Job Search Strategies

I’ve reviewed 1,000+ LinkedIn profiles over the past 5 years. Here are 8 tips to turn your LinkedIn profile into a job-generating machine: 1. Upgrade Your Profile Picture Like it or not, your profile picture is your first impression. Make it a good one: - Upload your PP to Photofeeler .com - Analyze the feedback - Reshoot/edit your picture based on the data Repeat until your scores are good! 2. Leverage Keywords The right keywords help you show up in more searches. Here's how to find them: - Find 5+ job descriptions for target roles - Paste them all into ResyMatch.io's JD scanner - Save the top 15 skills Weave them into the rest of your profile! 3. Write A Killer Headline I like to use this headline formula: [Keywords] | [Skills] | [Results-Focused Value Proposition] Example for a data scientist: Data Scientist | Python, R, Tableau | I Help Hospitals Use Big Data To Reduce Readmission Rates By 37% 4. Write A Killer About A great About section has 3 parts: - A short paragraph that speaks to your job, years of experience, and value prop. - Five "case study" bullets that showcase specific results. - Your email w/ a CTA for people to connect with you. Include keywords! 5. Leverage Your Featured Section It’s hard to convey your value on a resume or in an About section. This is your chance to show people what you’ve done on your terms. Include things like: - Case studies of your work - Content you’ve created - Posts you’ve written 6. Skills Matter LinkedIn uses profile Skills sections to rank candidates. Here’s how to boost your rank: - Add every keyword from your ResyMatch scan - Choose the top 5 most relevant skills - Ask colleagues, friends, family, & classmates for endorsements (aim for 5) 7. Engage & Support Others Comments can generate tons of profile views! Here’s how: - Find 10+ thought leaders in your target space - Bookmark their post feed - Check their feeds daily - Leave a supportive, valuable comment on each new post Repeat for a minimum of 30 days 8. Create Content! Content is networking at scale. One post can reach more people than your entire connection base. It also allows you to showcase value in your own words, on your own terms. It can feel scary, but only 1% of people do it—and the returns are huge.

The job market right now is still brutal... If I lost (or decided to leave) my job tomorrow… Here's how I'd think about my time. Been doing this series since last year and it keeps growing because you all keep making it better. Ideas here sourced from the hundreds of comments across the previous posts from people who are actually living this right now. So here's Part 4. Entirely sourced from your suggestions. 1. I'd Take Care of Myself First. Exercise, walks, box breathing, time with family, a hobby that has nothing to do with work. Multiple people said their best ideas and breakthroughs came after stepping away from the screen. firm boundaries around healthy news consumption. Job searching is emotionally grueling. If you don't build in recovery, the rest of the list falls apart. 2. I'd Get Clear on My Values Before I Start Applying. Not just "what jobs are out there" but "what do I actually want?" write down 2-4 non-negotiable values... flexibility, trust, collaboration, whatever yours are... use those as a filter. 3. I'd Handle the Logistics Early. File for unemployment immediately, even if you think you won't qualify. Figure out your insurance situation. Negotiate severance if you can. These aren't glamorous steps but skipping them creates stress that bleeds into everything else. Take a full week to breathe before diving into the search. 4. I'd Volunteer or Join a Board. This came up again and again. Volunteering for a cause you care about, joining an advisory board, doing pro bono work in your sector. It builds community, creates structure, keeps your skills sharp, and puts you in rooms with people who might eventually hire you or refer you. Several people said their best leads came from volunteering, not from applications. 5. I'd Make It Easy for People to Help Me. be specific. What kind of role. What skills you bring. What sectors you're targeting. One commenter framed it as "help others help you". The more concrete you are, the more likely someone thinks of you when they hear about an opening. 6. I'd Build Something While I Search. A personal project. A newsletter. A small collaboration with a former colleague. Something that reminds you your value isn't defined by your employment status. Several people said this was what kept them sane during long searches... and a couple said the side project actually turned into their next thing. 7. I'd Stop Treating the Job Search Like a Full-Time Job. Spending 8+ hours a day applying doesn't work. Be strategic. Maybe 3-4 focused hours on search-related activity and then spend the rest on learning, connecting, volunteering, living your life. Stay strong out there, friends. I know it's still a hard time/ So much of this displacement is macro and political... not personal. You deserve a job. And you deserve support while you look for one. What else would you add? If you're currently in transition, what's one thing that's helped more than you expected? Sharing is CARING.

