The Best Roles Aren’t Always Posted. Here’s How to Get on Their Radar Anyway.

If you’re building a job search strategy, chances are you’ve heard the advice:
“Start with your target company list.”

But once you have that list… what do you actually do with it?

Waiting for a role to be posted—and applying like everyone else—is too late in today’s market. Especially in CPG, where companies often rely on internal referrals and quiet networking before a job ever hits LinkedIn.

Here’s how to move from passive to proactive—and build real momentum with your top-choice employers.

1️⃣ Map Who You Already Know

Before you go cold, start warm.

• Search for the company on LinkedIn
  
  
• Click “People” to see who works there
  
  
• Filter by 1st- or 2nd-degree connections
  
  

You may already have someone in your network who can offer insight—or better yet, introduce you to a hiring manager.

💡 Pro Tip: Even if you don’t know someone well, a warm referral is often just one introduction away.

2️⃣ Build a Lis...

When You Hear "You're Overqualified" — What It Really Means

If you’ve ever been told, “You’re too corporate,” or “You’re too senior for this role,” you know how frustrating that feedback can be.

You may have the exact skills they need, but if your experience is seen as “too much” — it can feel like a wall between you and the opportunity.

But here’s the truth:
It’s rarely about your qualifications — it’s about how you’re telling your story.

The good news? You can reshape that story to show that you’re the solution they need — without downplaying your expertise.

What Hiring Managers Are Really Worried About

When companies say you’re “too experienced,” here’s what they often mean:

• "You won’t stay long — you’ll get bored."
• "You’ll expect a higher salary than we can pay."
• "You’ll struggle to adapt to our scrappy, fast-moving environment."
• "You’ll want to change everything instead of learning how we do things."

Understanding these concerns helps you address them head-on in int...

 Rejection stings—especially when you feel like you were the right fit.

I recently worked with a corporate leader who wanted to use his leadership in smaller organizations than he had previously.. He had the skills, the experience, and the drive. But after an interview, the hiring manager gave him feedback that felt like a gut punch:

"You’re too corporate."

He took it hard. He assumed this meant he’d never make the leap. But instead of accepting that narrative, we rewrote the story.

Why Perception Matters More Than Qualifications

This client wasn’t actually "too corporate." He had plenty of scrappy, adaptable experience—it just wasn’t coming through in his resume or interviews.

Together, we shifted the way he told his story:

✔ We reworked his resume to highlight agility over structure.
✔ We repositioned his experience to emphasize problem-solving over process.
✔ We created new talking points to show how he had navigated ambiguity, adapted quickly, and thrived in fast-moving enviro...

Searching for a new job can feel overwhelming, especially when juggling other responsibilities and commitments. To succeed, effective time management is key, allowing you to streamline your job search process, reduce stress, and maximize productivity. I’m Polly Rowland, and as a career coach, I’ve helped countless job seekers take control of their schedules to reach their career goals. My time management approach centers on intentional planning, proactive goal-setting, and focusing on what truly matters. In this post, I’ll share my strategies to help you take charge of your time and make meaningful progress in your job search.

Intentional Planning: My Method for Optimal Productivity

In my approach, intentionality is essential. I encourage my clients to block out dedicated times on their calendars for specific tasks, treating these blocks as non-negotiable commitments. Each time slot should be approached with a clear objective in mind, which minimizes wasted time and ensures that ever...