Two common myths about job searching hold a lot of people back, and both are worth dispelling properly rather than accepting as simply the way things are. The first myth is that job searching is an inherently solitary process, with you as the sole stakeholder responsible for your own success. In reality, there is ample opportunity to engage your network and use other people's resources to widen your reach considerably. 

Start with the people who already know you well professionally, then extend deliberately into their networks too. Second degree connections, people connected to your connections, are statistically very effective, whether you are looking for a role or trying to win business as an entrepreneur. 

As you activate these relationships, remember that reciprocity matters just as much as reach. Look out for their search or business goals in return, recommend them on LinkedIn, or simply stay genuinely engaged rather than only reaching out when you need something from them. Relationships nurtured consistently over the long term will always outperform one off, transactional asks made in a moment of need.

The second myth is that more applications automatically equal more success. After two decades in recruitment, the pattern is unmistakably clear: the more applications you send out indiscriminately, the more rejections you accumulate in return.

Instead of relying on sheer volume and repeatedly clicking apply on anything remotely relevant, invest real, focused time identifying the right roles for you specifically. What makes a role genuinely right is not simply whether you are capable of doing the job. It is whether you can objectively and honestly say you would be among the best candidates for that particular position, given your specific mix of skills, experience and fit with what the employer actually needs.



Letting go of both myths changes how you approach the entire search. Job hunting becomes less about grinding through application after application alone, and considerably more about strategically activating your network while being genuinely selective about where you choose to invest your time and energy.