Paul Upton

LeaderUP

👉 Message me on LinkedIn

I am one of the few career coaches who has Fortune 50 leadership & hiring manager experience. This gives me the perspective to know exactly what hiring managers (not just recruiters) are looking for in a Manager, Director, VP+, how to stand out, and what it really takes to be a top 1% Leader & Candidate!

I have partnered with recruiters, HR leaders, hiring managers, and leaders to understand and distill the most important qualities and traits of successful leaders and how to find these in candidates and develop them in leaders. 

Through all this and hundreds of interviews, I have learned what the Top 1% of candidates do and built a system that works to help leaders, aspiring leaders, and high performers learn these skills and get the jobs & opportunities they really deserve!

► I help YOU master YOUR resume + LinkedIn so you STAND OUT and get NOTICED

► I help YOU learn how to ROCK your interviews and build real, memorable connections with hiring managers & GET OFFERS!

► I help YOU learn the skills to negotiate like a PRO to get the best total compensation package possible

► I really care. My sole reason for LeaderUP is to help YOU find success and fulfillment in your career. Success YOU DESERVE and have earned by working harder, learning more, and putting in the effort to SUCCEED!

I have created the LevelUP Leadership Top 1% Candidate Coaching Program to help leaders get promoted and land their dream jobs using Top 1% Applicant Strategies, leveraging the top SECRETS learned from Expert Resume Writers, Recruiters, Hiring Managers, Leaders, and Top Candidates, as well as many failures, successes, and continuous improvement!

► LevelUP Leadership Top 1% Candidate Coaching Program

MESSAGE me on LinkedIn to learn more and how I can help you!
Email me at Leaderup.Program@gmail.com

Founder, CEO & Chief Career Officer - Career Expert | Career Success Coach | Leadership Coach

MTFH Solutions

Making the Future Happen Solutions was created to help move forward innovative ideas, services, minds and leaders. More info coming soon!

Feel free to reach out directly for more details, we look forward to potentially working with you!

Current Focus Areas Includes:
- Consulting Services
- Leadership/Executive Coaching
- Pre Sales, Sales Strategy & Execution
- Start-up Coaching & Mentoring

Founder & CEO - Lead Consultant & Managing Principal

CenturyLink

Was recruited and brought in to lead the transformation organization of over 150+, consisting of 3 main groups the Data Science & AI/ML team, Business Transformation & Portfolio Management team and lastly the System, Tools and Integrations team. Tasked with using data, automation, cutting-edge innovative technologies to transform the way Lumen North American operations operate.

Scope included all Copper and Fiber networks, national and international, consumer as well as enterprise products and solutions.

Our task was simple, to plan, execute and deliver large-scale transformation efforts, removing over $200M of cost savings and revenue acceleration per year. The complexity came in how to actually do this, having a laser-sharp focus on execution and delivering results, while fostering & maintaining the culture and spirit of innovation.

This included partnering, pushing the limits and innovating with the best minds, companies and consultants in the industry!

Executive Director Transformation & North America Operations

Comcast

Tapped to do what I did in the Xfinity Mobile organization but across all of Comcast's Products and Operations, including TV, Internet, Voice, Xfinity Mobile, Xfinity Home and more.

This new role expanded responsibilities and direct leadership of two additional teams, managing all digital data operations and Adobe Website Tagging and Analytics for all of Comcast Cable.

Consumer Experience Transformation - Director Strategic Enablement and Data Operations

SCOPE:  All of XM Operations | Strategy and Innovation for Data, Product, Design, UX, Customer Support, Retail and Marketing to take the business to the next level |  Delivery of Operational & Data Solutions | Customer Experience Insights and Customer Journey Deep-dives

◾️ Tasked with transforming XM to be customer focused and data driven in all our operational and strategic decisions

◾️ Built out the strategy, plan, change management and delivery of this vision:
      ◽️  Created processes, capabilities and building out a team to enable our data first goals
      ◽️  Defined Requirements, Building ETL and Aggregating OMNI Channel Customer Experience Data
      ◽️  Made data relevant, error free, available, understandable and giving access to everyone in XM
      ◽️  Identified, built and launched tools to enable self-serve analytics & insights
      ◽️  Established structured listening mechanisms to understand what’s most important to our customers 

◾️ Identified and quantified our top business-wide opportunities in our customer experiences and operations

◾️ Delivering cross functional programs and strategic solutions to the top issues across XM saving over $5M annually

Xfinity Mobile - Director Customer Experience Delivery, Operations and Analytics

SCOPE: National Responsibility | +5 major annual programs | $150M Budget | 18 matrixed reports | Leadership of Strategy & Operations of 5,000 Security Technicians | Quality & Performance of Over +600,000 Installations/year

◾️	Lead capital and opex programs to drive key operational and quality metrics including: Tech Availability, DOJ Tech & Order Support, Repeat Rates M1 Churn, Time in Home and NPS, Customer Experience & Install Quality

◾️	Develop requirements for new products and product enhancements based on field, customer insights & NPS data

