What Still Speaks When You’re Forced to Be Still
I didn’t plan on ending the year sidelined. An upper respiratory virus slowed everything down, cleared my calendar, removing the usual distractions. When you can’t do, you’re left to notice what you think about.
In that quiet, certain experiences bubbled up for me. This offered me unexpected time to contemplate (when I wasn’t completely wiped out with fatigue). Past conversations and situations came up that I might have benefitted by if I handled them differently. These were moments where I might have pushed instead of paused. They were choices made from momentum rather than alignment. The issues came up with the kind of clarity that only comes when the noise fades. I even had an experience of how a past life was affecting my outlook and my beliefs in this one. It was truly an aha! moment and so beneficial to me understanding me.
Stillness has a way of doing that. It doesn’t just reveal what you want next. It can show you what you’ve already learned.
When productivity pauses, reflection can step in. You can begin to see patterns, how you respond under pressure. Did I gave too much or too little, did I trust myself enough, or did I act from ego. Some insights don’t arrive during goal-setting sessions. They surface when life slows you down enough to let them arrive.
For many people, especially mid-career professionals, clarity doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from listening differently, from noticing what your body, your intuition, and your lived experiences are trying to teach you. Sometimes you can plan it by going on a yoga retreat or a hike up a mountain. Sometimes it comes when you are sidelined with the flu or another illness.
That’s why I believe strongly that being out of commission isn’t wasted time. It’s often where discernment sharpens, perspective deepens, and growth quietly takes root.
You don’t have to be moving to be learning. Sometimes, the most important lessons speak when everything else finally gets quiet.
Need help with intuitive guidance or finding your center? I’m here to help you take the next step Book a session with me, I’m happy to support you!
Networking During the Holidays: Take a Break, But Don’t drop your Job Search
Every year around this time, many job seekers hit pause. They pack away their résumés while taking out the holiday decorations, convinced that no one hires during November and December. As a job search and career coach, I can tell you: this simply isn’t true. Yes, the pace feels different, and yes, people are more distracted, but hiring does not stop. Companies still need to close out headcount, fill roles before budgets reset, or bring on new staff for Q1 initiatives. I’ve seen plenty of people receive interviews, offers, and even start new jobs between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
So, if you want to slow down your search to enjoy the season, do it. Rest matters, and you deserve time with your family, your friends, and all the joy this time of year brings. But here’s where many job seekers make the wrong move: they stop everything. They go quiet. And that silence can cost them important opportunities. You can step back from applications without stepping back from visibility.
The holidays create a unique opening for connection. You’re naturally seeing people you haven’t caught up with in months: former colleagues, neighbors home from college, extended family, friends dropping by for parties and dinners. These moments are more than festive, they’re strategic. In between the eating, laughing, and reminiscing, take a moment to share what you’re looking for. Tell people what roles interest you, where you want to work next, or what kind of transition you’re hoping to make. These conversations don’t need to be formal. In fact, the casual nature of the season makes them easier.
Because here’s the truth I remind my clients of all year long: In real estate, it’s location, location, location. In the job search, it’s network, network, network. Research at Challenger, Gray and Christmas, where I work, shows us that about 80 percent of jobs that are filled are never posted online. They’re filled through recommendations, internal referrals, and good old-fashioned word of mouth. The more people who know what you want, the more eyes and ears you have working on your behalf.
So don’t let the holidays be a networking blackout period. Lay the groundwork now, while everyone is a little more relaxed and open to conversations. Show up warmly, authentically, and with clarity about your goals. This season isn’t just about closing out the year, it’s about planting seeds for the one that’s coming. And with the right connections, those seeds can turn into real opportunities.
Need help with your job search, moving to the next step, or telling your story? I’m here to help you take the next step Book a session with me, I’m happy to support you!
Research Techniques for Exploring New Fields
By Geri Hearne
When you’re considering a career pivot, the hardest part isn’t always making the leap, it’s figuring out where to leap. You may know you’re ready for change, but how do you explore a new industry without feeling like an outsider? The key is focused, curious, and human-centered research.
Here’s how to dig in strategically and uncover where your skills truly fit.
1. Start with curiosity, not commitment.
You don’t have to know whether a field is “right” for you before exploring it. Think of this phase as investigative journalism for your career. Follow your instincts. If you’re drawn to sustainability, AI ethics, or nonprofit leadership, start reading, watching, and listening. Set up Google Alerts, browse trade journals, and subscribe to one or two industry newsletters. You’re not job hunting yet; you’re foraging.
2. Decode the language of the field.
Every industry has its own shorthand including terms, priorities, and pain points. Study how professionals talk about challenges and success. Look at company press releases, LinkedIn posts, or podcasts featuring leaders in the space.
Ask yourself:
- What trends or issues come up again and again?
- Which words signal authority or innovation in the field?
- How do they measure value?
Learning the language helps you translate your existing experience into their world. It’s a crucial step in making a credible pivot. It’s a way others can see that you belong in that room.
