Job Search and Career Transition

Struggling with the job search? Stop submitting dozens of online apps and crossing your fingers. Try this instead: Start by setting aside 2-3 days. Use that time to research the heck out of companies in your target industry. Learn about their products, customers, finances, people, and culture. You’ll cross a lot of places off your list — that’s a good thing! Work to narrow down the list until you have 15 companies you really love. Now focus 100% of your time and energy on those companies. Invest time creating highly personalized resumes and cover letters, then apply. Begin building relationships with potential referrals. Start with people you know — can anyone in your circle introduce you? Then message decision makers (hiring managers, potential peers) directly. Finally, think about how you can go above and beyond to show how much you want to work there. Can you share potential solutions to a challenge? Can you help identify a new opportunity? Can you perform a competitive analysis? Can you gather feedback on a new initiative? Package that up in a deck and lead with it (I call these Value Validation Projects). Moral of the story? Stop going 100 miles wide and one mile deep. Instead, choose a small set of companies you’re genuinely excited about and invest 100% in them.

In 2023, we spent $413,000 on executive recruiters. They helped us hire a new CRO, CTO, CFO, CHRO and CLO. At first, the idea of spending THAT much on executive recruiters seemed outrageous. But I was wrong. Here's how it works: BACKGROUND: Executive Search initially did not sit right with me. Paying a large retainer and trusting the Executive Search firm would hit the target was counter to my formula of hiring more junior staff (we typically use a pool of non-exclusive recruiters or build out an internal recruitment team) and promoting from within to the highest level. The first Exec Search we completed was with Maddy Cross at Erevena for our CHRO Richard Fye. Maddy quickly changed my mind about Executive search and set the bar for what I expect Executive search to be. Thoughtful, well connected and a pleasure to speak to on every call. Our CFO search was done by John Watkins from Altima. The last time we had run a CFO search we had not used a Search firm. We were far smaller and as a working class boy from Manchester, the Executive Search fees seemed mind-blowing! Our board recommended Altima. Again we were presented with a strongly researched group of candidates. Ultimately we selected the talented Jennifer Grunebaum Our CRO search was done by Gary Constance at Daversa Partners. This was the toughest search last year. The revenue range a company is at is critical to this role. Cognism had passed $50M ARR and decided it needed a CRO with experience scaling from $50M to $300M+, which slashed the candidate pool. We selected Rob Tomchick who is a perfect culture fit and just completed a similar challenge at Lever. Both the CTO (Ivana Zuber) and CLO (Elizabeth Rushforth) were sourced internally and are making tremendous impacts on their departments. After all this, here's what I learned makes a great Exec Search experience: - Exec Recruiters have a deep connection to their industry and a strong understanding of the candidates and their desire to make a move. - Exec Recruiters research the market extensively in a way that's difficult to replicate internally. - Exec Recruiters understand their client, can position them and can sell their story. They would make incredible Enterprise Sellers. - Exec Recruiters facilitate great communication with the candidates at all stages of the process. As CEO, you need to ensure this cadence is in place from the start, in particular for candidates that do not get selected. Does this mean you shouldn’t source internally? Of course not. Half of our C-Suite leaders were sourced internally, however it's important to create a good blend of experience to ensure the company can keep scaling safely. In fact, we had over 190 internal promotions last year (more on that soon). But if you ever need to source external executive talent… I would highly recommend Executive Recruiters. P.S. Any questions on Executive Recruiting? Any Recruiters you would recommend? Comment below with names/roles they hire for.

Breaking stereotypes wasn’t easy. A banker once told me, ‘It’s better to be a shark in a pond than a fish in an ocean.’ That mindset shaped me. Some stories inspire us to aim higher and keep going. Anuja Bhekane’s journey is one that truly moves me - a story where she didn’t have a head start in life, yet today, she leads a team of 100. Here is Anuja’s story in her own words to inspire you to lead with courage and confidence. “I didn’t have a prestigious degree or a built-in career roadmap. Coming from a family of agriculture and farming, I had no exposure to the corporate world, no roadmap to success. Yet, I refused to let that define me. At 20, I began my career in the capital markets industry, a field traditionally dominated by men. My clients were CXOs of major banks, and through my interactions with them, I realized something profound: financial success wasn’t limited to business owners. Even salaried professionals could achieve wealth and independence. Over the past decade, I’ve been the only female Zonal Head in my field, earning credibility through performance - not gender. And while I’ve never played the “I’m a woman” card, let’s be real - challenges exist. Balancing work and family, ensuring my personal responsibilities never became an organization’s problem, and still delivering at the highest level - that was the biggest challenge I overcame. There were days I felt stretched between two worlds - one at work, one at home - but I never let either become an excuse. Three months after maternity leave, I was back at work - not to prove anything, but because my passion for what I do never took a break. Some days, success comes easy; other days, failure humbles you. The key is to turn setbacks into learning experiences. Staying grounded, being modest - that’s what sustains success in the long run. Even today, my aspiration remains the same. When I first met a CEO as a 20-year-old, I told myself that one day, I would be on that side of the table. That goal still drives me.”

