UPDATE: Only 10 6 spots left of the GCA: Intensive level.

Guidance Counselling for Adults: Five weeks of career coaching to help you figure out the next step in your career without relying on resumes or gross networking.

This is the same process that has helped my clients land their ideal jobs with salary increases of over $50,000.

UPDATE: The early bird, sliding scale rate ends TODAY, Friday, May 3rd at 4pm EST.
After that the price will increase by $100.
Only 4 spots left for the GCA: Intensive. Registration will close on Thursday, May 9th until Fall 2019.
https://kathrynmeisner.com/gca

I only run GCA a few times a year. The next time will be in Fall 2019.

Want to jump right to registering? There are 3 options depending on the level of support you’d like (more details below).

To use the sliding scale, just click the GCA option you’d like and type in your sliding scale rate (taxes may apply).

For GCA: DIY – click here (sliding scale $197-$247).

For GCA: Extra Support – click here (sliding scale $347-$447).

For GCA: Intensive – click here (sliding scale $547-$647). Only 10 7 spots available.

---

Questions?

Just email me at kathryn@kathrynmeisner.com, use the fancy chat function on my website, or DM me here and I’d be happy to answer your questions.

---

Read on…

Want to know more about Guidance Counselling for Adults and who I am? Read on…

Figure out what’s next in your career without relying on resumes or gross networking (with lots of options for personal support from me).

Go from career confusion and job search hell to clarity and finding the job that’s right for you.

I’ll facilitate Guidance Counselling for Adults online over 5 weeks to help you do two things at once:

• Figure out which job and workplace is right for you
• Job search using strategies for the reality of the new job market

---

It’s hard…

Because when your career hasn’t been linear or your job title only represents a small portion of what you’ve done (hi non profit folks), it’s hard to know what to look for or how to frame your skills.

And if you can’t frame your experience for your next step, how do you market yourself? How do you move forward in your career?  

This is not one size fits all. There are building blocks and different strategies to help you make progress because I know – first hand and from my clients – different things work for different people.

---

Please know this:

It’s not because you’re lazy or because you’re unemployable or because you have no skills.

It’s because we aren’t taught these strategies and so much has changed in the new economy.

Your high school guidance counsellor **did not** prepare you for this.

You are not your job. You are not your resume. Your job, however, does have a huge impact on your life.

In Guidance Counselling for Adults, we’ll work together by starting with what YOU want and what’s important to YOU so that you can find the job (and employer) that’s right for you.

---

What will you do in GCA? By the end of 5 weeks, you will have:

• A clear, prioritized list of exactly what you want in a job and employer
• Strategies to find out if a job and employer can give you what you want
• Crafted your own reusable evaluation tool to guide your job search and career path (this also helps if you have “shiny object syndrome” and “analysis paralysis”)
• Identified your skills and how to market yourself – even if you’re a generalist or you’ve had a non-linear career path or if you only have soft skills
• Decided which skills you don’t want to use anymore. You don’t have to keep using skills just because you’re good at it.
• Extracted concrete examples and results from your experience which can be used for your elevator pitch, resume, cover letter, interviews, and coffee chats
• Developed your elevator pitch
• Started to leverage and grow your network – you’ll know how and when to approach warm and cold contacts, what to say, how to follow up and maintain relationships.
• Started to job search AND explore careers simultaneously (no resumes necessary)
• Learned how to deal with procrastination and feeling overwhelmed using a productive but kind process that holds you accountable

---

Ready to register?

Register by Friday, May 3rd at 3pm EST and save $100 with the early bird, sliding scale rate.

Registration closes Thursday, May 9th. Last time I ran GCA, it sold out in less than two weeks.

For GCA: DIY – click here (sliding scale $197-$247).

For GCA: Extra Support – click here (sliding scale $347-$447).

For GCA: Intensive – click here (sliding scale $547-$647). Only 10 7 spots available.

---

How GCA is different & why it works

We’ll take a holistic approach to your career. You spend a major chunk of your life working so it’s important that you find something that is engaging and enriches your life.

GCA provides a clear process. GCA has all the steps outlined to help you find a new job or career so you don’t have to figure it out or waste time wondering if you’re doing the right thing

You don’t have to overcome your fears before you start figuring out your next step. GCA helps you plan for them so when they show up, they don’t become a barrier. Action cultivates confidence.

You have options for varying levels of support from me. Because some people want to learn things on their own and some people want more help.

GCA works with different learning styles and lifestyles. All lessons are available in video, audio and transcript formats. Listen to the audio on your commute or read through the transcripts as you feed your baby or as they nap. 

There’s a focus on action, not just learning and consuming info. You’ve probably scrolled through enough blogs and watched enough TED talks already. GCA is designed to get you to do the homework. Every lesson in GCA has homework – because it’s the action in homework that get you the results.

---

GCA dates

Monday, May 13th – Friday, June 14th.

As soon as you enroll, you’ll get access to the GCA Welcome Module and Module 1 so you can get going even *before* we officially start. You’ll get access to the rest of the official first day of the program, Monday, May 13th.

