Helping job seekers revitalize their networking strategy in Q3 | Conversations > Applications ✌️

I help job seekers unlock $100K+ roles by mastering the story that sells. Conversations ​> Applications // Career Coach // Resume & LinkedIn Writing // Job Search Strategy

I believe you should be able to obtain your career dreams and that’s what I help professionals do. 

My clients have landed roles at Oracle, Deloitte, EY, Tata Consultancy, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Eaton, Salesforce, KPMG, PWC, Dell, Higher Education or started their own venture 😌

But, landing your dream role doesn’t happen by chance, or with me creating an offer letter for you. My most successful clients know it takes hard work, patience, and perseverance.

The results? Massive career pivots, finding clarity in what you wanted to do, landing your target role in 2 months, and getting 2x your current salary. 

Ultimately, the people I work with feel respected, valued, and paid fairly in their career path.

I am a career coach guiding frustrated mid-career professionals to their target roles by teaching them to have the right conversations with the right people

For brand partnerships or creator collaborations, reach out anytime: dominic@dxconsults.com

Sick of hearing from me?  Scroll 👇🏼  to see what my clients have to say

Who am I and why should you listen to me?

I was an underdog, I never had the perfect GPA, experience, or stories to tell and I still broke into the #1 professional service firm in the world. Before that, I spent time in public accounting, start-ups, and fortune 500 companies.

I sat behind the scenes in HR and watched resumes pile in, held phone screens and reference checks, and interviewed candidates, and rejected candidates (yes, all while utilizing an ATS). 

I’ve seen how treacherous the job searching process can be; automated rejections, ghosting, 14 rounds of interviews, and 250 applications a week. I don’t want you to have to live in the process that every candidate believes to be normal.

Born and raised in Cleveland, I took an unconventional path: four years in Austin, an unexpected detour living in Indonesia, and now a return to Austin where the weather is elite and the tacos are dangerously good.

My time abroad gave me perspective, my time in Cleveland gave me grit, and Austin has given me the space to build a business around helping people do work they love. I still root for the Browns (against all odds), and I’m usually running, creating, or hanging with family and friends when I'm not coaching.

Dominic Imwalle

Sending another application today? Cool.

Just know that hitting 'submit' isn't the win you think.

Here's the thing: applications feel productive.
They're measurable. They're safe.

But they're not moving you forward 👇

STEP 1) Redefine your finish line

- Stop counting applications sent. Start counting conversations had. One real conversation with someone at your target company beats 20 cold applications every single time.

- The goal isn't volume, it's connection.

STEP 2) Pick one person this week

- Find someone doing the work you want to do. Someone who's been where you're trying to go. Reach out with a clear, specific ask. "I'd love 15 minutes to learn how you approached X" works better than "Can I pick your brain?"

- Make it easy for them to say yes.

STEP 3) Show up prepared

- Don't waste their time with questions Google could answer. Come with insight. Share what you've learned about their company, their role, their challenges.

- Ask how they'd approach a problem you're thinking through.

- This isn't an interview, it's a conversation between two professionals.

STEP 4) Follow through

- After the call, send a thank you. Share something useful.

Stay visible. The relationship doesn't end when the Zoom closes.

- People refer candidates they remember, not resumes they forgot.

The application makes you feel busy. 
The conversation makes you memorable.

Leave  the dopamine hit of clicking 'apply' behind. Start building the relationships that actually open doors.

One conversation this week. That's the finish line that matters.

Go find it ✌🏼

Platforms don’t hire you, people do | Creating content to make your search go a level deep than “easy apply” | Career Coach

I've seen people take two full weeks off during this holiday split.

I've also seen people working straight through, treating it like any other December.

I've watched job seekers pause everything until January. I've also watched job seekers send connection requests on December 27th and land interviews by January 2nd.

I've known hiring managers who go dark for weeks. I've also known hiring managers who are online right now, reviewing profiles and responding to messages.

The calendar split this year means fewer people are taking extended time off. Most are working at least part of this week.

As someone who's coached hundreds through career transitions, my advice hasn't changed: Don't wait for January if you're serious about your search.

Today's a perfect day to send 5-10 messages, go deep on research, and start conversations.

People are still working this week.

Tap in where you can and then go have a day 🤝

Platforms don’t hire you, people do | Career Coach | Creating content to make your search go a level deep than “easy apply”

Get out in the world. 
Go do things you enjoy. 
Go push yourself to tears. 
Go hang around people you love.

The world is waiting for you.

Houston. Thank you 🤝

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Last week I realized I no longer submit quarterly reviews to a boss.

I am the boss now.

