EMPA - Data & Management Consulting

Senior Consultant

KPMG

As a specialist at KPMG, I advance AI innovations in taxation, develop MVPs through Design Thinking, and strategically lead prototype development for future-oriented solutions.

Specialist

DatafabriQ

As CTO at DatafabriQ, I led the technological direction, built the backend MVP, and coordinated an external team for rapid frontend development.

Chief Technology Officer

cognaize

As a Data Scientist at cognaize, I shaped the technology by developing advanced ML models in Python and enhanced the platform for effective extraction of information from unstructured data.

Data Scientist

ZDF Digital Medienproduktion GmbH

As a working student Data Scientist at ZDF Digital, I significantly contributed to the company's success by developing Machine Learning algorithms for recommendation systems and Computer Vision projects.

TechQuartier

As a Backend Developer, I realized an event-carpooling platform, significantly contributing to its success and third-place finish in a start-up competition by establishing a seamless backend infrastructure and integrating it via REST-API.

TechTalent

Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz

As a Research Student Assistant in the EUFOOT project, I analyzed the impact of international football events on European identity and presented the findings through an R-Shiny app I developed.

Research Assistnat

Knatsch.com

As a Mediator at Knatsch.com, I facilitated a more harmonious collaboration between parties through effective conflict resolution and open communication.

Mediator

Unstructured data is everywhere—hiding in emails, buried in SharePoint, scattered across OneDrive. Without the right approach, it remains just that: unstructured, unoptimized, and underutilized. 

I help businesses unlock the hidden value in their unstructured data by applying proven strategies for metadata management, automation, and governance. My expertise lies in making sense of vast amounts of information — turning chaos into clarity, risk into compliance, and data into insight.

With a strong focus on OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange metadata, I work with organizations to:
→ Classify, tag, and structure unstructured data for better findability and compliance.
→ Enhance governance & security, ensuring sensitive information is properly managed.
→ Extract actionable insights, empowering businesses to make data-driven decisions.

If your organization is struggling with unstructured data management, let’s connect. I’d love to discuss how we can turn your data into a strategic asset.

Yannik Suhre

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!

HR: We would like to make you an offer of $210,000 plus a 35% annual bonus.

Candidate: That sounds great. Will I be able to work remotely?

HR: No. This position requires you to be in the office full-time.

Candidate: Can I work hybrid so I can spend less time commuting, more time working, and more time with my family?

HR: No, you have to be in the office Monday to Friday. No exceptions.

Candidate: I think I will have to pass.
—
Priorities have shifted.

People don’t want to build their entire lives around their careers anymore.

Family is important.
Impact is important.
Culture is important.
Balance is important.

Time and flexibility are more valuable than money.

Agree?

CEO: Everyone needs to return to office full-time.

HR Lead: Our productivity metrics are actually 22% higher with remote work.

CEO: But collaboration and culture are suffering.

HR Lead: Our collaboration tools usage is up 34% and employee satisfaction is at a record high.

CEO: I still want everyone back. I just don't trust what I can't see.

---

The return-to-office debate isn't about productivity.
It's about control.

Hard truths about the RTO push:
• 78% of companies pushing RTO show no productivity decline remotely
• Middle managers report feeling "less essential" with remote teams
• Companies with strict RTO policies are seeing 2.5x higher turnover
• 83% of employees would take a pay cut to maintain remote flexibility

The real reason many companies want you back:
They invested billions in real estate they don't want to write off.

The most progressive companies aren't deciding between office or remote.
They're creating systems that optimize for results, not location.

True leadership isn't about seeing people at desks.
It's about creating conditions where people thrive.

Has your company forced RTO despite evidence it's not necessary?

♻️ Repost to push companies to follow data, not dogma.

HR: You got the job!!! The compensation is $255K + 65% bonus.

Candidate: That sounds great! Is remote work still on the table?

HR: No. Office all day, every day.

Candidate: Any chance for hybrid? I want to skip traffic, spend more time with family, get more done.

HR: Absolutely not. No exceptions. Office or nothing.

Candidate: Then I’ll pass.

---

Let’s stop pretending money always wins.

Here’s what I keep seeing in real job searches:

Companies throw out big salaries like bait.
But top talent cares about flexibility.

Not a ping-pong table.
Not free lunch on Fridays or pizza parties.

The old “butts in seats” rule?
Clings to life in too many orgs.

It’s 2025.
Yet some leaders still think,
Visibility > Results.

Here’s a question for you:

What would make YOU walk away—
No matter the paycheck?