Quick note Kelsey’s tweet above about getting a $20k salary increase…When’s the best opportunity to make a big jump in salary? When you get a new job! Kelsey’s results were from doing GCA with me – she didn’t use my salary negotiation services.

---

GCA options…

I’m offering 3 different options for Guidance Counselling for Adults based on the amount of support you’d like, your learning style, and your budget.

GCA: DIY course + coworking sessions

• All the modules in video, audio, and transcript formats
• All the homework
• Templates for your elevator pitch and how to approach cold and warm contacts for coffee chat
• Weekly emails to keep you on track
• THREE, 2 hour coworking sessions to help you work on GCA
  • We’ll jump online with other members of GCA and spend 2 hours working on GCA. You can ask questions about the lessons or homework but other than that it’s no coaching, no talking, just pure focus and action.
  • Dates: TBD but coworking sessions will be 7pm-9pm EST. The first coworking session is in the first week of GCA to get the momentum started and the second one is in the second week of GCA to keep the momentum going

Bonus:

• A one hour, previously recorded financial workshop + Q&A with Liz Schieck, Financial Planner at the New School of Finance because career questions often go hand-in-hand with money questions.

Early bird, sliding scale rate: $197-$247 CAD

---

GCA: Extra support 

Everything that’s included in GCA: DIY plus…

Personal support from me:

• Private pop-up Facebook group for all of GCA to get all your questions answered by me
• Homework review and feedback from me in the Facebook group (people love the accountability this can provide)

Early bird, sliding scale rate: $347-$447 CAD

---

GCA: Intensive (only 10 7 spots available)

Everything that’s included in GCA: Extra support plus…

Personal support from me:

• Four group coaching calls so you get my laser-focused attention on your specific situation
  • Call dates – all calls will be at 12:30pm EST
    • Specific dates TBD
    • If you can’t make a call, you can send in your question before and I’ll answer it on the call
    • Calls will be recorded

• Private homework review from me – you send me the final version of your homework in a document, I review it and add comments and insights (I may add feedback either in writing, audio, or video).
• You’ll receive a 1:1, 30 minute phone coaching session with me in the last half of GCA to help you dive deeper into wherever you feel stuck

Early bird, sliding scale rate: $597-$697 CAD

---

A note about the sliding scale:

Just click on the link for the GCA option you’d like to register for and type in the price you’d like to pay.

• If you’re unemployed and finances are an issue, feel free to pay the low end of the scale
• If you’re employed and currently have a decent salary, please pay the mid-range of the scale
• And if you identify as a person of colour (POC), queer, trans, chronically ill or disabled, please feel free to pay the lower end of the scale.

I do not require any documentation for your sliding scale selection so please don’t take advantage of it. It’s there for folks who need it.

---

All prices in Canadian dollars (CAD)

You can join from anywhere AND prices are in CAD (lucky you – you get to take advantage of our low dollar)! 

---

What happens after you enroll?

Within 24 hours of enrollment, you’ll receive a questionnaire so that I can learn more about your specific situation.

You’ll also get access to the Welcome Module and Module 1 so you can get going even *before* we officially start.

You’ll get access to the rest of the course on the first day (May 13th).

---

Questions?

Just email me at kathryn@kathrynmeisner.com, use the fancy chat function on my website, or DM me here.

---

GCA is a good fit for you if you’re thinking any of the following things…

• “What’s my next step?”
• “My career hasn’t been linear and I have no real area of expertise – how do I get a job?
• “What do I find fulfilling and engaging?”
• “How do I make sure I don’t end up in the same situation I’m in now?
• “I know I have experience but I’m having trouble breaking it down and talking about myself confidently.”
• “How do I translate my experience to a new role or industry?”
• “How do I market myself without feeling like I’m bragging?”
• “I have so many interests and so much experience — how do I decide what to focus on?”

---

GCA is especially effective for people who:

• Are trying to explore career options or job search more effectively
• Don’t know their value or how to market themselves
• Don’t know what they want
• Are generalists, have a non-linear career, or have many interests
• Want to successfully transition out of the non-profit or academic world
• Have a variety of experience or interests that they can’t quite piece together
• Are returning to work after an absence (hi grad students and moms!)
• Identify as introverts or “highly sensitive people”
• Are burnt out

If you don’t fall into the above categories, can GCA help you?

Totally. I just wanted to acknowledge that finding a new job can be extra-hard for these people.

---

Want to enroll?

For GCA: DIY – click here (sliding scale $197-$247).

For GCA: Extra Support – click here (sliding scale $347-$447).

For GCA: Intensive – click here (sliding scale $547-$647). Only 10 7 spots available.

---

Here’s how GCA works:

Within 24 hours of registering, you’ll be sent a questionnaire to help me discover more about your unique situation.

On the first day of GCA, you’ll be sent all the video modules (with podcast options) and workbooks for the whole program.

