One of the most common mistakes I see job seekers make â even really talented, experienced professionals â is talking about their value in terms of responsibilities instead of results.
I hear it all the time in mock interviews and coaching calls:
âĄď¸ âI managed a team of five.â
âĄď¸ âI handled customer accounts.â
âĄď¸ âI was responsible for marketing strategy.â
Hereâs the problem: Thatâs what you did. Not what impact you had.
Hiring managers donât just want to know what was on your to-do list.
They want to know:
âĄď¸ What changed because you were in that role?
âĄď¸ What did you improve, fix, or create?
âĄď¸ What would you bring to us that you brought to them?
When you focus on tasks, you blend in.
Everyone in that role does those things.
But when you focus on impact, you stand out.
Think of the difference:
â âI led a cross-functional team.â
â
âI led a cross-functional team that laun...
If youâre in a job search (or thinking about starting one) and catch yourself saying, âI donât even know what I want to do next,â youâre not alone.
I hear this all the time from smart, capable professionalsâpeople whoâve built great careers but now feel stuck at a crossroads.
Hereâs what I want you to know:
âĄď¸ You donât need all the answers today. You just need a starting point.
Letâs break down how to figure out what you want next when youâre feeling overwhelmed, unclear, or pulled in too many directions.
When youâre stuck, itâs easy to spin in your own thoughts. But clarity comes from action, not overthinking.
Instead of trying to figure out your next role sitting alone with a blank screen, start by:
If youâve ever been told, âYouâre too corporate,â or âYouâre too senior for this role,â you know how frustrating that feedback can be.
You may have the exact skills they need, but if your experience is seen as âtoo muchâ â it can feel like a wall between you and the opportunity.
But hereâs the truth:
Itâs rarely about your qualifications â itâs about how youâre telling your story.
The good news? You can reshape that story to show that youâre the solution they need â without downplaying your expertise.
When companies say youâre âtoo experienced,â hereâs what they often mean:
Understanding these concerns helps you address them head-on in int...
Job seekers often spend too much time proving where theyâve been instead of showing where they can take a company next. But hereâs the truth: youâre not being hired for what youâve doneâyouâre being hired for what youâll do.
This mindset shift can change the way you approach interviews, making you stand out as the solution they need, not just another qualified candidate.
I recently worked with a marketing leader who had a strong background and consistently performed well in interviews, yet he wasnât getting offers. His experience wasnât the issueâthe way he positioned it was.
He spent too much time justifying his past instead of helping hiring managers see a clear path to their future success.
The turning point came when we reframed his interview approach to focus on one key question:
âĄď¸ How does my experience solve their specific problem?
Once he started positioning himself as the missing piece to their business challenges, things change...
Most job seekers send follow-ups like this:
đŠ "Hi, just checking in to see if thereâs an update."
But hereâs the thingâhiring managers donât just want reminders. They want value.
If your follow-up is only about getting an update, it might not move the needle. But if your follow-up keeps you top of mind and reinforces your value, it could be the thing that gets you the offer.
Instead of sending a passive check-in, make your follow-up work for you. Try these instead:
âď¸ "Hi [Hiring Manager], I was thinking about our conversation on [topic] and came across this article. Thought you might find it useful!"
âď¸ "Hi [Hiring Manager], I really enjoyed learning about [challenge they mentioned]. If I were in the role, Iâd start by [quick insight]."
âď¸ "Hi [Hiring Manager], I wanted to share a project I worked on that aligns with [something they care about]. Excited to continue the conversation!"...
Have you ever nailed an interview for a job you werenât that excited aboutâonly to completely choke when it was a role you really wanted?
Youâre not alone.
I once worked with a CPG marketing leader who had great interviews for roles they werenât fully invested in. But when their dream job came along? The nerves took over. They over-prepared, second-guessed every answer, and left the interview feeling defeated.
Why does this happen? Because the more we want something, the harder we grip it. And that pressure can sabotage our performance.
The good news? You can change this. Hereâs how my client shifted their mindsetâand finally landed the role they wanted most.
â Reframe Your Thinking
A client once told me, "I hate networking because it feels like Iâm bothering people."
Sound familiar?
For many job seekers, networking feels uncomfortable because itâs framed as askingâfor advice, for a job lead, for help. But hereâs a reframe that changes everything:
âĄď¸ What if networking wasnât about asking? What if it was about offering?
Once my client started thinking of networking as a way to build relationships, not extract value, the conversations felt more natural. And, ironically, more job opportunities started showing up.
Instead of reaching out with, "Do you know of any openings?" (which can feel transactional), try these conversation starters:
âď¸ âIâd love to hear about your career journeyâwhat led you to where you are today?â
âď¸ âWhatâs the most exciting project youâre working on right now?â
âď¸ âIf you were in my position, what would you focus on next?â
These questions make netw...
Most job seekers focus their networking efforts on close colleagues, industry peers, or recent connections. But what if the best opportunities actually come from people you haven't spoken to in a while?
A client of mine learned this the hard way. After months of job searching with little traction, they decided to reconnect with an old coworkerâsomeone they hadnât spoken to in years. That one conversation? It led to a referral, an interview, and an eventual job offer.
This isnât luckâitâs the power of weak ties.
đš Your closest contacts know the same opportunities you do.
đš Weak ties introduce fresh perspectives and hidden opportunities.
đš ...
Youâve done it. After months of networking, interviews, and follow-ups, youâve landed the offer and officially accepted a new role. Congratulations!
But before you completely close this chapter, there are a few critical steps to ensure a smooth transition and set yourself up for long-term success.
Hereâs what you should focus on once youâve accepted an offer.
If you were interviewing for multiple roles, itâs time to let the other companies know youâre withdrawing from their process. Why this matters:
âď¸ It keeps your reputation strong.
âď¸ It maintains relationships for the future.
âď¸ It ensures you leave doors open in case things change down the road.
How to decline an offer or withdraw from an interview process professionally:
đŠ âHi [Hiring Manager/Recruiter], I truly appreciate the opportunity to be considered for this role and have enjoyed learning more about your team. I wanted to...
I recently worked with a corporate leader who wanted to use his leadership in smaller organizations than he had previously.. He had the skills, the experience, and the drive. But after an interview, the hiring manager gave him feedback that felt like a gut punch:
"Youâre too corporate."
He took it hard. He assumed this meant heâd never make the leap. But instead of accepting that narrative, we rewrote the story.
This client wasnât actually "too corporate." He had plenty of scrappy, adaptable experienceâit just wasnât coming through in his resume or interviews.
Together, we shifted the way he told his story:
â We reworked his resume to highlight agility over structure.
â We repositioned his experience to emphasize problem-solving over process.
â We created new talking points to show how he had navigated ambiguity, adapted quickly, and thrived in fast-moving enviro...
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