Who else has ridden the roller coaster of a multi-month interview process only to end in disappointment?

It starts with excitement: You land an interview, and suddenly there’s hope. Frantic preparation kicks in. You crush the first round. Then comes round two, then a personality assessment, writing assignment, and another panel interview. Each step builds momentum. You start to picture yourself in the role…solving problems, bonding with the team, spending the paycheck in your head.

But then it happens.

Maybe there was a hiccup, one question you didn’t nail. Maybe you let too much personality shine and now you're second-guessing whether they liked you. Or maybe, deep down, you knew you were the best candidate and still got blindsided: “We’ve decided to go in another direction.” Or worse,“we’re on a hiring freeze.”

One of my clients recently made it to the final stages after weeks of interviews, only to get that exact message. No job. No offer. Just the echo of “maybe next time.”

I’ve been there too. Years ago, I interviewed on and off for the same job from January to July. After months of back-and-forth my dream came true, “you’ll have your offer by Friday." A week later, I got an email: “We do not have a job for you.” Just like that. Months of energy and expectation…gone.

Here’s what most people don’t realize.
Interviews feel like progress, but they’re not a strategy.

Yes, you should prepare and show up powerfully. Yes, it’s worth celebrating when you make it through each round. But if you're not actively feeding the top of your job search funnel, you’re risking a total stall.
​Think of your job search like a martini glass:











The wide top: Networking, informational interviews, coffee chats, affinity groups, targeted outreach. This is where the volume happens.
The middle: Targeted Applications
The narrow middle: Interviews, Screenings, Assessments.
The very bottom: Offers and Negotiations.

I am sure that you have heard that 45–80% of roles are filled through connections. Not job boards. Not cold applications. But conversations.

If your focus is temporarily hijacked on what’s at the bottom of your funnel…interviews already in progress, you’re setting yourself up to run dry. You can roll with the rejection of coming out of multiple rounds without an offer, but do you really want to add insult to injury…when you realize that you have nothing else in the pipeline.

Keep It Flowing

Keep making connections! Especially when you are deep in the interview process. Keep setting up chats. Keep applying. Because momentum matters. And so does protecting your energy and confidence. When you’re constantly fueling the top of the funnel, rejection stings less because you’re already onto the next thing.

The job or opportunity you land might not come from the place you're interviewing today. It might come from a conversation you have tomorrow.

Ready to build a smarter, more strategic job search plan?
Don’t wait until your momentum runs out. Let’s take a look at your current strategy together, and make sure you’re setting yourself up for success at every stage of the funnel.

Schedule a call with me here to get started. Your next opportunity might be one conversation away.
https://calendly.com/mariadastur/30-minute-exploration-session


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I’ve worked with so many people who were standing at the edge of change, straddling two worlds in their careers and unsure how to move forward.

One foot still in a job that’s draining them, maybe even pushing them out the door with toxic culture, layoffs, or burnout. Another planted in a business they’ve poured their soul into… but that still hasn’t taken off. Some are still reeling from a gut-wrenching termination they never saw coming. Others are simply done, done climbing the ladder, done doing the thing they’ve been doing since college, done chasing someone else’s version of success. 
Some have started to imagine new possibilities and even took a few steps toward that dream. Others are stuck in the in-between, desperate for something different, but terrified to walk away from everything they’ve built.
Here’s the thing…you never really walk away from it all. You bring the best of it with you. That messy middle is uncomfortable, disorienting, and yes, painful. It’s a place of tension between what’s comfortable and what’s calling. A stretch between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming.
You might be asking:

• Should I stay or should I go?
• What if I make the wrong move?
• Who am I to want something more?
  
  

But what if this discomfort is actually something sacred? What if it’s not confusion at all…
What if it’s evidence that you’re evolving?
After working with dozens of clients, I have created my 5 step framework to help you build momentum one intentional step at a time. Sharing it today with the hopes that it gives you clarity to move out of the messy middle! 
​
Step 1: Define What You Really Crave
ASK: “What am I truly missing right now?”
Most people think they’re choosing between job titles or industries. But underneath that, the real choice is between:

• Freedom vs. structure
• Purpose vs. paycheck
• Ownership vs. obedience
• Growth vs. stagnation
  
  

ACTION STEP: Journal 5 things you want more of and 5 things you want less of in your next season. Let this become your filter.

Step 2: Find Your Growth Edge
ASK: “What part of the new path excites me and scares me?”
This is where your edge of growth lives. What stories does your brain tell you as you start moving forward in this career pivot? The work you’re meant to do usually lives right at the intersection of energy and uncertainty. 

ACTION STEP: Write down one bold move you’ve been avoiding and ask yourself: “What would I do if I trusted myself more?”

Step 3: Audit the Tradeoffs
Staying has tradeoffs. So does leaving.
Create a simple chart with three columns where you can weigh the options:

• Pros and cons of staying
• Pros and cons of pivoting
• The opportunities that enable me to take this step
  
  

ACTION STEP: Highlight anything that feels like a deal-breaker or non-negotiable. Is there a corresponding opportunity that would make any of these steps easier or faster? If not, what could you do to create opportunity?

Step 4: Choose a Micro-Move
Most people wait to pivot until they’re 100% sure. But momentum comes from movement, not certainty.

ACTION STEP: Commit to one small experiment this week:

• Reach out to someone doing what you want to do
• Update your LinkedIn headline
• Start a freelance profile
• Block time for creative exploration
• Attend an in person or virtual networking event
  
  

You don’t need to blow up your life. You just need to make small, meaningful steps.


Step 5: Recommit to Who You’re Becoming
When you get stuck in “Should I stay or go?” Ask yourself…“If I trusted my growth, what would I do next?”
​
ACTION STEP: Build your support and accountability team. List 2-4 people who will help you stay accountable, mentor you, listen on the hard days, and open doors for you. 
Everything you are experiencing, being stuck in the messy middle is part of your career evolution. “Should I stay or should I go?” Only you can answer that question. If you are ready to take your next step, then check out my Bold Pivot Plan. It is a summer on-demand program that I created to move you from the messy middle to landed.

Check it out here: https://www.mariadastur.com/boldpivot1
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