#1 for Career Coaching on LinkedIn. I help senior-level ICs & people leaders grow their salaries and land fulfilling $200K-$500K jobs —​> 300+ placed at top companies.

Ranked The Top Career Coach Worldwide On LinkedIn | Helping Senior ICs & People Leaders Land $200K-$500K Dream Jobs

Ready to grow your salary and land a role you actually love?

I've helped over 300 professionals break through salary ceilings and land life-changing positions at Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Apple, Nvidia, Amazon, and other top companies.

Here's what makes my approach different:

Most job seekers waste months applying to hundreds of jobs with no results. My clients land multiple offers in 6-12 weeks using "The Simple Success Method" - my distilled 5-step system that focuses only on what gets you hired. After 300+ successful placements, I've learned that executive-level results come from doing the RIGHT 5 things perfectly, not overwhelming yourself with complicated processes.

My track record speaks for itself:
✓ 300+ clients placed at dream companies  
✓ Average salary increase: 40-80%  
✓ 300M+ content views helping job seekers  
✓ Featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider  
✓ Built my own 7-figure business using these exact strategies
✓ Ranked the top job search coach on LinkedIn (#1 in the U.S. and Worldwide by Favikon)  

What you get in Career Leap:
→ The Simple Success Method™ (my battle-tested 5-step system)  
→ 1:1 coaching sessions with me personally  
→ Exclusive access to proprietary AI job search tool  
→ Group coaching with other high-performers  
→ Private community of ambitious professionals  
→ Complete confidentiality throughout your search  

This isn't for everyone. I only work with senior-level individual contributors and people leaders who are serious about making a major career move and ready to invest in themselves.

My guarantee: If you don't land a $200K-$500K role within 90 days, we'll keep working with you until you do. That's how confident I am in this system.

More about me: Currently living in Chicago. I worked at LinkedIn for 4 years helping Fortune 500 companies hire top talent, then founded my own 7-figure recruiting start-up. Now I use that complete 360° perspective - platform insider knowledge + hiring expertise + entrepreneurial success - to help people land jobs they actually love.

Ready to transform your career?
  
Send me a DM with "CAREER LEAP" or book a free job search strategy call: https://lwspuk8wil4.typeform.com/to/LeHkspKC

P.S. - Spots are limited. I only take on a select group of professionals each month to ensure everyone gets the attention they deserve.

Reno Perry

My biggest hiring mistake taught me everything.

I passed on someone because they didn't fit the mold.

She had passion. 
She had drive.

But no industry experience.

So I hired the "safe" choice instead.

9 months later, they were gone. 
I was just a stepping stone. 

The person I rejected?

She's now embedded and thriving at another company. 
With no plans to move on. 

That's when it clicked:

People never forget the leader who took a chance on them.

And leaders who don't take chances?

They miss out on incredible talent.

What I’ve learned:

↳ Drive beats degrees
↳ Potential beats pedigree
↳ Character beats credentials

But most of all: 

Attitude beats everything. 

The intern we promoted over more senior candidates.
The career changer who became our top performer.
The self-taught developer who built our best systems.

They all had one thing in common:

Someone believed in them before they proved it.

Now that's how I lead.

I look for hunger, not just qualifications.
I bet on people, not just resumes.
I build futures, not just teams.

Because when you give someone their shot?

They don't just remember. They deliver.

Who's someone who gave you a shot? 

Tag them in the comments below.

"Cool office perks" are dying.

And the companies you actually want to work for
already know that.

I talk to hiring leaders every week
who are building teams at the $200K–$500K level.

Here's what the best companies are spending on instead of ping pong tables:

True flexibility.
Could be hybrid, async, or remote work.

AI upskilling across every level.
Not just engineering. Everyone.

Mental health and wellness support
that goes beyond a meditation app.

Family care benefits that actually cover
the messy reality of having a family.

Career development budgets
people can use without jumping through hoops.

Equity compensation at all levels.
Not just C-suite. 

Transparent pay scales.
No guessing. No negotiating against yourself.

Leadership coaching programs
because promoting someone without support
is just setting them up to fail.

Notice the pattern?

