There are 4 ways to go about one’s job search. All four of the methods I am about to mention, can and should be used. However, as you will see, one of the methods has historically had a far higher percentage of success for job searchers than the other three. Even in what may be the most difficult of job markets that I have seen since I have been a career coach, (I was just entering this profession, as the job market dip of the 2008 to 2011 period was ending), I am finding clients that have had the most success in connecting with opportunities have used some format of the method we will highlight in this piece.

When most find themselves in search, they use the most popular of the job search methods, which is to respond to job postings online. This method, while time consuming, provides the job searcher the most direct method of applying for job positions for which they believe they are qualified. However, one problem dominates this method. Not only is the job searcher seeing the job opening, but so are all other job searchers. Those searchers may not only be in the job searcher’s geographic area, but anywhere in the world. An opening once posted, may receive hundreds of applicants. To assist the hiring company in finding “qualified applicants,” the use of informational technology screening tools is used to pick applicants. Once enough “qualified applicants” are selected, all other applications sit in the hiring company’s computer system. The applicant does not even receive back the courtesy of a reply that their application has not been selected.

Some applicants choose to use recruiters or staffing firms to help get their application in front of a hiring company. If the applicant is extremely qualified for the position, the recruiter/talent acquisition professional will move their application along. However, if they are not, their credentials just sit there in the recruiter’s files. Other applicants do try to take the initiative to reach out to companies themselves directly to see if a targeted company is hiring. Sometimes this approach works. It particularly works if the organization often does not post its openings, and relies on applicants to the “hidden job market” reaching out to them. Certainly, it is a better strategy than the blind online applying.

However, the method that historically has been the most successful for those in job search, is tapping into your network of contacts. Whom may those contacts be? Some may be individuals that you have met at professional association meetings, or at educational seminars for your profession. Others may be individuals from the most recent organization at which you have worked. If you have been diligent on building your network, others can be individuals that worked with you in the past, and your ways separated as each went on to different companies or opportunities in your career. A network contact can be your neighbors, friends from your religious activities, alumni from the schools you attended, and even your relatives, (immediate family members and extended family members). The individuals you have in your network may work at companies that have openings that need your skillsets, or may have fellow family members that work at those organizations. They are people who know the culture of the organization to which you may be applying, what is important to that firm, and what details you may want to present about yourself, that show you are a right fit for the opening that company possesses.

So, you may say, how do I approach someone in my network, especially if I have not spoken to them for a long time. First, look to reach out and see how they are doing at that point in their life. Then be open and indicate that you are in “job search transition,” (not unemployed), and that you are looking to identify opportunities that are right for you. Indicate you did see such an opportunity at the firm they now work. Ask about the firm and its culture. It is fine to ask if they may know about the area having the opening and if they know individuals in that part of the organization. See if your contact is willing to speak up in terms of your candidacy. They are not obligated to do so, but you will find that particularly if they feel you are a right fit for the organization, they will be willing to do so. Above all, thank them for whatever help they offer to provide to you.

Your professional network, are those professionals who know you best. They are willing to speak up on your behalf. They can alert you to opportunities that may not even be of public knowledge at that time. Additionally, if you have shown in the past a willingness to help them and others in advancing each other’s career, you wind up being a “support team” for each other. In short, they become your “raving fans”.

As I said in the beginning there are 4 ways to go about the job search process. And, while all the methods could work for you, the professional network and those who know of you has shown historically to have about a 75% rate of success of helping job searchers both identify and land opportunities. Ignoring using that approach at all, sets you up for a job search that could wind up being very long and lonely.

The post Reconnecting With Your Professional Network first appeared on Absolute Transitions.

I like to tell each new client that comes my way that they should not see themselves as “unemployed,” but instead in “job search transition.” Changes occur in our life all the time. Some of them are more pronounced than others, (getting married, the birth of a child in our family, moving to a new city), while others can happen more subtly. For example, in my coaching business, most of which is driven by work with outplacement organizations, the two major organizations to which I supply my coaching abilities, have undergone major revision. In both instances, the boutique specialized firms for which I worked for over a decade have been bought out by larger organizations. And, while I am still coaching, how clients are assigned to me, the way things are recorded in the records of the work I do with my clients, and the management of the firm, have changed in their style and culture.

