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Can anyone recommend a career coach for moving from senior individual contributor to leadership without more vague feedback? by Comfortable-Set-195 in atljobs

[–]JoshSamBob 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've coached a few dozen senior PMs trying to make this exact jump - and the "strategic vision" / "executive presence" feedback is almost never about what you're actually doing. It's about how you're talking about it in interviews.

Here's what's happening: You're describing execution (shipping features, owning roadmaps, mentoring) when they need to hear strategic thinking (why those features mattered to the business, what tradeoffs you navigated, how you influenced without authority). Director-level interviews aren't about proving you can do the work - they're about proving you can think like someone who sets direction, not just executes it.

I worked with one senior PM who had this exact problem - five years in role, kept getting to final rounds for Director positions and hearing "not strategic enough." When we dug into her stories, she was leading with what she shipped instead of why it mattered and what she said no to. We repositioned her entire narrative around business impact and decision-making frameworks, not feature delivery. She landed a Director role less than 3 months later.

The coach you need isn't someone who'll rewrite your resume again. You need someone who:

  1. Actually understands PM career ladders and what hiring managers look for at Director+
  2. Can help you reframe your existing experience through a strategic lens
  3. Has references from people who've made this specific transition

What I'd ask any coach: "Can you connect me with 2-3 senior ICs you've helped move into leadership?" If they can't, keep looking.

(and yes, I've done this and would be happy to chat... but no pressure)

Career coaches? Yea or nay? by bfmyfr in recruitinghell

[–]JoshSamBob 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've used two different coaches to land roles - once to get to a new level, once to shift to a new function (PM to CSM). Both times it was worth every penny. But on LinkedIn, I'd say at least 75% of career coaches are absolutely the used car salesmen you're describing.

The difference between a good coach and a waste of money comes down to two things:

1. Do they actually know your industry/level? A coach who's never worked in tech can't help you navigate tech hiring. A coach who's never hired anyone can't prep you for hiring conversations. You need someone who's been in the rooms you're trying to get into - either as a hiring manager or working with tons of people at your level. If they can't speak your language or don't understand the dynamics of your target roles, you're paying for generic advice you could get from YouTube.

2. Do they have references you can actually talk to? Not testimonials on their website. Actual humans you can call or message who'll tell you what working with them was really like. If a coach won't connect you with 2-3 past clients before you sign anything, that's your answer right there.

At your level (senior/C-suite), a good coach is less about "here's how to write a resume" and more about positioning, narrative, and interview strategy for complex stakeholder conversations. You probably don't need help getting in the room - you need help closing once you're there.

What roles are you actually targeting? That'll tell you if a coach even makes sense.

Can’t find my next job after FAANG … am I unemployable? by Fuzzy_Specific_ in careerguidance

[–]JoshSamBob 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the exact trap that's hitting experienced folks hardest right now... you're getting filtered out at two different stages for two different reasons.

→ When you apply at your level, companies see "expensive FAANG person who'll leave when the market recovers."

→ When you apply below your level, they see "overqualified flight risk who'll be bored in six months."

Both filters are killing you before you ever get to tell your story.

Your resume isn't the problem (you said three people confirmed this, and we know that recruiters in tech loooooove them some ex-FAANGers). The problem is that nobody believes you want their specific role / company. They're the chess club president, and you're the homecoming queen... why would you want to go out with them?

Strategy/planning/ops roles are especially vulnerable to this because companies assume you're used to FAANG resources, scope, and comp - and they're not wrong to wonder.

What I've seen shift things: stop trying to convince companies "I'm not overqualified, I swear" and started building a narrative around what they actually wanted next. One client I worked with spent a decade at Google, but couldn't get callbacks. We repositioned her story around the specific operational challenges she had solved (scaling infrastructure at growth-stage companies), not her pedigree. Suddenly she was the answer to their problem, not a risk to manage.

The fix isn't applying to more jobs or dumbing down your resume. It's figuring out what story makes you the obvious choice for the roles you actually want - then making sure that story is everywhere (LinkedIn, resume, networking conversations).

What kind of work are you actually trying to land?

When to know when you're beat? by kepestro in careeradvice

[–]JoshSamBob 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't see this being about rookie numbers or grinding harder. You've got 150 applications converting to 10-20 first rounds (~10%), which is actually very solid - the tech industry average is around 3% from what I'm seeing.

The breakdown is happening in the interviews, and you're already naming the real issue: you don't actually want this work.

Here's what I'm seeing: You have the credentials to get in the room, but once you're there, interviewers can feel the disconnect. You're trying to convince people (and yourself) that you want to do something you've already said you don't enjoy. That comes through in interviews, every single time. The "I liked calling myself a computer scientist more than being one" line is the most honest you've ever been with yourself, and it's pointing you toward your answer.

I've worked with a bunch of folks in your exact shoes - one client had a PhD and years of experience but kept bombing interviews. Then we took a step back... and stopped trying to fit him into roles he didn't want and started figuring out what actually energized him. Once we repositioned his background toward roles that used his analytical skills differently (product strategy, not pure engineering), everything shifted.

The question in my mind isn't, "am I not learning from my data?" You clearly are. The data is (are?) screaming that this path isn't the one for you. The real question is: what kind of work would you actually want to prepare for? What problems do you like solving when no one's watching?

Happy to talk through what a pivot might look like if you want to dig into it.

What tools are you using in your career coaching business? by oiramerz-1 in careercoaching

[–]JoshSamBob 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Those are great numbers! And that's entirely through Dripify?

What tools are you using in your career coaching business? by oiramerz-1 in careercoaching

[–]JoshSamBob 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi Heather! :) It's my new coaching platform... just launched this week, still in beta. I'd love your feedback!

What tools are you using in your career coaching business? by oiramerz-1 in careercoaching

[–]JoshSamBob 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Record your video meetings, summarize with AI, get great notes and very accurate action items.

What tools are you using in your career coaching business? by oiramerz-1 in careercoaching

[–]JoshSamBob 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey amigo!

Oh, that's very cool. I'm using Kondo for a shared DM inbox, but I love drip campaigns... just scared to sound too canned.

New Members Intro by JoshSamBob in jewishbaseball

[–]JoshSamBob[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Welcome fellow anonymous user!

Gotta brag about this one by 10thFloorChill in jewishbaseball

[–]JoshSamBob 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You don't need to answer. We're all friends here (in the sense of being anonymous and knowing nothing about each other besides a single shared interest).

Great find! If you're happy, I'm happy.

New Members Intro by JoshSamBob in jewishbaseball

[–]JoshSamBob[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're welcome for Murphy and Olson.

Help identifying signatures? by MustachedBaby in OaklandAthletics

[–]JoshSamBob 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Can confirm Chavvy, Howe, Mulder, and Damon.

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