• 9 to 5 Dilemma: I accomplished nothing this year.

• What’s Going on in Recruiting + 2026 Market Preview.

• Gratitude + Excitement.

• Dollyism.

First: yes — it’s okay to have a down year.
It’s okay to be tired.
It’s okay to stop sprinting.
It’s okay to walk instead of run for a season.

In fact, I have a feeling that if we were all really honest with each other, we’re all feeling similarly.

We don’t talk about this enough.

Not every year is a “build year.” Some years are survival years. Some years are “just trying to make it through” years. And that doesn’t make you any less ambitious, capable, or valuable.

You didn’t stop growing. You stopped noticing.

Down years often hide quiet wins that we miss because we think success has to come in big, bright shiny stories. But, I bet…

• You held things together during instability.

• You showed up when you didn’t have much to give.

• You stayed reliable, steady, and grounded during a hard personal chapter.

• You learned what doesn’t work — which is as valuable as learning what does.

• You protected your energy so you could rebuild.

I promise you:
If we sat down together and opened your Wins & Impact Tracker… there would be more there than you think.

So how do you talk about a “quiet year” in an interview?

1. Acknowledge the season without apologizing.

2. Reframe what did happen.

3. Pivot to what you’re looking for now.

This tells the story without dwelling on the season and positions you as self-aware, grounded, and intentional.

What if I truly feel like I didn’t achieve anything?

I want you to pause and ask yourself:

• What did I keep alive?

• What did I stabilize?

• What did I learn the hard way?

• Where did I show grit?

• Where did I grow up a little?

• What boundaries did I finally set?

These are wins.
They count.
And they’re often the foundation for whatever is coming next.

A Quick Exercise to Reclaim This Year

Pull out a notes app or journal.

Answer these:

1. What drained me this year — and why?

2. What did I protect or sustain, even when things were hard?

3. What did this year teach me about what I want more of (or less of)?

4. Where did I show up for people in a way that mattered?

5. What is one moment I’m proud of that no one else saw?

These tiny, quiet threads become the story you bring into interviews, networking conversations, and your next role.

Before You Write This Year Off…

You didn’t go backward.
You didn’t lose your edge.
You didn’t stall out.

You lived through a hard season.
You kept going.
You held things together.
You made it to the end.

You’re not behind.
You’re human.
And you're not done.

P.S. If you’re entering the new year ready for clarity…

I’m here.

This is what I do, and it’s the work I love — helping you sort through the noise, rebuild confidence, and step into what’s next with intention.

Reply to this email or schedule a January intro session.
Let’s figure out your next chapter together.

What’s Going on in Recruiting?

I talk a lot about the experience of job searching, interviewing, and advocating for yourself. But we don’t often pause to look at what’s happening behind the curtain for the teams doing the hiring.

Gem just dropped their 2026 Recruiting Benchmarks Report, and after sifting through data on 165M applicants and 1.2M hires, the picture is pretty clear:

The market is in a reset.
And hiring teams are stretched thinner than ever.

Here’s what’s actually going on inside recruiting teams right now:

1. Lean Teams + Record Volume = Ghosting Nightmare

   The first thing that jumps out in the report is how upside-down the workload is right now.

   

   The teams responsible for filling roles are significantly smaller than they were five years ago. Recruiters are juggling more roles, more expectations, and almost double the applications.

   This is one of the biggest contributors to delayed responses and inconsistent communication. Not malice. Not incompetence. Capacity.

   Behind every long wait time is a recruiter trying to do the work of three people.

2. Lottery Odds in Job Applications.

   When you look at the ratio of applications to hires, it makes sense why submitting 50 applications can feel like shouting into the void. It is a wide funnel, especially at brand-name companies where a single posting can attract thousands of candidates.

   But here’s the nuance the image doesn’t spell out:

   Once you’re in the later stages, your chances improve dramatically. Offer acceptance rates are the highest they’ve been in years.

   Clarity, positioning, and referrals are so important this year.

3. More Interviews.

Another stat that jumped out: the number of interviews required for a single hire.

