I’m passionate about empowering women and helping to close the gender gap in senior leadership. 

I spent 18 years in tech and biotech sales, holding positions as a VP and EVP, Sales. Along the way I introduced many brand new technologies to market, built a commercial organization from scratch, and scaled a hyper-growth team to achieve 9 digit revenue growth in 2 years.

Despite this success, I struggled for years with my transition from Manager to Director to VP, and even asked myself if I was cut out to be a senior executive.  

Finally, I ‘figured it out’ and had the confidence, knowledge and skills that I needed to be an impactful leader. 

My mission at Insights to Action is to help others get there by sharing what I’ve learned.

I want to use my passion to help more women transition to senior leadership and help leaders make that leap from unsure and unfocused to strategic, decisive and outcome driven - all without burning out. My goal is to help women thrive as executives, instead of merely surviving. 

I would love to work with you on your journey and look forward to connecting!

Read about what some of my clients are saying: https://www.insightstoactioncc.com/testimonials

Katy McFee

I help women become execs and thrive in leadership - Former Exec | Certified Coach | Forbes.com contributor

At Insights to Action I help female execs and aspiring female leaders become the leaders they want to be and thrive as executives all without burning out. 

I offer group coaching programs for women looking to break through to executive leadership and 1:1 immersive executive coaching for current execs who want to level up and show up as the amazing, effective leaders they know they can be, while still living a life they love.

My goals don’t include my kids,

I go on vacations without my kids,

I take girls trips that are just for me,

My partner and I have a date night every 2 weeks,

I prioritize my morning meditation and exercise daily,

And I’m still a great mom.

As women, we often feel this pull to be the perfect mom and dedicate every part of ourselves to our kiddos

And a pull in the opposite direction to be the best we can be at work and prove we're all in

It’s damn exhausting
It’s a losing game
And I quit

I adore my kids and love my family

But I am still my own person
I still need my own time
I need my own goals

And I don't apologize for it ✌️💜

PS. And to all the mommas out there, you’re doing great ❤️

Follow me Katy McFee for more posts on women in leadership

#1 in helping women become VPs and thrive in leadership | Former Exec | Certified Coach | Forbes.com contributor | Host of More Women Promoted Podcast

Friendly reminder that you don’t have to:
Go cold turkey on alcohol
Eat 400g of protein
Cold plunge daily
Wake up at 5am
Do ayahuasca
Quit your 9-5
Move to Bali

In fact...

You don't have to delay your morning caffeine 
You don't have to start every day with a savoury breakfast

The goal of life is not 100% optimization of everything!

It's also meant to be enjoyed...

And while social media will have you believing everyone on the planet is doing all of this
(And that drinking oat milk will kill you)

I promise you they aren't
(And it won't) 

Many successful people are doing none of these things

In fact, I became a successful VP and EVP
Without following any of this advice

Literally I did zero of these things.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge proponent of healthy living:

These days I rarely drink
(But I do occasionally when I'm celebrating) 

I try to get 8hr of sleep
(But I usually end up getting 7.5)

I exercise and meditate daily
(But I skip some days)

I think we can go TOO far trying to reach perfection

And we forget to occasionally sleep in, eat the croissant and just enjoy life

So in case you need it... here's your reminder:
You’re not failing if you live life like a regular person

And only you know what is right for you ✌️💜

♻️  Hit Repost if more people need to see this.

Follow me Katy McFee for more posts on women in leadership

Dating advice you can apply to your career:

For a little Friday fun - here's my top 4:

1. Early red flags rarely get better. They usually get worse.

Dating: Too many of us have dated somewhere where we saw the early signs, but ignored them. If there are early red flags, they're going to get a lot worse. 

Career: HR was dismissive in the interview and they took a week to get back with next steps...
Listen to your gut.  This may not be the dream job you were hoping for. 

2. Actions speak louder than words. 

Dating: He says he really likes you, but blows off plans and doesn't text you back...
He's just not that into you. 

Career: Your manager keeps telling you how much they value you, 
But you get passed over at every promotion cycle...

He's not going to promote you unless something changes. 

3. Just because they look great on paper, doesn't mean they're the one. 

Dating: We've all dated the guy who was SO perfect on paper!
Great job, nice to his mom, treats us well.  But you just don't feel it...

Career: This job is so perfect on paper!
Well-known company, great pay, lots of perks. But the culture sucks and people are toxic....

In both cases, move on.

4. Don't rely on someone else to make you happy. Work on yourself. 

Dating: You need to make yourself happy to be happy in a relationship. 
Do the work, the healthy relationship will follow.

Career: Don't rely on your boss to get you promoted. Work on yourself.
If your manager isn't helping to carve the path, take ownership and find mentorship outside of them. 

Do the work, and the promotion will follow. 

What did I miss? ✌️💜

6 more months, and things will slow down

I told my (now ex) husband that more times than I can count

And at the time, I really believed it!!

I just needed to lean in for 6 more months
And then we'd start to see the results we wanted...

And I could:
- Travel less
- Be more present
- Put my phone away
- Stop making work the priority

But you know what?
6 months never came,
And I missed a lot.

I remember leaving for a 10 day 'Euro-tour' 
To meet all of the KOLs in our space in Paris, London and Amsterdam

And truthfully, I was really excited about the opportunity

But leaving for the airport while my not-even-1-year-old was pulling himself up on the ottoman

Practically broke my heart

And I discovered the concept of everything being a trade-off 

This is your friendly reminder that when you put your real life on hold 
For 6 months,
Or a year
Or more

You miss out on real things

That doesn't mean you should work hard for what you want
But ask yourself what your non-negotiables are

And make those trade-offs with intention

Because - believe it or not - you can have both hustle and boundaries 
And save some regret along the way ✌️💜

3 rules for an exec with ADHD

Because the truth is, conventional advice may not work for you!
(A lot of it didn't work for me...)

