I recently had the opportunity to take my own advice and it was…weird. In a good way.
A contract job came my way that fits more of the work I want to do and would still allow me to continue Ladies Get Paid.
And so….I applied! It’s the first job I’ve formally applied to in over 12 years and to be honest, it was a bit strange to put to use all the guidance I just integrated into the Get Hired Dashboard.
Here I was this past week, in the shoes of all the job seekers I coach, seeing if my advice actually works 😉
Good news, I did make it to the next round of interviews (phew!)
Here are five things I did to prepare:
I started by gathering a bunch of pre-existing materials with information about me and my accomplishments (my LinkedIn profile, a brand deck for Ladies Get Paid, etc) and uploaded them to Claude.ai along with the job description. I asked Claude to create a tailored resume that integrated as many keywords as possible. That became the foundation of my resume.
The job responsibilities fell into certain themes and so I used those as sub-headers through my work experience; I also used them to help me decide which bullet points to include in the professional summary at the top.
Since the bulk of my work experience that’s relevant to this new job, has been during my time at Ladies Get Paid, I decided against including any of the other jobs I’ve had in my career and just mentioned them in the professional summary. Plus my LinkedIn, which I know they’ve looked at, has everything.
One of the things I did to prepare for the interview was reflect on what I find interesting in the process of putting together webinars (one of the new job’s responsibilities), making sure to showcase how I think, and most importantly, problem-solve.
I also came prepared with questions for them about how they measure metrics for success so I could turn the interview into more of a strategy session and use whatever they share as a jumping-off point to talk about comparable initiatives I’ve worked on.
Even though the interview went well – and I made it to the next round – I’ve “already moved on”, in the sense that I’m not putting all my eggs in this one job basket. I’m continuing my momentum in other ways, and viewing this whole experience less as a “HOLY SHIT I WANT/NEED THIS JOB” and more: “Yay, I get to practice putting myself out there and expand my network in the meantime.”
I’ll keep you posted as I (hopefully) get further in this job process though even if I don’t, there’s lots to be learned – and so lots to share 😉
Now go get paid!
x Claire
PS In case you’re curious, here’s the final version of my resume; let me know if you want me to work on yours! Just reply here 🙂
a digestible deep dive into what makes a good work-life.
Erica asked the question I’d been waiting for.
“Which should I focus on: getting a new job or finishing my novel?”
This is a question I get all the time and it drives me bonkers. Because it hides the real question which is, “How can I do both? Is it even possible?”
Yes, it’s possible and it is necessary.
We need our novel (or whatever your passion outlet is), to fill our soul, just as much as we need a job to fill our bank account. One without the other will make us feel imbalanced and burdened. Trying to make art with financial anxiety will stymie the art; trying to chase a paycheck without art will render the money meaningless.
In short: you need both. Just as you have different parts of yourself, there are different parts of your life that when working well together, you will be well. It’s the only way to be truly well.
Life is full of nuanced contradictions and yet, our minds are constantly searching for the binary. Things are either this or that. We are either this or that. And so we, like Erica, ask questions that set the world up to be in black and white and set ourselves up in turn for frustration. A false equivalent can only lead to an unhappy choice.
For every client who comes to me stuck in an unhappy job or unmotivated in their job search, the very first thing we do is explore what kind of “secret” project they can create.
It’s a low-pressure way to experiment and explore their interests and curiosities, build up skills, gather information, expand their network, and expand their wisdom.
It also gets them back into the practice of generating – and sustaining – their own momentum. There’s a danger in relying too heavily on any one thing (a job, a relationship, etc), and so your “secret” project can be that necessary reminder to always be your safety net…and that can come in many different forms.
In my final episode as a guest host for Money Rehab, I share tips on how to rewire your brain to fight negative thought patterns around money— or, as I call it “broke baggage.” In this episode, I give actionable strategies you can use next time you’re feeling anxious about money. I even show how to use those strategies on a money challenge in her own life that’s making me anxious. If I can do it, you can too 🙂
First of all: why are boundaries so challenging!? I think it’s because we fear a negative reaction, and potentially damaging the relationship. We don’t want to disappoint others or create difficulties for them—so instead, we complicate our own lives, leading to resentment and burnout. It’s a short-term fix with significant long-term consequences. The key is to thoughtfully prepare so you don’t set boundaries in a way that sets the relationship on fire. Here are a few ways to do it: ✅ When feeling overwhelmed by an extra project or scope creep, don’t vent your frustrations to the client/colleague. Instead, offer solutions. ✅ Frame your boundary as a benefit to them: “I’m currently overloaded and couldn’t give your project the attention to detail it deserves.” ✅ Always provide options. Never leave someone feeling cornered. Suggest 2-3 alternative approaches that require minimal or no input from you. ✅ Remember: You cannot control their reaction. Don’t let guilt trips affect you—you’ve positioned this boundary as beneficial and provided solutions. Be proud of trying something new and investing in yourself.