◾️	Manage field launch of new products, development of install processes and quality controls for professionally installed XH products to drive improved customer experience, NPS and truck roll & call reduction 

Key Achievements:
◾️	DROVE QUALITY & REDUCED CHURN: Designed new metrics, led and nationally launched updates to the installation verification score (IVS 2.0) run on every install, utilizing a structured change management approach.
◽️	Reduced M1 Churn by 50 bps and drove 65% increase in mobile app downloads on day of job
◽️	68% improvement in sensor signal strength quality on new installs, reducing M1 Calls & Truck Rolls
◽️	Developed a dashboard in Tableau for field leads to improve management and performance of KPIs

◾️	REDESIGNED INSTALL PROCESS & CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: Led strategy, planning and execution of the initial Perfect Install Program to review the end-to-end sales through installation experience.
◽️	Program delivered 20+ recommendations and 11 core projects to improve the Tech & Customer Experience

◾️	IMPROVED AVAILABILITY & PRODUCTIVITY: Drove the best 0-5 day tech availability and average time to install results in XH history EOY 2017 through strategic project planning & execution 

◾️	REDUCED DEFECTS: Reduced 37% of calls through root cause analysis of DOJ Tech call data, development of solutions and support of the program management of 3 functional work streams.

Xfinity Home - Sr. Manager Tech Operations and Strategy

Verizon

SCOPE: 8 Core Verizon Telecom Functions | 11 major programs | $400M Reduction Goal | 5 Matrixed Leads & 9 indirect reports | Business Transformation Project & Program Lead | Large Scale Change Management & Execution

▪	Internal business consultant working with executive leaders to drive large scale growth & opex reduction programs

▪	Led matrixed & cross-functional teams focused on strategic process, functional and organizational changes and transformational improvements contributing to deliver over $21.5M in hard savings in 2016 and projected $120M.

▪	Led, co-facilitated and participated in over 12 Kaizen and Lean Six Sigma workshops

Key Achievements:
◾️	TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESS IMPROVEMENT: Transformation program lead to reduce $1B of WIP to over $400M and intervals from 229 days to 69 days, involving over 8 functional organizations.
◽️	Lead one program pillar and 5 key solution teams to re-engineer project creation, engineering milestones, automation, triggers and KPI’s to reduce +60 days in process time and $16.1M in hard savings.
◽️	Completed complex financial and operational analyses used to develop the strategy, scope and benefits of this large scale executive sponsored initiative.

◾️	DEVICE QUALITY MANAGEMENT: Successfully led a DMAIC program to create and implement a new vendor centric method of testing and validating products, platforms and services reducing overall testing durations and defects by over 75% and an estimated yearly savings of $4.4M.
◽️	All previous attempts had been unsuccessful due to system, reporting and organizational complexities.

◾️	DEVELOPED LEADERS: Coached 3 Green Belts on LSS methodology, tools and project management practices to successfully complete DMAIC and DMADV (Design) projects, leading to two of these green belts becoming fully certified and promoted to full-time black belt roles.

Business Transformation - Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

3rd Rotation - Verizon Leadership Program

SCOPE: Led Prepaid, Tablet Internet Channels, Chat Strategy & Execution and Advanced Analytics & Customer Insights

◾️	OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE: Designed and led a prepaid chat project to utilize specialized sales chat reps on prepaid pages resulting in a 27% gross add lift and improved customer satisfaction ratings. 

◾️	VENDOR & PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: Led vendor management, project design, compensation model, training, implementation strategy and execution for the Verizon Wireless Sales Chat Program 

◾️	BIG DATA: Led BlueKai and Big Data adoption at VZW and developed strategic A/B testing for personalization and landing page optimization utilizing MECLABS, resulting in 20% lift in high-value customer segments.

Internet Sales, Marketing, Chat Strategy and Operations

2nd Rotation - Verizon Leadership Program

SCOPE: Led cell site planning & capacity for over 1200 sites, $400M in assets and $50M in mass calling event initiatives

◾️	BUDGET & FORECASTING: Led mass calling events planning for all of Houston-Gulf Coast region including network capacity planning, budgeting and equipment dimensioning of 85 events / event areas and over $50M in resources and assets.

◾️	CREATIVE INNOVATION: Saved over $9M by leveraging current assets in the maintenance of ALL HGC cell site’s CE, 1X, EvDO and backhaul capacity.
◽️	Co-led 2012-2015 LTE Interface capacity planning of over 1200 NB sites, sector-splits, and small cells.

Traffic, Capacity and Data Performance Engineering

1st Rotation - Verizon Development Program

◾️	ROLE 1 - Led new features, products, quality, reliability and customer experience of the FiOS product
◾️	ROLE 2 - Led the launch, operations, expansion, automation and performance of FiOS Self Install initiative

◾️	OPERATIONS LEAD: Created and led operational activities for the FiOS self-install project which directly led to reaching stretch goals of 11,000 self-installs acceptances by EOY 2011 and an expense savings of over $1.6M. 
◽️	Developed processes, call scripts, M&P’s, trained & led two out-bound call centers for self-install options
◽️	Led transitional & automation efforts of the self-install initiative to improve and scale this project nationally to a projected 70,000 self-installs by EOY 2012 and yearly savings of over $25M.