Before I knew I had ADHD, I beat myself up because I assumed that my lack of executive function made me a failure or a bad leader. 

But once I figured out how to harness the good and mitigate the rest, everything changed. 

These are what helped me go from struggling to crushing it:

1. Stop trying to strengthen your weak areas

Seriously. Instead, spend as much time as possible in your zone of genius.

We have a brain of interest, so spending time doing things we hate is a recipe for low productivity or a crappy work product.

One of the best things I ever did was get serious about outsourcing, automating and delegating the things I hate. 

My impact increased significantly once I did that. 

2. Rely on systems, not your brain

I could come up with a great strategic insight, but always forgot that appointment.
This drove me bonkers. 

Hard truth: Yes, you may lack in executive functioning, 
But that doesn't mean you get to drop the ball. 

It means you need to create systems to ensure things get done. 

Find what works for you: a Trello board, your calendar, a VA... and use it diligently. 

3. Don't eat the frog first!

We've all heard the leadership advice to 'eat the frog first,' which means to tackle that big task that you don't want to do before anything else. 

This does NOT work for people with ADHD! 

We already lack dopamine, so we often need a fix before we're ready to eat the frog...

Instead, pick a dopamine-producing task to do first, 
Then move on to the big daunting thing you'd rather not do. 

For me, this would involve checking my sales dashboards and metrics, 
Then tackling the task I didn't want to do. 

I learned that you CAN be a successful executive with ADHD
But sometimes that means throwing conventional wisdom out the window

If you're getting leadership advice that doesn't work for your brain, forget it

Lean into what makes you great,
And outsource, delegate or automate the rest

You've got this ✌️💜

I've met tons of bright, ambitious and hard-working women
Who are crushing it, in terms of talent

But using language and mannerisms that undermine their skills and abilities.

And I'll be blunt - this is preventing them from landing the roles they want.

Here are 5 examples that you should watch out for:

1. Constantly apologizing
Why: Over-apologizing undermines your authority

2. Raising your voice at the end of a sentence (ie. uptalk)
Why: Makes you seem unsure and unconfident

3. Twirling your hair in meetings 
Why: Can convey a lack of seriousness and distracts your listener

4. Sharing ideas as questions
Why: Makes you seem less confident and unsure about the idea.

5. Using filler phrases and qualifiers
Why: Your ideas will be taken less seriously

When it comes to language, here are 3 to avoid starting today (seriously):

"This may be a dumb idea but...."
"Does that make sense?"
"I'm not the expert but..."

Remember: it's not only the quality of your ideas that's important...

The WAY you share them is equally important
Maybe even more important!

As women, many of us have been conditioned to use these communication styles so we are seen as less dominant. 
We don't want to be 'bossy'.

But once you hit the workplace, holding on to these habits can mean:
- You're less likely to be seen as a leader
- Your ideas won't get the credit they deserve
- People won't take you as seriously

I consciously began using more empowering language (and body language) and saw a real difference.

You can too ✌️💜

Has anyone else caught themselves doing any of these things and decided to break the habit?

♻️  Repost to share these tips!

PS. Check out the comments for my free guide on simple language reframes you can use to start communicating like a confident and collaborative leader!

My job didn't suddenly become toxic - I'd ignored the red flags 

The first ones were there even in the interview process

- It had felt like the day from hell
- 2 senior interviewers were rude and aggressive to me
- I felt judged by many of the people I interacted with - even over lunch!

But I told myself that it wasn't a big deal...

- I wouldn't be reporting to the managers who were so rude
- I'm sure that 'vibe' I felt didn't mean anything
- This was such a great opportunity

In the end, I was gone within 2 years.

6 months after I was hired, I started reporting to one of those managers
And the other one was his boss!

The vibe I felt was very real, and trust on the team was low
Constant gossip and backstabbing

My dream job had become a nightmare

But it taught me a valuable lesson:

To treat the interview process as an opportunity to learn the people and culture
And see if it's actually somewhere you want to work

I was so dead-set on landing the role, 
I wasn't even asking myself if this was the right company for me

So, this is your friendly reminder:

The interview process goes both ways
They are evaluating you, 
And you should put your best foot forward,

But you are also evaluating them
And if you don't like what you see during the interview process
It's probably not going to get better once you start

Pay attention to the red flags friends
They rarely turn green ✌️💜

♻️ Repost if more people need to hear this

As women, we get some terrible career advice!
Here are my top 3 for worst advice we give women:

#3. "Just advocate for yourself"

Ummm... years of conditioning and workplace bias would argue it's more complicated than that.

Better advice: Implement a process to create visibility into your work and career goals, in a way that feels good. 

(This is possible - I teach women to do this all the time)

#2.  "Don't be too assertive" (you'll be seen as a b!*ch)

This advice keeps women small, and makes it impossible to confidently share your ideas and opinions. Frankly, women who aren't assertive are also not promoted. 

Better advice: Pair confident, assertive language with empathy and curiosity. Assertive does not have to mean aggressive. 

#3. "Find a mentor"

This seems like good advice, but women actually have more mentors than men do! People LOVE to tell us what to do. We don't really need more of it. 

Better advice: Find a sponsor, or develop a mentor into a sponsor. The difference is that a sponsor will champion you, open doors and advocate for you in the rooms you're not in.  

What's the worst career advice you've ever received??  

✌️💜

I became a successful executive (with ADHD)

And it came down to a single change I made:

I started playing to my strengths
And delegated, minimized or outsourced the rest

This is a really important concept 
That many of us overachievers don't seem to get

We think we need to do it all
And do it all perfectly

We often spend years trying to improve weaknesses
With minimal results

But once we get honest about where we are great and where we aren't

We can focus there and see a huge difference in our impact!

