Heather Maietta, Ed.D., CDFI

Director of Career Services/Asst. Director of the Professional Development Seminars Program

Career In Progress

⭐️ Coach professionals in the career services delivery space to grow and develop their own coaching talents. 
⭐️ Career and Executive coach for mid to senior level professionals in career transition.

Coach for Career Coaches

📌Want to level up your coaching game? 
Register today for my free career coaching masterclass.
https://bit.ly/CIPfreecareercourse

Career Certification Instructor (FCD)

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Archimedes

An exclusive club for business professionals and educational content creators

Educational Content Strategist

National Career Development Association

🌟 International Career Certificate. 
🌟 Course leads to 7 recognized career coaching credentials. 
🌟 Fully online course. 
🌟 ideal for career professionals at all levels in business and industry, private practice, higher education, K-12, government agencies, libraries, mental health and wellness, and community-based organizations.

International Career Coaching Certificate (FCD) Instructor

Regis College

Professor, EdD in Higher Education Leadership

⭐️ Chair of NECHE Governance planning committee, IRB board member, and dissertation advisor. 

⭐️ Courses Developed/Taught:
➡️ Qualitative Research Methods
➡️ Career Development for Doctoral Students: Beyond the EdD
➡️ Organizational Theory, Strategy, and Change 
➡️ Advanced Academic Writing
➡️ Leadership in Higher Education

Associate Professor, EdD in Higher Education Leadership

Commonwealth Corporation

⭐️ Curriculum and Content Specialist for YouthWorks Signal Success signature curriculum. 

⭐️ Develop career and skills curriculum for ages 14-22.

Curriculum and Content Specialist

Transition Solutions

⭐️ Provided a range of career solutions for clients that address today's complex career landscape. 

⭐️ Worked in an executive coaching capacity for fortune 100/500 and mid-large size companies, offering senior leadership the strategic support to grow and advance 

⭐️ Customized programs to meet the objectives of organizations of all sizes, industries, and locations.

⭐️ Provided employees in transition with a supportive, personalized and comprehensive program that met their employment needs.

Senior Consultant

Merrimack College

⭐️ Authored a 1.7M matching gift to reinvent the Career Center. 

⭐️ Created a wrap-around support program for first generation college students; an academic to career program for undeclared undergraduates; and a career passport program, embedding career education as part of the general curriculum. 

⭐️ Transformed the career center into a career and corporate engagement hub whereby our center operated as a single entry point for all corporations doing business with the college.

Associate Vice President, Career and Corporate Engagement

Nichols College

⭐️ Led the office of Career Services for a population of 1,750 traditional and no-traditional students.

⭐️ Managed quality recruitment program resulting in a 90% job acceptance rate for graduating seniors with average starting salary of $40K for the Class of 2010.
                                                               
⭐️ Instructed Professional Development Seminars Courses for Students, First - Forth Year and an MBA Graduate Course: Managing the Sports Enterprise.

⭐️ Provided faculty development to those assigned to teaching PDS courses; create and develop course curriculum.

⭐️ Co-planned and hosted the 1st Annual PDS Conference: “Four Critical Years: Proactive Solutions for Today’s Students and Tomorrow’s Leaders” and 1st Annual Women’s Leadership Conference.

Town of Arlington

⭐️ Interim Superintendent in 2006.

⭐️ Planed, developed and managed comprehensive recreational programs for 42,000+ residents.   

⭐️ Recruited, hired, trained, and supervised 2 full-time and 100+ part-time and seasonal employees.

⭐️ Researched and managed grants, fundraising, and marketing for recreation and ice rink.

⭐️ Managed division budget: vendor services; recreation programming; ice rink; field and facility rentals; capital campaign.

⭐️ Set program fees; managed scholarships.

Program Coordinator

Coach for Career Coaches | Delivering Internationally-recognized Career Coaching Certifications | Follow Me for Daily Career Insights

I train professionals in the career coaching space on how to LAND MORE CLIENTS through better coaching. 

📌 Trained and certified over 1,000 career coaches.
📌 Guided over 10,000 clients through career development and coaching.
📌 Author of Coaching for Coaches Handbook (NCDA, 2023).
📌 CMCS Credential Commissioner 

For the past 20 years, I’ve trained career coaches how to get actionable results from their coaching. 

My clients span private practice, career services, workforce development, academia, HR, and talent acquisition. 

My mission is to help career professionals generate a steady base of clients by developing and honing their coaching skills.

