The Career Advice You’ve Been Getting Is Broken

If you’ve ever Googled “how to get an internship,” you’ve probably seen the same recycled advice on repeat: Perfect your resume. Apply early. Network. Be yourself.

But, that’s not enough anymore.

You’re entering a job market that’s totally different from the one your professors, parents, or even older siblings started in. Recruiters use AI, employers care more about skills than majors, and hiring decisions often happen before you ever click “apply.”

So why are we still teaching students to play by rules that don’t even exist anymore?

The Old Rules Don’t Work Anymore

You’ve probably heard people say: “It’s a numbers game. Just apply everywhere.” That’s like throwing darts blindfolded and hoping one hits the bullseye.

Recruiters can tell when you’ve mass-applied. They want intentional candidates, people who’ve done their homework, not copy-pasted the same cover letter 20 times.

Here’s what actually works now: understanding how hiring happens. You need to know the game you’re playing, not just keep pressing “submit” and hoping for the best.

You’re Not the Problem. The Career Advice Is.

Most career advice out there treats you like a machine: put in effort, get results.But you’re not a machine. You’re a human with goals, skills, and a story and none of that fits neatly into a bullet point list.

The truth? It’s not about finding a “hack.” It’s about learning how to think like a recruiter, so you can show your value in ways that actually land.

That means:

• Figuring out what a company really needs before you apply.

• Showing you understand their world, not just your own.

• Building a network before you need it — not after you hit “apply.”

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You can’t fake that. But once you learn it, you’re unstoppable.

AI Didn’t Ruin Hiring... It Just Exposed the Gaps

Everyone’s talking about how AI makes it impossible to get noticed.Here’s the truth: it didn’t break hiring. It revealed how many people never understood it in the first place.

AI filters can’t read creativity, curiosity, or follow-through. Humans still make the final decisions — and humans remember the candidates who show initiative, write thank-you notes, and build relationships.

You don’t have to outsmart the system. You just have to understand it better than most.

Start Thinking Like an Insider

Want to stand out?Start asking yourself the same questions recruiters ask about you:

• Does this person actually understand the role?

• Have they shown curiosity or initiative?

• Can I picture them on my team?

If your resume, LinkedIn, or interview answers don’t help someone say “yes” to those questions, that’s your signal to recalibrate.

Forget Hacks. Learn Strategy.

Here’s what I wish every student knew: You don’t need 200 applications. You need clarity. You don’t need connections; you need conversations. You don’t need to be perfect; you need to be prepared.

The students who get hired aren’t the smartest or most polished.They’re the ones who understand the system and play it with confidence.

Your Takeaway

You don’t have to follow the same tired advice that’s been handed down for decades.You can learn the real rules, the ones recruiters actually use.

Stop playing defense in your job search. Start learning the game.

Reflection Questions:

1. What’s one piece of career advice you’ve followed that doesn’t actually work for you?

2. How could you shift from guessing what employers want to actually learning how they hire?

If you’re tired of guessing how the job search really works, From Hi to Hired is your inside look at what recruiters actually think. It breaks down every step of the internship and job search, from figuring out what you want to negotiating your first offer — without the noise or fake “hacks.”

Visit hi2hired.com to get tools, guides, and free resources that help you build confidence and strategy that last far beyond your first job.