We’ll focus on a specific module each week but you can work through them as fast or a slowly as you like.

---

Here’s the process that we’ll work through:

Module 1: Set yourself up for success (in GCA and the rest of your career)

We’ll walk through a step-by-step goal setting process to help you set and achieve your goals during GCA and beyond.

We’ll also cover concrete strategies to deal with the stress and overwhelm of career transitions and what to do if you get stuck or paralyzed with fear.

Module 2: What do you want?

We’ll walk through a structured process to uncover your strengths, interests, and priorities, and to separate what you feel you should want (or you’ve been told to want) from what you actually want.

You’ll also create your own decision-making tool for career and career-related decisions (like whether to go back to school or move for a job)

Clients have consistently found this module to yield surprising and energizing results.

Module 3: How to market yourself

Everyone has skills and experience that can be unpacked and distilled to identify your marketable skills and transferable experience.

If you’re a generalist or have had a variety of roles, you’ll develop a coherent story of your experiences.

We’ll also frame it all in your own words.

Module 4: How to find the job that’s right for you (no resumes necessary)

Narrow your options to a short list of titles and organizations

Simultaneously job search while exploring careers

Apply strategies to help you find and land your target role without relying on resumes or gross networking.

How to leverage and build your network so that you can

Identify the low-hanging fruit opportunities

---

You’ll leave the 5 weeks with a clear, actionable plan to find and land the job that’s right for you (which you will have started implementing *during* GCA).

---

Time Commitment

All combined, expect to spend 4+ hours/week on GCA. Less than that and you may not get the results you want.

---

Program dates

The program runs for 5 weeks from Monday, May 13th – Friday, June 14th.

---

If Guidance Counselling for Adults helps you…

• Find a new job (which is the best opportunity to negotiate a big jump in salary)
• Decide pursue or not pursue more education (either helping you confidently invest or saving you money)
• Realize that it’s not you that’s the problem – it’s your job or organization, (thus saving you money on therapy and necessary self-care survival purchases)

…Then you’ll recoup the cost of the program. And yup, these are actual results from clients.

The beauty of GCA is that is you can participate from wherever in the world you happen to be – you can join from anywhere.

The early bird rate ends Friday, May 3rd at 4pm EST. 

After that, the price will increase by $100.

---

Safer Space policy

GCA is meant to be provide as safe a space as possible.

By joining, it is expected that you will cultivate and maintain it as a safer space, without fear of being made to feel uncomfortable, unwelcome, or unsafe on account of biological sex, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, cultural background, age, or physical or mental ability.

At the start of GCA I will ask people to share the pronouns they use (she/her, him/his, they/them, etc). It will be expected that you use the pronouns that people share.

Not honouring this policy will result in your immediate exit from the course with no refund. You probably already knew that but just wanted to make it clear.

---

Interested?

Lovely! But first, I want to make sure only people ready for this GCA enroll. I like to manage expectations and make sure we’re all on the same page – GCA is not a good fit for people who:

• Expect answers without the work. To make the most progress, expect to put in 4+ hours a week including homework and calls.
• Aren’t willing to use Google docs (or aren’t willing learn). If this is a new tool for you – don’t worry, it’s super easy to use and I can teach you 🙂
• Aren’t ready to do the necessary work. There are many legitimate reasons why this might be the case — no judgment, I just want to set you up for success!
• Are in financial crisis or need a job in the next 1–2 months
• You are severely depressed or dealing with a debilitating mental illness (get in touch – I may be able to suggest resources or people who can provide support)
• Aren’t willing to change your mindset (it’s OK to have a negative mindset when starting GCA, but you have to be committed to changing it)

---

Meet Your Guidance Counsellor

Hi, I’m Kathryn Meisner, your career coach.

I’ve been called a Guidance Counsellor for Adults and a Salary Doula because I use my calm, warm-hearted, action-oriented approach to help my clients find jobs they love with salary increases of $55k.

---

So why am I qualified to teach this stuff?

Because I’ve lived it and I’ve worked with 300+ clients in 9 countries.

I’ve been a career chameleon – someone who can package and leverage their transferable skills to cultivate new job opportunities – for my entire working life.

As a result, I became really, REALLY good at finding and landing jobs. (Ask me about the time I got a job from a tweet).

I’ve worked in industries ranging from technology to education.

I’ve been an employee and a leader.

I’ve worked locally and internationally.

I’ve hosted workshops around the world for more than 30,000 people.

I gained recognition as a young professional leader across private, startup, and non-profit sectors.

All with a B.A. in Psychology and English and a B.Ed.

The common thread throughout my career has been to help people and organizations identify and achieve their goals by leveraging their strengths, increasing their engagement, and building resilience (I even have a TEDx on the topic that now has over 33,000+ 66,000 views).

What’s my experience?

My first two jobs after university were as an employment counsellor.

I loved the work but didn’t like the work environments, so I used my career chameleon skills to find new jobs for myself, experimenting with different strategies along the way.

It definitely wasn’t easy but I developed an expertise in identifying, targeting, and landing jobs across different industries for myself.

