According to an article from the Wall Street Journal, nearly four million workers left the labor market in the first months of the pandemic — the lowest level of employment since 1983. There were many reasons for this but now, we’re starting to see a post-pandemic resurgence of midcareer workers. There are plenty of statistics and forecasts for how this will continue to develop, but for now, let’s get more personal to job-seekers in this market and discuss what you, as a candidate, can do to make the hiring process more palatable and successful for you.

This week I'm excited to share a "Best of the Exclusive Career Coach podcast" episode — I speak with Mark Danaher, founder of Mark Danaher Training and Coaching. Mark and I discuss the seismic shift in people’s work because of the pandemic – especially the large number of people who are rethinking their career direction. Mark gives us the signs that you may be ready to make a career shift, as well as strategies to help you make that shift.

Today we’re doing a special episode to help those of you who are job searching during the Coronavirus pandemic.

This week's guest is Angela Civitella, founder of Intinde and a certified coach to business leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs. We talk about strategies for not only surviving, but thriving in the midst of the career lows you will inevitably face.

For those of you who were job searching when this all began, or those of you who will be job searching as a direct result of Virus Jail, you have some unprecedented challenges ahead. Unprecedented, but not insurmountable. In light of the New World Order, I want to talk about career pivots and reinvention.

For many of you listening—perhaps even most of you—your work has been directly affected by Virus Jail. Perhaps you are unemployed. Maybe you are working from home. Maybe you are working harder than ever, especially if your industry is on the front lines of Covid 19. Maybe you’re working fewer hours than you have in the past. Which got me thinking that some of you may be considering a side hustle—a way to generate income when the way you’re used to generating income doesn’t currently exist. If you want to earn some extra money during the months of Virus Jail, here are some steps.

Today, I want to talk about creative networking strategies in the era of Virus Jail. When in- person networking events are literally against the law for many of us. Here’s the main message I want to convey today: You can’t put your career or job search goals on hold during Virus Jail. You can’t wait to exhale until this is over. As I keep reminding you: Your goals are still your goals. How you achieve them may change, but the desired result hasn’t. The most effective job search strategy, hands down, is networking. The most effective career advancement tool is networking. Your challenge, then, is to get creative with networking during Virus Jail.

In honor of Earth Day 2020, today’s podcast guest is Katie Secrist, the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Sustainable Business Consulting. She talks about careers in sustainability – what they are, how to get them, and specific strategies for navigating your social impact job search.

…okay, maybe I overstated a bit in the heading. Disappointment, rejection, and frustration are part of the deal when it comes to job searching. Here’s what is optional during a job search: Beating. Yourself. Up. Today, we’re talking about taking that rejection notice…that non-response…mean something about you as a human being. As an employee. As a valuable contributor to the world.

Today’s guest is Lorraine Rise, and she’s speaking with me about being “Laid off Three Times by Age 30.” In this time when so many have lost their jobs due to COVID, Lorraine’s topic is both timely and inspirational.

Here’s the first thing I want to say about the uncertainty of our future in the face of COVID19: The future has ALWAYS been uncertain. Today we’ll talk about my best strategies for navigating an uncertain future (which, remember, is always).

My guest today is Chris Lyons of Creative Career Starter. Applying for a creative job is different from filling out an application and uploading your GPA and resume. Today, we talk with Chris to see how he does it and how he can help you.

The Coronavirus, or as I call it, Virus Jail, means many of you will need to update your resume. Clearly, I have a bias for hiring a credentialed resume writer. Not all are created equal, so if all you can afford to spend is a few hundred dollars, you’re better off doing it yourself. Here are five top tips to make sure your resume is job search ready.

Here are the topics George and I discuss during this episode: the difference between retained search firms and contingency search firms (this is an important distinction and one of the first questions you should ask a recruiter who reaches out to you), myths about executive recruiting, how the role of the executive recruiter has changed in the face of COVID, the proper role of recruiters in your job search, & ways to cultivate long-term relationships with recruiters as a career management strategy

I’m working with a lot of clients right now who were laid off as a result of COVID. Many others were already job searching when COVID hit. For many of these clients and, I suspect, many of you – you are fighting feelings of despair and frustration as you look for a job right now. What I want to offer you today are some persistence strategies to keep you going in the midst of the most challenging job search environment in, maybe, ever.

Today we’re discussing those of you who will be interviewing for jobs, where questions about why you were let go during COVID, or how you spent your time during COVID, might well be asked.

Those of you who were fortunate to keep your jobs during quarantine may have already returned to work or will be returning soon. You may feel a lot of uncertainty around that, like who still works there? How have my co-workers been affected by quarantine? How will the company be different? I’m certainly no expert on the health aspects of the workplace, so I want to focus on some best practices you can personally adopt as you return to work. Here are the 5 top qualities you have the opportunity to demonstrate, or develop, as you return to work.

For several years now, I have blogged and/or podcasted a list of 5 unusual things to be thankful for each year at Thanksgiving time. There are lessons in each of these things that you can apply to your life. Here’s my 2020 list.

This week, I have return guest Bruce Tulgan with me. We are talking about the unique challenges of managing, and being managed, remotely. With so many companies working from home at least part of the time, this is a particularly relevant topic.

Today we’ll be talking about the 13 career questions I recommend contemplating during the holidays. I am a huge proponent of journaling, so grab a notebook and begin writing.