Job Searching in 2025: Between Clarity and Hope

A Two-Voice Article by: Audrey Lessard & Sarah Guérin-Bertrand

A conversation can change everything

It all started with a simple question: Does the #opentowork tag on LinkedIn really help... or does it just reinforce a label?

I asked it casually.

But the answers made me pause. Because beyond the green banner, there was something deeper. A subtle, but heavy disconnect: how do you express your value when you don’t fully grasp the unspoken codes?

There’s a kind of vertigo in job searching that we often underestimate. It’s not just about sending out resumes.

It’s about showing up.

Being seen.

Trying to give shape to a professional identity in motion, without losing yourself in the process. And hoping that someone on the other side knows how to read between the lines. But often, that "someone" takes time to appear.

And so, the doubts creep in:

Am I being too picky?

Am I imagining things?

Am I presenting myself the right way?

That’s what led me to reach out to Sarah Guérin-Bertrand, to explore these questions openly.

Sarah Guérin-Bertrand, M.Sc. in Public and International Affairs

Sarah Guérin-Bertrand, M.Sc. in public and international affairs

With a strong background in strategic thinking, communications, and social innovation, Sarah is currently in an intentional job search. She is seeking a professional environment that respects the way she thinks, contributes, and grows.

A lucid, demanding, and deeply human posture.

This article is written in two voices: some of Sarah’s answers are quoted directly, others are woven into the narrative and inspired by our written and spoken exchanges. The goal isn't to reproduce a linear interview but to surface the blind spots and shared insights about job searching in 2025.

The great blur of expectations

Sarah has seen it often:

"When you read job postings in 2025, many don’t align with your actual skills or experience. Vague language. A 'dynamic' company culture. Unclear expectations. As a candidate, you spend more time decoding than applying."

On overloaded job descriptions:

"They want the rare gem: passionate yet strategic, funny yet rigorous, proactive yet obedient, autonomous yet collaborative... It's almost unrealistic. Stacking so many traits creates a profile that doesn't exist in real life."

On listings that are really just talent pools:

"Some companies post jobs just to build a bank of candidates. There's no open position. No clear hiring process. Just an expression of interest with no real follow-up."

Choosing not to play a role isn’t a lack of confidence

Some people hesitate to "sell themselves."

They're seen as indecisive, shy, not assertive enough.

But what if it’s not about confidence at all?

What if it’s a conscious refusal to conform to an expected mold?

Sarah puts it this way:

"I don’t doubt my abilities. But I feel discomfort with the way we’re expected to 'present' ourselves in these processes. As if I need to calibrate myself to fit an implicit standard."

Too much information, not enough clarity

Since March 2025, Sarah has explored the world of job searching in depth. Specialized sites, CV builders, webinars, recruitment trends, coaching programs... she’s analyzed it all.

But in trying to understand everything in order to do it ''right'', you can lose the thread.

When every platform has a different logic, and every advisor gives conflicting advice, doubt sets in. Not about your value, but about how to fit it into the right box.

Among all the tools and resources, a few stand out with clarity and relevance.

CVQUÉBEC is one of them, a platform offering resume templates designed for the expectations of Quebec employers. A great reminder that local context matters. A well-structured CV, adapted to local norms, can really make a difference.

What if LinkedIn isn’t the only way?

Sarah is clear: "I have a LinkedIn profile, but I barely use it. And I know brilliant, experienced people who aren’t on it at all. Does that mean they don’t stand a chance? Of course not."

She adds: "Many SMEs, organizations, or even big companies only post jobs on their website, Jobillico, or Jobboom. Some even keep it internal. If we rely on just one platform, we miss out on real opportunities."

Job searching differently, truly

Even if popular methods like LinkedIn or standardized advice work for some, they don't work for everyone. It's not a matter of effort or discipline. Sometimes, these methods just don’t resonate with the way someone thinks, functions, or wants to contribute.

That too is valid. Searching differently can be what finally helps someone reconnect with themselves in the process.

Some rely on LinkedIn.

Others on human circles, referrals, coffee conversations.

Some love to structure their journey within a clear framework.

