This week’s podcast episode is a solo episode. No guests this time; just me, talking about something I have been thinking about a lot: What would I not do if I were job hunting in 2026?
I chose this topic because many job seekers are exhausted. They have rewritten their resumes several times, used ChatGPT, updated LinkedIn, spoken with recruiters, applied for roles that looked “close enough,” networked, followed up, waited, hoped, and then heard nothing. When the process feels slow, opaque, and frustrating, the instinct is often to do more. Or blame yourself for not doing more!
But more is not always better. More applications can create more disappointment. More resume edits can create more confusion. More time on job boards can make the market feel worse than it is. More courses can delay the harder work of positioning, networking, and interviewing well.
Sometimes, the most useful thing you can do is stop doing the things that are draining your energy without improving your odds. That is what this week's podcast episode and this newsletter are about.
If I were job hunting now, these are the five things I would stop doing.
1. I would not apply at scale and call it a strategy
This is the mistake I see most often. Applying for jobs feels productive because you can count it. You can say, “I applied for ten jobs this week,” and that feels better than saying, “I spent two hours understanding one role properly.”
But the second activity may be far more valuable.
Before applying for a role, I would ask whether the role is genuinely aligned with my experience, whether I can see a strong match between the job description and my achievements, whether I understand the problem the organization is trying to solve, whether I know anyone who can give me context before I apply, and whether I can explain clearly and calmly why I am a credible candidate.
That last question is the one I would not skip. If you cannot explain why you are credible for the role, the person reading your application may not be able to see it either.
This is why I always say that a job application is not a lottery ticket. It is a business case. You are making a case for why you should be invited into a conversation. That takes time, discernment, and a willingness to pause before sending another application simply because the job ad is there.
Not every role deserves your full attention. Not every role is worth the emotional cost of applying. That may sound harsh, but it is also freeing.
Your goal is not to prove that you are trying hard. Your goal is to improve your odds.
2. I would not let AI remove my voice
I use AI every day. I teach my clients how to use it. I think it can be very helpful. But I would not let AI write my entire job search.
AI can help you tailor your resume, compare job descriptions, prepare for interviews, identify gaps, and research companies. It can also help you see your experience from a different angle, which is often useful when you have been too close to your own career for too long.
But AI cannot replace your judgment. This is where many job seekers are getting into trouble. Their resume sounds polished, but generic. Their cover letter is grammatically correct, but forgettable. Their LinkedIn profile has the right words, but no story. Then they get to the interview and struggle to speak naturally about the material because it does not really sound like them.
The hiring process is full of polished documents now. Being polished is no longer enough. You need evidence, specificity, and confidence in your own story.
Your resume needs your words. Your LinkedIn profile needs your judgment. Your interview answers need your stories. Use AI to become more prepared, but do not use it in a way that makes you sound less human.
3. I would not wait until I needed a job to become visible
This is a difficult one for many experienced professionals. Many of my clients are over 40. They have spent decades being rewarded for quietly doing good work, and they often believe their track record should speak for itself.
I understand that. But in today’s market, people need to understand what you do, what you are known for, and where you add value before a role appears.
Visibility is not vanity. Visibility is risk management.
You do not need to become an influencer, post every day, or do anything that feels performative or uncomfortable. But you do need to be findable, credible, and clear.
This could mean updating your LinkedIn profile so it is not just a copy of your resume, writing one strong LinkedIn article about your area of expertise, commenting thoughtfully on posts from people in your industry, reconnecting with former colleagues before you need something, attending events or conferences again, and making sure recruiters can quickly understand what you do and why it matters.
I think many professionals have become a little complacent with remote and hybrid work. They have stopped catching up with people in person and stopped nurturing the weak ties that often lead to opportunities. I would not wait until I was unemployed to fix that.
4. I would not spend money on more education before diagnosing the real problem
When a job search stalls, many professionals immediately think they need another degree, an MBA, an executive course, a certification, or even a complete retraining. Sometimes education is the right answer. But often, it is not the first answer.
Before investing time and money, I would ask what problem I am trying to solve:
- Am I trying to close a real skills gap?
- Am I trying to signal that I am up to date?
- Am I trying to build confidence?
- Am I trying to change industries?
- Am I trying to compensate for age bias?
- Am I trying to differentiate myself? Or
- Am I trying to delay the discomfort of the job search?
