Erin Lewber

Building strategy. Developing talent. Driving growth.That’s the work - inside Amazon and inside the careers of the women I support.At Amazon Business, I lead Account Management for a multi-billion-dollar portfolio, supporting Fortune 100–1000 customers. I manage a multi-layer team (leaders and ICs) and built global strategic account management strategy to close gaps in customer adoption and retention - creating a model now used worldwide.The work sits at the intersection of sales, consulting, and customer success:- solve complex customer problems- drive adoption and retention- build durable growth engines- develop high-performing teamsI’m consistently rated in the top tier of people managers at Amazon, based on daily team feedback.Outside of Amazon, I’m the founder of Erin Lewber Coaching - a boutique coaching firm supporting women in two key seasons:1) Career pivots + job search executionResume strategy, LinkedIn, interview prep, and momentum - supported by my coaching team.2) Executive advisory + strategic thinking partnershipFor women navigating complex career and leadership decisions - where getting it right matters. This is judgment-driven work, not templates or assessments. We lay the full situation on the table, pressure-test options, and move forward with clarity and confidence.If you’re navigating a pivot, promotion, or a decision that deserves real discernment, you’re in the right place.Focus areas: Sales leadership • Growth strategy • Strategic account management • Executive advisory • Leadership communication • Career pivots • Interview strategy • Women’s leadership

Head of Strategic Adoption, Sr. B2B Sales Leader

I lead a team of 12 to drive adoption of Amazon Business within AB's Fortune 1000 customer base.  

In this role, I've developed, launched, and scaled the Strategic Adoption role across Amazon Business.

2 easy-peasy Job Search Tips 
that'll help you out: 
------------------------------------- 
𝗧𝗜𝗣 𝟭: 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗬 𝗩𝗜𝗔 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗬 𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗘 
A company's jobs page is almost always linked directly to their Applicant Tracking System (ATS). This means that if a job is posted on the company page, it's open to receive candidates. 
 
3rd party sites (LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.) can require recruiters to manually post jobs and maintain their statuses. 
 
This means there's a higher potential of the 3rd party site postings being accidentally left open, forgotten, not updated, not checked as frequently ... you get the idea. 
 
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝟯𝗿𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲? 
𝗚𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘁, 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. 
 
𝘽𝙊𝙉𝙐𝙎 𝙏𝙄𝙋: When you apply on the company page, you'll know your application went right into the ATS, which is the company's candidate database. Sometimes 3rd party sites can require recruiters to manually download and add candidates. I know someone (it's me. I did this.🤦♀️ ) who missed candidate messages in LinkedIn recruiter before... 
 
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𝗧𝗜𝗣 𝟮: 𝗝𝗢𝗕 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗛𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 
 
When a hiring manager or recruiter opens a job, they're going to start reviewing resumes as soon as they start coming in. Their goal is to shortlist (aka identify a small group of candidates) who look like good matches for a phone screen/interview. 
 
Depending on the company's policy on interviewing, this may look like 1-4 candidates on average. 
 
Then, they'll interview all of those candidates. 
 
And the job posting in the meantime? Typically remains 'open' because the company hasn't filled the role yet (even though they're on their way to doing so) 
 
SO... 
 
When you see a job that's 7+ days old, odds are HIGH that the company is already interviewing candidates and may not be coming back to the 'well' for more unless something goes wrong with the first batch. 
 
𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆? Heavens no! 
 
Always apply if you're qualified. 
 
But manage your expectations. 
 
Older job posting = lower probability 
 
𝘽𝙊𝙉𝙐𝙎 𝙏𝙄𝙋: Log the job's freshness in whatever tool you use to track your applications (you're tracking them, right? Teal offers an great tracker OR just make a Google sheet if you want to keep it simple). That way, if you aren't getting interviews, you can segment out 'low probability' jobs that probably didn't work out more because of the age of the job than because of your application content.