◾️	QUALITY, RELIABILITY & NEW PRODUCTS: Supported the launch of new FiOS products and improved quality & reliability of existing products and services reducing calls, truck rolls and customer affecting issues by over 40%; including X-box streaming, MRDVR, Flexview enhancements, widgets, Samsung Streaming, MoCA 2.0, MPEG4 and IPTV.

In Home Network Engineer & National Operations Special Assignment

McCreary Roofing Company Inc

•	OPERATIONS EXCELLENCE: Increased speed and accuracy of all new jobs and bid requests by 40% by standardizing the work flow process & increased productivity by implementing a Microsoft Access Database

•	MARKETING INNOVATION: Created a new value added marketing plan & bid presentation pamphlet resulting in 35% lift on accepted jobs.

Engineering, Marketing and Sales Lead

GE Transportation

◾️	BUSINESS PROPOSALS: Managed engineering technical proposals for new and existing markets including the Freightliner Guinea ES44ACi Locomotive worth over $40M; Co-managed all Superskids for ASIA & Russia

◾️	VENDOR & SUPPLIER OPTIMIZATION: Led a cost-benefit proposal to re-engineer GE equivalents to 14 Union Pacific cables, projected to reduce replacement cable costs and lost productivity time by 45%.

Locomotive Proposals Engineer

◾️	LEADERSHIP ROTATIONS: Completed 5 functional rotations in Material, Process, Lean, Quality and Engineering

◾️	PROCESS INNOVATION: Developed and successfully implemented a comprehensive material management and inventory tracking system utilizing Lean Kanban and JIT strategies to systematically automate inventory management resulting in a yearly savings of over $15M. 
◽️	Consolidated over 800 parts and eliminated an average of +5 hours and ~3.5 takt stopping shortages per/wk.

◾️	PROCESS AUTOMATION: Created a material-tracking and process tool that identified and prioritized backlogged high profile items in a continuously moving lean line resulting in Maincab ending 2nd Qrt 2008 on schedule for the first time in over 3 years.

◾️	SAFETY & ERGONOMICS: Led safety and ergonomic projects including installation of pneumatic vices to eliminate 90% of repetitive motion and increasing productivity by nearly 50%.

Manufacturing and Operations Lead

Want to get to your next Career Level? Or into a role you'll Love? ◆ We help you get there! | Sr. Leads ► Managers ► Directors ► Exec Directors | $150K/$250K/$500K+ Jobs

"With no exaggeration- Paul and the LeaderUP program changed my life!" – James
(See more in recommendations)

👉 Message me on LinkedIn

Why Senior Leads, Managers, Directors & VPs choose to work with me:
▶️ You want to break into your next leadership role, get promoted, or move to a promotional opportunity. Maybe you are seeking to break into your next level or senior leadership.

▶️ You're stuck in your current role, not much company growth, or growth opportunities. Or you do not like your current company/role and want to find a better one and level up your career to the one you deserve!

▶️ You're in a job search, you know you are good, but something is missing, you are not getting interviews, or are not getting offers!

▶️ You're tired of being frustrated & wasting time!

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐞: I've spent the last 14+ years working at top Fortune 100 companies.
◾️ 10+ jobs over this time and 2 highly competitive leadership programs
◾️ 7 times promoted/found promotional opportunities (often they found me)
◾️ Most recently an executive director at a telecom leading an organization of 150+ people.

𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝:
◾️ What it really takes to stand out in the Top 1% of leaders
◾️ How to be a great leader and more importantly how to develop this in others
◾️ How to hire the best, I've done over 500+ interviews and hired multiple high performing 10X teams

I am one of the few career coaches who has leadership/hiring manager experience and knows what they are looking for!

𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒!

I have put these learnings together and have created the 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐔𝐏 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐓𝐨𝐩 1% 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 to help leaders and aspiring leaders reach the next level and land their dream jobs/promotions. 

Are you someone who wants...
✅Wants more MONEY, TIME, FLEXIBILITY, and GROWTH?
✅Gets multiple offers and CHOOSES the best one for them?

And would rather...
✅Follow a proven step-by-step process that works!
✅With the 1:1 support, you need along the way!
✅That takes 70% less time & effort and 99% less frustration!
✅And finally, get that dream job that they deserve and are excited to jump out of bed for?

► LeaderUP Job Offer System & Coaching Program -  Reach out to learn more!

👉 Learn more: message me!

Three years, 60-hour weeks, and all I got was anxiety meds and a pizza party.

That’s not a joke. That’s my review of their “employee experience.”

Here’s the dirty secret about “professional” notice periods-companies can cut your job with zero warning. But when you decide to leave, they expect you to train your replacement. Two weeks. Smiling. No complaints.

