No BS Career Advice: October 26, 2025
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
There are so many things you can learn about. But you’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut. —Dr. Seuss
For those of you who read No BS Career Advice, you read my brother died two weeks ago. Like all of us, he didn’t do everything perfectly but he did the important things well. It’s been a good lesson for me that has allowed me some grace for my imperfections. Remembering that you don’t do everything perfectly all the time may help you at some time in the future.
People hire me for No BS job search coaching because I make finding work much easier. I don’t write resumes, although I do critique resumes. I leave it to people who are experts at that. I am someone who has helped tens of thousands of people find work. You can order a resume critique at JobSearch.Community.
I also have free information available at JobSearch.Community. Scroll down to receive my Wednesday email with job search advice. Becoming an Insider at any level gives you access to all my video courses, books, and guides to job search, the ability to ask me questions and, if you choose an option above the lowest tier, you can receive job search coaching from me, too.
I have several new pieces of content on the site. Become an Insider and get access to it all of it. I just released, “Quiet Confidence: Your Secret Weapon for Modern Job Search” as a Kindle book and an audio book on Amazon. I misspoke last week about the book I referenced saying it was the 15th or 16th. This one is the 21st book in the Job Search Essentials series; that one preceded it. I’m waiting for my next to come back from the editor to start a new series. This one will be on JobSearch.Community this week.
I’m starting a new series on Amazon this week, releasing the first book, “The No BS JobSearch Playbook: How Hiring Works Today.” I have the second with editor and hope to release it the week after next.
How Anne Got Noticed by Recruiters—and How You Can Too
Anne’s story begins like many job seekers today: discouraged after a long break from work, worried that her skills were outdated, and plagued by doubts about her ability to appeal to recruiters. Anne had spent years as a finance professional before stepping away to care for a family member. When she was finally ready to return, her inbox remained stubbornly empty—until she made a few strategic changes.
A Branding Breakthrough
Instead of blasting out applications, Anne worked on her personal brand. She revamped her resume and, crucially, her LinkedIn profile. Within two days, several recruiters reached out to her. What changed wasn’t just the presentation, but the story she told—she focused her LinkedIn on her strengths, updated her summary and experience using keywords relevant to the roles she wanted, and joined finance-related groups to demonstrate her ongoing engagement with the industry.
Anne’s initial success led to a contract role at a well-known company. She made connections, refreshed her skills, and eventually landed a full-time job—at a higher salary than before—and found herself thriving in a team-oriented culture. The transformation began when Anne stopped thinking of her resume and LinkedIn as static documents and started using them as tools to market herself to recruiters.
The Recruiter’s Perspective
In 2025, recruiters rely heavily on LinkedIn’s algorithm to find people for their clients. According to research, LinkedIn’s more than one billion users are mostly invisible to the algorithm: just 3 million people share content weekly. The system rewards profiles that demonstrate expertise, spark meaningful professional discussions, and use strategic keywords. Recruiters actively search for candidates who show consistent engagement and topic authority.
Key actions that get noticed:
Posting about industry trends, sharing thoughtful insights, and contributing to professional groups.
Optimizing profiles with impactful headlines (specific job titles + unique skills + measurable achievements).
Using a compelling About section with keywords woven into a narrative.
Listing at least 5–15 skills relevant to targeted roles.
Your LinkedIn Profile Matters More Than Ever
Anne’s story mirrors the data: an optimized LinkedIn profile is essential for recruiter visibility. If your headline is just “Finance Professional,” you’re invisible in searches. If it says “Senior Finance Analyst | Expert in Compliance & Reporting | Improved Audits by 30%,” you’re not only findable—you’re memorable.
Profile Picture: Recent, professional, and recognizable. Your face should take up about 60% of the image.
Custom URL: Personalize your LinkedIn URL for professionalism and easier searches.
Background Banner: Use this to showcase key achievements, company logo, or a tagline that fits your brand.
Content Strategy That Works
Recruiters aren’t just reading profiles—they’re monitoring conversations. That means sharing posts about market changes, responding to questions in groups, and posting professional success stories will expand your reach.
Best Times to Post: Tuesday through Thursday, 8–11 AM EST, and 12–1 PM.
Post Frequency: Aim for 2–3 posts a week. The algorithm prefers consistency over volume.