This was one of the pivotal changes I made that helped me go from struggling as a Director to a successful VP

Here's your Friday reminder: 

Whether it's ADHD, the way you grew up or any other thing that you think means you can't be an exec,

It's only true if you let it be

I'm living proof ✌️💜

♻️ Hit repost to spread the word!

There will always be more "qualified" men for that VP or C-level role

It's true.

Because even when there are an equal number of men and women coming in at the entry-level:

- Men are promoted on potential, and women on experience
- Women lose opportunities when pregnant or just back from mat leave
- Men are more likely to have sponsors due to the affinity bias
- Men are encouraged to apply for positions even when they don't meet all of the criteria 

The 'promotion gap' starts at the very first promotion to manager, 
(This is referred to as the 'broken rung')

This means more men make it to mid-level manager positions, 
Which increases the pool of available men for senior-level positions

And so on...

And the gap is even larger for white men and women of colour
With 'white men' being the only group that is overrepresented in the C-suite

So here are some 'wild' ideas:

1. Stop relying on years of experience in a role as your hiring criteria!

Instead, focus on the skills and traits you need
Which are typically more effective for finding a great candidate

2. Focus on culture add vs. culture fit
Don't hire the same people over and over

3. Consider a first-time female VP 
Who may not have been in the position before but is crushing it as a director 

Guess what? She's probably ready to make that leap

4. Encourage the young women on your teams to apply for positions they want, even if they aren't 100% qualified

Until we get serious about making these changes, the gap will continue to exist...

And the gap will continue to widen as you go up in a company.

My goal is to help narrow this gap 
Even a little bit

Who's with me? ✌️💜

♻️ Hit repost to spread the word

There's a real cost to being the 'only'
 
The only woman on the leadership team
And the only exec (or leader) in your friend group
 
Not only is this lonely,
It also puts you at a huge disadvantage!
 
I remember feeling like I was on an island
 
Because I had no one in my life who really understood what I was going through
 
I was balancing being an exec and a single mom
While all of the men on the team had stay-at-home wives
 
My friends were teachers and stay-at-home moms
And they didn't really even understand my job!
 
I think this is a conversation that needs to be had
So in today's newsletter, I do a deep dive on the real cost of being the 'only'
And what you can do about it
 
Happy reading ✌️💜

The following is an excerpt from my FREE Weekly Insights Newsletter. Subscribe now, and you’ll immediately get the full article delivered to your inbo

Open article: The real cost of being the 'only' by Katy McFee • 3 min read

Women spend 200+ more hrs per year on non-promotable tasks, 

Compared to our male counterparts

These tasks include things like:

- Organizing the Christmas party
- Informally onboarding new hires
- Taking notes or ordering lunches
- Volunteering for extra committees
- Emotional support for colleagues and reports
- DEI or culture work WITHOUT authority or budget

Ladies, if this is you, 

And especially if you've been trying to land a Sr. Director or VP role

This is not serving you!
In fact, it's holding you back. 

Yes, everyone appreciates you
The team would fall apart without you

And you're also not getting tapped for that next role
Because this type of 'irreplaceable' is also unpromotable

This week's episode of More Women Promoted dives into this very topic
AND I give you some actionable and tactical next steps you can take today

Check it out anywhere you get your podcasts 
I'll link it in the comments

Time to go from helpful to promoted ladies! ✌️💜

It’s not your boss’ job to promote you
It’s your job to show them you’re ready

It’s not your partner’s job to make you happy
It’s your job to make yourself happy

It’s not your trainer’s job to get you in shape
It’s your job to do the work every day

Once you start to take real accountability for your life and career
The magic happens.

No one to blame. 
No excuses.

And no limit to what you can accomplish. ✌️💜

PS. If you're a woman looking to land a director or VP role and you're ready to do the work, join my free masterclass today (or tomorrow)

I'll help you figure out exactly what's blocking you today and how to get to that next level.

Sign up here: insightstoactioncc(dot)com/masterclass 

Follow me Katy McFee for daily posts for women in leadership

Ever been told you need to be more 'strategic'? 
 
I have! 
 
I knew it was standing between me and a VP role, 
 
And the hardest part was that I had no idea what I needed to do to come across as more strategic. 
 
Every time I asked my manager (our CEO) 
I got some kind of vague answer, 

And because of this it took me years of trial and error
To finally learn what it took to become an exec
 
Years later I was thinking about this and it hit me, 
 
He didn't tell me what I needed to do, because HE didn't know either! 

He knew I wasn't quite there yet
But he didn't know how to coach and mentor me to get there
 
The truth is, sometimes you need help outside of your manager. 
 
That's where I come in. 

Join my free masterclass today where I help you pinpoint what's holding you back and what to do about it.

This is exactly the type of clarity I wish someone had given me!

Grab your spot here: insightstoactioncc(dot)com/masterclass

Curious why wealth tends to be passed down through generations?
 
Yes, there are advantages, like going to a good school
But the biggest thing is the access
 
The people we spend time with and learn from have a huge impact on our success
 
The good news is, even if you didn't grow up with money
You can intentionally surround yourself with people who inspire and motivate you
 
I credit so much of my success to the people I've met and learned from
 
And this is true in my business today
 
In today's newsletter, I talk about the power of finding your people
- I share the 3 types of people and groups who have impacted my success most
- And how you can start finding them
 
Happy reading ✌️💜

The following is an excerpt from my FREE Weekly Insights Newsletter. Subscribe now and you’ll immediately get the full article delivered to your inbox

Open article: The power of finding your 'people' by Katy McFee • 3 min read

My LinkedIn engagement is WAY down, and yet...

