My mission is to help executives and C-Suite leaders become more visible.

I'm a nationally recognized voice in executive resumes, LinkedIn, career, and job search strategy for workers who are 50 and over, cited as an industry expert by Fast Company, Forbes, CNBC, Business Insider, CBS News, Yahoo Finance, LinkedIn News, and FlexJobs. 

As a former engineer and senior analyst for Fortune 500 leaders Procter & Gamble and FedEx, I bring a data-driven approach to today’s most pressing market challenges. Since launching my business in 2006, I’ve partnered with major media outlets and job search platforms including The Motley Fool and Glassdoor to deliver actionable insights to broad audiences. 

Today, I've built an engaged LinkedIn following of 90,000+ with 40+ million views on my content since 2023. I’m known as a trusted advisor on age inclusion, with a dual mission: to help executives position themselves for their next great role and to help organizations engage and retain the 50+ workforce.

I offer:
* Executive resumes, executive bios, and LinkedIn profile upgrades
* LinkedIn strategies for small businesses and executives
* Best practices on fighting ageism, workforce trends, and job search strategies
* Presentations/webinars on age inclusion, LinkedIn, and resume best practices

Collaborations include:
* The ABplatform (advisory board member)
* Randstad RiseSmart (career coaching/outplacement)
* CEO Connection (board strategy for mid-market CEOs)
* Glassdoor (career expert/content creator)
* Carnegie Mellon Tepper MBA admissions (reader/interviewer)

Colleen Paulson

A CEO of a $100M organization recently told me that he felt like he was "aging out" of the workforce.

Ageism is so widespread that it doesn't matter what level you have reached in your career - folks assume that you can't or don't want to work because of where you are in your life.

You would think that his 35+ years of work experience would be seen as a strength. Instead, he's hearing that companies are afraid that he won't stick around for long enough to drive change.

Spoiler alert: Even if he was only with your company for 2 or 3 years, he'd quickly boost your sales or transform your systems because that's what he's always done.

The reality is that CEOs who've built $100M organizations don't just walk away from work because they've reached a certain age. They're driven by impact, not just a paycheck.

But this isn't just about CEOs - workers of all ages will be working into their 60s, 70s, and beyond. Sometimes it's because they financially need to work. Sometimes it's just because they like to work. Either way, it isn't our place to judge.

My data shows that 90% of people plan to work into their 60s. 25% plan to never fully retire.

So, if you are hiring, ask yourself honestly: What assumptions are you making about experienced candidates? 

Are you interviewing candidates in their 50s, 60s, and beyond? And if not, why?

#ageism

"I make $200K/year. My job is comfortable and I'm not in danger of losing it, but I want to set myself up for opportunities to find me."

I wish that all of my client calls were like this one, but they aren't. 

Too many executives wait until they're actively looking to start positioning themselves. They update their LinkedIn profile when they need a job. They reach out to their network when they're desperate. They optimize their resume when they see a posting they want to apply for.

But the best opportunities don't work that way anymore.

The executives who get unexpected recruiter calls, board conversations, or advisory roles aren’t scrambling. They’ve been visible all along.

Their LinkedIn profile reflects what they do now, not what they did 10 years ago. Their expertise is easy to understand.
 
And when someone thinks, “Who do we know who could help with this?” — their name comes up.

If you’re in a stable role today, this is actually the easiest time to do this work since it's low pressure, high reward.

That’s not job searching. That’s career insurance.

#gethired #getahead

A recruiter joked about my 55-year-old client's *neutral* video background during an online screening interview, implying that he was behind the times.

It was literally a beige wall with no pictures. Hard to understand how that would spark a comment one way or another.

When talking on a call or interview, you may be a visitor in people's home. That's why lots of folks choose to blur their backgrounds.

I'm not a fan of the blurring, but I get why folks do it.

I also don't like the idea of "joking" with candidates about having a "boring" backdrop. We're getting into implicit bias here - things that have nothing to do with how well a candidate will do when they come to work for you.

Folks are a little nervous when interviewing anyways, so this comment threw my client off, enough that he was considering whether he should invest money in an upgraded home office.

BTW - if you've seen my background, you know it's souped up with party lights, bright paint, and kids' artwork/pictures. That's my personal preference. But that doesn't mean that I think you should do the same.

What are your thoughts here? Have you put a lot of thought into your background? What is your best practice here?

#virtualinterviews #ageism

What is your personal preference on video backgrounds?

