A job coach learns something from a popular online word game

Crossword puzzles have never been very fun for me. But I got hooked on Wordle over the summer.

Wordle is a free word game that you can play on the web. It became very popular during the pandemic. You get six chances each day to guess a five-letter word. The goal is to figure out how to solve the puzzle with as few moves as possible. It's a game that's fun, hard, and very interesting.

I recently realized that Wordle can teach us some interesting lessons about life. As a career coach, I couldn't help but think about how those lessons apply to looking for a job. Here are 6 to think about:

1. With every "no," you get closer to a "yes." When you first start to play Wordle Unlimited, the grid is blank, so your first guess is pretty much a shot in the dark. Most days, you'll guess at least a few letters that aren't in the winning word, which will show up in gray. Letters that are in the word but not in the right order will show up in yellow, and letters that are in the right place will show up in green. With each turn, you get rid of more letters and figure out which ones belong where. With each turn, the process of elimination makes it more likely that you'll figure out how to solve the puzzle.

Job Search Lesson: Being turned down for a job is never fun, but it can teach you something. So, pay attention to the parts of your search that aren't working. Do you get turned down more often for certain jobs or industries? Maybe it's time to switch to a different but similar business. Your lack of technical skills seems to be a problem. Maybe it's time to put money into learning new skills. Most of the time, just a few small but strategic changes can lead to better results in the long run.

2. There can be more than one good way to solve a problem. When you play Wordle, sometimes you'll get four out of five letters right, and then you'll have to choose the fifth letter from a few options that all make sense. For example, a word that ends in "ODGE" could begin with "D," "L," or "M." When this happens, you can't tell which letter is right, so you have to make an educated guess.

Job Search Lesson: In real life, there isn't usually one "perfect" job or career. Instead, there are many things that could be just as satisfying. So think about what you want and then cast a wide net to find several "good enough" opportunities. If an opportunity meets 80% of what you're looking for, chances are you've found a good match.

3. Small steps lead to big things. Wordle is different from other popular word games because you only have to guess one word each day. It takes less than ten minutes to solve most of the time and is easy to work into your morning routine. It's a fun way to get your day off to a good start and feel like you've done something before moving on to more important tasks.

Job Search Lesson: It can be hard to find time to look for a job if you are already working full-time. But there are a few things you can do in less than 10 minutes a day to move your job search forward: Post an interesting article on LinkedIn, read an industry newsletter, send a note to a friend who was just promoted, or set up a lunch date with an old coworker. Small steps add up to good habits.

1. Taking a break can help you get things done faster. Some days you can't do anything but stare at a Wordle board. But if you take a break, the puzzle is often easier to solve when you come back to it. When you take a break from something, you can see it from a new angle and see options that were hidden before.

Job Search Lesson: Breakthroughs in your job search can happen when you least expect them, like while walking with a friend, watching an inspiring movie, or hiking in nature. So set aside time to relax, refresh, and clear your mind from time to time.

5. Simple sells. Wordle is easy to get to, learn, and play with. You don't have to download an app, and there aren't many rules. Each day, you can only guess one word. Millions of players love it because it is easy to understand and use.

Job Search Lesson: Keep your resume and LinkedIn profile as simple as possible. You only have a few seconds to catch the attention of a recruiter, so make sure every word is important: Limit the use of jargon and acronyms, get rid of skills that are out of date, don't use fancy graphics that can confuse computerized tracking systems, and use as few words as possible to explain important accomplishments.

6. Keep track of what works and doesn't work. The color-coded display below the playing grid is one of Wordle's best features. It shows you which letters you've used and which are still available. The picture makes it easier to decide what to do next than if you just had to remember.

Job Search Lesson: When looking for a job, you have to make a lot of decisions and take a lot of actions, some of which are better than others. So write down what you've tried and what works best. When you write things down instead of just trying to think them through, it's much easier to see patterns and keep track of results.

Most importantly, Wordle reminds us that there is always hope for the future, no matter how hard life is today. So, even if the job hunt is really getting you down, keep going. "You've got to be in it to win it," said an old lottery ad.