---

Now, it’s all about you

Because once an employment counsellor, always an employment counsellor. As I continued to navigate my own career across different roles and industries, people continued to ask for my advice.

For the past 4 years, my full-time focus has been helping people to find and land the job that’s right for them.

I know – this can all seem scary and stressful – but this is the new reality of the new job market. It’s a job market where you will have to change jobs (and careers) multiple times throughout your life.

That’s why you’re here – and I’m here to help.

---

Want my support?

For GCA: DIY – click here (sliding scale $197-$247).

For GCA: Extra Support – click here (sliding scale $347-$447).

For GCA: Intensive – click here (sliding scale $547-$647). Only 10 7 spots available.

FAQ

• What happens after I register?   
• Is GCA for me?
• Can GCA help me job search?
• Can GCA help me build my network?
• What if I’m moving to another city? What if I live in another country?
• Why is there a private Facebook group for the Extra Support and Intensive levels?
• What if I want to remain anonymous?
• I need a job in the next month – can GCA help?
• What if I finish GCA and want some extra support from you?
• Will you tell me exactly what job I should do?
• I live in another country – will GCA still work for me?

---

What happens after I click on the link to register?   

You’ll be taken to a checkout page where you’ll add your address and then complete payment.

You’ll receive a confirmation email within 24 hours with a questionnaire so that I can learn more about your specific situation.

You’ll also get access to the Welcome Module and Module 1 so you can get going even *before* we officially start. You’ll get access to the rest of the course on the first day (May 13th).

---

Is GCA for me?

Do you want help with your job search? Want to explore career options? Learn what your skills are and how to market yourself? Or build confidence and resilience?

…then yes, you will most likely benefit from this course.

---

Can GCA help me job search?

Yes! The whole course is designed around helping you figure out what you want to do and then job search to get it.

---

Can GCA help me build my network?

Yup, GCA will help you identify how to strategically build your network including who to talk to, what to say, and how to approach people both inside and outside of your network.

---

What if I’m moving to another city? What if I live in another country?

---

Why is there a private Facebook group for some GCA levels??

This Facebook group will be private. It’s safe space to ask questions, share your experiences, and create a network that extends beyond the course (remember, everyone’s network has a network which I will teach you to leverage.) Anything you post in the group will be visible only to group members. I’ve explored other online group options and Facebook is still the best option. If you prefer, you can make a different Facebook profile specifically for GCA. Or, you can choose not to participate in the Facebook group – that is totally ok.

---

What if I want to remain anonymous?

For people who wanted to stay anonymous in GCA they’ve done a range of things:

---

I need a job in the next month – can GCA help?

If you need a new job in the next month my resume editing, interview prep, or salary negotiation packages will better serve you. GCA is for people who can take the time over the next month to reflect and take action.

It’s not for people who need to get a job ASAP.

---

What if I finish GCA and want some extra support from you?

As a GCA alumni you’ll receive a special rate for one-on-one sessions with me.

These alumni sessions can focus on whatever you need them to – extending the learning of GCA, diving deeper into the homework, holding you accountable – it’s up to you.

---

I live in another country – can GCA still help me?

It depends…The strategies in this course are applicable to Western countries. GCA can definitely work for people living in ex-pat communities abroad (sidenote: ex-pats are immigrants and yet we call them ex-pats still hmmm…)

You can join from anywhere AND prices are in CAD (lucky you – you get to take advantage of our low dollar)! 

If you’re wondering if GCA will apply to your situation, email me at  kathryn@kathrynmeisner.com, use the fancy chat function on my website, or DM me here.

---

What if I have another question not answered here?

Just email me at kathryn@kathrynmeisner.com, use the fancy chat function on my website, or DM me here.

---

Want to register before the early bird rate ends?

Just click the option you’d like and type in your sliding scale rate (taxes may apply).

For GCA: DIY – click here (sliding scale $197-$247).

For GCA: Extra Support – click here (sliding scale $347-$447).

For GCA: Intensive – click here (sliding scale $547-$647). Only 10 7 spots available.

---

Thank you again for accompanying me in this – the strategy support (and emotional support/solidarity!) was so helpful. So happy you and your GCA are part of my 2019 and my evolving self and career development!

-Manager, education sector

---

Fundamentally the best money I have spent in many years. Way better than the career counselling provided at my MBA (no joke). It was practical, tactical and I felt like I was getting value each week. I’m a big skeptic generally but I was happily surprised right from Module 1 at how applicable this was to me. It feels like a great exercise to do once a year even if you are not in career crisis! The homework forced accountability on me to really ensure I was deeply reflecting on the work. This was so helpful to crystallize what I am great at, what I want and more importantly what I don’t want.

–Janice S, VP of Business Development

---

Do it! You won’t regret it! Kathryn is amazing. (In all seriousness, because of GCA, when I was midway through the modules I landed a new role, new title, and 10% salary increase at my current job!). GCA is an amazing way to focus your anxieties, worries, questions, and curiosity about work and your career, and actually *do* something about it. It forces you to think, reflect, digest, and explore in a safe, judgement-free and incredibly supportive environment.

