As each new year rolls around, a host of people contact my career coaching practice with the "resolution" to find a new job. Alas, with the uncertain economy, it's no secret the job market can feel like an uphill climb — and the process often takes longer than we’d like.
That’s why, now is the perfect time to hit pause and audit your job hunt as 2026 kicks into gear. Ask yourself these eight game-changing questions to make sure you’re not just looking for a job; you’re leveling up your entire approach.
What to Consider When Organizing a Job Search
1. Are You Optimizing Your Workflow?
Start by analyzing your job search routine and making a few adjustments that might lead to greater success. Ask yourself whether it’s worth planning your job search around the times of day when you're most energetic and productive. Consider intentionally targeting job ads first thing in the morning, while they’re still fresh. You might also try relocating your computer to a new work area for a change of environment.
Another option is to set a specific schedule for your search and ask your family (or roommates) for a few interruption-free hours each day. For many people, even a minor shift in these habits can shake things up and lead to a rise in effectiveness.
2. Are You Measuring the Right Things?
In parallel to how businesses are embracing the use of metrics to improve performance, adding a data-driven element to your efforts can help you figure out which aspects of your search approach are working well — and which aren't. For instance, you might start analyzing how many responses you get with one version of your resume versus another.
You could also experiment with changes to your LinkedIn profile and monitor whether the number of visits to your page increases or decreases. Or commit to reaching out to a set number of relevant companies and contacts (5? 10? 15?) every day without fail — since employer contact is what generates interviews.
3. Are You Honing Your Skills?
Another component that's easy to lose sight of when stuck in the fog of a job search is the importance of continuous learning. With 2026 upon us, it is wise to research the skills, technologies or trends most impacting your field and develop a game plan to acquire some of these emerging qualifications.
Luckily, it's become easier to figure out what new skills or qualifications might pay the greatest dividends in the future. In most situations, all you need to do is prompt any of the standard AI platforms (ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Co-Pilot, etc.) with phrases like "What are the top skills companies are having trouble finding in the UX field?" or "What are the top five most valuable qualifications for a project manager?"
Alternatively, you might even upload your resume to the site and ask, "What is the single most valuable skill, strength or educational credential I'm missing compared to others in my field?" and see what the tool reveals.
4. Are You Networking Properly?
Networking often boils down to one thing: Asking people for referrals. I mean, actually asking for them, instead of just dancing around the topic or implying that you'd be open to them if offered?
When the economy gets tight, a lot of hiring goes underground. So, if not you're saying things like "Hey Mary, would you by any chance be able to introduce me to person XYZ you know over at Microsoft?" daily, it might be time to rework your networking strategy.
What's more, with LinkedIn, identifying referral targets is easier than ever before — and if you haven't used it previously, the site's "Connections Of" filter can be a gold mine in terms of helping turn up some excellent referral possibilities. Simply find that option in the site's "All Filters" menu, set it to a specific person in your network, add relevant industry and job title parameters and hunt for appropriate people your contact might know to whom you could request an introduction.
5. Are You Selling Hope?
Another factor — one folks often overlook in the job search process — comes down to the power of optimism. Most people want to spend their days around (aka "hire") people who are upbeat, enthusiastic and exude a glass-half-full mindset.
As tough as it is to be unemployed, don't forget that employers have plenty of their own problems to worry about. They might be wondering how they're going to weather a current industry downturn, compete against the rise of AI tools or deal with the loss of a key customer.
If you show consistent positivity and confidently assure hiring managers you can ease their pain points, it can make a real difference. Use this dynamic to your advantage and let attitude serve as your secret weapon in the interviewing process.
6. Is Your LinkedIn Profile Optimized?
These days, LinkedIn is a vital tool in the job search process and the #1 source employers today use to find talent. And yet, even 20+ years into the site's existence, only a tiny fraction of users (under 1%) have truly optimized their profile to be as findable as possible.
So, if you're actively on the hunt for a new role here in the new year, make a point to raise your LinkedIn game. Take advantage of the sea of advice available on how to improve your LinkedIn presence — which at the very least involves highlighting your strengths and making sure your page contains the top 20-30 keywords in your field to make the algorithm happy. Any job lead you can generate passively through LinkedIn will be gravy on top of whatever leads you're muscling up via your other efforts, so why not maximize your chances?
7. Are You Elevating Your Interview Game?
During the average week, I conduct about 10-20 mock interviews with people from all different industries, career fields and walks of life. Surprisingly, during all these sessions, there are only one or two moments where I hear a truly GREAT answer to any given interviewing question.
For whatever reason, far too many people deliver answers that come across as generic or cliché, to the point that they lack real impact. For example, if you're a manager asked about your leadership style and you say you're a "servant leader," it’s likely that more than half of your competitors (in my experience) have said the same thing.
Instead, dig deeper and come up with a thought on team leadership that's original, interesting and authentic, based on your experience. Repeat this process for common questions about your greatest strengths and weaknesses, why you're interested in the given job, and the like. One sales leader I worked with delivered a very passionate response to the "greatest strengths" question that centered on her conviction that she could teach anyone, anywhere — even non-sales professionals — how to sell effectively. Answers like this stand out and will be memorable in the typical sea of interviewing mediocrity.
8. Are You Living Your Life?
Once, I had a client who had been job hunting for months tell me she'd decided to take a week-long break from her job search and use that time to join some local community meetup groups, hobby clubs and volunteer opportunities.
As she put it, "I reached the point where I felt like I had become nothing more than a 'job hunting zombie' and where I was so bored with myself, I couldn't imagine how anybody else could get excited about me!" Sound familiar? If so, perhaps 2026 is the time to shake up your routine, get out of the house and "make yourself more interesting." Pick up a new hobby, learn a new skill or get involved in some of the great many philanthropic organizations around town.
As we all know, January is always a great time to let go of old habits and embrace new routines to enhance your personal and professional success. I hope this list provides a spark of inspiration for those of you out there on the job search circuit!