Turn Job Seeking into Job Shopping

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter

3061 “⁠Reverse the Search: Turn Job Seeking into Job Shopping⁠” by Madeline Mann, offers a paradigm shift in job searching, moving from passive application to active “job shopping.” The author, a career coach, shares strategies for job seekers to become irresistible candidates, emphasizing proactive relationship building and strategic self-presentation.

How To Market Yourself As A Job Seeker ‒ The Inside Scoop

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Welcome listener to another deep dive. Have you ever felt like, well, you’re playing this incredibly frustrating game when it comes to your career, you know, sending out applications into what feels like a total black hole, wondering why on earth you’re not getting noticed, or maybe just feeling completely overwhelmed by these endless articles filled with frankly pretty vague advice. Oh, yeah, that feeling like you’re stuck in this really outdated way of looking for work. It’s incredibly common. And it’s precisely that feeling, that whole paradigm that our source material today really aims to tackle head on, right? So today, we’re taking a deep dive into Madeline Mann’s groundbreaking new book, reverse the search, how to turn job seeking into job shopping. Oh, and our mission for you, listener is to pull out the 10 Most Powerful, really game changing insights from this book, insights that we think will completely transform how you approach your career journey. Get ready for some serious aha moments. Okay, let’s unpack this. Madeline Mann kicks off her book by Well, busting some really pervasive myths about the job search. What are these foundational misconceptions? She says are holding people back? Yeah, she highlights five key ones that often keep people stuck. First up, this idea that aiming lower will be easier. It sounds logical, but it’s actually counter intuitive. Companies, they often fear hiring over qualified candidates. They worry you might seek promotions too fast or just leave quickly for something better. So paradoxically, they often prefer someone who meets, maybe, say, 70% of the qualifications, but brings real enthusiasm and, you know, transferable skills, right? So it’s not a leg up, it’s potentially a red flag. Okay? What’s next on her myth busting list, the second myth is that you need more degrees or certifications to stand out. Man argues that, okay, sure, prestigious degrees might matter in some really niche fields, maybe academia or law, but for most jobs, it’s really experience and relationships that truly grab a company’s attention. She shares this great anecdote about her client, Gail. Gail landed a high profile research role at a top university got a 33% salary bump all using these job shopping strategies, and crucially, without any additional education, it just shows where the real value often lies. That’s powerful, especially for people wondering if they need to go back to school. Okay, this next one gets really interesting. What about the numbers game myth? Ah, yes. Myth number three, the job search is just a numbers game, spray and pray, right? Well, man reports that only about 10% to 15% of hires at top tech companies actually come from online applications. Wait only 10 to 15% that low, yeah, recruiters, they often skip that whole pile of applications and source directly on LinkedIn. She tells the story about her client, Nestor. He had a master’s great skills, applied to 500 jobs, 500 Wow, and got zero offers. But when he shifted to Job shopping, focusing on relationships and strategy, he landed interviews at one out of every three places he was interested in, and secured his dream role with a $35,000 salary increase. That’s a huge shift in perspective. Just flooding the market isn’t the answer. Okay, what are the final two myths? Fourth is this idea, I need to stay open to many different types of roles so I don’t miss out on potential opportunities. You know, casting a really wide net, man warns this often backfires. Employers look at these multi passionate people and see a kind of human swiss army knife, good at many things, but maybe not great at one specific thing they need exactly good, not great. She remembers this accountant who admitted in an interview she just took the call to learn more instant rejection. Because, well, employers don’t want to be your career experiment. They want commitment to their role. Ouch, yeah. You don’t want them thinking you’re just testing the waters with their time. Okay? And last myth, finally number five, the passive belief that things will eventually become clear and it will all work out. Just wait and see. Man calls this rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. It just leads to taking another role and surprise quickly becoming just as disenchanted as before. You absolutely have to actively shape your career, do the soul searching before you start the job search, because then, like, the right job, it rarely just falls from the sky. Okay? So that’s a lot of what not to do.

