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When you invest the bulk of your time only pursuing posted jobs, you are missing out of the opportunity to meet with individuals inside companies that could potentially hire you and this is where the real opportunities lie! Companies don’t like hiring. It is a painful and time-consuming process. Not to mention, a risky proposition. […]

The post Stop Chasing Jobs appeared first on Career Sherpa.

When you invest the bulk of your time only pursuing posted jobs, you are missing out of the opportunity to meet with individuals inside companies that could potentially hire you and this is where the real opportunities lie!

Companies don’t like hiring. It is a painful and time-consuming process. Not to mention, a risky proposition. Here are four reasons you need to stop chasing jobs and be proactive, not reactive, during your job search.

The majority of jobs are filled by internal hires.

It is so much easier for a company to promote someone internally. The candidate already knows the company, the culture, the processes, etc. However, that doesn’t always mean an internal candidate is the best choice.

Even if there isn’t a job available, you should be having conversations with people inside companies you would like to work for.

As you meet with people to learn more about their business, be sure to share how being an outsider offers fresh, valuable perspectives on solving their problems.

Learn more about informational interviews here: 5 Networking Tips To Help You Do It Better

Inevitably, they will be hiring someone and you want them to think of you as their next great hire!

You are competing against hundreds of other job seekers

Once a job posting goes public, everyone and their brother is applying. All the employer can see is your resume, if they even see that.

If your resume doesn’t contain the right keywords or skill sets required by the company’s screener, chances as slim that anyone will ever see your resume. And what makes you think you are a stronger, more likable candidate than the hundreds of external candidates AND the handful of internal candidates? What tips the scales in your favor when the competition is so steep? Can you see how much more difficult it is to stand out?

They may have already hired someone else
or have a strong candidate in mind

By the time the job posting goes public, the hiring manager has already been asking everyone they know, inside and outside the company, who would be a good fit for the upcoming open job. Sometimes this has been going on for months before the job gets announced. Imagine all the people who come to mind and who are referred for the job.

If all you do is wait for posted jobs, chances are, your name won’t be in the running. Once the job does get announced, perhaps it has been custom tailored to match the very unique and specific skill sets and background of the predetermined candidate. You will never meet the requirements of the job if this is the case. You can’t. It has been written so that only one person is truly qualified.

Applying for jobs drives reactive job search, not proactive

How frustrating is it when you don’t see any good jobs available? And then there is the frenetic rush on the rare days when you see more than one job available and you have to research the company, tweak your resume and customize your cover letter to get it to the company ASAP.

When you only look at posted jobs, you have peaks and valleys of activity. Your job search activity is driven by their timeline, not one you have influence over. I would prefer you have more control over your activities and use of your time, wouldn’t you?

To launch an empowering and proactive job search read: How To Find Target Companies For Your Job Search

Use Job Postings for These Purposes Instead…

• Job postings give you the opportunity to learn what skills most sought after. (Acquire these skills and include them on your resume and cover letter)
• Postings help you see what creative job titles being used now. (Add these job titles to your search criteria)
• Analyze which industries seem to be doing more of the hiring for the roles you are interested in. (Add these industries to your target list)
• See which recruiters are doing hiring within companies. (Use these recruiters to help you get an interview with companies that interest you)

Try using these 7 Tactics That Trump Searching The Job Boards instead!

The post Stop Chasing Jobs appeared first on Career Sherpa.

Do you want an easy way to stay connected with your network on LinkedIn? Or maybe you want employers to discover you.  Updating your LinkedIn profile regularly is one of the best ways to do both! People have asked me HOW to update their LinkedIn status, so here are four easy ways you can update your LinkedIn […]

The post HOW TO: 4 Ways to Update Your LinkedIn Status appeared first on Career Sherpa.

Do you want an easy way to stay connected with your network on LinkedIn? Or maybe you want employers to discover you.  Updating your LinkedIn profile regularly is one of the best ways to do both!

People have asked me HOW to update their LinkedIn status, so here are four easy ways you can update your LinkedIn status and share information.

Whether you’re actively job searching or simply want to stay top-of-mind with your LinkedIn network, sharing regular updates on LinkedIn is one of the easiest and most effective ways to boost visibility.

But many people ask me how to update their status — what to post, where to find content, and how often to do it. So here’s your step-by-step guide to four simple ways you can update your LinkedIn status and stay engaged with your network.

(And if you’re wondering what to say, check out my earlier post on 10 types of status updates for job seekers).

Why Post Daily

You may think posting daily sounds like a lot — but remember, not everyone in your network will see every post. LinkedIn’s algorithm filters what appears in people’s feeds, so posting more often gives you more chances to show up.

Here are just some of the many benefits of posting daily:

• Increased Visibility: LinkedIn’s algorithm favors active users and content that receives engagement.
• Algorithm Favoritism: The more you post and the more engagement your posts receive (likes, comments, shares), the more LinkedIn’s algorithm will push your content to a wider audience.
• Showcasing Expertise: Sharing industry insights, tips, or experiences in your niche demonstrates your expertise and build credibility.
• Staying Top-of-Mind: Regular posting helps you stay top-of-mind with your network and reminds them of your expertise.
• Building a Community: Consistent posting allows you to build a community.
• Job/Business Opportunities: Activity can help attract potential clients, collaborators, or employers.