3. Go beyond Google: use data tools.
- LinkedIn: Search for people with roles you admire. What’s their career path? What skills do they list?
- Glassdoor / Indeed / O*NET: Identify what qualifications or keywords appear in multiple job descriptions.
- Industry reports: Sites like IBISWorld, McKinsey, Deloitte Insights and the company I work for, Challenger, Gray and Christmas publish accessible analyses that can reveal which areas are growing.
You don’t need to read every report, just enough to understand the ecosystem.
4. Talk to real people (the right way).
The most valuable insights come from conversations, not click-throughs.
Ask for informational interviews, not job leads. A few thoughtful questions can open big doors:
- “What drew you to this industry?”
- “What challenges or trends do you see shaping the next few years?”
- “If someone were wanting to get in, what should they understand first?”
People love to share what they’ve learned. Approach with genuine curiosity and gratitude. Take notes during or right after the conversation. You’re going to see patterns emerge.
5. Always, all ways: Experiment before you commit.
Once you’ve done your homework, find a low-risk way to test the waters:
- Attend an industry conference or virtual panel.
- Volunteer on a project that aligns with your target field.
- Take a short course or certification to build confidence and context.
- Offer to freelance or consult on a small piece of work.
Experience confirms what research suggests and even more, it gets you more connected to where you may wind up moving to! Experience will also reveal which parts of the field energize you most.
6. Translate your story.
After gathering insight, reframe your narrative. Instead of saying, “I’m switching careers,” say, “I’m applying my background in storytelling and leadership to a new space.” Industry research gives you the evidence and language to bridge that gap with credibility.
Final thought
Exploring new fields isn’t about starting from zero — it’s about connecting the dots between what you already know and what’s next. With curiosity as your compass and research as your guide, you’ll move from wondering “Could I fit in?” to knowing exactly where and how you can contribute. Good luck and let me know how it’s going!
Need help with your career pivot, telling your story, or getting clarity? I’m here to help you take the next step Book a session with me, I’m happy to support you!
How to Pivot Careers Without Starting From Scratch
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after close to 40 years in broadcast TV news, with a few career pivots along the way, it’s that changing direction doesn’t mean starting over. Careers aren’t straight lines; they’re winding paths filled with opportunities to reinvent yourself while carrying your experience with you.
Over the years, I’ve been a TV writer, reporter, and producer. I’ve also been a Journalism professor, a high school English teacher, an author, publisher and entrepreneur. I’ve been certified as an energy healer and Reiki practitioner. Today, I am gainfully employed with Challenger, Gray and Christmas as a job search coach. Some of the roles I’ve had were driven by passion. Others, by practicality. Along the way, more than once, I returned to television news because it paid the most. But every turn added something valuable: skills, insight, perspective, experience and though I didn’t feel it at the time: resilience.
The above photo is a graduation photo from an Intermediate Integrated Energy Therapy class I committed to while working full time. The class taught me new techniques to use energy but more importantly it gave me confidence to strike out on my own journey sharing intuitive sessions. (Thank you Jill Kempner.)
If you’re thinking about pivoting careers, you don’t have to toss out everything you’ve built. Here’s how to make a meaningful shift without starting from scratch.
1. Reframe Your Story
You’re not “leaving” your old career—you’re evolving. Think of your experience as raw material that can be reshaped. What skills have been your constants? For me, communication, curiosity, and storytelling followed me everywhere I went. Teaching and coaching both grew out of those same roots.
Identify your throughline, what I mean is, the skill or value that connects your experiences. Make it the headline of your career story.
2. Inventory Your Transferable Skills
Every job gives you tools you can carry forward. Writing under pressure in a newsroom translates beautifully to clear, persuasive communication in coaching or consulting. Leading a classroom builds public speaking and mentoring strengths.
List your top five skills that show up again and again, regardless of your role. That’s your foundation for a new direction.
3. Test Before You Leap
This is so important for your financial security! Before making a full pivot, explore. Take a course. Volunteer. Shadow someone. Start a side project. When I taught or coached part-time while still in TV, it gave me insight into what might come next—without cutting ties to what was steady and familiar.
Think of this as career prototyping: small experiments to see what fits before making a full commitment.
4. Leverage Your Network
People often think changing careers means rebuilding a whole new network. Not true. Start with who you know. Colleagues, classmates, or contacts from previous jobs may already have connections in your target field. Tell your story clearly: you’re not abandoning your past, you’re expanding it.
Ask for introductions, informational interviews, and honest feedback. Most people are happy to help someone who’s taking a courageous step forward. I’m taking a pause here to acknowledge: it’s not easy. But if it’s what you want, it’s worth pushing yourself to make those calls.
5. Be Practical, Not Perfectionist
There’s no shame in making financially grounded decisions. Sometimes, like me, you might step back into a previous role because it’s what makes sense at the moment. That’s not failure—it’s flexibility.
The goal isn’t a perfect, linear path. It’s a sustainable career that grows as you do.