I've just had the highest revenue month in my business to date
And the month isn't even over yet

My business is growing super fast
And I'm seeing real-world impact for my clients
DMs about VP promotions every week!

But if I were just looking at the performance of my content
It would look like things are just so-so

Why am I telling you this?

Because - just like you - I can get distracted by metrics that don't really matter
Instead of focusing on what's really moving the needle

If you want to be a social media influencer
Then yes, focus on all of those metrics that we call 'vanity metrics' 
Because they matter for things like brand sponsorships 

But if you're trying to build a business
Or become a thought leader while working in corporate

These metrics probably aren't worth stressing over

Focus on helping just one person
And you'll resonate with the right people

I know many examples of people with highly successful businesses
Who aren't crushing it when it comes to LinkedIn content

And I know many people with high engagement and big followings
Who are struggling to grow their businesses

My 2 cents?
Decide what truly matters and focus on that ✌️💜 

PS. It is snowy and freezing where I am, but I'm posting a photo of where I wish I was right now!

Hard truth: It may not be your fault you're struggling

But it IS your responsibility to fix it

And that sucks, but the sooner we learn it
The sooner we can take action to change things

No one teaches us how to navigate our careers
And no one teaches us how to become an executive

We're left to just figure it out on our own

So it's no wonder most people get stuck and aren't sure how to advance
They hit the dreaded career plateau and have no idea what to do

It hit one as a manager, and then again as a director

Here's what I see happen:
Early in your career, you work harder than everyone else
And you do the work you're assigned perfectly,
As a result, you get promoted

So you keep trying to outwork your colleagues,
Putting up your hand for extra projects
Executing on your goals flawlessly

But this time... nothing

You're waiting for that next promotion because you're doing ALL the things. 

You're working crazy hard. 
You're doing exactly what you've been told to do.

And the promotion isn't coming

Maybe your colleague gets promoted ahead of you, even though he started a year after
And works half as hard as you do

Or they decide to fill the role externally

The truth is, what got you here, won't get you there.

But here's another truth: 
YOU need to be the one to change

If what you've been doing isn't working
You're the one who needs to start doing things differently

The good news is: this is 100% learnable!

Find a mentor or sponsor who can give you some real guidance

And this is exactly what I do with the women I work with.

Curious to know more?
Send me a DM and let's chat. 

✌💜

I didn't stay in my director role out of loyalty!

The truth? It was out of fear. 
Fear that I just wasn't that good. 

I had stopped growing in my current role 
And I knew that I wanted to become a VP

But I didn't feel as though I had crushed it
Because we were consistently falling short of our goals

And I was continuously being told I wasn't ready for the next step

In my mind, if I couldn't get promoted at my current company
It meant that I was not VP material anywhere else either

This was just not true!

I discovered that the stage and culture of a company 
Have a huge impact on your success

This is exactly what happened with me
At company A I struggled to grow revenue to a few million ARR
At company B I grew the existing revenue by 8 figures! 

Some people crush it at early stage startups
Some shine at scaling stage companies (like me)
And some do best at large, multi-national companies

If you're feeling stuck where you are
Consider that it may not be a 'you' thing

You may just be in the wrong place

And as scary as it may feel
The best things you can do is to move on ✌️💜 

♻️ Give this a repost if more ppl need to hear it!

Too many 'nice' women are giving away their promotion
 
You're saying 'yes' to every little thing
You're doing it yourself because it's faster and you'll do a better job
You're making sure that you do your job 100% perfectly, to make your boss happy
 
And... when promotion time comes
You watch your colleague land the role that you know is right for you
 
In today's newsletter, I dive into 3 pitfalls -
Things that, as women, we do that we think are helping
But are actually hurting us and our promotability
 
Learn what they are,
Why they're hurting your career,
And what to do instead
 
Happy reading ✌️💜

Open article: The 3 pitfalls that keep talented women stuck by Katy McFee • 3 min read

The 3 pitfalls that keep talented women stuck

Being the hardest worker does not get you promoted

In fact, no amount of knowledge, skills, or work ethic matters 
If you aren't sharing your ideas in the right way
And creating visibility into what you do

Hard truth. 

Here are 3 things that will help you advance better than working harder:

- Delivering your opinions and ideas with confidence
- Creating visibility into your wins and accomplishments 
- Taking control of your career path and investing in yourself

Working hard with your head down and hoping someone will notice may feel like the 'nice' thing to do...

But it's not. Really.

The 'nice' thing to do for your company is to share your ideas. 

The 'nice' thing to do for your colleagues is to challenge them when needed.

The 'nice' thing to do for yourself is to take control and create the career you want.

If you struggle to speak up and create visibility,
The good news is that you can learn to do this!

You can get a coach,
You can do the mindset work,
You can make it happen for yourself

You've got this ✌️💜 

PS. We talk about this topic a LOT in my program!! If you want to learn more about how I can help you go from invisible to promoted, send me a DM!!

When we wrapped up a recent cohort, 3 of the women said that it was more valuable THAN THEIR MBA!

2x Female Founder & Global Speaker ➭ Podcast Host (Top 5%) ➭ I post about how to write KILLER Resumes and Land Jobs Faster ➭ Resume Assassin & Sidekick! 💪

I’ll take you from feeling stuck to unstoppable. 💪

I write resumes, optimize profiles, and create LinkedIn content that showcase the badass you already are so the world can see it too.

A little secret? Job searching and personal branding have always felt like a game to me. 

And as a woman who thrives on competition, I love finding creative ways to help you win. 
But it wasn’t always that way. 

