Episode 308 - Rejections are part of the job search and they can also guide your next steps. In this episode, Renata answers questions about resumes, layoffs, LinkedIn gaps, and how to pivot into new opportunities.

In recent months, the messages I receive from clients and podcast listeners have become increasingly urgent. Experienced professionals, many in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, are being forced to navigate layoffs, endless rejections, and the unsettling prospect of having to pivot careers in an economy that feels unstable at best.

The questions raised by hundreds of participants in a recent webinar I joined, organized by the job seeker’s platform Callings.ai, painted a vivid picture of where corporate professionals stand today.

This moment is not unique. Labor markets cycle, as history shows us. Yet 2025 has brought together a particular mix of challenges: post-pandemic restructuring, political shifts that have left government professionals in limbo, funding cuts, and AI-driven restructures. For executives and experienced professionals, these shifts create both barriers and opportunities.

Read the full Blog on the Website

Job Hunting Made Simple

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31 Days of Action for Job Seekers

Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

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Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 Introduction to the Webinar and Podcast Episode
• 04:36 Handling Rejection and Staying Motivated
• 12:53 Applications, Resumes, and LinkedIn Strategies
• 26:32 Career Pivots and Returning to Old Employers
• 36:05 Interviewing and Closing the Deal
• 42:48 Application Strategies and Timing

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Join the RB Lnkdn Club to improve your presence on LinkedIn
• Watch the Layoff webinar
• Follow the other panellists: Albert Qian
• Follow the other panellists: Matthew Sorensen
• Follow the other panellists: Garrett Rice
• The Job Hunting Podcast interview with Garrett Rice, CEO of Callings.ai (282)

Episode 307 - From the rise of portfolio careers to the growing importance of digital transformation, the 2025 Interim Executive Survey highlights how executives are choosing new ways of working.

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In this week’s episode of The Job Hunting Podcast, I spoke with Donna Burr, Partner in Interim Executive Management at Watermark Search International, about the findings of their 15th Annual Interim Executive Survey. With 15 years of data and nearly 900 survey respondents in 2025, this report offers invaluable insight into how executives are choosing to work flexibly in interim roles, what organizations want from interim executives, and how career models are evolving. Our discussion revealed trends that are essential for anyone navigating today's and future job markets.

Read the full Blog on the Website

Job Hunting Made Simple

Reset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend

31 Days of Action for Job Seekers

Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

Join 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe Now

Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 Introduction to Interim Executive Management
• 04:40 Understanding Portfolio Careers
• 07:42 Insights from the 15th Annual Survey
• 10:39 Adapting to Client Needs
• 13:37 Business Transformation Roles
• 16:39 Challenges in Interim Executive Roles
• 19:40 Self-Agency in Career Management
• 22:34 Networking and Building a Portfolio Career
• 25:39 Discipline and Consistency in Interim Work
• 27:32 Navigating the Executive Landscape
• 28:58 Gender Balance in Executive Roles
• 32:09 The Age Factor in Leadership
• 37:00 Global Perspectives on Interim Executives
• 41:07 Career Pathways Beyond C-Suite
• 43:57 AI as a Leadership Amplifier
• 51:11 Final Thoughts on Executive Transition

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Join the RB Lnkdn Club
• Link to the Report
• Episode 78 - Portfolio Career: What Is It, and Is It for You? - with Jacinta Whelan
• Episode 31 - Me Inc: Opting for short term contract work
• Episode 103 - How to make successful...

Episode 306 - This episode explores how LinkedIn activity can protect you from layoffs, attract opportunities, and build long-term credibility.

I believe that LinkedIn activity is the new career currency. In fact, I am certain of that, and I have clients’ results to prove it. To determine if professionals were already aware of this fact, I ran a poll on LinkedIn a few weeks ago, asking where people felt most stuck in building their presence on the platform. The answers surprised me, though perhaps they shouldn’t have. It wasn’t the profile. It wasn’t resume-style updates. The real struggle was posting and activity. Knowing what to say, how to say it, and how to balance the risk of being visible with the fear of misstepping in front of employers and peers seems to be the biggest barrier for professionals when it comes to fully embracing LinkedIn.

This result mirrors what I hear daily from clients and listeners of my podcast. Corporate professionals, including senior executives with decades of experience, remain uneasy about engaging on LinkedIn. And yet, engagement, rather than a polished profile, is increasingly what recruiters, boards, and decision-makers evaluate when considering candidates.

And it makes sense. In today’s hybrid world of work and a job market filled with AI-generated content, the difference between those who can express themselves and communicate their expertise with confidence, knowledge, and empathy gives them an incredible advantage. They stand out in a sea of sameness.