None of these are perks.
They're investments in the kind of people
these companies can't afford to lose.

And the data backs it up.
Companies doing this see dramatically higher retention,
employee satisfaction, and productivity.

So if you're job searching right now,
especially at the senior level,
stop asking "what are the perks?"

Start asking "where is this company actually investing?"

That answer tells you everything
about whether they'll invest in you too.

What's the most meaningful investment
a company has made in you?

---

The companies making these investments
are also raising the bar on who they hire.

If you're targeting a leadership or senior IC role
in the $200K–$500K range,
I run a small accelerator built for exactly that.

DM me the word "READY"
or check the link in my Featured section.

I've interviewed 2,000+ people.

The best candidate usually isn't the most experienced.
It's the one who's most prepared to show their value.

Not with memorized lines.
With real answers that build confidence and spark trust.

You're almost guaranteed to hear these 5 questions.
Here's the mindset behind answering each one well:

"Tell me about yourself"
Lead with one clear result that connects to the role.
End with why their future excites you, not just yours.

"What's your greatest weakness?"
Pick something real but not role-critical.
Show the system you've built to improve.

"Why are you leaving?"
Stay positive and forward-focused.
Frame the move as a step toward greater impact.

"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
Align your ambition with their growth path.
Show how this role is the bridge.

"Why should we hire you?"
Point to results that solve their exact pain.
Make it obvious you'll add value from day one.

But here's what most candidates miss…
being ready when it's YOUR turn to ask questions.

That's your chance to show you're thoughtful,
strategic, and serious about the role.

I put together a cheat sheet with
10 high-impact questions that set you apart.

Save it. Screenshot it. Send it to a friend
who's got an interview coming up.

If you're preparing for interviews at the
$200K–$500K level and want strategic support,
I'm opening a few seats in my Job Search Accelerator.

Book a strategy call here to see if it's a fit: https://lnkd.in/gCKpEsYg

I've helped 100s of candidates land 6-figure roles.

The best offers don’t always go to the best candidates.

They go to the most prepared ones.

Save this for your prep.
Share it with someone who needs a win.

12 tough interview questions with A+ answers
(from someone who’s seen what works):

1. “Tell me about yourself.”
↳ Share your value, impact, and what you’re building next.

2. “Walk me through your resume.”
↳ Show how each step made you stronger and more strategic.

3. “Why are you leaving your current role?”
↳ Don’t trash the past—focus on what’s ahead.

4. “I see a gap in your resume. Why did you take time off?”
↳ Be real. Keep it brief. Then move forward.

5. “How do you lead without authority?”
↳ Show how you align people and drive results anyway.

6. “Have you ever disagreed with your boss?”
↳ Prove your maturity: challenge with logic, solve with impact.

7. “What’s a decision you regret?”
↳ Pick one. Own it. Share what changed because of it.

8. “What’s something you’d do differently if you could?”
↳ Point to one thing that would’ve made a big difference.

9. “If I called your boss, what would they say about you?”
↳ Share real feedback that shows clarity, trust, and leadership.

10. “What’s your biggest weakness?”
↳ Be honest. Keep it small. Explain how you manage it now.

11. “What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken?”
↳ Walk through the bold move and the payoff.

12. “Tell me about a project that failed and what you did.”
↳ Own the mess. Show how you fixed it and rebuilt trust.

Great answers don’t just sound good.
They show you’re already thinking at the next level.

So if this helped you rethink how you prep...

Save it.
Remember it. 
Use it. 

Because your next big opportunity could come down
to just 1 question.

But you’d better be ready for all 12.

—

📌 P.S. Ready to land a stronger role in 2026?

I'm hosting a free masterclass where I'll walk you through exactly how senior-level candidates engineer the offers they want.

Grab your spot here: https://lnkd.in/g8fyNm7g

Your LinkedIn profile is costing you opportunities.

(And you don't even know it.)

I've reviewed 1000+ profiles.

Most make the same 7 mistakes.

The good news?

They're all fixable today.

