How will you stand out?

The average number of applicants per job advert can vary between industries but a commonly cited figure according to Glassdoor is between 100 and 250 applicants.

So if there are so many applicants per job and key word algorithms in ATS filtering you out before recruiters spend less than 10 seconds reviewing your profile, what chance have you got… 

If don’t work for a big brand, ‘Hollywood’ company, 

If you’re length of service is a bit choppy, 

If god forbid you’re the wrong age, nationality, or gender?

How do you get past that? 

Well how about doing the opposite? 

How about NOT applying via LinkedIn or their company page?

Try the following:

  • You could identify who the hiring manager is and email them directly
  • You could send a short video message via LinkedIn 
  • You could reach out via other platforms like X or Instagram 
  • You could ask a mutual connection for an introduction
  • You could send a handwritten letter! (Yes, remember those?) 

The point is if you’ve got a 1 in 250 chance and you don’t have the ‘perfect resume’ you may need to approach your job search differently otherwise you’re likely miss out…

So what are you going to try today?

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Do you know what you are capable of? 

You’ve heard the phrases…

  • Treading water
  • Stuck in 2nd gear
  • Coasting

Does this apply to you?

Or would you consider yourself a hard worker?

Do you take pride in the number of hours you work or by what you’ve got done by the end of the week? 

However you view yourself there is ALWAYS another gear!

Just like an Olympic sprinter chasing his personal best, the ‘Workplace Olympians’ are chasing their own personal best every week…

  • To a better leader
  • To be a better colleague
  • To produce better work than they did the day before

Never get too carried with your own performance or with that of those around you, you can ALWAYS do and be better!

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Your possibilities in life are only limited by your own lack of imagination.

When we were children, everything was possible… our imagination ran wild, making up games and imaginary play  – when did it leave us?

Perhaps it never did but life just took over?

If you are someone in Career limbo, wondering if this is it for the next 20 years then I’m here to tell you it’s not… 

As Napoleon Hill said in his best seller, ‘Think and Grow Rich’, 

What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.

Ask yourself…

What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

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“THE ONLY CONSTANT IN LIFE IS CHANGE.”

This fantastic quote by Greek philosopher Heraclitus highlights the obvious yet overlooked truism…that life is constantly on the move.

This is a strong reminder to you today that if you want to feel happier, more secure, or financially free 10-20 years from now, you should be investing in your future now.

Whether it be investing your savings, improving your diet, or learning a new skill, you should start now if you want your future self to thank you!!

What are you going to start today?

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Your DREAM JOB is not ‘online’ waiting for you!!

I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news but wake up and smell the coffee! 

It’s true…

And another thing…

Nobody is waiting for you to apply for their advertised jobs either!

If you want your ‘dream job’ you’ve got to make it happen yourself and that starts by first working out where you are today and what options there are for you. 

I say ‘options’ because that’s what you have – you have options…you’re not tied to any profession just because you spent significant time doing it. That’s great if you’re happy and you want to continue but you can also design a new (work) life and job you want.

  • Where will you be in 5 years if you continue on your current trajectory?
  • What work would you do if time or money was no object?

What ‘options’ can you think of for your next chapter today?

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How can you get a new job if the job you’re qualified for is not advertised?


Let’s face it, if you’re a CEO, or in fact if you’ve got Chief, President, or even Director in your job title it’s slim pickings on platforms like this or job boards when looking for a job.

So what to do?

You can accept it’s too difficult to get a new job and give up. Accept your fate working in the boring job you have with a boss you hate OR you can tap into the hidden job market.

The hidden job market… I know, I know – sounds a bit suspect, like a top secret club or something but it’s true.

There’s an entirely different job market going on around us that most people probably don’t believe exists but having worked at 2 of the world’s largest search firms I can tell you with certainty it most definitely does exist.

The problem with the hidden job market is it requires more from you than just sending your CV out, or trying to connect with executive recruiters because frankly, the most important, most successful executive search partners very, very rarely reply anyway.

If you want to tap into this hidden job market you’re going to need commitment and you’re going to need a plan (and probably someone to help you)…

It will be hard work, you’ll face plenty of rejection, and it will be time consuming, and that puts 99% of you out…

…but if you genuinely want to move jobs it will be worth it.

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Think differently today…

A poor tradesman blames his tools…

A poor salesman blames the market.

A person late to a meeting blames the traffic!

But the buck should always stop with you! Today, can you go the whole day without blaming anyway or anything?

If not the whole day then how about 1 hour?

If not 1 hour, than surely 10 minutes?

Either way try and start somewhere and remember what Epictetus says, ‘nothing but opinion is the cause of our troubled mind’.

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It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?

I came across this quote from Henry David Thoreau the other day and it resonated hard.

We’ve all been busy fools on occasion so it’s important to regularly check in with yourself.

Set a daily reminder and pause for a minute in your hectic live to ask, “Is this absolutely necessary?”

Quite often, you’ll probably find it isn’t.

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Are you torn between two job offers?

It’s a great problem to have—but it can also feel overwhelming…

One company offers higher pay, but the other has better growth opportunities.

One has a great work-life balance, but the other promises exciting projects.

One had great products, but the other has more impressive leaders.

Both jobs seem like good fits, but which one aligns with your long-term goals?

How do you choose when both options seem equally appealing?

Here’s the truth:

It’s not all about the money!

It’s about where you’ll be happiest.

So, what will make you happiest?

The right choice isn’t always the obvious one. It’s the one that aligns with your values and future aspirations.

Remember:

– Think long-term, not just about today.

– Consider where you’ll grow, not just where you’ll earn.

– Rationally write down pros and cons for both

– But…don’t ignore your gut feeling, it often knows what’s best for you.

– Speak to people you respect for a 2nd opinion

What offer will you accept today that your future self will thank you for in 12 months?

What factors do you prioritize when choosing between job offers? Let me know in the comments!

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The obstacle becomes the way…

“While it’s true that someone can impede our actions, they can’t impede our intentions and our attitudes, which have the power of being conditional and adaptable. For the mind adapts and converts any obstacle to its action into a means of achieving it. That which is an impediment to action is turned to advance action. The obstacle on the path becomes the way.” -Marcus Aurelius

Obstacles will constantly get in the way of you securing a new job, maybe big things like the job offer you thought you’d get going to someone else or maybe you already have a full-time job so finding time to look is a factor.

Maybe it’s smaller things like your wifi connection is on the blink or you’re often distracted going for a coffee with friends or playing with your kids.

There will be plenty of distractions and disappointments along the way preventing you making progress. But whilst these distractions may slow you down, you can use them to your advantage because as Marcus says, your mind is adaptable.

Ryan Holiday put it best saying, ‘you have the power to use the stoic exercise of turning obstacles upside down, which takes one negative circumstance and uses it as an opportunity to practice an unintended virtue or form of excellence’.

  • If you miss out with a job to someone else, this is a chance to self-reflect and come back stronger.
  • If you’re waiting for 1 week without any candidate feedback from a recent interview, this is a chance to practice patience.
  • If are invited to go for coffee with a friend, this is a chance to practice discipline

Every impediment to action can advance action.

The obstacle becomes the way.

💪

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