Mindful in 5 Podcast

Target, Connect, and Stand Out

• Spiwe Jefferson • Season 5 • Episode 174

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Graduation season has arrived, but the excitement quickly meets reality: today's job market is crowded with both new graduates and experienced professionals released through corporate downsizing. How can anyone stand out in such a competitive landscape?

This episode tackles the frustrating experience of job seekers like Marcus Edward Webster III, who despite his business degree and technological savvy, finds himself invisible after sending hundreds of applications with little response. His story mirrors countless others who rely on volume rather than strategy in their job search.

Two mindful approaches transform this overwhelming experience into an empowering journey. 

Ready to transform your job search from despair to confidence? Implement these strategies, follow the breadcrumb trail of connections, and watch opportunities unfold. 

For those seeking deeper guidance, sign up for early notifications about the upcoming book "Phoenix Rising: Ignite Your Job Search," packed with AI tools and practical resources for navigating today's complex job market with peace, clarity, and purpose.


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Spiwe Jefferson:

It is graduation season, that pivotal moment when college and graduate students finally emerge from their exam trenches to celebrate years of intellectual investment and their hard-earned credentials. Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate. But wait. What kind of job market awaits? Not only is there the traditional influx of new professionals transitioning from academic environments to the workplace, but we are also experiencing a significant market disruption, as both the federal government and private companies release tens of thousands of experienced professionals into the same talent pool. This topic is, candidly, near and dear to my heart, because my son and niece and several of my friends' kids graduate this year. Parents and guardians are trying to help their kids navigate this challenging job terrain. For anyone entering this current market, whether yourself or someone in your circle, the process of charting a successful professional path can feel both overwhelming and disheartening. How on earth do you stand out and land the role that's right for you? Obviously, this is a question with many angles, but today we are going to tackle one angle how to target, connect and stand out To help us. Let's take a look at the failing efforts of Marcus Edward Webster III.

Spiwe Jefferson:

Edward Webster III, marcus is bright, motivated and newly minted, with a degree in business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship. In addition to thinking, his pedigree and privilege will help him land a job. Like many, he also believes technology will make his job search a breeze. With AI-powered resume builders and one-click applications, he is convinced it's easier than ever to land a great job. So Marcus takes the volume approach. He fires off hundreds of applications daily, tweaking cover letters and resumes, confident that sheer volume will yield results. Weeks pass, the responses are few and far. Between pass, the responses are few and far between. The interviews he does land go nowhere. Marcus is left feeling invisible and frustrated. What is happening? Or, more to the point, perhaps, what is not happening? Today, our topic is target, connect and stand out.

Spiwe Jefferson:

Let's explore two mindful strategies that Marcus and you can use to transform this kind of experience from overwhelming to empowering, so you can navigate the job market with greater peace, clarity and confidence. And both of these things live in that singular umbrella. So here we go with strategy number one Center your search, practice, focus over frenzy. Instead of blanketing the internet with applications, marcus needed to center himself and clarify his goals. Research shows that targeted job searches, where you apply to roles that truly match your skills, interests and values, are far more effective than mass applications. Take time to reflect what kind of work energizes you, which companies align with your values, what roles fit your education and experience. By centering his search, marcus could have identified a short list of companies and positions that truly resonated with him. This focused approach not only saves time, but also increases the likelihood of landing interviews with organizations where he will thrive. And because you have to keep looking until you have an offer that you accept, continue to iterate and look for specific companies and roles that are a good fit for you.

Spiwe Jefferson:

One tool I recommend to job seekers is the AI search engine Perplexity, not as your only job search tool, but one that can really help shortcut your research time Now. Prompt engineering is outside the scope of our discussion today, but you can ask this tool, for example, to help you identify ideal job matches based on your skills and interests. You can even help it refine what your interests could be in the kinds of roles that might be a good fit if you don't know quite what you want to do. Know quite what you want to do, you can ask it to help find roles that are currently open in the location and at the level that you're looking for. You can ask it to recommend targeted approaches for your search and generally use it like your virtual job hunting consultant, if you will. Job hunting consultant, if you will. So, related to strategy number one, try this Pause for five minutes. List your top three career interests and the values that matter most to you in the workplace. Use this list as your North Star to guide your job search. That takes us to strategy number two. Cultivate connections. Network with intention.

Spiwe Jefferson:

Marcus relied solely on online applications, missing a crucial element human connection. According to recent studies, up to 80% of jobs are filled through networking rather than online postings. When I think about the roles I've had in my career, two were through recruiters, two through an executive search professional. They are different recruiters, executive search professionals, headhunters. One was a promotion from a sister company to the one I was working for, and another job came from my former boss, who hired me back something like seven years after I left the first time. This is called a boomerang, where you leave a company and come back, and in some companies it's actually quite common. All this points to the power of human connection and networking. Don't ditch your school buddies and former co-workers when you leave. Treat everybody well on your way in, during and on your way out. If my former boss had not thought for one minute that I had the kind of character and the kind of work ethic that he would have wanted back in the organization, he would not have invited me back. And so think about all of the people you encounter, potentially as part of your network.

Spiwe Jefferson:

Reach out to alumni, attend industry events and connect with professionals on online networking platforms. This can be far more powerful than yet another faceless application, even if that faceless application feels safe and immediate and gives you a feeling like you're getting something done. Instead of sending generic resumes, marcus could have cultivated relationships, asking for informational interviews, seeking mentorship and letting his network know that he is on the hunt. This softer, more mindful approach opens doors that algorithms cannot. So I give you a challenge If you are in the market this week, reach out to three people in your field, maybe an alum, a former professor or a professional that you admire.

