First 90-Day Leadership Moves Matter: Proven Strategies to Listen, Act Symbolically, and Avoid Hasty Personnel Decisions in New Roles

I sat down with Neill Marshall and Kurt Mosley of HealthSearch Partners to talk about the first 90 days of an executive appointment. While their expertise is focused on senior roles in healthcare, the lessons are universal: in 2025, how a leader shows up on day one can either extend a career or stall it. What struck me is how much has changed in the hiring market and how much has stayed the same. For experienced professionals navigating career transitions, the insights from this conversation should serve as both a warning and an inspiration. They confirmed what many of my clients are feeling: that the margin for error is thin, expectations are high, and hiring trends are evolving fast. Job seekers need to keep up. Read the full Blog on the WebsiteJob Hunting Made SimpleReset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend31 Days of Action for Job SeekersFind Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career GrowJoin 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe NowLear More About Renata's career coaching and coursesTimestamps to guide your listening:00:00 Introduction05:54 The Importance of the First 90 Days10:00 Leadership in Healthcare: Navigating Change16:10 The Evolving Role of CEOs Post-Pandemic19:59 Navigating Career Transitions and Tenure23:55 The Impact of Age on Leadership Roles30:04 Preparing for Leadership Interviews33:58 Leveraging LinkedIn for Career Opportunities39:49 Effective Communication in Job SearchesLinks mentioned in this episode:How Great Leaders Win Teams Over In Their First 90 Days – Forbes (June 2025)What Effective CEOs Do After Their First 90 Days – Harvard Business Review (January 2025)It Really Isn’t About 100 Days – McKinsey & CompanyThe First 90 Days, Updated and Expanded – Harvard Business RevieHow To Make Your First 90 Days Count As A Leader – Forbes (May 2024)About the host, Renata BernardeHello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host...

Episode 298 - Burnout May Be Blocking Your Career GrowthIf you’ve spent the last few months feeling more exhausted than usual, struggling to focus, or wondering why your motivation has gone missing despite a looming job application or promotion deadline, you’re not alone. In my coaching work with experienced professionals, these themes are everywhere. And they’re not the result of laziness, lack of ambition, or poor time management. They are the hallmarks of burnout, which is now a routine part of corporate life. Burnout isn’t new. But its spread among high-performing professionals is growing quieter, deeper, and more normalized than ever. The World Health Organization gave it official status as an “occupational phenomenon” in 2019, describing it as the result of chronic workplace stress left unmanaged. Yet the language around burnout still lags behind the reality: many professionals don’t realise they’re burning out until their relationships suffer, their health declines, or their job search stalls despite their best efforts.Read the full Blog on the WebsiteJob Hunting Made SimpleReset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend31 Days of Action for Job SeekersFind Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career GrowJoin 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe NowLear More About Renata's career coaching and coursesTimestamps to guide your listening:00:00 Understanding Burnout03:06 Defining Burnout and Its Impact08:48 Strategies to Combat Burnout17:19 The Role of Rest in Career SuccessLinks mentioned in this episode:The Times articleThe Guardian articleWintering, by Katherine MayWork with meWrite us a review on Apple PodcastsAbout the host,&nbsp;Renata BernardeHello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of&nbsp;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.&nbsp;<a...

Episode 297 - When Interviews Go Bad: How to Bounce Back StrongerWhen Interviews Go Bad: How to Bounce Back Stronger&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s a truth most career professionals don’t like to admit: we’ve all had a bad interview. Not just “I didn’t get the job” bad, but “something went wrong and I’m not even sure why” bad. As a career strategist and coach to senior corporate professionals, I often see this scenario unfolding more frequently than you might expect, even among high performers with stellar resumes and extensive experience.&nbsp;Why? Because the modern job interview has become a flawed litmus test. It’s over-indexed on performance under pressure, vulnerable to unconscious bias, often led by untrained interviewers, and increasingly divorced from a candidate’s real potential. In today’s job market, still uncertain, hyper-competitive, and fatigued by hiring delays, poor interviews don’t always reflect poor candidates. Instead, they reflect structural issues in how we hire.&nbsp;Let’s unpack the patterns I see every week from clients across industries, and what they reveal about the current professional climate.Read the full Blog on the WebsiteJob Hunting Made SimpleReset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend31 Days of Action for Job SeekersFind Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career GrowJoin 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe NowLear More About Renata's career coaching and coursesTimestamps to guide your listening:00:00 Introduction to Interview Challenges12:07 Understanding Interview Dynamics23:47 Learning from Interview Failures33:15 Moving Forward After a Bad InterviewLinks mentioned in this episode:Episode 273 - Insights from a Top Recruiter: How to Advance Your Career as an Internal CandidateAbout the host,&nbsp;Renata BernardeHello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of&nbsp;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.&nbsp;Watch the Episodes on YouTubeFollow Renata on Social Media:LinkedIn<a href="https://www.instagram.com/renatabernarde.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

