The Shimmering Careers Blog

You’ve applied for dozens of jobs. Maybe hundreds. You’ve spent hours searching job boards, submitting resumes, and writing cover letters. But you’re not getting interviews. What’s the solution? Apply for even more jobs? Not necessarily. One of the first things I look at when helping someone whose job search has stalled isn’t how many applications they’ve submitted. It’s the kinds of jobs they’re pursuing. Are You Targeting the Right Opportunities? A job title can be misleadi

You apply for a job you're well qualified for. You submit your resume. And then? Nothing. Not even an interview. Increasingly, job seekers wonder whether artificial intelligence (AI) rejected their applications before a human being ever saw them. Sometimes automated resume screening plays a role. But the reality is more complicated than the frightening stories circulating online. What's Actually Happening? Many employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to collect, organi

Almost every job seeker I talk with lately raises some version of the same worry about AI. Will employers need fewer people with my skills? Is my experience becoming less valuable? How do I compete when a language model can do some of the work I've spent years learning? Those are reasonable job search concerns. Here's a question I encourage job seekers to consider: What can you contribute that goes beyond the tasks AI can perform? Your Job Is More Than a List of Tasks Think a

You have the experience. You have the skills. You meet the qualifications in the job description. So why aren't employers calling? Here's something I see regularly in my work as a career coach: Being qualified for a job and giving an employer a compelling reason to hire you are two different things. A resume can document an impressive career without making a persuasive case for hiring the person behind it. Responsibilities Aren't Accomplishments Consider a resume that says: “

“I'm a great problem solver.” “I work well under pressure.” “I'm a strong team player.” Sound familiar? These are things job candidates say in interviews every day. And they're almost meaningless. Not because they're unimportant. But because anyone can say them. Employers don't just want to hear what you're good at. They want evidence that you can solve their problems. Show Them What You Mean Instead of saying you're a problem solver, tell a short story about a problem you ac

Your job used to be translating strategy into action. AI just learned how to do part of that. So what’s left? For years, much of mid-level management has been built around moving information through an organization: Synthesizing information. Writing status reports. Coordinating across teams. Preparing presentations and updates. Running alignment meetings. Translating directives from senior leadership into action. AI is increasingly capable of handling parts of this work. It c

Book excerpt: There must be some people who enjoy the job search. After all, there are people who wait with gleeful anticipation for the chance to dive into their income taxes every year. In the end, though, you don’t have to love the search. You do, however, have to be good at it. STEP 1: DECIDE TO DECIDE Before you make any first step, you make the decision to move your foot. The same thing happens here. You can spend a lot of time dreaming about your dream job, but that ge

Guest post by Ashley Lipman Good news: the healthcare industry is expected to grow almost 20% by 2024. That makes health care one of the fastest growing industries in the country, and it’s a great way to make a living while helping others. As the population continues to age, we need more qualified health care workers to meet this demand for care. Working in this health field is becoming a popular choice since you don’t need years of education or experience to get started at