I had a call not too long ago about the job search strategy that top candidates actually use differently… and the person on the other end was doing everything “right.”
Great resume. Applying consistently. Following up. Checking all the boxes.
And still… nothing.
Not even close to the kind of roles he should have been landing. That’s the part that stuck with me. Because I see it all the time… good people doing all the right things, just using the wrong strategy.
Most people treat job searching like a numbers game… it’s not
I get why people do it. You feel like if you just apply to enough roles, something will hit. It feels productive. It gives you that little sense of control.
But here’s the truth… the best candidates I work with don’t operate like that at all.
They’re not trying to win by volume.
They’re trying to win by positioning.
And yeah, those are two very different games.
I once had a candidate tell me he applied to 120 jobs in two weeks. He was proud of it. Said it like it was a strategy.
But when I asked him what kind of roles he actually wanted… he paused. Long pause. And then said, “Honestly, I’m open.”
That’s where things break.
Because the candidates who land the best roles? They’re not open. Not really. They’re specific. Almost annoyingly specific.
They know the type of company they want. The role. The structure. Even the kind of leadership they work best under.
And that clarity changes everything.
They don’t lead with their resume… they lead with conversations
This is one of those things people say they understand… but don’t actually do.
Top candidates don’t rely on their resume to open doors. They use conversations to do that.
And I don’t mean networking in the forced, transactional way. Not the “Hey, just wanted to connect” messages. Those go nowhere.
I mean real conversations.
The kind where you’re not asking for a job. You’re talking about what you’re working on. What you’ve learned. Where you’re trying to go.
I still remember a conversation I had with a candidate a few years back. No open role at the time. Nothing immediate. But he walked me through how he built out a small acquisitions pipeline from scratch… step by step, what worked, what didn’t, where he struggled.
It was honest. Not polished.
I wrote his name down after that call.
Three months later, a role opened up. He was the first person I called.
That’s how this actually works more often than people realize.
They talk in outcomes… not effort
This one… I see it every single day.
Most candidates talk about what they do.
Top candidates talk about what happens because of what they do.
And it’s a small shift. But it changes everything.
I had someone recently who kept saying, “I help manage acquisitions and work with sellers throughout the process.”
Okay… that’s fine. But it’s not memorable.
So I asked a few more questions. Dug a little deeper.
Turns out, he was personally responsible for closing 6 to 8 deals a month. Had improved their close rate. Helped shorten the sales cycle.
That’s the story.
And once we reframed it, his conversations started landing differently. You could feel it.
If you’re not sure where to start, think about it like this:
- What did you walk into?
- What changed because you were there?
- What numbers actually moved?
- What would be worse if you left?
That’s the stuff that gets attention.
Not tasks. Not responsibilities.
Impact.
They’re willing to lean into discomfort a little
This part… people don’t love hearing it. But it’s real.
Top candidates don’t wait until they feel 100 percent ready.
They move when they’re close.
Because the thing is, if you only go after roles you already know how to do… you’re not really moving forward. You’re just repeating.
I had a candidate almost pass on an opportunity because he felt like he was missing one piece of experience. One.
We talked through it. I pushed him a bit. Probably more than he expected.
He took the interview.
Got the offer.
And afterward he said, “I would’ve never gone for that on my own.”
Yeah. That happens a lot.
There’s this line… somewhere between confident and uncomfortable. That’s usually where the real growth sits.
They stay top of mind without being annoying
This is a skill. And honestly, not enough people work on it.
Because there’s a difference between following up… and actually staying relevant.
The candidates I see win consistently are the ones who check in with a purpose. Not just “Hey, any updates?”
They’ll send a quick note about something they’re working on. Or share a win. Or even just say, “Hey, I’ve been thinking more about the type of role we discussed, and I’ve narrowed it down to this.”
Short. Real. Useful.
I had one candidate who would reach out every couple months. Nothing over the top. Just updates. What he was building, what he was learning, where he was focused.
When something came across my desk that matched… I didn’t have to think twice.
He was already there.
One thing I wish more people realized
You don’t get opportunities based on effort alone.
You get them based on how clearly someone can see where you fit.
That’s it.
And once you start thinking that way, your entire approach shifts. The way you talk, the way you prepare, the way you show up in conversations.
It’s not about doing more.
It’s about doing the right things… a little differently.
I guess the way I look at it now… the top candidates aren’t chasing jobs the way most people are. They’re building positioning, slowly, intentionally, sometimes without even realizing it. And when the right opportunity shows up, it doesn’t feel like luck… it just feels like timing finally caught up with the work they were already doing.