Episode 296 - No One Understands Me: What to Do When You're the Only Person You Know Who's UnemployedIt’s an increasingly familiar story: a highly skilled professional finds themselves unemployed, not for lack of talent or dedication, but because of market forces, corporate restructuring, or a volatile economy. What surprises them most is not the absence of work, but the sudden absence of understanding from their network. I´ve been there. Have you? As a career strategist working closely with corporate professionals, many in mid to late stages of their careers, I see this pattern every day. Talented executives come to me not just with resumes and job applications, but with a quieter crisis: the emotional toll of feeling forgotten or judged during what can be a profoundly disorienting life transition. These are not entry-level candidates or those just learning to navigate the workforce. They are former department heads, regional leaders, VPs, senior managers, and trusted experts in their field. Yet the moment they exit a company, many find their identity questioned, even by themselves. Read the full Blog on the WebsiteJob Hunting Made SimpleReset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend31 Days of Action for Job SeekersFind Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career GrowJoin 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe NowLear More About Renata's career coaching and coursesTimestamps to guide your listening:00:00&nbsp;Understanding the Emotional Reality of Unemployment10:42&nbsp;Rebuilding Your Support System23:56&nbsp;Creating a Community of SupportLinks mentioned in this episode:Reset Your CareerThe Job Hunting PodcastSubscribe to the NewsletterAbout the host,&nbsp;Renata BernardeHello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of&nbsp;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.&nbsp;Watch the Episodes on YouTubeFollow Renata on Social Media:LinkedIn<a...

Episode 295 - How to Stay Focused on Your Career Goals, Even When the Future Feels UncertainThe job market in 2025 feels like it's operating in a dense fog. For many professionals, particularly those in mid-to-senior corporate roles, navigating a career today is less like following a GPS and more like learning to read a compass in the dark. This uncertainty is not just emotional, it’s systemic. Since the beginning of the year, we’ve seen a wave of redundancies ripple across different sectors. My own&nbsp;coaching clients, many of whom are experienced professionals, were affected. The catalyst? A perfect storm of geopolitical issues, reduced funding, and yes, artificial intelligence.&nbsp;Read the full Blog on the WebsiteJob Hunting Made SimpleReset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend31 Days of Action for Job SeekersFind Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career GrowJoin 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe NowLear More About Renata's career coaching and coursesTimestamps to guide your listening:00:00 Navigating Job Search Challenges08:49 Facing Uncertainty in the Job Market18:10 The Fog of Uncertainty in 202537:55 Taking Action Amidst UncertaintyLinks mentioned in this episode:Become a Career Pivot AllyReset Your CareerTalentPredixBook a consultation with meEpisode 23 - Adapting to Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity - with Janet SernackSubscribe to the newsletterAbout the host,&nbsp;Renata BernardeHello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of&nbsp;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.&nbsp;Watch the Episodes on YouTubeFollow Renata on Social Media:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/renatabernarde/"...