Head of Account Management, Amazon Business | Executive Advisory + Career Coaching for Women | Pivots, Promotions, High-Stakes Decisions

Interview coming up? 
 
4 Power phrases to add to your interview: 
(𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳) 
 
→"While preparing to speak with you today, I...." 
 
"One thing I've come to realize is...." 
 
"Something I've discovered about _______, is...." 
 
"I learned that..." 
 
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗵𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀? 
 
They each show you've thought about a situation, event, or experience; you can pull a bunch of stuff together to create a single "aha!" 
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? 
 
They lift and shift from job to job 
 
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀? 
 
Of course they want someone who can do the job 
 
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆? 
 
𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸, 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻. 
 
Try these phrases on in your next interview. 
 
Let me know how it goes. 
 
What questions do you have about interviewing? 
 
Meet me in the comments...

Head of Account Management, Amazon Business | Executive Coach for Women | Driving Strategic Growth & Leadership Excellence

"I don't have metrics to put in my resume"

First, let's prove you wrong:

𝗕𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿:
→ Number of years as a bus driver
→ Number of years without a traffic violation
→ Number of children safely transported
→ Safety certifications (e.g., CPR)
→ Awards and recognition from your boss

𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀:
→ Size of quota, performance against it
→ Size of customers served (e.g., SMB)
→ Number of new customers acquired
→ Value of large deals won (and how you won)

𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿:
→ Number of customers served
→ Speed/accuracy of your work v. average
→ Attendance record
→ Awards and recognition from your boss

(𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵)

So

Here's the deal:

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗮𝘆 "𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀"

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻:

1. "I am looking for a new job doing what I already do and I don't want to spend time figuring out my own performance because I didn't keep a record as I worked and now it's really hard and I just want a job and I don't want to have to figure this out"

OR

2. "I am looking for a new job in a new role/industry (pivoting) and I don't understand what my new target role values and I also don't know how (or don't want to) do the work to convert 'what I've been doing' into something that shows I can do what I want to do next. Also, there's a chance I may truly have an experience gap that will prevent me from being a strong candidate and I don't want that to be true so I'm blaming the metrics rather than doing something about it."

Whether you're making the move in your current industry OR navigating a pivot...

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀:

1. Identify the 3-5 core 'things' the job you want values

2. Write those things on a piece of paper

3. Next to each of those things, brainstorm ideas of how you've done them in each role and how you know you did a good job.

4. Turn *those* things into bullet points for each previous role.

𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
You DO have metrics
Yes, you CAN do this.

Break the 'figuring it out' into small steps like I've done above

While it won't be effortless

it'll be MUCH easier.

If we were besties AND you were pivoting careers...

Here's what I'd tell you:

(first, I'd hug you. so, *virtual hug*)

Then I'd be honest (but kind):

The market is tough right now.

There are a lot of very talented people looking for work.

Many of them have been doing the job (and doing it well). Your competition includes people who have been abnormally displaced from roles due to layoffs. These are talented people.

When you decide to pivot into a new role?

Exciting? Yes
Possible? Yes

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆:

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.

And it isn't someone else's job to see your potential or take a chance on you or try harder to connect the dots on your resume.

It is your job to understand what the job requires.

(no, not teamwork or collaboration - I mean real, tangible, job-critical capabilities)

And deeply research your new role so that you: 
1) understand it

2) show that you can absolutely meet/exceed those requirements *better than* (or at least as well as) everyone else.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀?
It will take work.
And focus.
And probably patience.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀?
There are SO MANY people out there who are walking proof that it's possible.

You can do this. 

It IS possible.

--------------------------
I help career changers just like you make clear, smart, confident, and successful pivots. 

My approach? Kind + Direct. 🧡
(aka I'll be nice to you but also tell you exactly what you *need* to hear)

If I were changing careers today...
5 Questions I'd ask myself:

𝟭. 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟭𝟮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀?
One trip around the sun will allow you to see the full cycle of a role including busy and slow seasons. It will also give you enough time in role to learn your job, get good at it, and meet a new people who could open doors to something new/next.