Deborah Liu was a long-time VP at Facebook where she built and launched multiple billion-dollar businesses, including Facebook Marketplace. Prior to Facebook, she was a Director at PayPal and eBay. She now serves on the board of Intuit and, for the past 3.5 years, has led Ancestry as CEO. In our conversation, we discuss: 🔸 Why you should PM your career like you PM your product 🔸 Advice for succeeding as an introvert 🔸 Strategies for incubating new products within large companies 🔸 Creating a successful 30-60-90-day plan 🔸 The pitfalls of perfectionism 🔸 The value of resilience and turning failures into stepping stones 🔸 How to leverage coaching in your career development 🔸 Much more Listen now 👇 - YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gvpRD46V - Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gqEQUcKQ - Apple: https://lnkd.in/gmNhk9f2 Some key takeaways: 1. Treat your career like a product roadmap. Start by defining your long-term career goals and envision where you want to be in 5 or 10 years. Break these goals down into smaller, actionable milestones, similar to setting quarterly objectives for a product. Develop a career plan that includes key skills to acquire, roles to target, and metrics for success. Regularly review and adjust this plan based on your progress and any new opportunities or changes in your industry. 2. Introverts need to learn to speak up. Whether you like it or not, the business world favors extraversion. So if you don’t share your opinions and market your wins, you’ll limit your career progression. If you’re a leader, focus on creating an inclusive environment where your entire team has an opportunity to speak up, not just those who are naturally confident in group settings. 3. If the idea of self-promotion makes you feel uncomfortable, consider changing your perspective on what this process achieves. Think about it as a way of advocating for your team’s needs and resources, or sharing important metrics you’ve all achieved. When we shift the focus from “This is about me” to “This helps everyone,” the value of self-promotion becomes far clearer—and much more palatable. 4. When starting a new role, create a structured 30-60-90-day plan: a. 30 days (listening and learning): Meet with as many team members and stakeholders as possible (aim for 50 to 60 people) to understand their perspectives, challenges, and wish lists. b. 60 days (aligning and planning): Based on your learnings, identify one or two areas where you can make a tangible impact in the short term. Develop a plan to address these areas and present it to your team. c. 90 days (execution and impact): Begin implementing the plans and changes that have been agreed upon. Focus on delivering quick wins to build credibility and demonstrate value. At the end of the 90 days, review your achievements and the feedback received.

This award goes to everyone who tried really hard this year to post rage bait content just to get likes instead of helping job seekers. “Do not use Open to Work on LinkedIn” winning Worst Career Advice of 2025 is well deserved. 👏 Here is why this take is terrible. First, recruiters are measured on time to fill. Their job is to bring the best talent in the fastest possible way. If someone is openly looking and can start sooner, why would they ignore that signal? When I see someone with the green frame whose skills match what we need, I reach out immediately or share their profile with my team. That is literally how hiring pipelines move faster. Open to Work is a visibility signal, not a personality trait. It helps recruiters find candidates faster in search. It does not lower quality; it improves matching. It also helps candidates control the narrative. Being open about looking for a role is far better than pretending everything is fine while hoping someone magically notices you. I am not sure where the authors of these posts live, but on planet Earth, layoffs happen. Often. And many highly skilled, high-performing people are laid off through no fault of their own and need to find work again. I have hired hundreds of people over my career who had the green Open to Work frame. And I will continue to do that. It has never been a negative signal. Not once! The green banner does not make anyone desperate. The only desperation I see is from people with jobs telling job seekers to hide, just to get attention and likes.

We lost the humanity in hiring with auto-reject emails. People are now applicant numbers & keywords. When clients come to me, they're often beaten down and questioning their value and worth. It's not their fault. The job search strips away everything human about you. Your career is widdled down into two or three pages. You get ghosted by people who demanded your time. It's brutal and you have to look out for you. Here's how to protect your humanity: 1/ Create non-negotiable self-care boundaries ↳ Your brain needs rest to perform, so shut the laptop and protect part of your day. 2/ Have a daily practice that isn't job searching ↳ Whether it's pottery or powerlifting, find something that brings you joy even on tough days. 3/ Set daily limits on applications ↳ Send 5 thoughtful and tailored resumes out and call that your "done point" for the day. 4/ Talk to someone daily who sees you ↳ Find that friend who remembers your talents when you've forgotten them yourself. 5/ Document three non-work wins weekly ↳ Maybe you made perfect coffee or helped a neighbor. These small victories matter. 6/ Take rejection as redirection ↳ The "no" saved you from a toxic culture or bad fit that would have made you miserable. 7/ Connect with other job seekers ↳ Join online groups where people understand the sting of rejection after five interview rounds. 8/ Celebrate the small victories ↳ Getting to round two is growth, even if you don't get the job. Progress is progress. 9/ Write yourself a recommendation letter ↳ When imposter syndrome hits, read your own words about your accomplishments. 10/ Help someone else in their search ↳ Making job searching a team sport keeps you accountable and makes the process bearable. Make your search easier with my FREE resume guide: https://lnkd.in/eTWdKUrG Your job search doesn't define you. Your response to it does. Stay strong, I believe in you. How are you taking a break this weekend? 👇👇👇 ♻️ Repost to help a job seeker take care of themselves 🔔 Follow Ashley Couto for daily career help