Episode 294 - Job Searching is Work. Learn How to Treat it Like a Priority and Make Meaningful ProgressProfessionals often find themselves juggling the demands of full-time work, family responsibilities, and their ambition for professional and career development. Finding the time and energy for a structured, effective job search can feel overwhelming. In this episode of The Job Hunting Podcast, I share my reflections on how to incorporate job searching into your routine, inspired by productivity expert Nir Eyal, author of&nbsp;Indistractable. The focus is on reclaiming your attention and making your job search a structured part of your life rather than an afterthought. This blog provides a summary of the key themes and takeaways from the episode to help professionals manage their careers proactively and sustainably.&nbsp;Read the full Blog on the WebsiteJob Hunting Made SimpleReset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend31 Days of Action for Job SeekersFind Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career GrowJoin 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe NowLear More About Renata's career coaching and coursesTimestamps to guide your listening:00:00 Introduction to Job Searching Challenges04:55 Creating an Effective Job Search Routine09:56 Staying Focused Amid Distractions22:06 Strategies for a Successful Job SearchLinks mentioned in this episode:Reset Your CareerBecome a Career Pivot AllyTalentPredixBook a Consultation with MeSubscribe to the NewsletterEpisode 23 - Adapting to Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity - with Janet SernackAbout the host,&nbsp;Renata BernardeHello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of&nbsp;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.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@renatabernarde?sub_confirmation=1" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

Episode 293 - You've Been Laid Off. Now What? A Step-by-Step Guide to Rebuilding Your CareerOne of the most common missteps I see is jumping into job applications without taking the time for reflection. Before you start sending out resumes, stop and ask yourself:&nbsp;What do I want in my next role?&nbsp;What am I no longer willing to tolerate?&nbsp;What type of employer suits my life stage now?&nbsp;This is especially crucial for professionals over 40 who want long-term alignment. Write down what has worked in your career and what hasn’t. Reflect on what energizes you and what drains you. This process helps you realign your career goals with your personal values and lifestyle needs.Read the full Blog on the WebsiteJob Hunting Made SimpleReset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend31 Days of Action for Job SeekersFind Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career GrowJoin 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe NowLear More About Renata's career coaching and coursesTimestamps to guide your listening:00:00 Navigating Job Loss: A Personal Journey03:51 Processing the Emotional Impact of Layoffs07:42 Financial Check-In: Stabilizing Your Situation09:10 Reflecting on Career Goals: A Reset Moment13:31 Updating Career Tools: Resume and LinkedIn Optimization15:23 Networking: The Key to Job Searching21:34 Well-Being During Job Search: Protecting Your Mental Health23:41 Conclusion: Embracing Change and Supporting OthersLinks mentioned in this episode:Reset Your CareerBecome a Career Pivot AllyEpisode 241 - You've Been Laid Off, Now What? A Guide for Corporate ProfessionalsEpisode 238 - Job Search Loneliness: Strategies for Connection and ResilienceEpisode 151 - Five Key Strategies to Guide You Towards Your New JobEpisode 133 - What to Do When Everyone Decides to Rethink Their CareersEpisode 254 - Unlocking Career Success: Expert Answers to Your Top Job Search QuestionsAbout the host,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.renatabernarde.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

Episode 292 - How AI is Changing the Job Search for Corporate ProfessionalsUnderstanding how AI tools are impacting hiring practices is no longer optional. In this episode of The Job Hunting Podcast, I sat down with Troy Sultan, founder and CEO of Guide, an AI-powered recruitment software company, to unpack the realities behind applicant tracking systems, recruiter behavior, and how candidates can position themselves for success.&nbsp;Troy brings deep industry experience, having previously worked in recruiting roles at Google and founded a recruitment software company that was acquired by a major competitor. His insights offer clarity on what happens behind the scenes in modern hiring and how professionals can strategically navigate the process.&nbsp;Read the full Blog on the WebsiteJob Hunting Made SimpleReset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend31 Days of Action for Job SeekersFind Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career GrowJoin 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe NowLear More About Renata's career coaching and coursesTimestamps to guide your listening:00:00 The Journey into Recruitment03:32 The LinkedIn Monopoly and Recruitment Tools06:18 Candidate Struggles in Job Applications09:46 The Role of AI in Recruitment12:33 Bias in Recruitment Processes15:33 Education and Job Search Strategies18:31 True or False: Myths in Job Applications21:21 The Importance of Networking and Referrals24:32 The Future of Recruitment Technology27:31 Final Thoughts on Candidate ExperienceLinks mentioned in this episode:Troy Sultan LinkedInEpisode 279 - What Job Seekers Can Learn from Sales ProfessionalsAbout the host,&nbsp;Renata BernardeHello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of&nbsp;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.&nbsp;Watch the Episodes on YouTubeFollow Renata on Social Media:LinkedIn<a...

