACE, NCDA, and PARW/CC events. Use these platforms to connect with hiring decision-makers.

Leverage Industry Referrals: Ask former colleagues and connections for referrals to leadership roles. Aim for internal referrals to bypass ATS systems.

Résumé First, Person Second (Supplementary Strategy)

While networking should take priority, a targeted application strategy ensures visibility for direct job postings.

Steps to Implement:

Customize Résumés & Cover Letters for Each Role: Highlight strategic leadership, KPI-driven career services management, and program development. Use data-driven achievements to showcase impact.

Apply to Director-Level Positions in Career Services & Higher Ed: Target roles at colleges, universities, and professional development organizations. Consider leadership roles in résumé writing associations and career coaching firms.

Use Job Boards Strategically: HigherEdJobs, ChronicleVitae, Inside Higher Ed (for higher ed jobs); NACE Job Board, NCDA Career Services Openings (for career services-specific roles).

Follow Up After Applying: After submitting an application, reach out to someone in the hiring department to establish a connection. Reference a shared connection or mutual interest (e.g., “I noticed your school is expanding career services…”).

Final Recommendations

Primary Focus: Leverage personal connections, networking, and referrals.

Secondary Focus: Apply directly, but always follow up with a contact at the institution.

Actionable Next Steps:

Identify the top 10 target schools/organizations and start networking.

Reach out to five industry professionals per week for informational interviews.

Optimize LinkedIn content to highlight leadership in career services.

Chat GPT would go on to ask: Would you like help refining your LinkedIn strategy or crafting a targeted outreach message? That’s another article for another day.

AI as a Job Search Partner

This simplified and non-scientific example highlights how AI can be used to outline job search strategies with efficiency and personalization. A Microsoft Research leader recently told Fast Company, “AI works best when it complements human expertise—driving better decisions and stronger outcomes.”

Based on this interaction, do you agree? Can AI become a valuable tool in career and job search coaching?

Curiosity is Your Superpower: Serve Better by Asking Smarter Questions

Written by Angie Callen on May 1, 2025. Posted in Blog, Business Development.

We’re all guilty of it.

The second we hear, “I’m struggling in my job search,” we flip into fixer mode. Resume? Keywords? Interview prep? Let’s go!

It’s natural—we’re here to help, after all—but in our eagerness to solve problems, we can skip the most powerful step in a coaching conversation: curiosity.

What if your best opportunity to serve your clients, especially job seekers, lied in what wasn’t being said? What if you’re leaving value on the table by jumping into an overly prescriptive approach instead of listening a little more and diagnosing a little less?

Pause the Pitch. Ask the Question.

We’ve all been on the other end of a sales call with a prospective client or in the first session with a new client and felt the urge to show value right out of the gate. We need to feel immediately useful, and since we’ve “seen it before,” we know what works, and we have our tools next to us, ready to weird.

Guess what?

→ Every other career coach or resume writer out there does, too.

Job seekers are bombarded with advice. Free or paid, it’s often conflicting and confusing, so there’s real power – and profit – in slowing down, getting curious, and meeting the human where they need it most.

Getting curious is a differentiator in all walks of life, especially in coaching and career services. When we ask thoughtful questions, we signal, “I actually want to understand you before I give advice.”

That genuine interest converts us from just career professionals to partners in someone’s journey.

The Science Behind Curiosity

If you’re sitting over there thinking, “Where’s pragmatic Angie gone, and what have you done with her,” stay with me. This isn’t as “woo” as it may seem!

A Harvard Business Review study found that when someone feels genuinely listened to, their brain releases oxytocin—the same chemical that fosters trust and connection in strong personal relationships. Additionally, research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people who ask more (and better) questions are perceived as more competent and more likable.

That’s the kind of energy I want to bring into every client call. Don’t you!?

Curiosity Builds Trust (and Better Coaching Outcomes)

When we approach intake calls, discovery sessions, or even resume consultations with curiosity, we create space. Space for honesty. Space for emotion. Space to uncover the real problem behind the perceived one.