How much notice do they deserve when they’ve been burning you out for years?

I watched someone start a new role Monday. First day, her boss listened to her idea and said, “Let’s go with that.” She got a 40% raise. She got real work-life balance. She got respect on day one.

She didn’t apologize for leaving dysfunction. She didn’t feel guilty for protecting her mental health. She didn’t give courtesy to a company that never would have done the same for her.

Stop believing you owe loyalty to companies that don’t value you.

Stop thinking you have to “tough it out” for the sake of professionalism.

The truth is: companies protect their bottom line. You have to protect your well-being.

If a company can let you go with no warning, you owe them the same. No more. No less.

Has a company ever asked you to give more than they’d ever return? How did you handle it?

Share if it’s time to normalize protecting ourselves the way companies protect themselves.

#leadership #mentalhealth #workplace

The hardest part of my career was admitting I needed help.
That night, surrounded by tissues and doubt,

I decided to ask for help. That changed everything.

I didn’t see it coming.

Years ago—after months of late nights and hitting impossible goals—I walked through my front door, hugged my wife, and cried.

Not a little.

The kind of crying where your whole body shakes.

I felt like I'd failed.

Despite pouring myself into every project, there was no promotion. No recognition. No “thank you.”

Instead:
➝ I was told to “improve.”
➝ I was told I wasn’t ready.
➝ I was told I wasn’t enough.

I started asking myself the hard questions.

What am I missing?
Am I a bad leader?
Why does this keep happening?

Fast forward six months—everything flipped.

→ 4 job offers
→ 2 internal promotions
→ $34K pay raise
→ A dream role leading a team

How?

It wasn’t luck. It wasn’t working harder.
It was a single turning point.

That night, surrounded by tissues and doubt,
I decided to ask for help.

Not easier said than done. HARDER than done.

(And for me, big-time ego. What if people thought I was weak?)

But I followed through.

Here’s what admitting I needed help looked like:

1/ I dropped my ego.
What got me here won't get me there. Sometimes career success requires admitting you can't figure it all out alone.

2/ I faced the truth.
I was fixating on the next role while neglecting my current job and actual capabilities. Time to work on ME!

3/ I sought guidance.
I committed to change and got a coach. They identified growth areas I'd missed or avoided—truths I needed to hear.

4/ I took action.
Despite initial fear, I trusted the process. Took massive action and IT WORKED!!!

The results?

→ Promotions.
→ A fulfilling career.
→ Clarity like I’ve never felt before.

The truth is, success isn’t about staying strong.
It’s about knowing when to lean on someone else.

If you’re stuck… don’t wait for a breaking point like mine.

Take the step.

(You might just surprise yourself.)

Since then, I've earned multiple promotions and built an amazing career!

This journey inspired me to become a career coach myself—now I help others achieve the same transformation!

Comment "Transform" below ↓
If you'd like to learn more about how we could help you!

♻️ Repost to help someone who’s ready for their breakthrough.

Upskilling isn’t optional anymore.
If you’re not growing, you’re falling behind—fast.

And here’s the harsh reality:

Many people don’t.

They stay in their comfort zone.
They avoid challenges.
They hope their current knowledge will be enough.

But it won’t be.

Growth isn’t just “nice to have.”
It’s your survival strategy.

The professionals crushing it right now?

→ They’re learning new skills every week.
→ They’re adapting faster than ever.
→ They’re building momentum—not excuses.

The ones struggling?

→ They think their past success will carry them.
→ They hesitate to admit what they don’t know.
→ They wait too long to pivot, then the opportunity is gone.

Here’s the truth:

The leaders who thrive in this fast-changing world are the ones who say, “I don’t know this yet—but I will.”

They act BEFORE it’s urgent.

They lean into being a beginner again.

They go ALL IN on leveling up their mindset, their skills, their careers.

It’s not magic. It’s discipline.

Want to know how to start?

1/ Admit you're stuck.
↳ Example: “I don’t understand AI, and I’m behind on it.”

2/ Pick one skill that will make you more valuable.
↳ Example: “I’ll learn AI to streamline processes in my work.”

3/ Break it into bite-sized steps.
↳ Example: “I’ll spend 10 minutes daily watching tutorials before work.”

4/ Find resources that match your style.
↳ Example: Visual learner? Watch videos. Prefer hands-on? Try free tools.

5/ Track your progress.
↳ Example: “After one week, I’ll summarize the basics in my own words.”

6/ Stay consistent.
↳ Example: “Every weekday at 8 AM, no excuses.”

This isn’t about perfection.
It’s about showing up every day and refusing to settle for “good enough.”

Because the skills you sharpen today will set you apart tomorrow.
What skill will YOU commit to learning this week?

♻️ Repost to inspire someone to start growing today.

If you want to learn the skills to level up your career and income?
Comment "LevelUP" below! ⬇️

3 years stuck. 12 rejections. Zack kept asking, what am I doing wrong?

He followed every rule.