When I first started Resume Assassin, I thought I was just helping people find jobs. 
Now I help people change their lives. 

Because when your story is told the right way (with confidence, strategy, and a little bit of edge) opportunities start chasing you.

After working with over 4,000 executives, professionals, and business owners, I’ve learned one thing: most people aren’t bad at their jobs—they’re just bad at bragging about themselves. 

That’s where I come in.

I help you:
💥 Craft a killer resume and LinkedIn profile that land higher-paying jobs in record time
💥 Create authentic, engaging content that attracts clients, board seats, and new opportunities
💥 Build a personal brand that makes you unforgettable online

Results that make me proud:
✅ 4,000+ clients served
✅ 270+ LinkedIn recommendations + 173+ 5-star Google reviews
✅ 90% of clients land higher-paying roles within 2 months
✅ $2M+ in new client revenue through my ghostwriting
✅ Featured clients at Google, Amazon, SpaceX, Tesla, and more

Whether you’re ready for your next 6-figure role, want to grow your brand on LinkedIn, or need help finding your voice online, I’ve got you.

👉 Book a free consultation: calendly.com/resumeassassin/meet
👉 Work with me 1:1: www.resumeassassin.com
👉 Build your resume instantly with AI: www.resumesidekick.io
👉 Resume Pro Academy: https://academy.resumeassassin.com
👉 Search Resume Assassin Unfiltered on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube

Let’s tell your story and make sure it gets the attention it deserves.

Mary Southern

Getting a job isn’t just about having a great resume.

Not about applying to every job online.
Not about polishing your LinkedIn profile.

It’s about being seen and remembered.

You can have the perfect resume. 
The right experience. 
Stellar accomplishments.

But if the right people don’t see it…
You won’t get the interview.

If they don’t understand your story…
You won’t get the offer.

I’ve seen it happen.
Candidates with all the skills in the world. 
Perfect resumes.

Passed over. 
Invisible.

Visibility is the multiplier.
Without it, even the best resumes don’t do their job.

Here’s how to make it work:
💪 Target the right people, not just the jobs.
Connect directly. Build relationships before applications.

💪Tell your story on the resume and beyond.
Quantify your impact. Show results, not just duties.

💪 Engage consistently.
Share insights, comment, post...stay on their radar.

💪 Be brave.
Apply for roles that excite you. Reach out to people who inspire you.

Your resume is powerful.
But it works best when the right people see it, understand it, and remember it.

♻️ Share if you agree.
➕ Follow me Mary Southern for more!

Resume Assassin

#resume #recruiter #gethired #jobopening

Turning Your Stories into Offers ➮ Resume + LinkedIn Branding Nerd ➮ 4K+ Clients Served ➮ $2M+ Ghostwriting Wins ➮ Global Speaker & Top 5% Podcast Host 💪

Hiring managers make a decision
before you ever speak.

Before the interview.
Before the screening call.
Before “Tell me about yourself.”

They click your LinkedIn profile.
That’s the decision point.

In 2026, LinkedIn is no longer optional.

It’s not a resume backup.
It’s not “nice to have.”

It’s the preview.
The credibility check.
The shortcut.

Most candidates don’t lose roles in interviews.
They lose them in silence.
Because their profile doesn’t match their experience.

Or worse, doesn’t say much at all.

Here’s the action:
Open your profile.
Read only the top half.
No scrolling.

Does it clearly say:
• who you help
• what you do
• why you’re valuable

If not, that’s the gap.

Fix the message.
Then worry about the applications.

📍 Save this post as a reminder. 
♻️ Share to help someone in your network. 
➕ Follow me Mary Southern for more. 

Resume Assassin

#resume #recruiter #gethired #jobopening

Hiring managers decide before you ever speak

I just invested my last $600 to work with you.
That’s what my client told me.

And I won’t lie—
my stomach dropped.

That’s not a casual purchase.

That’s rent money.
Groceries.
Time he didn’t have.

This is the part people don’t talk about.

I don’t rely on AI to write resumes.
Not because AI is bad.
But because this isn’t theory to me.

I’ve written 4K+ of resumes.
I’ve seen what gets interviews, and what gets ignored.

Patterns repeat.
Mistakes compound.
Small changes shift outcomes.

I get the luxury of trial and error
because I’ve already made the errors.
So my clients don’t have to.

Still—
when someone tells me that $600 matters…

That pressure is real.

The next week?
He landed an interview.

Lucky?
Maybe.

But “luck” tends to show up
when experience meets timing
and the story finally makes sense to the market.

This is why I take my work personally.

Because for some people, this isn’t a resume.
It’s a shot.
And I don’t miss those on purpose.

♻️ Share if this resonates.
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Check your ATS score here:
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Resume Assassin

#resume #gethired #recruiter #jobopening

These application mistakes are costing you time and money.
Here's how to avoid them. 

My client sent out 300+ applications in 4 months.
Got maybe 5 responses.

Started questioning everything. 

Her skills. 
Her experience. 
Her worth.

When she finally came to me, she was done. 
Burnt out. 
Ready to give up.

Here's what I told her:
You're not the problem. 
Your approach is.

We threw out her generic resume. 
💪 Rewrote every single bullet point.
💪 Stopped the spray-and-pray applications. 
💪 Got laser-focused on roles that actually fit.
💪 Learned how to bypass job boards.

Four weeks later?
Multiple interviews.

Six weeks later?
She accepted an offer.

The system is rigged. 
But once you know the rules, you can beat it.

Your resume isn't getting you interviews 
because nobody taught you how to write one that actually works.

You're applying to 50 jobs and hearing nothing 
because you're playing the game wrong.

But here's the thing: 
You only need ONE yes.

One company to see what you're capable of.
That's it.

And I can help you get there.

