Bryan Creely

Employee: I believe I deserve a raise.

Boss: Oh really?

Employee: I'm underpaid and exceeded expectations on my past 3 performance appraisals. Besides, my last raise was only 2% and inflation was 7%.

Boss: You're a valuable member of the team! Tell you what, I'll consider that raise during your next appraisal!

Employee: But that's still six months away.

Boss: Our policy is to revise salaries during performance review time. Keep doing great work; I'm sure you'll be rewarded soon!

--- A month later ---

Employee: I'm giving my 2-week notice.

Boss: Wait! Why!?

Employee: I accepted another offer with the proper compensation for my experience and skill.

Boss: We planned to give you a 10% raise in a few short months, though!

Employee: I'm appreciative, but they see my value today, not 5 months from now...and they gave 20%.
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Go where you're valued. When an employer uses “policies and procedures“ as an excuse, it may be a sign they take you for granted.

That's acting like the CEO of your career.

I once interviewed a candidate who made it to the final round.

Three rounds of interviews and a call with the regional director.

All signs pointed toward an offer - a job he was excited about.

However, an unforeseen business change forced us to cancel the job.

I felt terrible but called him and gave him the news.

But he was gracious and understanding.

And handled it incredibly professionally (more professionally than I might have, to be honest). 

And you know what?

I never forgot him.

8 months later, another (even more enriched) role came up in the same location. He was the first person I called.

I reminded the hiring manager of his previous candidacy and he agreed.

We were able to offer him 20% more than planned for the other role.

Had he burned the bridge, we would not have contacted him.

So, handle rejection gracefully, even when it's difficult.

You never know where it might lead.

If you've been laid off and starting to feel self-doubt creeping in,

Just remember this...

Those knowledge, skills, and abilities didn't just disappear with the layoff.

It's easy to get down on yourself when you're faced with uncertainty and start doubting if you really have the goods anymore. (Those rejection letters - and radio silence - don't help either.)

That's why it's so important to keep perspective.

- It's a tough market.
- Many people are struggling.
- Competition is more fierce than normal.

But despite all of it, you still have immense value.

You were hirable before, and you'll be hired again. It's just a matter of time.

Manager: Don't hire anyone who’s been laid off. They are damaged goods.

Recruiter: Okay, let’s hire people who are already working.

Manager: They want too much money and a bigger title.

Recruiter: Let's hire fresh graduates, then.

Manager: Don't hire them. They have no experience; we'll need to train them!

Recruiter: We can target more senior candidates.

Manager: Not ideal, they're too set in their ways.

Recruiter: We'll need to open up our geographic search.

Manager: No remote - they're lazy.

Recruiter: Okay, we'll need to relocate them then.

Manager: We don't have a budget for relocation.

Some time later….

Manager: You haven’t sent any candidates recently. What gives?

Recruiter: I can't find anyone who meets your requirements.

Manager: Figures. Nobody wants to work anymore!

There are plenty of great candidates out there.

You just have to have eyes to see them.

Not too long ago, I had a recruiter reach out with a new job opportunity.

It sounded great: well-paying, challenging work, and a respectable employer.

I passed on it because I wasn't looking for a new job.

But I knew someone who was.

So instead of letting the opportunity fade away, I shared his name with the recruiter.

And about a month later, I saw this person announce they landed the job.

The next time you come across a job opportunity that's not right for you, refer a fellow job seeker.

It may be right for them.
 
And a little more kindness is desperately needed in today’s job market.

Not too long ago, I had a recruiter reach out with a new job opportunity.

It sounded great: well-paying, challenging work, and a respectable employer.

I passed on it because I wasn't looking for a new job.

But I knew someone who was.

So instead of letting the opportunity fade away, I shared his name with the recruiter.

And about a month later, I saw him announce he had landed the job.

The next time you come across a job opportunity that's not right for you, please refer a fellow job seeker.

It may be right for them.

And a little more kindness is desperately needed in today’s job market.

During my last job search, I interviewed for a job I fit perfectly.

The excited recruiter told me I was exactly what they sought.

When I asked why, he told me:

"You've got great recruiting experience, led and mentored teams, and worked directly with executives. We need someone who can develop our inexperienced recruiters."

The hiring manager interview also went quite well.

She also told me they struggled to find someone with the skill to work with senior leaders and seemed genuinely interested in my workflow.

But I didn't hear back for a couple of weeks. (not a good sign)

After receiving the shocking rejection email, I contacted the recruiter.

He explained, "I was surprised too, but she said you didn't have recent experience with our Applicant Tracking System software."

I clarified my experience and reminded him that learning the user interface would only take a few weeks at best.

But he insisted, "I know but unfortunately, she's made up her mind."

Later that week, I saw the job reposted.
And again a few weeks after that.
And again, a few weeks after that.

(I'm not sure if they ever filled the job)

Some hiring managers would rather spend 8 months recruiting a role than 1 month training someone.