Worked harder than anyone.
Delivered 30% over target.
Took every high-profile project.
Built skills nobody else had.

His reviews? Stellar.
His bonuses? Impressive.
His promotions? Nonexistent.

Managers kept saying, “Be patient.”
Feedback was always vague.
“Not quite executive material.”
“Need more seasoning.”
“Keep doing what you’re doing.”

Zack felt trapped.
He did everything right.
Still, doors stayed closed.

The truth is:
Performance was not his problem.
Positioning was.

LeaderUP’s assessment showed what was hiding in plain sight.

He spoke as a specialist, not a leader.
His resume listed effort but not impact.
He solved problems but didn’t move strategy.
He was seen as reliable, not visionary.

The better he got at his job, the more they kept him in it.

LeaderUP helped him break the pattern.

We identified the leadership stories he never told.
We reframed his wins to spotlight business results.
We changed how he spoke to executives.
We built his authentic leadership voice.

Twelve weeks later:

He interviewed for Senior Director.
They made a new role just for him.
His pay jumped 45%.
His team size tripled.

The lesson?

Excellence alone won’t get you promoted.
You must be seen as a leader before you get the title.

The system is built to keep high performers in place.

If you don’t position yourself differently, you hit the same ceiling again and again.

What invisible ceiling is holding you back?

Comment “CEILING” if you want to learn how to position yourself for your next level.

I watched others get promoted while I waited.  
Then I changed my approach-and my career exploded.

Here’s what no one told me:

• Hard work alone does not get you noticed  
• Loyalty does not guarantee progress  
• Job boards rarely deliver real results

Most people do what they know:  
• Polish the resume  
• Send more applications  
• Wait for luck to show up

But waiting is not a strategy.

When I wanted to break out, I did what top leaders do:

1) Get clear on your VALUE  
→ Write down three true strengths (no buzzwords)  
→ Ask trusted peers how you drive impact  
→ Figure out what sets you apart

2) Stop job-hunting. Start NETWORKING  
→ Reach out to decision-makers directly  
→ Share wins, ideas, and vision-not just your CV  
→ Connect with peers at the next level up

3) Build your personal BRAND  
→ Show how you solve problems others cannot  
→ Share stories of leading teams or driving results  
→ Let the right people know your goals

I used these steps myself:
• Seven promotions  
• Multiple leadership programs  
• Doors opened that I never saw before

Hundreds of clients have done the same.

The uncomfortable truth:  
Results speak louder than hours worked.

You deserve a job where you feel valued-and where you grow.

Ready to stop waiting and start leading?  
I built a free training on what hiring managers *really* look for.

Want a copy?  
Message me with “TRAINING” and I’ll send it over.

What would shift in your career if you focused less on resumes and more on relationships?

I stopped trying to be perfect in interviews. I started listening instead. That’s when the offers came.

Picture this-70 interviews, zero offers. Each one felt like an exam. I studied, rehearsed, tried to give flawless answers. I left every room feeling defeated.

The truth is: interviews are not tests. They are conversations.

What changed everything for me?

I heard: “People don’t hire skills. They hire humans they trust.”

That hit hard. I realized my mistake. I was trying to impress, not connect.

I shifted my approach:

• I asked what THEY needed
• I listened to their biggest challenges
• I made it about THEM, not me

Instead of performing, I connected. Instead of reciting, I listened.

Next 5 interviews?

4 offers. No change to resume. No fancy script. Just a new mindset.

Here’s what matters:

→ If you’re in the interview chair, you are already qualified
→ Rapport wins over rehearsed answers
→ Solve THEIR problem-not your anxiety about being perfect

Hiring managers want someone who understands, not just someone who answers.

I built the LeaderUP Interview System around this truth. It’s helped me-and hundreds of clients-stand out and get offers, fast.

Your resume gets you in the room. The way you connect gets you the job.

How do you approach tough interviews? Has connection helped you stand out?

Stuck in a toxic job? You’re following old rules that keep you trapped.

You know you’re a talented leader in tech.
But you’re still using the same playbook that got you here.
Now-those rules hold you back.

Here’s what I see every week:

• You polish your resume for the 100th time.
• You wait for your boss to notice your value.
• You hope HR will offer you something better.
• You keep working harder, hoping for a break.

Truth is: Companies changed. Hiring changed. Leadership changed.
But the job search strategies most people use? Still stuck in 2010.

The fix is simple, but powerful.

The LeaderUP 3 Keys Proven Framework:

1. Decision Maker Marketing - Position yourself as the solution to their biggest problems. Your resume and LinkedIn must scream impact at the level you want, not just the job you have.

2. Interview Pipeline Process - Build a personalized outbound plan. Reach out directly to decision makers. Use tools and automation. Stop waiting, start driving interviews.

3. Interview Process Certification - Learn how to become the answer hiring managers need. Consistently get offers by showing you solve real pain.

But that’s not all.

We dig deep to uncover your key unlocks:
→ What makes you unique?
→ Where do you deliver value no one else can?
→ Which growth areas will move the needle?