Here's what the last 90 days of running my own business looked like:

- Survived 3 months
- Held 50+ calls with job seekers
- Didn't touch a penny of my savings
- Joined Favikon for their partner program
- Landed ~$500K in compensation for clients
- Started engaging in pure recruitment services
- Generated 450K impressions with LinkedIn content
- Built a community for conversation > applications with ~20 active members

Sitting in plan for 2026 right now

But I forgot to celebrate the work and be honest about the story.

Every week has been a rollercoaster.
I wish someone had shared that earlier with me.

But I love it so much.
It's a privilege to wake up and serve professionals.

Here's to waking up and treating it like day one 🤝

Ps) these are the highlights, no mistakes/failures pictured

A client reminded me of something I've been doing wrong for years.

We see posts that resonate.

But we scroll past them anyway.
Telling ourselves we'll come back later.

I've lost count of the posts I meant to comment on.

The connections I could've made.
The conversations that never happened.

Here's what I've learned:

- That insight that clicked? Respond immediately.
- That moment of connection? Don't let it pass.
- That person you admire? Tell them today.
- That post you loved? Comment now.

The real cost?
Missing out on relationships.

- How many people never heard your perspective?
- How many conversations died in your drafts folder?
- How many connections slipped through the cracks?

I'm consistently amazed by what happens when I just hit send.

For you, if commenting feels uncomfortable, start small.

It pays to engage with content that moves you.
Pays more to believe people want to hear from you.

Because they do.

The only mistake is convincing yourself otherwise.

Stop saving posts for later.

Start building connections now ✌🏼

I predict career coaching will grow over the next 10 years as organizations have less and less people who care about the growth of those beneath them. They won't spend the time to develop their people because AI was supposed to replace their job. 

Coaching doesn’t replace managers, it replaces the development that no longer exists.

You have to love every single part of the game. And that's my favorite thing about training for a race or serving professionals. 

It will not bounce your way a majority of the time until the ONE week that it does and you dominate because you stayed ready. 

If I'm not with friends, this is what I love doing. 

Have a Sunday 🤝

Ps) t-minus one week until Houston marathon

Endlessly scrolling through LinkedIn won’t guarantee you more interview calls.

1 massive misconception I keep seeing  -  thinking hours on the platform = interview invites.

Why it keeps you stuck instead of moving forward:

1) You confuse activity with actual progress
2) You lose consistency chasing perfection
3) You burn out trying to "do more" ("easy apply")

People respond to candidates who:

- Stay top of mind
- Show up regularly
- Build trust through repetition

So if you're exhausted (or feeling behind):

- Let small actions compound over time
- Message 2 - 3 people per session
- Track who you've reached out to
- Set 15 minutes, twice a week
- Focus on quality over quantity

Because your consistency → creates the leverage that sporadic effort never will.

"Do I need to be on LinkedIn all day?"

1) No.
2) It starts with showing up on your terms.

Build your outreach so you can:

1) Create momentum
2) Trust the process
3) Stay visible

If your goal is to land interviews without burning out...

- Play the long game
- Control your schedule
- Shift from hours to habits

People want to hear from you.

Act accordingly 🤝

I will be your random guy on LinkedIn every single day of the week. 

S/o LinkedIn for giving me a platform.
Blue badge or not, I'll be here rocking 🤝

Founder @ SalesBrand | LinkedIn executive brand and content consultancy | Over half a billion organic LinkedIn views

The LinkedIn Top Voice blue badge summed up in two images.

1. Mel Robbins: world famous author and writer, sold millions of books, has 40 million followers across social media, gets thousands and thousands of engagements per post.

2. Dominic Imwalle: random guy, with a solo consulting business in Texas, gets 20 likes per post

UPDATE 1:

There is a third category. Big LinkedIn-native influencers. I know some of them. Top Voice for them makes sense.

UPDATE 2:

There appears to be a Blue Badge purge going on at LinkedIn right now. People are losing them left and right. So we will see how this all shakes out.

"If someone came to you today saying 'the market is terrible,' how would you response now?"

I asked this to a professional in my program this morning who landed a role before Christmas, their answer:

"It probably is. It's a tough market and from conversations I had, strategic hiring is what's been happening and what is happening"

You don't gain anything by not admitting it. 

It brutal out there, now let's get to work 🤝

A great leader is not just a good manager - 

It's someone who transforms your entire career trajectory.

If you're 5-15 years into your career and you haven't worked under a leader who:

- Demands a high quality work product
- Requires you to share your story
- Requires you to document your story
- Magnifies where you've won
- Gives you room to grow in losses
- Helps you develop other leaders
- Gives you autonomy to find a project you enjoy
- Teaches you how to navigate compensation

Then I highly recommend working this entire year to find someone like this. 

Note: It could take a few years and still be worth it.

I watched a client almost quit 10 minutes into the role research I asked them to do.

"Where do I fit in?"

The job search spiral is real.