Read the full Blog on the Website

Job Hunting Made Simple

Reset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend

31 Days of Action for Job Seekers

Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

Join 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe Now

Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 Understanding LinkedIn Challenges
• 01:19 The Importance of LinkedIn Activity
• 12:29 Navigating Employer Approval and Restrictions
• 19:31 Building a Professional Brand on LinkedIn
• 27:37 Leveraging LinkedIn Algorithms for Success
• 35:55 Introducing a New LinkedIn Support Group

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Join the RB Lnkdn Group

About the host, Renata Bernarde

Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate, non-profit, and public professionals the steps and frameworks to help them find great jobs, change, and advance their careers with confidence and less

Episode 305 - Many professionals dream of a board career, but few know how to get there. In this episode, I unpack the three biggest blockers and share a roadmap to help you secure your first board role.

A large number of experienced professionals are eyeing board appointments as the next chapter in their careers. In a recent LinkedIn poll I conducted, nearly eight in ten respondents said they wanted a board role within the next five years. The allure is understandable. Board seats promise influence, intellectual challenge, and the prestige of shaping an organization’s future without the grind of day-to-day operations.

But there’s a catch. While the appetite for board roles is surging, the path to securing one remains opaque and, for many, deeply frustrating.

Read the full Blog on the Website

Job Hunting Made Simple

Reset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend

31 Days of Action for Job Seekers

Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

Join 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe Now

Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 The Demand for Board Roles
• 09:58 Understanding Board Expectations
• 17:33 The Appointment Process for Board Members
• 25:51 Becoming Board Ready
• 39:34 Strategizing for Board Positions

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Are you aiming for a paid board seat in the next 5 years?
• How to Be a Chairperson vs a Board Member
• How to Be a Chairperson vs a Board Member
• Navigating Your Way to a Board Seat
• Steps to Secure Your First Board Position

About the host, Renata Bernarde

Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate, non-profit, and public professionals the steps and frameworks to help them find great jobs, change, and advance their careers with confidence and less stress.

Episode 304 - In this episode of The Job Hunting Podcast, TV journalist and confidence coach Ashleigh Paholek shares how to project authority and trust in interviews, presentations, and boardrooms. From mastering silence to improving your virtual presence, these strategies will help you influence with confidence — even when you don’t feel it.

I coach experienced professionals who are navigating a turbulent job market. When we start working together, some things are easier and faster to update: resumes get polished, LinkedIn profiles refreshed, and applications start converting to interviews. Yet they remain puzzled by a frustrating reality: despite their decades of experience, they are struggling to get traction with their interviews, network, and even with their employers once they start working.

It’s tempting to point to market forces. Hiring freezes, cautious budgets, and a glut of qualified applicants are real obstacles. But a quieter, more personal factor often separates the candidates who advance from those who do not: executive presence. And this is when working with a coach for a few months can help. https://www.renatabernarde.com/

In a recent conversation with Ashleigh Paholek, an experienced television journalist and communications expert, I was reminded how little this skill is discussed and how much it matters. Our talk reinforced something I’ve seen in my coaching practice: career opportunities often hinge less on what you say than on how you say it.

Read the full Blog on the Website

Job Hunting Made Simple

Reset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend

31 Days of Action for Job Seekers

Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

Join 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe Now

Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 Introduction and Background
• 05:17 The Journey from Journalism to Coaching
• 10:21 Understanding Confidence: Internal vs External
• 15:17 The Importance of Conciseness in Communication
• 20:12 Voice and Tone: The Power of Nonverbal Communication
• 25:27 Body Language and Its Impact on Perception
• 30:17 The Role of Appearance in Job Interviews
• 35:14 Final Thoughts on Building Confidence

Links mentioned in this episode:

• The Social Day Club, where I met Ashleigh Paholek
• Ashleigh's website

About the host, Renata Bernarde

Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate,...

Episode 303 - Kyle Samuels returns to share his personal health journey, the lessons it taught him about leadership, and the hiring trends shaping today’s job market. We explore recruitment trends, networking strategies, and how to handle career gaps with confidence.

The last time I spoke with executive recruiter Kyle Samuels, we were deep in conversation about executive compensation. This year, the conversation was very different. Kyle returned to my podcast with not only market insights but a deeply personal story. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, undergone major surgery, and endured six months of chemotherapy. On top of that, he continued to lead his firm, Creative Talent Endeavors, during one of the toughest job markets in recent memory. His experience illuminates three critical themes for corporate professionals today: resilience in the face of disruption, the centrality of relationships, and the rapid changes occurring in recruitment and hiring.

