“I’ve got LinkedIn burnt on my retinas… and I still don’t know what I’m doing next.”

Today I’m analysing the situation of Dan.

Dan reached out because he’s in that classic career freefall.

He finished a contract role a couple of months ago and now he’s staring down the barrel of what could be another long slog to land the next thing.

And it’s messing with his head.

He’s been working for nearly 20 years, and for most of that time he didn’t really “job hunt”. Roles found him. Things fell into his lap. He stayed places longer than he should have because leaving felt scary… but when he did leave, something else usually popped up.

Then he got made redundant a few years back and the whole vibe changed.

His last proper job hunt took nine months.

And now he’s thinking: here we go again.

What’s the challenge?

Dan is stuck in that horrible mix of urgency and uncertainty.

He needs a job… but he also doesn’t want to land somewhere and realise a month later: I fucking hate it.

On top of that, he’s feeling the threat of being in his 40s in a world that’s changing fast. AI everywhere. More people coming up behind him. Less of a “unicorn” than he used to be.

And because he’s done a bit of everything, he’s got options… which weirdly makes it harder.

So he’s defaulting to execution mode.

Job alerts. Scrolling. Applying. Repeat.

In his words: “I’ve got the LinkedIn logo burnt on my retinas.”

How can he or she move forward?

Dan doesn’t need more job applications. He needs a plan.

Not a perfect, five-year life plan. Just enough clarity to stop wasting time on roles he’s not even excited about, and to start moving with intention.

Because job hunting without a plan is how you end up exhausted, rejected, and questioning your whole career.

My advice

1. Step back before you speed up

If you’re feeling scattered, the answer isn’t “try harder”. It’s “get clearer”.

Figure out what you actually want next, and what you don’t want. Otherwise you’ll keep jumping into interview processes you already know aren’t right.

2. Build a two-track strategy

When you’re not working, you need to balance reality and ambition.

One track is “let’s land something solid”.
The other is “let’s work out what I really want long term”.

Both matter. And weirdly, sometimes the “easy” roles are just as hard to get as the dream ones.

3. Stop relying on job boards for a pivot

If you’re trying to move industries, applying cold will get you rejected in 12 hours.

The pivot happens through people.

Reconnect with old colleagues. Have career chats. Ask for introductions. That’s where the real opportunities live, especially at senior level.

4. Get support (because this can get dark)

Doing this alone is brutal. You need structure, accountability, and someone to help you stay steady when you get knocked back.

Because the hardest part of job hunting isn’t the CV. It’s staying in the game.

If Dan’s story feels a bit too familiar and you want structure, support, and a proper strategy to find your next perfect role, apply to join my Creative Career Level Up programme.

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