–Natalie K

---

I wish I’d had access to Kathryn (and her program) back when I was a teen and first making decisions about my career and education. I’m so lucky to have her now! I’d say I was president of the Kathryn Meisner fan club, but I suspect that pretty much everyone who takes GCA is vying for that position.

I feel a renewed sense of confidence in my abilities and believe that I have a lot to offer to a potential employer (and as a human being). GCA is like some sort of thought alchemy that transforms struggle/sorrow into hope and possibility.

Kathryn may not see herself as a therapist but her way of unpacking job searching and careers–and her ability to give you strategies for managing fears, anxiety, and setbacks that go hand-in-hand with job search and career exploration–has been as helpful (if not more helpful to me) as seeing one. GCA pushes you to value yourself and really articulate and own your abilities with concrete and thoughtful homework, ongoing group and one-on-one support, and excellent personalized feedback.

–Marketing Manager

---

Wow, huge weight lifted, mind blown, life changed!

I got the job!!!! Thank you for being an absolute soul-saver sent from the universe! Shit, you can’t write this kind of stuff, right?! This has all been so damn timely.

–Client transitioning from non-profit industry to B2B tech sales

---

A great investment in myself. I now have a plan in place to help me find what I want, and criteria to help me judge if an opportunity is going to be a good fit. I’m not just chasing any job that might come along. My challenge was confidence and articulating my strengths. The module about strengths was invaluable – and a great confidence boost! Kathryn, like all good counselors, knows the right kind of questions to ask so that you figure out the answer for yourself and can own and understand it. Having the homework as a means to force myself to do this important but often emotional work is a great accountability tool for me. It helps break it down into manageable pieces, so it’s not overwhelming.

-Jennifer S 

---

I came out of GCA with a clear sense of all the different skills I’ve developed and knowledge I’ve gained in various roles.

Kathryn helped me switch industries and communicate my transferable skills after graduating a masters’ program. She taught me strategies that I’d never considered and that were incredibly useful during my interview. I got the job!

–Amy G

---

I can easily say that this is one of the best personal investments I could have made in myself. I feel like I’m treating myself to a more successful future and that is worth every penny I paid.

–VP, client services

---

I had hoped it would build confidence and clarity and it has. I have felt a huge lack of confidence about my skills in the past couple of years and this was a positive eye opener for me about what I have to offer. I also found the weekly calls enlightening – knowing that so many people struggle with the same career challenges made me feel less alone, less like there’s something wrong with me! I feel more powerful about moving forward with my search.

A very comprehensive coaching program and almost more beneficial than one on one sessions with a coach because of the group calls, FB group etc. Lots of resources and ongoing support through the 5 weeks.

-Marianne W

---

Register below before the early bird rate ends

The early bird rate ends Friday, May 3rd at 4pm EST. 

After that, the price will increase by $100.

For GCA: DIY – click here (sliding scale $197-$247).

For GCA: Extra Support – click here (sliding scale $347-$447).

For GCA: Intensive – click here (sliding scale $547-$647). 

---

Not everyone is ready to figure out what’s next – and that’s ok!

And if GCA is a financial stretch, please focus on your immediate financial needs. I don’t run GCA often but I will be running it again in Fall 2019.

---

Any final questions?

Use my new fancy website chat, email me at kathryn@kathrynmeisner.com, or DM me here.

---

Register here

To use the sliding scale, just click the GCA option you’d like and type in your sliding scale rate (taxes may apply).

GCA DIY – early bird, sliding scale rate: $197-$247 CAD

GCA Extra Support – early bird, sliding scale rate: $347-$497 CAD

GCA Intensive – early bird, sliding scale rate: $547-$647 CAD

Only 10 7 spots available.

I’m a huge information-gatherer so I get it – collecting more and more information feels so good.

It’s almost like you’re doing something.

And because it feels like you’re taking action, it prevents you from taking real action because you feel like you’re doing it already.

Today I’m going to cover the things that prevent people from moving into action and implementing The New Way to job search or change careers.

If coffee chats (aka The New Way) were easy, everyone would be doing them effortlessly and getting connected to jobs all over the place.

I wouldn’t be writing this email to you and you wouldn’t be reading it.

Because I’ve had the honour of working with 300+ clients in 9 countries, I have a pretty unique view into what makes or breaks career exploration and job search strategies.

So here are the some of the biggest pitfalls I’ve seen Guidance Counselling for Adults students make before they registered to work with me…

But first, a few announcements…

---

Guidance Counselling for Adults is now open

There will be 3 ways to go through this 5 week career coaching program (with options for lots of personal support from me like a 30 minute one-on-one coaching session with me).

Want to know more? Check out Guidance Counselling for Adults here.

The next time I’ll run GCA will be Fall 2019.