Sure, someone might come to us saying they want a new résumé. But what if the résumé isn’t the real issue? What if it’s a lack of clarity, a dip in confidence, or a messy career narrative?

Curiosity helps us get past the obvious pain point and into the real work.

What if, instead of leading with, “What jobs are you applying to?” or “Let’s talk about your résumé,” what if we asked:

“What does a win look like for you six months from now?”
“What’s the hardest part about this job search right now?”
“Where are you feeling most stuck?” Follow up with, “And why do you think that is?”
“Where do you need support?” Follow up with, “Where else do you need support?”

These kinds of questions don’t just build trust; they open doors.

Strategic Curiosity: Steer the Conversation Without Hijacking It

The goal of this approach isn’t just to ask more questions—it’s to ask better ones and to use the information you receive to guide the conversation, not control it.

That means listening to the answer and asking a follow-up that deepens the insight instead of shifting the topic.

Try these prompts in your next coaching session or intake call:

“What does success look like to you in this next chapter?”
“What’s a non-negotiable in your next role?” and then “Why is that important to you?”
“What would make this coaching relationship feel valuable to you?”

The goal here isn’t to be clever—it’s to be curious with purpose; to unlock insights, build trust, and help clients discover their answers before we deliver them.

Curiosity as a Competitive Advantage

AHA moment: when someone feels heard, they become more open to hearing you.

In a crowded industry, your ability to genuinely connect with clients is your differentiator, and curiosity is the key to building the kinds of relationships that help us go deeper and deliver solutions that are tailored to the person in front of you—not just the persona you thought you were speaking to.

When you provide guidance that is more relevant, personalized, and empowering, you get better outcomes.

Better outcomes mean more referrals.

More referrals mean better business.

Better business means greater impact.

And the circle continues!

I like that lead-generation strategy 😉

The Bottom Line: Ask Before You Answer

Our job is to help people. That won’t change.

But how we start that process matters more than we think it does.

Here’s your challenge: Try it out.

In your next consultation, intake call, or coaching session, ask one more question before you offer a solution. Take it a step further and ask even one more question.

When we ask before we answer, we don’t just show up as experts—we show up as trusted partners, and trust, my friends, is what sets us apart.

I’m excited for you to lean into curiosity and see what happens.

Your Friend and Coach,
Angie Callen, CPRW, CPCC

Navigating the Shifting Landscape: April 2025 Job Market Update

Written by stephanie on May 1, 2025. Posted in Blog, Business Development.

By Stephanie Renk, MBA, CPCC, CERW, CPRW

As of April 2025, the U.S. job market continues to demonstrate resilience, with strong job gains and a stable unemployment rate. However, emerging challenges such as trade tensions, evolving hiring technologies, and shifting candidate behaviors are adding new complexity to the employment landscape.

National Employment Trends: Growth Amid Uncertainty

In March 2025, the U.S. economy added 228,000 jobs, outpacing the 12-month average of 158,000. Sectors such as health care, social assistance, and transportation and warehousing led the growth, reflecting continued demand for essential services.

To better understand recent job market dynamics, let’s examine the following graphic:

Source: Job Growth 2025 – Tiff Shandra

This visual highlights the month-over-month job gains from 2021 to 2023, illustrating a steady upward trend post-pandemic, with a notable acceleration in late 2024 and into 2025. The uptick reflects the impact of renewed economic activity, federal investments, and increased consumer demand.

Despite this growth, some uncertainty remains. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%, signaling a slight softening in labor tightness as more people enter the job market.

This trend is also captured in the chart below:

Source: Statista

The graphic shows the ratio of unemployed individuals per job opening. While job openings still outpace available workers, the gap has narrowed slightly, suggesting that competition for roles is increasing. This could indicate a shift toward a more employer-favorable market, especially as companies tighten hiring budgets in response to policy uncertainty.

