Let me tell you about my friend, Sarah.
She was one of those people who always seemed to have it all together—a steady career in corporate communications, glowing performance reviews, and a LinkedIn profile that, well, looked decent enough. When the unexpected happened—a sudden round of layoffs—Sarah thought, No problem. I’ve got experience, skills, and a solid résumé. Finding a new role should have been easy, right?
Weeks turned into months, and Sarah found herself stuck in the quicksand of the modern job market. The few interviews she did secure led to nowhere, and most of her applications were met with radio silence. She was puzzled. After all, she had years of experience, a reputable work history, and had been actively applying for positions that matched her skills. Why wasn’t she hearing back?
Eventually, she reached out to me—not so much for a formal consultation, but more for a fresh perspective. Over coffee one afternoon, Sarah showed me her résumé and LinkedIn profile. As I scanned through her documents, I quickly realised the problem. Her résumé was a well-organised list of jobs and responsibilities, but it wasn’t telling a compelling story.
The Harsh Reality of Today’s Job Market
Sarah’s story isn’t unique. In fact, it’s becoming all too common in today’s rapidly changing job market. What worked a few years ago—submitting a résumé to an online job portal and waiting for a response—just doesn’t cut it anymore. There are a few reasons for this shift, and understanding them is key to adapting your approach.
First, there’s the sheer volume of applicants. Remote work has opened up job opportunities across geographic boundaries, meaning companies are no longer limited to local talent pools. While this has created more opportunities for job seekers, it’s also made the competition much fiercer. For every job posting, companies can now receive hundreds, if not thousands, of applications from all over the world.
Second, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) have become the norm for filtering through these massive numbers of applications. ATS software scans résumés for keywords and phrases, shortlisting candidates who closely match the job description. If your résumé isn’t optimised with the right keywords, it might not even make it past the first hurdle.
Finally, companies are increasingly focusing on soft skills, adaptability, and culture fit. While hard skills remain important, employers want to hire people who can thrive in diverse, rapidly changing environments. They want to see candidates who are not only qualified but also demonstrate leadership, creativity, and an ability to navigate uncertainty.
In this challenging job market, the importance of personal branding can’t be overstated. It’s not enough to simply list your job responsibilities or upload your résumé to LinkedIn. You need to differentiate yourself in a way that resonates with recruiters and hiring managers.
You want to know how?
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Senior Copywriter at Teal | Champion of ADHD professionals
3moWhat a great story! Thanks so much to Mark for sharing his experience. 💜