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Hey There!

Welcome to Issue #178 of Jobseeking is Hard!

Today's issue is brought to you by Cheers! If you're a free subscriber and value our content, it costs $0 to support us by clicking the ad and checking out the service. Show our sponsor some love for supporting Jobseeking is Hard! Thanks!

Happy Wednesday!

One of the more confusing parts of jobseeking right now is the feeling that outcomes will land interviews. If your experience is strong, it’s natural to assume there must be a tactical adjustment that suddenly unlocks momentum. Add more metrics. Shorten the resume. Optimize the language.

But, unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

That’s what I want to talk about this week.

This issue is about proof of value. Outcomes matter, but hiring teams also want to understand how those outcomes were created. When resumes become heavily focused on results without showing the mechanics behind the work, candidates can start to feel less impressive, not more.

I’ll also share how a comprehensive resume review client with a strong background reframed their professional narrative in a way that created more confidence, clearer positioning, and ultimately helped generate stronger career traction.

This week we’re talking about:

• Why adding more metrics doesn’t always make a resume feel stronger

• How hiring teams interpret proof of value differently than jobseekers expect

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

And for Premium subscribers I’m:

• Debunking the latest bias about salary discussions

• Answering a Premium subscriber’s question about creating content on LinkedIn. I’ll explain what matters…and what doesn’t.

Let’s get to it!

WHY NUMBERS SOMETIMES CREATE MORE QUESTIONS

There was a time when highly quantified resumes showed up most frequently in sales environments. Revenue attainment, pipeline growth, quota performance. These were useful shorthand indicators that helped hiring teams quickly assess output and consistency in roles where performance was closely tied to measurable commercial outcomes.

More recently, that mindset has spread across nearly every profession. Social media career advice has reinforced the belief that measurable outcomes are the clearest signal of professional value. Candidates are encouraged to compress complex leadership experiences into concise, quantified fragments that can be scanned quickly and easily compared.

On the surface, that approach feels logical. Hiring move fast. Recruiters often review large volumes of applicants under time pressure. Strong results should be visible and accessible. It makes sense that jobseekers would try to simplify their story into clear performance signals.

But simplification has limits.

The unintended consequence is that hiring teams are often left trying to interpret how those results were actually achieved. A number shows that something improved. It doesn’t necessarily show whether that improvement came from deliberate strategic decisions, operational system changes, stakeholder influence, team development, or favorable market conditions that may not exist in the next role.

In other words, the metric describes the outcome, but doesn't describe your capability.

Organizations don’t hire percentages. They hire people they believe can recreate momentum in a different context, with different constraints, and often under higher expectations. At more senior levels in particular, evaluation becomes less about whether success occurred and more about whether success feels transferable.

That transferability signal usually comes from context. It comes from understanding what problems existed before someone arrived, what choices they made, how they influenced execution, and what changed because of their involvement. Without that narrative clarity, strong results can still feel situational rather than systemic.

In many functions, the most meaningful contributions aren’t easily captured in financial terms. Leaders may stabilize chaotic processes, align competing stakeholder agendas, rebuild trust with customers or employees, or clarify strategic direction during periods of uncertainty. These forms of impact can fundamentally change organizational performance over time, even if they don’t produce an immediate percentage increase that fits neatly into a resume bullet.

This dynamic helps explain why some resumes that appear impressive at first glance still feel ambiguous during fast screening decisions. When achievements are presented primarily as "wins," the reader is left to connect the dots about how that success was generated. Decision-makers tend to gravitate toward candidates whose value feels easier to understand quickly. And that doesn’t always mean the most accomplished candidate moves forward. It often means the most understandable one does.

Have a topic you want me to cover in an upcoming issue? Reply or email [email protected] and tell me what you want to know!

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 you’ll recommend me in a post like this client 🤷‍♂️

So how did I help this comprehensive resume review client sharpen their value proposition?

Messaging.

This client had strong experience and clear senior-level scope. From a capability standpoint, there was real substance. From a positioning standpoint, the messaging still required interpretation during quick screening.

When they first reached out, they mentioned they’d finally decided to invest in professional feedback because their materials felt overdue for a refresh. They were targeting more senior opportunities and were open to any perspective that could help sharpen how their background was being understood.

After receiving the review, they replied simply: “Such great detailed feedback!”

The real shift happened once the positioning adjustments were incorporated. The narrative moved away from platform and fragmented achievements toward a clearer articulation of how their work influenced organizational direction and execution, especially stakeholder management.

Their reaction after implementing the changes captured the impact immediately: “Holy s**t, I think this is so much better.”

With stronger narrative control and more conviction in how their value was being communicated, their search gained traction. They ultimately secured a leadership role, later publicly recommended my services, and began referring other professionals to me.

When tweaking your resume, focus on the audience. Make sure recruiters can process your value AND relevance in a very fast environment.

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!

Imagine being 38 years old with 15 years of experience and a job application asks how you did in checks notes high school math

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!

Today's issue is also brought to you by Mindstream! C’mon give it a click…it costs $0 and helps support your favorite job search newsletter 🙂

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PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER QUESTION

“Do I need to create content on LinkedIn to make my job search more effective? I keep hearing about personal brand.”

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

Why upgrade? For less than $0.63/day, you get:

• Subscriber-Only Discounts: Get exclusive promo codes for Karpiak Consulting services, available only to Premium subscribers. Whether you're updating your resume, need a LinkedIn profile review, or want expert help tailoring your applications, these occasional discounts make expert support more accessible.

• 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.

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