The author can see how you vote. Learn more

I keep hearing the following from 50+ job seekers:
"My resume worked fine before. What changed?"

Here's what's changed: Everything, all at once.

First off, this market is challenging: there is more competition for fewer roles due to job hugging, reduced hiring, and layoffs.

You're competing against a large of pool of talent with similar backgrounds to you. Let's say you are looking for a Director/VP/C-Suite role - you’re competing against thousands of equally qualified leaders with similar titles, brands, and experience.

Your resume needs to reflect current expectations.

This means that you need:
* Achievement-focused bullets (not task lists)
* Quantified results that show business impact
* Keywords that match today's job descriptions

The resume that got you your last role was perfect for that moment in time (i.e. a market that was less competitive when you may have been at a lower pay grade).

But that was then. The market has evolved. Your career has evolved. Your positioning and strategy needs to evolve too.

You need to position yourself for today's market, not yesterday's. And I get the frustration, because it feels like what worked before should deliver results again. 

That doesn’t mean your experience is outdated.
It just means it needs to be translated for today.

#gethired #getahead

The networking mistake I see over and over — especially with experienced professionals — is assuming you need a perfect reason to reach out.

You don’t. You just need a shared thread. Recent LinkedIn data shows that applicants are 3.6x more likely to get hired if they are connected to an employee at that company on LinkedIn. 

Building that online network can be the difference in your job search. When I think about expanding my own network, I start with places I’ve already been:

• Procter & Gamble (90,000+ employees on LinkedIn)
• FedEx (195,000+ employees on LinkedIn)
• Carnegie Mellon (118,000+ alumni)
• University of Pittsburgh (189,000+ alumni)

You already have the connections. You just need to activate them.

Look at your own background: where you’ve worked, where you went to school, the organizations you’ve been part of. Those are your starting points.

The people in those networks already know your world. They understand the culture, the language, the challenges.

You don’t need a perfect message.
You don’t need a warm introduction.
You just need a shared starting point.
That’s how most real opportunities begin.

#networking

My client just landed a CIO job after an 11-month search (we started working together halfway through the process).

I asked him for his advice to those that are still looking and he graciously shared his thoughts with me. There’s a lot to unpack here on both sides of the equation.

Let me start with the hiring side: can I just say wow? With all the talk about ghosting and fake jobs, it was honestly refreshing to hear about a candidate being treated with the respect they deserve.

Once the right role came along, the hiring process only took a week - another wow! They didn't string him along or introduce complexity to the process. Again, job well done by this team!

For those looking for work: let's acknowledge that job loss is a Top 5 life stressor. It's so easy to get down on yourself during a long search.

When I met my client in July, he was worn out, understandably. But when he shifted his mindset, he was able to regroup and move forward.

He didn’t stop putting in the work, but he stopped letting the process define his worth. And that shift made all the difference.

If you’re in the midst of a long search, I hope you take this as a reminder: you are not your resume. You are not your number of interviews. You are a highly-capable person with value to offer - and the right team will see that.

Hang in there. Rest when you need to. And don’t settle.

The right job can find you - especially when you remember what you’re worth.

#gethired #getahead

CIO Words of Wisdom

I’ve had several executive clients recently whose companies paid for their LinkedIn profile upgrades. Honestly, every company should be doing this right now.

Why? Because your visibility isn't just about you. It's about how the company is represented externally.

For senior leaders, your LinkedIn profile often functions as:
* a credibility check for clients
* a signal to investors, boards, and recruits
* a way to build trust with strategic partners

Smart companies see LinkedIn the same way they see media training, conference speaking, executive communications, or thought leadership support.

It's not about job searching. It's about professional presence.

This is especially true if you're client-facing, in a leadership role, or being positioned as an internal or external expert.

If your company wants new opportunities to present themselves, they need you to be visible.

If you've never thought to ask, that's normal. Most people don't.

But it's a conversation worth having - especially if visibility is part of your role.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Does your organization see LinkedIn as a personal platform or as part of your leadership role?

#linkedin

AI is here to stay - and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I've been experimenting with ChatGPT for a few years now and, if you've done the same, I'm sure that you've seen that the outputs have improved greatly, especially over the past year. 

I trained my own custom GPT based on my best practices for career coaching and LinkedIn - I would never use it to write a resume, but it's great for research or brainstorming. I used it to help me generate the subject line for this email. I even used it to transcribe notes from a recent board meeting - I just took pictures of my handwritten notes and within seconds, ChatGPT delivered typed notes that were about 85% accurate.

