I had the opportunity to interview a good friend last month.  He is a 57-year-old male executive in the food and beverage industry who unexpectedly lost his job due to an organizational restructuring.  For the purposes of this article, we will name him Brad.  This was Brad’s first and, hopefully, last job loss.   If this has happened to you or someone in your world, it is a jolt and a very unpleasant experience. Brad was truly surprised when it happened and felt the gut punch.    Stay tuned, there are sunny skies ahead for Brad.  So sunny, we decided the job search process he developed for himself could benefit others who may find themselves in a similar situation regardless of age, industry or job category.   Anyone who has been out of the workforce may also find this article helpful.   

The good news for Brad: He successfully completed his search with 3 good job offers within 10 weeks (about 2 and a half months)! Let’s dive in and see how this unfolded for him. 

Ask Yourself, “What Do You Want” 

The more you know about the type of industry, company characteristics, and role/responsibilities you are looking for, the more efficient your search will be.  Your networking contacts and interviewers will ask these questions and expect succinct answers.   It informs your research activities as well.  After some soul searching, Brad knew the type of role he was looking for and the type of company he preferred.   From the beginning, his search was very intentional. 

The Modern Job Search Challenge 

The current job market presents significant hurdles for applicants. Companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that electronically scan resumes for keywords, often disqualifying candidates before human review if their resumes aren’t optimized. The sheer volume of competition is staggering—job postings on LinkedIn commonly attract 400-500 or more applicants within just two days of a job posting. 

Where to Begin:   Networking   

Brad found the most effective strategy for securing interviews was leveraging personal connections. After using Ai to optimize his resume for a specific job posting, he would reach out, either via LinkedIn or email, to first-degree connections at the company, sharing the job posting link and his resume, and asking them to highlight his application to hiring managers or HR.  When only second-degree connections were available, he requested introductions. In one instance, he successfully cold-messaged a VP on LinkedIn who appreciated the effort and pushed his application to HR. 

Develop a Process: Rinse, Lather, Repeat   

Beyond networking, Brad employed several proactive tactics: 

• He identified 180 target companies by researching brands he was interested in
• Checked their career pages 1-2 times weekly (setting up alerts online) 
• Sent outreach notes to at least 100 people in his network (when adding people to your network, get their email address) 
• Contacted industry-focused recruiters, attorneys, and accountants for leads 
• Maintained a detailed tracking spreadsheet (company, title, job link, application status, etc.) 
• Found that traditional job boards were less effective for receiving relevant postings 

Using Ai:  The Virtual Assistant 

Ai played a crucial supporting role in Brad’s resume optimization and cover letter creation. By uploading job descriptions and his existing resume into AI tools with detailed prompts (specifying tone, length, and format), Brad could tailor applications to match ATS keyword requirements, typically achieving 90-95% optimization in under 60 seconds per application. Even with that lightning-fast work, Brad still carefully reviewed every “optimized” resume to ensure it used his voice and lens. Sometimes Ai would optimize to the point of an embellishment that Brad couldn’t defend if he was asked in an interview.

However, during our interview Brad emphasized that Ai is an assistant, not a replacement for traditional job search activities like networking and personal research. The key insight: using Ai is now necessary to remain competitive, since most other job seekers are already using these tools. (and so are employers!) 

Brad’s Summary: 

Developing a process and staying disciplined is key.  Brad spent at least 4 hours per day (weekends off) focused on the activities above. 

Building a network of contacts is a career long endeavor.  Keep going to industry events, meeting people, and asking for introductions while you are employed.  Keep your contacts fresh, by staying in touch and using LinkedIn. 

Tools: 

LinkedIn 

• Connecting with your network, searching for jobs, messaging 

Chat GPT or Claude 

• Rewriting resume for ATS keywords 
• Writing cover letters and adapting resumes for job descriptions 

Excel 

• Tracking companies, position, contact, company recruiter, date of last contact, when to follow up 

Online Job Boards 

• Indeed, LinkedIn, industry or professional organizations 
• Set alerts and search parameters 

Recruiters 

• Industry recruiters can be helpful.  Keep in mind that once they introduce you to a company, they consider themselves to be the source.  If your target company is not paying for recruiting it may be an issue 

Our thanks to Brad for sharing his experience with us!

 

---

Mosaic FI, LLC is a State of Illinois registered investment adviser. The opinions expressed herein are those of the firm and are subject to change without notice due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Any opinions, projections, or forward-looking statements expressed herein are solely those of Jenifer Aronson and Leslie Meisner, may differ from the views or opinions expressed by other areas of the firm, and are only for general informational purposes November 12, 2025.

Mosaic FI, LLC has provided links to various other websites. While Mosaic FI, LLC believes this information to be current and valuable to its clients, Mosaic FI, LLC provides these links on a strictly informational basis only and cannot be held liable for the accuracy, time sensitive nature, or viability of any information shown on these sites.