Here’s the truth: interviews aren’t scavenger hunts for every bullet on your résumé. They’re connection points. And two things create that connection: your story and your curiosity.
When they say, “Tell me about yourself,” they’re not asking for a biography. They want a clear through-line: who you are, what you value, and how that shows up in your work. Think about the big questions you’ll be asked, strengths, weaknesses, five-year vision, how you handle conflict. There are dozens of behavioral questions, but every great answer shares one thing: it’s told as a short story.
Try this:
People hire people. Research the interviewer: where they studied, how they climbed, what they care about. Then connect it to your own path.
“Suzy, thanks for that question. I noticed you moved from operations to product, my last two roles bridged those worlds. I’d love to hear how you made that jump here.”
Or tie it to the company’s culture:
“Four friends from NYU work here and raved about the ‘family’ vibe. I felt that on my crew team—accountability, belonging, showing up for each other. That’s the culture where I do my best work.”
Do these two things and you’ll move from interviewer to future teammate.
“I’m a [role] who loves building [outcome]. The through-line in my career is [value]. At [company], I [action - measurable impact]. I’m excited about this role because [connection to team/company/mission].”
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Ah, the third week of January. The holiday glow has faded, the festive cookies are long gone (except for that one hiding behind the cereal box), and those ambitious New Year’s resolutions? Let’s just say they’ve seen better days. If you’re still holding strong, congratulations! You’re a rare breed. But if your gym shoes are gathering dust and your "new year, new me" mantra has devolved into "maybe next year," don’t worry—you’re in excellent company.
Instead of beating yourself up about what hasn’t gone to plan, let’s shift gears. What if this year, instead of setting lofty, unrealistic goals, you focused on career goals that actually stick? Let’s ditch the guilt and talk about crafting a professional roadmap for 2025 that feels achievable, exciting, and—dare I say—fun.
It’s tempting to start the year with big declarations: “I’m going to get promoted, start a side hustle, and master five new skills by March!” But here’s the truth: biting off more than you can chew is a one-way ticket to burnout.
Instead, focus on one or two specific, actionable career goals. Maybe it’s updating your resume, attending one networking event a month, or finally mastering Excel formulas (because let’s face it, they’re still a mystery to many of us). The key is to keep it manageable and measurable.
Pro Tip: Write your goals down. Studies show you’re 42% more likely to achieve goals you physically jot down.
Big goals can feel overwhelming, but breaking them into smaller, bite-sized tasks makes them far less intimidating. Think of it as meal prepping for your career—plan ahead, take it one step at a time, and avoid the dreaded "I’ll just wing it" approach.
For example:
Let’s get one thing straight: you don’t have to be perfect to make progress. Your career journey isn’t a straight line—it’s a squiggly mess of trial, error, and learning. And that’s okay!
Miss a deadline? Got ghosted by a recruiter? Accidentally sent an email with “Thanks, Brian!” when their name is definitely not Brian? Take a deep breath and move on. Every stumble is an opportunity to grow, learn, and—let’s be honest—collect a funny story for your next happy hour.
We’re all guilty of focusing on what’s next instead of appreciating how far we’ve come. This year, make a point to celebrate your progress—big or small.
Landed an interview? Treat yourself to a fancy coffee. Finally completed that online course? Throw a mini dance party in your kitchen. Finished updating your resume? Frame it. Okay, maybe don’t frame it, but at least give yourself a pat on the back.
Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs when you least expect them. Your dream job might turn out to be not-so-dreamy, or an unexpected opportunity could completely change your trajectory
The secret to success? Stay flexible. Be willing to adjust your goals and embrace new possibilities as they arise. After all, 2025 is a whole 12 months long—plenty of time to pivot, regroup, and crush it.
If self-motivation isn’t your strong suit, you’re not alone—it’s easy to lose steam when life gets busy. That’s where an accountability partner comes in. This could be a friend, a colleague, or—if you’re serious about seeing real results—an expert career coach (like me!).
As a career coach, I specialize in helping individuals like you stay on track while navigating the twists and turns of professional growth. I’m not just here to cheer you on (though I’m excellent at that too). My job is to give you the tools, insights, and strategies to reach your goals faster and with more confidence. Whether it’s refining your resume, enhancing your interview skills, or developing a clear plan to pivot into a new career, I’m your go-to guide. I'm your go-to guide. I teach you how to drive the car and be your GPS.