🔑 How I Can Help You:

Career professionals who master coaching techniques, integrate cutting-edge tools, and refine their approach consistently land more clients and deliver better results for their ICP.

✔️ Training & Certification – Courses that deliver practical, real-world coaching strategies and resources you can use immediately.
✔️ Personalized Coaching – Whether you're launching your coaching career practice or refining your coaching approach, I’ll help you generate more clients by strengthening your coaching muscles, improve your techniques, and grow your toolkit of strategies.

🌏 Why This Work Matters:

My own career path wasn’t linear. I tried 14 different jobs before finding what truly fit. That journey taught me how critical the right guidance is during career transitions.

Now, I help career professionals become that guide for others.

Career coaching changes lives. Every coach deserves top-tier training and support to attract clients and make a lasting impact. Over the years, I’ve worked with professionals worldwide, helping them build thriving careers while making a difference in others’ lives.

📩 Let’s Connect:

Ready to elevate your coaching practice? I’d love to help.
📧 Email me: heather@careerinprogress.com
📅 Register for the FCD Course or book a consult today

Owner

Executive career and professional development coach for aspiring and seasoned career coaches and career changers. 

Coach and mentor professionals in the career services delivery space to grow and develop their own coaching talents. Work with organizations to train their workforce development and career services staff members on career delivery and industry trends. 

Certified MA Small Business and Women-Owned Business. Certified by MA Dept of Education to award PDP for professional development.

Creativity is what turns the ordinary into the extraordinary:

Most of the time, it’s not about having more time, more money, or more tools.

It’s thinking outside the box.

It’s looking at what you already have with a different lens.

We are so conditioned to see things as they’ve always been.

Not as they could be.

The same job?
→ a more compelling, human story.

The same coaching approach?
→ a fresh way to apply it to today’s realities.

The same 24 hours?
→ a more intentional use of your best energy.

Creativity isn’t a personality trait. It isn’t something your just born with or without.

It’s a practice of asking, “What else could this be?”

In your work this week, before you discard an idea as basic or nothing special, stop and ask:

“How could I turn this 10% more interesting or surprising?”

That small 10% is often where extraordinary starts. 
———
🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for daily career inspiration

♻️ Share to spark creativity in others

Video credit: Vincent Bal

Dr. Heather Maietta

I transform career coaches into career architects without the guesswork!

Over the last 20 years, I’ve helped career coaches, advisors, and workforce professionals build the skills they need to become trusted partners in their clients’ career journeys. 

My career didn’t follow a straight line. I tried 14 different jobs before discovering what felt right. This experience taught me just how important it is to have the right guidance during big career decisions.

Now, I help career professionals be that guide for others.

💼 Why Work with Me?

I’ve dedicated my career to equipping professionals with the tools and skills they need to guide others through life’s biggest transitions.

Some highlights include:

📌Trained over 1000 career professionals in various settings, including workforce development, academic and career advising, HR, and talent acquisition.
📌Delivered career coaching and development to over 10k clients.
📌Wrote a Coaching for Coaches Handbook (NCDA, 2023)
📌Sat on the inaugural credentialing board for the FCD training.
📌 Board Certified Coaching faculty through NACE

🔑 How I Can Help You:

I’m here to help career professionals feel confident in their work. My courses, including the well-regarded Facilitating Career Development (FCD) program, are designed to help coaches deliver real results for their clients.

✔️ Training & Certification:
I offer courses that prepare coaches to tackle real-world career challenges with confidence. The focus is on giving you tools you can actually use.

✔️ Personalized Coaching:
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your skills, I’ll help you improve your approach, strengthen client relationships, and grow your practice.

🌏 Why It Matters:

Career coaching changes lives, and I believe every coach deserves the right training and support to do it well. Over the years, I’ve worked with people from all over the world, helping them grow in their careers while making a difference for others.

📩 Let’s Connect:

If you’re ready to take your coaching practice to the next level, I’d love to help.
➡️ Email me: heather@careerinprogress.com
➡️ Register for the FCD Course or book a consult today

Award-Winning Coach for Career Coaches | Delivering Internationally-Recognized Career Coaching Certifications | Follow Me for Daily Career Insights

Your health is not a business expense:

Sleeplessness.
Crippling anxiety. 
Diminished mental capacity.
Grinding away until you’re unable to function.

Your week should not be a slow-motion health emergency.

The World Health Organization now classifies long working hours as a serious health hazard.

In fact, working 55+ hours a week is linked to a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from heart disease. 