Lately I have noticed a few patterns during interviews. Here are the two that stand out: Poor attitude and scripted answers. Here Are 10 Ways I’d Prepare to Not Just Get Through the Interview Loop—But Stand Out: 1. Do your research. Know the company’s mission, recent news, and products. Understand the role and how your experience connects to it. If you know your interviewers’ names, look them up on LinkedIn. If there’s a shared interest or experience, bring it up early to build rapport. Interviews are conversations—starting with curiosity sets the tone. 2. Practice with intention. Amazon interviews (like many others) go beyond the basics. It’s not just “Tell me about a project.” They’re looking for: • Did you own it? • Did you think ahead? • Did you drive real outcomes? Build a story bank: • 3 strong projects • 1 launch • 1 blocker you overcame • 1 failure you learned from Each story should reflect clear ownership and align with the company’s leadership principles or values. 3. Go deep, not wide. Choose stories that show real depth. • What decisions did you make? • What tradeoffs did you weigh? • What metrics did you move? If you didn’t drive the outcome, don’t use the example. 4. Use the XYZ format. Frame accomplishments like this: “Did X in Y time, which resulted in Z.” Example: Launched a new internal tool in 6 weeks, saving 15 hours/week for the support team. 5. Use “I” statements. Unless the question is about collaboration or team dynamics, focus on your individual contributions. Use action verbs like “I optimized,” “I led,” “I implemented.” 6. Prepare for follow-ups. Practice high-pressure questions. Ask clarifying questions before you respond to make sure you fully understand. Example: “Tell me about a time you got pushback from leadership.” Interviewers want to see how you stay composed under pressure. 7. Use the STAR(T) method. Structure answers clearly: • Situation • Task • Action • Result • Takeaway This helps you communicate clearly and keep your answers on track. 8. Mirror your interviewer. Pay attention to your interviewer’s tone, pace, and energy. Some are direct and fast-paced, others are more conversational. Adjust your communication style to match theirs and build connection. 9. Be respectful, always. Kindness, curiosity, and professionalism go a long way. Don’t try to prove you’re the smartest person in the room. Focus on being the most thoughtful. 10. Interview them, too. You're not just being evaluated—you’re evaluating them. Ask smart questions to learn more about the role, team, and company culture. Avoid HR-related questions (like time off or salary) in early rounds unless prompted. Resumes get you in the door. The way you communicate, connect, and own your story—that’s what gets you the offer. Don’t aim to sound perfect. Aim to sound prepared, thoughtful, and real. What’s one thing you always do before an interview? Would love to hear how you prep.