In the case of employment, changes in the management and culture of the company for which we work is something becoming far more common in recent years. However, changes can also occur in those organizations which one chooses and volunteers to belong. Sometimes members who were part of the organization that you were a part of choose to move on, and those that join, while still wonderful people, just do not provide the same chemistry for you as an individual. In other instances, as one moves forward in their life (defined as aging), activities that one did on a regular basis become a chore to do. They become more of “an obligation” to get done, as opposed to a task one enjoys doing.

With my job searchers, particularly those who may have been with the same firm for a long time, or who may have done the same type of work for a long time, I highly encourage them to “assess” where they are now in their life and career. Do they still want to work for a large firm, or are they open to working for a smaller firm? Is it possible they might want to work a part-time schedule, versus a full-time schedule. Perhaps they want to provide their services as a consultant, or in a small business they own. Or maybe they are in a strong enough financial state that they do not want to work at all. (That does not always mean that they are not active, but perhaps their activities are helping as a volunteer at a cause that is meaningful to them).

We all face points of transition in our lives. I personally faced one almost 20 years ago now, when in my early 50’s and becoming a recent widower, I knew that a life working in corporate America was no longer what was right for me. It did not mean I immediately knew what was next. It took some time to take advantage of resources available to me through the outplacement package I received from my corporate job assignment, to learn of possibilities of what could be next for me. Carefully examining possible paths, I found out the one that was right for me. It did require being open to “certification and reeducation” on my part. It also required learning to work in a style that I had no familiarity with in the days I was strictly working in corporate America, and adapting to it accordingly.

Years go by, times change, and we reach new stages in our life. I know that I am likely facing that again in my life, as I move into my seventies. When will be the right time to transition to something new? I do not know for sure. What will I do if I choose to transition? That is something to still be determined. However, as I think back on it, and realize I have done it before, it makes me aware that it is possible to do it again.

Are you open to the transitions that you may be facing in your life? Do you see them as ones you are choosing to make or ones that are being “forced” upon you, (be it by your employer, your family, your health, etc.). Remember, you are not the only one who has faced changes in their life, and that if you take the time to Assess, Research and Target paths that may be right for you, you will be on your way to the next chapter in your life.

The post Transitions first appeared on Absolute Transitions.

Reflections

By the time this blog is posted it will be late March 2026. By that time as a Christian, (Roman Catholic), I will have been in the Lenten period of the church year for over a month. Lent is a time of reflection for Christians. Those reflections may be prompted in their interpretation and messages they receive in daily scripture reading. They may come from homilies they here from the leaders of their church. Or they may come from when they allow themselves to sit in silence, closed off from all distractions, and just process the messages they are receiving on how to move forward in a positive direction in their life.

When one finds themselves in job search, especially if it was because of a staff reduction that was unexpected, it can be a time of emotional grief. I have known clients, especially those whom I meet through outplacement assignments, who will say to me they want to work with me, but need to take time to absorb what has happened to them in the elimination of their job. When we do get started with our work, I look to draw out of them, thoughts they may have on what they may want to do next. Some of that may come through the completion of assessment tools, which look to bring out their “values” at this point of their life. Other ideas may come from encouraging them to read articles on types of work they think they may enjoy doing, or on companies for which they always envisioned working. While some may need to get back working quickly, I look to impress on them that perhaps they take a job role for which they are not really suited for “cash flow” needs, while they look to explore what they really would like to do.

Getting distracted is very easy in our world of today. I know I, as one who works much of his day at the computer, can find myself getting easily off course when I choose to look at other websites, or read articles that come up in front of me on the computer’s news feed. So, when it comes time to reflect on how you may want to move forward, here are some tips to make the most of your reflection time:

• Find a quiet place to be by yourself. You may have to close the door to your room. Or perhaps you may go to the local library and find a desk by yourself. Or if your thought process brings in a spiritual realm, stop by your local church.