If your job is a ticking time bomb that causes:

➔ Sunday dread
➔ Constant headaches
➔ Snapping at people you care about
➔ Feeling like you have nothing left after 5pm

You need to step away before your body forces you to.

Job stress is real. 
But there are ways to reduce the mental and physical toll it takes: 

➤ Take one real break (no scrolling). Even if it’s 10 minutes with your eyes closed. 
➤ Kill one non-essential notification. Seriously, cut the noise. 
➤ Take a walk without turning it into a step count challenge. 
➤ Swap a productive podcast for silence.
➤ Gift yourself one career-free evening (comedy does wonders).
➤ Read something purely for fun (bonus points if it’s not in digital). 
➤ Put your laptop in another room for an hour (it won’t go anywhere, believe me). 
➤ Say no. 

These aren’t gifts.

They’re how you stay strong enough to keep showing up.

I know your jjob (or job search) can be stressful.

But you doesn’t have to pay the ultimate price.

Share this message to raise awareness.

And make one decision to lessen your work pressure this week.

Before your body or mind does it for you.

🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for career conversations that don’t ignore your well-being

Video: Jason Brooks, TikTok

Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches 

You can be successful on paper.
And still feel restless:

Like you’re living someone else’s life.

Content.
But not quite yourself.

(For this and other career coaching topics, visit: https://lnkd.in/eJ6WdeWB)

If you're feeling this way, it can mean your career and your ikigai are misaligned.

Ikigai is a Japanese idea meaning “reason to get up in the morning.”

It’s the intersection of 
- what you love
- what you’re good at
- what the world needs
- what you can be paid for.

I recently worked with a coach of 15 years. She had a reliable salary, but was deeply dissatisfied.

Together, this is how we applied Ikigai to her career:

1/ Align work with purpose
➺ Reconnected her career path with her core values.

2/ Stay professionally engaged
➺ Identified meaningful contributions she still wants to make.

3/ Take calculated risks
➺ Explored new directions with a strategy.

4/ Avoid burnout
➺ Created space for rest and recharging.

5/ Build a professional network
➺ Clarified who could support her next steps.

6/ Invest in skill development
➺ Outlined a learning plan to stay current and challenged.

7/ Maintain a positive outlook
➺ Shifted focus to possibilities instead of regrets.

8/ Find work-life blend
➺ Made time for joy and life beyond her job.

9/ Express professional gratitude
➺ Honored how far she’d come, not just where she was going.

10/ Focus on present tasks
➺ Practiced being fully engaged in today’s work, not just chasing the next thing.

She redesigned her career around these principles.

And now she’s living it day by day.

If your work feels out of sync with your deeper purpose, applying career ikigai might be the shift you need.

Want to walk through it together?
DM me.
_____
🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for life-changing career support
♻️ Share to encourage deep career reflection using Ikigai

“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.”

We often try to earn self-worth.

More hours; more certifications. 
More, more, more, more. 

A title change might make us feel good in the moment.

But it doesn’t erase feelings of low self-worth. 

Choosing to see yourself as credible before the world fully does.

That’s self-love. 🩵 

Self-love shows up in high-impact moves like:

➠ Not minimizing your wins
➠ Replacing “I got lucky” with “I earned this”
➠ Owning your ideas
➠ Negotiating from a place of self-respect

I make it sounds simple.
But it’s not.

Practicing this type of advocacy creates a different relationship with yourself.

One that lets you become the person you’ve been working so hard to be.

Give yourself a big hug. 
You deserve it!

➡️ Send this to your network if you agree! 
——
🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for more support built for coaches and their clients.
 
Quote: Brené Brown

I’ll let you in on a secret:


Discipline doesn’t have to feel difficult. 

I get it.
Doing hard things is annoying and inconvenient.

And almost always worth it.

My friend Colby Kultgen demystifies our resistance to accomplishing difficult things.

Our resistance to hard is often resistance to change. 

Change asks us to leave what’s familiar, even if the familiar isn’t working anymore. 

Change disrupts routine and puts us in that awkward in-between where nothing feels settled.

Change is hard. 
It takes discipline.

But change is also where the good stuff lives.

The discomfort you feel means you’re building something that fits.

And outgrowing what doesn’t. 

In doing so, you may just discover you actually enjoy putting in the work.

Here are 7 ways to train your brain to do hard things…
___
Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for work strategies that lighten the load.

Train your brain to do the hard stuff

The #1 reason people leave their jobs isn’t pay. It’s a toxic culture.

In fact, toxic culture is 10x more powerful than pay in predicting who quits.

I used to work in a toxic environment. I got so used to it, I thought it was normal. Until I left and realized how wrong I was.