Time to normalize: High performance + Healthy boundaries.

Agree?
Or Disagree?

Job applications should have 2 buttons:

- Upload Resume
- Submit

Nothing else.

No one should copy-paste their life story for you.
Want to know who’s a fit?
Read the resume.

More steps = More friction.
Fewer great people apply.
Your loss, not theirs.

Agree? Repost to wake up companies stuck in the past.

Need help landing interviews or a better offer?
Comment "Interviews" below or DM me.

hashtag#hiring hashtag#jobsearch hashtag#simplicity

Leaving after 1-2 years isn't "job hopping" anymore.
It's career strategy in 2025.

Top earners will have 12+ jobs in their lifetime.
You're not "disloyal" for:

• Walking away from toxic leadership that drains your mental health
• Rejecting the 2% annual "raise" that's actually a pay cut with inflation
• Escaping a boss who takes credit for your work but blames you for mistakes
• Declining to sacrifice your life for a company that would replace you in 48 hours
• Refusing to stay where your skills are underutilized and your growth is stunted

The new loyalty is to yourself first.

Companies that retain talent:
Pay fairly, promote growth, and treat people like humans.

Companies that complain about "job hoppers":
Offer stagnant wages, burnout, and guilt trips.

Which one are you working for right now?

Every time I've "job hopped," my salary jumped 20-30%.
Every time I stayed "loyal," it rose 3%.

Your career is a marathon, not an arranged marriage.
Run it on your terms.

Share if you've upgraded your life by upgrading your workplace.

"We can't possibly match that offer. You should take it."

After 7 years of loyalty and consistently stellar reviews, that's what his VP told him.

No counter-offer. No negotiation. Not even a conversation.

So he accepted the other company's Director role and resigned.

Five weeks later, they called with a desperate counter-offer:
• Director of Operations title (which "wasn't in the budget" for years)
• $38,000 more than he'd been making (suddenly available)
• The three days remote he'd been requesting since 2020
• Full budget authority (which he "wasn't ready for" last month)

His response?

"You had 5 years to value my contribution. Another company needed just 5 interviews."

Why director-level talent keeps leaving "loyal" companies:

• They promise meritocracy but practice favoritism
• They claim to value loyalty while underpaying for it
• They insist budgets are tight until your resignation letter arrives
• They tell you you're "not ready" while you train your new boss

The magical budget that "doesn't exist" suddenly appears when you resign.

The authority you're "not ready for" becomes available overnight.

The flexibility that was "impossible" becomes standard practice.

The most valuable career lesson: Your skills are worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for them—not what your current employer tells you they're worth.

Has your company suddenly "found" money, flexibility, or advancement opportunities only after you resigned?

♻️ Repost to help others stop undervaluing themselves in the name of loyalty.

hashtag#careeradvice hashtag#leadership hashtag#corporatelife

"We can't match the salary, but we can offer you the title of Senior Director."

This was the counteroffer when he submitted his resignation.

He accepted it, flattered by the prestige.

Two years later, he discovered his "Senior Director" compensation was $43K below market rate for a regular Director.

🤦

The title inflation scam is the corporate world's most effective money-saving strategy:
• Create impressive-sounding titles that cost nothing
• Use them to mask below-market compensation
• Exploit employees' desire for status and recognition
• Prevent them from accurately benchmarking their market value

The LinkedIn comparison trap:
• Your college friend is now a "Chief Innovation Officer"
• Your former colleague became "EVP of Strategy"
• Your neighbor was promoted to "Senior Director"

What they don't post:
• The CIO role at a 15-person company pays less than a junior manager at a Fortune 500
• The EVP has no direct reports and earns less than most directors
• The Senior Director makes less than an entry-level software engineer at a tech company

If you have the title, and the responsibility.

Make sure you also,
Have the compensation to match.

Are you being paid in false prestige instead of actual money?

We can help with that.

Real roles.
Real titles.
Real compensation.

Sometimes this just means, negotiating the right way.

Comment "Negotation" below to learn more!

♻️ Repost to help others prioritize compensation over hollow titles.

#compensation #careeradvice #leadership

If you're hiring internally:
- Don’t invite 12 people to apply when they have no real shot.
- Don’t run 5 rounds of interviews if your mind is already made up.
- Don’t waste people’s time on a process that isn’t honest.

- Give the job to your chosen person. Say why.
- Be clear about your choice and your reasons.

Job seekers notice when the game is rigged.
Trust is lost when you waste their time.

