Strategic networking is one of the most misunderstood yet key components of a successful job search. To understand how networking works best in a job search, I remind clients of how people use it successfully in every aspect of life. Most people who are successful in networking don’t even think of it as networking.

The Power of Strategic Networking: Lessons from Real Experiences

Think about the times someone has asked you if you know a plumber (substitute: electrician, mechanic, contractor). People even crowdsource others on Facebook or Nextdoor. Ultimately, that is networking.  However, strategic networking involves asking someone whose opinion you trust and whose standards align with yours. If you simply put it out on social media, you can’t validate the quality of the recommendation. If your best friend recommends an electrician, you are more likely to trust the recommendation and follow up.

Practical Examples of Strategic Networking in Everyday Life

When my young next-door neighbor told me he recently became a Master Electrician, I told him I would have work for him. I knew he was an Electrical Systems Engineer for a major industrial manufacturer for more than 10 years. I’ve already hired him to install new lighting in the living room and will have more projects in the future.

Some of my readers are aware that my granddaughter, Willow, lives with me. Her father, Tim, also lives here. Willow will proudly tell you she is 2! Consequently, we are already exploring preschool options. Tim asked his work network, and I asked parents with young children at church. Whenever you need something, you ask your network. In my case, I also seek advice from my clients and former clients because their expertise differs from mine.

Strategic Networking in Practice: How Intentional Relationships Drive Results

Intentional relationships are the key! Building meaningful connections doesn’t happen by accident – it’s something you do consistently throughout your life. You don’t wait until you need a network or a specific contact; instead, you nurture those relationships every day. And you don’t overlook people who might not seem like “network contacts” at first—your neighbor, an old classmate, or a former colleague. You stay connected because every relationship adds value in ways you might not expect.

My network is vast, and though I fail to keep up with everyone, I can fondly recall a name and a memory. Last week, I had lunch with a friend I haven’t seen in 15 years. She was my intern with one of the non-profit contracts. We ran into each other at Sam’s Club and immediately decided to reconnect. We had a great time at lunch, strategizing, recalling, and reconnecting.

We were reminiscing about the days when I used to write and share content all the time—before Willow joined my household and my attention shifted. She immediately offered to help by sharing my posts on LinkedIn and told me to let her know whenever I wrote something new. The next day, I posted on LinkedIn and sent it to her. She shared it right away, and thanks to her kindness, I now have new prospect calls coming in.

You don’t know who has the capacity and connections to help you. But all you have to do is ask.

I read a lot. Translate that to 280+ books last year. I confess they were almost all fiction.

I also don’t sleep well. When I can’t sleep, I read. On my Kindle on my iPad.

Yes, I know. Reading on electronics can keep you from sleeping, but so can getting lost in your thoughts; translate that to fears.

This isn’t new. I’ve read huge amounts of fiction since I was young.

I convinced my mom to let me move from the children’s library to the adult library before 8th grade. I told the librarian that I had read everything worth reading in the children’s library and needed access to more.

How do I find books now?

My Kindle is stuffed to the gills with books, again mostly fiction. A friend suggested on Facebook years ago that some people might be interested in BookBub. You pick your genres, and they send a daily email with free or low-cost books:

BookBub is a free service that helps millions of readers discover books they’ll love while providing publishers and authors with a way to drive sales and find new fans. Upon joining, members receive unbeatable deals selected by BookBub’s expert editorial team, handpicked recommendations from people they trust, and real-time updates from their favorite authors. BookBub works with all major ebook retailers and devices, and partners with thousands of the industry’s leading publishers and authors to promote their books. BookBub was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. From <https://www.bookbub.com/home/about.php>

What do I learn from reading fiction?

All kinds of things. I learn perspective, understanding, and unique ways of looking at things. For example, I saved this quote on writing barriers:

“It becomes its own kind of paralysis. The longer you go without writing, the harder it becomes to start again.”

This is a struggle I have faced recently. I was a prolific writer on social media in the early days, and that continued for a long time. My own Design Resumes blog has 1,200+ posts. The headline page has this message to readers:

Searching for TIPs on how to IMPROVE your JOB SEARCH?

I wrote content on many topics related to job search, its impact on job seekers, finding solutions, and which tools to use. You might also call it “ways to end job search paralysis.” It has been a resource not only to my clients but to many others who find themselves struggling.

Then I went dark.

As the quote above suggests, it got harder to write the longer I went without it. My excuses are my life. It changed dramatically in 2023 and for sure in 2024. Not only did my husband of 40+ years die, and for some, that would be enough.

Less than two months later, I was asked to take over care of my then 3 1/2-month-old granddaughter. She is now 2 years old. Her daddy also lives here now, but he works long 12 1/2-hour shifts on Friday to Sunday, as well as a lesser time on Thursdays.

However, I am determined to end the paralysis and move forward in 2026. So you will see new content, and I will find time to create it.

What is the Design Resumes difference?

From the very early years, Design Resumes (my company) was founded on the principle that job seekers need someone who will listen and work with them throughout the development of their career marketing tools. They need someone to answer questions, defuse the confusion, and guide them on the right path to the job they really want – not just any job. I started with in-person early on, and when technology caught up around 2009, I moved to virtual.