𝟮. 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲?
There's no better feeling than walking away from a job you hate. Unfortunately, there's no worse feeling than not being able to pay your bills each month because your 'escape job' doesn't meet your basic financial requirements. I always tell clients to know their 'no-go' number: the amount of money that they *must* make in a job to even entertain it. Know what you need to make (this is different from *want to make*). Don't consider roles that don't pay what you need.

𝟯. 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴?
Some will disagree with me here, but I'm not a fan of investing a ton of time, energy, money, and effort into becoming a viable candidate for a job I don't even know if I'll like (lookin at you, Instructional Design. Sorry not sorry). Until you do the work, you'll never know whether you like the job. If pivoting is your primary focus, choose something with lower barriers to entry.

𝟰. 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸?
Talk to people in the job. Read about the job. Maybe attend a local or online event related to the role type you're pursuing. Do your best to understand the role and the day-to-day of the job. Would you like doing this every day? Do some of this research, then be done. You'll never be 100% certain that you'll like the work until you do it yourself. Aim for 80% certainty here.

𝟱. 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁?
We all have things we're naturally good at. Find roles that value the things that feel easy for you.

Helpful?

If you're stuck in choosing mode...drop your questions below!

Resume game changer for you on a Sunday: 
 
Go through each bullet point on your resume. 
 
𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝟰 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 
 
𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟭: 
Why am I telling the reader this? 
 
𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟮: 
What do I want them to know? 
 
𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟯: 
How does this show I can do a critical skill required by the job I'm applying for? 
 
𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟰: 
Would a stranger understand this bullet? 
 
(𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘰) 
 
𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧? 
Once you've answered for each bullet, go back and make adjustments based on what you've uncovered. Edit. Remove bullets. Clarify language...you get the idea. 
 
𝗪𝗛𝗬? 
Because the sole point of a resume is to get you a phone screen/initial interview. That's it. This isn't your career autobiography. It's a sales sheet. 
 
Keep your bullets simple 
 
Make sure each one provides one more piece of compelling evidence that says, 'I understand what this job requires and YES I have the skills....SEE?" 
 
-------------------------- 
Free Resume Template
Resume Blueprint Course 
Hourly Sessions 
Podcast Episodes... all linked in the comments👇

Don’t pay for a resume template

Here’s my 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 one in the comments👇

50k+ jobseekers have used it

Many claim it was the game changer in their search

Pivoting careers?

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽?
→ Find your Focus Role.

𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁.

Why?

Because a resume for Project Management is going to require different content than Sales or Instructional Design or Curriculum Design or Recruiting.

You can't build a resume that's effective until you know what you need that resume to say.

Figure that out by choosing a focus role.

--------------------------
I'm Erin.

I help high ownership career changers just like you make smart, confident pivots. Find your focus role first. Link in the comments for my formula.👇

Most common thing I coach on in interview prep sessions?

"Me not We"

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:

→ We built a new system to...
→ We worked on creating an event...
→ We arranged the program so that...
→ We developed the process to help solve...

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺:
You worked on a team.
Most of us do.

However, in an interview, they're trying to decide whether or not to hire *you*, not your entire team.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 "𝗪𝗲" 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

And that's not good in interviews.

𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆:

But Erin, I'm just a really humble person. I don't want to sound like I'm bragging. And I really didn't accomplish that thing all by myself - I *did* work with a team.

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁?

Uh, no, silly.
Of course not.
You should know me by now.
I'm a massive fan of honesty.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 *𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗹𝘆* 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿:

𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙢: Tell me about a time when you developed a new process to solve a business problem?

𝙔𝙤𝙪: When I was working at [company] as a [role name], I was part of a small team of 3 people who took on [problem needing to be solved]. While the team worked collaboratively to deliver the final solution, I was specifically responsible for [things you did in the situation]. I chose/was nominated to take on these items because [insert reason]....

