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

If you're making $250,000, a 5% raise is $12,500.
After taxes? Closer to $7,500.

With inflation, it won't meaningfully change your lifestyle, but it's just enough to feel "fair."

And for many companies, it’s a rounding error.

That's why the "peanut butter raises" trend is so interesting to me: moving away from merit-based increases and toward flat raises across the board.

I ran a poll on this 2 weeks ago.
1,400+ of you voted.

Only 9% expect a raise above 5%.
59% expect 0–2%.
32% expect 3–5%.

That’s not a long-term retention strategy.

As I shared with CNBC: Companies may not feel the impact of “peanut butter” raises right now - especially in a slow hiring market. But market's shift and people will remember how you treated them.

Top performers always know their market value.
The best ones won’t wait around.

When the market shifts, top talent will have options.
And they'll remember who valued them.

My advice for companies: Don't confuse a tough job market with loyalty. And don't mistake retention for satisfaction. I'm talking with so many folks who are "job hugging" but will move quickly when the right opportunity comes along.

And for executives feeling undervalued: Keep building your visibility. Keep tracking your wins. Keep your network warm.

Your value doesn’t change because the market is tight.
The right opportunity will recognize it.

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

I can tell many of you do not know the difference between a persona descriptor and a performance descriptor.

Recruiters do, and this could be one of the reasons you are not getting interviews.

A persona describes a character or trait. On a resume, this is often a self-described title, such as "I am a creative visionary." 

The problem: Often, it is an unsubstantiated claim. Because you say it doesn't mean it is true.

Now, performance descriptors are different. They describe what you have done. Your accomplishments. You are providing proof.

Which do recruiters and hiring managers care more about? Yes, the latter.

Effective job seekers take a persona descriptor and ask themselves, "What did I do that makes me say I have this trait?"

Team Player (Used ad nauseum on resumes) → Aligned sales and product teams to hit an aggressive launch deadline.

Innovative (Subjective) → Architected a new billing workflow that saved 10 hours weekly.

Hard-working (Baseline requirement) → Exceeded quarterly KPIs by 15% for three consecutive years.

Problem Solver (Aren't most people?) → Negotiated a $20k vendor credit after a service disruption.

Your homework: Go through your resume and LinkedIn About section. Highlight your persona descriptors. Swap them out for a metric or a specific action.

Now see if that doesn't draw more interest.

-----
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

Shelley Piedmont🧭

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

Don't apologize for wanting to leave a job after 90 days.

In this market, survival jobs are real. Many took jobs they knew were not a great fit to pay the bills or to stop having to look for work.

Now, you’re back interviewing, facing the awkward question, "Why are you looking again after only 3 months?"

You don't help your cause by sounding defensive or saying, "I just needed a paycheck." 

You haven't lessened the risk of hiring you.

If you can’t explain why the current role isn’t the right fit, recruiters assume you don’t know what you want. 

That isn't an interviewing problem; it’s a career clarity problem.

Position yourself as not running away from a situation that is not working for you. Instead, you are running toward a role/organization that is strategic for your career.

When you have clarity, you are no longer a risk. You are a desirable asset who knows exactly where to drive the most ROI.

Check the carousel for tips on how to stop apologizing and start positioning yourself.

📤👥If this is not your current situation, share it with someone struggling in this situation.

I have a YouTube channel. My latest video is about how to overcome being "overqualified" in an interview: https://lnkd.in/eUjkTGfb

I write about this and other job-search topics in my biweekly newsletter. Please subscribe: https://lnkd.in/er6DT_8P

If you have an upcoming interview and need help to prepare, I have a one-session Rapid Readiness interview prep service: https://lnkd.in/erMzc3Si

How To Answer The Job Hopper Question.

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to return to a company and being told "no," and not understanding why this is happening.

You didn't leave because you hated them. Maybe it was for a promotion, a better commute, or a new challenge. Now, the timing is right to go back, and you know you can do the job.

You reach out or they reach out to you. You have a great conversation with a recruiter. The hiring manager seems thrilled.

Then...nothing. Crickets.

As a former recruiter, I’ve seen this happen. I encountered something called The Block List or Do Not Hire List.

These lists can stop a return, even if you were a top performer.

Today, I am talking about:
— Why "good work" doesn't always guarantee a return. 
— How to tell if you’ve been blocked from returning.
— What you can do to uncover is you are on this list.

Here is a video where I speak more to this: https://lnkd.in/epduvtYE

Here is a blog post where I speak about block lists: https://lnkd.in/eD_VHGQb

I write about this and other job-search topics in my biweekly newsletter. Please subscribe: https://lnkd.in/er6DT_8P

📤👥You may not want to return to a former employer, but this could be happening to someone you know. Share this point with them.

Are You On A Do Not Hire List?

I've always hated the advice that a one-page resume is the only way to go.

So, I am glad my Monday Number 2 debunks this advice. 

Two is the number of pages that most resumes are these days. Not one but two.

Here is what the data shows.

Entry-level:  Nearly all stick to one or two pages, with two pages emerging as the clear winner at 60% of submissions. 


