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Hey There!

Welcome to Issue #193 of Jobseeking is Hard!

Today's issue is brought to you by Kalshi! Do I love the bet-ification of everything? No. Am I recommending you start trading prediction markets? Definitely not. Do sponsors help pay for this newsletter? They do. So if you're a free subscriber and enjoy Jobseeking is Hard, it costs $0 to support us by clicking the ad and checking out the service. Thanks for helping support the newsletter.

Happy Wednesday!

AI made it easier than ever to write a polished resume. Ironically, that's what made recruiters trust resumes even less.

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

I'll also share how a Basic Resume Review client kicked off a holistic reframe of their resume, LinkedIn, and website to better articulate their career narrative.

This week we’re talking about:

• Why AI made resume writing easier...and getting interviews harder

• How one perspective shift can reframe your entire career narrative

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

• The meme of the week

And for Premium subscribers I’m:

• Debunking "add more numbers" resume advice

• Answering a Premium subscriber's question about handling multiple promotions at the same company. I'll explain when to break them into separate roles, when to combine them, and why the answer has more to do with your career narrative than resume formatting.

Let’s get to it!

WHEN EVERYONE SOUNDS QUALIFIED, NOBODY DOES

A potential client said something to me recently that stuck in my head.

They meant it as a compliment, and I appreciated that. But it also highlighted one of the biggest misconceptions about AI and resume writing.

People assume the value is in the writing. It isn't.

AI can generate content. What it can't do is replace years of experience understanding how recruiters and hiring managers evaluate candidates or make strategic decisions about how to position someone's background.

That's become even more important because AI hasn't just changed how resumes are written. It's changed how resumes are read. When everyone can sound qualified, actually being qualified stops being a competitive advantage.

I'm not saying qualifications don't matter. I'm saying sounding qualified no longer differentiates you because everyone has access to the same tools.

A few years ago, someone who used AI to rewrite a resume often had an advantage. The language was cleaner. The formatting was better. The experience sounded more polished. Compared to the average resume recruiters were seeing at the time, it stood out. That isn't the market anymore.

Recruiters have now reviewed thousands of AI-assisted resumes. They've seen the same polished summaries, the same executive buzzwords, the same leadership claims, and the same perfectly mirrored job descriptions over and over again. At this point, most experienced recruiters can spot surface-level AI content almost immediately. Even when they can't prove AI was used, they recognize the pattern because they've seen it hundreds of times before.

So what does that mean? The hiring psychology has shifted.

Recruiters have always been skeptical. They've always assumed candidates embellished accomplishments, stretched the truth, or described themselves a little more generously than reality. That's nothing new. But there was still an assumption that the candidate had written the resume and understood what was on it.

Now there's another possibility: Did this candidate actually do these things, or did they ask AI to tell them what someone in this role is supposed to sound like? Did the applicant ask AI to make sure their resume matches the job description? Those are very different questions.

When every resume conveniently mirrors the job posting, the matching itself stops carrying much weight. It doesn't prove the candidate has the skills anymore. It proves they know how to copy a job description into a prompt. That's why I think AI solved the wrong problem. Writing was never the hard part.

The hard part is deciding what belongs on the resume. What should lead? What should be removed? Which accomplishments establish credibility? Which create unnecessary doubt? Which experiences help your story, and which distract from it? Those are important hiring decisions.

What I don't recommend is outsourcing your judgment to AI. AI doesn't know which accomplishment a recruiter will ignore. It doesn't know which bullet sounds inflated. It doesn't know when a senior title creates overqualification concerns or when a side business raises questions about commitment. It doesn't know why one version of your career story generates interviews while another gets ignored. It generates content. You still have to generate trust.

And in a hiring market where almost everyone can produce a polished, keyword-rich resume in a matter of minutes, trust has become the competitive advantage. That's the part AI can't write for you.

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 think the insights/guidance are fantastic and very helpful like this client 🤷‍♂️

So how did I help this Basic Resume Review client kick off a holistic reframe for their resume, LinkedIn, and website to better articulate their career narrative?

Perspective.

This client already had a strong resume. They weren't looking for someone to rewrite every bullet or stuff in more keywords. They wanted an honest assessment of whether the resume was accurately telling their story and supporting the opportunities they were targeting.

The summary was trying to establish too many different narratives. Their consulting work needed to be framed more carefully to avoid biases and mitigate risk. They needed to reinforce the executive leadership story instead of becoming a separate one. Most importantly, the resume showed excellent business results but didn't always communicate the executive judgment behind those results.

The goal was to make it easier for recruiters to recognize the executive behind the accomplishments. Every recommendation came back to the same idea: streamline the narrative so every section reinforces the same story. Once that became the focus, it was much easier to decide what deserved more emphasis, what needed to be reframed, and what wasn't helping at all.

That's the difference between writing and positioning.

If you're not getting the response you expected from your resume and want an honest assessment of why, our services can help. 

Curious what the process has been like for other clients? Check out our testimonials here!

BEST (WORST?) JOB POST

OF THE WEEK

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

job requirement or prison sentence?

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!

MEME OF THE WEEK

This meme got more reactions on my Threads than anything else I posted this week.

Today's issue is also brought to you by Podium! Do you own an HVAC company? Probably not. Do HVAC owners need AI? No clue. Would the newsletter appreciate it if you clicked the ad? Absolutely. It costs you $0, helps support Jobseeking is Hard, and keeps these issues free. Thanks!

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Every missed call is a job your competitor just booked. Podium's AI Employee responds in under 2 minutes, qualifies the lead, and schedules the job — while your crew keeps working.

See It In Action

PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER QUESTION

“I've been promoted several times at the same company. Should I break each role into its own section, or combine everything under one employer?”

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.

AFFILIATES

NOTE: As an affiliate to these services, we will receive compensation if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

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