HOW I WOULD LOOK FOR A JOB IN 2026

Feb 04, 2026

If you have decided that 2026 is the year for your next career move, your first instinct might be to… open that old resume, start typing all your achievements, and apply to every job you can find online.

Please don’t.

That’s the fastest way to get busy, not successful.

Most job seekers jump straight into action mode because it feels productive. But activity without clarity just leads to frustration. The truth is, your job search isn’t a checklist, it’s a strategy.

Here’s how I would approach a job search if I were starting from scratch in 2026.

1. Start with introspection

Before you send out a single resume, sit down and ask yourself:

Why am I looking for a job?

If external factors aren’t forcing the change (like retrenchment or relocation), you need to understand your motivation. Are you looking for growth, impact, stability, better leadership, or flexibility?

Because if you don’t define your “why,” you’ll simply change your company name, not your career experience.

2. Find your patterns

Go through your last few roles and ask:

What did I love?
What drained me?
What do colleagues always call me for help with?

These patterns reveal your superpower - the type of work where you do your best thinking and deliver your best results. That’s the foundation for your next role.

As I often say, “Soul search before you job search.”

3. Explore before you apply

Don’t jump straight into job boards. Read job descriptions, browse profiles of people who’ve made similar pivots, and note what naturally attracts you.

You are not committing yet, you are getting curious.

4. Talk to people

Have conversations with people who’ve made moves you admire. Ask what they love, what they’d do differently, and what surprised them.

These insights will give you clarity before you waste energy on applications that don’t fit. And bonus, these people often become part of your professional network later.

5. Build your brand

Once you know where you’re headed, then it’s time to update your resume and LinkedIn profile with intention.

Your brand should reflect where you are going, not just where you have been.

Build visibility through consistent content and conversations. That’s what gets you noticed and remembered.

6. Choose your outreach avenues wisely

There are five main channels for job search outreach:

Online applications
Recruiters
Networking events
Existing connections
Targeted outreach to companies

Not all will work equally for you. Focus on the 2–3 that give you the most traction, and double down.

And as you go, keep building your career stories, those powerful examples that show how you solve problems and make an impact. They are not just for interviews; they are your professional currency.