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Ever Feel Like You’re Running and Not Getting Anywhere?

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Melanie Wexler

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Ever Feel Like You’re Running and Not Getting Anywhere?

There’s a moment in Alice in Wonderland where Alice is running as fast as she can beside the Red Queen… but no matter how hard she runs, she stays in the exact same place.

Tell me that doesn’t feel like a job search sometimes.

You apply.

You follow up.

You tweak your resume.

You network.

You work harder, push harder, try harder…

…and somehow, it still feels like you’re not moving forward.

Here’s the part most people miss.

When your job search starts to feel like the Red Queen’s race, the solution isn’t to run faster. It’s to step off the track for a minute.

Clear your head.

Reset your strategy.

Look at what’s actually moving the needle and what’s just draining you.

Because progress in a job search doesn’t come from speed.

It comes from clarity, intention, and aligning your effort with the right actions. NOT not more actions.

So the real question is: ? Where in your job search do you feel like Alice right now — running hard and going nowhere?

And what small shift could help you step off the track and move forward with more clarity?

If posts like this help you rethink your job search, follow me on LinkedIn for more strategies and support: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniemitchellwexler/

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  1. Anonymous

    I understand I'm going through this right now; it's discouraging.

  2. Melanie Wexler

    Stay strong - it's hard, but stay focused on your goal because you can get there!

  3. Anonymous

    To people looking for work:

    Don't get down on yourself. More than likely, it is the environment and systems, not your qualifications.

    You are competing with thousands (yes thousands) of applicants for many jobs.

    Your application is run through a system that filters out candidates if they do not meet requirements and are not seen by humans.

    These systems may often have internal biases that keep you off a short list.

    While unemployed, I applied for close to 200 jobs and received ONE interview, which was with Joann Fabrics (um, glad I didn't relocate for that one).

    Saying that clarity and intention are going to help you land job interviews is like saying that hope is a strategy.

    I wasted over $7,000 on a course with an expert who guaranteed and promised our class of 5 that we woul find jobs within 60 days if we followed her program.

    We all followed, and, after the 60 days, 0.0% of us had found a new job.

    The bottom line of the course was that you need to network. As uncomfortable as it is, reach out to those you've had a positive relationship with in the past. I got some great names (with references) that helped me find a position.

    Ok, yes, getting your head clear and not getting into a downward spiral is good advice (for everything, not just a job search).

    TLDR: Please do not spend money you do not have on a program that guarantees success. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

    Do your due diligence, research, and request references from both those who were successful in finding a job and those who still faced challenges.

    I apologize for the rant, and it is not explicitly directed at the original author.

    I'm saying that it is not you, the searcher, but the companies that may be causing your challenges.

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