What are you fighting? Is it job search paralysis?

When you try to move forward, do you find yourself sliding backward?

I read a lot. Translate that to 280+ books last year. I confess they were almost all fiction.

I also don’t sleep well. When I can’t sleep, I read. On my Kindle on my iPad.

Yes, I know. Reading on electronics can keep you from sleeping, but so can getting lost in your thoughts; translate that to fears.

This isn’t new. I’ve read huge amounts of fiction since I was young.

I convinced my mom to let me move from the children’s library to the adult library before 8th grade. I told the librarian that I had read everything worth reading in the children’s library and needed access to more.

How do I find books now?

My Kindle is stuffed to the gills with books, again mostly fiction. A friend suggested on Facebook years ago that some people might be interested in BookBub. You pick your genres, and they send a daily email with free or low-cost books:

BookBub is a free service that helps millions of readers discover books they’ll love while providing publishers and authors with a way to drive sales and find new fans. Upon joining, members receive unbeatable deals selected by BookBub’s expert editorial team, handpicked recommendations from people they trust, and real-time updates from their favorite authors. BookBub works with all major ebook retailers and devices, and partners with thousands of the industry’s leading publishers and authors to promote their books. BookBub was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. From <https://www.bookbub.com/home/about.php>

What do I learn from reading fiction?

All kinds of things. I learn perspective, understanding, and unique ways of looking at things. For example, I saved this quote on writing barriers:

“It becomes its own kind of paralysis. The longer you go without writing, the harder it becomes to start again.”

This is a struggle I have faced recently. I was a prolific writer on social media in the early days, and that continued for a long time. My own Design Resumes blog has 1,200+ posts. The headline page has this message to readers:

Searching for TIPs on how to IMPROVE your JOB SEARCH?

I wrote content on many topics related to job search, its impact on job seekers, finding solutions, and which tools to use. You might also call it “ways to end job search paralysis.” It has been a resource not only to my clients but to many others who find themselves struggling.

Then I went dark.

As the quote above suggests, it got harder to write the longer I went without it. My excuses are my life. It changed dramatically in 2023 and for sure in 2024. Not only did my husband of 40+ years die, and for some, that would be enough.

Less than two months later, I was asked to take over care of my then 3 1/2-month-old granddaughter. She is now 2 years old. Her daddy also lives here now, but he works long 12 1/2-hour shifts on Friday to Sunday, as well as a lesser time on Thursdays.

However, I am determined to end the paralysis and move forward in 2026. So you will see new content, and I will find time to create it.

What is the Design Resumes difference?

From the very early years, Design Resumes (my company) was founded on the principle that job seekers need someone who will listen and work with them throughout the development of their career marketing tools. They need someone to answer questions, defuse the confusion, and guide them on the right path to the job they really want – not just any job. I started with in-person early on, and when technology caught up around 2009, I moved to virtual.

Even though my life got in the way, I still had new clients and many reports of job wins over the last 2 years. In addition, I had many returning clients who were ready for the next step in their careers.

How to end job search paralysis?

In 2026, I seek to end the paralysis, become visible in as many ways as possible, and prioritize my time to ensure that new job seekers get the help they need.

Are you ready to move forward? Let me help.