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If those are the myths, what is a job shopper? Then what’s their advantage? Right? A job shopper is someone who approaches the market with real clarity in power. They know exactly what they want, they speak directly to the company’s needs, the specific problems they have, and they leave interviewers thinking, wow, this person is in a league of their own. So Unlike typical job seekers, who might you know, eventually land a job offer, job shoppers often land several offers, companies actually end up competing for them, which completely flips the power dynamic. Yeah, that’s fascinating. Man explains that even in what people call an employer’s market, job shopping makes you more competitive. How does that work? Exactly because companies want a mutual fit just as much as you do. They’re terrified of making a bad hire. It’s costly and disruptive. So the job shopper.

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Confidently shows how they are the right fit to solve the specific challenges of that job. They basically take the hard thinking out of it for the hiring manager, they make the decision easy. And this isn’t just for like the superstar candidates with perfect resumes, right? Absolutely not. Man is really clear on this. It works for career changers, people early or late in their careers, folks without fancy degrees or those without big brand names on their resume, she tells the story of her client, Alana. Alana was six months pregnant and landed nine job offers, nine while visibly pregnant. Wow, companies knew, but they kept bidding and competing for her. One even offered a flexible schedule, a consulting start and maternity leave. Why? Because she transformed her approach. She demonstrated her undeniable value. It shows you’re not just a commodity that’s such a core message, we’re not interchangeable parts, definitely. Man gives an example from when she was hiring a product designer. They got 300 applications out of 300 only nine were actually qualified. Nine. That’s a tiny fraction, right? They chose a candidate from another state, paid 1000s in relocation, waited four weeks for her to start, because getting that high quality hire that job shopper was worth all the short term hassle, and that candidate promoted three times in six years. Companies will make exceptions for candidates they see as irresistible. Okay, so if job shopping is the way and it clearly gives you power, the very first step man emphasizes is getting clarity. How does she guide us through finding out what we actually want? She introduces something she calls the wealth formula. That’s W, E, L, L, T, S, values plus strengths plus market demand, wealth, self, wealth, self. I like that, not just wealth, but living well exactly. It emphasizes having the time and energy to do what you want outside of your job, not just being rich, finding work that energizes you, supports the lifestyle you want. Let’s break that down, starting with values. What does she mean by that? And how do we figure out ours values are your core priorities, what truly matters to you and your work in your life. She gives examples like advancement, autonomy, work life, balance, flexibility, impact her client, Vishal, for instance, was a huge gamer. He thought he wanted to work in the video game industry. Seemed like a dream, right? Makes sense? Marry your passion with your work. But then he did some informational interviews. He talked to people actually in the industry, and he realized the long hours, the crunch times, it completely clashed with his core values around balance and having personal time. So he pivoted. Found immense fulfillment as a software developer for educational apps. It gave him the free time and the income to enjoy gaming as a hobby, not a job that burns him out. That’s a really powerful example of not confusing a passion for something with wanting to work in it. Okay. What about strengths? Strengths are the things that actually make work feel well, kind of fun. It’s where you build mastery with relative ease, and that leads to faster promotions, more money, more enjoyment. Man contrasts her own experience. She tried market research. Hated it wasn’t detail oriented, but then HR playing to her strengths and problem solving, creativity, understanding people, time just flew by. So how do we identify our strengths? Sometimes it’s hard to see them ourselves. Yeah, good point. She suggests a few things. Professional assessments can help, asking current and former coworkers for honest feedback, what do they see you excelling at, and also personal reflection. What kind of information do you naturally consume? What skills do you pick up easily? What tasks are you good at that most people seem to dread, that’s often where your strengths lie, and the final piece of the wealth formula, market demand, this seems pretty crucial for actually getting paid. Absolutely crucial. This is about pragmatism. It involves researching how much a potential career path pays at different stages. And importantly, is the field growing or is it shrinking, maybe being replaced by tech? Mann suggests resources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov for big picture trends. But again, she stresses talking to people actually in the profession. They have the real time ground level view that makes sense. The government data is useful, but it can lag behind. So those informational interviews are key. Again, totally key. They bridge the gap between stats and reality. She also notes, while big career changes are possible, it’s usually much smoother to set out on a clear path early on, and then make smaller adjustments or rescale incrementally later. So putting it all together, the well, fifth formula is about being really methodical and intentional, not just sort of stumbling into a career precisely. It’s active, not passive. Man advises nail down your top five values, your top five strengths, then list possible roles that align, research the market demand for each talk to people in those roles and keep eliminating options until you narrow it down to the single best fit for you, those informational interviews. She says they’re pivotal. Don’t stop until you have that clarity. Okay, clarity achieved. You know your target role now presenting yourself this next insight really flipped my thing.

