Quit wasting time making excuses for your job search failures

If you’re not landing the job you want, it’s time to take responsibility. Excuses won’t help

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Your job search results speak for themselves. If you’re not getting interviews or offers, don’t blame the government, your parents, or your bad luck. The truth is, your job search success depends on one thing: what you do and how you do it. Your results are a reflection of your strategy and the effort you put in, nothing else.

Far too many job seekers on LinkedIn waste their time attacking others for how they run their job search. It’s none of your business. The bottom line is that you live with the results of your own actions, so why care what anyone else thinks?

It’s impossible to ignore the constant back-and-forth about LinkedIn’s #OpenToWork banner. The debate over whether or not it makes job seekers look “desperate” is ridiculous. The #OpenToWork banner is nothing more than a simple tool. It’s like a “vacancy” sign on a motel or a “For Sale” sign on a house. It’s just letting people know you’re available. That’s it. You’re not begging for a job. You’re making it easier for employers to find you.

But here’s the catch: the banner doesn’t do the work for you. It’s a small part of your job search strategy, not the whole picture. Just like any tool, it’s only helpful if it’s part of a bigger, stronger plan. And if your LinkedIn profile isn’t clearly showcasing what you’ve done—measurable results, skills, and achievements—it doesn’t matter if you have the banner or not. No amount of visibility can make up for the lack of value you bring to the table.

Too many job seekers treat LinkedIn like it’s the only platform that matters. At one point, it was the go-to for making job connections. But now? LinkedIn has become a digital mess. It’s full of job seekers arguing over the dumbest things, like the #OpenToWork banner, while others, who claim to be job search experts, pitch overpriced, ineffective services. These distractions don’t help you land a job. They just waste your time and energy. The focus should be on building a job search strategy that is focused, intentional, and proactive, not bogged down by irrelevant arguments and baseless opinions.

Managers and recruiters are fed up with the drama. A lot of them are avoiding LinkedIn altogether because they don’t want to waste their time wading through the nonsense. If you want to be successful, stop focusing on LinkedIn’s problems. Use it, but don’t let it become the sole focus of your job search. Instead, diversify your efforts and put energy into networking, outreach, and applying for the right jobs. LinkedIn should only be one piece of your strategy, not your whole strategy.

Instead, concentrate on the bigger picture. The banner may give you some visibility, but it won’t land you the job. What will get you hired is a profile that clearly shows how you’ve helped employers succeed. Can you point to numbers and results that demonstrate your value? If not, it doesn’t matter how many people see your profile. It’s essential to have a well-rounded profile that shows not just what you’ve done but how your actions have made a measurable difference. Employers want to know how you can add value to their team, not just that you’re “open to work.”

The truth is, there’s no magic bullet in job searching. The #OpenToWork banner is a small piece of the puzzle, but it’s not the solution. The solution lies in your strategy: how you present yourself, how you network, and how you prove you’re the right fit for the job. Are you demonstrating that you’re the solution to an employer’s pain point? Are you showcasing how you’ve solved problems in your previous roles? These are the things that will make you stand out, not a green banner next to your name.

So, if you’re spending time arguing about the #OpenToWork banner or what other job seekers are doing, stop. It doesn’t matter. Focus on what matters: your strategy, your results, and showing employers exactly how you can help them succeed. Your results will speak for themselves—if you put in the work. Don’t waste another minute getting distracted by irrelevant debates. Take control of your job search, build a strategy that works for you, and let your results speak for themselves.

Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job.