Cut out the pointless steps.
Respect people’s time.

hashtag#jobsearch hashtag#hiring

They're never going to promote you to Director.

You're too valuable exactly where you are.

7 brutal signs your company is exploiting your talent while blocking your advancement:

1. They implement your strategic ideas
↳ But your name isn't mentioned when credit is given

2. You're the emergency problem-solver
↳ Yet "not ready" for the next level

3. You've quietly built the top-performing team
↳ While less effective peers get promoted around you

4. Executives seek your advice in private
↳ Then exclude you from decision-making meetings

5. Your responsibilities grow every quarter
↳ But your title and compensation stay frozen

6. They praise your "potential" in reviews
↳ Then cite "budget constraints" when promotion time comes

7. They keep promising "next time"
↳ But "next time" never arrives

The brutal truth: Your company benefits too much from keeping you right where you are.

She was told to "be patient" for 3 years while training her new boss (who made $45K more than her).

When she finally stopped waiting, she secured a Director role at a competitor within 6 weeks working with LeaderUP.

How long will you keep doing Director-level work without the title or compensation?

♻️ Share this with someone whose talent deserves recognition but whose company refuses to provide it.

#careeradvancement hashtag#leadership hashtag#knowyourworth

HR: "The Director role requires full-time office presence."

Candidate: "Even though my team delivered 157% of target while working remotely?"

HR: "Leadership visibility is part of our culture."

Candidate: "I'll have to decline your offer then."

HR: "You're rejecting $215,000 because you don't want to commute?"

Candidate: "No, I'm rejecting a company that confuses presence with performance."

---

Great leaders don't measure success by hours in an office chair.

They measure it by results, team growth, and business impact.

Companies stuck in outdated control models don't just lose talent—they lose innovation.

Would you walk away from a six-figure offer over outdated work policies?
Comment below.

♻️ Repost if you believe leadership should be measured by impact, not attendance.

Hiring Manager: "This senior director role demands long hours and total dedication. Are you ready for that?"

Candidate: "I bring efficiency and smart work strategies. Can we redefine what dedication means?"

Hiring Manager: "Here, dedication means doing whatever it takes, time-wise."

Candidate: "In tech, isn't it more about innovation and productivity rather than just hours spent?"

Hiring Manager: "We value those who sacrifice their time for the job."

Candidate: "True leadership in tech should be about balancing high performance with well-being."

---

Priorities have shifted.

The glorification of overwork in tech is being challenged.

Productivity is important.
Innovation is important.
Employee well-being is important.
Life beyond work is important.

Creating a culture that values efficiency and well-being over mere hours worked is key to sustainable success.

#worklifebalance #tech #hiring

He accepted the Director offer immediately: $165K base + 15% bonus.

"It's $32K more than I make now. Only an idiot would negotiate."

His colleague insisted he talk to a compensation coach.

"Complete waste of money. HR said it's non-negotiable."

But he decided to give it a go and reached out to LeaderUP --- what we said next shocked him:

"Multiple directors with your exact job title are earning $210-235K with 20-25% bonuses."

"That's impossible. HR was clear the range maxes out at $175K."

The LeaderUP coach explained:

"They're testing if you know your market value. They have budget for the right candidate."

Following our exact script, he sent ONE email expressing excitement about the role but requesting a "market-aligned package of $225K with a 22% bonus, consistent with industry standards for this level of responsibility."

48 hours of silence. Then:

• Base increased from $165K to $210K (+$45K)
• Bonus increased from 15% to 22% (+$14.7K annually)
• Equity grant doubled (+$60K over 4 years)
• Signing bonus added: $30K

Total first-year increase: $89,700
Total 4-year difference: $276,800

All from a 192-word email that took 20 minutes to write with our guidance.

The most expensive career mistake?

Believing "non-negotiable" offers are actually non-negotiable.

Companies typically reserve 15-30% above their initial offer for candidates who know exactly how to ask.

What's the biggest negotiation mistake you've made or witnessed?

♻️ Share to prevent others from leaving life-changing money on the table.

#negotiation #compensation #careeradvice

"Congratulations on your promotion to Director!"

After 5 years of exceptional performance, she finally got the title.

Her excitement lasted until she saw the details:
• 11% salary increase
• No change in bonus structure
• Same team, vastly more responsibility
• 360 feedback implementation expected

Meanwhile, her colleague left for a competitor and received:
• 37% salary increase
• 8% higher bonus potential
• Smaller team, clearer objectives
• Full onboarding support

The internal promotion trap is real—and it's costing loyal employees hundreds of thousands in lifetime earnings.

