These are the top 15 key themes and conversations that I keep having with my clients, and I am here to share them with you right now.
This is an overview of everything covered in my conversations from April to June to give you the key themes impacting people today.
My aim with this newsletter is to help you take them on board.
Out of these 15 points, I guarantee at least three or four will be applicable to your job search journey and what you do.
1. Using LinkedIn Easy Apply
This will come as no surprise to anyone who has been following me for a while.
The single biggest thing that people keep doing is using LinkedIn Easy Apply to apply for opportunities.
Stop doing this.
Recruiters deprioritise that source because the quality tends to be lower compared to referrals, niche job boards, or direct website applications.
Recruiters look at Easy Apply last because it is a bad source of candidates, so come off that platform right away.
2. The 10-Year CV Rule
If you have experience beyond 10 years, applicant tracking systems will tend to rank you lower.
This happens because that older experience is less relevant to the role you are typically applying for today.
If your CV covers more than 10 years, cap it there and only talk about the roles that fall under that umbrella.
You will have more success if you are more focused in that space.
3. Hiding Career Gaps
I consistently see people trying to hide a six-month gap by just listing years instead of months.
Equally, some leave a six-month gap with zero explanation.
Add that career break in, make sure it is visible, and just explain in a small paragraph what it was.
More often than not, the thing you are hiding is actually less of a concern to the recruiter, so be upfront about it.
4. Making Your CV Read Like a Job Description
This happens when the bullet points representing your work experience simply outline the key requirements of your job.
They do not tell the recruiter or hiring manager the things that make you unique.
Think about the projects you worked on over and above the work you were doing every day.
Highlighting those specific types of involvements will help you stand out from the typical bullet points that come through.
5. Copying and Pasting from AI
I use AI as part of my process and have always been open about that.
But as a certified CV writer, I know how to prompt it properly and what to look out for.
If you ask AI to write your bio and work experience, it is going to look the same as everyone else's if you just copy and paste it.
Opening with things like "a dynamic professional" or a "results-driven professional” OR “spearheading" initiatives makes it really obvious.
Use AI for feedback on your own words, but do not copy and paste or you will blend in with the rest and get fewer interviews.
6. Over-Reliance on Recruiters
This is about depending entirely on recruiters to find an opportunity for you.
Recruiters are great, but they are typically only interested in the specific jobs they are trying to fill.
Quite often, they can send you down a very specific path for every role you apply for.
Make sure you take control of your own search, target hiring managers, and speak to them directly.
7. Failing to Showcase Niche Experience
In an interview, what is the niche experience you can offer as part of that role?
So many people think they are a good match, but miss the opportunity because they fail to get it over the line.
Consider what makes you really stand out so you can showcase that over and above anyone else.
Equally, consider any gap you have and how you can close it so the interviewers do not come to the wrong conclusion.
8. Playing the Numbers Game
A lot of people apply for 50 jobs a week using the logic that you have to be in it to win it.
That is quite possibly the worst logic you can use.
You get an ongoing cycle of being rejected for roles you were never a good suit for, which really impacts your wellbeing.
I would rather see you go for five really good roles, take the time to tailor the CV, and target everything properly.
I guarantee you will get more interviews off those five targeted applications than the 50 generic ones.
9. Failing to Tailor the Bio
You have got to make sure your professional bio is specific to the job you are going for.
A recruiter makes a decision in six to eight seconds, so the more you tailor it, the better it comes across.
End the bio with something like, "I look forward to taking my skills in X and applying them to role Y in company Z."
It immediately impresses the recruiter because no one else is doing this.
10. Ignoring the Hidden Job Market
You need to tap into the hidden job market as much as you can.
Have a look at people you used to work with, see where they are working now, and see if they can refer you in.
Look at your top five target companies and start reaching out to people who work there to have conversations.
My clients secure opportunities through those types of interactions much more often than standard applications, so give it a go this week.
11. Mishandling the "Overqualified" Label
A lot of people think they can take a step down, but get annoyed when they are rejected for roles they did five years ago.
The problem is that you are up against people who did that job yesterday.
You need to make it really clear why you are going for that type of role, and it cannot just be because you need a job.
Explain your motivation to step down to the hiring manager, whether it is for work-life balance, slowing into retirement, or moving to the charity sector.
If you ignore it, they will determine you are a flight risk and you will not progress.
12. Waffling in Interviews
When it comes to the opening question of "tell me about yourself", limit your answer to two minutes.
They are not looking for your whole career history; they are looking for the highlights.
Equally, when using the STAR framework for competency-based questions, keep it to no more than three to five minutes.
Anything further means you are talking too much, so keep it relevant and keep the hiring manager interested.
13. Wasting Final Interview Questions
Whenever you are at the end of the interview, you have got to ask questions you would not find on the job description or Glassdoor.
Ask them what the team dynamic is like, why the vacancy is available, or what their biggest stakeholder challenge is.
This gives you genuine insight into the role and helps you identify red flags if you are not the right fit.
Equally, you can use their answer to build rapport by explaining how you solved a similar problem at a previous company.
14. Keeping Convoluted Job Titles
A lot of people have ambiguous, weird job titles that do not match the industry whatsoever.
This happens when companies keep internal titles a certain way or when you change internal roles without progressing in job level.
It is fine to tweak the job titles on your CV to be more in line with what the industry says.
If a job description sounds a lot like what you do, change your title to match it, just do not falsely promote yourself to a director level.
15. Waiting for a 100% Match
This is the tip that resonates most with people.
If you are reading a job description and you have at least 70% of the skills, you should be applying for the role.
Many people view the job description as the literal bible, and hiring managers often ask for everything they could possibly want.
But candidates with all of those things do not really exist in the market.
Go for it, prepare yourself for a potential rejection, but if it is positive, you could end up securing the role.
Those are the top 15 themes coming through from the conversations I have had over the last while.
As we get into the summer, things do slow down a little bit.
Take more time on your applications, consider these 15 points, and determine which one you are going to change.
Good luck with your job searches this week, and if you’d like to learn how I can help you further, Book a free, no-obligation 30-minute consultationwith me and tell me your story.
Let’s see if I can help you shift the dial and secure your new career.
