For Job Seekers | Matt Karlsven - Curiosity Expert & Author

Most people approach job searching backwards: Apply → Hope → Wait → Feel ignored → Doubt themselves → Repeat. Rejection stacks, confidence drops, motivation disappears. But beneath the struggle is a better truth: Job searching becomes meaningful, even energizing, when curiosity leads the process.

❌ Apply → ❌ Hope → ❌ Wait → ❌ Feel ignored → ❌ Doubt → ❌ Repeat

Curiosity Turns Job Searching Into Direction, Not Desperation

Shift Your Questions

Instead of

"I just need someone to give me a job."

Ask

"What type of work energizes me when I think about it?"

Instead of

"I hate applying."

Ask

"What kind of environment do I perform best in?"

Instead of

"Why hasn't anyone responded?"

Ask

"What can I learn from this silence?"

This shift gives you purpose, resilience, clarity, and direction—and removes blind guessing.

Curiosity Helps You Learn What You Truly Want From Work

Start With These Questions

✨ "What kind of work drains me mentally?"

✨ "What work makes time move fast when I'm doing it?"

✨ "What problems do I naturally want to solve?"

✨ "Where have people complimented my skills?"

✨ "What tasks do I not dread?"

Your curiosity builds an internal compass. That compass removes job-search wandering.

Story: Andre Was Applying Everywhere But Felt Miserable

He hated rejections. One day he asked: "What job is someone already paying me to do informally?"

He noticed: Friends always asked him to edit resumes. Coworkers asked him to improve presentations. His sister asked him to rewrite scholarship applications.

That curiosity revealed: communication coaching skill, writing clarity, simplification skill.

He shifted his search. Now he works doing corporate communications support. His career was hidden in plain sight—until curiosity surfaced it.

Curiosity Makes Rejection Meaningful Instead of Personal

Reframe Rejection

Instead of

"I didn't get the job. I must not be good enough."

Ask

"What criteria were they likely optimizing for?"

Instead of

"They ghosted me."

Ask

"What does that reveal about their hiring process leadership?"

Instead of

"I can't compete."

Ask

"What skill gap do I want to close—not for them—but for me?"

Rejection becomes data. Data becomes clarity. Clarity becomes direction.

Curiosity Makes Interviews Feel Less Like Judgments

Switch Your Mindset

Marketing mindset

"Pick me!"

Curiosity mindset

"Help me see if this is the right fit."

Instead of fearing "What if they don't like me?" be curious: "What matters most to them?" Instead of thinking "What if I say the wrong thing?" ask yourself: "What do I need to ask to know if I want to say yes to THEM?"

Story: Lindsey Bombed an Interview—Then Turned It Into Growth

She panicked during technical questions. Old mindset: "I'm terrible and I blew it."

Curiosity mindset: "What was behind their questions?" She realized they were testing how she thinks under pressure, her problem-solving process, and clarity of explanation.

So she practiced talking through problems aloud. Next interview: She didn't know every answer—but she revealed her thinking well.

She got the offer. Curiosity turned failure into preparation.

Curiosity Reveals Employers You Should Actually Avoid

Questions to Ask in Interviews

💬 "What qualities do employees need to succeed here?"

💬 "What do people get wrong when they start?"

💬 "What do employees complain about most?"

💬 "What growth paths exist here?"

💬 "What is turnover like in this department?"

💬 "What does support look like for new hires?"

If they evade, dismiss, minimize, or answer vaguely—you're learning something important. Curiosity protects you.

Curiosity Builds Networking Confidence

When reaching out to people say:

"I'm curious how you started in this field."
"I'm trying to learn what skills matter most for your type of role."
"I'm researching companies with good leadership—what do you think of yours?"

People LOVE giving perspective. Curiosity earns attention. Asking good questions earns connection. Meaningful connection becomes opportunity.

Micro Outreach Template

Subject line: 👉 "Quick question about your role"

"Hey [name], I'm exploring opportunities in ____________________ and I noticed you've been in this work for ___ years. I'm curious — what helped you succeed early on, and if you were starting today what would you do differently?"

✓ Flatters them ✓ Gives them ownership ✓ Sparks engagement

Curiosity Helps You Build a Story

Employers hire clarity. Ask: "What experiences prepared me for this job—even unexpectedly?"

Worked retail?

→ conflict resolution, upselling, pacing behavior, multitasking

Babysat or tutored?

→ coaching skills, patience, breakdown explaining

Did school projects?

→ timeline management, team dynamics, execution

Curiosity uncovers value you didn't realize you had.

Curiosity Reveals What Is "Worth Waiting For"

Jobs differ in many ways:

⚡ Growth 🔒 Stability 🏹 Direction 💰 Pay 💬 Culture 📈 Development ❤️ Enjoyment ⏰ Flexibility

Curiosity helps determine: Is this a stepping stone? Or is this an anchor job that shapes my future?

Jobs should be chosen on meaning, not panic.

Transform Discouragement Into Momentum

Curiosity Turns Job Searching Into Direction, Not Desperation

Curiosity Helps You Learn What You Truly Want From Work

Curiosity Makes Rejection Meaningful Instead of Personal

Curiosity Makes Interviews Feel Less Like Judgments

Curiosity Reveals Employers You Should Actually Avoid

Curiosity Builds Networking Confidence

Curiosity Helps You Build a Story

Curiosity Reveals What Is "Worth Waiting For"

Daily Curiosity Journal

Weekly Clarification Review

Ready to Go Deeper?