The data is clear:
• Internal promotions typically yield 8-12% increases
• External moves at the same level: 20-30%
• External moves with title bump: 30-45%

Companies exploit loyalty by:
• Gradually expanding your responsibilities without compensation
• Withholding promotions until you're already doing the job
• Dangling titles while undervaluing your market worth
• Relying on your emotional connection to the team

He spent 4 years chasing an internal Director role.
She spent 4 months finding one elsewhere at $56K higher compensation.

The "pay your dues" mentality only benefits companies—never loyal employees.

Your internal promotion strategy is likely the most expensive career mistake you're making.

At LeaderUP, we've helped hundreds of professionals overcome the internal promotion trap through strategic internal and external positioning.

How long have you been waiting for the promotion AND compensation you deserve?

♻️ Share to help others stop undervaluing themselves in the name of "loyalty."

#careers #promotion #leadership

"So, what questions do you have for me?"

The hiring manager leaned back, thinking the interview was essentially over.

What she asked next made him visibly uncomfortable:

"How do you respond when team members disagree with your decisions?"

He stammered. Got defensive. Said he
"values input but makes the final call."

She declined the role the next day.

The single most revealing interview question isn't about your experience or skills.

It's about how a potential boss handles disagreement.

Bad managers will:
• Get visibly uncomfortable
• Talk about their "open door policy"
• Emphasize their experience and expertise
• Subtly suggest disagreement is disloyalty
• Tell stories where they were ultimately right

Great managers will:
• Share specific examples of changing course based on team input
• Discuss how they create psychological safety
• Explain their decision-making process transparently
• Talk about valuing different perspectives
• Have recent examples of being wrong and adapting

She asked that same question in her next interview.

The manager smiled and said, "Last month, my team completely changed my mind about our product roadmap. Let me tell you what happened..."

She accepted that offer and has been thriving for two years.

Don't interview for jobs. Interview for bosses.

What question do you wish you'd asked in your last interview?

♻️ Repost to help others avoid toxic managers.

#interviews #leadership #careeradvice

CEO: We’re bringing everyone back to the office. It’s the only way to fix our “culture problem.”

Employee: Productivity is up. We have stronger work-life balance. Why force it?

CEO: Face-to-face talks drive real collaboration. That’s how culture happens.

Employee: Then why not try hybrid? Meet halfway, keep the momentum.

CEO: Our vision needs everyone together, all day, every day.

Employee: Some will leave for more flexible jobs. Is that the price?

—

This is what I hear from both sides, over and over.

Office-first believers say:
- Culture only lives in the building
- Spontaneous ideas need hallway chats
- Remote = less loyal, less engaged

Remote advocates say:
- Results speak louder than happy hours
- Flexibility builds trust, not distance
- Top talent now expects options

Hybrid?
- Sometimes a win, sometimes a tug-of-war
- Some teams thrive, some feel lost

I’ve led large teams in both worlds.
Here’s my take:

Culture is not walls or water coolers.

Culture is:
- Clear goals (and hitting them)
- Leaders who trust, not hover
- A place where you want to show up—onsite or online

Flexibility is earned, not given.
High performers deliver, no matter where they work.

Control will cost you loyalty.
Trust will keep your best people.

The uncomfortable truth:
Most “return to office” pushes are about comfort for leaders, not performance.

Let leaders lead.
Don't baby them, or you'll get big baby's.

Agree?

"Why do you want to work for our company?"

This interview question has tanked more careers than any other.

Not because candidates don't have an answer.

But because they give the honest one.

The truth is:
• You need a paycheck
• The job seems decent
• The commute works for you
• The benefits package looks good
• You want to advance your career

But say any of that and you've failed the test.

Instead, successful candidates know to deliver the acceptable fiction:
• "I've always been passionate about [whatever the company does]"
• "Your mission statement deeply resonates with my values"
• "I've followed your company for years"
• "This role perfectly aligns with my career aspirations"

This ritualized dishonesty is so normalized that telling the truth has become a disqualifier.

The interviewer knows you're performing.
You know you're performing.
Everyone pretends otherwise.

The most valuable interview insight:
It's not about honesty. It's about demonstrating that you understand the unwritten rules of the game.

What other interview questions require performative dishonesty?

♻️ Repost if you've played this game.

#interviews #jobsearch #careeradvice

Manager: Congratulations! We're promoting you to Director with a $40K raise.

