This consulting business is a lot of long days and nights and hard work. So is parenting day to day.

Excited to have a little getaway in the woods with no children. It’s so quiet and lovely and we didn’t have anyone wake us at 6am. GLORIOUS!

But also, do your littles get nervous when you leave and make you take friends with you to remind you of them/keep you safe?

At work, I got this. Networking? No problem. Random strangers at a conference, party, grocery store line? Sure.

At school drop-off? Total kryptonite. I’m the mom with a sassy comment where everyone is like “hey that Kate, she’s kind of hilarious, but also where did she go?” who disappears five minutes later while the overachieving moms hand out homemade organic muffins and plan the school gala like it’s the Met Ball.

If you’re being laid off, forced out, or thinking about leaving GET OVER YOUR SHOCK AND SADNESS IMMEDIATELY...

well, not really, just tamp it down, compartmentalize it in a less than healthy way just for a minute and we can help with the trauma after you negotiate your exit package. This is NOT optional.

Is LinkedIn Gaslighting You? (also, do we need an emoji for "feeling gaslit"?)

You apply for a job, and the platform kindly reminds you that you’re applicant number 600... cool, fantastic. Then there’s the classic “preferred qualifications” section that reads more like a wishlist for a unicorn.

Aaaaand suddenly, you’re looking around, wondering where all these unicorn folks are hiding and feeling like maybe you’re not enough.

Work uniforms are like a warm blanket and chicken soup. Boring, but comforting.

Currently in my Steve Jobs black turtleneck era. I do most of my work on zoom in a black turtleneck sweater that I have maybe 10 of?

Having a uniform for me is about having simplicity, less distraction, and it’s also about armor.

I feel great in this sweater, it keeps me warm in the cold spot in my office because the air conditioning in our 70 year old house has two temperatures Antarctica or Death Valley. It works with the background, I can wear any earrings.

Why do job searching and the hiring process generally make you feel like absolute garbage?

Pretty much every day someone (or more than one) shows up to my coaching sessions feeling wrecked. Ghosted by recruiters. Rejected without so much as a “thanks for applying.” Demoralized and doubting every incredible thing they’ve accomplished.

Let me be clear: YOU ARE NOT THE F-ING PROBLEM.

You don’t need massive amounts of time or a master plan to be impactful.

A kind word, a connection, or a little encouragement can be the nudge someone needs to take their next leap.

Using an AOL or Hotmail Email Address

While it’s charmingly retro (hello, 1990s!), switching to a more modern provider like Gmail will help your resume look current.

Including Your Full Address

We’re not sending you a postcard. Just your city and state or metro area (SF Bay Area).

Objective Statements

Replace the old-school objective statement (because “I want a job” is a given) with a sharp, engaging professional summary that highlights your strengths.

“This is real.”

Those words hit me like a freight train this last week. Cue instant panic.

I was talking to Kirsten G. Bryant, my amazing Chief of Staff (and MVP of all time), after a big meeting we had and I casually said, “I feel like we’re finally starting to have a real business here.”

She looked at me, dead serious, and said:

“Kate, are you kidding me? This has BEEN a real business for months.”

Friday Fun (is it though?) Fact:

The 6-Second Rule: Recruiters spend an average of 6-8 seconds looking at a resume before deciding whether to keep or discard it, that is not a myth, I can can confirm. That's why well-organized, easy-to-scan resumes are so so crucial!

Here are 3 things you can do.

I was recently chatting with an amazing colleague from my past who I am so happy to have reconnected with in my coaching (LinkedIn is amazing for this)😊.