Where do I find roles?
What's the next role title?
Who wants to bring me into the fold?

But it's easy to miss the point when you get started.
The exercise isn't to find your next job immediately.

Sure, there should be some targets.

But the goal is to find interesting people and let the lane emerge through the conversations.

This especially goes for folks who are currently employed and looking to make a slow move in Q1 of 2026.

You have time to:

- Build relationships before you need them
- Explore what roles actually interest you
- Let opportunities surface naturally
- Double down on folks you know

Could you land a role by mass applying today?
Of course, it's just going to burn you out faster.

I've watched clients transform their search when they stopped hunting and started connecting.

The conversations reveal the path.

So, are you searching for a job or building toward one?

I’ve watched doors open and careers soar simply because someone offered genuine kindness in an everyday moment.

Don't underestimate how often people are watching you move throughout the day.

Especially online. 

ps) audio scare at the end from the dog, s/o Bea

I joined Favikon's creator program late last year and it's been a breakthrough for understanding the creator economy.

Here's what I've learned:

1. How creators are actually getting supported

- Understanding what moves the needle
- Rankings and metrics that matter
- Finding others building in public

2. Building out my "creator spotlight"

- Where have I won?
- Where do I have room to partner?
- What audience am I hanging out with?
- What have past partnerships looked like?

https://lnkd.in/g8s8FQSm
(give it a look, still in process 🤝)

3. Setting real goals

- Partner with a health/lifestyle brand by end of Q2
- Stop being ignorant to owning a personal brand
- Double down on the creator economy

This works because:

- It pushed me to grow beyond just posting.
- It's already led to partnership conversations for Q1.
- It connects my two worlds: LinkedIn and athletic training.

By following this, I'm:

- Creating opportunities I didn't see before.
- Building something beyond career coaching.
- Owning the fact that there's life outside going on.

I was born in the old school way of things, time to adapt ✌🏼

Don't idolize the LinkedIn profile - validate it with questions. Here's the shift:

You finally land a call with someone whose career looks perfect on paper.

Senior title. Dream company. Impressive trajectory.

You're ready to absorb every word like gospel.

But here's where most people get it wrong.

They treat the conversation like a masterclass instead of a discovery call.

Avoid:

- Taking every piece of advice as absolute truth.
- Forgetting to test their perspective against others.
- Leaving without understanding what didn't work.
- Nodding along without challenging ideas.
- Assuming their path is the only path.

Run towards:

- Digging into the failures, not just wins.
- Asking what they'd do differently today.
- Testing their advice against your situation.
- Treating their experience as one data point.
- Comparing their insights to other conversations.
- Following up with what you learned elsewhere.

Why does this matter?
Because their LinkedIn tells a story, not the story.

What worked for them might not work for you.
Your job isn't to copy - it's to collect evidence.

When you treat people like hypotheses instead of saviors, you stop worshipping profiles and start building your own playbook.

That's how you make smarter moves in the market.

Test everything, believe selectively ✌🏼

Ps) this is what I spent a Saturday coaching session discussing, it pays to spend time with the right people to uncover where you're headed!

Job seekers focus on what they can't control.

The interview invite, the recruiter's response, the offer timing.

What about the work you can do today?

Here's what's in your control right now --

1) Who are you reaching out to this week?
2) How do you deliver your story?
3) Where are you showing up consistently?

The interview comes later. The offer comes after that.

But the outreach? The conversations? The visibility?
That's today's work.

Control the inputs, trust the outcomes ✌️

When you shift to conversations > applications, tracking the right signals separates good networking from great networking.

Watch for these leading indicators:

- They offered to introduce you to someone in their network.
- They asked how they could be helpful moving forward.
- They gave you a name to mention in your outreach.
- They connected your background to a specific role.
- They shared internal context you couldn't find online.
- The insights you gained helped you take action.
- They followed up after the conversation ended.
- They asked about your next steps or timeline.

These are all signs of a networking conversation that moved the needle.

But, one signal alone doesn't mean much.

Therefore, when multiple indicators show up in the same conversation, you've built the type of connection that actually leads to opportunities.

When conversations feel like they're going nowhere, look for these signals.

I'm confused why you'd use anything other than beehiiv to run your newsletter in 2026. 

I have a small list I'm writing to on roughly a weekly basis, from there I can:

- Refer people to other newsletters I love. 
- Manage products that are relevant for subscribers.
- "Vibe code" into a new landing page for people.
- Monetize w/ ads few different ways (take home all of it).
- Own all digital assets in one platform vs. multiple sites. 

Better yet, they have an awesome team supporting you 24/7. I remember when they first kicked off and I was in a slack chat asking questions + getting 1:1 support. 

Even more, you hear from Tyler Denk 🐝 pretty often on what's next. 

