Welcome to Career Essentials, where I share actionable insights and curated articles that will help accelerate your career and supercharge your job search.
Why Every Job Seeker Needs an Accountability Group (If You Want Faster Results)
For years, I have facilitated accountability groups and seen how truly helpful they are in driving positive, forward momentum and leading to a faster, more successful outcome — a new job!
Sometimes humans need structure and accountability to help get things done. This is why there are weight-loss accountability groups, workout accountability groups, mastermind groups, etc. They work for those who put in the work! Plus, one-on-one coaching can be expensive.
You can find accountability groups for job seekers at your local One Stop center, your local library, church, or just search online.
A good group will have structure (not just presentations or “networking”). It should be a meeting where you share your goals and discuss solutions to problems. If you can’t find one, you could always create your own.
The group doesn’t need to be industry or occupation- specific. (We can learn a lot from others, no matter the industry or occupation.)
Top 7 reasons to join (or form) an accountability group
1️⃣ Energize and maintain positive momentum in your job search.
2️⃣ Learn from the experiences of others, share advice and expand your network.
3️⃣ Take away new perspectives and fresh ideas.
4️⃣ Become accountable to the group, so you will stop procrastinating.
5️⃣ Get objective feedback and input on what you are doing in your job search.
6️⃣ Reprogram your attitude from negative to positive.
7️⃣ Get the help you need at a price you can afford.
Here’s why they work:
Motivation: You’ll become inspired when you are surrounded by like-minded professionals who are facing similar challenges.
Support: Gain new perspectives and ideas from other goal-oriented professionals in the group who are facing similar challenges, opening your mind to new job search tactics and strategies.
Accountability: Set weekly goals and have your team hold you accountable, which makes it easier to stay on track and do the hard work.
Momentum: You’ll feel productive and start seeing more conversations, jobs and interviews.
And here is some data to back up the value of accountability groups from Donna Svei
Don’t miss additional insights in comments on LinkedIn here
PS: Are you interested in my Motivation Monday Job Search Accountability Group?
Add your information to the waitlist.
🔎 JOB SEARCH
This is a very comprehensive explanation of what goes on behind the scenes at companies when they’ve received an application. It’s a worth reading and understanding. For those that want the simple answer according to Jan (a long-time recruiter):
Following up on a job application is normal.
Waiting 7-10 business days allows recruiters time to review applicants and plan next steps.
A brief, clear message shows interest, professionalism, and respect.
No reply immediately often indicates internal delays, not your abilities.
Keep applying to other roles and stay active in your search.
Want to go from executive to individual contributor? - David Fano, Teal
If you have made the choice to move back into an individual contributor role, your resume needs to hit the mark appropriately. This re-positioning will answer many of the questions recruiters/screeners will have. David recommends addressing these things IN YOUR RESUME: Explain that you are making the switch (and why), highlight individual contributions, demonstrate technical successes, and position former leadership experience as an advantage. Not an easy task, but it has to be done!
In case you missed Huntr’s Job Search Trends Report Q3 2025, you’ll see 7 ways you can improve your job search results. Sam Wright, Huntr’s head of operations and partnerships says: “[Candidates] tailor every resume to the role, apply through higher-response channels like company sites or niche boards, and keep their weekly volume up — usually 15 to 20 targeted applications. Across the board, this is the winning recipe according to the data.”
Open To Work Hashtag Changes on LinkedIn - Kevin D. Turner
No longer will general LinkedIn users be able to search LinkedIn for the hashtag opentowork according to the eagle-eye users and Kevin. This should help eliminate some spam/scams.
My recommendation, even given this update is: do not use the hashtag opentowork in posts or in your profile! You can still announce you are in the hunt without using the hashtag. And you can turn on opentowork so only recruiters can see. It's always worth testing to see if you are inundated with SPAM.