Spiwe Jefferson:

If you don't know each other well, they might be waiting for you to tell them what you want, and if that's the case, you don't want to spend half the time or three quarters of the time before you finally get around to it, because they won't hear anything you say, because the whole time they'll be thinking what do you want? What do you want, what do you want? So just start with that and be clear so that they can put themselves in the right mindset to help you in the way that you need. If you are shy about this, you could say something like hey, I'm connecting with people in the field to expand my network and learn about different paths. I would be grateful for any advice or connections you might have in XYZ area. Or you could say hey, it's great connecting with you. I am currently exploring new opportunities in blah blah blah industry or field and I'm really interested in learning more about your experiences at whatever the company is, whatever the role is. Or you could say your career trajectory from whatever the entry point was to the current position is impressive. And don't say that if you don't mean it. Say it only if you mean it and it's true for you. So you start with your career trajectory from X to X is impressive. I am currently exploring new professional opportunities after whatever the context of your situation is after I graduated, after I left my last role, after I was let go, whatever the situation is that you want to share, and then you can ask would you be open to sharing what you found most valuable when evaluating potential organizations or roles? Now, let me stop here and tell you this Sometimes, people think it is embarrassing to be let go from a job.

Spiwe Jefferson:

I define mindfulness as being present in the moment, without judgment and without being overwhelmed by what's happening around you. It's that judgment piece, I find, that we need to lean into the most, because we make all kinds of judgments like I'm so ashamed I got let go from my job. I'm so ashamed I was downsized. I'm so ashamed I didn't even see this coming. I'm so ashamed that I have been looking since second semester and I still haven't found a permanent role. I feel so embarrassed that dot dot, dot. Fill in the blanks, right. So the thing that I will tell you, though, is that what you may find is, in being vulnerable and willing to share what your truth is, you will find that there are lots of other people who either have been where you are or know somebody who has been where you are, and so if you say, hey, lost my job, did not expect it, I was let go, what you might hear is oh, I totally know what that's like, why, two jobs ago, I got let go. You would be surprised at how many people have experienced this thing. So don't feel ashamed and don't feel like it's just you Now notice that you are not asking for a job directly, but you are asking for their wisdom and experience.

Spiwe Jefferson:

You can even ask something like if you were in my shoes, what are the three things you would say are the most important in a successful job search? So if you are in a situation where you do have somebody who says, oh yeah, I experienced this and this and this, you can ask them so what were the three things that you found most useful when you were where I am and you will get all kinds of wisdom that you can use. Everyone has experiences and stories to share and most people will be thrilled to help you if you ask them. Be interested and listen closely to what you learn and apply the lessons that apply to your situation. At the end of each meeting, to keep your networking going, you can ask for two or three referrals that you can talk to next, so you can say something like based on our conversation, can you think of two to three people that I should talk to next?

Spiwe Jefferson:

Or you might say, based on our conversation, are there other people in your network that you think it would be helpful for me to talk to? Some of those people may be people who have job experiences or who are in industries that would be of interest to you. Some of them may be people who are connected to other people, who might know recruiters or who might know of roles that would be helpful. Think of it like breadcrumbing Just keep following the breadcrumbs until you land your next role. That way, especially by asking, you never run out of people to network with, and the next person you talk to could be the very person that you need for that job talk to, could be the very person that you need for that job. The other thing that I think is helpful about that, too, is a warm introduction is always better than just coming at somebody cold that you don't know, let's say on a networking platform. So try those two strategies. So try those two strategies.

Spiwe Jefferson:

To recap, here are the two strategies we covered today. Strategy number one center your search Practice. Focus over frenzy. Strategy number two cultivate connections. Network with intention.

Spiwe Jefferson:

Marcus's journey is a reminder that in a crowded competitive market, mindful strategies make all the difference by centering your search, cultivating connections, eliminating that sense of judgment and perhaps shame or self-impatience or any of the other negative things or fear or anxiety or any of those things that can plague you when you're looking for a job. By intentionally sitting with yourself and centering yourself and thinking with intention about your search and elevating those applications, you can transform a daunting process into an empowering one rooted in peace, clarity and joyful intent. You, too, can rise from the ashes of despair and soar into your next career adventure For more concrete strategies at the intersection of mindfulness, ai and best practice job search methods. I invite you to sign up in the notes for your early notifications of the upcoming book Phoenix Rising Ignite your Job Search. There you will meet Marcus Edward Webster III and his colleagues and friends as they navigate the job market from different angles, and you will receive a plethora of resources, both AI tools and checklists, that you can use as you navigate your job search.

Spiwe Jefferson:

If you found today's episode helpful, I would love it if you would rate it and review the podcast to make it easier for other people to find it, and caring is sharing. So share this episode with a friend or colleague whose job search can use a boost. Here's to navigating your job search with peace, clarity and confidence. Until next week, this is Be Weigh saying be mindful and be well.

James@DiscovertheVoice:

Thank you for listening to Mindful in 5. If you enjoyed it, share it with a friend, follow and rate it on your favorite podcast platform. Pick up your signed copy of the book and journal from spiwejefferson. com, or unsigned copies from Amazon, barnes, noble or wherever you get your books. Visit to download sample chapters of the book, watch videos and become a mindful ninja. Join us on the LinkedIn Mindful in 5 group and share your thoughts. Until next time, be mindful and be well.