Dear Reader:

A friend of mine calls the stretch between MLK Day and Presidents’ Day her “Winter Hibernation.”

“It’s when everyone is sick, it’s freezing outside, and there’s nothing on the calendar to look forward to.”

Instead of resisting it, she leans in — planning movies, books, and puzzles for her family so the season feels intentional, not stagnant.

This week, a snowstorm forced a hibernation at my house, too. School closed. Activities canceled. Just unexpected, unstructured time.

It reminded me of something we often forget:

Time spent on purpose is far more valuable than time simply spent.

We live in a world obsessed with productivity — tracking time, optimizing routines, staying endlessly busy. But being busy isn’t the same as being productive.

You can apply to 40 jobs and get zero responses.
You can answer 100 emails and make little impact.

This is especially true when it comes to job searching, which can quickly feel overwhelming. Too many people measure progress by applications submitted instead of decision-maker conversations.

Decision makers are, by definition, people who could hire you.

Your most important KPI isn’t how many roles you apply to — it’s how many conversations you’re having with people who could actually hire you. If your job search success were measured by conversations instead of applications, who would you reach out to first?

Slow down your job search to speed up your time-to-offer.

Winter offers rare space to slow down, reflect, and plant seeds intentionally — so when spring comes, you’re ready to bloom.

This week’s Career Briefs is about doing less, better — and focusing on what truly matters.

Rooting for you,

Table of Contents

• Dear Reader:

• Finding Patience When Progress Feels Slow

• I Accepted A Job. Then Got A Better Offer.

• Growth Often Happens Underground First

• Case Study: COO —> CEO The Power of Targeted Mess …

• Free LinkedIn Career Premium & Microsoft 365

• Free Universal Childcare for Two-Year-Olds

• Survey

Finding Patience When Progress Feels Slow

If you’re feeling frustrated by the slow pace of your job search, know that you’re not alone. Searching for a new role—especially while unemployed—can be one of the most mentally challenging exercises one could face (Holmes-.Rahe Life Stressor Inventory) I often hear job seekers say things like, “I’ve been at this for five months. I’m doing all the right things, and nothing is working. I’m unbelievably frustrated.”

Sheryl Davis, a health and wellness coach, recently addressed this in an episode of her podcast, “Wellness in a Chaotic World.” She shares insights on trusting the process, acknowledging small shifts, and caring for ourselves during in-between seasons—lessons that are just as relevant to careers as they are to wellness.

💼 Progress doesn’t have to be dramatic. In fact, the most meaningful changes often come from small, barely noticeable shifts—the ones that quietly add up over time. (And then you find yourself with three job offers after months of silence…)

Podcast Episode: Finding Patience When Progress Feels Slow

I Accepted A Job. Then Got A Better Offer.

In the past six months, I’ve seen a surprisingly common—and deeply uncomfortable—career dilemma surface among senior leaders in my network. It’s the kind of situation that doesn’t come with a clean playbook, especially for executives who care deeply about integrity, reputation, and long-term relationships.

The question at the center of it all?

What do you do when a clearly better job offer appears after you’ve already accepted—or even started—another role? Here’s how to handle this business decision.

Article: I accepted a job. Then got a better offer.

Growth Often Happens Underground First

I was talking with an HR leader this week—someone who has advised countless people on their careers. And yet, he found himself stuck.

"In three weeks, I’m going to lose my job. I’ll get some severance, but not much. I feel absolutely frozen right now."

Sound familiar? That fight/flight/freeze response can kick in for anyone facing uncertainty:

• Fight: frustration or aggression

• Flight: avoidance or procrastination

• Freeze: inaction or paralysis

Triggered by anxiety, uncertainty, rejection, and lack of control, it can leave you feeling overwhelmed—and even sabotaging your own efforts.

Here’s what I told him:

Step 1: Focus on Your Target Role
Clarity is power. Define your one target role—not four, not ten. Then refine it. Ask yourself:

• Who could help me? Who do I already know in this space?

• How much do I need to make?

• Am I willing to relocate?

• What do I need in the role to be happy?

This is your North Star. Everything else flows from it.

Step 2: Build the Best Resume You Can
Yes, I’m in the resume business, and yes, I’d love to help—but even if you write it yourself, make it excellent.

Why? Because the market is ultra-competitive. When people first hear you’re unemployed, they’ll say, “How can I help?” You want to be armed with a polished career marketing document and a clear message:

"Thanks for offering to help. I’m targeting [role/title] at companies like [X & Y]. I’d welcome introductions in this space."

Step 3: Do Target Company Research
Don’t skip this. Too many job seekers jump straight to job boards and miss the bigger picture. Identify the companies that actually value your skill set. Understand their challenges, culture, and openings. This research will guide your outreach and make your networking far more strategic.

Article: How to Build a Target Company List

The unsexy stuff—the clarity exercises, the research, the resume fine-tuning—doesn’t give you the dopamine hit of a “quick apply” application.

But this is the work that builds momentum, quietly setting the stage for results.

Case Study: COO —> CEO The Power of Targeted Messaging

Article: How Targeted Executive Messaging Led to a President Role at a $250M PE-Backed Company

Free LinkedIn Career Premium & Microsoft 365

If you’re a college student — or the parent of one — this is a resource worth sharing (Credit to Kevin Turner for sharing this on LinkedIn)

LinkedIn and Microsoft are offering 12 months FREE of LinkedIn Career Premium + Microsoft 365 to eligible higher-education students.

This bundle gives students access to powerful AI tools, productivity apps, and career-building features designed to support both academic performance and early career success, including:

• LinkedIn Career Premium

  • AI-powered resume and profile feedback

  • Interview prep tools

  • InMail credits to connect with recruiters and hiring managers

  • Insights into job and applicant trends

• Microsoft 365

  • Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook

  • Cloud storage

  • Collaboration and productivity tools essential for coursework, projects, and internships

Important details:

• This is a limited-supply, time-bound offer

• Offer ends February 28

• Higher-ed student verification is required

If this applies to you or your family, I strongly recommend applying soon.

🔹 LinkedIn FAQs: https://lnkd.in/eWe3Quii
🔹 Microsoft Promo Page & Sign-Up: https://lnkd.in/eKmV_FsG

Free Universal Childcare for Two-Year-Olds

New York City is poised to become the first U.S. city to offer free, universal child care for two-year-olds — a bold effort to stem the exodus of families as living costs continue to soar.

Infant and toddler care in NYC now averages $26,000 per year, more than double the national average. The financial strain is forcing many parents to delay home purchases, downshift their careers, or rethink having additional children. For some, it’s driving the decision to leave the city altogether.

City and state leaders believe that offering free care for all two-year-olds could be a powerful retention tool — making it more feasible for families to stay and build their lives in New York.

In a recent LinkedIn post, Paulina Cachero, New York City Residential & Personal Finance Reporter for Bloomberg News, shared insights from families who said free child care would have been life-changing, influencing everything from decisions about having another child to whether they could afford to remain in the city at all.

“I don’t want any more families to leave New York,” Governor Kathy Hochul said during a visit to a Queens child-care center last week. “We want them to stay, but we have to work as a government to make life more affordable for them.”

Survey