---

Let’s jump in…

Resumes and scrolling through online job postings is The Old Way to job search. It’s time-consuming, soul-sucking, and not very effective.

The New Way to job search focuses on getting referred or connected to job opportunities.

The core strategy of The New Way? Coffee chats (I talk about 9 reasons why coffee chats are worth it and how I’ve used them in my career here.)

Coffee chats are the single biggest game-changer for figuring out your next step, job searching, or changing careers.

Before you start coffee chats, you need to get your 4 building blocks in place:

1. Establish your priorities
2. Know how to frame your experience & identify your transferable skills
3. Focus area(s)
4. Prepare & practice

Learning about this stuff is one thing, but actually doing it is another thing altogether.

But if you never take action beyond info-gathering or planning, you’re not actually taking action that can lead to results.

This is normal—I see this with my clients all the time—and more importantly, it can be overcome.

Let’s unpack some of the things I’ve noticed that people have to get past in order to actually move into action.

---

​I should ask for a job in a coffee chat

Your contact has made time for you, you’ve got their attention, maybe you already know that you want to work at their company or in one of the jobs that they have posted on their website.

It would be stupid to waste this opportunity right?

Nope. This is not a job interview, it’s a coffee chat and it’s essential to be respectful of that.

By having a coffee chat with you, your contact has signed up to answer your questions for 15-20 minutes (longer if you make a great impression). Your contact has NOT signed up to be asked for a job.

---

​The two main goals of coffee chats

There are two main goals coffee chats will accomplish (if you’re doing them correctly).

1. The short-term goal is to get your key questions answered about the job or organization.
2. The long-term goal that is using your coffee chat to get you referred or connected to a job.

This means you have to be able to market your skills and experience and build a relationship with your contact during the coffee chat and afterwards.

This usually doesn’t happen instantly and it definitely won’t happen if you annoy your contact or pressure them.

You want to basically make friends with your contact. Make a great impression, follow up with them expertly, and then build on the relationship.

If you ask for a job or send them your resume without them asking you to, you’re coming on too strong and they probably won’t want to maintain a relationship with you.

That being said, I’ve seen the long-term goal happen quite quickly…

It starts as a coffee chat and then, because you’ve made such a great impression, the contact either suggests you apply for an opening they have, they’re willing to refer you to a friend who is hiring, or they follows up within a few days to offer opportunities.

I’ve had this happen for myself several times in my own career and I have watched this happen to my clients as well.

It’s also possible that the contact may ask you if you’re looking for a job.

Be honest (never lie in a coffee chat). This is your chance to tell them what you’re looking for.

Don’t know what you’re looking for? I’ll talk about how to answer this question in an upcoming blog post.

The whole point here is that achieving both the long-term goal AND the short-term goal of coffee chats most likely WILL NOT happen if you ask for a job.

To be clear this advice also applies to anything that even implies that you’re looking for a job…

Things like sending a resume to your contact without them requesting it, saying that you’re looking for a job, or looking to discuss “opportunities or where I fit in with your company.”

It all has the same effect on your contact as asking directly for a job. Don’t be that guy!

---

​I should wait until I’ve quit my job

Please don’t. For the sake of your career and your sanity.

It is often much easier to start doing coffee chats while you’re still employed (or in school, as the case may be) for THREE main reasons…

#1 People often look more favourably upon people who are employed.

Annoying, I know, but it tends to be true.

I suspect part of the reason is because folks are concerned that they will be asked to give you a job which, of course, you won’t do because that is a sure-fire way to ruin a coffee chat (remember how we just covered this?).

But yeah, that’s what people are worried about.

#2 Chances are you will be less stressed and therefore more confident tapping into people’s brain trusts if you have a job.

If you’ve already quit your job, that means you may be burnt out, feeling negative, and/or have lost a lot of confidence.

And if you’ve come from a traumatic work environment, you may need to take some time to heal which postpones the ability to figure out your next step.

PRO TIP: If you’re wondering when you should quit your job, I usually recommend anticipating when your burnout point will be and then leaving a few steps before that point.

Yes, I realize that not everyone may be in the financial situation to do so—there’s a lot of privilege in being able to quit your job before you have another one lined up.

However, there is also a lot of mental health privilege in being able to stay in a job that is traumatic or difficult for your mental health.

#3 ABCC – Always Be Coffee Chatting.

You never know when you may need a new job due to a layoff, your job becoming obsolete, or a change in lifestyle is needed (like having kids or taking care of aging parents).

Coffee chat often, coffee chat strategically.

THIS is how you can avoid job searching altogether. It’s your career insurance.

---

​“But what if I already quit my job?”

Don’t panic—you can still leverage coffee chats. It may take a bit of extra guts to get up the courage to start doing them but it is totally doable.

Start doing your coffee chats as soon as you’ve worked through your four coffee chat building blocks (your priorities, experience, focus area(s), preparation and practice).

And guess what? You don’t even have to say that you’ve left your job or give the reason why.

This is one of the huge benefits of leading with skills, not titles, when you talk about your experience.