Then, we use the MASE Approach:
• Mindset: Growth over fear.
• Attitude: Show up with energy.
• Skills: Level up-hard and soft.
• Effort: Daily, focused action.

Imagine the shift:
You land the role you want.
You triple your impact, income, and satisfaction.
You wake up excited-recognized for your true worth.

The uncomfortable truth:
Success starts when you break old patterns and choose a new strategy.

What would change in your career if you stopped following outdated rules and started using a proven framework?

I see growth where others see only trouble. That’s my secret.

Most people scan the headlines, scroll through complaints, and get stuck on what’s wrong.

They say:
• The world is a mess
• My job is draining me
• Nothing ever changes

But here’s what they miss-what you focus on becomes your reality.

When you zoom in on pain, you get more pain.
When you point your lens at growth, you see new ways forward.

I’ve been there. Years ago, I hit a wall in my career. Stuck, frustrated, looking for someone to blame.

The truth is: I was feeding the problem with my attention. I was growing more stuck, not less.

Everything shifted when I started asking:
• What can I learn here?
• How can I grow from this?
• What part of me needs to change?

That’s when the doors opened. New roles. Promotions. More energy. Better teams. Not overnight-but every day, a little more.

The uncomfortable truth: The world will always have trouble. Pain. Problems.

But you choose what grows in your life. Your focus is the fertilizer.

If you want to be in the top 1%, start with your mindset-focus on growth, not trouble.

What would shift in your career if you focused less on pain and more on possibility?

CRO @ Ronin Consulting | Connecting leaders in the tech space to their next opportunity | Former Senior-Level Tech Executive

I’m a career coach for tech professionals ready to lead what’s next, whether that means landing in the C-suite or pivoting out of it.

With 30+ years in tech and leadership, I’ve made hires, made career moves, and made sense of reinvention more than once. Now I help others do the same.

I coach mid-to-senior leaders through:
✔️ Executive leadership search strategy
✔️ Career pivots & clarity 
✔️ Networking with confidence
✔️ Aligning you with opportunities that resonate
✔️ Job search strategy that works
✔️ Offer negotiation with confidence

I've led teams, launched companies, and sat in executive rooms and I know what it takes to get there and what it takes to walk away.

Titles I proudly answer to:
Wife. Mom to two early-career engineers. Thrift-store treasure hunter. Home-reno junkie. Lake life lover. Real estate investor. Encourager.

Ready for what’s next? Check out my featured section or send me a note.

Ruth Smith

I’ve lived between two extremes: a sister whose life ended at 44… and a father-in-law marching toward 98 and still going. That contrast changes you.

One of my biggest takeaways of 2025 is this: we are guaranteed nothing.

None of us knows how much time we have. 
None of us knows how many seasons we get. 
And this year forced me to live like I finally believed it.

2025 lit a fire in me to make the most of every moment. 

I started living a week at a time, holding my time loosely, my people tightly, and my priorities with open hands.

I’ve been more present than I’ve been in years. 
I’ve said yes more. I’ve cleared my calendar. 
I’ve chased simple joys with a kind of freedom I didn’t realize I was missing.

I designed a career around my life instead of fitting my life around my career.

I became a digital nomad and worked from multiple places I used to only dream of. 

I prioritized friendships I let drift.

I spent real, unrushed time with family across the country. 

And I met new people, the kind of people I never would’ve known if I hadn’t walked through deep loss.

I learned how to grow and scale an online business. (Still learning.)

I challenged myself physically, mentally, and spiritually.
I traveled lighter, inside and out. 

And I became more grateful than ever for the only thing that truly matters: people.

If there’s a lesson in all this, it’s simple: 
Build a life you don’t have to escape. 
A life aligned with your values, your relationships, your joy. 
A life that honors the time you’ve been given… however long or short that may be.

I don’t have it all figured out.

But I’m living more freely, more intentionally, and more gratefully than ever before.

And that feels like the beginning of something beautiful.

📌 What is a lesson you've been learning this year?

Career Coach for Tech Leaders | Guiding You to Roles That Fit Your Life and Leadership

Its Thanksgiving and I’m grateful..

For every client who trusted me to partner with them this year.

For friends and family who loved me well from near and far.

For the opportunity to step into full time Career Coaching, allowing me to do work I love from anywhere with people in Canada and the US. 

For the ability to make new memories navigating the loss of my sister.

For the many connections I’ve made on this platform who inspire me every day.

Most importantly I’m grateful for my immediate family and sisters family who have been a source of inspiration and resilience this year. (pictured)

Happy Thanksgiving. 🦃🍁 

Thank you!

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Too old to hire. Too young to retire.  
[And caught in one of the toughest executive job markets in 15 years.]
 
If that’s you, you’re not imagining it.  The data backs it up:
 
➜ Leaders over 50 stay unemployed 40–50% longer than younger counterparts.  
➜ Executive job postings are down 30–40% YoY in many sectors.  
➜ Final-round drop-offs are higher for senior candidates than ever before.
 