♻️ Share this article to help someone in your network who is job searching.
➕ Follow me (Mary Southern) for more. 

Resume Assassin
Resume Sidekick

#resume #gethired #jobsearch #recruiter #jobopening

Last week, a client came to me completely burnt out. She'd been job searching for six months. Sent out over 300 applications. Barely got any responses

Open article: The Job Application Mistakes That Cost My Client 6 Months (And How You Can Avoid Them) by Mary Southern • 7 min read

The Job Application Mistakes That Cost My Client 6 Months (And How You Can Avoid Them)

As an experiment, my client sent 2 different resumes to the same job posting.
Here's what happened.

One got her an interview in 3 days.
The other got rejected.

What changed?
Resume #1: Managed social media accounts
Resume #2: Grew Instagram from 3K to 64K in 18 months

The difference in response was SHOCKING.

The hiring manager who called?
Spent 20 minutes asking about those exact numbers.

"Walk me through that Instagram strategy."
"How'd you increase email conversions that much?"

Her resume literally wrote the interview script.
Meanwhile, the other company ghosted her.

Your resume isn't failing because you're unqualified.
It's failing because it's boring and lacks strategy.

Recruiters spend 7 seconds scanning your resume.
They don't care what you DID.
They care what CHANGED because you were there.

Show proof. 
Use numbers. 
Tell a story.

Before you send another application:
Check your ATS score: https://lnkd.in/gvZDFy7Y
Grab a template that works: https://lnkd.in/ggGxWxMn

Read the full article below. It will blow your mind!! 😅 

♻️ Share this to help someone in your network land an interview. 
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Resume Assassin

#resume #gethired #jobsearch #recruiter

Last month, I did something kind of crazy. I applied to the same job. Twice. With two completely different resumes. I was truly curious about what wou

Open article: I Applied to the Same Job With Two Different Resumes—The Results Were Shocking by Mary Southern • 8 min read

I Applied to the Same Job With Two Different Resumes—The Results Were Shocking

Most candidates don’t realize they’re bad listeners…
until it costs them a job.

The role they thought was perfect.
The interview they thought went well.
The offer they assumed was locked in.

I see it all the time.

People lose opportunities not because they aren’t qualified,
but because they didn’t hear what the interviewer really wanted.

And yes. I’ve been that candidate too.

My husband will happily tell you I can nod thoughtfully
while mentally drafting my answer, my next question,
or my follow-up email… all while he’s still talking.

He’s caught me more than once saying,
“So what you’re saying is…”
…and repeating something he literally just said.

“Were you even listening?”
The honest answer?
I was performing listening.

Real listening has levels. 
Most people get stuck at the first two.

Level 1: Waiting to Talk
You’re silent, but only because you’re rehearsing your answer.

Level 2: Hearing Words
You catch phrases. You nod. You miss the point.

Level 3: Understanding Content
You’re focused. You understand the question.
Most candidates think this is enough. It isn’t.

Level 4: Recognizing Emotion
You hear frustration behind “I’m fine.”
Uncertainty behind “I’m not sure.”

Level 5: Hearing What Isn’t Said
Tone shifts. Pauses. Hesitation.

The challenge they can’t quite put into words.
This is where top candidates stand out.

If you can listen at Level 5 in an interview:
💪 You don’t just answer questions.
💪 You solve the real problem the team is facing.
💪 You show you’re the candidate they didn’t even know they needed.
💪 You don’t need a new framework to get there.

You just need to stop planning your response
and actually pay attention.

I’m still working on it.
Some days I nail it.
Other days my husband gives me that look.

Next time you’re in an interview, notice where your mind goes.
Are you listening, or are you rehearsing?
That awareness alone can make you the candidate they can’t say no to.

♻️ Repost if this hit a nerve
➕ Follow me Mary Southern for more. 

Resume Assassin

#resume #gethired #recruiter #jobopening

If you're over 50 and job searching, you're probably making one critical mistake that's costing you interviews.

And no, it's not your age.
It’s how you’re packaging your age.

You’ve got the experience.
You’ve led teams, managed budgets, solved problems no one else could.

AND STILL...

No calls.
No interviews.
Not even a “thanks, but no thanks.”

Here’s the reality: 
The most qualified candidates are the ones struggling the most.

Not because they can’t do the job. 
Because their resume, LinkedIn, and messaging 
are working against them.

In this episode, I show you exactly how to fix it:
💪  Cut your resume to 10–15 years of relevance
💪 Reframe titles so you’re not automatically “too expensive”
💪 Update your language to match today’s market
💪 Infuse energy into your application materials
💪 Leverage your network instead of relying on job boards

One shift in your approach can change everything.
🎧 Watch the full episode — link in comments.

♻️ Share if this resonates.
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Resume Assassin

#resume #gethired #recruiter #jobopening

Overqualified really means:
We don’t know what to do with you.

No one says it like that.

They soften it.
They smile.
They tell you you’re impressive.

Then they pass.
You read the email twice.

Because part of you thought
maybe this time would be different.

You didn’t apply because you couldn’t do the job.
You applied because you could do it well.
Because you’ve done harder.

Because you’ve led.
Built.
Fixed what others broke.

And somehow that became the problem.

Overqualified doesn’t mean too skilled.
It means your value made them uncomfortable.
It means your experience asked questions they weren’t ready to answer.

Who will you challenge?
How long will you stay?
What happens when you see what’s broken?

So they choose safer.
Smaller.
Easier to place in a box.

And you’re left wondering
if you should shrink your story.

Soften your edges.
Remove the years that taught you everything.

Don’t!!!

The right role doesn’t fear depth.
It needs it.

And the moment you stop trying to fit
is usually the moment you finally belong.

