When to Change Your Job Search Strategy (and When to Stay the Course)

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Have you ever stood at a hotel sink, waiting for the water to finally turn hot? That was me not too long ago. I travel a lot for work, so I’ve seen my share of hotel quirks, but this one had me second-guessing everything.

I turned the knob all the way to “hot” and waited. And waited. And… nothing. The water was still cool.

Naturally, I thought, Here we go—another hotel with backward plumbing. So, I switched it to “cold,” thinking maybe this was one of those “trick” faucets. But nope, lukewarm at best.

The next morning, I tried again. Same hot setting, but this time, I decided to be patient and just let it run. After what felt like forever (but was probably a minute), the water finally heated up. Turns out, it was working the whole time. I just didn’t give it enough time to do its job.

Sound familiar? It should because job searching works the same way.

We All Do This, Don’t We?

When we don't see immediate results, we start questioning everything:

• Maybe my résumé isn’t good enough.

• Maybe this industry isn’t for me.

• Maybe I should just start applying for anything—even jobs I don’t want—just to feel like I’m moving forward.

But here’s the truth: sometimes the strategy you’re using is fine. You just haven’t given it enough time to do what it’s designed to do. Switching directions too quickly in your job search is like flipping the faucet before the hot water has a chance to reach you. You’re not giving the system (or yourself) the opportunity to work.

Why We Get Impatient

• We live in an instant-gratification world. Two-day shipping. Streaming on demand. Quick results everywhere except the job market.

• Job searching feels personal. Every day without a response feels like rejection, even when it’s really just timing.

• Movement feels like progress. Changing strategies makes us feel productive, but often it’s just spinning wheels.

Let's be honest. For most job seekers (and people), patience is not a virtue. When we put in the work, we expect results yesterday. So when silence lingers or the rejections start to invade our inbox, frustration creeps in. And that’s when we start second-guessing everything.

How Do You Know If It’s Time to Stay the Course?

Before you throw out your entire job search plan and start from scratch, pause and ask yourself: Is my strategy actually broken, or am I just impatient? Sometimes the best move is to stay the course. Here are a few signs you should hold steady:

• Your résumé is solid and tailored, and your LinkedIn profile is optimized.

• You’re targeting roles that align with your skills and goals.

• You’re networking intentionally—not just collecting LinkedIn connections, but building relationships. Remember, building relationships is a slow-burn approach, not a microwave.

• You’re following up professionally.

If you’re doing these things, trust the process. Companies move at their own pace (and trust me, sometimes they move even slower than that hotel faucet).

When Should You Rethink Your Approach?

There comes a point when patience needs to turn into progress. If weeks turn into months and all you’re hearing are crickets, it’s time to pause and reassess. The issue might not be effort. It might be alignment. It could be that your résumé isn’t keyword-optimized, your applications aren’t targeted, or you’re casting too wide a net without focusing on roles that truly fit.

Before scrapping everything and starting over, analyze the gaps:

• Are my applications tailored, or am I sending the same résumé everywhere?

• Am I connecting with decision-makers, or just hitting “apply”?

• Do I truly understand the skills the market values right now?

• Have you updated your LinkedIn to reflect your current goals?

• Is your networking intentional or just reactive?

• Are your materials speaking the language of your industry?

• Are you networking where the real opportunities live?

• Are you tracking what’s getting traction (and what’s not)?

If answering those questions feels overwhelming or you’re not sure what needs to change, that’s the perfect time to call in reinforcements. A career coach can help you evaluate your strategy, identify blind spots, and create a plan that gets results without the guesswork.

Adjustment is smart. Abandoning the plan after two weeks? Not so much.

Bottom Line

When your job search feels lukewarm, resist the urge to flip the faucet too soon. Sometimes, success is just a little further down the pipeline.

So, take a deep breath. Stay consistent. Keep doing the right things. The heat is coming. You just need to let it flow.