I’ve spent years coaching professionals out of their toxic workplaces into better-fit roles. 

The worst part of a toxic workplace isn’t just the long hours or constant chaos. 

It’s how subtly you stop trusting your own read on what’s happening:

“Maybe I’m overreacting.”
“Maybe my expectations are too high.”
“Maybe every job is like this.”

Organizations reward short-term performance instead of long-term impact on people.

And those people carry that damage into their next job search.

Here’s how to rebuild:

1/ Name what actually happened.
Instead of: “I couldn’t hack it.”
Try:
➤ “Deadlines were constant emergencies.”
➤ “Psychological safety was basically zero.”
📌 Clarity is part of recovery.

2/ Separate their story from your capability.
Use the experience to ask:
➤ Where did I still perform well?
➤ What strengths did I develop?
➤ What useful feedback did I get?
📌 Reframe what happened to rebuild your confidence.

3/ Build an interview-ready narrative.
Keep it:
➤ Brief 
➤ Neutral 
➤ Forward-looking
📌 Discuss what you learned and where you thrive.

4/ Design your re-entry plan
That might look like:
➤ Working with a coach or mentor
➤ Saying “no” to early red flags
📌 Healing is preparation for what’s next.

The bottom line is toxic environments distort how we see ourselves.

But we don’t have to accept it as our destiny.

Stop internalizing their leadership as proof something’s wrong with you.

There isn’t.
—
♻️ Share this post to encourage someone else to leave before the damage is done.
 🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for career advice that saves lives.

Doug Noll

Most career advice sounds like a checklist someone else wrote:

➤ Graduate on time
➤ Climb quickly
➤ Avoid gaps
➤ Chase titles
➤ Stay loyal
➤ Don’t rock the boat

Real careers don’t follow neat timelines or straight lines.

Real careers include: 
➢ restarts
➢ wrong turns
➢ pivots
➢ pauses
➢ second chances
➢ "this isn't what I expected"

I’ve seen how much stress comes from internalizing rules that were never made with your unique life in mind.

I work regularly with people feeling behind when really, they’re just outgrowing outdated career narratives.

As a coach, here’s what I remind them 
(and maybe you need to hear this too):

You don’t need permission to take a different path.
You need space to define success on your terms.

Your career belongs to you.
Live it exactly how you want to live it.
______
🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for award-winning career advice.
♻️ Share to help elevate the narrative.

The magic of doing nothing:


By Friday afternoon your brain has the processing power of a potato.

Doing nothing might be the most productive thing you do this week.

⮕ Rewatch that comfort show
⮕ Wander Target in a trance
⮕ Take your furry friend for a walk

Being less productive can actually accomplish a lot. 

Your brain is closing tabs.
Your body is downshifting.
Your soul is rebuilding motivation.

You don’t become a new you.

You become you, just plugged back in.

That’s the magic of doing nothing.

How will you practice productive nothing today?
——
Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for tips on recharging to build work momentum.

Self-worth isn't a stock price. It doesn't rise and fall based on the day:

A missed deadline or brutal to-do list don’t dent your value.

Your worth is more like gravity.
Always there, even when unseen. 

Still, many of us (myself included) tie our worth to outcomes.

Which only leads to second-guessing ourselves. 

When doubt creeps in what's really changed is the environment. 

Not your contribution.

If you've been measuring your worth by results, try this instead:

📌 Focus on growth
➠ Track what you can control (prep, follow-up, learning). 
➠ Not everything is measurable.

📌Set identity firewalls
➠ Missing a target means missing a target. 
➠ Nothing more. 

📌Train your brain
➠ Ask a trusted peer how they’d describe you at your best. 
➠ Let that feedback live rent-free in your mind.

📌 Anchor your worth
➠ Choose one truth about yourself that erases doubt. 
➠ Put it where your inner critic likes to hang out (like as your screensaver). 

📌 Practice selective hearing
➠ Feedback is not prophecy. 
➠ Consider the source and the substance.
➠ Take what serves you; discard the rest. 

Your skills can grow.
Your roles can change.
Your relationships can evolve.
Your seasons can shift.

But your worth?
Not up for negotiation. 🩵 

Which action most resonates? ⬇️ 
____
♻️ Share to support unshakable confidence.
🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for career insights that matter.

Tiny experiments build billion-dollar courage.


Life doesn’t come with a rulebook.
It hands you mistakes. Setbacks. Burnout.

And lot’s of hard-won truths.

Before Sara Blakely built Spanx, she sold fax machines door-to-door.