Content Mix: 70% valuable insights, 20% personal professional stories, 10% industry news with your commentary.
LinkedIn’s updated algorithm now shows older posts that remain relevant for up to three weeks, so evergreen content—like thoughtful articles about industry best practices—can keep your profile visible long after you publish.
Engagement Tactics
The first hour after posting is critical. Engage with your audience—ask open-ended, thoughtful questions that invite genuine professional discussion (“How do you see remote finance teams evolving over the next year?” rather than “What do you think?”). Respond quickly and meaningfully to comments.
Commenting on others’ posts with substance (not just “Great post!”) also puts you on the radar of recruiters and hiring managers. The more you contribute, the more the algorithm boosts your presence.
Strategic Networking and Recommendations
Anne didn’t just update her profile—she engaged with her network and asked for recommendations that highlighted her strengths in finance and adaptability. Recommendations act as social proof and often convince recruiters to reach out.
Don’t send generic connection requests. Reference specific achievements, articles, or shared professional interests. Follow and comment on posts by recruiters at companies where you want to work.
Learn and Upskill Continuously
Anne took time during her contract role to brush up on new trends and skills. Visible upskilling improves the odds of being found and contacted, especially if you document your learning journey or certifications on LinkedIn.
What’s the Bottom Line?
Anne’s story proves that getting noticed by recruiters isn’t luck—it’s strategy. Optimize your LinkedIn profile with compelling, keyword-rich content. Contribute to relevant discussions. Post valuable insights at the right times. Seek and give recommendations. Update your skills. Engage, network, and show consistency.
Those who master these practices are the ones recruiters find first. Like Anne, you’ll go from invisible to in-demand—and you’ll be ready when the right recruiter reaches out.
Ⓒ The Big Game Hunter, Inc., Asheville, NC 2025
Last week, I released more content including:
One Thing https://wp.me/p4aIk1-gNz
Are You The Target for a Job Layoff? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-47
How to Use AI as a Virtual Career Assistant https://wp.me/p4aIk1-okI
Why a Top-Notch Recruiter Can Be Your Secret Weapon https://wp.me/p4aIk1-64M
The Second Best Place to Build Your Personal Brand https://youtu.be/YBd9pm0qbco
One Thing https://wp.me/p4aIk1-gNz
Are You The Target for a Job Layoff? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-47
You Won’t Fail https://wp.me/p4aIk1-ok8
What Superpower Would You Like to Have? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-2NT
When Your New Job Isn’t What You Expected: A Recovery Plan https://wp.me/p4aIk1-ol9
The Second Best Place to Build Your Personal Brand https://youtu.be/YBd9pm0qbco
Decisions https://wp.me/p4aIk1-h6D
A Guide to Thriving https://wp.me/p4aIk1-olr
How Long Should I Expect to Wait for a Response to My Application? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-olB
Hiring The Right People https://wp.me/p4aIk1-h8i
ZERO Recruiter Calls? Why? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-aQp
What Is Success? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-gNY
Overcoming Job Search Hurdles After 50 https://wp.me/p4aIk1-lg2
What Does a Manager Do? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-hfI
You Are Wasting Their Time https://wp.me/p4aIk1-9m0
Tough Interview Questions: Solve This Problem https://wp.me/p4aIk1-cT9
Negotiating Your Executive Offer https://youtu.be/BqI3wCHXWLg
Navigating Competing Offers https://wp.me/p4aIk1-m9y
The Lazy Professional’s Guide to Success on LinkedIn https://wp.me/p4aIk1-olS
What Does a Manager Do? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-hfI
You Are Wasting Their Time https://wp.me/p4aIk1-9m0
Tough Interview Questions: Solve This Problem https://wp.me/p4aIk1-cT9
Negotiating Your Executive Offer https://youtu.be/BqI3wCHXWLg
Schedule a free discovery call with me at www.TheBigGameHunter.us/schedule to discuss my coaching you. My calendar has gotten full. I work with more senior-level talent than with individual contributors.
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#BeGreat
Jeff Altman, MSW, CCTC Author
People Hire Me for No BS Job Search Coaching and Career Advice Globally Because I Make Job Search and Succeeding in Your New Job Easier | 5x LinkedIn Top Voice | Career Coach | Former Recruiter | JobSearch.Community
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