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Thinking. Madeline Mann says your resume isn’t about you. What does she mean by that? How is my resume not about me? Huh? Yeah, it sounds odd at first. She says we often treat our resume like an autobiography or like a Wikipedia page listing every single thing we’ve ever done, but it shouldn’t be. It should be a sales page focused entirely on what the company is asking for in that specific job description and how you are the direct solution to their particular problems and challenges. It cures what she calls autobiography syndrome. So stop telling my whole life story and start telling their story with me as the hero who solves their problem exactly you nailed it. It’s about their needs, their pain points. She talks about her client, Liz. Liz hired a fancy resume writer, applied to 15 jobs, totally qualified, but got zero interviews. Ouch, after paying for a writer. Yep. So man helped Liz revamp her resume the right way, speaking directly to what those companies needed. The result. Liz landed seven interviews and three job offers from companies that reached out to her. She didn’t even apply to them. Her LinkedIn just became a magnet. That’s incredible. Okay, so what’s this foolproof method she uses the jewelry formula, right? Right? The jewelry formula, it’s five steps. G is for gather keywords, go through three to five target job descriptions and pull out the specific role related hard skills they keep mentioning. These are your search terms. Okay, keywords got it L. L is list tasks performed for your recent jobs, list tasks that match those keywords. And here’s the key, prioritize relevance over frequency, even if you only did it once. If it’s relevant, include it. Ah, relevance over frequency. That’s important. O is observe your story. This is about overcoming what she calls I just syndrome like, oh, we just managed the project. No, recognize the value and impact. Ask yourself, what were things like before I did this? What were the actual results, the impact? Quantify it. Okay, dig doper into the impacts. R is refine the accomplishment. Now, craft strong bullet points. Start with an action verb, weave in those keywords and quantified everything possible, like managed four quarterly retreats with 100 plus attendees, resulting in a 93% satisfaction score, numbers, metrics, percentages. Man insists all work can be quantified somehow, even if it feels qualitative, find a way. Okay? And finally, why? Why is for yes statements? These are short, punchy summaries, put them maybe at the top or in a highlight section. They grab attention, point to specific expertise, or crucially, translate how a past role is relevant if you’re making a career pivot, or if your best stuff is from a few jobs ago. Got it so G Laurie, gather, list, observe, refine, yes, this really turns the resume into a targeted weapon, not just a history lesson. It makes the hiring manager immediately see the fit you mentioned. Liz’s LinkedIn became a magnet that leads perfectly into the next point. How do job shoppers make opportunities actually find them? It boils down to building an online brand so you’re well, easily found. Man puts it bluntly, the secret to always having a job, you don’t have to be the most talented person in your industry. You just have to be the most easily found. So it’s about visibility, leveraging the fact that companies are actively looking, not just passively waiting. Precisely. Companies with skilled roles, they hire recruiters, sourcers, head hunters, their whole job is to actively search for talent, Mann herself got an email out of the blue from a recruiter for a renewable energy company she’d never even heard of. She wasn’t looking happy in her role, but took the call, went through interviews, got an offer. It proves companies are sourcing you want to be the person they find. Okay? Makes sense? So what are the practical steps Mann recommends for building that kind of findable online presence, she focuses on three key areas. First, optimize your online profile primarily. This means LinkedIn, use those keywords you gathered everywhere, headline about section, experience descriptions, put your target job title in your headline, even if it’s aspirational, fill out all the sections. And crucially, she says, make sure your privacy settings are public. If your profile is on lockdown, tighter than Fort Knox, you’re missing out, right? You can’t be found if you’re hidden, what’s the second area? Second? Grow your network. LinkedIn runs on degrees of separation. More connections mean wider reach. Mann tells a story about training a new recruiter whose candidate searches were like a barren wasteland compared to her own cornucopia. The only difference network size, she advises connecting with people from past jobs, companies, colleagues, vendors, even strangers in your industry. Use customized messages, especially for key contacts. Aim for 500 plus connections, minimum, ideally over 2000 for experienced pros, okay. Optimize profile, grow network and the third, third content creation. Use your voice. Start simple. Comment thoughtfully on posts by others in your field. Share takeaways, observations. If you create your own content, it doesn’t have to be earth shattering insights. Summarize an interesting article. Ask a question to your network, like, what’s your favorite productivity app? Man found.