And there's nothing you can do about it but keep on applying.

I share this because it happens to me, too...

So don't let one dumb hiring manager ruin your confidence.

Someone in my network needs to hear this right now.

(It might be you)

If you've been laid off and starting to feel self-doubt creeping in,

Just remember this...

That knowledge, skills, and abilities didn't just disappear with the layoff.

It's easy to get down on yourself when you're faced with uncertainty and start to doubt whether you really have the goods anymore.
(Those rejection letters - and radio silence - don't help either.)

That's why it's so important to keep perspective.

- It's a tough market.
- Many people are struggling.
- Competition is more fierce than normal.
- - It's taking longer than "usual" to find a job right now.

But despite all of it, you still have immense value.

You were hirable before, and you'll be hired again.
It's just a matter of time.

I used to recruit for a company that required us to follow up with all candidates within a specific time period.

In fact, our bonuses were linked directly to these metrics.

The requirements were:

- 3 days to review a new application and disposition them
- 2 days to get back to a candidate after a phone screen
- 5 days after the panel interview to give the candidate feedback

The goal was simple: never ghost and to give proper closure.

We didn't need to be told to do so (it's the right thing to do).
It just became a habit.

They wanted to ensure everyone was treated with respect.

And they had a compelling reason why.

They realized many of these same candidates would also be their customers. And a terrible candidate experience could affect their brand.

Were they perfect? No.

But they at least tried.

I wish more companies would realize how they treat their candidates directly impacts the bottom line.

Treating people with respect is good for business.

I know there's someone who needs to hear this right now.

Do not let this job market determine your value.

It's not a normal time to look for a job.

And it has a way of humbling even the most talented, accomplished people.

- Job postings are down.
- Layoffs are up. (which means your competition is unusually fierce)
- Full time, high-paying remote jobs are relics of a bygone era.
- Companies are reluctant to add headcount right now

And it's not uncommon to take 6 months or more to find a new job.

If you're feeling like you're unemployable, and your skills don't matter, it's simply not true.

Its that this job market is brutal for everyone. (I mean, everyone).

So don't let a longer than usual job search convince you that you're no longer relevant.

Keep steady in the storm and focus on marketing yourself, EVEN after you land your next job.

A while back, I interviewed a candidate for a senior role.

A solid candidate who had met or exceeded every requirement.

However, she had been laid off for six months.

When it came time to talk salary, she gave a shockingly low number.

I asked her why she undervalued herself, and she replied, "I need to get back to work and don't want my salary to be an issue."

Nodding with understanding, I submitted her 30k higher than she requested (in the appropriate range for her skill.)

**** Listen up! ****

Salary is RARELY the reason why people get rejected.

Assuming you're realistic and have done your homework, be confident in your worth.

I've never had a hiring manager decide on one candidate over another strictly based on salary. (unless they were shooting for the moon)

It always came down to personality, skills, experience, and work ethic.

Good companies will pay for good skills.

Besides, your competition isn't discounting their rate, nor should you.

I'm going to validate you right now.

The job market is brutal.

It's okay to not be excited about the next job you apply to.
It's okay to fake interest in the next job you interview for.
It's okay to feel numb when (yet another) rejection comes in.
It's okay to get annoyed when asked if you've tried XYZ yet.
It's okay to not want to customize another resume.
It's okay to avoid talking about your job search.
It's okay to be TIRED of "showing up" and getting nothing in return.
It's okay to not want to self-promote.
It's okay to be exhausted.
Or be wary.
And even be a little jaded.

But don't let this job market define your entire career.

And don't think the last 20 years of your career was a waste.

Because it's brutal for everyone right now.

Not just you.

I'm excited to share that I've started a new role.

But this one's a little different.

I didn't take a job. I built one.

We call it Soor.

And the reason why is a longer story.

For the last 5 years, I watched the job search tool market explode. New resume builders, AI coaches, mass appliers, inteview cheating tools, dozens of them, seemingly overnight.

I tried most of them. None of them met my standard.

Not because the technology was bad. Because the methodology was wrong.

ChatGPT didn't make resumes better; it made them identical. Recruiters are now actively screening for AI-generated content because the volume of resumes that sound like they were written by the same person has become impossible to ignore.

I spent years building Resume Rocketfuel to teach people how hiring actually works from the recruiter's side. How to build a resume that reads the way I'd want to see it. It worked. Tens of thousands of people went through it.

But teaching the methodology and doing the work are two different things.

Several prominent resume services approached me about partnerships over the years. I said no every time.

The output didn't match what I teach. I even asked a few of them directly: could you build a version of this based on my Resume Rocketfuel system?

They all said the same thing. "Generic resumes are just easier."

So I started looking for someone who wanted to do it the hard way.

I found my technical co-founder at a kid's birthday party. We got to talking about business, I told him the story about the resume companies that kept turning me down, and he said, "I can build that with you." That was a little over a year ago.