Even though those of us who are in our 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond have lived through extensive technology transformation, people sometimes assume that we just aren't on trend when it comes to the recent tech trends. It's ridiculous, but it's a real thing.

I recently talked with Fast Company around my thoughts for job seekers, AI, and ageism. We'll dig into the discussion in this week's edition of Creating Your Ageless Career.

View newsletter: Creating Your Ageless Career

AI is here to stay - and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I've been experimenting with ChatGPT for a few years now and, if you've done the same, I'

Open article: The Surprising Way AI Can Help You Fight Ageism by Colleen Paulson • 5 min read

The Surprising Way AI Can Help You Fight Ageism

"I haven't updated my resume in 15 years and I don't even know how to get started."

I get it. This happens all of the time. 

You've done the hard work (you know, actually delivering results). So let's actually put it in on paper.

I've written 1000+ resumes and reviewed 1000s more, so I get what works and what doesn't. Here are my best practices in getting started:

1. Set your career goals: This sounds very basic but you would be surprised how many people don't do this. Think of it like saying you are going on a trip, but not having a destination in mind - you'll just be driving around aimlessly. 

2. Review job descriptions: You've got to understand the language that the hiring team is speaking, so note the skills and keywords that are most important and focus your resume/LinkedIn in these areas.

3. Brain dump: Rome wasn't built in a day and your resume won't be either. Take 5-10 minutes per day to jog your memory on past accomplishments (pen and paper is fine).

4. Look it up: If you have access to reviews/emails/etc, scan those files and make a note of your biggest highlights and impacts. (And if you think that you may be laid off soon, grab those details now).

5. Google yourself: This might sound silly, but you want to see how you are showing up. This also might help you to jog your memory on presentations, etc that you might not be giving yourself credit for.

6. Give yourself grace: It's going to take a little bit of time to do all of this - especially if it's been awhile since you've updated your career documents.

For bonus points, here are 15 more tips to keep in mind as you start writing. Note that these work for job seekers of all ages and levels.

You’ve done the hard work. Now let’s make sure your resume shows it.

#gethired #getahead

Top 15 Resume Tips (1-26-26)

What does career success look like for you?
For me, it's changed over time.

When I was starting out, success looked like:
* Global travel
* Team leadership
* Competitive salary
* International relocation

Today, success looks a little different:
* Work with awesome clients
* Flexible work schedule
* Independence
* Virtual office

The future of work has been a hot topic.
Some folks thrive in a flexible/WFH environment.
Others actually like to go into the office.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
What is the biggest motivating factor for you?
Has it changed over time?
And where do you think things are going?

#futureofwork

What is most important to you in this stage of your career?

2025 was a bumpy ride for many:
* Layoffs
* Smaller raises
* RTO mandates
* Fewer promotions
* White collar recession
* Extended job searches

I've heard from so many of you who are feeling the weight of this market. The uncertainty is real, and it's taking a toll.

What concerns me most heading into 2026 is the toll this is taking on people's confidence. I'm seeing talented folks start to question their worth because they've been searching for 8, 10, 12+ months.

But here’s the truth: Your value didn’t disappear. The market shifted. You’re still the same skilled, capable, experienced worker and the right company will appreciate what you bring to the table.

Am I seeing improvement? Honestly, it's mixed. Some industries are showing signs of life, but hiring is still very cautious. Companies are taking longer to make decisions, and they're being incredibly selective.

So I want to hear from you: What's your biggest concern for 2026?

Are you seeing any positive signs where you are?

Shelley Piedmont, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

You've spent years building real expertise. You've solved many problems and delivered great results.
 
But when it comes time to talk about what you do, whether you're considering a career change or sitting in an interview, you can't quite put your finger on what makes you valuable. You know you're good at what you do, but you can't clearly explain why or how that matters to someone else.You're struggling because you've never stepped back to truly understand what your experience adds up to and how to talk about it in a way that makes sense to someone else.

I was a recruiter for 20 years, which means I've interviewed thousands of leaders. I've also coached 400+ mid-career professionals through career transitions and interview prep.What I've learned is this: most people know what they're good at. They don't know how to talk about it.

I work with people in two situations:

1) You're thinking about a career change.You know you need something different, but you're stuck. You're worried your experience won't translate. You're scared of starting over or taking a pay cut. You don't know how to explore options without blowing up your current stability.

I help you figure out what actually makes sense for you, then show you how to talk about your background so it sounds like an asset, not a liability.