She didn’t have a business degree or a fashion background.

Just one idea.
And relentless progress.

She studied the industry. 
Pitched her idea. 
Faces countless rejections. 

Giving up was not an option she let herself consider. 

Instead, she focused on the small things: 
✦ improving the product 
✦ refining the pitch

She was all in. 
And it paid off.

You might not be building a global brand, but the principle is the same.

Show up for your idea.
Consistently, imperfectly.

You’ll make progress.

When doubt surfaces, mindset shifts help you inch forward.

A few that continue to ring true for me when the going gets tough:

➔ Rest isn’t quitting
➔ Put your own mask on first
➔ Setbacks train your comeback
➔ Strength shows up when it’s tested

I am a firm believer in the real win is in the effort.

Next time you feel yourself stalling out on the job or in life.

These codes can meet you exactly where you are.

And help you push forward.
_____
➡️ Forward to someone who will benefit from this message.

🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for workplace strategies that land.

The algorithm loves oversharing
Your wellbeing pays the price:

Every time we share, we post clues:

Where we are
Who we’re with
What we value
What we’re struggling with

Individually, these sharing moments seem harmless.

Collectively, they create a detailed map of our lives.

For strangers.
For companies
For people we’d never intentionally invite in.
For everyone.

Oversharing on social media is like leaving your front door open and then wondering why you don’t feel safe at home.

More and more, I find myself asking, "What’s the cost?"

Emotional fatigue
➤ Constantly curating your life for public consumption can turn every moment into potential content instead of something you actually enjoy. I found myself doing this when I first started posting daily on LI. 

Comparison spiral
➤ The more you share, the more you feel pressure to maintain a version of yourself that looks successful. It’s exhausting.

Safety & privacy risks
➤ Real-time posting of your location, kids, home, workplace, or financial milestones can open doors you never meant to open.

Boundary erosion
➤ Blurring the line between your life and your audience makes it harder to know what’s private and what’s nobody else’s business.

Ask yourself before you post:
￫ Am I sharing this because I want to, or because I feel I should?
￫ Does sharing this scratch at my insecurity?
￫ Will Future Me be glad this is online?
￫ Will my kids care this is posted when they're older?
￫ Could this put my safety, my job, my relationships at risk?

Healthier sharing looks like:
￫ Delayed posting. Enjoy the moment; share later
￫ Keeping some parts of your life completely offline
￫ Setting (and reviewing) strong privacy settings
￫ Having “no post” rules: your kids, your home address, medical info, private conflicts

You’re allowed to be visible and have boundaries.

But less is often more.
_______
🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for more conversations on work, wellbeing, and the world we’re building online.

Are you hugging onto your job for dear life?

I don’t blame you. 

This past week, over 700 people told me they were doing the same. 

Job-hugging is hot right now. 

The market is in flux and the economy is uncertain. 

We hear about layoffs and restructuring daily.

People are clinging to their current job for security, even though they’re disengaged or underpaid. 

I am hearing a lot of ...

► "I can't afford to leave," 
► "The job market is too scary" 
► "I feel relieved to have stability, even though I’m not moving forward.”

All valid reasons to hold onto that job for dear life. 

But… 
The thaw is coming.

63% of hiring managers say their companies will ramp up hiring in the next year.

Here are a few ways you (or your clients) can work through job hugging so you're prepared when the great thaw hits:

1/ Name the transition
➙ Don't just stay by default. 
➙ Rename it your strategic stability season.
➙ Define what this job makes possible (e.g., paying off debt, saving a for an exit).

2/ Develop a job hugging plan 
➙ 6–18 months with clear financial targets.
➙ Identify specific skills to build and how.
➙ Set a firm deadline to reassess your stay-or-go.

3/ Treat it as a paid apprenticeship
➙ Your job is now a low-risk training ground. 
➙ Focus on stretch projects that build marketable skills.
➙ Dedicate time weekly for exploration (courses, info interviews).

4/ Track readiness
➙ Don't just chase relief, track options. 
➙ Regularly check: Am I learning? Am I visible? Do I know my next 2-3 realistic moves?

5/ Build the exit runway now
➙ The market will shift. 
➙ The most prepared professionals will have the most choice. 
➙ Warm network, update skills and get your finances in order.

📌 Want to ensure your clients are ready when it's time to move? SHARE this post and I’ll send you the Ultimate Job Hugging Coaching Guide.

________
🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for award-winning career advice.
♻️ Share to normalize (temporary) job hugging.