Here's what separates profiles that get ignored
from profiles that get interviews:

1. Your Photo

Blurry selfie → Professional headshot
Dark lighting → Natural light
Busy background → Clean, simple backdrop

2. Your Headline

"Marketing Manager" → "Helping B2B SaaS Companies 
Triple Pipeline Through Data-Driven Campaigns"
Job title only → Keywords + impact + value

Try these headline formulas ↓
[Title] | [Keyword 1] | [Keyword 2] | [Keyword 3] | [Value Statement]
[Title] | [Industry/Expertise] | [Value Statement or Achievement]

3. Your About Section

Resume copy → Your actual story
Third person → First person, conversational
List of duties → Problems you solve

4. Your Skills

23 random skills → Up to 100 strategic ones
Old terminology → Current industry keywords
Set and forget → Update every quarter

5. Your Recommendations

2 generic ones → 3+ specific ones
Old colleagues → Recent success stories
Vague praise → Measurable outcomes

6. Your Custom URL

in/12345abc → in/yourname
Hidden profile → Easy to share and find

7. Your Activity

Ghost mode → Weekly engagement
Broadcasting → Conversations
Silent scrolling → Strategic commenting

The reality?

Recruiters spend 6 seconds on your profile.

Make them count.

I've helped 100s land 6-figure roles.

Every single one started here.

Your competition isn't just sleeping.
Their profiles are working 24/7.
Yours should be too.

Pick one section.
Fix it today.
Then move to the next.

Small changes. Big results.

—

📌 P.S. If you’re serious about making a move and want help positioning yourself for $200K–$500K roles, I work with a small number of clients inside my Job Search Accelerator. You can fill out the short form in my Featured section and, if it’s a fit, book a strategy call.

I stopped asking "What's the culture like?" in interviews.

Not because culture doesn't matter. It determines everything…your growth, confidence, stress, and well-being.

I stopped asking it because it never reveals the truth.

Ask any hiring manager and you'll hear the same three lines:

"Collaborative." "Innovative." And dare they say "Like family."

Vague. Rehearsed. Meaningless.

If you want real insight, you need questions that force specifics, not slogans. Questions that uncover actual behavior, not branding.

The 12 on this cheat sheet do exactly that.

Pay attention to how leaders respond, not just what they say. 

Do they lean forward or get guarded? Do they name real people and real examples or speak in theory? Do they admit where they're still improving or pretend everything is great?

Those moments tell you everything.

Because you're not just interviewing for a job. 

You're interviewing for the next 2,000 hours of your life.

Ask the questions most people are too afraid to ask. 

You deserve real answers.

📌 Want help landing a better role and a healthier team environment? Visit the featured section on my profile to learn more and book a free strategy call.

The most successful people I've met share 1 skill:

They’re powerful communicators.

I've watched so many talented professionals get overlooked.

(Especially in job interviews these days)

All because they couldn't package their value into stories that stick.

The right frameworks can help you do that.

Here are 5 story frameworks every professional or job seeker needs to know:

1. PCAR Method
↳ Forces you to set the scene before jumping to what you did
↳ Makes interviewers feel the weight of your impact

2. The Minto Pyramid Principle 
↳ Saves time by leading with conclusions
↳ Perfect when you must make your point quickly

3. AIDA Framework 
↳ Builds momentum from the first word to the final ask
↳ Keeps readers engaged through your entire message

4. StoryBrand Framework 
↳ Shifts focus from what you did to what they need
↳ Makes your value instantly relevant to your audience

5. The Hero's Journey
↳ Turns career gaps into growth stories
↳ Shows resilience instead of just listing jobs

Each framework helps you:

✅ Build real connections
✅ Make your message stick
✅ Say more with fewer words
✅ Stand out from everyone else

Your experiences already matter.
These frameworks just help others see it too.

Which of these frameworks are you using right now?

If storytelling in interviews is the piece that's costing you offers (which it probably is tbh), that's exactly what we fix inside Career Leap.

My clients don't just learn frameworks. We practice real reps with them until their stories land every time.

Link in my Featured section if you want to see how it works.

Many candidates overthink this question.

They try to answer it by:

❌ Proving everything all at once
❌ Sharing their needs instead of the company
❌ Giving answers that are too generic/general

But what often works better?

Stories that show your impact.

