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The #1 Reason Job Seekers Fail

The #1 Reason Job Seekers Fail

(And How to Avoid It)

Heather Maietta, EdD
February 24, 2025

If you’ve worked with career coaching clients for any length of time, you’ve probably heard this:

"I feel stuck. Nothing is happening."
"This job search is taking forever."
"I don’t think I’m making any progress."

Your instinct might be to reassure them with the classic phrase: “Trust the process.”

Do clients have any idea what that actually means?!

For most people, trusting the process sounds like “sit back, wait, and hope for the best.”

And hope isn’t a strategy.

Our job as career coaches is to teach clients how to trust the process the right way—by following a structured, measurable plan that keeps them engaged and moving forward.

Last week, we talked about how important the foundation work is in helping clients get clarity on their career.

Today we’re going to talk about why simply telling clients to “trust the process” isn’t enough.

Specifically:

The reason job seekers lose faith in the process.
Why this mistake leads to a lot of frustration.
And how to fix it with a structured, measurable approach that keeps them motivated engaged.

What “Trust the Process” Really Means in Career Coaching

When our clients feel stuck, it’s usually because they can’t see their progress.

They send resumes, apply to jobs, and network, but when there’s no immediate result, frustration kicks in.

That’s when they start questioning everything—whether they should change strategies, tweak their resume again, or worse, give up entirely.

“Trusting the process” means helping them understand that career success doesn’t happen overnight.

It’s about consistency—following the right steps, even when the results aren’t immediate.

It’s about adaptability—staying the course but adjusting when needed.

And most importantly, it’s about commitment—understanding that the process works, but only if they stick with it long enough.

But trusting the process only works if it’s built on a clear roadmap. That’s where Milestone Mapping and Backcasting come in.

The Importance of Resilience

1️⃣ Patience Is a Career Superpower

Changing careers, climbing the corporate ladder, or landing a dream job takes time. A job search, on average, takes 3-6 months, and for senior roles, it can take even longer.

Your clients need to hear this. If they expect overnight success, they’ll burn out fast. Show them that trusting the process means focusing on the work, not obsessing over the timeline.

2️⃣ Resilience Separates the Winners from the Quitters

Most clients will face rejection once, if not multiple times.

The ones who succeed are the ones who keep going. As a coach, your role is to reframe rejection as part of the process. Each rejection is feedback, data they can use to improve.

The goal isn’t to avoid failure. It’s to keep moving forward despite it.

3️⃣ Progress Is Happening (Even If They Can’t See It)

Most job seekers focus only on the final goal—getting the offer. But progress happens at every stage:

Expanding their network
Improving their interview skills
Getting a hiring manager’s response
Moving past initial screenings

If they only measure success by “Did I get the job?” they’ll feel like they’re failing.

Help them celebrate small wins, because small wins lead to big results.

How to Help Clients Turn “Trust the Process” Into a Strategy

Your clients don’t need blind faith—they need a system.

Step 1: Use Backcasting to Work Backward from Their Goal

Most job seekers look at the future as a big question mark. How do I get there?

Backcasting solves this by starting at the end and working backward.

Let’s say your client’s goal is to land a mid-level marketing role in a tech company within six months. Instead of telling them to “just start applying,” backcasting breaks it into logical steps:

The final step: Receive an offer from a tech company.
Before that: Get to the final round of interviews.
Before that: Get multiple interview requests.
Before that: Build a resume that lands interviews.
Before that: Network with industry professionals and hiring managers.
Before that: Identify target companies and refine the job search strategy.

Now, instead of feeling overwhelmed, they have a clear roadmap.

Step 2: Use Milestone Mapping to Break the Goal into Smaller Wins

A job search feels endless when there’s no sense of progress. That’s why milestone mapping works—it turns the process into clear, achievable steps.

For a client aiming to transition into tech, their milestones might look like this:

Month 1: Build the Foundation

Identify 10-15 target companies.
Optimize LinkedIn profile and resume for tech roles.
Start networking with people in the industry.

Month 2: Strengthen the Network

Set up at least 5 informational interviews.
Engage with industry leaders on LinkedIn.
Apply to the first wave of roles with tailored resumes.

Month 3: Apply with a Targeted Strategy

Apply to at least 10 high-fit roles per week.
Track application responses and analyze what’s working.
Practice interview techniques using real job postings.

Month 4: Refine and Adjust

Identify gaps in responses and adjust resume and cover letters.
Double down on networking for internal referrals.
Continue interview prep based on past performance.

Month 5: Nail the Interviews

Schedule at least 3-5 interviews.
Get feedback and refine answers.
Prepare negotiation strategies.

Month 6: Land the Job

Secure final interviews and negotiate offers.
Make a confident, well-informed career decision.

Instead of obsessing over when they’ll get hired, your client can now focus on achieving each milestone—one at a time.

Keeping Clients on Track (When They Want to Give Up)

Even with a perfect plan, some clients will struggle. Here’s how to help them push through.

Track Their Progress

Clients need to see movement. Have them keep a simple progress log—number of applications, responses, interviews, and networking connections. Seeing improvement keeps them motivated.

Help Them Adjust, Not Quit

If they hit a roadblock, don’t let them panic. Instead, analyze what’s not working and tweak the approach. Is their resume getting ignored? Maybe the keywords are off. No interview callbacks? Time to refine their answers.

Hold Them Accountable

People are more likely to stay on track when they’re accountable to someone. Weekly check-ins (even brief ones) can make a huge difference.

Career Coaching = Strategy + Mindset

A job search isn’t just a list of tasks. It’s an emotional rollercoaster.

Your clients will get frustrated. They’ll doubt themselves. They’ll want to quit.

That’s where you come in.

You’re not just their career coach—you’re their guide through uncertainty. You help them stay patient when they want results now. You show them how to keep going when they feel stuck.

And most importantly, you give them a system that makes success inevitable.

So the next time a client tells you they feel lost, don’t just say “Trust the process.”

Teach them how to trust the process.

Because when they do, they’ll land the job. And you’ll have played a huge role in making that happen.