  Remember, Don’t just focus on posting, but also engage with others’ posts, comments, and messages to build relationships and increase your visibility.

Another tip: Experiment with different posting times, content formats, and topics to see what resonates best with your audience and yields the most engagement.

Your updates don’t need to be complicated. You can:

• Share something you’re working on
• Talk about an event you’re attending
• Post a thoughtful quote
• Highlight an article you found useful

The point is: stay visible. Because if your network doesn’t see you, they won’t think of you when opportunities arise.

1. Write Your Own Post

When you log into LinkedIn, you’ll land on your home feed. At the very top is the box that says “Start a post.” This is your opportunity to share what’s on your mind or what you’re working on.

Examples of what to post:

• A recent win or milestone
• A professional challenge you overcame
• Lessons learned from a podcast or article
• A quote that inspires you

Pro Tip: Add a question at the end of your post to encourage engagement.

2. Share Articles From Your LinkedIn Feed

LinkedIn is full of content you can share with your network. Follow industry leaders, companies, or topics that matter to you — then scroll your feed to find something worth reposting.

When sharing, consider:

• Adding a short comment or takeaway
• Tagging the author or company
• Explaining why it matters to you or your industry

Quick Tip: LinkedIn defaults to showing “Top” posts in your feed. If you want to see the most recent updates, change the filter below the status box to “Recent.” (You’ll have to do this each time you log in.)

Job Search Checklist – Things You Need For Your Job Search

1. Portfolio of work and evaluations
2. Professional email address and email signature
3. Professional greeting on main voicemail
4. 20+ Accomplishment stories
5. 10 or more ideal job titles
6. Request 3-5 people to serve as references
7. Targeted, strategically focused resume for each of those job titles and/or ideal job postings
8. 50+ companies that could potentially hire you for what you want to do
9. Craft answers to the dreaded interview questions
10. 10-30-60 second answer to “tell me about yourself” (here’s how to create yours)
11. LinkedIn profile (here’s how to make your profile awesome)
12. Listing of 100+ people you know
13. Cover letter and thank you letter templates (Use AI to generate rough drafts)
14. Networking email templates (Use AI to generate rough drafts)
15. Begin practicing common interview questions
16. Folders/system to retain job postings, resume, and cover letters by company (version control)
17. Spreadsheet to track jobs applied for and followup (Try Teal Job Tracker)
18. Spreadsheet/system to track networking contacts and follow up
19. Time blocking system (here’s what a structured week can look like)
20. Positive mindset, anything is possible! 

20 is the most important.  Take care of yourself emotionally and physically.  Don’t allow “negative self talk”.  Surround yourself with positive reinforcement.  Prepare for the long haul and try to enjoy this exploration of the new world!

2025 Job Search Check List

Here’s a pdf to download.

Job-Search-Checklist-2025-careersherpa

The post Checklist for a Job Search appeared first on Career Sherpa.

Taking a summer vacation shouldn’t feel like a risk to your career—but for many, stepping away from work comes with guilt, anxiety, and a constant urge to check in. It’s time to reclaim your time off and truly tune out. There are many studies that discuss how important disconnecting from the office is to our […]

The post Taking Summer Vacation, Turn Off and Tune Out appeared first on Career Sherpa.

Taking a summer vacation shouldn’t feel like a risk to your career—but for many, stepping away from work comes with guilt, anxiety, and a constant urge to check in. It’s time to reclaim your time off and truly tune out.

There are many studies that discuss how important disconnecting from the office is to our mental health and well being and when they do go on away they spend hours checking voicemail, email, and calling into the office.  Yet, a recent survey by Solitaired revealed that 47% of Americans left some PTO unused in 2024.

I saw this firsthand during a recent family visit. Two of our guests are employed and one is currently job searching. All three spent most of their time glued to smartphones and laptops. Instead of enjoying downtime, they were checking emails, responding to Slack messages, or scanning job boards. When I asked why, they said they didn’t feel like they could afford to be offline—literally or figuratively. One even said, “I’m afraid they’ll forget about me if I don’t check in.”

Seriously. Let me ask you this. Do you know anyone who has gone on vacation and come back to see a pink slip waiting for them on their desk?

You’ve Earned It So Take It

I’ve always believed that vacation time is earned and should be respected—by both employees and employers. For years, I only had two weeks of paid vacation, and I worked hard for it. Like many of you, I put in overtime, covered for colleagues, and took on additional responsibilities. That vacation wasn’t a luxury, it was a necessary break.

Here’s how to write a vacation request email with samples.

So what I learned was to set the expectations with my manager that I would not have the ability to check-in. I would also make sure that clients and co-workers knew that I would be out and provided contact information for my replacement. I briefed coworkers on what critical items they needed to know. (Only once did a client truly need some immediate help while I was out and my co-worker handled it with ease.)

Setting expectations and delegating and informing show responsibility.  A respected quality in today’s workplace.