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁?

→ You don't sound like a credit-stealer
→ You aren't lost in the background of the story

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲:

If the story involves a team, always acknowledge the WE, then move to (and focus on) ME.

Fantastic, right?

P.S. There's a bonus tip hidden in this post. Notice this sentence, "When I was working at [company] as a [role name]'? Do this. when you give answers. Grounding every answer in where you worked and what role you did will help the listener have clear context for your story.

Is it a *fact*?
or does it just *feel* that way?

This ↑ is a question I ask so many jobseekers

You make statements like:
- I can't move into this role without XZY
- They won't hire me because [insert reason]
- I think ageism is at play here, so there's nothing I can do...

Best piece of advice I can give you?

Separate fact from feeling.

Feelings are important 

(but they also come from weird, emotional places sometimes)
((places that don't hold hands with facts))
(((feelings can lead us to make decisions based on...not reality)))
((((and that's not super helpful))))
(((((so we aren't gonna do that, k?)))))

Here's what I want you to do instead:

"I feel like I need XYZ certification"
Go talk to some people working in the role and literally ask them if you need the certification

"They won't hire be because [reason]"
Get some feedback from someone on your candidate branding (resume, LinkedIn, interview performance). Rule all of those out before you come up with a random reason why they're not hiring you. If you're a pivoter, chances are they're not hiring you because you aren't the strongest fit and you need to promote yourself differently.

"I think ageism is at play here, so there's nothing I can do..."
Look, it happens, but not nearly at the rate LinkedIn says it does. I've seen enough applications/resumes/interviews of people who claim 'ageism' when really, its skills, professional marketing, and interview skills. Rule those things out 100% before you give power to something you can't control. And if it's really ageism...it isn't right....but also, you dodged a bullet by them not hiring you if that's the way they operate 🧡

Question: What do fruit and job postings have in common?

Answer: 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

When applying to a job, rather than focus on number of applicants, focus on how recently the job was posted.

𝗪𝗵𝘆?

Because a freshly posted job has high odds the recruiter/hiring manager are reviewing resumes actively.

As the job ages (> 1 week), you can generally assume the company is talking with candidates.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂?

While a job may be "open" (because they haven't officially placed someone in the role and closed the job), the company may not be calling any more candidates for interviews.

Typically, once a company has a few candidates in the interview process, they won't add more unless none of the Round 1 candidates work out.

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆?

Not necessarily.

If the job is a good match and you're interested, apply. There's no harm other than time spent applying.

But also manage your expectations.

Know that the odds of that job turning into an interview are likely lower than a freshy posted job.

𝗜 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 "𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴"

But when we dive into those roles?

Lots of apps to old jobs that didn't have a high probability in the first place.

Which means the person was kind of waiting on a train that was unlikely to ever come.

So remember:

Just like you wouldn't waste your money on old blueberries...

Don't waste your time on old jobs

🧡

"I'm not getting any interview requests" 
 
𝗠𝗲: What role are you applying to? 
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺: Customer Success, Project Management, and Instructional Design mostly 
 
𝗠𝗲: You need to pick one 
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺: I know, but it is so hard to pick just one. And I think I could do all of them. 
 
𝗠𝗲: Know what else is hard? Applying to a bunch of jobs and never getting an interview 😑 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘄.... 
 
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭? 
 
𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 
 
- Not 2 roles 
- Not mostly one role with maybe some of a second one sometimes when you feel frustrated 
-Not one role this week then a hard pivot to another one next week. 
 
O-N-E 
 
Why? 
 
𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿 
 
𝗕𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗼𝗴. 
 
You aren't the obvious choice because you don't have tons of obvious experience that obviously shows you're obviously great at the the job you'd like to get. 
 
Picking one focus role helps you dig deep into your experience, find examples from your career that relate to the role you want. 
 