Most companies frontload onboarding into the first week, then wonder why great hires quit after 2 months. Here's a framework that fixes this: THE 30/60/90 ONBOARDING PLAN Days 0-30: Orientation → Belonging Goal: Make them feel part of something - Welcome kit + preboarding touchpoints - Set clear role expectations and team charter - Buddy system + manager syncs Quick Win: Schedule a values-aligned storytelling session with a company founder Days 31-60: Integration → Clarity Goal: Understand how their work fits - Role-specific training - First project delivery - Cross-functional intros Quick Win: Create a "map of influence" showing who to talk to and when Days 61-90: Acceleration → Impact Goal: Start delivering results - Feedback loop with manager - Career path preview - Culture check-in + stay conversation Quick Win: Ask "What's one thing you'd change about our onboarding?" Why this works: - Week 1 onboarding creates anxiety relief but not engagement. - 30-day onboarding builds belonging but lacks direction. - 90-day onboarding creates clarity, confidence, and measurable impact. Most companies frontload everything into the first few days, then abandon new hires to figure it out. The result? Talented people leave because they never felt integrated or clear on their impact. TAKEAWAY: Your onboarding process is a 90-day audition. Not just for the new hire to prove themselves. For your company to prove it's worth staying. The companies with the best retention don't just hire great people. They systematically integrate them into something they want to be part of.

Interview Question: "Why are you leaving your current job?" Before going straight to answer it, understand his motive behind it. Interviewers ask this question to understand your motivations for seeking a new opportunity. They want to gauge whether you're leaving for the right reasons, such as career growth or alignment with your goals, rather than negative reasons like conflicts or dissatisfaction. This question also helps them assess if their organization can meet your expectations. ✅️ Here's how you should answer this: When answering, focus on the positives and future opportunities rather than any negative experiences at your current job. Emphasize your desire for growth, new challenges, or the chance to develop new skills. Avoid criticizing your current employer or role, as this can come across as unprofessional. Instead, frame your response around how the new position aligns better with your career aspirations. 📌 Sample answer: "I’ve enjoyed my time at my current job and have learned a lot, but I’m ready for a new challenge that aligns more closely with my long-term career goals. I’m looking for a role that will allow me to expand my skills in [specific area], and your company’s commitment to [industry/area] really excites me. I believe this opportunity will provide the right environment for me to contribute meaningfully while continuing to grow professionally." Next time you’re preparing for an interview, take a moment to reflect on your reasons for seeking change. P.s. What’s the most challenging question you’ve faced in an interview, and how did you handle it?

The key to identifying and highlighting transferable skills from a career break is simple: stop thinking of work as the only place where valuable skills are built. Every experience—whether it’s caregiving, studying, traveling, or even healing—teaches us something. The trick is learning how to translate those lessons into professional strengths. Instead of focusing on where you were, focus on what you did during that time. Ask yourself: • Did I manage a household? That’s leadership, budgeting, conflict resolution. • Did I care for a family member? That’s emotional intelligence, resilience, crisis management. • Did I go back to school? That’s adaptability, learning agility, and critical thinking. • Did I travel or take a sabbatical? That’s cultural intelligence, problem-solving, and networking. • Did I recover from burnout or focus on mental health? That’s self-awareness, stress management, and a deeper understanding of workplace well-being—an increasingly valuable skill. The bottom line? A career break isn’t a gap. It’s an experience. And when framed right, it’s an asset.

The notion that a "perfect" career in life sciences follows the rigid path of B.Sc. - M.Sc. - Ph.D. - Postdoc - Academic Professor is not just outdated – it's limiting your potential. As life science professionals, we possess a unique set of skills that extend far beyond the laboratory. Our analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and deep understanding of complex systems are invaluable across numerous industries. Consider this: You can drive innovation in biotech without running experiments daily. You can shape science policy without writing academic papers. You can lead product development in pharma without being tied to a bench. Are you truly leaving science behind by choosing these paths? Absolutely not. You're still: Interpreting scientific data, just in different contexts Communicating complex ideas, just to varied audiences Solving critical problems, just on a broader scale It's time to recognize that your worth isn't defined by your proximity to a pipette. Your value lies in your ability to apply scientific thinking to real-world challenges. Embrace the multitude of career options available to you. Your life science background is not a constraint – it's a launchpad for a fulfilling career aligned with your personal aspirations. Remember: You're not abandoning science by exploring diverse career paths. You're expanding its reach and impact. ... #LifeScienceCareers #careers #gethired #sciencejobs #beyondacademia #buildyourcareer