It could read a recent client had this experience at the start of 2025.
Over the past 5 weeks, this incredible program has helped me dive deep into my passions, explore potential career paths, and gain clarity on what I truly want to pursue in life. It’s been an enlightening journey of self-discovery, growth, and planning for the future. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Debra Olshan Cooper and Nat Measley for their time, guidance, and invaluable advice throughout the program. Your insights and encouragement have been instrumental in helping me take this important step toward my future.
Kathleen Koenig
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It is June, and in a few short days, summer is upon us. It is time for a Pause.
Pauses may happen during natural transitions like getting in and out of your car, between meetings or calls, upon rising, or just before bed. But the pauses that restore, renew, or recharge are the ones that make us actually pause so that we can move forward,
We are starving for stillness and silence in our culture. Doesn’t it seem like there is noise and chaos everywhere? The truth is that the world will not slow down and get less noisy simply because you want it to. You have to commit to taking time to pause. I’ve grown to appreciate that pausing truly is golden.
I didn’t always feel this way. I used to surround myself with noise. I’d fall asleep with the television blaring, have pop music playing in my car and home, and talk, talk, talk until my throat was sore. Now I seek silence every day and encourage you to do the same.
The power of taking a pause is well researched. Not only does pausing promote relaxation, but a break from noise and doing also refreshes and reenergizes you for hours. Taking time just to be still and quiet gives your nervous system a chance to regain balance.
Tony Schwartz, best-selling author and CEO of The Energy Project, writes, “Human beings perform best and are most productive when they alternate between periods of intense focus and intermittent renewal.”
I have recently met with some career-minded individuals who are in burnout from sending resume after resume and being rejected. Or doing zoom interviews thinking they presented themselves in the best light only to find that they did not get the job. The constant questioning of one’s self starts to demean the inner voice, and thus the noise level becomes unbearable. What I recommend is taking the summer, playing, exploring, investigating your passion, and taking the pause to do it. You will find renewed interest, moments of joy and happiness, and above all, a great time for a restart.
How do you renew during the day?
While it’s easy to say turn off your phone and close your office door, there’s more to pausing than you might think. In fact, there are two types of noise and two types of silence to consider. If you’re really interested in feeling your best and performing your best, you will want to understand how to best recover.
Outer noise is the stuff you hear in your environment: talking, music, machines humming. There’s noise almost everywhere you go these days. Music plays in stores, restaurants, and hotel lobbies. Beeps, gongs, and whistles sound all around us. News is broadcast 24/7.
We are over-stimulated with outer noise. In fact, most of us have been conditioned to require constant music and entertainment. There is no doubt noise has become ingrained in our cultural norms.
We are over-stimulated with outer noise. In fact, most of us have been conditioned to require constant music and entertainment. There is no doubt noise has become ingrained in our cultural norms.
Inner noise is the phenomenon of being in a quiet room yet feeling as though a whole crowd of people is talking to you all at once. The voices in your head continually remind you to do this or to figure out that. Inner noise is your busy thinking mind in action, continuously bouncing around from one thought to the next and filling your mind with constant chatter.
What should we do about all of this noise? The antidote to noise is… you guessed it… silence!
It’s fairly easy to stop the incessant outer noise by finding pockets of outer silence. Turn off the noisemakers such as your laptop or television. Stopping or quieting down the inner noise takes more attention.
Settle your body by stabilizing your nervous system with coherent breathing, mediation, movement, and rhythm; your noisy mind will naturally settle down. You can also learn to access inner silence by taking a walk in the woods or playing the piano.
How do you find inner silence? What practices or activities do you do to really settle down? One of my go-to’s is my Sunday evening bath, complete with candles and soothing music.
Practice the power pause by scheduling 1-2 minute breaks every hour. Pauses may happen during natural transitions like getting in and out of your car, in between meetings or calls, upon rising, or just before bed. Better yet, set an alarm on your phone to ring with a calm chime every hour.
Once you get to know inner silence, you’ll want nothing else but to live in that space all the time.