You’ve been told to personalize every invitation to connect. Well, that just got harder. LinkedIn limits the number of personalized notes you can send to only 3 per month. (Down from 5 previously). Use those notes wisely. As a work around, garner attention of someone you want to connect with by thoughtfully commenting on their recent LinkedIn posts. This gives you name recognition when you send the invitation without a note.
⚙ AI
Gen AI Is Going Mainstream: Here’s What’s Coming Next - Josh Bersin
I attended Josh’s webinar this week and was fascinated by the way AI is expected to change things in the future, specifically for HR and training and development. This article coincides with his presentation and talks about the necessity to re-design work. Some organizations have already begun doing this. Others will be slow. Rather than fear your job will disappear, he recommends diving in and using AI tools.
🔮 WORKFORCE
Human Jobs in the AI Era: 10 Emerging Career Paths - Roman Koles, Medium
There are some jobs, that will always require contextual wisdom, ethical navigation, and creative synthesis. These are the types of skills humans have and can’t be replaced by AI. In this article, you will see 10 types of career paths that have or will emerge as the world begins to fully embrace AI. It’s worth thinking about now!
💰 CAREER
Herminia Ibarra: Mastering career transitions - David Lancefield
This is a powerful interview on how to structure your career transition, especially if you DO NOT know what “next” looks like.
The key points include finding role models, balancing action with exploration, developing a personal narrative, and using signals for making wise, possibly incremental, career decisions. These learnings are drawn from Herminia's insights on career transition and desired impact, suggesting a move away from a fixed "grand plan."
2026 is a big window of opportunity for executives - Donna Svei
Donna dives into data from LHH and explains that even though not many people plan to make moves in 2026 “Don't wait with everyone else for what you think will be perfect timing. Be a contrarian. Always be ready to make a change.”
🚀 PRODUCTIVITY
Have you ever tried to find a time to meet with someone and gone back and forth over multiple emails or texts? Google has fixed this problem and it’s free!
Previously, you may have used Calendly or some other service, but now, it’s within your Google calendar.
This article shows you exactly how to set it up. Whether you text someone the booking page link, or embed meeting times in your email, this is going to save you a ton of time arranging conversations with people you want to meet!
Jeff Su’s recent newsletter drew my attention to this.
JOB SEARCH VISUAL
If you’re job hunting, you might think you must have a polished resume in hand before you can start networking. That makes sense, right?
Not really.
In fact, you don’t need a completed resume to start networking.
That may sound counterintuitive, but hear me out. Once you understand why, you’ll never feel the need to bring your resume to a networking meeting again.
Would You Share Your Resume If You Already Had a Job?
Imagine you’re happily employed and someone asks to meet for coffee. Would you bring your resume?
Of course not.
So why do you feel like you need one just because you’re job searching?
You don’t.
What you do need is a purpose for the meeting, a few good questions, and a willingness to listen and learn.
Networking Isn’t About Landing a Job. It’s About Learning
The best networking conversations aren’t job pitches. They’re mutual exchanges of insights, experiences, and ideas.
When you lead with “I’m job hunting,” you risk turning the meeting into
an informal interview and that’s not what you need at this stage. What you need is information.
Approach networking this way → Think of networking as getting some fresh AIR:
💡 Advice – on career moves, job search strategies, or changing direction
📊 Information – about companies, industry trends, or future opportunities
🔄️ Recommendations – people to meet, groups to join, or skills to develop
Come prepared with thoughtful questions like:
❓ “What challenges are you seeing in [industry] right now?”
❓ “Have you or your team tried any new approaches lately?”
❓ “What trends do you think will have the biggest impact this year?”
These kinds of questions show curiosity and spark meaningful conversation.
And Don’t Forget. You Have Value, Too
What stories or tips could you pass along that might help someone else?
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DID YOU MISS THESE
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
LinkedIn isn’t the only job board you should be using. But, if you can uncover jobs early in the process, why not use this tool created by Jan Tegze.
He’s been getting some positive feedback from job seekers who used it to land a job.
And it’s free!