Mid-level professionals: Two-page resumes remain the standard, but three-page resumes have doubled from 7% to 15%. More experience means more to say.

Senior leaders: While two-page documents still dominate, 40% of senior professionals exceed three pages. A 20-year career can't be credibly summarized in the same space as a 3-year career.

And the interview rate for each tells what works.

Two-page resumes achieve a 3.24% interview rate; the highest of any format.
 
•     One page: 3.06% interview rate. 
•     Three pages: 2.6% interview rate. 
•     Four-plus pages: 2.12% interview rate. 

Provide enough detail to prove your qualifications, but know when to stop. Recruiters have a breaking point, and it's around page three.


Remember, length is all about relevance. It should never be a goal in itself.

Your resume should be as long as it needs to be to demonstrate you can do the job, no longer and no shorter. For most people, that's two pages. 

Cutting your most impressive accomplishments to hit one page is self-sabotage. Padding to three pages with marginal details is equally counterproductive.

Context matters more than page count.

Stop obsessing over page count. 

Source: Huntr 2025 Annual Job SearchTrends Report

Monday Number episode 2 thumbnail: Woman with hand cupped to ear in listening gesture on purple background. This episode reveals that 2-page resumes achieve the highest interview rate at 3.24%, debunking the one-page resume myth with data from over 128,000 job applications. Website: www.mycareergps.com.

You can spend your time complaining about ghosting, or understand why this is happening, so you can be a better candidate.

(I think the latter is better, but hey, your choice)

Statistics show that 31% of recruiters manage 21+ roles simultaneously. With 100+ applicants per role, that’s over 2,100 resumes to skim while juggling interviews and hiring manager meetings.

Recruiters don't want to ignore you, but they’re drowning. They are putting on their own life vests.

So how can you be a better candidate?

Remember, recruiters are not investigators.

If a recruiter has 6 seconds to look at your resume, they won't hunt for your qualifications. 

If your ROI isn’t visible immediately, the opportunity is lost. 

You have to show that you are the obvious solution to their specific problem.

So this is how you become a better candidate.

1) Place your most relevant achievements where the eye lands first. This is the top-third, or in publishing, what is called "above the fold."

2) Think like an engineer and reverse engineer a job description. Ask yourself where on the resume I addressed a bullet point.  If it’s not clear, you haven't made yourself the best solution for them.

3) You rely only on job boards and applying online. This simply isn't enough in 2026. Build relationships before you need them and connect with team members directly.

The smart job seekers don't complain about the system. That is a waste of energy.

They learn how to navigate around it.

What’s the one piece of advice you ignored at the start of your search that you now take seriously?

-----
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

From no offers to two.

How? 

Through not telling the stories that meant the most to this job seeker. Those were not connecting.

Instead, in our interview prep sessions, we focused on what would help him connect with the interviewer.

Many of you are doing the same thing. You've lived through long hours and hard deadlines. You emotionally invested in what happened.

Yet the hiring manager couldn't care less about your memories; they care about their problems that need to be solved.

That is why a strategy for interviews is important.

It helps you see what stories to tell and what to focus on in them.

Here is how we accomplished that shift:

-Instead of just saying what he did, we practiced explaining why it mattered to the interviewer. We shifted the focus to "I can do this important activity for you."

-We disected job description. We repositioned his expertise to align with their needs, so they didn't have to guess whether he was a fit.

-We prioritized results over process: He was getting stuck on the how and rambling. The focus became on the outcome, so the value was impossible to ignore.

Through all this work, he became more confident. He knew his stories were now more compelling.

And it showed in his interviews. Where he had not gotten far in the interview process before, he is now making it to the final round and is deciding between two offers.

That is a good place to be!

So, I ask you, are you telling the stories you love, or the stories they need to hear?

If you need help determining the difference, DM me (always free). Let's work together to get you those offers.

-----
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

"That was so exhausting."

If you’re an introvert, you’ve likely felt this after a networking event.

You feel the job search is an extrovert's game. 
You feel like you're "selling" yourself, which feels fake.
You feel you need to be someone you are not in the room to get noticed. 

But to be clear: Introverts are hired every day.

Some of the most effective CEOs and leaders are introverts. They are successful because of what they do, their value. They got their positions by showing this.

As a career coach, I see too many talented people burn out by trying to be extroverted.

Stop doing that.

Instead, I’m breaking down how to navigate the job search on your own terms, including:

Strategic networking: Why 1:1 conversations are your safe place.

Depth over breadth: Why one meaningful connection beats 25 elevator pitches.

The power of preparation: Using your reflective nature to research and strategize better than the competition.

Energy management: How to build routines that allow you to recharge after social interactions.

Think of your introversion as a competitive advantage. You just have to know how to use it.

Check this out to find out how your introversion can work for you.

📤👥If you're an extrovert, share it with those introverts you know struggling in this situation.

