Job Search taking way too long? In my experience as a Career Strategist and Executive Resume Writer, I’ve found that the problem rarely lacks qualifications or opportunities, but rather self-defeating search strategies. You can have the greatest vehicle (read: career prospects) in the world, but if you don’t know how to drive or have an accurate map to your destination, you’ll go off the road! Here Are 5 Big Reasons For Extended Job Search Times: 1. Assuming You’ll Figure Out What Job You Want During The Search. The complex, high-stakes marketplace you’re entering as a job seeker is a nightmare for strategic planning. Which is why you need to know exactly what roles you’re targeting, and how you stack up against the competition, before starting the search. This will save you huge amounts of time and wasted effort. Study LinkedIn Profiles of competitors with similar backgrounds to yourself. What types of roles do they currently have? What industry-to-industry jumps have they made? What qualities are they highlighting? All of this is valuable intel to narrow down your search parameters. Collect a set of job postings, at least 8-10, that you’d be a great fit for. What skills are being called out time and time again? What’s their “image” of an ideal candidate? The goal here is to reverse engineer how you come across to fit that image within your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn presence and other materials. Better fit = more opportunities. Set up informational interviews with...

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