When I was job hunting years ago, I followed all the “expert” advice.

It nearly broke me.

Here are 6 tips I wish I never listened to:

1. “Just apply to more jobs.”

I fired off 100+ résumés. The result? Silence.

More applications don’t mean more chances. They just mean more ghosting.

2. “Your portfolio has to be perfect first.”

I wasted weeks tweaking case studies.

But hiring managers don’t hire portfolios. They hire people they trust.

3. “Wait your turn.”

I thought if I just kept grinding, something would happen.

Truth? By the time roles are posted, the shortlist already exists.

4. “Only big-name logos matter.”

I compared myself to people with FAANG or unicorns on their résumés.

But I’ve seen members land dream roles at global companies with zero “fancy” logos — because they built trust directly with decision-makers.

5. “Follow up later.”

Every day you wait, momentum dies.

The difference between an interview and a ghost often comes down to following up today.

6. “The system is broken.”

It’s not broken. It’s working exactly as designed — for job boards.

The front door is built for volume. The backdoor is built for trust.

These pieces of advice kept me stuck for months.

They’ll keep you stuck too — unless you flip the script.

That’s why I built Career Creators.

It’s a 12-week system to:

• Bypass the job board trap.
• Build referrals with design leaders.
• Turn conversations into interviews and offers.

If you’re done playing by bad rules,

👉 Reply “Career Creators” and I’ll send you the details.

Talk soon,

Joseph

P.S. The worst advice gives you hope but no results. The best advice gets you hired.