By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
EP 3127 The ticking clock is not your friend.
LinkedIn’s #opentowork Post
All right, let’s get right into it. Today, we’re talking about something tough, but it’s so, so important, the hidden dangers of a long job search. We’re going to break down why that ticking clock is not your friend, and more importantly, what you can actually do about it.
So let’s start with a big question. One you’ve probably asked yourself, if you’ve been on the market for a bit, when does searching for a while turn into searching for too long? I mean, is there a tipping point where the search itself actually starts to hurt you? Well, as we’re about to see, the answer is a huge resounding yes. And that brings us to our first big idea, the job search clock.
You have to understand that when it comes to finding a new role, time is absolutely not on your side. Here it is, the core principle in a nutshell. It’s a harsh reality, but the longer you’re unemployed, the tougher the search gets.
It’s like this negative spiral that gets steeper and steeper, and your job is to break out of it. Okay. So as the weeks turn into months, this isn’t just about how things look.
No, real tangible consequences start piling up and they begin to chip away at your professional standing. The very first thing to go, your power, your leverage, especially at the negotiating table. Think about it.
An employer knows you’ve been looking for a while. They know you need a job and that knowledge completely flips the power dynamic in any salary conversation. Wow.
I mean, listen to that. That is, that’s a brutal thing to hear, right? But it gives you a raw unfiltered look into how some hiring managers think. They see someone who’s been out of work and they think this person needs this job.
And just like that, poof, your power to negotiate for what you’re worth just evaporates, and then the silence sets in. The calls from recruiters just stop. Why? Well, recruiters know companies get skittish about paying a big fee for a candidate who’s been on the market for a long time, so the professional outreach dries up and suddenly you’re left relying almost completely on your own personal network.
This loss of leverage, this growing silence, it’s all building toward a really critical point. There is a specific threshold in time where the difficulty of your job search can just explode. And that threshold is the one year mark.
Now, this isn’t some random number. It’s a major psychological barrier for employers and crossing it can have some pretty profound consequences for your search. This quote really nails it.
One year out of work is the point where things can go from just being difficult to becoming, well, dire. It signals a huge shift in how the entire hiring world starts to see you. So why? What is so magical and terrible about one year? Honestly, it all comes down to perception.
A hiring manager’s view of your situation is probably way, way different from your own. And here’s where things get really tricky. It’s this tale of two totally different perspectives.
From your side, it’s completely understandable. You’re thinking, Hey, the economy’s tough. I got laid off.
It’s just bad luck. But from their side, well, they see it differently. They’re looking at a stack of resumes and they know other people are getting hired.
So their simple and pretty cold question becomes, okay, so what’s wrong with this person? And that question leads to this incredibly harsh, unfair label. Whether it’s true or not, doesn’t even matter. You can start to be seen as damaged goods.
You know, a candidate that everyone else has already passed on for some hidden reason. And being seen this way has very real costs. If you do get an offer, it’s often a step down, a lower title, less responsibility, and for sure, less pay.
Is Your Job Search in a Groove or a Rut?
The company just isn’t willing to pay a top dollar. They’d rather get you at a discount, bring you in and quote, observe you for a while before even thinking about getting you back to where you were. So, okay, you’re facing this ticking clock.
You’re up against these really harsh perceptions. What on earth are you supposed to do? Well, the source material is crystal clear on this. There is only one way forward.
You have to fight back with just an overwhelming amount of effort. And that one way forward is to hustle. And we’re not just talking about, you know, working hard.
No, this is different. This is a frantic, relentless, all out blitz on every single part of your job search. This is really about a total shift in your mindset.
It all starts with being brutally honest with yourself and admitting, okay, what I’m doing right now just isn’t enough. From there, you have to find another gear, a whole new level of intensity, and then push yourself even past that. And I just love this line, hustle like your hair’s on fire.
I mean, you can just feel that, can’t you? It perfectly captures the energy you need. This is not a relaxed walk in the park. It’s a full-on sprint driven by this gut level sense of urgency.
And why all this intensity? Why is it so important? Because let’s be real. This isn’t just about finding a job. This is about preventing long-term damage to your career, to your future earnings, to your professional reputation.
Everything you have worked for is on the line. And that brings us right to the final question. And it’s a question that only you can answer.
Now that you’ve seen the stakes, now that you know how that clock is working against you, are you really doing enough to win this fight?
Don’t Act Desperate!
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS Career Advice globally because he makes many things in peoples’ careers
easier. Those things can involve job search,
hiring more effectively, managing and leading better, career transition, as well as advice about resolving workplace issues.
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 3100 episodes.
Master Executive Branding: A Guide for C Suite Professionals
You will find great info to help with your job search at my new site, JobSearch.Community Besides the video courses, books and guides, I answer questions from members daily about their job search. Leave job search questions and I will respond daily. Become an Insider+ member and you get everything you’d get as an Insider PLUS you can get me on Zoom calls to get questions answered. Become an Insider Premium member and we do individual and group coaching.
Jobs on the Rise According to LinkedIn in 2026
Also, subscribe to JobSearchTV.com on YouTube and No BS Job Search Advice Radio, the #1 podcast for job search with more than 2700 episodes over 12+ years.in Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon Music and almost anywhere you listen or watch podcasts.
You can also have your #jobsearchquestions answered Tuesdays at noon Eastern. Search for Career Coach Office Hours on LinkedIn and mark that you’re attending. You’ll have access to the recording if you miss it live.
The Modern Job Search
Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us to discuss one-on-one or group coaching with me
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheBigGameHunter
Resume & LinkedIn Profile critiqueswww.TheBigGameHunter.us/critiques
Branding. Brandjacking. Build Your Reputation
We grant permission for this post and others to be used on your website as long as a backlink is included to www.TheBigGameHunter.us and notice is provided that it is provided by Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter as an author or creator. Not acknowledging his work or providing a backlink to www.TheBigGameHunter.us makes you subject to a $1000 penalty which you proactively agree to pay.