Stat: ZipRecruiter, 2025

Putting your job search on ice until January might be the most expensive vacation you ever take.

Last year, Indeed Hiring Lab found that job searches fell 34% between Dec. 1 and Christmas Day.

📌 Grab my newsletter for a deeper dive into important career topics: https://lnkd.in/eJ6WdeWB

During the holidays, roles are still getting posted and filled.

And there are fewer people going after them.

Good news for you if you decide to double-down this holiday season.

Use my “12 Days of Christmas: Job Search Edition” for inspiration.

🎄 Start with updating your LinkedIn profile 
> Be honest: When is the last time you really looked at it?

🎄 Develop 2 strong elevator pitches 
> One for networking; one for interviews.

🎄 Build 3 résumé templates 
> Use variations to cut down on job-by-job tailoring time.

🎄 Treat coffee chats, STAR stories, and follow-ups as small, doable actions 
> Strategically schedule between family time, travel, and rest.

I want you to enjoy the holidays.

I also want you to position yourself at the front of the candidate line while everyone else disappears.

If you’re job searching this month:
Save this as your December checklist.

And PLEASE share to spread job search cheer!

Happy holidays; happy hunting 🎄 
_____
Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for festive career advice

You used to feel energized by work. 
Now you're just trying to survive it. 

Every day, I meet clients who are exhausted and disconnected from work that once excited them. 

They blame themselves but their disengagement is often a sign of burnout.

Burnout isn't a personal failure.
It is systemic. 

And no amount of vacation can fix that.

This past summer, I traveled to Iceland.
I hiked volcanoes.
Swam in hot springs.
Laughed with friends.
Unplugged for two full weeks.

It took two days for exhaustion to resurface. 

I realized I hadn't erased my burnout.

I had suppressed it. 

You can't exercise self-care until you identify the root of the toxicity.

That's where coaching comes in.

When I work with clients, we focus on four things:

1/ Name what's actually happening
➤ Instead of "I'm burned out," we get specific:
➤ Is this chronic overload? Role misalignment?
📌In my case, I hadn't stopped thinking about work-I just stopped doing it.

2/ Map what you can control
➤ Boundaries, communication style, workload negotiations, values alignment.
➤ What can be tweaked or discarded? 

3/ Rewrite the story you tell yourself
➤ From: "I can't handle this anymore."
➤ To: "I'm responding normally to unsustainable conditions."

4/ Build recovery strategies that fit reality
➤ Not Instagram-worthy self-care.
➤ Real strategies for real constraints.

The only way you have a chance of addressing your burnout is treating the source.

➡️ Coaches: Save this for client motivation.
🔁 Repost to normalize self-care.

🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for coaching insight that heals.

Job scams have tripled since 2020. Don’t be this year’s statistic:

If a job offer feels like winning the lottery, it’s probably a scam. 

Job scammers have turned the job market into their side hustle. 

Recent reports show job scam losses have more than tripled since 2020, with victims losing thousands per scam.

Job scamming isn’t a hobby.

It’s a hundreds-of-millions-per-year business model.

Recruiter company impersonations and fake job postings is one in particular that’s hot right now and should be on the radar of job seekers and career professionals. 

Last week, I was offered a opportunity to coach individuals at an average profit of $100k pp with an unlimited stream of clients. 

Now, I’m good. 
But….

Here are 10 red flags:

1/ You never applied 
► A recruiter contacts you with “the perfect role."
► You don’t remember applying… ever.

2/ “You’re exactly what we need!” 
► No real interview, no questions.
► That’s flattery, not hiring.

3/ The pay is wild for the work 
► Entry-level role, a few hours a week, $75K+ guaranteed.
► If the numbers don't add up, run. 

4/ The schedule is magically flexible 
► Work whenever, from wherever, for serious money.
► Real flexibility exists-with structure and expectations. 

5/ The job description is mush 
► Vague duties, almost no detail.
► That’s a fishing net for 'all apply.'

6/ They ask you to pay 
► Training fees, equipment with crypto payments.
► Legit employers pay you, not the other way around. 

7/ Get-rich-quick vibes 
► Passive income and earning thousands in your first month.
► No clear explanation of how you’re actually paid. 

8/ Sloppy or strange communication 
► Incorrect grammar, weird phrasing, pushy tone.
► Bad communication red flags.

9/ No solid company trail 
► No real website, no address, personal Gmail.
► If it doesn't exist, it's not real.

10/ They want your personal data
► Requests for SIN/SSN, banking info, copies of ID.
► Huge red flag.

