What 150 Networking Meetings Taught An Executive About Career Resilience
In this article, we share the ins and outs of an executive job search from the perspective of a seasoned Executive People and Culture Leader. Janet Dodge is someone I’ve partnered with over the years, and during a recent conversation, she shared that she has completed 150 networking meetings as part of her recent job search. 150 is an astounding number of meetings and in just four months. I asked her to share her story of how she has stayed positive, relevant, resilient, and true to herself while she navigates macroeconomic uncertainty, sluggish hiring cycles, election cycles, tariffs and technological barriers that have slowed down market activity.
The key lessons Janet has learned have centered on what she could control: her personal development, connections, and mindset. Here are the lessons that Janet learned.
Clarifying Career Focus and Industry Strategy
Janet has a clear passion and skill for people and culture—an area she’s dedicated her entire career to, yet pinpointing where and how to position herself in a job search was no simple task.
She has learned that as you grow in your career and become a senior leader the narrative about who you are, why you do what you do and how you add value needs to evolve. The script from her last job search wasn’t going to cut it. It took several attempts to figure out how to answer the simple question of “tell me your career story”. And those first few attempts, when she realized her answers were clunky, really stuck with her as a negative. A key learning for Janet was that the early days of a job search can be tough because you’re in an entirely different rhythm compared to full time work.
The next part of the job search script was to nail down an answer to “Where do you want to work?”. In Janet’s experience, working in People and Culture doesn’t actually differ that much between different industries. Rather, when you work in People and Culture the leadership roles vary more based on the size and complexity of the organization. Janet learned quickly that saying “I’m open to working at any organization or industry” was an answer that nobody wanted to hear. Instead, the recruiters and hiring managers wanted to hear that she was focused on them and her aspiration was to work in a specific industry and that she had a well-researched list of target employers.
To help figure out an answer to the elusive question of “where you want to work”, she conducted thorough research on Toronto’s key industries and landed on —financial services, professional services, and technology - to align her ambitions with market demand. This strategic focus helps her focus in her job search plan and optimize her chances of success.
Investing in Her Personal Brand
Having an elevator pitch was just one tool in her job search toolbox. Janet recognized that personal branding and positioning are crucial for someone at her level. She worked with her outplacement program and personally invested in additional expertise to articulate an authentic and compelling brand aligned with her career goals and market trends.
She built her brand into a new resume that was optimized for modern Applicant Tracking Systems, a refreshed LinkedIn profile, and new tools which she had never had before - a networking introduction/bio and a detailed experience profile which could be shared with Executive Search firms to help them prepare a candidate brief when she was being presented on a candidate short list.
Overcoming AI in the Job Screening
As a People and Culture executive, Janet is familiar with best practices and trends in Talent Acquisition and she’s been excited about better technology with candidate self-id, stronger reporting and analytics, skills-based candidate assessments and improved user experiences. What was surprising was how challenging the candidate experience is with modern Applicants Tracking Systems (ATS).
The combination of LinkedIn and better user experiences has really increased the reach of job postings and the ‘quick apply button’ has reduced barriers to applications. In Janet’s experience it’s very common for roles to have 500 or more applicants. When there are that many applicants, it is difficult to stand out with just an online application.
She has responded by making sure her resume is designed for applicant tracking systems and has paired online applications with multiple direct connection points—reaching out via LinkedIn to hiring managers or recruiters, making herself stand out.
A learning for Janet is that people generally want to help you in your job search, but many don’t know to help. A great way to ask for help is when you’re applying for a role, find out if you know anyone at that organization or if people in your network know people who work there. This is a chance to send an email or LinkedIn message directly to the hiring manager or People team. Getting a real human to review your application is key to making it through the ATS and getting to the top of 500-person candidate list.
Fostering Authentic Relationships in Networking
Janet’s key job search strategy is networking, which she has approached with authenticity—focusing on personal growth and relationship building, offering help, sharing insights, and investing time without an “I’m only here to find a job” mindset. She prepares for every meeting—“if people take time out of their day to speak with you, they’ve signaled their willingness to help. You owe it to them to be prepared and respectful of their time.” She also meticulously tracks her interactions to remind herself of conversations and when she should circle back to valuable contacts.
Building a Community of Peer Support
Janet has invested in building healthy, supportive communities—whether peer networks or professional groups— recommending roles to others, exchanging insights, and celebrating each other’s progress.
A pleasant surprise from her job search experience is the camaraderie and new friendships formed with other job searchers. Having a network of fellow candidates has greatly lessened the isolation that often accompanies a job search and boosted morale and self-awareness. Hearing other candidate stories is also a helpful tool for understanding market trends and the impact of political factors like elections and US tariffs.
Maintaining Emotional Well-being
Janet knows that her mental and physical health must be a priority to help her stay grounded and resilient amid the inevitable rollercoaster of job searching. She plans for deliberate self-care, maintaining a balanced daily routine that includes job search plus daily learning, fitness, relaxation, and volunteering.
She feels this time she’s had to reflect on the burnout culture and hyper-paced nature of today’s workplaces has allowed her to build her own self-awareness, adaptability and resilience which will make her a more grounded, compassionate leader in the future.
Finding Purpose
Janet has also devoted time to volunteering. She emphasizes that helping others not only provides a sense of purpose but also broadens one’s perspective and fosters a sense of community. Volunteering offers a valuable way to stay connected, build confidence, and contribute positively during challenging times.
Embracing Longer, Thoughtful Hiring Processes
The final learning Janet shared is her observation that at senior levels, the hiring process tends to be more extended—involving four to six interviews and often includes assessments.
Other candidates Janet has met have grumbled about how frustrating long recruitment cycles were. In contrast, Janet appreciates the multi-stage recruitment experiences because it means more opportunities to meet colleagues, understand the culture, and assess whether the organization and role align with her values and aspirations. Having multiple touchpoints through the recruitment process allows her to make thoughtful decisions that are more likely to lead to long-term satisfaction.
Conclusion
The challenges of job search are well known because embarking on a job search comes with uncertainty, ambiguity and a lack of control over your future. Success in job search isn’t just about finding the right opportunity; it’s about investing in oneself—emotionally, intellectually, and professionally—and staying true to core values.
Through strategic planning, genuine relationship-building, and self-care—including helping others through volunteering—Janet exemplifies how even the most daunting market conditions can serve as catalysts for renewal and growth. Her experience encourages all of us to approach career transitions as opportunities for personal transformation, with patience and purpose guiding the way.