Reframe One Problem as a Solution You're Seeking
When you're unemployed, conversations with your network often focus on what's wrong: you can't find work, the job market is difficult, employers aren't responding. This positions you as someone with problems rather than someone who solves them.
Reframing one problem as a solution you're actively seeking changes how people perceive you and makes them more likely to help.
Identify one thing you've been describing as a problem in conversations about your job search. Common patterns:
"I can't get interviews." This positions you as passive and unsuccessful.
"Nobody's hiring." This blames external factors and suggests you're not adapting.
"Employers want experience I don't have." This emphasizes what you lack rather than what you offer.
"The job market is impossible right now." This suggests you've given up on active problem-solving.
"I keep getting rejected." This focuses on failure rather than learning or progress.
These statements might be factually accurate, but they make conversations about your struggles rather than about solutions people can help with.
Reframe the problem as a question or action you're taking:
Instead of: "I can't get interviews."
Reframe as: "I'm working on improving my application materials to better demonstrate how my background transfers to this field. Have you seen approaches that work well for career changers?"
This shows you're actively solving the problem and gives the person something specific to help with.
Instead of: "Nobody's hiring."
Reframe as: "I'm focusing my search on companies that are still growing despite the current market. Do you know organizations in [industry] that are expanding?"
This demonstrates strategic thinking and asks for useful information rather than sympathy.
Instead of: "Employers want experience I don't have."
Reframe as: "I'm identifying ways to demonstrate relevant skills even though my background is in a different industry. What do you think matters most for someone transitioning into this field?"
This positions you as someone figuring out how to bridge the gap rather than someone who can't meet requirements.
Instead of: "The job market is impossible right now."
Reframe as: "I'm adjusting my approach based on what's working in this market. I'm seeing better responses when I [specific strategy]. Are you hearing similar patterns?"
This shows adaptation and learning rather than defeat.
Instead of: "I keep getting rejected."
Reframe as: "I'm learning from each interview about what employers in this field prioritize. It's helping me refine how I present my experience. Have you noticed any common concerns that come up?"
This frames rejection as information rather than failure.
The reframe structure:
Acknowledge you're working on something (active rather than passive)
Ask for specific information or perspective (gives them something to help with)
Focus on solutions and learning (positions you as capable)
The difference in response is significant. When you present problems, people offer sympathy or vague encouragement. Neither helps you get employed.
When you present solutions you're pursuing and ask for specific input, people offer:
Connections to relevant people or companies
Specific advice based on their experience
Information about opportunities they know about
Concrete feedback on your approach
This week, practice the reframe in one conversation with someone in your network. Before you talk about your job search challenges, prepare the solution-focused version of what you want to say.
Instead of venting about how difficult things are, explain what you're working on and what would help. The person you're talking to will respond more usefully because you've given them something concrete to respond to.
This doesn't mean pretending everything is fine or hiding that you're struggling. It means framing your situation in terms of problems you're actively solving rather than circumstances happening to you.
The way you talk about your job search affects how people see you and how willing they are to help. Someone who seems overwhelmed and defeated is hard to help because any suggestion feels like it won't be enough.
Someone who is clearly working on solutions and asking for specific input is easier to help because you can see exactly what would be useful.
One problem reframed. One conversation where you present it as a solution you're pursuing. That's the shift that changes how your network responds to you.