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Posting regularly on her own brand made her feel familiar to people. It actually reduced her own social anxiety when reaching out later. It’s like networking at scale. So optimize, grow, create. It’s like tending a digital garden, so opportunities naturally bloom and come to you. Okay, building the brand helps you be found. But what about actively reaching out for specific roles or companies? What’s the shortcut? Man offers there? The shortcut is networking, plain and simple. And her core idea here is powerful. Measure your progress in interactions, not applications. Think about that. It’s about conversations, not just submissions. She shares the story of Todd. He’s music teacher for 15 years. Wanted to become a scrum master, applied to over 300 jobs online. Guess how many interviews based on earlier points, 00, so he stopped applying online, completely, totally stopped. Focused only on building relationships and getting the right skills. He landed two job offers without submitting a single online application. One paid more than double his teacher salary. It shows where the real leverage is. So the takeaway isn’t never apply online, but maybe that’s not the main event, especially for certain roles. Exactly if you do apply online, Mann says always follow up by trying to connect with someone inside the company, get a referral if possible. But for manager level roles and hire she strongly advises making it a rule only enter hiring processes through referrals or being directly sourced, forget the application portal for those jobs. That’s a bold rule, but it highlights the power of connection, still networking. So many people dread it. It feels awkward, like you’re bothering people. How do we get over that? Yeah, that feeling is real. It often feels inauthentic or vulnerable, but men reframes it. Networking is simply relationship building, that’s it. And she brings up weak ties. That idea from sociologist Mark Granovetter, it means your acquaintances, your casual contacts, are often more likely to lead to opportunities than your close friends because they know different people move in different circles, exactly they have access to different information streams. So how do you overcome the bothering people fear? Man says, have pure intentions. Ah, don’t go into it expecting a job or even a referral. Go in with genuine curiosity about the other person and please. She begs, stop saying, let me know if there’s anything I can help you with. She calls it the laziest phrase in networking, okay, guilty as charged. Sometimes. Okay, so what’s the alternative? How do you offer value authentically? Use her 60 seconds of value strategy. Focus on them. First, ask good probing questions. What are your top focuses at work these days? What are you excited about? Anything interesting coming up outside work? Then think small and thoughtful for offering value. Maybe make an introduction. Invite them to a professional group, engage with their stuff on social media, comment on their company’s posts, share their news, share a resource you found. Maybe brainstorm ideas with them carefully. So it’s about genuine curiosity and small helpful gestures. What about after the conversation? Follow up, send a thank you email within 24 hours, simple, polite, and then this is key. Send update emails every say one to four weeks, briefly share how you’ve used their advice or what progress you’ve made. It makes people feel good about helping you. It keeps the connection warm. That makes sense. Closing the loop and finding new people to connect with, if your existing network feels small, start with her golden 20 exercise list, 20 people you already know who could be helpful. Rank them by helpfulness and influence. Start there for new contacts. Focus on noticing people find common ground on LinkedIn, shared school, past company, volunteer group, mutual connection. Then craft a customized outreach message showed genuine interest in them, in their work, not just a generic Can you help me find a job? Message, build the bridge first. So networking really is the key to avoiding that demoralizing rejection list and keeping opportunities flowing. It’s about relationships, not transactions. Okay, you’ve done the prep, built the brand, networked your way in and landed the interview. Now the crucial part, how do you make sure you actually get the offer? Man says it’s all about getting on the same side of the interview table as the interviewer, shifting the dynamic. Instead of just passively letting them extract information from you, you adopt what she calls a consultative approach. She tells this great story about her client, Lisa, in a very formal government interview, standard questions very rigid at the end, Lisa asked for just a few extra minutes, and then she started directing the conversation. Asked insightful questions about team dynamics, upcoming projects, and then proactively offered some initial ideas on how she might approach things improve results. Wow, that takes GupS in a formal setting. How do they react? The hiring manager literally exclaimed, see that right there is what we’ve been missing. She basically turned the interview into a collaborative problem solving session with her as the expert consultant. That’s a total game changer. So how do we master this consultative approach? What are the steps? First, she says you have to pass the likeability test.

