Hey, Josh here!

Welcome to Day 4 of Job Search Breakthrough: 5 Steps to Landing Your Next Role Fast.

I play Settlers of Catan with my family.

Now, if you’ve never played it, it’s simple:

• You build roads, collect resources, and try to dominate the board.

• You win by expanding strategically and making good trades.

• And if you’re me? You spend 30 minutes building an empire… only to get steamrolled by a 10-year-old warlord.

Because here’s what happens:

I’ll be sitting there, feeling like a genius… roads set up, city built, stacking resources like a future real estate mogul.

Then, out of nowhere, she rolls up with a huge army and the longest road and… BOOM. Game over.

Every. Damn. Time.

One night, after getting obliterated for the fifth time in a row, I asked…

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“How are you beating me?!?! I have better resources! More settlements! I should be winning!”

And she looked at me, dead serious, and said:

“You keep playing alone, Dad.”

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Well, sh*t.

I felt like Andre the Giant getting body-slammed by Hulk Hogan.

I always thought Catan was about stacking up resources, building settlements, and making the smartest moves.

Turns out, that’s why I kept losing.

Because while I was too busy hoarding my bricks and sheep, my daughter - my own flesh and blood! - was out there making trades, striking deals, and getting the whole table to work in her favor.

By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late.

And that’s exactly what happens in job referrals.

Those who land the best roles aren’t always the smartest, skilled, or “lucky” people.

They know how to get people on their side - making it effortless for others to vouch for them.

And today?

I’m going to tell you exactly how to do it.

Most job seekers play the hiring game like I used to play Catan.

Sitting in a corner. Hoarding resources. Stacking up certifications, experience, and LinkedIn badges like they’re going to get them a job offer.

They keep tweaking their resume, firing off applications, and praying that some recruiter miraculously spots them in a pile of 924 other desperate candidates.

But that’s not how hiring works.

Because the people who land the best jobs don’t play solo.

They trade…

…They build alliances…

… They make themselves part of the conversation.

So by the time a hiring manager sees their name, they don’t see a resume.

They see a recommendation.

And THAT is how you skip the application line. That’s how you go from invisible to in-demand.

And the kicker?

Most people would refer you… IF you knew how to ask the right way.

Wrong Approach: “Hey, are you hiring?” (Instant rejection. Why? Because now you’re just another beggar in the job market breadline.)

Right Approach: “Hey [name], I noticed you've been in [industry] for a while. And honestly, I would love to hear your take on it. If you were starting over today, what’s the #1 thing you’d focus on?”

Well, that’s just an example… but do you see the shift?

Instead of rolling up like just another job seeker begging for a handout, you’re making them feel like an expert… The mentor… A person worth learning from.

And here’s an amazing thing about human nature…

People LOVE feeling like the wise one in the room.

They LOVE giving the “If I could go back, I’d do this differently” speech.

They LOVE being the one who “called it early” when someone turns out to be great.

That tiny shift changes everything.

Because once someone gives you advice (even just one tip) they subconsciously become emotionally invested in your success.

And the next thing you know?

They’re introducing you to the right people. Sending your name up the chain. Advocating for you before you even ask.

Not because they have to.

But because they want to.

Long story short…

Nobody wants to be your safety net.

But everyone wants to be the person who made a difference in someone’s life.

Make them the hero, and they’ll go out of their way to open doors for you.

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See, most job seekers waste weeks (sometimes months) waiting for an email that’s never coming.

Hell, half the time, they don’t even remember which companies they applied to. (Because when you send out 100+ applications, they all blur together.)

Meanwhile, all that time when their application was being dumped into the “Thanks, but no thanks” pile…

… while they were refreshing their inbox…

Someone else already landed that exact same role.

“What’s their secret, Josh?”

Well, nothing.

It’s simple:

They don’t wait for an opportunity.

They get inside and take it.

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And how do they do it?