---

​No one will coffee chat with me

If you craft your coffee chat request to meet strategically and effectively, you greatly increase the chances that people will respond AND say yes.

Don’t underestimate the effort needed for your coffee chat requests, though. 

Coffee chat requests are usually sent by email and you need to make sure you’re writing an email that makes it easy for people to say “yes” to your request.

---

​I can’t start until I know the job I want

This is totally not true! And I write more about this here.

You have to have at least one focus area. Having more is fine but you have to start with one.

Whether that’s an interest, an industry, an impact, a skill, or a specific title, you have to have a focus area to be able to figure out the people whose brain trusts you want to tap into through coffee chats.

You don’t have to stick with your focus area but you do have to start somewhere.

This means you have to make a choice but you’re not married to it.

If it’s helpful, think of it like an experiment—an idea you’re testing out.

Chances are, it may evolve as you learn more (kind of like my example of my coffee chat about fashion styling).

---

​Coffee chats have to be in person

Nope. They can be a phone chat, a Skype chat, or even an email chat.

And coffee is not always a part of an in-person meeting.

Why call it a coffee chat if it may not involve coffee?

Well, because it usually DOES involve coffee. And even if it doesn’t, it implies you only need a short amount of the contact’s time.

Plus, it sounds good ?

---

​I’ve already tried coffee chats before

How did it go?

If you’ve figured out your next step and landed the job that’s right for you as a result of your coffee chats—awesome!

You can stop reading now because you probably don’t need it anymore.

But if you weren’t able to market your skills, build a relationship with your contact, get recommended for a job, or get connected to your contact’s network…

It means that something in your coffee chats process or building blocks isn’t working.

---

Not promoting yourself confidently & seamlessly

If you think you’re the only one with this challenge, I assure you—you are not alone. At least 75% of my clients struggle with this. Talking about your skills and experience can be especially challenging if you:

• Have had a non-linear career or are a generalist
• Feel like you don’t have any skills or aren’t sure of what your strengths are
• Have a range of skills and experience that don’t cohesively fit together (I see you generalists and multipotentialites out there)
• Are low in confidence, modest, or introverted and aren’t sure how to talk about your experience without it sounding awkward and feeling painful
• You’ve never really had feedback from your employer about your strengths

Regardless, learning how to come across as confident and how to frame your experience is essential for career exploration, the job search, and eventual job interviews.

And there’s a fine line between marketing yourself seamlessly and coming across as rehearsed.

With coffee chats, this is also one of the biggest missed opportunities I see in clients…

If you don’t share your experience, how will your coffee chat contact know which jobs, people, or organizations to refer you to?

---

​Not doing enough coffee chats (or not doing them at all)

Confidence and motivation is a real doozy. They are probably the biggest reason why people don’t do coffee chats at all (or even reach out to contacts).

Folks wait until they’re perfectly confident (no such thing) or wait until they feel super motivated (may not happen) and yet it’s action that’s often fuel for our confidence and motivation.

And if people do end up doing coffee chats, they often don’t do enough of enough them.

Doing coffee chats is like planting seeds—you have to do a lot of them because it’s difficult to know which ones will grow and blossom.

I tell my Guidance Counselling for Adults students and 1:1 clients to plant as many seeds as possible—expect to do at least 5 coffee chats per focus area. The more you do, the more opportunities you cultivate for yourself. It also helps to get a range of insights so that you don’t get stuck with one person’s bad experience with their job.

Doing MORE coffee chats actually means LESS pressure on each individual coffee chat. If one doesn’t go well or the the contact is a dud, you have other ones to fall back on.

---

​It’s ok to be afraid

This is not to minimize fear, it’s more to highlight that it’s possible to do coffee chats even while you are afraid or nervous.

---

​Approaching potential coffee chat contacts incorrectly

What do I mean by “incorrectly”? Anything that doesn’t result in an enthusiastic coffee chat. This can include (but is not limited to):

• Reaching out to your network without having your building blocks in place
• Using language that sends red flags to contacts—”I’d like to pick your brain” is one example of this
• Asking your immediate network to intro you in a way that doesn’t set them (or you) up for success
• Responding haphazardly to introductions made by your contacts so that both your contact and the potential coffee chat person are turned off
• Doing coffee chat outreach but getting a “no” or not getting a response at all
• Cold emailing without results—you haven’t communicated your key messages clearly enough, you’ve come on too strong, or not strong enough (it’s such a delicate balance!)

And even if you do approach coffee chat contacts strategically, I’ve learned that many people don’t even end up asking the questions they want to.

Sure, they may have made a friend but they haven’t gained any insight into the career or job search strategies their trying to find out about.

PRO TIP: If you have super effective coffee chats, contacts may be willing to introduce you to their networks. This is how you can massively grow your network and get access to more coffee chat contacts.

---

​Your guidance counsellor did not prepare you for this

We are not taught the kind of career exploration and job search strategies that the new economy requires. Your high school guidance counsellor definitely did not prepare you for this.