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Lost. It’s subconscious. But interviewers are asking, Do I actually like this person? Could I work with them every day? Hmm, so be authentic. Use your natural voice, avoid that weird, robotic or overly bubbly interview voice that just sounds fake, and bring more energy than you think you need. Mann coached a client who was naturally monotone. She told him to act completely over the top in a mock interview on playback, he just looked normal and enthusiastic, right? Better to aim high on energy. Okay? Past likability, then what? Then build rapport. Don’t dismiss the small talk. Treat it as a big deal when they ask those throwaway questions, like, how was your weekend, or how’s your day going? Answer with a little more personality than just good volunteer. A tiny, insignificant detail, it makes you seem friendly, human and more in control. It helps build that genuine connection beyond just the Q and A makes sense. Grease the wheels a bit, and central to this whole approach is aiming for mutual fit, right? Bringing back the wealth formula Absolutely, you need to be clear about your preferences and strengths based on that wealth work you did and be upfront about it. Mann shares her own story, interviewing for a head of HR role. They asked what she wanted. She clearly stated she required a company that valued HR as a truly strategic function, not just administrative. So she laid out her non negotiables exactly, and immediately the hiring manager shifted. He started selling her on the role, reassuring her it was strategic, explaining why he saw her as a great fit, unprompted, it makes you irresistible, because they know you’re not just looking for any job. You’re looking for this specific type of role, and you’re committed. And then there’s the secret weapon. She mentions, a 90 day plan. How detailed does this need to be, especially if you might not even present it formally? Yeah, it’s more about the process than a perfect final document. Mann calls it a secret side mission. Even just thinking through and drafting a 90 day plan forces you into that consultative mindset. You research the company, the roles, challenges, you ask better questions in interviews about their pain points, then you draft a basic outline, overarching goals for the first 90 days, key deliverables, initial actions. It doesn’t have to be perfectly correct. She emphasizes. It just needs to be thoughtful. It shows massive initiative and lets the interviewer vividly picture you hitting the ground running. So the interview becomes less of a test you pass and more of a collaborative session where you show up as the consultant, ready to solve their specific problems. Okay? You’re being consultative, building rapport. What else elevates you from just a good candidate to a truly irresistible one, especially in those final rounds, right? How do you seal the deal? Man introduces two really powerful tools here, the story toolbox and show don’t tell projects or sdts. She uses her client, James as an example. He had the silver medal curse. Always made it to the final round. Never got the offer. So frustrating. Ugh. The worst, totally. But after implementing these two tools, he got job offers at the next four companies he interviewed with, ended up taking a role with an $80,000 salary bump. Okay, $80 K increase. I’m listening. Let’s start with the story toolbox. What is it and why does it make such a difference? The story toolbox is basically your collection of compelling anecdotes, short stories that serve as concrete evidence of your skills, character and capabilities. Mann mentions her own study where candidates who used 30 40% more specific examples and stories were way more likely to advance. And she cites chip Heath research, 63% of an audience remembered stories from speeches. Only 5% remembered statistics. Stories make you memorable. And think about it. Companies never hire a candidate. They can’t remember. Stories connect emotionally. Okay? Stories stick. How do we build this toolbox? What kinds of stories should we gather? She suggests brainstorming at least two stories for about seven key prompts, things like a time you saved the day or solved a big problem, collaborated effectively on a team, took charge or showed leadership, worked with a difficult person, messed up or failed, and what you learned overcame a major obstacle and achieve something really great, and try to keep them relatively recent, past five to 10 years is a good rule of thumb. Got it. And once we have these stories ready, how do we tell them effectively? In an interview, is there a structure? Yes, definitely. Use the PR method. C is for challenge, briefly give the context. What was the problem or situation you faced? Set the scene. A is for action. Describe the specific actions you took. What decisions did you make? What skills did you use? This is where you highlight your contribution. R is for a result. Finish strong. What was the outcome? What was the impact? Quantify it whenever possible. She gives a good example about mentoring a struggling junior developer, identifying where they were stuck, the specific action she took and the result. Within two weeks, the developer was performing at full capacity. Clear, car, structure, challenge, action, result, car, simple, memorable,

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okay, now the second tool Show, don’t tell projects. Sdts, this sounds intriguing, like letting them.

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Try before they buy. That’s exactly the idea. Sdts provide tangible, undeniable proof of your work quality. You’re not just telling them you’re good, you’re showing them. Mann used her own work samples years ago when interviewing for HR jobs like spreadsheets she’d built for compensation systems, Process Flow charts. The CEO later told her that seeing those actual samples was the exact moment he knew he’d make her an offer. Called her one of his best hires ever. It removes guesswork. Okay, that’s compelling. What kind of SDT projects can people create? Does that to be a huge undertaking? Not necessarily. She divides them into three buckets, one, visuals and summaries. Think screenshots of presentation, slides, maybe snippets of documents, charts, summarizing data, even relevant photos paired with a high level summary, quick, visual, easy to digest, two work samples, actual deliverables from past jobs, an email template. You created a complex spreadsheet. You built a presentation deck. The key is walking them through it, explaining your process and the results show off your beautiful, color coded spreadsheet, three custom projects. Now this is next level, projects created specifically for the target company, even if it’s based on assumptions. Whoa, custom work like what? Review the job description, your interview notes, pick a key challenge or focus area they mentioned, then design a small project around it. Maybe a UX designer does some quick user interviews on their product, or designs, wireframes for a feature they talked about. Man stresses. It doesn’t have to be perfectly, right? It’s about showing your skills, your initiative, how you think strategically about their problems, okay, visual samples or custom projects. And when do you actually use these? Do you just whip them out? Ha, maybe not whip them out, but you have options. You could submit one with your application to stand out, especially for competitive roles. Or if you’re pivoting, you can bring them into the interview, use them as visual aids to make your answers much more concrete and impressive. Or you could send one as a follow up, a kind of Hail Mary between interviews, if you want to reinforce your interest or address a specific point. The key, she says, is weaving them in naturally. Don’t force it. It should feel like a helpful illustration of your point. Okay, the interview is done. You were irresistible. Use your stories and maybe an SDT and boom, you get the offer. Fantastic. But now comes negotiation. That part makes so many people nervous. Oh, yeah, definitely. Man, really emphasizes that negotiation should be seen as a partnership, not some kind of battle or confrontation, but the fear is real. She found a staggering 42% of her audience admitted they took their most recent offer without negotiating at all. 42%

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Wow. Why just fear of looking greedy or getting the offer pulled exactly, fear of appearing ungrateful, fear of the offer being rescinded, or just plain confusion about how it all works the rules. But companies expect you to negotiate, don’t they? It’s usually built into the process. Generally, yes, Offerors almost always have some wiggle room, even if they say it’s the top of the range. And think about it from their side, if you accept immediately with zero discussion, they might actually think, Huh, we could have offered lower. Maybe we overpaid, hmm, that can subtly set a negative tone for future raises. Mann suggests a simple, innocent question, which aspects of this offer are negotiable, if any, you might be surprised, maybe base salary is fixed, but there’s flexibility on a sign on bonus or vacation days or remote work options, that’s a good low pressure, way to open the door, yeah. What about that dreaded salary expectations question that comes up way too early? Yeah. Man, strongly advises delaying giving a specific number until you actually have the offer in hand. Why? Because at the offer stage, they’re already sold on you. They’ve invested time. They like you. They want the search to be over. You have way more leverage then, okay, delay if possible. But what if they really push early on? If you absolutely have to give something, do your research. First, find comparable salaries at similar companies for similar roles, then give a broad range frame it like based on my research for similar roles, I’m seeing ranges between $6 and dollars. Does that align with your budget for this position, and she recommends setting the bottom of your target range somewhere between the 50th and 80th percentile of your research findings. Don’t lowball yourself. Okay, research broad range. Frame it as market data. Got it now offer is on the table. What’s the actual negotiation etiquette? How do you ask for more without messing things up? She outlines three key elements for smooth negotiation. One, gratitude always, always start by expressing genuine thanks for the offer and reiterate your excitement about the opportunity, even if the offer feels low. Start positive sets a collaborative tone. Two, clarification, ask questions to make sure you fully understand the entire package. Could you clarify how the bonus structure works. What type of equity is this and what’s the vesting schedule? This shows you’re thoughtful and builds mutual understanding. Three, the Ask be direct and succinct, no long, rambling justifications needed. State your target clearly, based on my conversations in market research, I am targeting a salary of dollar, okay, gratitude. Clarification, the ask.

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Ask, and after you state your number, your target, what’s man’s absolute hashtag, one rule, her rule is gold in the name of Dolly Parton and all that is good. Please stop talking. Just silence. Yes, say less. Make your ask, then be quiet. Let them respond. Man emphasizes that the rapport you’ve hopefully built before this moment should be enough. You don’t need to over explain or weaken your position by talking yourself down. Often they’ll come back somewhere between their initial offer and your ask. Silence creates the space for them to do that. That takes nerve, but I can see how it works. And negotiation isn’t just about the base salary, right? Absolutely not. Remember the well formula. Think about the whole picture. You can negotiate for things beyond base pay, more vacation time, specific remote work arrangements, like number of days, a budget for training or conferences, the type of computer you need help with relocation costs. These are often one time or easier costs for the company to approve than a permanent salary increase, but they can add huge value to your overall package and well being just remember, she says this negotiation, it’s the beginning of your working relationship. So keep it positive, keep it respectful. Aim for partnership. We’ve covered so much clarity, branding, networking, interviewing, negotiating, what’s the ultimate point? What’s the long term goal of all this Job shopping? The ultimate goal, man argues, is achieving career security, not job security. Job security, she says emphatically, is a total myth these days. She tells this really poignant story about her client, Albert, dedicated guy, Senior Manager, worked 16 years at what seems like a super stable manufacturing company. 16 years, yeah, it’s been stable. Then bam laid off unexpectedly, and he was completely unprepared. Minimal online presence agent, resume network was totally cold. It took a massive effort for him to rebuild everything he did. Land a job impressively in about 90 days, with a $40,000 raise, great outcome, good recovery. 18 months later, laid off again. Different company, same result. Oh no, devastating. Except this time, Albert was surprisingly calm, serene, even. Why? Because the first layoff taught him. He had spent those 18 months building career security. Recruiters were already reaching out to him regularly. His network was active and easy to reactivate. He’d been meticulously tracking his accomplishments. This time, he landed another great job in just three weeks with another raise. That’s the difference career security makes. Wow. So career security isn’t about relying on one company. It’s about always being prepared, always having options. Exactly. It means actively maintaining your job shopper status, even when you’re happily employed. Because, as Mann puts it, the ground beneath our professional feet is never as solid as it seems. The steps to maintain it are ongoing, not one and done. One track accomplishments continuously in your current role. Note the before state of projects. Keep a running log of your achievements and their impact. Man forgot she saved everyone 30 months, month until she checked her log. It’s ammo for later, right? Build your evidence. Locker two. Build relationships internally. Don’t just focus outward. Cultivate real connections inside your current company. Schedule quick 15 min check ins. Go to the social events. Use chat for quick one on ones. Mann realized after her own layoff that the texts from former co workers offering help came because she genuinely cared about those relationships. Your internal network is your first safety net. Three. Get clear on your next career step. Keep asking yourself, what’s next for me, even when you’re content? Man says the easiest way to be irresistible to your next employer is to use your current employer to gain the skills and experience for that future role. Clarity helps you spot opportunities. Use your current job to prepare for the next one, smart four. Keep your online brand up to date and your network warm. Don’t let it get stale. Put a recurring reminder on your calendar, maybe monthly or BI monthly, to update your resume, refresh your LinkedIn, add new contacts, reach out to five people you haven’t chatted with in a while and creating content regularly. That’s the easiest way to keep your network warm at scale. So job shopping isn’t just a technique for finding a job. It’s really a mindset, an attitude, a proactive lifestyle that puts you in control precisely. It’s about always having a plan B, knowing your value isn’t tied to one employer, and consciously choosing where you work each day you own your career destiny. We have covered so much ground today really transforming that often daunting, frustrating process of job seeking into the empowering, strategic act of well, job shopping, yeah, by understanding and ditching those old myths, by embracing these proactive strategies and by continually cultivating your professional presence. You’re not just passively looking for a job anymore. You’re actively attracting the right opportunities. You’re compelling companies to see your unique value and ultimately to compete for you. So what does this all mean for you? Our listener, this deep dive into reverse the search really shows that you have the power. You can stop waiting for clarity and start actively creating it.

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The job market. Sure, it can be competitive, but armed with these timeless principles, principles really grounded in human psychology, you absolutely can stand out, you can be remembered, and you can engineer situations where companies are vying for your talent. We really hope this deep dive into reverse the search has given you a fresh perspective, maybe some concrete tools you can use starting today, and that brings us to our final provocative thought for you to mull over what’s one small concrete step inspired by today’s deep dive that you can take this week, like this week, to begin reversing your search and start actively job shopping for the career you truly desire. Think about it, one small step until next time. Keep learning, keep growing and keep diving deep.

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ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER

People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS Career Advice globally because he makes many things in peoples’ careers easier. Those things can involve job search,

hiring more effectively, managing and leading better, career transition, as well as advice about resolving workplace issues. He was the host and now produces “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 3000 episodes. 

The Interview Mistake Too Many Executives Make (And How To Correct It)

You will find great info to help with your job search at my new site, ⁠⁠JobSearch.Community⁠⁠ Besides the video courses, books and guides, I answer questions from members daily about their job search. Leave job search questions and I will respond daily. Become an Insider+ member and you get everything you’d get as an Insider PLUS you can get me on Zoom calls to get questions answered. Become an Insider Premium member and we do individual and group coaching.

38 Deadly Interview Mistakes to Avoid

Schedule a discovery call at my website, ⁠www.TheBigGameHunter.us⁠ to discuss one-on-one or group coaching with me

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Debunking Myths About HR and Job Search

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