6. Invest in Yourself Wisely
You may not need another degree. Sometimes, a short certification, workshop, or mentorship program gives you just enough credibility to bridge the gap. Choose what strengthens your skills and confidence, not just your résumé.
Final Thoughts
A career pivot isn’t about throwing away your past, it’s about expanding on it with purpose. Each chapter of your professional life has prepared you for what’s next, even if it didn’t feel that way at the time. And believe me, sometimes it doesn’t feel anywhere near that!
If you’re standing at a crossroads, remember: you’ve already done hard things. You’ve learned, adapted, and thrived before. You can do it again—this time, with all that wisdom behind you.
Need help with your career pivot, telling your story, or getting clarity? I’m here to help you take the next step Book a session with me, I’m happy to support you!
Tech Layoffs: Bounce Back and Move Forward
Tech is being hit hard in this economy. Layoffs keep hitting the industry and creating uncertaintywithin many employees and their families. Challenger, Gray & Christmas reports year-to-date cuts are the highest since 2020, while hiring sits at its weakest since 2009. Here’s what’s going on and tips to preparing for your next opportunity.
What’s the latest? Through September, Technology companies have announced 107,878 job cuts, including 5,639 last month, according to CGC (the company I work for). Their research shows technology companies have cut 241,866 jobs since January 2024. You see the reality: getting a new role in many cases could be even tougher than keeping the last one.
Here’s what tech workers are up against in today’s job market:
1. Fewer Openings, Higher Bar
Entry-level and mid-tier jobs are shrinking. Companies want specialists who can contribute on Day One, leaving many candidates stuck in a “too junior / not senior enough” trap.
2. AI Complicates the Picture
AI creates new opportunities but also replaces some coding and testing work. If you can’t explain how your skills add value beyond AI tools, you risk getting screened out.
3. Brutal Interviews
Expect longer, tougher loops. Companies want perfect matches, not “good enough.” Communication, systems thinking, and tradeoff explanations matter as much as raw coding skills. Be able to explain why you chose one approach over another. On top of everything else, practice your communication skills.
4. Fewer Safety Nets
Contract roles don’t necessarily lead to full-time offers now. Many pay the bills but don’t build the experience or visibility you need to land your next big role.
5. Tougher Offers
Even when you win the job, offers are leaner. Lower salaries, fewer perks, more “do more with less.” On top of that, candidates should address the choices: do I want a higher pay at riskier companies or lower pay at more stable ones. This decision could be more critical now than when you first started your career.
6. Mental Toll
You will face rejection. Then there’s the pressure to upskill. I’ve seen some of my clients burn out by long searches. My key advice is to pace yourself and take time to play. That’s another blog for another day, but you get what I’m saying: be kind to yourself. Take that road trip or even the bike ride you planned in another state.
Now, How to Compete
- Specialize in areas with demand (AI, cloud, security).
- Build a proof portfolio and include real projects you’ve shipped i.e., an app or website you built. Share any contribution to open source or shared code. Share your writing and communication expertise through a blog post or a tutorial you created.
- Lean heavily on referrals and your network. In real estate, you’ve heard it’s location, location, location. In the job hunting state, it’s network, network, network.
- Negotiate smartly beyond base pay.
- Guard your energy because this is a marathon.
Bottom line: The layoffs make headlines, but the harder story is the job hunt that follows. The market is lean, the bar is high, but tech talent is still getting hired. The question is whether you can show quickly and clearly why your skills matter now.
Click here for Challenger’s Full story on the September Job Outlook
Need help with your job search, telling your story, or getting clarity? I’m here to help you take the next step
The Waiting Game: What to Do While You’re Waiting for a Job Offer
You crushed the interview. You sent the thank you note. You felt the energy click, maybe even heard something promising like, “We’ll be in touch soon.” Now comes the hardest part: the wait.
For many job seekers, the in-between can feel like an emotional rollercoaster; hope, doubt, checking and rechecking your inbox. But here’s the truth: waiting doesn’t mean pausing your momentum.
Keep Moving While You Wait
One of the most powerful things you can do during this time is keep networking. This isn’t just a fallback plan; it’s a confidence-builder. Conversations, informational interviews, and industry events will:
- Expand your opportunities
- Remind you of your value
- Shift your energy from passive to proactive
Remember, the offer isn’t real until it’s in writing. Hiring timelines are often unpredictable. Internal delays happen; budgets, vacations, or shifting priorities. None of that is a reflection on your worth.
Here’s What You Can Do
- Follow up if it’s been over a week, with a polite, professional check-in.
- Stay visible on LinkedIn—comment, post, share.
- Keep applying. Keep connecting. Keep learning.
- Journal or reflect—what did you learn from the interview process? What would you do differently?
- Stay grounded—meditation, exercise, or even just a walk can help regulate the nervous energy that waiting creates.
Final Thought
Waiting can test your patience and your confidence. But it’s not a sign to stop, it’s a signal to stay in motion. Keep showing up, keep reaching out, and know that clarity often arrives when you’re least expecting it.