If you’re good, they’ll find you

⏱️ 5 minute read (I know you’re busy. Save it, skim it, or read it while avoiding one meeting.)

Hey fellow QBs!

You’ve heard the sports line: “If you’re good, they’ll find you.”

It usually shows up in youth sports right around the moment a parent is about to light a team on fire because “Brayden needs more exposure.” Suddenly it’s private trainers, showcases, highlight reels, and a level of political maneuvering that would make Congress blush.

And I’ve watched it up close: parents will torch friendships, chemistry, and entire seasons to get their kid “positioned.”

Here’s the part that makes everyone uncomfortable because it removes the illusion of control:

If the kid is actually good…someone finds them.

Not because the world is fair. Because talent doesn’t stay hidden for long.

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Now let’s talk about the adult version of that mistake.

Because if you’re a solo marketer, it’s so easy to do the same thing with your career.

One bad week. One dumb comment from a stakeholder. One “quick ask” that turns into a 3-week project. One budget change. One whiff of layoffs on LinkedIn… and suddenly you’re doomscrolling job boards like it’s self-care.

And look—I used to do this constantly. I’d have a rough Tuesday and by Wednesday I was rewriting my resume like a legal document, stretching every bullet until it “matched the qualifications.”

The problem isn’t looking. The problem is why you’re looking.

When you job-hop out of frustration, you’re not making a strategic move. You’re buying a lottery ticket because you’re mad the current one didn’t hit.

And yes, the market makes it tempting. It feels like switching jobs is the fastest way to get a raise—because, a lot of the time, it is.

Here’s the uncomfortable proof: in the latest readouts, job switchers are outpacing job stayers by a meaningful margin. The Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker (Jan 2026) shows roughly 4.7% wage growth for people changing jobs vs 3.5%for people staying. ADP data cited by Investopedia (Jan 2026) shows an even wider gap: 6.4% for switchers vs 4.5% for stayers.

So no—you’re not imagining it. There’s a “loyalty tax.”

But here’s the trap: if you’re switching because you hate your current job, you’ll take the raise… and accidentally accept a brand-new set of problems you didn’t negotiate for.

More money doesn’t fix a misaligned role. A better title doesn’t fix a lack of influence. And “gym perks” doesn’t fix leadership that treats marketing like Canva with feelings.

Now for the part that actually matters.

The best jobs I’ve ever had?
I didn’t find them. They found me.

And not because I’m magical. Because I stopped trying to “position” myself with desperation and started doing three very boring things consistently:
I networked. I shared my perspective. I celebrated wins out loud.

A post turns into a conversation. A conversation turns into “Hey, can we pick your brain?” Then it turns into, “We’ve been talking internally… what would it look like to build a role around you?”

That snowball effect is real. And it’s leverage.

Because when opportunity comes to you, you’re not begging to fit into some random job description that was written by a committee and a panic attack. You get to choose. You get to shape. You get to negotiate from strength.

And this isn’t just for full-time roles.

If you consult or you’re building a practice, it’s the same game.

The more you reach out to people who don’t need you yet, the more you give away your leverage. You start discounting. You start accepting work you’re not even good at. You start saying “yes” to projects that pull you out of your wheelhouse… because you’re trying to create demand through force.

That’s how you end up underpaid, overcommitted, and doing random nonsense you can’t even use as a case study.

Stop chasing opportunities when you’re emotional. Start building a signal so strong opportunities chase you.

Because if your story is powerful, your work is visible, and your network knows what you do…

If you’re good, they’ll find you.

So, for this week, I have a dual-sided homework item - for solo marketers and consultants.

This week, you’re not allowed to “fix your career” by applying to 27 jobs because someone annoyed you on Slack.

You’re going to build signal.

Pick one win from the last 30–60 days and turn it into a simple story. What you saw, what you did, what changed. Use numbers if you have them. Use common sense if you don’t. Then share it somewhere your network can actually see it.

Next, have one conversation that upgrades your seat at the table. Not a status update. Not a “here’s my task list.” A real conversation.

Walk into it with this line: “If we could fix one thing in Q2 that would make marketing undeniably valuable here, what would it be?” Then listen. Then go build the thing. And when you build it, say it out loud.

Finally, write down the three sentences you want people to repeat about you when you’re not in the room. If you can’t say it clearly, they can’t remember it. And if they can’t remember it… they can’t find you.

This week, stop chasing people who don’t need you. That’s not “pipeline.” That’s you volunteering to negotiate against yourself.

Instead, do two things.

First, pick one problem you solve better than almost anyone and write a short point of view on it. Not theory. Not vibes. Something practical: what most teams do wrong, what it costs them, and how to fix it. Post it. Send it to a few smart people. Let it travel.

Second, tighten your “no.” Make a list of the work you keep accepting that drags you down—projects that are underpriced, out of scope, or outside your wheelhouse. Choose one of them and either raise the price or remove it entirely.

Because every time you say yes to work that isn’t you at your best, you’re training the market to treat you like a commodity.

You don’t need more leads.
You need more leverage.

— Jeff

P.S. If you want to stop chasing the next role or the next client and start getting picked, you need two things: a clear point of view and a network that remembers you exist.

That’s the whole game. Build signal. Tell the story. Stack wins. Stay visible.

If you want help tightening your story, building your internal (or external) tribe, and positioning yourself so opportunities come to you, grab time here:
https://calendly.com/jeff-forestcitydigital/marketing-coaching-discovery-call