Career Briefs: What does it take to win?

Dear Reader:

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” - Michael Jordan

When I started the Briefcase Coach almost a decade ago, I was limited by my small thinking. Initially, my resume consulting business was simply a bridge while I raised young children. My goal was to help friends and family succeed in their job searches, but my vision for the business's future was modest.

I fell in love with helping people. Nothing was (and still is) more gratifying than getting the “Got the job!” email from clients. The more I got those emails and texts, the more obsessed I became with the art and science of careers. As I delved deeper into the industry, I noticed many firms were doubling down on AI and efficiency, often at the expense of providing clients with a truly excellent experience and high-quality career marketing documents.

As my business expanded, I shifted from thinking, "I have to do everything," to realizing, "Someone else can do some of this better than I can—and my clients will benefit from their expertise." This mindset change transformed my business for the better.

I’m proud of the Briefcase Coach team. At the risk of sounding cheesy and cliche, I think I have the “Navy Seals Special Ops” team of resume and career branding experts. Each writer, strategist, and administrative professional on the Briefcase Coach team is dedicated to understanding our clients’ unique journeys and career aspirations. We believe in the power of personal connection. By dedicating one-on-one time to immersing ourselves in our clients' stories, we are able to write compelling documents that truly set them apart.

Briefcase Coach is now a team of 12, each member bringing individual talents to our shared goal of helping people achieve job search success. We can handle even the most challenging career stories, and we're grateful that former clients trust us with referrals.

What’s the future like for the Briefcase Coach? My intention is to double down on the high-touch experience. Our differentiator is that we take the time to unearth our clients’ stories and help them know and speak their values. We also aim to grow our partnerships with companies and small businesses seeking quality outplacement services. If this is an area you’d be open to helping us by making HR or leadership introductions, please let me know. 

 We are winning championships– for our clients.

Rooting for you,

In This Issue:

• Inside Briefcase Coach

• Connecting with Hiring Managers

• Retirement Gets Harder the Longer You Wait

• Leadership Lessons Learned from Olympics Training

• SHRM Moves from DEI Acronym

• Is Quitting Slowing Down?

• The Realities of the New Grad Job Market

• Gen Z Struggles with Interviewing - Here’s Why

• Beware of the Opinion of Strangers

• Live Webinar: Standout Resume Strategies

Connecting with Hiring Managers

Bogdan Zlatkov, author of Growth Hack Your Career, reported that 42% of job seekers' surveys found reaching out to decision-makers beneficial to their job search. Only slightly less than 45% found networking most helpful. To help job seekers feel more comfortable contacting hiring managers, Bogdan released a guide on effectively crafting messages on LinkedIn. It is full of great information about when and how to reach out and includes templates that career coach Jessica Hernandez created.

Pro Tip: A job search is time-consuming, and shortcuts can help—but they can also hurt. Not all templates are created equal—they have the correct time and place. Be sure to discern the difference when finding templates online, especially resumes.

Retirement Gets Harder the Longer You Wait

Leadership Lessons Learned from Olympics Training

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited about the Olympics (starting this Friday!). My favorite part of the Olympics is the human stories of triumph and adversity, like the 230-pound skateboarder from St. Louis or Justin, a former foster child and javelin thrower.

I recently read about Megan Clarken, CEO of Criteo, who faced a knee injury before the 1988 Olympics but later excelled in track and field. She is using her Olympic training to draw influence for her leadership style. She values decision-making, teamwork, and striving for excellence. In this article from Fast Company, she emphasizes the importance of making decisive decisions, surrounding oneself with a strong team, and pushing for business excellence - all parallel to training for the Olympic games.

SHRM Moves from DEI Acronym

Last week, the president and CEO of SHRM, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., announced the organization would also move away from DEI and adopt I&D - Inclusion and Diversity.

SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) is influential in shaping hiring practices. While it doesn't dictate specific policies, it significantly influences industry standards and trends. SHRM has strongly advocated shifting focus from traditional qualifications to skills-based hiring. Immediate reactions to Taylor’s post on LinkedIn indicated that this decision was not well received.

Is Quitting Slowing Down?

During the pandemic years, quitting and changing jobs was at an all-time high, and those job hoppers were reaping the benefits. Among those holding a bachelor's degree or higher, 66% made more money, and 63% gained more career progression opportunities. However, this is changing, and the benefits of switching jobs aren’t as they used to be.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that recent surveys indicate that fewer Americans are seeking to change jobs compared to the pandemic years, with rising job satisfaction reported. This could be because the job market is challenging for job seekers, with lower pay premiums for switching jobs. Many workers are content enough with their current roles due to factors like good work-life balance and satisfaction with compensation.

Read More: Resume Builder reports that 3 in 10 employees plan to quit by the end of the year.

The Realities of the New Grad Job Market

Following a surge in hiring during the pandemic, job opportunities for those with a bachelor's degree have decreased. One group is being hit harder than others: recent grads.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers reported that companies surveyed (226 employers) plan to hire 6% fewer new graduates this year than last year. The Wall Street Journal’s Vanessa Fuhrmans and Ray A. Smith looked at some reasons the stark job market might be hitting new grads the hardest. One reason is that hiring was at an all-time high during the pandemic, and it was a job seekers market. Companies ended up paying higher salaries to attract talent. Now, movement within the job market has slowed, companies have tightened their spending, and changing jobs most likely means a pay cut.

Read More: The Rise of White Collar Gig Roles

Gen Z Struggles with Interviewing - Here’s Why

Gen Z is rapidly entering the workforce, making them a significant focus for employers and recruiters. This group of hires brings fresh perspectives on work-life balance, company culture, and job satisfaction. Companies need to recruit and hire members of Gen Z to remain relevant.

Here’s the problem - they aren’t great at interviewing. Emily Levine, executive vice president of Career Group Companies, recently shared with Business Insider what she thinks could improve Gen Z’s chances of landing a job. Among them - dress to impress, or at least to show that you take yourself seriously and leave the entitlement and high demands behind.

Read more: Squarespace’s CMO explains why she thinks Gen Zers must be willing to leave their comfort zone to land a job.

Beware of the Opinion of Strangers

Live Webinar: Standout Resume Strategies

Access Data & SNI Technology are hosting a free webinar for job seekers on Friday, July 26th at noon EST, with me as their guest speaker.

Topics Include:
• Standout resume strategies to showcase your executive leadership.
• Personal branding techniques to strengthen your LinkedIn presence.
• Expert advice on finding job opportunities and mastering executive networking.
• Tips to overcome challenges like ageism in the job market.