These are different problems, and they need different solutions.
If the problem is differentiation, you may not need a degree. You may need a better career story. If the problem is currency, you may not need a two-year program. You may need a short AI course, a practical project, or evidence that you understand the changes in your sector. If the problem is confidence, another qualification may not fix it. You may need interview practice and better language to explain the value of your experience.
I see this often in coaching. People normalize their own achievements because they have been doing the work for years. They forget the scale, scope, complexity, and commercial value of what they have already done. Sometimes, the work is not to add more credentials. Sometimes the work is to see your existing value clearly and communicate it better.
5. I would not ignore the data from my own job search
Rejection feels awful. But if you have been job hunting for a while, rejection also gives you information.
Not every rejection is meaningful. Some roles have internal candidates. Some roles are withdrawn. Some hiring managers already know who they want. Some processes are poorly run. But once you have a sample, patterns start to appear.
If you are applying and getting no interviews, the bottleneck may be your application. It could be your resume, the roles you are targeting, the timing of your application, whether your experience is aligned, or whether you are using your network to support the application.
If you are getting interviews but not progressing, that tells us something else. It may be your career story, the way you explain your transition, your executive presence, or whether you are giving enough evidence. You may be answering the question, but not building trust.
If you are getting to final interviews but not receiving offers, that is another pattern. It could be stakeholder fit, salary, references, or how you close the conversation.
This is where the job search becomes less emotional and more strategic. We are not trying to remove all uncertainty. That is impossible. We are trying to improve the odds.
So instead of saying, “Nothing is working,” ask where exactly the process is breaking down.
That question can change the entire job search.
Try this before you apply for the next role
Before you apply for another job this week, pause and answer five questions:
- Why this role?
- Why this organization?
- Why me?
- What evidence proves that I am a great candidate for this role?
- Who can give me context before I apply?
If you cannot answer those questions yet, you may not be ready to apply. That does not mean you are not good enough. It means the application needs more thinking. And that thinking is often what separates a generic application from a compelling one.
A note before the end of the financial year
We are at the beginning of June 2026. In Australia, as well as in some other countries, June marks the end of the financial year. So this may be a good time to think about whether you want to invest in your career before the financial year closes.
I am not a tax adviser, and this is not tax advice. Everyone’s situation is different. Depending on where you live, the type of work you do, and how career coaching relates to your current role or income-earning activities, some professional development expenses may be tax-deductible. Please check with your accountant, tax adviser, or relevant tax authority before making any decisions on that basis.
What I can say is this: if you have been thinking about getting support with your job search, career transition, LinkedIn profile, resume, interview preparation, or overall career strategy, this could be the right time to explore your options.
You do not need to wait until things become urgent. You can visit my website to book an introductory meeting if you would like to work with me privately. You can also look through the different services, programs, and courses available, and choose what feels aligned with your goals, your appetite for investment, and your budget.
If 2026 is the year you want to make a change, find a better role, reposition yourself, or simply feel more confident about your next career move, now is a good time to take that first step.
I would love to support you.
Ready for private coaching? Book a discovery meeting with me
Five Things I Would Not Do If I Were Job-unting
The Job Hunting Podcast Episode 336 - If I were job hunting now, I would not apply at scale, outsource my voice to AI, or wait until I was unemployed to build visibility. This article explains five common mistakes experienced professionals should avoid and how to make the job search more strategic.
Time Out
- Flea, the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, released a jazz album, Honora, named after his grandmother, on which he plays his childhood instrument, the trumpet, alongside some of his bandmates and new collaborators (such as Nick Cave). I loved it. Very easy to listen, great original music as well as creative coves like this one of Frank Ocean's Thinking Bout You.
- I'm up to date with Rivals, waiting on the next episodes to come by. Just as good, if not better than the first season.
- We were in London for the day, and it was 34 degrees. After trying to survive on the streets, we decided to enjoy the AC in a cinema and watch Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. Now, I am a Star Wars fanatic, and will never ever complain about anything Star Wars related. But if you are not an absolute fan, skip this one. It's cute, but there's no Odyssey-like storytelling.
Thanks once again for reading this newsletter. I hope you found it useful. And remember, you can always reply and reach out if you need extra help with your career.
Otherwise, I'll see you next week
RB