• Jot down thoughts that come to you, which you may not have time to explore now, but may be ones to investigate further, later. As far as your medium for writing down your thoughts, just make sure it is one which you will immediately think to go to at that later time. For some, it could be on a notepad. For others it could be on their phone, (just make sure you write down the thoughts, and not begin scrolling into other applications).

• Look to make a schedule for yourself each week. What time are you blocking off as “me time?” Your “me time” could be for research on possible next opportunities for you. It can be time for networking meetings with others in the fields and industries you are looking to explore to learn more about the needs of those disciplines of interest to you. Look to make the “me time” non-negotiable if you can. It will not be all 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But, for those minutes or hours you set aside for yourself, the needs of others, (unless absolute emergency), will have to wait.

• Perhaps find a “job search buddy” for your search. They may be someone going through job search themselves. You are there to support them through their journey, while they are there to support you. Support may mean just listening to ideas prepared, interview practice, or keeping the other on track when they make a commitment to do a particular set of tasks as part of their search.

In a world of constant “noise” do you take time for yourself to reflect? Whether it is on the items that are most important for you to accomplish for you and your family, items on which you want to improve your skills or take up for enjoyment, or as we outlined here perhaps your next job opportunity, reflection is always there for you to plan out your next steps. It is up to you if you plan to use it as the gift that it is in your life.

The post Reflections first appeared on Absolute Transitions.

The “Hidden” Job Market

As a Job Search Strategy Coach, I continually am working with individuals who are in search of their next job opportunity. It is common that the initial questions I will receive will center around such topics, as what are the best job sites to use, how to you modify one’s resume to get it to the top of the pile to get past computer screening tools, and how can Artificial Intelligence make my resume stand out? These are all valid questions, as they are part of today’s job search process. However, experienced job searchers learn that applying to posted jobs that are advertised and posted online is not the only way to job search. Those who are “in the know,” or have been in search several times in their career, know the value of “the hidden” job market.

Before we go much further, let me make a few items abundantly clear. About 70% of all job openings are in “the hidden job market.” That means they are not posted or advertised on online sites. Secondly, to be able to access “the hidden job market,” you do not need to be part of some sort of secret society or underground group. However, to tap into the hidden job market, one does need to take control of their own job search and be willing to put effort into that search.

So, what type of effort is required? At the top of the list is both tapping into and building on your network of associates that you know. Those individuals can come be former work colleagues, your friends with whom you do activities, family members (both immediate and distant), and alumni from your college or high school. Each of these individuals may either know individuals in the disciplines which you work, that you in turn want to have as part of your network. It is taking the time to identify companies or organizations within your area that hire individuals with your skill sets, and reach out to learn of possible openings at the current moment. If employed, but not happy with what you are doing, it is learning of opportunities in other parts of the company in which you work. It is conducting “Informational Interviews” with others to learn about their career path trajectory, learning about what their organization does, and the challenges it faces. Or it could even be learning of challenges an organization is facing, listening to those challenges, and offering yourself as an expert in addressing those issues.

One may ask, why would an employer not post or advertise an opening, or may also ask aren’t they required to do so by law? Online advertising and posting costs money. It many times can be a long process, from time of posting, through going through screening with talent acquisition professionals, to multiple rounds of interviews. Also, usually those that are referred through the “hidden job market” come from trusted referral resources, particularly if they are individuals that have worked with the recommended candidate before.

Therefore, should one be exclusively using the “hidden” job market for their job search? No! In fact, one should keep in mind there are 4 ways to find a job. Those 4 ways do not stand on their own entirely. Posting for jobs one sees advertised on online job sites, (or company websites), still should be done. However, it should not be overdone. Review the job qualifications. How well do they match your qualifications that you provide, (i.e. are they at about an 80% or above match level)? Are you able to provide examples in the materials you provide when you apply that show how you have addressed the issues this organization is likely to have?

One may also want to reach out to recruiter or talent acquisition individuals, who specialize in one’s specialty. Individuals who recruit for your specialty will always want to have talented individuals at their fingertips to refer to possible job openings. Whether “hidden” job or not, the methods of networking or direct contact with a firm are also ways to learn of openings that are appropriate for you.