What to do if something feels off: 

● Pause. Scammers rely on urgency. 
● Independently research the company.
● Never send money or sensitive information.

In the U.S., report suspected scams to the FTC.
In Canada, to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. 

📌 If you’re a career coach: 
Make “spotting job scams” a standard part of your job search coaching. Your clients need protection. 

If it feels too good to be true,
It’s not your lucky day. 

It’s your cue to walk away.

Having a lot of jobs is not a character flaw. 
It’s a career lab.

The data backs this up.

U.S. workers average roughly a dozen or more jobs over their working lives—often 12–14 by the time they’re done (I've had 15). 

Changing roles is the norm. 

You’re not indecisive. 
You're not unqualified.
You're not bad at commitment.
You're not wasting time.
You're not a failure.

You’re doing what most people do (including me).
Testing.

That's how you learn. 
That's how you grow.
That's how you discover your perfect fit.

Every role gives you information:

➔ What kind of work feels energizing
➔ How much structure do you actually want
➔ What pace you thrive in
➔ How your values line up with your job

Each time you leave a role, we are not starting from scratch. 
You're starting from more data.

It's a lot like dating. You meet different people, learn what you appreciate, discover your non-negotiables, and gradually get clearer on what “the right fit” actually means to you. Some people meet that perfect match on the first try...but it is rare.

Jobs work the same way. 

Each one helps you refine:

➔I want more of this.
➔ Never again, please.
➔ I learned a lot, but not for me.
➔ This surprised me—in a good way.

If your resume looks like a series of short stories, no worries! 

Testing different jobs is how most people find their match.
And how most people find their true selves.
_____
Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches to celebrate the full job journey.

Lost in a sea of sameness? 3 ways to make you too unique to ignore:

In my line of work, we talk a lot about the importance of fit. 

The good news is there is only one YOU.

The real win is figuring out what makes people remember you.

And turning your uniqueness into your advantage. 

When I first started coaching, I thought I had to sound like every other “expert” out there. 

Serious. 
Buttoned up. 
Robotic. 

That got old real fast. 
Because it wasn't me.

Now I educate coaches on how to show up authentically.

Because clients don’t connect with robots. 

They connect with people. 

If you’re stuck trying to figure out what makes you different, you’re not alone.

Most people spend their whole career hiding the exact trait that makes them stand out.

We've been trained to hide our uniqueness.

Not highlight it.

Here is a 3-part scan to help you showcase your unique you:

1/ Look back: 
+ What did people always come to you for as a kid or teen? 
+ Clarity? calm? humor? big ideas? a comforting ear?
+ That's your superpower clients want to connect with. 

2/ Ask around: 
+ Text 3 friends or past clients and ask, “What’s something I bring to a room that most people don’t?”
+ This is your coaching sweet spot that makes people gravitate to you.

3/ Track what ticks you off:
+ Often, the things that bug us in others show what we VALUE MOST in ourselves. 
+ My daughter despises disorganization. She is one of the most organized people I know.

You don’t need to copy someone else.

Your difference is your advantage. 

And that’s how clients want you to show up! 🩵

What’s one unique quality you’ve learned to embrace? ⬇️
——
🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for unique career messages.
♻️ Share with someone who values your unique jam!

In a world where you can be anything, be yourself

How to show up as the most interesting person in the room: 

Tired of networking events where all anyone talks about is the weather?

Or what everyone’s kid is majoring in (this is my current reality)?

Being curious and well-informed is a competitive edge.

Let’s upgrade the small talk game.

Here are 12 completely free websites that will make you sharper and way more interesting. 

Aeon
➤ Philosophy, science, psychology, and society
➤ https://aeon.co/

Nautilus
➤ Where science meets culture through big ideas
➤ https://nautil.us/

Wait But Why
➤ Brilliant posts on time, AI, and the future
➤ https://waitbutwhy.com/

Farnam Street
➤ Mental models, better thinking, timeless wisdom
➤ https://fs.blog/

Atlas Obscura
➤ Weird and wonderful places, facts, and stories
➤ https://lnkd.in/enaWQm-M

Factually by Mental Floss
➤ Quirky facts and smart trivia
➤ https://lnkd.in/ebu_auuQ

Internet Archive
➤ Rabbit hole of old books, games, films, radio
➤ https://archive.org/

Radio Garden
➤ Listen to live radio from around the world
➤ https://radio.garden/

Five Books
➤ Experts recommend the best 5 books on any topic
➤ https://fivebooks.com/

Letters of Note
➤ Real letters from history’s most interesting people
➤ https://lettersofnote.com/

Big Think
➤ Expert interviews on science, culture, innovation
➤ https://bigthink.com/

Academic Earth
➤ Free lectures from top universities
➤ https://academicearth.org/

Before your next networking event, soak up some brilliant ideas, deep knowledge, and fun facts to level up your conversations.