I constantly get recruiter reachouts from big tech companies and top AI startups- even when I’m not actively job hunting or listed as “Open to Work.” That’s because over the years, I’ve consciously put in the effort to build a clear and consistent presence on LinkedIn- one that reflects what I do, what I care about, and the kind of work I want to be known for. And the best part? It’s something anyone can do- with the right strategy and a bit of consistency. If you’re tired of applying to dozens of jobs with no reply, here are 5 powerful LinkedIn upgrades that will make recruiters come to you: 1. Quietly activate “Open to Work” Even if you’re not searching, turning this on boosts your visibility in recruiter filters. → Turn it on under your profile → “Open to” → “Finding a new job” → Choose “Recruiters only” visibility → Specify target titles and locations clearly (e.g., “Machine Learning Engineer – Computer Vision, Remote”) Why it works: Recruiters rely on this filter to find passive yet qualified candidates. 2. Treat your headline like SEO + your elevator pitch Your headline is key real estate- use it to clearly communicate role, expertise, and value. Weak example: “Software Developer at XYZ Company” → Generic and not searchable. Strong example: “ML Engineer | Computer Vision for Autonomous Systems | PyTorch, TensorRT Specialist” → Role: ML Engineer → Niche: computer vision in autonomous systems → Tools: PyTorch, TensorRT This structure reflects best practices from experts who recommend combining role, specialization, technical skills, and context to stand out. 3. Upgrade your visuals to build trust → Use a crisp headshot: natural light, simple background, friendly expression → Add a banner that reinforces your brand: you working, speaking, or a tagline with tools/logos Why it works: Clean visuals increase profile views and instantly project credibility. 4. Rewrite your “About” section as a human story Skip the bullet list, tell a narrative in three parts: → Intro: “I’m an ML engineer specializing in computer vision models for autonomous systems.” → Expertise: “I build end‑to‑end pipelines using PyTorch and TensorRT, optimizing real‑time inference for edge deployment.” → Motivation: “I’m passionate about enabling safer autonomy through efficient vision AI, let’s connect if you’re building in that space.” Why it works: Authentic storytelling creates memorability and emotional resonance . 5. Be the advocate for your work Make your profile act like a portfolio, not just a resume. → Under each role, add 2–4 bullet points with measurable outcomes and tools (e.g., “Reduced inference latency by 35% using INT8 quantization in TensorRT”) → In the Featured section, highlight demos, whitepapers, GitHub repos, or tech talks Give yourself five intentional profile upgrades this week. Then sit back and watch recruiters start reaching you, even in today’s competitive market.

Job seekers- you are spending too much time on job boards. Do this instead: Use the 90/10 rule- you should only be spending 10% of your time scrolling through job boards. Spend 90% of the time on results driven activity. Things like: 👉 Reach out to people in your personal and professional network. Send an email with a few bullet points on your ideal next step and ask if they know of anything or anyone they can connect you with. People want to help people. 👉 Create a target list of companies you think you’d like to work for. Minimum of 25 companies to start. 👉 From there- jump on their website and see if there are any openings that are of interest. If there is, go ahead and apply but do not leave your fate to an ATS where your resume probably won’t see the light of day. Skip the next step and go to the following. 👉 It’s not super likely they will have something perfect posted so move to the next step… 👉 Next hop on LinkedIn and search for functional line leaders in those orgs. Connect with them AND send them an email expressing your interest in the company and would love a quick intro call (if you applied already-let them know). Preface it with even though they may not have anything right now, you’d love to make the connection should something open in the future (if they are a company of interest now, they likely will later….also if you make an impression, they may create a role!) 👉 They may not make time for it now- that’s ok. Send a follow up email (a short one!) with a few bullet points of your accomplishments and ideal next step. Attach your resume. Important- make sure you ask them to send your info to any one in their network that may have an interest. Keep expanding your list as you go through this exercise. Most reverse the 90/10 and spend 90% of their time on the blackhole of job boards. They then get frustrated/exhausted and lose hope because it’s not yielding results. Change your methods and see the difference. #jobseekers #advice #proactivesearch

Jobscan analyzed 2.5 million job applications and found something that stopped me COLD. 🥶 Candidates whose resume title MATCHED the target job listing had a *10.6X* higher interview rate. Not 10% higher. Not 2x higher. 10.6 times. 🤯 Which means that arbitrary label your last employer gave you might be the single BIGGEST thing standing between you and an interview. Here's the thing though: You can't just change it. That's lying, and it will catch up with you. But there's a completely legitimate fix that most people don't know about: 👉 You can add a title to the very top of a resume - right under the name, just like a LinkedIn headline. That's where the match happens. The real job titles stay exactly where they are in each experience entry below. So if your last boss called you a "Communications Staffer" - but you spent three years pitching media, owning the messaging strategy, and running full campaigns - you can safely headline your resume as "PR Manager." Because that's what you were actually doing. 💡 The label was wrong, not the work. The ethical test is simple: Did you actually do the work? Can you back it up with real stories? Would your manager agree your scope matched that level? If yes to all three - this isn't spin. It's translation. Career coaches - I'm curious what you're telling your clients on this one. Are you already coaching the resume headline move? Or is this a conversation you haven't had yet? Would love to hear what's working in the Comments! 🙌 #careercoaching #careerdevelopment #jobinterviews