Who has experienced this before? 

♻️ Share if this resonates.
➕ Follow me (Mary Southern) for more. 

Want to land interviews quicker? Start here: https://lnkd.in/gvZDFy7Y

Resume Assassin
Resume Assassin

#resume #gethired #recruiter #jobopening

Feeling stuck in your job search?
Read this.👇

We all hit seasons like this.

When applications feel endless.
When LinkedIn messages go unanswered.
When your energy feels smaller than your ambition.

Here’s the truth:

It may not be laziness.
It may be early-stage career burnout.

Career burnout doesn’t happen overnight.
It unfolds in stages.
And most job seekers don’t notice it early.

Because at first, it looks like:
Ambition.
Drive.
High standards.

Until it becomes exhaustion.
And then it becomes your new “normal.”

The 8 stages of job search burnout:

1️⃣ Overthinking Every Step
Obsessing over every word in your resume, every email, every LinkedIn post.

2️⃣ Neglecting Yourself 
Skipping breaks, self-care, hobbies, or even sleep because “time is money.”

3️⃣ Denial
Telling yourself, “It’s fine, I just need to try harder.”

4️⃣ Isolation
Pulling away from mentors, friends, or networking opportunities.

5️⃣ Frustration & Irritability
Feeling short-tempered or resentful toward recruiters, colleagues, or even yourself.

6️⃣ Disconnection
Feeling detached from your goals, like your dream job is fading.

7️⃣ Apathy
Losing motivation, feeling stuck in a cycle of applications and rejection.
8️⃣ Despair
Persistent hopelessness, wondering if you’ll ever land the role you want.

If you recognize yourself in stages 1–3, don’t wait.
Recovery isn’t optional.

Your career growth depends on your energy, clarity, and confidence.

No job is worth burning out your potential.
And no recruiter or company benefits from candidates running on empty.

💡 Pro tip: The best candidates often take strategic pauses to recharge, rebrand their resumes, and optimize their LinkedIn profiles before hitting “apply” again.

Where are you in these stages?
And more importantly, what small step can you take today to protect your energy and keep moving forward?

📍 Download a free resume template today: https://lnkd.in/ggGxWxMn

♻️ Share this with someone who’s grinding in silence.
➕ Follow me (Mary Southern) for more. 

Resume Assassin
Resume Sidekick

#resume #gethired #jobsearch #recruiter #jobopening

8 Stages of Job Search Burnout

If I had to find a job in the next 24 hours, here’s exactly what I’d do.

Not in two weeks.
Not after the “perfect opportunity” shows up.
Now.

Because when money is tight, 
traditional job search advice falls apart.

It’s built for people with time.
And urgency doesn’t care about best practices.

In this episode, I walk through the exact strategies I’d use if I needed income fast.

The uncomfortable ones.
The unconventional ones.

The ones that actually work when speed matters more than ego.

This isn’t advice for your dream role.
It’s a playbook for getting a yes.

Watch the full episode. 
Link in the comments. 💪 

♻️ Share this to help someone job searching in your network today!
➕ Follow me (Mary Southern) for daily posts and weekly podcasts. 
👇 Save this. You’ll be glad you did.

Resume Assassin
Resume Sidekick

#resume #gethired #recruiter #jobopening

You’ve sent every resume.
You’ve stayed up late tweaking your LinkedIn.

You’ve applied to every “perfect” job
Hoping someone notices.

You thought effort alone would get you interviews.
You thought being qualified would protect you.
You thought the system would reward loyalty.

Guess what?
The job market doesn’t owe you anything.

Even the company that “values you” 
moves on the moment it benefits them.

You’re not failing. 
You just believed a lie.

Picture this: You hit send on that final application.
You stop refreshing your inbox.
You step away.

No panic. 
No guilt. 
No pretending you can control it.

Because your power isn’t in trying harder.
It’s in how you play the game.

Here’s how to take it back:

✅ Invest in your story, not just your resume
Your experience matters. How you frame it is what gets you noticed.

✅ Be strategic, not desperate
Apply smart. Network intentionally. Follow up boldly.

✅ Focus on what you can control
Your skills. Your narrative. Your confidence.

The right job doesn’t reward exhaustion.
It rewards clarity, courage, and visibility.

You deserve to be seen.
You deserve to be remembered.
You deserve a career that fights for you, not the other way around.

Claim your power. 
Make them notice. 💪 

♻ Repost to remind someone they are in control of their career.
➕ Follow me Mary Southern for more. 

Resume Assassin

#resume #gethired #recruiter #jobopening

College is a scam!
A client told me this last week. 

Bachelor of Science degree. 
Good grades. 
Played by all the rules.

Four years. 
$80K in debt. 
And absolutely zero job offers.

She was applying to everything. 
Even roles she was overqualified for.

She told me: I just need something. Anything!!
The rejection emails kept coming.

She was doing everything right. 
Or so she thought.

Here's what was actually happening:

❌ Her resume screamed:
I'm overqualified and will leave the second something better comes along.

❌ Employers saw her bachelor's degree and Epic experience and thought: She'll be bored in 3 months.

They weren't wrong to think that. 
Her resume told that exact story.

So I rewrote her resume.
Retold her story. 

Four weeks later? 
Two offers on the table.
Let's GOOOO!!

My thoughts?
College isn't a scam. 

But the promise that a degree = a job? 
That's the scam.

Nobody tells you: 
• Your degree gets you past HR filters, not hiring managers 
• "Overqualified" is code for "we think you'll quit" 
• Desperation shows up in every line of your resume 
• The system rewards strategy, not credentials

But she didn't need more education. 
She needed someone to translate what she already had.