When you try to build a resume or LinkedIn profile that kinda sorta works for a couple of jobs because you'd really like to maybe probably do either one of them and you're still making up your mind.... 
 
That 100% shows in your content 
(resume and LinkedIn profile) 
 
𝗜𝘁 *𝗶𝘀* 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 
 
Narrow your focus for better results. Link in the comments for my formula.👇

Guess the number: 
 
𝐈 𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘐 𝘳𝘶𝘯? 
 
𝐈 𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘐 𝘦𝘢𝘵? 
 
𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧? 
 
𝐈 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘐 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴? 
 
Do you see the problem yet? 
 
Words like these: 
- Significantly 
- Several 
- Many 
- A lot 
- Most 
- A few 
 
𝗔𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 and 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 
 
These are words that pretend to be numbers 
 
Which means someone reading your resume or LinkedIn profile will have to guess and assume what you actually mean 
 
This is not good for you. 
 
Or them. 
 
When your resume is up against someone else’s resume that has actual numbers.... 
 
their resume has a better probability to win. 
 
So if you aren’t getting interviews 
 
check your resume 
 
You'll probably find more than *a few* of these words that moonlight as numbers 
(𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?😉) 
 
𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗨𝗦 𝗧𝗜𝗣: Not sure of the number? 
It is ok to your most truthful estimation 
Your estimation will always be more informative than saying "a lot"

Want some terrible career pivot advice? 
 
Here you go: 
 
"Highlight your diverse skill set and entrepreneurial spirit by emphasizing your role as a successful business owner and manager. Show your adaptability, resilience, and growth mindset" 
 
This was shared in the comments the other day. 
 
𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭-𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. 
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱: 
 
How do I quantify my experience on my resume when I've worn so many hats as a small business owner? 
 
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻? 
 
Let's use an example: 
 
Say you want someone to cut your hair. 
 
𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀: 
 
- experienced (done lots of cuts) 
- accurate (can create the cut you want) 
- talented (has great customer reviews) 
 
𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝘁? 
- an entrepreneurial spirit 
- a growth mindset 
- resilience 
 
While these skills are wonderful and definitely help a person grow their business ... 
 
𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁. 
 
Same goes for your job search. 
 
Show you have the core skills, not the supporting ones. 
 
 -------------------------------------- 
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲: 
 
1. Confirm you have a focus role 
(a single type of role that you're trying to get. the role you're building a resume for) 
 
2. Read a bunch of job postings for the role, identify the 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 the job values. 
(not teamwork or other soft skills, we're talking hard skills and core job functions) 
 
3. Write those things down 
 
4. Brainstorm examples from your career that show that you did those types of things 
 
5. Add some type of proof to each example to show you were good at it (aka data) 
 
(example: hairstylist has over 1k 5 star reviews, hairstylist has an Instagram (portfolio) with tons of before/after) 
 
That's it. 
 
Remember: the whole point of a resume is to get an interview. that's it. Write a document that shows you can do the job.

Justin Bateh, PhD, PMP

I write about project management, leadership, and AI | Follow to develop skills for faster, smarter, and more efficient project management and to build winning teams | Boost your career with my actionable insights

Hi, I’m Justin 👋 I’ve spent my career running projects where decisions mattered, and failure wasn’t an option. I didn’t study project management, operations, and strategy just to talk about it. I used it to make decisions, fix broken execution, and get results when the stakes were high. To prove it wasn’t luck, I built repeatable systems I teach through real projects and that are now used and proven by thousands of leaders. Here, I share my experience in project management, AI, leadership, and decision-making. Not as theory, but as leverage for modern leaders.I hate fluff. I hate busywork. Everything here is real, tested, and battle-proven...from someone who’s still doing the work today. I also teach the top-rated AI-Powered Project Management cohort on Maven, where I help task-buried professionals become confident, AI-powered project leaders who operate closer to decisions and far from busywork. *All views and opinions shared across my content are solely my own.

