The Best Roles Aren’t Always Posted. Here’s How to Get on Their Radar Anyway.

If you’re building a job search strategy, chances are you’ve heard the advice:
“Start with your target company list.”

But once you have that list… what do you actually do with it?

Waiting for a role to be posted—and applying like everyone else—is too late in today’s market. Especially in CPG, where companies often rely on internal referrals and quiet networking before a job ever hits LinkedIn.

Here’s how to move from passive to proactive—and build real momentum with your top-choice employers.

1️⃣ Map Who You Already Know

Before you go cold, start warm.

• Search for the company on LinkedIn
  
  
• Click “People” to see who works there
  
  
• Filter by 1st- or 2nd-degree connections
  
  

You may already have someone in your network who can offer insight—or better yet, introduce you to a hiring manager.

💡 Pro Tip: Even if you don’t know someone well, a warm referral is often just one introduction away.

2️⃣ Build a Lis...

If you're not actively job searching but want to support others in your network who are, you may wonder what value you can bring.

Here's the truth: You don’t need to be a hiring manager or recruiter to be an invaluable networking contact.

Especially in an industry like CPG—where change is constant and connections are key—your willingness to show up with insight and intentionality matters more than ever.

Why It Matters: The CPG Job Market Is Complex

People navigating the job search in CPG are dealing with:
🔹 A shortage of openings in niche areas like digital, analytics, and omnichannel.
🔹 The cultural fit tightrope — even highly qualified candidates can get passed over if they don’t align with leadership style or org values.
🔹 Shifting consumer expectations that influence which skills are most in demand.

You can help by offering clarity, sharing your perspective, and connecting people in meaningful ways.

1️⃣ Prepare for the Conversation

If someone reaches out to you for a network...

Let’s Favor Collaboration over Competition in Job Search

When you're in a job search, it’s easy to feel like you're competing with everyone around you. But what if the fastest path to your next opportunity isn't competition at all—it's collaboration?

Let me share a story about two marketers—both experienced, ambitious, and recently laid off from their roles in CPG. At first, they viewed each other as competition. But once they shifted their mindset, everything changed.

How They Chose Collaboration

Both marketers were applying to similar roles, connecting with the same hiring managers, and even attending the same industry webinars. After crossing paths a few times, they decided to stop seeing each other as rivals and instead started sharing tips, leads, and even mock interviewing together.

They made introductions from their respective networks. They recommended each other to recruiters.  They identified and shared open roles.

Within three months, they both landed roles. Not just j...

You’re Not Failing — You’re in the Middle of the Process

If your job search has taken longer than you expected, I want to start with this:
➡️ You’re not alone. You’re not failing. You’re not behind.

I work with talented, experienced professionals every day — people who are highly capable — and many of them have faced long job searches for reasons outside their control.

It’s easy to think something is wrong with you when you see others landing roles quickly. But there are so many factors in play — market timing, organizational changes, hidden opportunities — that have nothing to do with your worth.

Still, when the search stretches on, it’s discouraging. So let’s talk about how to reset, refocus, and move forward when your job search is taking longer than you hoped.

1️⃣ Acknowledge the Emotional Toll (and Give Yourself Some Grace)

Long job searches are exhausting.

It’s okay to feel frustrated, discouraged, and tired of hearing "we went in a different direction."

But here’s the th...

Networking Doesn’t Have to Feel Forced, Awkward, or Exhausting

If you’re an introvert, you’re probably used to hearing advice that feels overwhelming:
➡️ “Put yourself out there!”
➡️ “Go to every event you can!”
➡️ “Just reach out and ask for what you want!”

But for many people, networking feels uncomfortable—especially when you're in a job search and feeling vulnerable.

Here’s what I tell my clients:
👉 Networking doesn’t have to be a performance. It can be a conversation.

Let me show you how to approach networking in a way that feels natural—even enjoyable—if you’re an introvert.

1️⃣ Shift Your Mindset: Networking is About Building Relationships, Not Asking for Favors

The biggest reason networking feels awkward?
➡️ Because we think we have to ask for something.

But real networking is about building relationships, not making a pitch.

Instead of thinking, “I have to ask for a job,” think:
➡️ “I want to learn from this person and see where the conversation goes.”

Most people lov...