(I would do this for most interview questions btw)

Research suggests stories are remembered up to 22x more than facts.

And the best ones follow a clear structure:

Problem → Constraint → Action → Result

Here’s what that looks like: 

1. Problem
What challenge were you solving?

2. Constraint
What made it harder—tight deadline, limited budget, unclear direction?

3. Action
What steps did you take? What skills did you use? What was your role?

4. Result
What changed because of you? Use data when you can or clear outcomes.

Some questions I always come back to:

☑ Does this story solve a problem they care about?
☑ Can it be shared concisely in no more than a few minutes?
☑ Does it highlight your decisions, not just your tasks?
☑ Will they remember both the result and how you work?
☑ Does it feel like your story, not a script?

When those answers feel solid, your story will feel solid too.

At the end of the day, you don’t need a perfect answer.
You need a structured one that connects.

Ever shared a story in an interview that really landed?
Would love to hear how you approached it.

📌P.S. If you want support using stories like this to land a better, higher-paying role, I’m opening a few spots this month in my job search accelerator. We have people leaving this month due to landing jobs! Fill out the short form in my Featured section and if it’s a fit, we can talk.

How_to_Answer_Why_Should_We_Hire_You

I’ve had jobs that look great on paper but still felt like I was in the wrong role. 

The smartest career move you can make this year?

Aligning your ambition with your energy.

If you're crushing goals but feeling completely off-track, you're not broken.

You're just misaligned.

I see this all the time with people “doing well”

Great title. Good money. Totally drained.

They think they need to blow up their career and start over.

But that's not it.

You don't need a career overhaul. You need realignment.

There's a Japanese concept called Ikigai - it means "reason for being."

It's basically the intersection of what you're great at, what energizes you, what pays well, and what fits your life.

I've adapted it into a career framework I use with clients to find that sweet spot.

It's four overlapping questions:

→ What are you trusted to deliver? (Your zone of mastery)
→ What would you do even if it didn't pay? (What drives you)
→ What's actually in demand? (Market reality)
→ What fits your life right now? (Not just your ambition)

The magic happens at the intersection.

That's where you get focus, clarity, and motivation without burning out.

I broke down the full framework in the graphic below 👇

Look at it. See where you're strong. Notice where you're missing.

That gap? That's what's making you feel off.

—

P.S. This kind of clarity work is what we do with clients inside my Job Search Accelerator. I help professionals align their skills, ambition, and energy so their next role actually compounds their career. 

If you want to explore working together, you can apply and book a strategy call here: https://lnkd.in/gCKpEsYg

The best companies don't have to beg people to stay.

I talk to hiring leaders every week.

The ones with great retention aren't doing anything complicated.

Their people feel challenged. Trusted. Recognized. Like their career is actually moving somewhere.

These are exactly the things you should be testing for in your interviews.

Most candidates never ask the right questions to find out if a company actually operates this way.

Or just says it does.

The difference between a role that energizes you and one that burns you out in 18 months usually comes down to how well you interviewed them.

ADHD Career Coach | Founder of Momentum — the 8-week coaching program built to get ADHD brains off the overthinking line and into a rhythm of task execution (even on low-energy days)

If you're like most senior leaders I work with, you're not stuck because you lack experience, but because locking into your next move feels impossibly heavy.

I know that feeling well.

For years, I could lead teams, close deals, and make high-stakes decisions without blinking.

But when it came to my own next step?

– Everything blurred.
– The options multiplied.
– The second-guessing crept in.

And the longer I sat with it, the harder it got to move at all.

You can probably relate:

– You can see multiple lanes.
– You can imagine yourself in all of them.
– You can talk yourself into each one if you're not careful.

But eventually, the weight of all those possibilities starts to work against you.

➝ Your story doesn't point anywhere.
➝ Your positioning feels scattered.
➝ Your confidence nosedives.

And you start asking the real question:

"𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄?"

Most people assume it's a motivation problem.

It's not.

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺.

Because when you're keeping too many options open, nothing really lands.

Once you stop hedging and lock into one clear lane, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀:

➝ Your direction locks in. 
➝ Your positioning becomes clear. 
➝ Your visibility grows in the right spaces. 
➝ Your authority increases with the people who matter.