I have a YouTube channel. My latest video is about how to overcome being "overqualified" in an interview: https://lnkd.in/eUjkTGfb

I write about this and other job-search topics in my biweekly newsletter. Please subscribe: https://lnkd.in/er6DT_8P

If you have an upcoming interview and need help to prepare, I have a one-session Rapid Readiness interview prep service: https://lnkd.in/erMzc3Si

Introvert Job Search Strategy

Don't panic if you see "AI skills required" in job postings.

It likely does not mean they expect you to be an expert.

This is why my Monday's number: 74%

That's the percentage of job postings that mention AI use without specifying which tool or technology they actually want.

Companies generally want knowledge, but they are not prepared to say what that should be.

AI is showing up in job postings for retail, real estate, healthcare, and food service.

But what is interesting is roughly a quarter of these postings provide little to no context on how AI will actually be used in the role. Likely, because they don't know yet.

They are not looking for coding skills, but  "practical and business-oriented comprehension around AI."

Here is what they want when they say AI skills: 
→ Can you use AI tools to work smarter and faster? 
→ Can you write effective prompts that get useful results? 
→ Do you understand when AI is helpful and when it's not?
→ Can you think creatively about using AI to solve problems? 

The want to know do you have some knowledge and are adaptable.

So, how to show AI skills (for my non-technical professionals)?

Share specific examples of how you've used AI to solve a problem or improve a process. 

→ "I used ChatGPT to help draft client communications, cutting my response time in half" 
→ "I automated prospect research using our CRM's AI tool, which helped me exceed my quota" 
→ "I used AI to analyze customer feedback patterns and identified three key improvement areas"

You don't need to be an AI expert. You need to show you're adaptable and willing to learn new tools.

And if a job posting says "AI skills required" but doesn't explain what that means ask in the interview. It shows you're thinking strategically about how to use technology effectively.

What's one way you've used AI (ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, or in Saas tools) to make your work easier or solve a problem? Put that on your resume.

Source: Indeed Hiring Lab analysis of job postings, July 2024 - June 2025.

-----
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

Purple background featuring 'MONDAY NUMBER' text in tan/beige lettering with '74%' 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 how 74% of job postings that mention AI don't specify which tool they want, showing that companies are still figuring out what AI skills they're actually looking for.

Come with me to San Diego!

This will be my third year attending the Career Thought Leaders Professional Development Symposium.

Why do I go?

I learn a ton about job search and career development. As "Learner" is one of my top strengths, it is an opportunity to deepen my understanding of my profession. The more I know, the better for my clients.

It is also a great community (my Relator strength loves this). I have built great relationships with many of the career practitioners that I have met at this conference.

The lineup is great this year. A whos-who of career pros sharing their knowledge:

Alex Budak
Angie Callen, PCC, MJSC
Anthony Musso (MSW, ACRW, CCSP)
Debra Boggs
Denise Bitler, MRW, MJSC, CERW, CDBS, CHJMC, CICNC
Kathleen Dohoney, ICF ACC
Kyla Duffy
Laura Lee Ellen "Laura" Johnson, MBA, MPBS, CDBS, CICNC
Marie Zimenoff (who puts this on)
Meredith Pasekoff-Dinitz, CCMC
Paula Christensen

And many more.

So will you join me April 19-22 at the Courtyard Liberty in San Diego?

You can learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/eqSm7d68

When I was in HR, 3-3.5% raises, across the board, were the standard. Some years there may be more, some years, a bit less, but most everyone got something.

Those days might be over. 

My Monday Number is 75%. That is the number of companies that gave raises to at least 80% of employees. 

This year, that number may be significantly lower. Many are rethinking "peanut butter" raises (where salary increases get spread across everyone like, well, peanut butter on bread). 

Instead of giving everyone a little, more firms are considering giving top performers a lot and everyone else little to nothing. 

The total raise pool isn't shrinking (it's still about 3.5%), but how it's distributed may change.

The job market is terrible for white-collar workers. With fewer openings and limited options to leave, employers have less incentive to spread raises around. Raised are going to those they want to keep. Everyone else? Well, if you are unhappy and go, they're also betting that automation and AI can fill any gaps from departures.

What this could mean:

Top performers: You might see 6-8% or higher instead of 3%.

Average performers: You might see nada. The money that used to be spread around now goes exclusively to those seen as valuable.

Those with in-demand skills: Skills scarcity could work in your favor even if you're not top-ranked.

Adding insult to injury: Jobs are no longer secure, and doing your job well may no longer earn you a raise. You need to be doing it better than your peers or bringing skills that are hard to replace.  This also means you need to document your wins, build valuable skills, and make sure your manager knows your contributions. That way, you can be put in a group they are eager to reward and retain.

Source: Korn Ferry Insights, February 11, 2026

Monday Number episode featuring Shelley Piedmont with hand cupped to ear in listening gesture on purple background. The number 75% is displayed. This episode reveals that 75% of companies gave raises to at least 80% of employees last year, but many are now abandoning 'peanut butter' raises in favor of giving larger increases only to top performers. Website: www.mycareergps.com

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Colleen Paulson

Shelley Piedmont

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The Battle

Colleen Paulson

Shelley Piedmont

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Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Colleen Paulson's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreColleen Paulson's LinkedIn Performance