Full Session Replay: Designing a Focused, Efficient Job Search

The fastest way to end a job search is to execute a better playbook, establish the right disciplines, engage and build your network, and focus on becoming a better candidate each week.

In this session, we focused on how to shorten the job search timeline, reduce stress, and replace frantic activity with a clear, repeatable strategy that actually works in today’s market.

Below is a recap of the key ideas, along with the replay and resources referenced during the session.

Included via the following link are some of the slides we covered.

🎥 Watch the Full Replay Below:

The session walks through mindset, strategy, execution, and support—designed specifically for experienced professionals who want to move forward with confidence.

The Reality (and Opportunity) of the Modern Job Search

A few important truths we addressed upfront:

• The average job search takes 5–6 months

• Blindly applying online yields roughly a 3% success rate

• Most strong candidates are not losing out due to lack of talent—but due to lack of strategy and follow-through

The goal of this session was simple:

help you become a stronger candidate every single week and shorten that timeline.

Even accelerating your search by a few weeks can be worth thousands of dollars in regained income.

Step 1: Reset the Mindset (This Wasn’t About Performance)

Layoffs, especially after long tenure, are mentally heavy. One of the most important reminders from the session:

This was not a personal decision or a performance issue.

What is in your control now:

• Preparation

• Strategy

• The actions you take each week

  
  

The moment you shift from “what happened” to “what’s next,” momentum starts to return.

Step 2: Secure the Basics First (Finances + Runway)

Before sprinting into applications, we emphasized stabilizing your foundation:

• Understand your financial runway

• Budget realistically for a 5–6 month search

• Make informed decisions about benefits and 401k options

• Use available support resources (and don’t go it alone)

• When finances are clear, decision-making improves dramatically.

If you'd like some help or guidance on the topic, click here for some resources with a group who has helped other Verizon team members*.

*Goalster has no direct or indirect affiliation

Step 3: Clarify Your Value (Not Just Your Title)

Strong job searches are built on a clear value proposition, not generic resumes.

Key questions we covered:

• Where do you add the most value?

• What problems do you solve for a hiring manager?

• What results have you driven that matter to the business?

  
  

Your story should clearly communicate:

• Who you help

• How you help

• What changes because of your work

This clarity becomes the backbone of your resume, outreach, and interviews.

Step 4: Treat the Job Search Like a Sales & Marketing Role

One of the core reframes from the session:

You are the product.

You are the head of sales and the CMO.

That means:

• Building a pipeline, not hoping for one job to work out

• Creating multiple entry points into opportunities

• Following up to become a real human, not just another resume

Applying is necessary—but never sufficient on its own.

Step 5: Leverage the Network (This Is Where Jobs Actually Come From)

Some numbers we discussed:

• 85% of roles are filled through networking

• Recruiters work for companies—but respond to candidates who stay visible

• Former colleagues and peers are often the fastest path forward

Your priorities:

• Former colleagues and peers

• Recruiters (agency + corporate)

• Department leaders / hiring managers

• Adjacent professionals in your target space

  
  

This isn’t about asking for favors—it’s about making it easy for the right people to help you.

Step 6: Use LinkedIn Strategically (Not Emotionally)

LinkedIn is a powerful tool when used intentionally.

Best practices we covered:

• Post and comment in ways that speak to hiring managers

• Share relevant experience, insight, and results

• Engage with people you actually want to work with

What to avoid:

• Doom posting

• Broadcasting rejection counts

• Treating LinkedIn like a support group

  
  

Step 7: Track the Right Activities (Not Rejections)

One of the biggest mindset shifts:

❌ Number of rejections

✅ Number of meaningful conversations

✅ Quality of connections added

✅ Follow-ups completed

✅ Weekly improvement as a candidate

• Progress comes from tracking leading indicators, not outcomes you can’t control.

• Support Makes This Easier (and Faster)

• You don’t need to figure this out alone.

If you want help executing this strategy consistently, we provide:

• A job search activity tracker

• Outreach scripts for warm and cold contacts

• A resume template designed for clarity and impact

• Weekly live support sessions

• Ongoing guidance to help you improve week over week

  
  

Our goal is simple: help you finish your job search sooner.

The cost:

$100/month, or $600 total for full support during your search

👉 Sign up by clicking here

Final Thought

A job search doesn’t fail because people aren’t capable.

It fails when there’s no structure, no feedback loop, and no support.

You already have the experience and expertise.

Now it’s about executing a smarter plan.

We’re in your corner.

— Darren

Darren Webster is the Founder and CEO of Goalster, a technology and services company helping people and organizations achieve their most important goals through better execution, performance enablement, and ongoing development.

A former world championship-level athlete for Australia in sprint canoeing, Darren spent 15 years leading large teams at Verizon, where he developed a deep understanding of organizational high performance, along with the coaching and consulting industry.

Driven by a passion for helping people and teams reach their full potential, Darren built Goalster as a performance enablement platform designed to drive better results through execution, coaching, training, and accountability.