Her: That's actually less than I'm worth. My research shows the market rate is $60K higher.

Manager: We can't possibly go that high. This is our best offer.

Her: I appreciate the consideration, but I'll have to decline.

Two weeks later, they called back with the full $60K.

---

Your salary negotiation isn't about what they can afford.

It's about what they think you'll accept.

The uncomfortable truth about compensation:
• Most first offers are 20-30% below budget
• Companies expect you to negotiate
• Walking away often gets you what you asked for
• The candidate with better research usually wins

The greatest career advantage isn't talent or experience.

It's the courage to know your value and the conviction to stand firm.

What salary research have you done lately? You might be more underpaid than you realize.

♻️ Repost to help others stop leaving money on the table.

"I turned down a director offer last week."

The Zoom room of job seekers fell silent. Why would anyone reject a coveted director role in this market?

"It wasn't the right fit. But that rejection led to two better offers this week."

The shocking paradox of executive job searching:

Sometimes you have to decline opportunities to find the right one.

After years coaching directors and executives, I've noticed a pattern:

The candidates who secure the best roles are often those willing to walk away from good ones.

The psychology is counterintuitive:
• Declining an offer signals you're in demand
• It demonstrates you have clear standards
• It positions you as evaluating them, not just being evaluated

His story exposed the power of strategic rejection:
• Received first director offer after 4-month search
• Thoughtfully declined with specific reasons why
• Mentioned he was in final stages with two other companies
• Both accelerated their process and improved their offers

The offers increased from:
• First offer: $185K base / 15% bonus
• Second offer: $195K base / 18% bonus
• Third offer: $200K base / 20% bonus + better equity

The most powerful position in negotiations is the ability to walk away.

While others accept their first offer out of fear, top candidates understand:

Your first offer is rarely your best offer, and often blocks you from better ones.

The breakthrough strategy for director-level job searches:

Don't focus on getting an offer.

Focus on getting the RIGHT offer, even if that means declining good ones.

Have you ever turned down an opportunity only to receive a better one shortly after?

If you'd like support to find the "RIGHT" offer as well, comment "RIGHT" below or send us a DM!

♻️ Repost to help others avoid settling for good when great is possible.

#jobsearch #negotiation #leadership

She bombed the first 15 minutes of her Director interview.

Stumbled over words.
Blanked on industry questions.
Nearly cried.

The CMO suddenly stopped and said:

"Let's take a break. You know what? Let's try something different."

When they returned, he closed his folder of questions and said:

"Forget the script. Tell me about the messiest marketing problem you've ever solved."

She spoke candidly for 8 minutes—no polish, just raw problem-solving.

Two days later, they offered her the role over candidates with "flawless" interviews.

His feedback stunned her:

"Everyone else gave perfect answers to our questions. You showed us how you actually think when things go wrong. That's what directors do daily."

The uncomfortable truth about director-level interviews:

• Perfect answers are a red flag
• Rehearsed excellence masks how you actually work
• Companies hire directors for crisis management, not perfect presentations
• Your recovery from failure reveals more than your polished success stories
• Most candidates are preparing for the wrong test

How directors should actually prepare for interviews:
• Stop memorizing perfect answers
• Practice articulating messy problem-solving
• Focus on demonstrating adaptability in chaos
• Share stories of recovery, not just victory

Hiring managers aren't looking for perfection.

They're searching for authentic leaders who navigate complexity with transparency and resilience.

When was the last time showing your real self—flaws and all—led to unexpected success?

♻️ Repost if this challenges how you've been approaching interviews.

#leadership #jobinterviews #careeradvancement

Two Director candidates. Same role. Same company.

First candidate: Accepts initial offer without negotiation. $170K base.

Second candidate: Simply asks "Is there flexibility on the compensation?" $195K base.

That's it. One question. An extra $25K annually.

Over a 10-year career span, that single question is worth $250,000+.

The biggest misconception in director-level job searching isn't about resumes, interviews, or networking.

It's the belief that negotiation should be complex and uncomfortable.

The simple reality:
• Companies expect negotiation at the director level & above
• Most initial offers have 10-20% flexibility already budgeted
• Simple, straightforward questions often yield significant improvements
• Not asking costs far more than asking "incorrectly"

The career coaching world overcomplicates this.

At LeaderUP, we've seen hundreds of successful negotiations that consisted of just a straightforward question and calm, confident silence.

What's your experience with salary negotiation? Have you found it easier or harder than expected?

♻️ Repost to help others stop leaving money on the table.

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