If You’re Listing Job Duties in Interviews, You’re Missing the Point

One of the most common mistakes I see job seekers make — even really talented, experienced professionals — is talking about their value in terms of responsibilities instead of results.

I hear it all the time in mock interviews and coaching calls:

➡️ “I managed a team of five.”
➡️ “I handled customer accounts.”
➡️ “I was responsible for marketing strategy.”

Here’s the problem: That’s what you did. Not what impact you had.

Hiring managers don’t just want to know what was on your to-do list.
They want to know:
➡️ What changed because you were in that role?
➡️ What did you improve, fix, or create?
➡️ What would you bring to us that you brought to them?

Why Talking About Tasks Doesn’t Work

When you focus on tasks, you blend in.
Everyone in that role does those things.

But when you focus on impact, you stand out.

Think of the difference:

❌ “I led a cross-functional team.”
✅ “I led a cross-functional team that laun...

Feeling Stuck Doesn’t Mean You’re Lost—It Means You’re Ready for Clarity

If you’re in a job search (or thinking about starting one) and catch yourself saying, “I don’t even know what I want to do next,” you’re not alone.

I hear this all the time from smart, capable professionals—people who’ve built great careers but now feel stuck at a crossroads.

Here’s what I want you to know:
➡️ You don’t need all the answers today. You just need a starting point.

Let’s break down how to figure out what you want next when you’re feeling overwhelmed, unclear, or pulled in too many directions.

1️⃣ Stop Trying to Solve It All in Your Head

When you’re stuck, it’s easy to spin in your own thoughts. But clarity comes from action, not overthinking.

Instead of trying to figure out your next role sitting alone with a blank screen, start by:

• Talking to people in roles you’re curious about.
• Exploring job descriptions that spark any interest—without judgment.
• Taking note of what feels exciting and w...

Job seekers often spend too much time proving where they’ve been instead of showing where they can take a company next. But here’s the truth: you’re not being hired for what you’ve done—you’re being hired for what you’ll do.

This mindset shift can change the way you approach interviews, making you stand out as the solution they need, not just another qualified candidate.

Why Experience Alone Won’t Get You Hired

I recently worked with a marketing leader who had a strong background and consistently performed well in interviews, yet he wasn’t getting offers. His experience wasn’t the issue—the way he positioned it was.

He spent too much time justifying his past instead of helping hiring managers see a clear path to their future success.

The turning point came when we reframed his interview approach to focus on one key question:

➡️ How does my experience solve their specific problem?

Once he started positioning himself as the missing piece to their business challenges, things change...

 Your Job Search Isn’t Over the Moment You Say “Yes”

You’ve done it. After months of networking, interviews, and follow-ups, you’ve landed the offer and officially accepted a new role. Congratulations!

But before you completely close this chapter, there are a few critical steps to ensure a smooth transition and set yourself up for long-term success.

Here’s what you should focus on once you’ve accepted an offer.

1️⃣ Gracefully Wrap Up Other Opportunities

If you were interviewing for multiple roles, it’s time to let the other companies know you’re withdrawing from their process. Why this matters:
✔️ It keeps your reputation strong.
✔️ It maintains relationships for the future.
✔️ It ensures you leave doors open in case things change down the road.

How to decline an offer or withdraw from an interview process professionally:

📩 “Hi [Hiring Manager/Recruiter], I truly appreciate the opportunity to be considered for this role and have enjoyed learning more about your team. I wanted to...

 Rejection stings—especially when you feel like you were the right fit.

I recently worked with a corporate leader who wanted to use his leadership in smaller organizations than he had previously.. He had the skills, the experience, and the drive. But after an interview, the hiring manager gave him feedback that felt like a gut punch:

"You’re too corporate."

He took it hard. He assumed this meant he’d never make the leap. But instead of accepting that narrative, we rewrote the story.

Why Perception Matters More Than Qualifications

This client wasn’t actually "too corporate." He had plenty of scrappy, adaptable experience—it just wasn’t coming through in his resume or interviews.

Together, we shifted the way he told his story:

✔ We reworked his resume to highlight agility over structure.
✔ We repositioned his experience to emphasize problem-solving over process.
✔ We created new talking points to show how he had navigated ambiguity, adapted quickly, and thrived in fast-moving enviro...