Episode 291 - How to Spot and Create a Great Workplace CultureCulture has become a defining factor for career satisfaction and success. For job seekers in particular, the search is no longer about compensation or title. It’s about finding an environment where you can thrive, contribute meaningfully, and align with the company’s mission and values. Although this was always a “good to have” in the past, it has become more and more important in recent year. It’s what HR professionals call a shift in the EVP, our employee value proposition.&nbsp;In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with&nbsp;Zrinka&nbsp;Lovrencic, the most experienced person I know when it comes to reviewing, analyzing, and assessing workplace culture. As the Managing Director at&nbsp;WorkPlus&nbsp;and previously at the helm of the coveted accreditation Great Place to Work Australia, Zrinka has helped hundreds of organizations recognize and build high-performing workplace cultures. In our conversation, we explored what makes a truly great workplace, how job seekers can assess culture before accepting a job, and the future of work post-pandemic.&nbsp;This blog post is a summary of our conversation.&nbsp;Read the full Blog on the WebsiteJob Hunting Made SimpleReset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend31 Days of Action for Job SeekersFind Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career GrowJoin 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe NowLear More About Renata's career coaching and coursesTimestamps to guide your listening:00:00 Introduction and Background02:09 Transforming Workplace Culture05:02 Elements of a Great Workplace07:55 Job Hunting and Workplace Culture10:58 Navigating Disconnects in Values13:57 The Impact of COVID-19 on Work Culture16:52 Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace19:12 Prioritizing Culture Over Compensation22:15 Assessing Company Values25:00 Identifying Red Flags in Organizations28:13 Unique Examples of Great Workplaces31:08 Future Trends in Workplace CultureLinks mentioned in this episode:Connect with Zrinka Lovrencic on LinkedInWRK+About the host,&nbsp;Renata BernardeHello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of&nbsp;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...

Episode 290 - The Future of Leadership and Work with Stella VoulesThe workplace keeps changing at lightning speed, and professionals face a fundamental challenge: adapt or fall behind. The need to stay ahead of digital transformations, reskill for relevance, and lead with empathy is more urgent than ever. In this episode, I spoke with Stella&nbsp;Voules, a trusted advisor to executives navigating organizational change. With a background in psychology and business, she specializes in helping leaders build digital capability, cultivate a compassionate culture, and prepare for the future of work. Our conversation&nbsp;centered&nbsp;around the skills gap, the rise of consulting careers, and the essential leadership traits needed for success in 2025 and beyond.&nbsp;This blog post serves as a comprehensive summary and reflection on our discussion, offering actionable advice for professionals navigating a rapidly changing career landscape.&nbsp;Read the full Blog on the WebsiteJob Hunting Made SimpleReset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend31 Days of Action for Job SeekersFind Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career GrowJoin 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe NowLear More About Renata's career coaching and coursesTimestamps to guide your listening:00:00 Introduction and Background02:09 Transforming Workplace Culture05:02 Elements of a Great Workplace07:55 Job Hunting and Workplace Culture10:58 Navigating Disconnects in Values13:57 The Impact of COVID-19 on Work Culture16:52 Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace19:12 Prioritizing Culture Over Compensation22:15 Assessing Company Values25:00 Identifying Red Flags in Organizations28:13 Unique Examples of Great Workplaces31:08 Future Trends in Workplace CultureLinks mentioned in this episode:Connect with Stella Voules on LinkedInVost&amp;Co websiteEpisode 237 - An Interview with ChatGPT: How to Optimize Your Job Search Using AIEpisode 199 - Job Hunting in the AI Era: Making Your CV Stand OutAbout the host,&nbsp;Renata BernardeHello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of&nbsp;The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach...