When Job Hunting Feels Hopeless: 4 Online Strategies to Jumpstart Your Job Search

You’ve updated your resume and applied to dozens of jobs. You’ve rewritten your cover letter more times than you can count. And still…crickets. If you're returning to the workforce and feeling stuck, I want you to know: you're not alone and you're not doing it wrong.

The truth is, the job market has changed. Online strategies matter more than ever, and the old ways of job hunting don’t work like they used to. If nothing seems to be working, here are 4 powerful online strategies that can breathe new life into your job search and help you finally get noticed:

1. Stop Just Applying and Start Connecting

Job boards can be black holes. If you’re only applying online, you’re missing the real magic: relationships.

Start here:

• Find 5 people who work in the industry you’re interested in.
• Send a short, kind LinkedIn message: “I’m returning to the workforce after raising my kids and exploring opportunities in [industry]. I admire your work—would you be open to a quick 15-minute chat to share any advice?”

You’d be surprised how many people say yes. If you aren't on LinkedIn, you need to create a profile.

2. Tell Your Story Out Loud and Online

You don’t have to be working to have something valuable to share. Post something on LinkedIn or other social platforms like:

“After years as a full-time mom, I’m stepping back into the workforce. I’ve been learning [skill] and exploring roles in [industry]. If you’ve made a career pivot or work in this space, I’d love to learn from you!”

You're not trying to get attention--you're just letting people know where you're at. And surprisingly, that’s often when the doors start to open.

3. Use Keywords Like a Magnet

Recruiters use search terms like “project management,” “content writing,” “customer success,” etc. Find job descriptions that excite you and sprinkle those exact keywords into your LinkedIn about section and skills list. That way, you show up in searches--even if you haven’t worked in a while.

4. Join LinkedIn Groups or Communities for Returners

You are not the only one navigating this. There are online communities specifically for women re-entering the workforce (like Elavare 😉). Inside these spaces, you’ll find:

• Job leads
• Resume feedback
• Encouragement
• Women just like you who “get it”

Don’t do this alone. You don’t have to.

You might feel like you’re sending things into a void right now. But momentum builds quietly. So keep showing up. Share what you’re learning. Ask questions. Make connections. The next opportunity might not come from a job board.

It might come from someone who sees your post and thinks, she’d be perfect.