What to Do When You’ve Tried Everything in Your Job Search (and Still Aren’t Getting Results)

If you’ve been in a job search that feels like a black hole--you’re not alone.

You’ve sent the applications. Updated your resume. Tightened your LinkedIn headline.
Maybe even practiced your answers in the mirror.

And yet…nothing.

If that’s where you are, take a breath. You’re not broken. You’re just stuck in the same loop that so many job seekers fall into.  Here’s how to break out of it.

Step 1: Diagnose, Don’t Dramatize

When progress stalls, our brains look for external reasons:

“It’s the economy.”
“It’s my age.”
“It’s the timing.”

Sometimes those things matter. But often, they become distractions from what we can control. Grab a notebook and ask yourself three simple questions for each area of your job search:

1. Branding & Positioning
   – Is my résumé telling a clear, current story?
   – Does my LinkedIn reflect where I’m going, not just where I’ve been?
   – Does my elevator pitch sound confident or apologetic?
2. Go-to-Market Strategy
   – Am I relying too heavily on online applications?
   – Am I proactively building relationships and referrals?
   – Am I making myself known to the decision makers?
3. Interviews & Conversion
   – Do I understand the problem the company is hiring me to solve?
   – Am I connecting my experience to their needs, not just listing my skills?
   – Do I leave each conversation with clear next steps?

This isn’t about judgment--it’s about clarity. You can’t fix what you haven’t diagnosed. 

Step 2: Audit Your Thinking

The biggest block in most job searches isn’t your résumé. It’s your mindset.

There are three kinds of thinking that show up when you’re in the hunt:

• Unproductive Thinking: “No one’s hiring,” “I’m too old,” “I don’t have the right network.”
• Positive Thinking: “It’ll all work out.” (Nice thought, not much strategy.)
• Effective Thinking: “What’s working right now?” “What can I tweak?” “Who can I reach out to today?”

The goal is to spend less time in the first two and more time in the third. Effective thinkers don’t wait for opportunities--they create them.

Step 3: Take Massive (Focused) Action

You don’t need to spend 12 hours a day applying for jobs. You need clarity and consistency.

Here’s how:

1. Set a clear goal

“I will land a marketing director role by March 31.” The date matters. It gives you urgency and exposes the parts of you that still doubt it’s possible.

     2. Fail on purpose

Yes, you read that right. Plan to fail--50 times this month.

Each “failure” (a bold message sent, a cold connection made, a stretch role applied for) is progress. The more you fail forward, the closer you get to success.

Step 4: Be the Person Who Already Has the Job

This is the game-changer. Stop approaching interviews as if you’re begging for a chance. Start showing up as if you already belong there.

Ask yourself: “If I already had this role, how would I show up today?”

Would you network more boldly?
Would you speak more confidently?
Would you stop apologizing and start leading the conversation?

That shift in energy is what employers feel most.

Bonus tip: Give this version of you a name--your alter ego. Step into the mindset of the leader you already are.

Final Word

The job search process can feel discouraging. But remember: people are being hired every single day.  The difference between those who land the job and those who stay stuck isn’t luck--it’s belief plus consistent, intentional action.

So don’t give up. Your opportunity isn’t gone--it’s just waiting for the version of you who’s ready to claim it.

 
Read additional blog posts here.