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Hey There!

Welcome to Issue #121 of Jobseeking is Hard!

Today's issue is brought to you by Morning Brew! If you're a free subscriber and value our content, it costs $0 to support us by taking .0005 seconds to click the ad and check out the service. Seriously…all you need to do is click it. You don’t even have to subscribe or buy anything…just clicking helps support us. Easy peasy. Show our sponsor some love for supporting Jobseeking is Hard! Thanks!

This week we’re talking about:

• Stupid interview questions

• A jobseeking horror story about an 11-round interview that led nowhere

• What relevance has to do with “marketability”

• The best (worst?) job posting of the week

• And a scam involving helpful “colleagues”

And for Premium subscribers I’m:

• Debunking an article that said no one gets hired on LinkedIn

• Giving you guidance on standing out in a competitive field

• Telling you why your resume needs a summary, not a headline

• Answering a Premium subscriber's question about why their job search is stalling. I'll explain how to pinpoint where things are going wrong and what to fix.

Let’s get to it!

STUPID INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

“How many traffic lights are there in New York City?”

Is this a job interview or a TED Talk on urban infrastructure?

"How would you explain your job to a five-year-old?”

Unless I’m applying to teach kindergarten, why does this matter? Also, have you ever tried explaining anything to a five-year-old? They’d just ask “Why?” 47 times until I give up and go watch Bluey.

"Would you rather bob for apples or eat caramel apples?"

As far as bosses go, you could do much worse than working for a Halloween enthusiast. Well, until they make everyone dress up as their favorite Napoleon Dynamite character for a LinkedIn post.

Now I’m curious…

Want to share your stupid interview questions? Reply or email [email protected] 

SPEAKING OF POLLS

Last issue, I asked you, “Do you prefer the bath or the shower?” More than 85% of you chose to shower!

Some of the best responses:

But my favorite was:

As a horror fan, I immediately thought of the same thing.

COMMUNITY CATHARSIS

I once was part of an interview process consisting of 11 interviews with 13 people. Then they disappeared.

The recruiter eventually told me that I was their only qualified candidate, but I didn't seem enthusiastic enough, so they decided they needed to interview other people and streamline the process for them.

The person they hired stayed for only 6 months.

I’m sorry that happened to you. Let's start with the obvious…if you're interviewing 11 times for a job and still not getting hired, that's not a job interview; that's an unpaid consulting gig.

You didn't seem enthusiastic enough? After 11 rounds?

At that point, enthusiasm isn't the issue…the company is.

This is why jobseekers feel gaslit. Companies act like they're running a rigorous, high-stakes selection process, but in reality, they don't even know what they want. They waste everyone's time, overcomplicate hiring, and then wonder why their new hire bails in 6 months.

Subscribers…

If there's a jobseeking horror story *you’d* like to share, reply or email [email protected] 

SHAMELESS PLUG

If your job search needs a little more help, Karpiak Consulting offers resume and LinkedIn services, as well as job search strategy coaching.

Who knows…maybe it’ll make the hiring manager pull your resume like this client 🤷‍♂️

So how did I help this resume review client?

Marketability.

The main issue with the resume wasn't lack of experience...it was how that experience was being positioned in a brutally competitive job market. Their industry is crowded right now, and hiring managers are flooded with applications. That means a resume can't just be "good"…it has to immediately show why the candidate is the obvious choice.

For anyone refining their resume in a competitive field, here's a different way to look at it: your resume isn't just a record of what you've done…it's proof that you're the right hire, even in a market where companies have their pick of top talent. That means you have to be intentional about positioning. Your resume should highlight impact, leadership, and specialization rather than just listing responsibilities.

If you're competing for a job where companies can afford to be selective, the biggest mistake you can make is blending in. Hiring managers aren't struggling to find qualified candidates…they're struggling to narrow down who's the best fit. That means your resume has to make a strong, immediate case for why they should pick you over someone else with similar skills and experience. Every hiring manager skimming your resume should immediately see:

-What you bring to the table that others don’t.

-The measurable impact of your work, especially in terms that relate to that specific business.

-Your resume’s clear alignment with the skills and priorities in the job posting.

In highly competitive fields, the biggest mistake jobseekers make is being too passive in how they present their experience. It's not enough to show that you could do the job…you have to make it obvious that you're the best choice.

One way to test your resume? Look at each bullet point and ask yourself, “Does this tell a hiring manager why I'm the best person for this specific job? Or is it just describing what I did?" If your resume is just a list of tasks without a clear impact, it's not working hard enough for you.

