This week I worked with a client who was feeling overwhelmed by his job search. Between sending out hundreds of LinkedIn messages, preparing for interviews and researching for coffee chats, he felt like he was responding to the urgent without being strategic. It was stressing him out. In our session, we worked through the different types of job search strategies… essentially the best ways to land an interview. Then, we discussed which approach to prioritize and why. Here are the options I...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Most people think the best time to engage a career coach is after a layoff or if your job search is going sideways. Those ARE good times to engage a coach to help get you on track (and I’m here for all that!)... But the clients who have experienced a truly holistic transformation don’t work with me out of desperation. They engage me as a coach as an act of foresight. They know a change is coming (or they want a change to happen), and they’re willing to put in the time and effort to invest in...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." – Dr. Seuss Where do you want to go? What’s the vision for your life and your career? Are you investing in yourself today to get to where you want to go tomorrow? About 12 years ago, I began dreaming about the type of life I wanted. As a stressed out management consultant, my dreams felt far off. Like really far off. I’m a curious person and if I have a problem to solve, I’m focused on...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
It’s been 18 months since I opened doors “officially” as CEO and Head Career Coach at Thain-Blonk & Associates. This is the second business I’ve built since starting a family four years ago. With each business, I’ve gotten more ruthless about how I prioritize my time. What’s my priority in this season? It’s found in the tension between time spent with family and revenue goals. As I’ve been reflecting on the last 18 months… the client success stories, the services delivered, the revenue earned...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
March 2020 hit different for me. (and it wasn’t just because of lockdown) I was out of work for the first time in my life (company had closed down Jan 2020). I had just become a new mom. Life was totally different (very overwhelming actually) and I had no prior framework to navigate this season. So I did the only thing I knew to do in the midst of floundering. Dig in and learn. My biggest question? What could this season look like as a new mom going back into the workforce? What could be...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Imagine getting let go from your role, landing a new role, getting let go again due to restructuring, landing a new role, leaving due to the toxic workplace and finally landing a new role once again. All in 12 months. Sometimes life just throws it at you. I had a past client catch me up on her life and she shared that THIS WAS HER YEAR. Uggghhh. Not what I wanted to hear. But what she said next made my day. She said that because of our work, she had the skills and confidence to find and land...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Did you know that indecision is hurting your job search? Let me explain. When you don’t know what you want to do next… Or what role you’d be best suited for… Or how your specific set of skills and experiences will add value.. Or if you want to leave your organization or stay… Everyone can sense your indecision. And, since you aren’t clear, no one will rush to your side to help you achieve your goal. Why? Well, you don’t have any specific goals. All you have is a vague idea that your current...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Are you feeling stuck in your career? Perhaps you’ve considered getting professional support to help you navigate what’s next, but keep pausing before pressing go. After speaking with dozens of professionals working as engineers, lawyers, consultants, data scientists, project managers, marketers, actuaries or working in functions like corporate finance, accounting, supply chain and on product teams… I’ve noticed that there are four myths that tend to hold people back from working with a...
3 months ago • 4 min read
If you’re reading this, you are a high achiever who wants to level up your career, but something is holding you back. My guess is that it’s been holding you back for a while and you finally decided it was time for a change. Perhaps… You were passed over for a promotion and you know it’s time to make a move Or there’s rumors of layoffs (if you were just laid off, if so I’m glad you’re here) Or you’re experiencing burnout and realizing there must be a better way to manage your career Or maybe...
5 months ago • 4 min read