Now we have Soor.

Getting here was not graceful.

Over the last year I've been a product developer, a marketer, a program manager, a finance manager, and a one-man legal team, sometimes all in the same afternoon. (My learning curve is vertical right now!)

I've probably frustrated my co-founder and our design team more than once with my standards and my refusal to ship something I wouldn't stand behind.

But that's the point.

We didn't build this to capitalize on a trend. We built it because the people who need it deserve something that actually works.

And honestly? We're just getting started. What's live today is a fraction of what's coming.

It's a resume and job search platform built entirely around recruiter methodology. It's not built on generic AI. We don't fabricate experience. And it's not a white-labeled tool with a new logo on it like half the resume products out there right now.

We do the heavy lifting, and make sure your experience is presented the way a recruiter actually wants to read it. Everything that ends up on your resume is yours. We never put words in your mouth.

Resume Rocketfuel teaches you the why.

Soor does the work.

You're competing against hundreds of people for the same role. Sounding like all of them is not a strategy.

#newjob

This market is wearing people down.

And the toll on mental health is unmistakable.

I'm seeing more people feeling completely defeated, disillusioned, and depressed than ever.

Good people...solid backgrounds. Highly skilled with desirable careers.

They're sharing that they feel hopeless. They are questioning their worth. Contemplating walking away from something they've built for 20 years.

And it's not because right now is the worst job market ever.

It's because it's been "worse" for a long, long time now.

6+ years of "things will get better...soon".

6+ years of getting laid off, getting a new job, getting laid off AGAIN.

So yes, this market is forcing us all to reconsider a lot.

Just don't let it convince you that you're the thing that needs fixing.

Maybe the career you built for the last 20 years doesn't need to be the career you build for the next 20.

Maybe the next move isn't up.

Maybe it's sideways. Different. Smaller. More flexible. More fulfilling.

A career is supposed to support your life.

Your life isn't supposed to support your career.

And maybe that's the part we've had backwards for too long.

(And hiring teams that may be reading this...know that your evergreen job posting that you might fill in Q4 but "Getting ahead of" now...is causing more harm than good. Take it down, and repost when you're actually ready to hire.)

As if you needed the reminder, company loyalty is no longer a thing.

How do I know?

The countless companies that’ve laid off the people they just hired three months ago AND the 20-year vets...told us so.

If you weren’t convinced before, I will say it again.

👏 ACT. LIKE. A. FREE. AGENT. 👏

Look out for yourself, and make the best moves for you and your family.

- Keep your resume up to date and apply for jobs that interest you.
- Accept the Inmail from that recruiter.
- Head to that industry mixer with an open mind.
- Stop by the competitor's booth at the trade show.
- Connect with their hiring managers on LinkedIn.
- Interview even when you're happy - just to see what's out there.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with putting your career (and family’s) needs over the needs of an organization. (Which will lay you off with no notice or severance to make their stock price more attractive)

Yesterday, we could rely on a long career with a single employer.

Today, we're on our own.

So there's no better time than right now to reclaim control.

Your career will thank you for it later.
______________________________________________

PS...I've spent the past 5 years teaching career-minded individuals do just that. Check my bio for details.

If you've been laid off and starting to feel self-doubt creeping in,

Just remember this...

That knowledge, skills, and abilities didn't just disappear with the layoff.

It's easy to get down on yourself when faced with uncertainty and start doubting if you really have what it takes anymore. (Those rejection letters - and radio silence - don't help either.)

That's why it's so important to keep perspective.

- It's a tough market.
- Many people are struggling.
- Competition is fiercer than usual.
- Good job opportunities are fewer and farther between
- Companies sometimes have unrealistic expectations

But despite all of it, you still have immense value.

You were hirable before, and you'll be hired again.

It's just a matter of time.

I know someone who was a high performer at a well-known financial services company.  (You know them).

One day, she was recruited to a small fintech startup with an inexperienced leadership team.

She didn't know it at the time, but this team turned out to be dysfunctional, directionless, and unorganized.

Of course, they put on a good show in the interview.

But shortly after starting, she felt the shift.

Multiple leaders with unrealistic, shifting expectations and no clear roadmap made her job impossible.

Demanded things that were outside of the scope of the job and completely outside of her wheelhouse.

They directed their ineptitude at her, making her believe SHE was failing.

Worse, her confidence plummeted as she second-guessed her abilities.

When she finally approached me for help, she was feeling broken & hopeless and was considering a complete career change.

We developed an immediate exit plan and a detailed career map to give her a clear path forward. Then, we renovated her resume and other tools, and built a detailed networking strategy.

Within a few months, she landed with a new organization that was excited to hire her.

And guess what?

After a year, she was identified as having "high potential" and received a promotion.

Back on her path, and confident as ever.

There's a lesson here if you're in the same boat.

Don't let one dysfunctional boss, one bad employer, or one job mismatch shape your self-perception and value.

It's likely them, not you.