Founder

I teach Project & Operations professionals the skills to drive sustainable growth, change, and profitability using data-driven decision making, lean tools, six sigma methodologies, agile projects, and data analytics. I have worked with executives and managers from numerous organizations, including Walmart, Verizon, Amazon, Pearson, UPS, Wiley, Cengage, Medtronic, US Department of Health, CSX, USPS, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Crowley Maritime, US Air Force, US Navy, Novartis, FedEx, McKesson, and many others.

Justin Bateh, PhD

9 Simple Ways To Recognize Your Team

(The stuff that’s not in any handbook)

1/ Stop Micromanaging Them
→ Trust is the ultimate recognition.
→ Hire smart people—then let them work.
→ Oversight kills ownership.

2/ Promote the Competent, Not the Loud
→ Results speak louder than self-promotion.
→ Reward outcomes, not volume.
→ Quiet excellence deserves the spotlight.

3/ Give Them True Autonomy
→ Treat them like adults.
→ Let them decide how they work best.
→ Freedom fuels performance.

4/ Pay Them What They’re Worth
→ Money talks louder than pizza parties.
→ Certificates don’t pay bills.
→ Fair pay is real appreciation.

5/ Fire the Toxic Performers
→ One bad attitude drains ten good ones.
→ Protect the culture, not the culprit.
→ Removing them lifts everyone else.

6/ Don’t Be a Jerk
→ Decency is rare leadership currency.
→ Respect costs nothing.
→ Kindness compounds influence.

7/ Give Them Time Off (and Mean It)
→ Burnout isn’t a badge of honor.
→ Disconnect means no Slack, no guilt.
→ Rested teams outperform exhausted ones.

8/ Listen to Their Ideas
→ Ask, pause, and really hear them.
→ Implementation proves respect.
→ Listening drives innovation.

9/ Publicly Give Credit (and Take None)
→ Celebrate their wins loudly.
→ Success is theirs—failure is yours.
→ That’s real leadership.

Recognition isn’t a bonus. It’s a culture.
And culture decides who stays.

♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh, PhD for more.

Expert in AI-Driven Project Management, Strategy, & Operations | Ex-COO Turned Award-Winning Professor, LinkedIn Instructor & Corporate Trainer

8 Ways You're Signaling You're Not Ready for Promotion

(Most people miss these completely)

You're not getting passed over for lack of skills.

You're getting passed over for lack of signals.

Senior leaders watch how you operate when you think no one's looking.

Here's what they see:

1/ Waiting to Be Told What to Do
→ You ask "What should I work on next?"
→ Instead of "Here's what I think we should prioritize."
→ Initiative beats instruction.
→ Leaders create direction.

2/ Bringing Problems Without Solutions
→ You surface issues perfectly.
→ But offer no path forward.
→ Problem identification is junior level.
→ Solution ownership is promotion level.

3/ Only Speaking When Spoken To
→ Especially in leadership meetings.
→ Silence gets interpreted as disengagement.
→ Or lack of strategic thinking.
→ Presence requires participation.

4/ Managing Tasks, Not Outcomes
→ You report on what you did.
→ Not what changed because of it.
→ Activity feels productive.
→ Impact drives promotion.

5/ Asking Permission for Everything
→ "Can I email the client about this?"
→ "Should I schedule that meeting?"
→ Risk aversion signals junior mindset.
→ Ownership signals readiness.

6/ Avoiding Difficult Conversations
→ You hope problems resolve themselves.
→ Or wait for someone else to address them.
→ Conflict avoidance stalls advancement.
→ Leaders lean into discomfort.

7/ Not Managing Up Effectively
→ You assume your boss knows your impact.
→ They don't.
→ Visibility requires intentionality.
→ Good work without communication is invisible work.

8/ Thinking Only About Your Work
→ You optimize for your team's success.
→ Not the organization's goals.
→ Tunnel vision limits scope.
→ Strategic thinking expands it.

