Throwing mud at the career wall..?

I find sometimes when clients are looking for a new role, or even exploring a new career, there’s a sense that if they metaphorically throw enough mud at the wall, some of it just might stick. In the search for a new career, this can translate into sending in a dizzying amount of applications (some aimed too high level, some too low level, some just right). I understand the theory – more is better. It’s a numbers game. Right?! Well… not always, and probably not in this case. I would say a targeted, strategic and more considered approach will gain you a better result than the mud flinging approach will yield. And side bonus, you’ll keep your hands cleaner! (Important, especially in these times.) In the career counselling “Career Discovery” realm I see a similar pattern. Some people want to try out many things, in the hope that they might stumble across “the one”. This is not a bad approach for a younger person who will learn a lot about themselves in the process, gain some skills and contacts and know more about the world and what’s out there. For someone more mature, the clock is ticking. So throwing mud at the “what could I do next?” career wall is a process that is a lot less desirable, both in energy and outcome.