The truth is, we are all replaceable.  If your manager wants to fire you or needs to fire you, it really doesn’t matter if you worked during your vacation or not.

5 Key Tips to Avoid Working on Vacation

1) Get Everyone On Board Early

Give your manager, team, and clients ample notice about your time off. Set the expectation that you will be offline. The earlier you communicate, the easier it will be to coordinate coverage.

2) Find a Vacation Buddy

Identify a trusted colleague who can be your point person while you’re away. Provide them with a quick briefing and a list of key contacts. Offer to return the favor when they take their vacation.

3) Select Your Vacation Time Wisely

Choose a time that aligns with slower business cycles if possible. This reduces the chance of urgent issues arising while you’re gone. If your role is seasonal, plan your break accordingly.

4) Leave a Roadmap

Document key tasks, due dates, and contact info in a shared folder or email. This makes it easier for your team to handle things and shows you’re thinking ahead.

5) Neatness Counts

Before you leave, tidy up your inbox, finish loose ends, and set up a clear out-of-office message. The smoother your departure, the easier your return will be.

Why Time Off Matters

Employers are beginning to understand this, too. Many progressive managers encourage their teams to disconnect fully when taking time off. Why? Because refreshed employees perform better.

If your manager frowns upon vacation, that’s not a reflection of your value, it’s a red flag about the company culture. A healthy workplace supports boundaries and acknowledges that employees are more than just productivity machines.

And let’s not forget, in many countries outside the U.S., vacation is encouraged. Some European countries mandate four to six weeks of paid vacation, and it’s expected that employees will not be available during that time.

Boundaries Are Professional

Let’s be clear: your employer does not own your personal time. If you regularly go above and beyond, then taking time off shouldn’t be seen as a lack of commitment. In fact, setting healthy boundaries signals confidence, self-awareness, and professionalism.

Remember, being available 24/7 isn’t sustainable and it doesn’t make you a better employee. What does? Showing up energized, focused, and ready to contribute. That only happens when you take care of yourself, and yes, that includes time off.

Take A

NotebookLM’s AI-powered platform revolutionizes your job search by transforming how you customize cover letters and resumes, conduct targeted networking, and prepare for interviews. Discover how this innovative tool can streamline your career journey Introduction: In this guide, with an accompanying video demonstration, you will see how to use NotebookLM to organize and streamline your job […]

The post 6 Ways NotebookLM AI Streamlines Your Entire Job Search appeared first on Career Sherpa.

NotebookLM’s AI-powered platform revolutionizes your job search by transforming how you customize cover letters and resumes, conduct targeted networking, and prepare for interviews. Discover how this innovative tool can streamline your career journey

Introduction:

In this guide, with an accompanying video demonstration, you will see how to use NotebookLM to organize and streamline your job search. It covers:

• Creating and Naming Notebooks
• Adding Various Source Types
• Analyzing Resumes and Job Descriptions
• Generating Customized Cover Letters
• Interview Preparation
• Analyzing LinkedIn profiles for Networking

What Is NotebookLM?

Think of NotebookLM as an AI-powered research assistant that helps you understand complex information by letting you upload various documents (like articles, PDFs, or notes) and then asking questions about all or some of the content. It summarizes key points, explains concepts, and even generates new ideas based on the sources you provided. You should also know that NotebookLM is a Google project which is still in development, and it may not be as polished as other Google products.

NotebookLM creates a “Walled Garden,” where the information added is isolated from the internet.
It only uses the sources you provide to answer questions; it does not search the internet.

Unlike ChatGPT or other AI tools, NotebookLM will never train on any of your data. But having said that, the Google User Agreement does not promise privacy. This means you should always be cautious when uploading sensitive/private information used in NotebookLM.

First Step: Creating A Notebook

Here’s the link to sign up for free access to NotebookLM using your Google account.

The first step is to create a notebook and add sources, which will serve as the knowledge base.
Notebooks should be well-named for easy organization. For your job search, I recommend creating a new notebook for each target company or company that you are interested in. In this notebook you would keep all job applications, networking correspondence and interview information having to do with that company. You are limited to 100 notebooks with a free account.

Adding Sources to NotebookLM

Let’s say you find a job posting at a company you are interested in. You want to create the research sources (company research, mission statement, job posting, resume) into your notebook so you can thoroughly and thoughtfully draft your resume and cover letter.

The following steps allow you to set up all the resource materials you need to craft a draft of your cover letter and resume.

1) Copy and paste your company research (which you have done in one of these: Claude, CoPilot, Perplexity) as a source and name it “[Company] Research”.

2) Then add your master or super resume as a source

3) Either copy and paste the job posting or a link to the job posting as a source.

4) Finally, either copy and paste or use the URL to the company’s mission statement.

If the URL is highlighted in red, it means that it can’t be used as a source. Either copy and paste the text or check to make sure the URL is public.

Sources can be renamed for clarity

Using NotebookLM for Resume and Cover Letter Customization

Now that you have all the source material identified and selected for that company, use the chat area to ask questions, using prompts to guide NotebookLM. If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools to help you with your resume and cover letter, the