Most people think promotions are about performance.

They're actually about perception.

And perception is shaped by signals you send every day.

♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh, PhD for more.

AI & Project Management Expert & Founder | PhD, PMP | Award-Winning Professor & LinkedIn Learning Instructor | Helping operators leave task management behind and join the top 1% of AI-powered project leaders.

12 Ways You're Being Quietly Tested at Work

(And Don't Know It)

Your performance review isn't when you get evaluated.

You get evaluated every day in moments you don't even notice.

Most people fail these tests because they don't know they're happening.

1/ How You Handle Being Interrupted
→ Do you get defensive or stay composed?
→ Leaders watch your emotional regulation.
→ Reaction reveals character under pressure.

2/ What You Do When No One's Looking
→ Do you still follow through completely?
→ Integrity shows when accountability disappears.
→ Self-motivation matters more than supervision.

3/ How You Respond to Vague Instructions
→ Do you ask clarifying questions or guess?
→ Problem-solving approach gets noticed fast.
→ Initiative beats assumptions every time.

4/ Your Body Language in Boring Meetings
→ Slouched and scrolling or attentive and engaged?
→ Respect for process shows professionalism.
→ Physical presence reflects mental commitment.

5/ How You Treat the Receptionist
→ Courtesy to "non-important" people matters.
→ Character shows in unequal power dynamics.
→ Leaders notice who you are when it doesn't benefit you.

6/ What You Do With Sensitive Information
→ Can you keep confidences?
→ Trustworthiness gets tested before bigger roles.
→ One leak eliminates future opportunities.

7/ How You Handle Success and Failure
→ Do you share credit and own mistakes?
→ Leadership potential shows in accountability moments.
→ Ego reveals itself when recognition is involved.

8/ Your Response to Sudden Plan Changes
→ Flexibility or visible frustration?
→ Adaptability matters more than perfect planning.
→ Grace under disruption shows resilience.

9/ How You Deliver Uncomfortable News
→ Direct and clear or vague and soft?
→ Courage gets measured in difficult conversations.
→ Message delivery affects future responsibilities.

10/ Your Reaction When Systems Go Down
→ Problem-solving mode or stress spiral?
→ Composure during chaos matters.
→ Resourcefulness shows when tools fail.

11/ How You Prioritize When Everything's Urgent
→ Do you panic or create order?
→ Decision-making under pressure gets watched closely.
→ Strategic thinking separates leaders from followers.

12/ Your Energy at Day's End
→ Strong finish or just surviving to 5pm?
→ Commitment shows when motivation fades.
→ Consistency outweighs peak performance bursts.

Most people think evaluation happens in annual reviews.

Leaders are watching every day.

Every interaction is a test.

♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh, PhD for more.

Don't waste your energy on the wrong people in 2026.

Choose wisely using the Skill/Will Matrix:

1/ Top Performers (High Skill + High Will)
→ Don't micromanage them
→ Give them ownership
→ Recognize them publicly
→ Build your future around them
→ They're your A-players

2/ High Potentials (Low Skill + High Will)
→ Coach them actively
→ Set them up for wins
→ Develop, don't smother
→ Motivation drives results
→ They want to succeed

3/ Disengaged Experts (High Skill + Low Will)
→ Ask questions and listen
→ Could be burnt out or bored
→ Small shifts can reignite them
→ Sometimes it doesn't work
→ They deliver but disconnected

4/ Low Performers (Low Skill + Low Will)
→ This is where time dies
→ Give one clear chance
→ Exit quickly if no change
→ Keeping them drains A-players
→ They won't improve or try

♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh, PhD for more.

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The Battle

Erin Lewber

Justin Bateh, PhD

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The Battle

Erin Lewber

Justin Bateh, PhD

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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);}Erin Lewber's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreErin Lewber's LinkedIn Performance