You may see less activity on LinkedIn over the next couple of weeks.
That doesn’t mean people aren’t paying attention.

Some recruiters are quietly sourcing for 2026 hiring season, others are still grinding away trying to fill open reqs, and your peers may be killing time in the office by scrolling LinkedIn.

Here’s how to use this quieter window strategically 

1️⃣ Shift from posting to relationship-building
People may scroll less, but they still read email.

Set a goal: reach out to 3–5 people per day

Keep it simple:

“Thinking of you as the year wraps up. Would love to reconnect in the new year.”

No pitch. Just presence.

2️⃣ Build your interview foundation (before you need it)
If you don’t already have 25 strong STAR stories, this is the time.

Action step:

Here’s an article that walks you through exactly how to build them, plus prompts to get unstuck:
🔗 Questions To Create STAR Stories

3️⃣ Nail the questions everyone asks
Some questions show up in every interview:

Action step:

Helpful resources:
🔗 Tell me about yourself formulas
🔗 Why did you leave examples

4️⃣ Practice like it’s game day
Confidence doesn’t come from thinking. It comes from repetition.

Action step:

Tools I recommend:

🔗 Yoodli Interview Prep
🔗Teal AI Practice Interview 

The goal right now isn’t visibility. It’s momentum and readiness.

So when that interview request lands, you’re not scrambling. You’re ready.

PS: In case you missed it, I released my 2026 Job Search Checklist. Download it here!

Stop Proving You're Qualified. Instead, Show What Will Change - Shelley Piedmont, My Career GPS

Shelley is asking you to reframe how you view your messaging. It’s not about proving you have the qualifications, but helping the employer see what will change if they hire you! She walks through how to do this on your resume, LinkedIn, and in the interview! 

Fix Your LinkedIn Settings Before You Start Job Searching - Jan Tegze, JobSearch.Guide

Take it from a recruiter, these are LinkedIn settings you need to get right. From allowing your resume to be shareable to turning on signal interest to recruiters. You’ll see screenshots and get an explanation of why you should change to the recommended settings! 

Practice for Uncertainty - Paula Christiansen

Paula provides more help for job seekers whose interviews aren’t converting. It’s preparing for uncertainty and curveball questions! How, she explains exactly how! 

AI Resume Development Tools Preview Report - Erica Reckamp

Here is some initial data from an upcoming report on how well 14 AI resume development tools perform. These data point out that each of the tools regularly deleted important information and made up information (hallucinated). While it may seem great to have AI generate a resume, do not rely on the output to be well-written or accurate. Your human eyes and brain will need to evaluate the output. 

25 Big Ideas that will define 2026 - LinkedIn

A list of possibilities based on what is currently happening right now. It’s definitely an interesting read. AI appears over and over, which may also be why it made Time’s cover for “Person of the Year.” Mental and women’s health, and even career advice for current and future college graduates.

I was particularly interested in the movement to reduce/end screen time for children. I've been paying close attention to the whole push to limit or even totally eliminate screen time for kids. Not long ago, I just saw social psychologist Jonathan Haidt talking about his bestseller, The Anxious Generation and its follow up, The Amazing Generation. Haidt's argument is that the arrival of smartphones and social media has totally changed what it means to be a kid, which is why we're seeing so much more anxiety, depression, and loneliness in young people.

12 Personal Branding Actions To Take In 2026 To Grow Your Career - William Arruda, Forbes

Consider this your roadmap for 2026! There are so many unique, yet doable actions you can take here! Some of my favorites are: Turn Your Origin Story into a Career Asset, Help AI Get to Know You, and the bonus #13,  Build a Personal Advisory Board of Three. In 2026 it becomes extremely important for your human side to show! 

Stop Managing Generations, Start Managing Expectations - SmartBrief

In this 35 minute interview with Laurie  Ruettimann she questions the scientific validity of generational stereotypes and introduces a three-pillar framework, based on communication, performance, and process, as the foundation for effective expectation management in diverse workplaces.  

You don’t need another webinar. You need a plan and structure! 

In January, the Motivation Monday Job Search Accountability Group opens for a small, focused cohort of professionals ready to make real progress.

No fluff.
No guest speakers.
No endless “tips.”

Members of this cohort get 5 weeks of structured action, real accountability, and live problem-solving with peers who take their job search seriously.

Each Monday at 12pm ET, you’ll bring your real challenges to the group to get unstuck fast and leave with specific actions to take. 

Spots are limited to 12 mid-to-senior level professionals with a clear career goal.

Investment: This will be going up in price but if you get on the waitlist, you’ll pay less than $300.

Join the waitlist now to get first access when dates are announced—this will fill quickly

Target Companies For The Win!

When you know your target companies, your job search changes.

🎯 You focus on the right organizations
✅ You take smarter, more intentional actions
🚀 You get better outcomes with less competition

This is how job seekers move from reacting to job postings to building real momentum.

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8 ways to write engaging LinkedIn comments

8 of my go-to favorite questions YOU can ask

8 Ways to Land An Interview Without a Resume

I’m a reader! I prefer to read rather than listen to podcasts or watch videos. Here’s the list of five newsletters you’ll be glad you added to your list. You can see the full post here. 

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By: Adrienne Tom, Executive Resume Writer, Career Impressions
Best for: Senior-level and executive job seekers 
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