Consumer confidence has also dipped, with the University of Michigan’s index falling to 50.8 in April – its lowest level since the early pandemic – driven by inflation concerns and global trade issues.

The Interview Bottleneck: Why Hiring Is Taking Longer

While job creation remains strong, job seekers are increasingly frustrated by a hiring process that feels slower and more drawn out than ever. According to recent surveys and hiring platform data, the average time-to-hire across many industries has extended significantly – some roles now take over six weeks from application to offer.

Several factors are contributing to these delays:

More Interview Rounds: Employers are adding multiple stages – phone screens, panel interviews, take-home assignments, and final presentations – to vet candidates more rigorously.
Cautious Hiring: Amid fears of a potential recession and policy-driven cost pressures, many companies are becoming more selective and methodical before making offers.
Overreliance on AI Tools: While AI streamlines initial screenings, it can sometimes create backlogs or communication gaps further down the funnel.
Internal Delays: Cross-functional sign-offs and shifting role priorities are slowing decision-making internally, particularly for mid- to senior-level roles.

🔍 “It used to take two to three interviews. Now it’s five to six—and I’m still waiting weeks for feedback,” one candidate shared in a recent Wall Street Journal feature on hiring fatigue.

This protracted timeline is not just affecting candidates; employers are also losing top talent due to lengthy hiring cycles. Candidates, especially in high-demand fields like tech and healthcare, often accept other offers before companies can finalize their decisions.

What can employers do?

Communicate timelines transparently up front.
Streamline decision-making.
Eliminate unnecessary interview rounds.
Re-engage talent with consistent check-ins during the waiting period.

In today’s climate, speed = competitiveness. The companies that move efficiently while still maintaining thoughtful evaluation processes are the ones securing the best candidates.

Navigating Growth with Awareness

The national job market in April 2025 is marked by steady growth, sector-specific momentum, and cautious optimism. While opportunities remain abundant – especially in healthcare, logistics, and technology – economic uncertainty, policy shifts, and inflation concerns are reshaping how job seekers and employers approach the hiring process. At the same time, interviewing processes are becoming longer and more complex, leaving both sides of the table navigating new frustrations.

For job seekers, success will come from staying persistent, following up proactively, and tailoring materials to stand out early. For employers, this moment presents an opportunity to reflect: Is your hiring process designed to secure top talent or inadvertently pushing it away? By balancing efficiency with thoughtfulness, and technology with transparency, organizations can not only fill roles but build trust in a market that’s anything but predictable.

Busting Past the Job Board Mentality for the Job Search

Written by Diane Hudson on May 1, 2025. Posted in Blog, Career Coaching.

Most job seekers believe they must post résumés on job boards to find a job. While job boards may be a good tool, they are not the be-all and end-all of a job search strategy.

As a former internal recruiter/employment specialist for a major aerospace corporation, this is how I recruited new employees:

First, I looked at the succession plans for current employees. I asked employees if they were ready to move up the ladder to fill higher-level positions or if they were interested in a lateral position that would provide them with additional skill sets.

For example:

An aircraft mechanic might be interested in completing an A&P license to obtain the position of aircraft inspector.
A project lead might be interested in obtaining a PMP certification to move into project manager positions.
An administrative assistant might be interested in obtaining an undergraduate degree to move into a higher-level administration or analyst role.
A Project Manager (PMP) might be interested in moving into a more senior role requiring a clearance.
A deputy director may be interested in a promotion to director.

After filling positions via succession plans, I asked employees corporate-wide if they could recommend anyone who might be a good fit for my open job orders. These requests led to referrals. I could then interview someone who knew someone who worked at my company. And if it was a hard-to-fill position, I used my budget to offer a bonus to the employee who referred a candidate who then became hired and remained employed for 12 months.

If these methods did not work, I contacted associations, attended conferences, contacted alumni career offices, and attended job fairs. I tried to get as much “face-time” as possible.

So far, most of these recruiting approaches were low-cost and focused on hiring candidates that our employees knew or via referrals from other vetted sources, e.g., associations and alumni career offices.