You’ve felt this:  
Months of interviews.  
Endless “we went with someone else.”  
And a growing fear that your experience is suddenly… too much?
 
But here’s the part the headlines aren’t covering:
 
High-growth SMBs and early-stage companies are hiring seasoned leaders at increasing rates.
 
According to multiple VC reports and startup hiring analyses:
 
• Seed-to-Series B companies increased leadership hiring by 18% last year despite broader market slowdowns.
• 72% of founders say they need operators with “deep experience” to scale, not first-time leaders.
• VC firms are pushing portfolio companies to add “adult supervision” earlier, operational, financial, and strategic talent with scar tissue and pattern recognition.
 
In other words:
 
Your experience isn’t the problem. 
It’s the solution, but only in the right market.
 
The companies that need you most:
 
• Are between 10–200 employees
• Are VC-backed or private-equity supported
• Are scaling faster than their systems can handle
• Have founders who’ve never navigated the growth stage you’ve lived through multiple times
 
These organizations aren't ageist.  They’re pragmatic.  They want leaders who can execute, mentor, stabilize, and accelerate.
 
So before you assume the market has passed you by, shift your strategy.
 
Target high-growth SMBs, Seed-to-Series-B startups, and VC-backed companies.  Your decades of experience are an unfair advantage in those environments.
 
You’re not “too old.”  
You’re exactly what scaling companies are looking for... 
a leader who’s already walked the hard roads they’re about to travel.

📌 What have you seen in your executive job search? 

=> I coach executive leaders to land their next role. 
=> DM to see if we should work together.

This week, a client said something that broke my heart a little and encouraged me a lot.

“I didn’t realize how much I looked forward to our weekly meetups… until you were gone for nearly two weeks.”

It wasn’t the resume work.
It wasn’t the interview prep.
It wasn’t the strategy.

It's the consistency. 
The rhythm. 
The accountability. 
The feeling of not having to walk this brutal market alone.

This job market is tough. 
Really tough. 
For most people, it takes 6–12 months to land.
(Some faster. Some slower.) 

But no matter where you fall in that timeline, your mental endurance matters just as much as your skill set.

And that’s why I believe good Career Coaches are important. 

Coaches provide nudges when motivation drops. 
Strategies when nothing seems to be working. 
Honest conversations when doubt creeps in. 
Reminders of your worth when rejection happens. 

It’s why I work with my clients until they land. 
Not for a set number of sessions. 
Not for a 90-day window. 
But until the work is done… 
Until the offer comes… 
And even beyond that first day in the new role.

Because the job search season can be long. 

Walking it with someone in your corner on the days you can’t is a lifeline.

Job searching is a long process that most people underestimate.

Hang in there. 
Keep showing up. 
And don’t be afraid to let someone walk alongside you.
It makes all the difference.

📌 How long have you been searching, and who has been your encouragement?

Some seasons break you.  
Other seasons remake you. 
This job market is doing both.
 
Every December, I hear the same thing from job seekers:  “I’ll just wait until January.”
 
But I’ve coached in enough downturns to know that waiting is the easiest way to lose momentum. 

And momentum is the one thing you can control  when everything else feels shaky.
 
I’ve seen people land roles on Christmas Eve. 
I’ve seen teams hire because they had “just enough” leftover budget.  

December isn’t dead. 
It’s quiet.  
And sometimes quiet is where breakthroughs happen.
 
Leaders still make decisions in December.  
Budgets still get finalized.  
And connections still open doors when you least expect it.
 
If you’re tired, I get it.  
But slowing down now can cost you opportunities that never hit job boards.  
This month isn’t about pushing harder;
it’s about showing up consistently  when most people stop.
 
Let December be the month you choose resilience over retreat.
 
📌What’s one small action you plan to take this week to build momentum?

=> If you need help mapping out December, DM me and let’s build your strategy.

Your next opportunity won’t come from a job post. 
It’ll come from a person.
 
Last December, I met with a client who felt defeated. 
She had applied to dozens of roles with no traction.  
Her confidence was sinking.
 
So instead of applying more, we switched her strategy.  
She reached out to three former colleagues.  
Just human conversations.  
No asks.  Just reconnecting.
 
Two weeks later, one of those conversations turned into an interview.
 
In downturns, networking isn’t a “nice-to-have.” 
It’s the engine of your job search.
 
Warm connections cut through algorithmic noise.  
They help you get seen by real people. 
They surface roles that never make it to job boards.  
And they give you insight into what’s actually happening inside companies.
 
If you want a different result this month, start talking to people who already know your work.

December is a networking goldmine if you use it right. 
 
📌  Who is one person you could reconnect with this week to spark fresh momentum?
 
=> DM me if you are a tech executive needing help developing your networking plan

Tech isn’t the safe bet it used to be,  and workers are feeling it.

We’ve seen some of the worst layoffs in decades, especially in tech, where so many of us believed opportunity would always be there.

And if you’ve been feeling unsettled, discouraged, or out of control… you’re not imagining it.