2) You have interviews coming up, and you're not ready. When you try to explain what you do, it either comes out as a rambling career history or three vague sentences. You leave interviews kicking yourself because you forgot to mention half your accomplishments.I teach you how to tell your story in a way that's clear, confident, and actually lands. The organization has a strategy; you should, too.

Here's what's different about working with me: I've been on the other side of the table. I know what hiring managers are actually listening for. I know why some answers work and others fall flat.

For example, everyone says they're a "strategic thinker," but almost no one shows how they think strategically or what results that thinking produces. That's the difference between an answer that sounds good and one that gets you hired.

"I was feeling very lost when we started. Shelley helped me organize my plan, understand my strengths, and put an actionable plan together. I now feel ready to move forward with purpose."

"Shelley gave me different ways of looking at how I answer interview questions, which will help tremendously."

Book a free consultation, and I'll show you what's getting lost in translation. Check out the link in my contact information.

Interview the Right Way Coach

Shelley Piedmont

Is 2026 the year when you can finally breathe?

That was all a client of mine wanted when I asked her to imagine what achieving her career goals would do for her life. 

In 2025, many professionals were holding their breath. They stopped dreaming about what was possible because they were paralyzed by what they thought was probable:

—News stories about 6-month+ job searches and ghosting made staying in toxic cultures feel like the "safe" choice.
—Losing the emotional energy required to actually go for it, because it seems so out of reach.
—Starting to doubt your marketability, because you don't get positive affirmation that your work is valued.

To start breathing in 2026, you have to follow my client’s lead and move from "surviving" to "strategizing":

—Write down what "breath" means to you. Is it more autonomy? Better leadership?
—Separate the horror stories from your specific market reality. Many job seekers who struggled did not apply a strategic, relationship-based search.
—You don't have to do this alone. High-performers use coaches to maintain the accountability and perspective they lose when they’re burnt out (ask my clients).

We are in a new year. At this time next year, do you want to bemoan another year where you still can't breathe, or do you want to say you have found your fresh air?

If it is the former, I am here to help you out.

---
I'm Shelley. I used to hire for companies, but now I advocate for YOU. My goal? Helping you find work that energizes you rather than exhausts you.
♻️ Resonated with you? Your repost could help someone else, too
🔔 Follow + ring the bell for weekly career reality checks
🟪 Questions about your next move? I'm here to help. Ask below or DM me

Shelley Piedmont🧭

Clarity↣Strategy↣Hired For Managers to VPs • Job Search Strategist & Interview Coach • Career Coach, Job Change Advisor & Resume + LinkedIn Advisor

Campus recruiting is changing (again).
And not in a good way for most students.

A note: I usually focus on mid-career job seekers in my posts. This will likely apply to your children, nieces, and nephews who are in college or about to graduate. It is something you should know.

My Monday's number: 26%

That's how many companies were exclusively recruiting from a shortlist of elite schools in 2025, up from 17% in 2022, according to a Veris Insights survey of over 150 companies.

The "talent is everywhere" message from the hot job market? Gone. Now, hiring from elite schools and near corporate HQ is a priority.

Let's look at what is happening.

GE Appliances cut their campus visits from 45-50 schools down to just 15.
McKinsey removed  "We hire people, not degrees" from their career page. Evidently, that is not true anymore (but what is ever?).

If you're not at a target school, you're starting from a massive disadvantage.

And the timing couldn't be worse for new grads.

The unemployment rate for "new entrants" (recent college grads trying to break into the full-time workforce) hit a nine-year peak in 2025, according to federal data analyzed by the Burning Glass Institute.

For the first time in modern history, bachelor's degree holders ages 20-24 are experiencing unemployment rates closer to those of those with only a high school diploma. The gap between the two groups is the smallest it's been since at least the early 2000s.

One think tank called the U.S. "no country for young grads." It is pretty bleak right now.

I get some of this.

I did campus recruiting as a recruiter. When companies want in-person work, recruiting close to the corporate office makes sense. Fewer companies are willing to pay to relocate.

Plus, when you focus on fewer schools, you can build deeper relationships. You're not spread so thin.

What this means for students:
If you don't attend an elite university or a school near a major corporate hub, one expert put it bluntly: "God help you."

His advice? Referrals, LinkedIn, and networking (always best practice). Because traditional campus recruiting won't reach you.

The doors that opened during the hot job market are closing again.

And I haven't seen any data showing that this narrower approach is actually producing better hires. 