"I graduate in May 2025, when should I start applying for full-time jobs?" This is one of the most FAQs in my inbox right now! ⭐ Here's how I'd approach the post grad job hunt if I was a current May 2025 or December 2024 graduating senior: 1. Exclusively apply for rotational programs and roles that say "new graduate" or "recent graduate" in the title. Why? These programs/roles are looking for recent college graduates. Most job listings that are live now are looking for someone to start immediately, not in the next 2 months after you've graduated. New grad programs/roles understand that you won't be able to start until after May or December and help you transition into corporate life. From what I've seen, rotational programs and new grad roles start accepting applications between September-November. Rotational programs tend to have January, May, or September cohort start dates. → Companies who are hiring now for their rotational programs include Capital One (https://lnkd.in/grGtGMAZ) , Pfizer's Digital Rotational Program (https://lnkd.in/guSRcUYJ), Intuit's Product Management Program (https://lnkd.in/ghCmrNW4), JPMorganChase's programs (https://lnkd.in/gqCthg3g) , and more. Here's a breakdown of what these programs are and a list of 50+ #rotationalprograms to check out: https://lnkd.in/gjTCuvZd ⭐ If you're not interested in these new grad programs, I'd recommend you begin your entry-level job hunt about 2-3 months before your graduation date. Here's a list of early career job boards to start your search on https://lnkd.in/dGrSiham 2. Working a Spring/ Summer 2025 Internship that could potentially lead to a full-time offer. In month 1 of your Spring/Summer internship, have a conversation early with your manager about your interest in working at the company full-time and what the steps you need to take to get that offer. 3. Email past internship directors from past internships and ask if they're hiring for any new grads for entry-level roles. 4. Let your network know you're looking for a role. Start within your personal network (professors, school alumni, etc) and then expand socially (posting on Linkedin). You never know what or who someone can connect you with. 5. Diversify your applications and narrow your search I, too, was caught up in applying to "well-known" companies but realized I was wasting my time competing with 2000+ applicants for 1 open role. I give a breakdown and how to niche down your search here (https://lnkd.in/girxUSaY) 🎙 Check out my podcast episode with Therapy for Black Girls where I talk more about my early career journey so far and give REALISTIC advice for your entry level job hunt: https://lnkd.in/gfR-hJaK #classof2024 #classof2025 #entryleveljobs #internships #jobhuntingtips #postgrad

After I was laid off, I wrote a LinkedIn post that landed 8 interviews and a new role in just 6 weeks. That said, it was a really hard post to write. At the time, I felt defeated and was questioning my worth. Hitting “post” felt like the last thing I wanted to do, but it turned out to be the first step in reclaiming confidence, visibility, and momentum. If you’re ever in this position, here are a few tips on writing that “open to work” post: ❇️ Talk about your experience. Be specific, not generic. Share industries, skills, and wins that show what you’ve actually delivered. ❇️ Say what you want next. Recruiters skim fast. Make it easy, call out the titles or types of roles you’re targeting. ❇️ Highlight what makes you unique. Share the story, skill, or perspective that sets you apart. ❇️ Keep it human. The part of my post that resonated most wasn’t the resume, it was my story, my family’s legacy in advertising, and my passion for creating. People connect with people, not bullet points. ❇️ Tell people what you want them to do. People want to help but don’t always know how. Ask directly for likes, shares, DMs with open roles, or recommendations. And for those who hesitate, especially introverts or anyone who worries posting feels “showy,” remember this: sharing your story isn’t about bragging. It’s about opening a door for connection and giving others a way to help you. So if you’re going through this now, don’t stay silent. Write the post. Hit publish. It may be uncomfortable, but it could be the post that changes everything. And tag me, I’m happy to help boost. If you want to see that post, leave a comment and I’ll share. #opentowork #marketing #hiring