This season has made me rethink a lot. 
It’s hard to feel steady when companies treat us like we’re replaceable.
It’s hard to feel in control when you’re waiting for someone else to decide your future.

Whenever I’ve been in a place where everything felt shaky, I always returned to one question:
“What 𝘤𝘢𝘯 I control?”

Recently, I saw a Reddit thread where hundreds of people shared where they still feel safe and able to thrive. 

They talked about changing career fields where opportunities were stronger. 

One of the most powerful decisions you can make in a market like this is to consider a pivot.

Some examples from what I’ve been seeing and reading:
• 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 + 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: steady job growth and strong demand
• 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: huge need with ongoing infrastructure projects
• 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲: nursing, occupational therapy, paramedics
• 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: especially special education, math, and science teachers
• 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀: HVAC, plumbing, electrical (these roles are booming)
• 𝗣𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲: grooming, walking, sitting (people spend on their pets even in downturns)

I know someone who left a manufacturing leadership role and started his own AC business. 
More control. 
More stability. 
More freedom.

You may not be able to control the market… but you can control your path.

Have you ever considered a career pivot? 
Is there a field you’ve seen growing? 
A role you’ve watched quietly rise in demand?

This might be the moment to explore it.

Don't worry about what others might think. 

When the ground feels unsteady, sometimes the wisest thing you can do is choose a new direction.

Especially if you have years or decades left in your career. 

📌 What roles have you noticed are in demand right now?

We're not in a talent crisis. We're in a trust crisis. 

74% of hiring managers are more fearful of fraud than last year, and it shows.
 
Last week, a Director of Engineering told me he interviewed twenty candidates for a Senior Software Engineer role. 
Only two were even close to qualified.  
Eighteen interviews, hours of preparation, follow-up, and evaluation. 
All for resumes that looked polished but had very little substance behind them.
 
He looked exhausted describing the experience. When you are trying to lead a team, prioritize high-impact work and meet deadlines, wasting full days on irrelevant interviews is frustrating.
 
AI was supposed to make hiring faster and easier. 
Instead, it has flooded the market with resumes that read beautifully but fall apart in the first five minutes of a conversation.
 
One thousand applicants might look impressive on a dashboard. 
In reality, it often means one thousand inaccurate profiles created with AI assistance.
 
I keep hearing the same thing from leaders: 
 “I don’t know who is real.” 
 “I don’t know which resumes I can trust.” 
 “I don’t have time to filter through all this.”
 
It's equally frustrating for job seekers. 

Job seekers feel pressure to doctor their resumes because they think everyone else is doing it. It’s a race to the bottom.

The process feels onerous. 
AI bot screenings, rejection for roles minutes after applying, and endless hurdles introduced into the hiring process. 

My prediction for hiring in 2026: 
Companies that strike a balance between human connection and old-fashioned applicant screening will be the talent winners. 

The human element matters more than ever. Trust, relationships, and relevance are the new gold standard.

Let's hope the market and hiring process improve soon. 

📌 What has been your biggest frustration with AI in the hiring process?

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is a strange little day. 

Technically a workday, but let’s be honest… nobody’s fully working.  
We’re all half in our inbox and half in our fridge.
 
This is the day my kitchen turns into a full-blown production studio.  

Casseroles get assembled like we’re feeding a small army.  

Pies get baked while I pretend I’m on the Great British Bake Off.  

The turkey gets prepped, even though every year I Google “How long does a turkey actually take to thaw?” like it’s brand-new information.
 
It’s also the calm before the family onslaught.  
You know… that brief moment when the house is still quiet, and you can actually hear yourself think.  

Honestly,  I love it.  The chaos, the carbs, the noise, the laughter, the mild family dysfunction, all of it.
 
I've learned that life doesn’t have to be perfect to be really, really good.
 
So if you’re prepping, cooking, Googling turkey tips, or hiding from your relatives in the pantry… you’re in good company.
 
Happy Thanksgiving week.  

📌 What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

She almost stayed because the job market felt too risky.  
Staying would’ve cost her far more.
 
For years, she had been overlooked.  
Delivering results.  
Taking on more.  
Getting told “no budget” whenever she asked for a raise.
 
But this fall, she hit her breaking point. 
She decided to interview, even in the toughest market we’ve seen in a decade.
 
And everything changed.
 
She landed a new role.  
$30K more.  
A leader who actually values her contribution.  
And together, we built a 90-day plan that will make her impact undeniable.
 
This market is scary, yes.  
But staying in a place that refuses to recognize your worth is far scarier.
 
Some roles grow you.  
Some roles shrink you.  
And sometimes the biggest risk is staying put because the headlines say it’s safer.
 
She didn’t wait for the market to be perfect.  
She moved while she still had energy left to change her future.
 
If a company won’t grow with you, it’s okay to grow without them.
 
📌 What opportunity have you been putting off because the market feels uncertain?

=> I'm a Career Coach for Tech Executives
=> DM if you need a partner to help you land you next role

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