Even though my life got in the way, I still had new clients and many reports of job wins over the last 2 years. In addition, I had many returning clients who were ready for the next step in their careers.

How to end job search paralysis?

In 2026, I seek to end the paralysis, become visible in as many ways as possible, and prioritize my time to ensure that new job seekers get the help they need.

Are you ready to move forward? Let me help. 

What changed?

In early 2024, I hired Tree Fellas to remove the five large trees that towered around our house. Two were pines, one spruce, a tall maple wedged between our house and the power lines, and the massive basswood that was losing branches in every storm. Removing the trees allowed the light to come in. It turns out that the phlox needed light to bloom and flourish.

Identify the Silent Roadblock Holding You Back

Most job seekers assume they need to “do more” — apply to more roles, rewrite the entire resume, or overhaul everything at once. In reality, one overlooked weakness (like a generic resume summary, unclear value messaging, or poor LinkedIn visibility) may be the silent reason their search is stalling. The first step is to diagnose the single most significant gap, rather than spreading energy too thin.

Key to this diagnosis is identifying your target audience. Who are you targeting in your job search? A broad brush to hit every possible target will ensure a long and unproductive job search. When you narrow your focus and showcase your value to the targets, your value becomes clear and compelling. Your strengths hit the mark.

Reframe Your Value with Precision, Not Volume

Instead of adding more content or chasing every opportunity, the strategic change often comes from sharpening your positioning. This could involve revising your executive summary to highlight measurable leadership impact, aligning keywords with high-value roles, or transitioning from “responsibilities” to “achievements.” One precise change can turn your resume from “informational” to “irresistible” to recruiters.

When you quantify your achievements, you clarify the value you bring to the employer. Whether you use percentages or dollars, you are letting the hiring manager better understand how you fit the role.

Leverage Momentum by Testing and Adapting

The beauty of one strategic change is how it creates momentum. After adjusting your resume or LinkedIn messaging, track how recruiters respond — more profile views, callbacks, or interviews signal you’re on the right path. By treating your job search like an experiment, you can adapt quickly without burning out, letting one smart adjustment become the catalyst for sustained progress.

Strategic Change to Productive Job Search

As your partner in your job search, I leverage my years of working with thousands of job seekers to help you find the solutions your particular goals need. You may have only searched for a job three times in your career, but I work daily to learn the best strategies for my clients.

What do you need to bloom and flourish?

Design Resumes’ Approach
Your career is a brand—and we help you market it with precision. Through a collaborative process, you and I will develop your strategic career plan and craft the tools that showcase your unique value: a powerful resume and a LinkedIn profile designed to position you as a standout in a competitive market. In addition, I offer a range of additional tools and services to enhance your career marketing plan, tailored to your personal needs and goals: Resume Packages

Want to learn more? Contact me.

Typical Price Ranges for Executive Resume Writers in 2025

• Standard Range: Mosttrustworthy and respected executive resume writers charge $1,500 to $3,500+ for a complete executive resume package. Most resume writers offer a range of packages (typically three), and those packages differ by the number of services included in the package.

• Premium Services: Top executive branding firms—catering to C-suite and highly specialized leadership roles—may charge upwards of $3,500 for extensive, one-on-one consultation and highly tailored branding solutions.

Factors Affecting Executive Resume Writing Costs

• Writer Expertise: Certified Resume Writers are those who hold credentials from elite international career organizations and earned advanced certifications such as Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW), Certified Executive Resume Master (CERM), Certified Graphic Resume Architect (CGRA), offered by Career Directors International, as well as other advanced certifications from other organizations. The advanced certifications are awarded after review by a global team of elite resume writers and the Director of Certification approve multiple resume submissions to meet the credential requirements. I (Julie Walraven) hold all of the mentioned certifications and several others.

• Personalization and Strategy: Prices rise with the level of customization, strategic consultation, and storytelling involved. Design Resumes’ unique business model is based on interactive Zoom calls with the client, developing unique branded career marketing materials.

• Scope of Services: Packages cost more based on the products and services included. See Design Resumes Packages here.

What Should Executives Expect to Receive?

• A strategically crafted, results-driven executive resume tailored to showcase your unique accomplishments and position you as a leading candidate for high-impact leadership roles.

• Personal branding consultations (often phone or video sessions) to extract your unique value proposition. Again, the Design Resumes business model is fully interactive, and you have complete control over customization and content, combined with Julie’s extensive experience in resume writing and career marketing honed with executives and professionals in multiple industries across the United States.

• Keyword optimization for ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) and industry research relevant to your goals.

• Optional bundled offerings: LinkedIn optimization, cover letters, executive biographies, and even career coaching for an extra fee.

Is the Cost Worth It?

For executives, a professionally developed resume isn’t just a document—it’s a revenue-generating asset. It shortens the path to high-caliber opportunities, increases interview conversions, and secures competitive positioning for C-suite and board roles—delivering exponential returns on your career journey.

It’s been a tough time

It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve been used to that as the way things go. I guess when you are an entrepreneur, you know that everything doesn’t go the way you want.