Technical roles in particular are under a microscope… companies want certainty, alignment, and “risk-free” decisions. On the candidate side, the process feels never-ending. On the hiring side, the coordination and time investment are massive.

This is why candidates can feel rushed, fatigued, or overly scrutinized — everyone is stretched thin trying to get to a confident “yes.”

4. People Who Already Work There are Filling the Jobs You See.

This one tells the real story of the 2025 job market.

Most applications come from job boards, but most hires don’t. Companies are leaning heavily on people they know:

• Internal talent

• Employees referring trusted people

• Recruiters directly sourcing candidates

Why?
Because it reduces risk, speeds up timelines, and cuts the amount of screening required.

So what does all this mean for job seekers?

Hiring teams are lean, processes are heavy, and competition is real. But opportunities are moving. People are getting hired. Offers are being accepted at the highest rate in years.

To stand out in this environment, you need:

• A clear, compelling value story

• A resume and LinkedIn profile that make the screener’s job easier

• A referral strategy

• Consistency in your outreach

• A network that actually knows what you do

The job search isn’t about being perfect — it’s about being clear and connected.

And if you want help making that happen, I’m here.

Let’s put your gumption to work.

Gratitude + Excitement

Wow.

As a hyper-independent, strong-willed only child (and an Aries through and through), asking for help has never come naturally to me. I tend to figure things out on my own, keep my head down, and keep going.

And somehow, in spite of that, you’ve shown up for me — year after year — in ways I never expected.

It means everything. Truly.

Since the day I started gumption., people have supported this work with so much heart: referrals, kind notes about how my writing lands with you, new clients, pep talks, gentle nudges, and encouragement right when I needed it. I don’t take any of that lightly. I couldn’t do this without you, and I’m endlessly grateful.

2025 in Review

This year stretched me, taught me, and reminded me why I love this work. A few highlights:

• 1,440 hours of coaching

• 325 new connections

• 94 new clients supported

• 107 resumes written

• 98% client satisfaction rating

• 250 LinkedIn posts

• 1.2M total impressions (still wild to me)

• 112 days average time to offer for clients

• 11% average salary increase across clients

• 27 speaking engagements

• 24 editions of Cup of Ambition

We doubled the business again this year and I’m proud of the work we’ve done together.

And now, I’m even more excited about where we’re headed.

What’s Coming in 2026

1) A Completely New Client Experience

When Practice suddenly shut down in November, I had about 48 hours where I spiraled. But that disruption pushed me toward something better.

Starting January 5, we’re officially moving to CoachVantage, a new client hub where everything lives in one place — sessions, resources, messages, reminders, and files.

Cleaner. Smoother. More supportive.

2) Expanded Guides, Tools, and Resources

I spent the last few months rebuilding the entire resource library from the ground up.

I’m launching 12 brand-new, beautifully designed workbooks and guides to support clarity, confidence, and career strategy, whether you’re job searching or stepping into what’s next.

3) Monthly + Quarterly Coaching Options

After clients land the job, things don’t get easier — they just get different. You’ve asked for a way to keep your career strategy, brand, and growth supported long-term.

So next year I’m rolling out three ongoing coaching tiers, available monthly or quarterly, designed to help you stay clear, confident, and ready for every new chapter.

4) The Talent Advisory Panel

Everyone on the internet has an opinion about resumes, ATS systems, and what “works.” I wanted to cut through the noise and build something grounded in expertise.

So I gathered a group of trusted Talent Advisors — leading experts in recruiting, ATS, and modern hiring. They’ll provide insight on resume formats, review templates, pressure-test trends, and help ensure clients get seen (and hired) in a changing market.

Think of it as a board of directors for your job search.

5) Company Resources + Partnerships

The need for people-centered career support is growing inside organizations, too. In 2026, we’re expanding into:

• Building Employee Brands to Strengthen Employer Brand

• Resume Writing + Outplacement Workshops

• Modern, human-centered outplacement services

I’m excited to bring gumption into more teams and companies next year.

So, hold onto your horses, we’re just getting started!

Dollyism.

Don’t Be a Stranger!

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