By talking to people who can ACTUALLY get you hired:

• Your future co-workers (the ones already in the room):

You ever notice how jobs disappear before they’re even posted? That’s because most hires happen before the public even knows about them. The people who get that are already on the hiring manager’s radar before the position even opens. How? They make friends inside. They comment on posts. They connect. And guess what happens when a job opens up? Someone inside says, “Hey, I know someone perfect for this.” Boom, you’re in.

• Hiring managers:

Most job seekers spend all their energy trying to get past HR.The smart ones skip them entirely. Because HR isn’t there to hire you. Your future boss is. If you’re not talking to them, you’re wasting your time.

• Past employees:

These people don’t have to play politics. They don’t have to sugarcoat anything. They don’t have any reason to lie to you. If a company is a toxic dumpster fire, they'll tell you. And if it’s a goldmine? They’ll tell you how to get in. And if they liked the team, but just moved on… They might even put you in touch with the right people.

Bottom line?

You need to look at job searching as getting access.

But access doesn’t come from sitting around, waiting for permission.

It comes from getting in the room before the doors even open.

And if you keep trying to go through the front gate… you’ll be waiting for a pretty long time, my friend.

Look… people don’t stick their necks out for randoms.

They refer to people who make them look good.

Because when someone vouches for you, they’re putting their reputation on the line.

So the real question isn’t, “How do I ask for a referral?”

It’s “How do I become the person people WANT to refer?”

And the answer?

Think about it…

If you had to vouch for someone (put your name on the line), who would it be?

Some random dude who cold DMs you out of nowhere asking for a favor?

Or someone who’s already proven they know their sh*t?

Someone who’s been active, visible, and valuable in their industry?

Someone who’s been showing up, dropping insights, engaging in conversations… making it obvious they belong in the room?

That’s who gets referrals.

That’s who people go out of their way to introduce to the right people.

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And before you say, “But I don’t have 10,000 followers”...

… shut that excuse down right now.

You don’t have to be a LinkedIn celebrity to pull this off.

Here’s what you need to do:

1- Show up like you already belong

Follow 10 people in your industry today.

Start commenting on their posts.

Not some generic “Great post!” crap… but something that adds some sort of value.

Share ONE insight from your own experience. Doesn’t have to be deep. Just something real.

Do this for a week and people will start recognizing your name.

Do it for two weeks and they’ll start tagging you in conversations.

Do it for 3 months and they’ll be the ones sending you DMs saying, “Hey, I know someone hiring.”

2- Make it easy for people to vouch for you

You see, most people would love to help you…

They just don’t know how. Because nobody’s sitting around thinking, “Wow, I should really find a random stranger to recommend today.”

So don’t make them work for it. Make it effortless.

Instead of asking for a referral, give them a reason to send your name up the chain.

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How do you do that?

Well, for example…

→ You see someone posting about a problem at their company?

Don’t just lurk like every other LinkedIn ghost. Jump in. Give your take. Make them believe that you know what you are talking about.

→ You connect with someone in your dream company?

DM them something useful. A thought, a resource, or even just an authentic compliment about their work.

→ You get on a call with someone?

Make them remember you. Share a perspective that makes you stand out. Be someone they’d be proud to introduce to their team.

By now, you should know what needs to happen:

• Stop playing solo. Instead, get in the game… be seen… be heard… and make sh*t happen.

• Stop lurking. Show up, add value, and make yourself impossible to ignore.

• Stop making it hard for people to vouch for you. Give them a reason to send your name up the chain… without hesitation.

Because every day you don’t do this… someone less qualified is getting referred over you.

Every week you sit there “hoping” a recruiter notices your application… another person is skipping the line, getting hired before they even apply.

And in six months, you’ll either be in the same place or getting DMs saying, “Hey, I know someone hiring.”

And tomorrow I’m going to show you WHY acting like a “good candidate” gets you nowhere. Plus, how to follow up like a pro.

Your “be someone worth betting on” coach,

Josh

Head Coach, Career Vision Coaching