Small wins start stacking again.

Movement feels normal.

Confidence comes back online.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗜 𝗱𝗼.

Through 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 — my 8-week 1:1 career accelerator — I help leaders in transition stop hedging, lock into one clear path, and build visibility and authority where it actually matters.

Here's what you get:

– A structure for clarity, positioning, visibility, and authority
– The accountability and scaffolding that keep you steady
– 1:1 support to reduce friction instead of adding pressure
– A 2nd brain to guide the work between calls (Persona™)

By the time the conversations start, people already understand who you are, what you bring, and where you fit.

And once you lock in?

Momentum becomes the norm.

📩 𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 "𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺" 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱.

David Hannan

Most people don't realize how easy it is to find recruiters on LinkedIn.

I shared this in a comment a while back and people found it useful, so I'm putting it here properly.

4 ways to find recruiters:

1. People + Industry search.

Run a blank search from your home page, then filter by 'People'. Inside 'All filters', scroll down to 'Industry' and add 'Staffing and recruiting'. You can also filter by 'Location' if you're looking for someone local.

2. Company pages.

Visit a company's LinkedIn page and click on the 'People' tab. Add ("talent" or "recruit") in the search field and hit run. Results will show everyone in talent or recruiting at that company (remove parentheses).

3. Jobs posted in public feed.

From your homepage, search for ("hiring" AND "JOB YOU WANT"), and filter by Posts. Add "staffing and recruiting" again under 'Industry' in 'All filters'. Now you have a list of jobs posted in the personal feeds of recruiters/employers vs doom-scrolling LinkedIn's job boards. Note: "JOB YOU WANT" is the actual job title you're searching for, like "VP of Operations" or "Marketing Director."

4. Recruiters attached to reqs.

When browsing job search results, recruiters' profiles are usually attached to LinkedIn job descriptions. Check them for profile/contact details.

Please reach out like a normal human. 

Be clear. 
Be respectful. 
Be easy to work with.

And recruiters will bend over backwards for you. 

I know I used to.

P.S. ♻️ Repost to help someone else in your network.

Helping senior leaders stop hedging and lock into one clear path | Founder of Momentum | Former $4M full-desk recruiter

10 harsh truths I learned switching careers at 50.

Thinking about a pivot? Read this twice:

1️⃣ You're not too old to change.
But you are too old to keep pretending you're fine

2️⃣ Purpose doesn't just appear.
You create it through messy action and alignment

3️⃣ Confidence won't lead the way.
But it will follow consistency.

4️⃣ Long careers makes choosing difficult.
Each option looks like the right and the wrong one.

5️⃣ Your old career isn't wasted.
It's raw material for your next chapter.

6️⃣ Focus won't magically show up.
You have to build systems that hold you together.

7️⃣ Motivation lies.
You need momentum, even tiny steps count.

8️⃣ You won't feel clear before you start.
Clarity comes after commitment, not before.

9️⃣ Reinventing yourself takes guts.
Especially when it’s easier to stay put than moving. 

1️⃣0️⃣ Progress will feel invisible.
Until one day, you realize how far you've come.

I learned these the hard way by breaking patterns I didn't even know I had. 

If I knew them sooner?

I would've spent less time overthinking and more time trusting the process.

Which one feels the most true for you?

Share below in the comments—let's compare notes.

There are only two ways to show up on LinkedIn:

1. You turn up and think.
2. You throw in the towel.

For longer than I should have, I went along with the second one.

I replied to comments that were clearly AI-generated and engaged with copy-paste slop from people I’ve known for years, telling myself it was just part of staying visible.

But it never really felt right. 

Maybe it’s my ADHD, but I’m bad at faking. 

Responding to zero-effort comments just to keep the numbers up always felt off to me.

“But Dave, you use ChatGPT.” 

Yeah, I do. Every day.

I want to be clear about something though. I make the calls. I don’t drop a prompt in and paste whatever comes out. I use it like an assistant, to help me think, shape ideas, and get unstuck.

It doesn’t replace the work.

