Career Coaching

People often retire with visions of no longer working. They daydream about sitting by a pool or at the beach day after day, golfing, hiking, traveling, hanging out with grandkids, or taking up a beloved hobby. They dream about permanent leisure time. And for some people, this is a reality, and they enjoy it tremendously.  […]

The U.S. labor market continues to send mixed signals. On paper, the economy remains remarkably resilient. Unemployment has held steady near historic norms, layoffs remain relatively low, and employers continue to add jobs each month. Yet career coaches, résumé writers, and recruiters across the country are hearing a very different story from the professionals they […]

Of course, you use announcements and, if you can get them, position descriptions (PDs) to guide your AI tools to help you write for and coach your clients. Supposedly, announcements and PDs capture what the hiring officials are looking for…except when they don’t. First, what’s asked for is often shown in “key words.” They’re little […]

If you’ve worked with job seekers recently, you’ve likely heard a version of the same frustration: “I’ve applied to hundreds of jobs and heard nothing back.” “The unemployment rate is low, so why can’t I find a job?” “Everyone says companies are hiring, but it doesn’t feel that way.” The latest labor market data tells […]

In career management, AI is used by job seekers for resume and social media profile development and preparation for AI interviews, and by companies for reviewing resumes and conducting interviews.   Interviews I recently coached a client through interview preparation and simulations. When she joined the interview, AI conducted it. She had the option to […]

As usual – I was on the phone with one of my dearest friends. She works for a well known not-for-profit organization and one of her responsibilities is hiring.  “Why is it so hard to hire someone?” This was a rhetorical question. “It’s TikTok. TikTok has made people stupid.”  I laughed because she meant it […]

I am a bit fuzzy about the most important project I ever worked in my previous career—except it shapes the way I run my business. I remember the project directly affected national security, was classified above Top Secret, and would be read by people whose names I saw regularly on the front page of the […]

The federal government workforce experienced an unprecedented shake-up in 2025, with mass layoffs under the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA), Deferred Resignation Offer, and other options. Moreover, the application process was transformed from a long, résumé-and-questions application to a short, industry-style two-page résumé and skills-based hiring process.  USA Today reported in December 2025 that more […]

Many of my Certified Professional Career Coaches ask me how to build a career coaching business.  Building a business is akin to a job search and career management. I coach clients seeking to build a business, much like a job search client. Instead of a résumé, the client may need a prospectus instead, for example. […]

You work so hard with that top notch client. They had a great record of accomplishment. You guided them to apply for what seemed like a perfect job. Then came the email. Your client wants to know why they didn’t get the job. It’s so natural for them to blame themselves and you! I wrote […]

In 1978 – the dark ages – a roller coaster opened at Great America in Gurnee Illinois called “The Tidal Wave”.  It was a big deal.It was one giant loop, 137 feet high that went 55 mph in 5 seconds. Every radio ad and commercial touted the “wild ride” and I used to stand in […]

“Admiration must be kept up by the novelty that at first produced it; . . .  there must always be the impression that more remains.”  Samuel Johnson (1709 – 1784)   I’ll bet every client you have ever served is different from any other. I will also bet that, in one important sense, every client you […]