📌 Bookmark to spark smarter conversations.
🔁 Share this with someone who lives for learning.

Know a hidden gem of a website? Tell us!
_____
Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for wicked smart career advice.

Someone needs to say it out loud:


You are not a "career coach" just because you once conducted your own job search.

You are not a career counselor because your best friend's cousin said, “You’d be really good at this.”

You are not a “career strategist” because you like giving résumé feedback to friends and family.

And you definitely don’t become a “career professional” the moment you add it to your LinkedIn headline.

Nobody wakes up one morning, assembles an IKEA bookshelf, and starts calling themselves an engineer.

So why is career coaching treated as an occupation anyone can casually moonlight into?

Career development is a DISCIPLINE.

I am talking about:
➤ Decision-making models
➤ Theories of change and adult development
➤ Labor market and workplace trends and analysis
➤ Boundaries, ethics, and legal scope of practice
➤ Coaching framework and strategies
➤ etc., etc., etc., etc., etc.

Helping someone decide whether to leave a toxic job, pivot industries, seek professional meaning, or take on debt for grad school is serious work. 

Career decisions impact people's mental health, money, identity, relationships, self-efficacy.

And futures.

Giving unqualified (and incorrect) career advice is unethical.

You're watering down my profession. 

You're causing people to question the value of needed support and necessary services.

This field deserves practitioners who:

✦ Study the foundations of career development
✦ Practice (and get feedback on) actual coaching skills
✦ Understand when to coach, when to consult, and when to refer
✦ Take the responsibility of influencing someone’s livelihood seriously
✦ Have deep working knowledge of ethical and legal coaching practices 

The world NEEDS more great career coaches. 

If you want to join us, honor it like a profession.
Get trained. 
Get grounded. 
Then get to work.

📌 Ready to earn your Career Coaching Credential? Visit careerinprogress.com/fcd to lock in 2025 pricing.
_____
Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for coaching support that qualifies you in the field.

I've spent months lurking on Reddit’s career advice channels. Here’s what I found:

A LOT of people are extremely desperate for career support and  aren't getting it. 

Instead, they’re soliciting career advice from complete strangers via chat groups. 

Occasionally, a useful tip is offered but mostly, this advice carries massive risk. 

Here’s what I find problematic:

1/ Advice without context.

Chat groups see a sliver of someone’s life. What isnt revealed: health, caregiving, immigration status, trauma history, learning needs, neurodivergence, culture, or local labor market factors. People are soliciting important support from strangers who gladly give bold, absolute advice on a fraction of a person’s story.

2/ Projection.

Most commenters leave feedback in terms of what THEY’D do. A recent post asked for advice on career paths for someone in their mid-20s, financially stable and bored. Responses varied from ‘travel’ to ‘invest’ to ‘go back to school’ to ‘enjoy life.’ No one mentioned it might be a good idea to seek professional coaching support. 

3/ No grasp of scope or ethics.

Career advice from unqualified or untrained strangers might lead to safety, discrimination, retaliation, or financial implications.

4/ Overconfidence and absolutes.

Online advice tends to be oversimplified, dramatic, and unfortunately, inaccurate. As readers, we often reward the loudest voices and ignore or dismiss nuanced, conditional guidance. 

5/ Misery loves company.

Many chat group questions are posted when people feel panicked, ashamed, furious, or hopeless. Commenters are often in the same state: venting about their own bosses, re-living their own bad layoffs, projecting their own feelings.

6/ No accountability.

Forums give one-off hot takes and offer no responsibility for outcomes. Just “here’s my advice; good luck.”

7/ Privacy and safety risks.

People tend to overshare confidential details like company names, managers’ behaviors, locations, immigration or disability details, and financial desperation are common oversharing faux pas that can lead to vulnerability and risk. 

The saddest part is people soliciting forum advice are not wrong to seek help. Their workplaces have underfunded or nonexistent career development programs; they belong to universities where career services couldn’t meet the demand; they may feel like private practice support is financially out of reach. 

And, unfortunately, we live in a culture that doesn’t support career guidance as health guidance. 

So, people go where help is “free” and readily available at 2 a.m. from anonymous strangers. 

This is a systemic problem that needs changing. 

Big time.

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