Others follow an intuition, a moment, a spark.

Sometimes, all it takes is exploring elsewhere:

• Visiting the websites of companies that inspire us

• Sending spontaneous applications to places we genuinely like

• Using local platforms like Jobillico or Jobboom

• Or leaning on thoughtful tools like CVQUÉBEC

• And let’s not forget spaces like the Café-Pro ADN évolution

The second edition will be held on June 18, 2025, from noon to 1:00 PM, a great chance to break the isolation and create real connections, pressure-free.

No, it’s not just luck

Those with broad networks on LinkedIn or elsewhere didn’t get there overnight.

That relational capital is built over years of sharing, collaborating, meeting, and working.

If you’re early in your career or just starting on LinkedIn, it’s normal not to have that network yet. Some will have a head start... but everyone can build their own ecosystem, at their own pace.

The important thing is to start.

And to remember: employability is a dynamic you nurture throughout your path, not just when job hunting.

What if we made space for what really matters?

What if job searching isn’t what’s exhausting... but rather what we believe we must become to be chosen?

It’s not motivation that’s lacking.

It’s the energy spent reshaping ourselves, adjusting, decoding expectations, often without ever knowing if anyone even saw us.

And that’s assuming we hear back at all.

Because often, we apply... and hear nothing. No reply. No feedback. Not even a confirmation. That silence, day after day, wears away at our confidence.

So maybe clarity starts here: when we stop trying to fit in and return to what we truly want to experience.

Two voices, two postures, one shared intention

Sarah:

"I still want to believe we can do things differently, but we have to decode, to understand how it work, even if it’s messy."

Audrey:

"And sometimes, it’s about coming back to the essentials: what we truly want to experience each day, and what we’re no longer willing to sacrifice just to be chosen."

There is no single right way to job search.

Some learn to read between the lines. Others refuse to conform to a mold. Often, we do a bit of both.

What matters is this: inner clarity can coexist with market ambiguity.

And by knowing ourselves, listening, expressing... We always end up finding an anchor.

Or better yet: creating one.

For those currently job searching...

• You’re not “too much”, maybe the frame is just too small.

• Reclaiming your power can start with a platform, a conversation, or a well-timed pause.

• Don’t hesitate to take action, one step can spark the next breakthrough.

  
  

For those hiring...

What if your job postings became real human meeting points? Not just polished descriptions, but words that invite people to identify, to envision themselves, and most importantly, to understand what collaboration really looks like.

Here are two examples:

Standard job post: "You are an inspiring, innovative, results-driven leader, client-focused, with excellent political acumen."

Anchored, human-centered job post: "We’re looking for someone with vision, yes, but above all the ability to listen. A leader who mobilizes without imposing, who is comfortable with human complexity, and who knows how to navigate diverse sensitivities. Results matter here, but not at the expense of balance. If you believe a good leader is someone who lifts others without losing themselves in appearances, you’ll feel at home with us."

These more grounded, embodied descriptions can make all the difference. Because not everyone processes information the same way, when the words are clear, concrete, and human, they allow more people to recognize themselves, to project, or simply to understand what’s truly expected.

These nuances aren’t trivial. They matter.

Today’s top talent isn’t trying to "fit in." They want to contribute, evolve, and fully exist.

And if they don’t apply to your organization, it may not be because they’re not ready, it might simply be because they don’t see themselves in your words.

So, what’s next?

This article was born from a rich exchange, driven by a shared passion for the human side of professional journeys. And since one piece couldn’t cover it all, we’ll be continuing the conversation in a second article.

Coming soon: an in-depth look at interview pitfalls, implicit expectations, and the kinds of honest conversations we wish candidates and employers could finally have.

Audrey Lessard

R(e)volution coach & Founder of ADN professional evolution

With thoughtful contribution by Sarah Guérin-Bertrand, M.Sc. in Public and International Affairs

To go further:

• Curious to experience these kinds of conversations live? Join us for the next Café-Pro ADN Évolution (limited spots).

• Looking for a professional reboot? Check out CVQuebec.ca a local platform to build a clear, professional resume that reflects who you are. Because how we present ourselves... is also about meaning.