That’s where it breaks for me. It feels like throwing in the towel. Like deciding you don’t care enough to show up anymore.

And I do care. I’m not playing along anymore.

I’m blocking people who leave obvious AI comments on my posts, the flat, generic filler that could land anywhere without changing a word. 

I’m also stepping away from the beige content cycle, even if it’s coming from people with much bigger audiences or people I’ve known since the beginning.

If my metrics take a hit or my follower count drops, I’m fine with that.

I’ve spent years building a reputation I’m proud of, and I’m not willing to water that down to inflate vanity metrics. 

I show up here because I care about the people I’m trying to help, especially those navigating real career pivots, and I’m not compromising that.

If it means a smaller room with real conversations, I’ll take it.

10 surprising job search truths I know at 53.

(that I wish I knew at 33)

1. Networking is essential.

Realize that building authentic relationships can open more doors than just handing out business cards.

2. Building a personal brand is crucial.

How you present yourself online and offline can make or break opportunities in your industry.

3. The myth of job security. 

Recognize that the concept of lifetime employment is largely outdated. Diversifying your skill set and being adaptable are your best insurance policies.

4. Self-care is a priority. 

Prioritizing self-care can enhance both your job satisfaction and performance. Ignoring this can lead to burnout and reduced productivity.

5. The value of cultural fit. 

While high salaries or brand-name companies may seem attractive, finding a workplace where you fit in culturally can be equally, if not more, important.

6. Facing ageism. 

Discrimination based on age is a real challenge; staying relevant and adaptable are keys to overcoming it.

7. The importance of time management. 

Understand that being busy isn't the same as being productive. Effective time management is a crucial skill for a fulfilling career.

8. The power of negotiation. 

Whether it's your salary, role, or benefits, strong negotiation skills can significantly impact your path.

9. More than just job titles. 

There's more to job satisfaction than just your title. It's about work-life balance, company culture, and a sense of purpose.

10. Financial planning is a necessity. 

Planning for financial stability is essential, whether for retirement or navigating potential job losses.

The only thing I'd change? 

Start believing them sooner.

PS. What would your #11 be?

10 Job Search Truths I Learned the Hard Way

I turned down $3k and a new client in January. 

Zero regrets.

A Head of Comms DM’d me about working with me. 

Before I responded, I checked their comment history.

Three scrolls in, I found him going off on a recruiter I know. 

Not pushing back or disagreeing respectfully. 

Just mean.

The kind of mean that tells you exactly how someone shows up when things get hard.

Guess what? Coaching’s hard, too. 

On paper, he was solid. But I’m not working with him.

It’s the reason I read beyond someone’s headline. 

Your comments are the realest thing on your profile. 

They show me how you treat people who disagree with you, what you sound like when you’re tired, the version of you nobody’s edited.

I’ve left frustrated comments too, but there’s a difference between saying something’s broken and being rude about the people who don’t see it your way. 

Here’s what I notice with people stuck in their search.

They’re pointing outward. 

All recruiters are idiots. 
Hiring managers are clueless. 
Their last boss was a scumbag.

And that outward pointing keeps them stuck.

Because it’s not about any of those people, it’s about misplaced anger. 

If you’ve been unloading in the comments, do something this weekend. Go through your activity and look at what you wrote.

Ask yourself if that’s someone you’d want to hire. If the answer is no, clean it up.

Not because I’m watching, and many won’t notice. 

But you will.

The person who shows up Monday with a cleaner feed moves differently. 

That person gets callbacks.

You can tell the truth and be smart about it. You can be frustrated and also be someone you’d hire.

I get it, a job search is hard.

Just don’t be a dick about it.

Your reputation’s tied to every single comment.

And it’s why I check them every single time.

PS. Got you thinking about that comment, didn’t I?

No alternative text description for this image

The biggest networking mistake senior leaders make on LinkedIn.

Ever sent a cold DM asking to pick someone's brain?

Of course you have. Who hasn't?

Here's what's happening on the other end: You're asking a stranger for help. For time. For attention. 

And they don't know you yet, so it feels icky.

What actually works is totally different.

Instead of reaching out to that person directly, show up in the rooms where they're already hanging out. 