Here are my top 4 job sites for entry-level and early career tech roles 👩🏻💻 I’ve stopped using sites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter as much since they’re typically the same jobs listed with thousands of applicants which means you’ll likely never hear back from them. These are job portals that I’ve personally had pretty good experience with and have gotten interviews and offers from. If you’re currently in the job market, I'd check them out! 1. Apprenticeship.gov - https://lnkd.in/dh9QE6fk  This job portal seems much lesser known but has great listings for apprenticeships and other job opportunities from employers across the US. I’m expecting the job listings on this site to grow as the White House initiative to push for skill-based hiring INCLUDING more apprenticeships and earn-and-learn opportunities. 2. BuiltIn - https://builtin.com/ My favorite job portal! I got my last job and 3-4 interviews from applying to jobs directly on BuiltIn. I find that they have much higher quality job listings compared to other job portals, this is the one I recommend to everyone. 3. Startup.jobs - https://startup.jobs/  Great job portal for anyone applying for tech startups but I’ve also seen larger Fortune 500 companies and tech unicorns hiring on there as well. There’re also much more remote and “work from anywhere” jobs since this site is catered towards smaller tech companies that are typically more open to full-remote work. 4. LinkedIn Jobs - https://lnkd.in/dQh-dV_2  The OG job portal! Even though this one is relatively mainstream, I do like the overall job application and candidate process on LinkedIn Jobs. One thing to note though is that more candidates tend to use LinkedIn to search for jobs since it’s very well-known so you may not hear back from as many roles compared to the other sites I’ve listed. Regardless, there are plenty of quality job listings on here. At the end of the day, the job application process is a numbers game, when I applied for internships and full-time roles in the past, I’d send out hundreds of applications and a handful would result in interviews and even fewer into offers. Keep your head up and keep applying. I’m rooting for you! 💡 You can also get my FREE Cybersecurity Beginner Roadmap Guide for anyone who’s looking for where to get started in their cybersecurity career: https://lnkd.in/eY79cbZ3 #jobs #techjobs #hiring

Job searching can feel like gloom and doom—but I want you to focus on a different rhyming word instead: BLOOM. Yesterday, I attended the North Carolina Museum of Art's Annual Art in Bloom opening day. I was inspired by the stunning floral arrangements on display, and I left feeling hopeful—reminded that growth happens when you nurture what’s already there. That got me thinking about how career growth works the same way. Here’s a framework you can use to keep momentum during a challenging job search along with some free job search resources: B.L.O.O.M. B – Brainpower your career Before you dive into a job search, the thought work comes first. Jumping straight into applications without a plan is like trying to navigate a new city without a map—you might get somewhere, but it won’t be efficient or strategic. 1. Build your target company list Use tools like Crunchbase and LinkedIn to identify companies that align with your career goals, values, and desired growth trajectory. Look beyond obvious names—consider companies that are scaling, have strong leadership, or are in industries where your expertise is in high demand. 2. Identify decision-makers Once you have your list, use platforms like Hunter and TheOrg to find the right contacts—executives, hiring managers, or functional leaders—so you know exactly who to connect with. 3. Leverage your centers of influence Think about mentors, colleagues, and past collaborators who can help open doors. Share your target company list with them and ask for introductions or guidance. Strategic referrals often get you further than cold outreach alone. L – Leverage your strengths Focus on what you do best. Make sure your resume, LinkedIn, and interviews highlight your unique value—not just a laundry list of responsibilities. See comment section for a resource on how to build out result rich resume bullet points. O – Optimize your brand Your personal brand is more than your resume. Share thought leadership, highlight achievements, and make it clear why you’re the right person for the roles you want. See comments for a white paper on how to write a LinkedIn profile. O – Organized strategy Treat your search like a project. Track applications, follow-ups, and networking opportunities. Small, consistent actions add up faster than sporadic bursts of activity. M – Move forward with confidence Job searches can be slow and unpredictable. Keep taking action, stay visible, and don’t let setbacks shake your belief in your skills and potential. Make daily and weekly outreach goals. **You should not be measuring how many jobs you are applying to each day. Instead, focus on decision-maker conversations.*** When you approach your career like this, you’re not just surviving the search—you’re planting seeds for growth and opportunity, and eventually, you bloom. 🌸