However, to exclusively tie one’s search to only certain job sites, or expect that if I use Artificial Intelligence tools to craft one’s resume, guarantees that I will be considered a top candidate for a job opening is a sad premise on which to rely. Realizing that your next job may not even be officially posted online, may be only a figment in the mind of a hiring manager, or even be developed based on a company learning of you and what you can provide, gives you another avenue to explore as you take on the search for your next opportunity.

The post The “Hidden” Job Market first appeared on Absolute Transitions.

Random Thoughts on the World of Job Search, 2026

When I first meet a new client, often assigned to me through one of the outplacement companies that I provide my talents through in job search strategy support, after discussing with the client the type of work they are looking to do next, I will share with them aspects of what to expect, in what I call “the world of job search, 2026.” The longer the client has been out of a formal job search, the more beneficial this is to them, so that they are not completely surprised as what to expect on the job search journey.

For example, we will have discussions on how their resume will never be 100% complete, but will likely need to be tweaked depending on the jobs to which they apply. Some of that is driven by the fact that resumes are now electronically screened by computer technology against the job description “and graded” to see how much a match that the candidate is for a position. The lower the score, the far less likelihood the candidate will be advanced for that position. If the candidate does make it past screening, I prepare them for the likelihood of multiple rounds of interviews, (perhaps as many as five or six rounds, sometimes more), as candidates for roles touch more areas in an organization, given today’s models of “flatter organization charts.” We will talk about items such as not hearing back from companies with which they have interviewed, (commonly called “ghosting”), especially if the client is used to o having had the courtesy in the past of being told if their candidacy would continue or not. Additionally, we also discuss and work together to evaluate if a job being pursued is one that is a realistic job, or possibly a “scam” by dishonest people to get client information and sometimes cash payment for services the job indicates the client will need.

In the last few years, I, as a job search strategy coach, have been exposed to changes in my work world. Two of the outplacement companies for which I worked have been bought up by other organizations, and I have found myself under “new management” with new policies on how I as a coach am expected both conduct and provide my services, and use administrative tools in those companies to track my progress with the client. As more people became a part of my profession of career coaching strategists, and the world of work became more a “virtual” environment, (think working from home anywhere from 2 to 5 days a week), new ideas and approaches to job search became the “hot topic” of the moment. Use of artificial intelligence tools being presented as “absolute musts” for the job searcher to use have become more the norm. In other instances, the presenting of job search as a series of online sites and tools, being the be all and end all of search, while the meeting with a coach only to be used “if necessary,” has become another popular approach that is advertised. Recently, I have been working on a “career fair”, where there has been a great deal of obsessing about potential attendees rating the value of the fair, based on if they get a conversation with a recruiter, as opposed to the concepts they will learn from the coaches and experts in the job search world that will be providing of their expertise, for free, as part of the fair.

So, when I evaluate where I fall on all these items and several more in the search process, here is what I believe. The methods I learned on career and job search strategy coaching from the Five O’Clock Club fifteen years ago, still govern much of my guidance to clients. Within those methods was a philosophy, “fads and phases come and go, but certain principles still hold true from generation to generation.” For example, the clients that I had who moved forward most successfully in their search in the last year, were very strong at defining who they were and the talents they offered. Additionally, they could convey that information both in writing and verbally. They were open to connecting with other professionals who they valued, investigated what those individuals knew of opportunities at companies where they worked, and at the same time were open to helping others if opportunities they came upon were not right for them. Clients that realized the job search was a “research project” and was their “job of the moment,” were the ones that also were the most successful. It may have taken them longer than they imagined to follow that next role, but in most instances, they found the right next role for them. Those are all basic Five O’Clock Club principles I learned so long ago.

If someone does not feel I am the right coach for them, I am not offended. I have a large network of professionals, who may be more appropriate for a client than I am. On the other hand, I know who I am in this profession, and if what I have to offer is right for you, I am going to give you all I can in terms of being a partner for you on your search. So, even though things “change in the world of search” staying true to who I am as a strategist in that world is how I can provide the most value to those I have the privilege to serve.

The post Random Thoughts on the World of Job Search, 2026 first appeared on Absolute Transitions.