Table of Contents

• 9 - 5 Dilemma : Weighed Down By Unemployment

• The Problem With Paragraphs

• Referrals Are Everything (So is ice cream!)

• Build Your Skills & Give Back

• Linkedin Hack to Cut Through Outdated Job Posts

• Upcoming events

You are absolutely not the only one. 

I’ve worked with so many people who have felt exactly what you’re feeling, especially in this job market. Grief, shame, anxiety, and the deep disorientation that comes when work is no longer anchoring your identity.

You are not a failure.
You are a human in transition.
And this moment, as painful as it is, is also a chance to reset your relationship with work.

It’s easy to get trapped into believing that you are your job title or work. When that job is yanked from us, we spiral. We feel like we’ve not only lost a job, but also our identity, our self-worth, and our direction.

You’re allowed to grieve the loss of that while also looking forward to next steps and how you will regain your sense of self… without a job title, salary, or work identity.

It’s okay to give yourself boundaries while you’re in the “what now” phase. In fact, you need them right now.

And most importantly:

This season is giving you space to look inward. To ask:
Who am I without a title?
What do I value about myself, even when no one’s clapping?

You are still allowed to laugh. To feel joy and do fun things, even in the middle of hard things. That’s not denial, it’s resilience.

You don’t have to hustle your way back to self-worth.
You already have it.
Let’s take care of that first and build from there.

Why paragraphs don’t work:

• They’re hard to skim. Hiring managers and recruiters want to pick up on key wins fast. Bullets let their eyes land where they need to.

• They bury the good stuff. Your wins get lost in a sea of “responsible for…”

• They’re not keyword-friendly. And in this market, keywords matter for both humans and applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Here’s an example:

❌ Before (Paragraph Format)

Responsible for onboarding and training new clients, managing day-to-day customer relationships, serving as the primary point of contact for product-related questions, and ensuring timely resolution of issues through collaboration with internal teams. Duties also included leading customer check-ins, monitoring product usage data, coordinating with Sales and Product to relay feedback, and contributing to overall customer satisfaction and retention strategies. Additional responsibilities included maintaining support documentation, managing ticket queues, escalating technical issues, and participating in ongoing process improvement initiatives.

✅ After (Bullet Format)

• Onboarded 50+ clients and delivered customized training sessions to support successful product adoption

• Reduced churn by 18% through proactive QBRs and relationship-building touchpoints

• Partnered with Product and Engineering to escalate and resolve recurring technical issues

• Implemented a help desk ticketing system that decreased average resolution time by 30%

Not sure where to start? Ask yourself:
Try these questions instead of listing responsibilities:

• What changed because I was in this role?

• What challenges did I help solve?

• What processes did I improve or simplify?

• Where did I save team time, energy, or money?

• What did people come to me for over and over again?

• If I had to pick 3 things I’m most proud of in this role—what are they?

Your resume should be a highlight reel, not a history book. Let’s make sure the right people can see what makes you good at what you do.

Need help rewriting your bullets or reshaping your story? Hit reply or book a session—I’ve got you.

Why do I recommend it?

If you’re in a search, switching industries, or trying to elevate your brand, this gives you a way to:

• Sharpening skills you want to be known for

• Getting fresh keywords and stories into your resume + LinkedIn

• Trying new spaces without overcommitting

• Showing alignment between what you do and what you care about

• Staying in conversation with your own growth

I’ve had clients build DEI frameworks, create performance tools, lead hiring process redesigns—and we’ve added every one of those to their resumes. Not in a side-note way. Front and center. Because it’s real work that reflects how they want to show up.

A few use cases that come up often:

• You’re pivoting into people operations, but haven’t officially held the title

• You want to keep your PM or change management skills sharp and current

• You’re switching industries (tech → nonprofit, education → health) and want experience that speaks to that mission

• You need a recent project to back up a claim in your resume or LinkedIn headline

• You want fresh interview stories, fast

This isn’t about waiting.
It’s about building.

Catchafire lets you do that in a way that supports your growth and helps organizations doing meaningful work.

If you want help choosing a project, figuring out how to frame it in your materials, or updating your brand language to reflect it, I’m in your corner.

Try it out, bookmark it, and feel free to share with someone who's actively looking!

Don’t Be a Stranger!

Like my content?

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