What do you think? 
Is the "degree = job" promise outdated? Drop your thoughts below. 👇

♻️ Share this post with your thoughts. 
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Resume Assassin
Resume Sidekick

#resume #gethired #jobsearch #jobopening #recruiter

My client Alex told me something that I disagreed with adamantly.

He insisted that being smart meant being the best. 
(Honestly, I've heard my 6 YO say this too).

More knowledge. 
More logic. 
More right answers.

For my client (and son), it didn’t work. 
Not really.

Projects failed. 
Teams struggled. 
People didn’t respond.

Know what I think?

IQ doesn't get results.
Emotional intelligence does.

How you handle stress.
How you treat people when it gets hard.

Alex started focusing on EQ:

💪 Self-awareness 
notices emotions before they take over

💪 Self-control
stays calm, even under pressure

💪 Attentive listening
hears what’s said… and unsaid

💪 Empathy
senses feelings without judgment

💪 Clear boundaries
says no without guilt

💪 Self-support
calms himself in tense moments

💪 Gentle feedback
honest, without hurting

💪 Accountability
owns mistakes

💪 Adaptability
flexible under pressure

💪 Relationship care
builds trust consistently

The results?

People wanted to work with him.
Teams followed him.
Projects moved faster.

Results improved.

EQ isn’t automatic.
It’s built. 
One choice at a time.

♻️ Share if this resonates.
➕ Follow me Mary Southern for more. 

Resume Assassin

#resume #gethired #recruiter #jobopening

Emotional Edge

Technology didn’t break hiring.
It just exposed it.

Before the systems,
someone actually read your resume.

They paused.
They noticed patterns.
They saw potential that wasn’t perfectly phrased.

Now a machine decides in seconds.

Not because you aren’t qualified.
But because you didn’t say it the right way.

I worked with a client who had led teams.
Saved millions.
Built processes still in use today.

Her resume never reached human eyes.

Rejected.
Again.
And again.

She assumed the problem was her experience.

Too long.
Too senior.
Too much.

It wasn’t.

The system wasn’t broken.
It was doing exactly what it was designed to do.

Filter risk.
Reduce volume.
Remove nuance.

Depth doesn’t translate well to automation.

So we rewrote her story.
Not to sound impressive.
But to sound clear.

Impact first.
Outcomes loud.

Language the system could recognize
and a human could feel.

The next submission didn’t disappear.
It surfaced.

Interview.
Conversation.
Momentum.

Here’s the part most people miss.
If a system can’t understand your value,
it will erase it.

So before your next application, pause.

Ask yourself:
Would someone who doesn’t know me
understand why I matter in ten seconds?

If the answer is no,
the problem isn’t your experience.
It’s the translation.

♻️ Share this to help someone job searching in your network.
➕ Follow me (Mary Southern) for more!

Resume Assassin
Resume Sidekick

#resume #gethired #recruiter #jobopening

Why Hiring Feels Broken

Why your experience isn’t landing the interviews you deserve

Job searching doesn’t just test your patience.

It tests your confidence. 
Your identity. 
Your sense of what you’re capable of.

→ You’ve delivered results.
→ You’ve solved hard problems.
→ You’ve done the work.

So why aren’t recruiters calling? 
Why aren’t you getting interviews?

I've seen it SO many times!! 

Hundreds of applications. 
Countless rejections. 
That feeling that somehow… you’re not enough.

Here’s what I wish every job seeker understood:

1️⃣ You are not your resume.
Your skills, experience, and achievements are bigger than a list of bullet points.

2️⃣ Rejection isn’t a verdict.
Usually it means your story isn’t landing. 
The right role is waiting, you just need to frame it clearly.

3️⃣ Preparation beats panic.
Strong narratives, examples of impact, and clarity matter more than blasting applications everywhere.

4️⃣ Talk to yourself like a champion.
You wouldn’t tell a teammate they’re not good enough. 
Don’t say it to yourself.

5️⃣ Visibility changes everything.
Connections, conversations, and relationships often open doors that applications never will.

Your breakthrough may be closer than you think.
I’m praying the right opportunity finds you.

📌 Download a free resume template today: https://lnkd.in/ggGxWxMn

💬 What’s the hardest part of your job search right now?
➕ Follow me Mary Southern for more. 

Resume Assassin

#resume #gethired #recruiter #jobopening

Here’s something that might make you mad at first.

Interviewers don’t actually know what they’re looking for.

They think they do.
They wrote the job description.

But when it’s time to choose between you and someone else?
None of that decides it.

👉 How you make them feel does.

If you’ve ever walked out of an interview thinking,
“I nailed it… so why didn’t I get the offer?”

This is why.

Interviews aren’t logical.
They’re emotional.

The interviewer is stressed.
Overworked.
Terrified of making a bad hire that blows up in their face.

They’re not hiring a resume.
They’re hiring relief.

Someone who:
✔️ Solves their problem
✔️ Makes them look good
✔️ Feels safe to bet on
✔️Is easy to work with
✔️ Actually wants this job
✔️ Can take the lead without being annoying about it

That’s what’s really being evaluated in the first 5 minutes.

So try THIS during your next interview:
💪 Mirror their language.
💪 Tell stories that reduce risk.
💪 Build real chemistry.
💪 Lead the conversation like a pro.

Because the candidate who gets hired isn’t the smartest in the room.
It’s the one they can’t imagine saying no to.

I break down the 6 psychological principles interviewers are actually judging you on in my newest podcast. Link is in the description! 

Do me 1 favor today, please SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel.
(Never thought I'd say that, but here I am.) LOL 🫠 

♻️ Share this to help everyone NAIL their next interview. 
➕ Follow me Mary Southern for more.

Resume Assassin

#resume #gethired #jobsearch #recruiter #jobopening

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