Mid-career professionals: If you have a college student or recent grad in your life, what's one concrete thing you're doing to help them navigate this? Referrals? LinkedIn coaching? Honest talk about what schools/locations actually matter now?

Sources: Wall Street Journal (January 2026), CNBC analysis of Burning Glass Institute data (October 2025).

Purple background featuring 'MONDAY NUMBER' text in tan/beige lettering with '26%' written in white handwritten style below. Shelley Piedmont, wearing a burgundy sweater, has her hand cupped to her ear in a listening gesture. Website URL www.mycareergps.com appears at the bottom. This is Shelley Piedmont's Monday Number post about the percentage of companies exclusively recruiting from a shortlist of elite schools, showing how campus hiring has narrowed and is affecting college graduates' job prospects.

Is a traditional full-time job search actually holding you back from the work you love?

When mid-career professionals think about career success, they've been trained to look for a seat at one table. But for many, that model no longer works for them.

If you’re frustrated by long hiring cycles or looking for more variety in your day-to-day work, you might not have considered a path many of your peers are already taking: The Fractional Shift.

This isn't just about a filler job until you can find a permanent home. It’s about building a 'Portfolio Career' where you: 

✓ Solve diverse, high-stakes problems across different industries. 
✓ Regain autonomy over your schedule and who you work with. 
✓ Get paid well for your expertise and are respected.

Instead of waiting for one company to say "yes," imagine multiple companies saying "yes" to your problem-solving abilities.

I’ve broken down why this might be the right path for you and what you need to know.

Many of you are stymied in a full-time search because you are selling time when we should be selling results. For my fractional pros: what was the most challenging part of that mindset shift? 

---
I'm Shelley. I used to hire for companies, but now I advocate for YOU. My goal? Helping you find work that energizes instead of exhausts you.
♻️ Resonated with you? Your repost could help someone else, too
🔔 Follow + ring the bell for weekly career reality checks
🟪 Questions about your next move? I'm here to help. Ask below or DM me

Fractional Work For Mid-Career Professionals

Are you in the mid-career gray area?

You know, where you feel the following:

You’re good at your job, but not "lit up" by it.
You’re respected, but they won't move on your best ideas.
You’re wondering if a new title, industry, or career is the answer. 

It is not that you are miserable, dreading every workday. It is more that you are feeling underutilized.

This was my conversation with "Michael" yesterday. He has a lot of ideas about what else he could do, but he can't pinpoint one and say that it is it.

"Michael" is not alone. Many of you have that "January itch." You want 2026 to be the year that you find something more fulfilling, but don't know what that is.

Well, what are you going to do about it? Keep thinking and thinking, but not making any progress?

Or are you going to take constructive steps like "Michael" and get support?

You can end 2026 the same way you ended 2025, or you can do something different—your choice.

If you want help to get career clarity, DM me (it is always free). I'd love to make your 2026 one of your best years.

"Why should we hire you?" 

Many of you are getting this interview question wrong.

You think, "I'll tell them I am a great problem solver or build strong relationships. That's what they want to hear, right?

Well, sort of.

Saying that makes you sound like everyone else. Getting an offer is not about being like everyone else; it is about showing you're uniquely qualified for the role.

You have to provide this proof.

Instead of: "I'm great at problem solving." Try: "I reduced customer complaints by 40% in six months by creating a new tracking system that caught issues before they sidetracked us."

Instead of: "I'm a team player." Try: "I started weekly cross-department check-ins at my last job. Within three months, we saw project delays drop by 25%, and it increased morale."

Also, when answering this question, don't forget to talk about your cultural fit.

You are hired not only because you can do the job, but also because you fit in with the culture.

For example, I worked at an organization that used a repeatable scaling process. When interviewing candidates, I enjoyed hearing about their comfort level and preference for our business approach. I knew they could work within our way of doing business.

So, here is a cheat sheet on how to answer this question.

Before your next interview, write down three specific examples:
—A problem you solved (with numbers)
—A time you improved something (with results)
—How you embody their company values (with a story)

Skip the buzzwords. 
Give them the evidence. 

That's how you stand out when everyone else is giving the same generic answers.

Need help with your interview prep? DM me (always free).

----------
💜 Helping mid-career professionals find clarity, build confidence, and land jobs they love.
📖 Follow me for career tips, job search strategies, and interview advice.
💌 Need support in your career journey? Reach out—I’m here to help!

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The Battle

Colleen Paulson

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