To make your resume more competitive, it's not just about adding relevant details…it's about structuring them in a way that hiring managers expect to see. That means mirroring the exact key phrases in the same order as they appear in the job posting. Hiring managers and recruiters scan for specific skills and responsibilities first, and if they don't see what they need right away, they move on. Match their language and prioritization…if they lead with stakeholder collaboration and research strategy, your resume should do the same.

If your resume is just a collection of everything you've ever done, you're relying on hiring managers to do the work of connecting the dots. They won't. Your job is to make it easy for them to see, at a glance, why you're the best fit. If your resume isn't structured to reflect the exact priorities of the job posting in the order they expect to see them, you're giving other candidates an advantage.

Just as important as emphasizing the right skills is de-emphasizing what's irrelevant. If a skill, responsibility, or past role isn't mentioned in the job posting, it's probably not a hiring priority. That doesn't mean you have to delete unrelated experience, but it shouldn't take up prime real estate on your resume. Too many jobseekers try to showcase everything they've done, but in a competitive job market, hiring managers don't need more information…they need the right information.

If you’re feeling like your resume isn’t telling your story the way it should and don’t know how to frame your experience, our services can help. 

BEST (WORST?) JOB POST

OF THE WEEK

Here’s the job post that got the most people talking on my Instagram this week!

job requirements are out of control

If you come across an irritating job posting, email it to the newsletter or DM me on Instagram and I’ll add it to the list to post!

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JOB SCAMS!

Last week, I told you about a scam involving fake LinkedIn profiles promoting sketchy career coaches. Well this week, the scam is similar, but with a slight twist.

Say hello to random people with “colleagues” who can help you.

If you've been searching for a job on LinkedIn, you've probably seen comments like this…

So helpful!

They're spamming the same message on multiple posts. Real people don't randomly comment on every jobseeker's post with a copy-paste message.

This is classic scam behavior…cast a wide net and hope someone bites. They don't actually name a job, company, a role, or even their colleagues name.. If they had a real opportunity, they'd at least mention what industry or position they're hiring for. Instead, they're vague because they're baiting you into reaching out first.

They ask for your resume before giving any details. Scammers collect resumes to harvest personal information, impersonate jobseekers, or trick you into paying for fake services.

A quick look at their profile usually reveals they have little-to-no connections and have joined LinkedIn recently OR have recently updated their contact info and pic…meaning the account has been hacked.

Never send your resume to random people on LinkedIn. Check their profile…if they just joined LinkedIn last month, have only a handful of connections, or lack job-related activity, they're probably fake. That's why I always recommend not engaging with accounts that aren't verified.

If someone leaves this kind of comment on your post, ignore, block, and report.

Stay safe out there!

If you come across a potential scam, send it to [email protected], and I’ll warn the community. And if you’ve been a victim of a job scam, the FTC has job scam reporting resources listed here.

PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER QUESTION

“The job search feels like it’s dragging on forever. I’m applying, networking, and even getting some interviews, but I’m still not landing anything. At what point should I reassess my strategy, and how do I know what’s actually going wrong?”

Check out the Premium Section below for my answer! Not a Premium Subscriber? Upgrade here: www.JobseekingIsHard.com/upgrade

Why upgrade?

• Extra Tips & Advice: Gain exclusive insights, strategies, and advice from a recruiter with over 20 years of experience in the field. Discover what hiring managers truly value and how to stand out at every step of your job search.

• Access to Previous Issues: Explore a library of knowledge with all 100+ past issues of the newsletter. Each edition is packed with proven strategies, practical advice, and real-world jobseeking stories to give you an edge in today’s competitive job market. From resume tips to handling tough interview questions, you’ll find answers to every challenge.

• Exclusive Q&A: Have questions about your job search? Premium subscribers can ask Adam directly! Questions will be featured in upcoming issues, with detailed answers tailored to real-world scenarios, ensuring you get the guidance you need.

• Bonus Content: As part of your Premium subscription, you’ll receive 20 additional job search tips delivered to your inbox over the next 20 days. This includes advice on avoiding common mistakes and maximizing your job search strategy to land interviews faster.

Jobseekers, have a great rest of your week, and good luck with those applications!

-Adam

PS!! If you're enjoying the newsletter, let people know! Forward it, post it on social, tag me, whatever...the bigger the discussion, the better! The idea is to help as many people as possible!

About Adam- Recognized as a leading voice on hiring and workplace trends, Adam has been recruiting and providing career advice since 2003, developing high-trust relationships based on honesty with companies and jobseekers. A highly sought-after speaker, he has appeared in numerous outlets, including Bloomberg News, Business Insider, LinkedIn, and CNNMoney. You can find out more about Adam's resume and coaching services here.

AFFILIATES

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