Read the full Blog on the Website

Job Hunting Made Simple

Reset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend

31 Days of Action for Job Seekers

Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

Join 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe Now

Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 Weathering the Storms: A Personal Journey
• 03:48 Facing Cancer: A Life-Altering Diagnosis
• 09:16 Navigating Business During Health Challenges
• 12:57 The Importance of Health Over Work
• 16:47 Raising Awareness: The Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer
• 22:06 Returning to Work: Balancing Health and Career
• 24:25 Navigating Personal Challenges and Resilience
• 26:11 Diversity and Inclusion: Progress and Challenges
• 29:00 The Job Market Landscape: Candidate Experiences
• 33:27 Networking and Relationship Building in Job Searches
• 41:51 Emerging Job Trends and the Role of AI
• 52:46 Conclusion: Embracing Change and Future Opportunities

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 226 - This Recruiter Wants You to Rethink Your Salary Expectation, with Kyle Samuels
• Episode 279 - What Job Seekers Can Learn from Sales Professionals

About the host, Renata Bernarde

Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate, non-profit, and public professionals the steps and frameworks to...

Hardly a week goes by without news of another high-profile layoff. From tech giants like Meta and Tesla to government agencies and financial institutions, corporate professionals at every level find themselves confronting an unsettling new normal. As a career coach, outplacement provider, and host of The Job Hunting Podcast, I've observed firsthand the toll layoffs are taking both financially and emotionally. In this episode’s conversation with Steve Jaffe, author of "The Layoff Journey: From Dismissal to Discovery," we unpacked the psychological impacts of job loss and how professionals can emerge stronger.

Read the full Blog on the Website

Job Hunting Made Simple

Reset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend

31 Days of Action for Job Seekers

Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

Join 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe Now

Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 Navigating Layoffs: A Personal Journey
• 02:07 Understanding the Stages of Grief in Layoffs
• 04:52 Coping Mechanisms and Emotional Resilience
• 07:57 The Impact of Identity Loss
• 11:02 Managing Anger and Bargaining
• 13:42 The Importance of Rest and Recovery
• 16:49 Finding Meaning and Moving Forward
• 25:25 The Importance of a Well-Rounded Life
• 27:24 Shame and Identity in Unemployment
• 29:07 Owning Your Professional Identity
• 30:58 The Job Search as Full-Time Work
• 33:59 Building and Utilizing Your Network
• 37:14 Resilience in Job Searching
• 39:04 The Role of Career Coaching
• 40:55 The Value of a Strong Network
• 46:05 Living with Intentionality
• 51:38 New Chapter

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Link to Purchase Steve's book

About the host, Renata Bernarde

Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate, non-profit, and public professionals the steps and frameworks to help them find great jobs, change, and advance their careers with confidence and less stress.

Watch the Episodes on YouTube

Follow Renata on Social Media:

• LinkedIn

If there’s one lesson from the corporate world that deserves a headline, it’s this: the workplace is not a meritocracy. Or at least, not in the way most professionals imagine. Hard work is necessary, but it’s not the defining factor in who gets promoted, who receives stretch opportunities, or who survives the next round of cost-cutting.

In this episode, I spoke with Kendall Berg, former senior executive turned career coach and author of Secrets of the Career Game. We explored how professionals, especially those at mid to senior levels, are stalling not because of performance but because of invisibility. They’re delivering outcomes, checking boxes, staying loyal, but failing to cultivate the relationships and influence that truly drive advancement. Berg’s following on social media channels amounts to over 500,000, indicating that her message about what actually gets you promoted resonates with many people.

Berg’s career turning point came when a senior leader told her: “Everyone wants you on their team because you're so efficient, and nobody likes working with you.” That moment, which she recounts without bitterness, shattered the myth that excellent work alone was enough to earn the next title. It was, as she puts it, the moment she realized she’d been playing a game she didn’t know existed.

Read the full Blog on the Website

Job Hunting Made Simple

Reset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend

31 Days of Action for Job Seekers

Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

Join 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe Now

Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 The Game of Career Advancement
• 05:27 Navigating Feedback and Growth
• 08:37 The Importance of Relationships in Career
• 11:36 Learning from Mentorship and Coaching
• 14:31 Building a Growth Mindset
• 17:32 The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
• 20:34 Career Choices and Personal Values
• 23:23 Empowerment and Control in Your Career
• 32:44 Empowerment Through Career Choices
• 35:02 Taking Control of Your Career
• 41:00 Building Authentic Connections
• 46:35 The Balance of Likeability and Trust
• 53:45 Actionable Steps for Career Advancement

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Purchase Kendall's book

About the host, Renata Bernarde

Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate, non-profit, and public professionals the steps and frameworks to help them find great jobs, change, and advance their careers with