I’m also used to insecurity since I’m unemployed at the beginning of every month, and it only changes if new clients choose to hire me. People who are used to a regular paycheck live in a different world than I have for most of my adult life.

My business model is unique

Though I write resumes, I designed my business model to make the client a part of the process. My business started that way a long time ago, and I found that I really appreciated the input from the clients.

As my business evolved with more products, such as LinkedIn, I found that it still made more sense to have the client join me in the development of the strategy and the materials. Therefore, all of the components of my packages are delivered to the client as part of the process.

My husband used to laugh at me because, in the early years, I said that I couldn’t expand my market because I needed the client as part of the process. Later on, technology changed my world. Clients, no matter where they are in the world, can experience the same hands-on delivery through the magic of Zoom and video technology. I started with Skype and moved to Zoom in 2016 when it proved to be a superior and more reliable delivery system.

Controlling my destiny

One of the ways I can control my destiny a little is by making sure I am visible to others and that I let them know I need their help.

My clients are amazing. For the past 15+ years, even more than in the early days of my business, clients refer others to me.

You might say they do it out of the goodness of their hearts. I am sure that is part of what is happening, but they also do it because they know I deliver. They know I helped them. They want to share that experience with their friends and family.

Often, I check their LinkedIn profile, and there is no information.

They might have a few job titles and companies. What’s missing is clarity of their value and how they helped companies with their expertise.

They don’t know how to job search effectively.

I know the resume is often maligned as an outdated tool, but the resume is the foundation of the job search.

People view the resume as a history book, but this approach is wrong. As much as the next employer wants to know where you have been, they want to see the value you bring.

The reason for writing your resume first

Capture the stories to tell the value you bring.

However, it isn’t the resume that will get you the job.

Your resume needs to shine!

Another thing that breaks my heart is when I see that a job seeker has his resume in the featured section of LinkedIn. Almost always, the resume featured is bad. This kind of resume isn’t a marketing document, and the formatting does nothing to highlight the jobseeker’s value. The resume doesn’t belong on LinkedIn.

However, the resume content does belong on LinkedIn!

Say what? If you are doing a job search effectively, you will evaluate your resume to create a targeted resume capturing your accomplishments in the direction of what you want to do next in your career. Don’t write a history book, write a marketing and targeted sales document.

You can certainly write your resume IF you spend the time researching the correct way to do so via accredited resume writers or career marketing organizations. There are multiple career marketing organizations, but I find Career Directors International to have many resources to help you find the right career marketing professional if you go that route.

Red flags to avoid in resume writing

• Be careful of templates since you want an original document.
• It is easy to follow what you were taught in college classes 10 or 15 years ago, but often, those models are outdated and have the wrong strategy.

What belongs on LinkedIn

Once you create a value-filled and targeted resume for your desired job, it is time to move most of that content to LinkedIn. When clients work with me on their LinkedIn profile, we evaluate the resume to filter out proprietary or confidential information that shouldn’t be shared with 950M LinkedIn users.

We hone in on the job seeker’s direction so that their LinkedIn profile specifically targets the right industry and role fitting their qualifications and skill sets.

Are you doing the job search wrong?

Don’t wait to get started. The job market is competitive, but the biggest mistake many job seekers make is waiting too long. Determine if you can create your career marketing materials. This is never easy. Most of us in the industry have spent years honing our craft to be able to market you to your targeted next role effectively. If you want to do it yourself, you must research and invest the time.

After you have a value-filled resume and LinkedIn profile, the next critical strategy is to reach out to your network. Ideally, you have been strategic and built a network throughout your career. My favorite resource for this is Harvey MacKay’s book, “Dig your well before you’re thirsty”

The concept is that you should build your network as a lifelong strategy.

The principle is being willing to give back so that when it is your time to need help, you have people who are grateful that you were there for them.

When you strategically work with your network, you will find many more people ready and willing to help you. It isn’t just who you know, it is who your network knows. Don’t wait until you feel desperate, always be ready for the next step in your career.

I work strategically with job seekers, targeting Director to Executive roles in technology, luxury brands, finance, and CPG. Are you ready to explore the difference working with me will make? Learn more.

Your career journey changes suddenly

The last article I wrote talked about turbulence. Little did I know that there would be new turbulence in our lives only 5 days after I published that article on March 24. My husband, Bill, had an endoscopy procedure scheduled for March 29. He had trouble swallowing and had multiple choking episodes. He had two other similar procedures earlier in life, but he is now 76 so I was concerned enough to ask our church for prayers.

When the surgeon came back to the room, he seemed more reserved. I waited for news.

He told us that it looked like Bill has esophageal cancer.

This started a flurry of tests and appointments that took up most of April. We were presented with a treatment plan consisting of radiation, chemo, and surgery. After visiting with the surgeon, the surgery was so invasive that Bill opted out. He was going forward with chemo until he determined he didn’t want to do it.

We determined the treatment plan would be radiation only. This started on May 8 and continued with 28 treatments ending on June 15.

He has another endoscopic procedure on July 18, as well as a second PET scan on July 21. This will reveal what has happened since the treatment was completed. This wasn’t Bill’s first battle.