Also gotta s/o Daniel Berk 🐝 who keeps me hooked.

If you need a newsletter platform, run here 🤝

Most people see job seekers as statistics, not individuals. That’s where everything goes wrong.

You have the opportunity to change someone’s life. 

One call. One message. One offer.

You gain nothing from showing up to an interaction with anything less.

Have a Saturday 🤝

Ps) ShareAura is an elite running app where I thought about this post.

The job search isn't glamorous, but it's where you build the momentum that matters.

We're often waiting for the "right" opportunity.

But most days, it's just you doing the work.
No one's watching, no one's cheering.

What does that work actually look like?

- Reaching out to who they recommended
- Connecting your experience to their pain
- Finding the company in your field
- Crafting the email to the hiring team
- Tweaking your resume or LinkedIn
- Taking action after the conversation
- Crafting the connection request
- Finding the person to contact
- Scheduling the conversation
- Finding the role you like
- Holding the conversation

And the list goes on.
This is the work you can control.

When you take the gut punch from 8+ interviews that didn't go your way?

You go back to this work.
You create another opportunity.

These are all steps I've seen create wins for people. 
Run back here if you're struggling 🤝

Bernadette Pawlik, Job Search Strategist/Recruiting Insider

My practice is based upon over 25 years of recruiting experience---real expertise built on real experience behind the scenes in every step of the hiring process.

I know how professionals go from jobseekers to candidates---because I identified and qualified hundreds of candidates.

I know the "secret language of job descriptions"and teach my clients how to decode them so they pursue the right roles.   I've written job descriptions from manager through CEO.

I know how recruiters and hiring managers evaluate resumes. I evaluated thousands and personally witnessed how hiring managers react to them.

I know how recruiters leverage Linkedin to find talent: I used Linkedin as the foundation of my search practice.

I know what works during the interview process, and what fails:  I'm interviewed hundreds and received feedback on scores.

My goal is to give my clients the same "insider tools" that I perfected behind the curtain for over 50k hours recruiting. (This can be confirmed at www.pawlikdorman.com)

Whether it is resume revisions, Linkedin upgrades, job search strategy, interview skills or long term networking for career success..my direct experience informs every service I am privileged to provide to clients.

I am also a founder of the #JobSeekerGuides, an all volunteer group of recruiting professionals dedicated to overturning the myths and misinformation about the recruiting process.

Finally, I can't promise you a job, a double digit pay increase or a spectacular career trajectory.  I can promise that if you are my client you'll move forward in your job search and/or career confident because you are empowered by real insider tools and skills.

Senior Partner

Pawlik/Dorman conducts retained senior executive searches for a strategically limited number of clients.  Our mission is client relationships that are long-lasting, not merely transactional.  Our goal is to understand not only our client's talent needs, but their culture, strategy and vision. 

We focus on an initial client needs assessment which requires input in writing from each member of the hiring team to conduct not only a comprehensive search but to expedite the process. 

Our goal is candidates who not only "fit", but who thrive. 80% of our business is from repeat clients or referrals. Those referrals come from both clients, and candidates who were not hired, because we believe how we represent our clients build or detract from their brand as well as our reputation--so each candidate is treated with respect.
  
We welcome your questions at pawlik@pawlikdorman.com or 773 296 0950.  In addition, we are always delighted to brainstorm on search issues, career guidance or resume effectiveness.  To do so, please send an e-mail to pawlik@pawlikdorman.com referencing Linkedin.

"Why are recruiters so defensive about the ATS?"

I saw this question recently.

My reply would be this:

Every recruiter has been a jobseeker.

They know the anxiety of wondering where that next mortgage payment is coming from.

They know the despair of sending out one application after another to either receive a perfunctory "we've moved forward with other candidates" or being ghosted after 3 interviews.

Every recruiter has been where every jobseeker is today.

And, they know how vulnerable jobseekers are.

When they read misinformation about the functioning of ATS they know how that increases anxiety...

how many more additional sleepless nights those myths cause.

How it creates or compounds feelings of hopeless.

They are "defensive" about the ATS for three reasons:

1) They are human and know jobloss fear.

2) They work daily with ATS and they know how it works.

3) They battle against the misinformation as recruiting professionals and as human beings.

That's why current and former (like myself) recruiting professionals do their paid jobs and the unpaid, tedious, never ending work of combating myths and misinformation that increase fear and despair.

Comments will keep this post alive, so yours are appreciated!

#Recruitinginsider, #jobsearch, #careers, #executivesearch, #job

Bernadette Pawlik

Career Coach & Job Search Strategist/25+ Years of Executive Recruiting Experience/Navigating the market with the “Insider’s Advantage”.

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Bernadette Pawlik, Job Search Strategist/Recruiting Insider

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