Learning the methods is only one piece of the puzzle…

Confidence, motivation, working with your fears (overcoming them is not required), and hustling sustainably and kindly are the other essential pieces that enable you to actually APPLY these methods.

Remember, you are not alone in this. So many people have the same challenges.

So to help you solve this problem, I created my online group program, Guidance Counselling for Adults,​ which is designed to teach you how to:

• Figure out your “Career Compass”—what’s important to you and what you need from a job and organization to be happy and engaged​
• Unpack, identify, and package your skills and experience using 5 different strategies so that you can confidently talk about yourself​
• Have strategic and effective coffee chats aka “optimized informational interviews” that help you get referred as the best candidate for the job. This includes step-by-step instructions outlining who to contact, how to approach them, what to say, and how to follow up. Templates and scripts are provided to make it as easy as possible for you​
• Build motivation and confidence into your career exploration and job search while planning how to deal with potential setbacks and fears.

I’ve streamlined this process through hundreds of hours of work with my clients. I’ve done the research and tested out these methods so you don’t have to. This is the 7th or 8th time I’m running GCA!

If you’re planning on finding a new job or career in the next 6-12 months, Guidance Counselling for Adults can give you the support (and accountability) you need

GCA is now closed, and will be coming back soon! ​

There are 3 different levels of support to choose from. The levels with limited spots sell out in less than two weeks.

To learn more about the next time GCA will be running, please email info@kathrynmesiner.com.

---

​PS: If you want my help with any of the strategies outlined in this blog post, Guidance Counselling for Adults is probably for you. Registration is currently closed, but you can certainly reach out and find out when the next GCA cohort will be.

PPS: Blog post summary: Coffee chats are AMAZING and are the core of the New Way to job search and change careers. However, they require a lot of preparation and effort to master them. Some important things to know about coffee chats…

• ​You don’t have to wait until you’ve quit your job to start doing them (but you can make it work if you’ve already quit). 
• Don’t ask for a job in a coffee chat. 
• You don’t need to wait until you know which job title you want to pursue. 
• Make sure you do a ton of coffee chats (plant many seeds). Learn how to market your skills and experience. 
• One of the big reasons coffee chats don’t happen is because the request to meet email isn’t effective. 
• It’s ok to be nervous – you can still do coffee chats if you plan for your fears.

PPPS: If you learned something from this blog post, I’d love if you could share this blog post with friends or shared it on social media. Thanks!

I don’t really want to write this but it’s for the best – both for you and for me.

Unfortunately, I had to reschedule my new workshop this week, How to use social media for your job search & your career.

My house has been hit with either food poisoning or a stomach bug (we now know it’s a stomach bug because Astrid got 5 other ppl sick ? ). I’m so disappointed – I was really looking forward to doing this.

New workshop date will be after Guidance Counselling for Adults

The new workshop date will most likely be in late May or June since I’ll be spending the end of April opening registration for Guidance Counselling for Adults and then facilitating GCA after that.

Even though I hate letting ppl down, by rescheduling I’ll be able to create a way better workshop for you and I’ll get a chance to recover ♥️

I’ll send an email out with instructions about how to register around that time. Are you on my email list? If not, you can get on it here.

I’m a recovering perfectionist

Doing something like rescheduling is never easy for me. But sometimes it’s necessary, like when your health (either mental or physical) is at stake.

Sometimes we need to cancel, reschedule, or say no to things to create space for the things we really value or want to work on. Again, I’m not saying this is easy.

For me right now, that’s getting better from this awful stomach thing.

For you, that might be making time or mental space for working on your job search or figuring out what’s next in your career (even if you’re at the top of your game).

If you’ve been wanting to prioritize your next step…

If you can relate, I encourage you to try and make some space for your next step by doing the following:

1. Take a look at your schedule, open up your calendar and look at the next two weeks.
2. What can you can you say “no” to? Or “not yet” to?
3. What can you reschedule?
4. What can you postpone?

You don’t have to do this forever, just the next few weeks.

Once you’ve made that space, schedule in what you want to do during that time. Seriously – block it into your calendar like you would a meeting or an event.

What do you want to do with your newfound space?

You might need to take some time to just unwind and process.

Or, you might want to start doing some of the things on my What’s Next Checklist for Your Career or take my free 7 day email course, Get Started Figuring Out Your Next Step.

If you’re curious about working with me, both will give you insight into my approach to job searching and careers.

Regardless, you’ve just started creating time and space for what you need.

And yup, as you can imagine, creating the time to work on your next step is something we talk about a lot in Guidance Counselling for Adults.

Many GCA students have been thinking about what to do next but haven’t been able to make the time to actually figure it or move into actually doing what they need to do.

Guidance Counselling for Adults is now open

So if this is something you’ve been wanting to do as well but haven’t had the time to focus on it yet, sign up here (and get an early bird rate). We’ll spend 5 weeks on figuring out your next step and learning how to job search without relying on resumes or gross networking.

Ok I’m going to go lie down.