If my efforts were expended without a viable candidate, I contacted external recruiters/agencies and posted jobs on different platforms. These methods used my budget quickly and did not guarantee any referrals or that I was hiring someone who knew someone, or who knew someone.

I recently spoke with a hiring manager at a storefront business with about 100 employees. She informed me that she recruits for her admin-type positions by word of mouth. She stated that 99+% of her admin/front desk/receptionist roles are filled by word of mouth and referrals. She spends zero on advertising for these jobs.

For her specialty positions like doctors, business developers, and practice managers, she first asks for referrals from her staff and posts positions through her industry association for a nominal fee. If she cannot place a specialty position, she advertises on Indeed (her preferred job board) for about $800 per ad/position for one month. If the job board does not deliver a viable candidate, she pays a recruiting agency upwards of $40K to find her a viable employee. She stated that it costs her money to have a vacant position, and even though it pains her budget, sometimes it is worth the recruiter fee to help secure a new employee.

I explain the recruiters’/hiring managers’ perspective to help you, as a career coach, help your clients understand that putting all of their energy into applying for hundreds of jobs on job boards—and not building relationships, networking, and communicating with others—means the candidate is missing out on scores of jobs that are never posted.

Many job seekers focus on job boards. They create spreadsheets of all the jobs they apply for online. They get discouraged when they are ghosted, and never hear back from an application for which they believed they were the perfect candidate. By investing most of their job search energy into job boards, they miss out on potentially great-fit positions because they are unwilling or uninterested in “networking.”

A job seeker’s most significant strategy must be communicating with others, and breaking away from only applying on job boards. They need to flip the pyramid and put energy into tapping into the job market for positions that are not posted. Examples include:

Attend an association meeting or conference, and volunteer to manage the registration table – this provides a superior opportunity to meet people in the industry.
Mingle through local job fairs, bring a hard copy résumé, and meet recruiters – this puts a face to the résumé.
Join “networking groups” in the local community to gain visibility.
Mention to your friend that you are seeking new employment – ask for referrals.
Talk to someone in your industry, and ask them if they know anyone hiring.
Volunteer in the community for a good cause in a position that will put you in touch with many other people. Ask where they work.
If you have a hobby, join a group, e.g., bowling, hiking, cooking, walking dogs, etc. Meeting people outside your regular circle will expose you to new people who may receive a company referral bonus if they refer a viable candidate.
Attend virtual job fairs, meetings, training, or conferences if you are not able to attend in-person events.

To solidify this theory, when I worked as a special agent investigator, one of my colleagues left to work at an aerospace company. A year later, the employment office sought an employment specialist to set up the background investigation process for new hires. He recommended me. I endured several interviews and was hired (he received a referral bonus from the company). A year later, my section expanded, and my supervisor asked me if I could refer someone to fill a new position. I recommended two colleagues, and one was hired.

A young adult, post-college, was seeking employment. She applied for over 200 job board positions and was very reluctant to contact people on LinkedIn – she considered it “cold calling”. While attending a meeting of voting volunteers for the next election and just talking to other people at the meetings, she mentioned her desire to find a job in the legislature. A week later, she received a call, was interviewed, and received a paying internship.

A laid-off man contacted a company in his industry and asked for an interview. He described his experience and expertise and asked if they would hire him on a trial basis. That was 12 years ago.

These are all common stories of people mingling or reaching out to others.

Job boards can be a good tool for research. They tell job seekers potentially where jobs might be opening up—for example, if a company suddenly opens up scores of positions in an industry or a company. They are also a good tool for reviewing job descriptions and helping candidates find good-fit positions. However, applying to job boards against potentially hundreds or thousands of others and being ghosted or informed that your resume did not make the “cut” is a difficult process.

One of our clients’ best job search strategies is to change their mindset and focus on meeting people instead of only applying for jobs on job boards. They need to learn to think and act like a recruiter.