And I'm not talking about sliding into their DMs. 

I'm talking about finding content that connects:

Could be from a recruiter. 
Could be from a company posting. 
Could be from a thought leader in your space. 

Something that actually resonates with you.

Then you engage in the comment thread. 

Real engagement. 

Not "love this" or some anemic platitude.

You add something to the conversation. Show up where others are already discussing the same stuff.

Do that over and over. Ten, twenty times. 

In the spaces where the people you want to know are already present.

Here's what happens: You become visible. People start recognizing your name. And then—this is the key part—you start becoming familiar. 

That familiarity builds trust. 

And once you've got trust, that's when you can actually reach out and have a real conversation.

It's the relationship rule of three:

Comments boost visibility. 
Visibility leads to familiarity.
Familiarity is the key to trust.

And trust is when you can start picking brains.

P.S. ♻️ Repost to help someone else in your network.

Last week a client said, "I could do any of these five things."

That's where most people get stuck.

I've been sitting with a lot of people whose background just makes sense. 

They've got the experience, and they've done some pretty cool things, but then you ask them what they want next, and there's this shift.

They can talk for twenty minutes about what they've done. 

But when you ask, "So what's the next move?" something happens. It's like they suddenly realize they're choosing which version of themselves to lead with. 

Not which job, but which identity.

One version is the operations person. The systems builder. Another is the people leader. Hired well and trained people up. And then there's the strategist. The one in the room where decisions got made.

They're all real, and they've all got proof.

But when they try to hold onto all of them, their voice changes. There's this hesitation. 

I'll hear it when they talk about what they want next. They'll start clear and then it softens. "Or I could also..." shows up mid-sentence.

It's not a confidence thing because they know they're capable. It's just that their story doesn't actually point anywhere. It sits there in all directions at once.

A hiring manager can hear that. 

They hear the capability, the experience, but they don't hear where the person is actually trying to go.

It's not that any one version is weak, they just haven't decided which version is actually driving the ship yet.

So everything stays flexible, and everything stays technically true.

And why they're stuck between all five.

PS. The first in your list is usually the one.

Defending my team didn’t rattle me, the train ride home did.

This was 2018, back when I was still recruiting.

I had to push back on senior leadership about something that would have landed badly on my team. 

In the room, I kept it together. I listened, took notes, tried not to react. They said I handled it well.

But on the Metro-North ride home, I felt completely detached, just staring out the window. 

I got home and shut down, and the next couple of days took more out of me than I thought.

When you’re the one carrying the weight in the room, you don’t really get to fall apart.

You regulate yourself, you absorb what’s coming at you, and you try to make it usable for everyone else.

That’s how you end up in bigger rooms.

It also takes something out of you.

Before that meeting, I’d already rehearsed what I was going to say and run the objections in my head. 

While I was sitting there, I wanted out, but I kept it together because that was the job.

None of that shows up on a resume or in a performance review.

When I talk to senior leaders now who are between roles or thinking about their next move, this is usually the part that doesn’t come up.

They’ve been carrying that weight for years, and it just feels normal.

The calm exterior, and underneath it, a steady internal burn rate.

You don’t really notice it while you’re still in it.

Sometimes in a career transition, the exhaustion’s been building long before the search even starts.

P.S. What other parts of leadership don’t get airtime?

This is some of the best news I’ve heard on automated/AI generated comment moderation come out of LinkedIn in ages. 

This will have a direct impact on all the big name accounts who’ve relied on engagement pods to boost reach through automated comments. 

Christmas came early. 

LIAM DARMODY — LFG!

Back with a Friday update - today, it's about a comments and the steps we are taking to keep the conversations in the comments authentic and helpful. 

tldr: Automated comments - comments submitted to LinkedIn via a browser extension, script, or third party tool, without human action involved in clicking the “comment" button - are not allowed on LinkedIn. Instead, we want to focus on the comments that are authentic and spark genuine conversations.

taplio

The Battle

Reno Perry

David Hannan

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taplio

The Battle

Reno Perry

David Hannan

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

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

Performance ScoreDavid Hannan's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreReno Perry's LinkedIn Performance