What a Manhattan Writing Group Taught Me About Executive Networking and Career Transition

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The Executive's Trap: Why Your Next C-Suite Role Won't Come From a Job Board

I am writing this from an 18-inch round table in Manhattan, surrounded by two dozen strangers tapping away at their laptops. I am the only executive career coach in the room. Everyone else is writing fiction, memoirs, or the great American novel.

I should be home. I should be refining resume strategies, coaching clients through career transitions, or doing something that feels like work.

Instead, I am here — because a friend pushed me, hard, to stop working in my business and start working on it.

Here is the uncomfortable truth I am sitting with tonight: I am hooked on helping people. I love the one-on-one. I love the deep dive. I love the moment when a client’s eyes light up because they finally see their own story clearly. But that desire has a ceiling. It limits my reach. It keeps me small. It keeps me busy instead of strategic.

And I know—because I coach executives every day—that I am not alone in this trap.

The Executive's Trap — Why Job Boards Keep You Invisible

You might be asking yourself what any of this has to do with you. Here it is:

You are sitting in front of your computer right now, polishing your résumé for the umpteenth time. You are refreshing your inbox, waiting for a response. You are telling yourself that you are being productive, when in reality, you are being safe.

Constantly posting your résumé on job boards and responding to opportunities that may or may not be filled is the professional equivalent of hiding. It feels like action, but it is actually isolation. It keeps you comfortable. It keeps you alone. And it keeps you invisible to the people who could actually open doors for you in the hidden job market.

My friend in Ohio figured this out before I did. She joined a writing group to force herself out of the house and into a room with other people who were struggling to create. Her progress inspired me to swallow my pride and do the same.

Application Tip:

Evaluate your current job search strategy. Are you spending too much time on online applications and not enough on direct engagement? Consider dedicating a specific portion of your week to in-person or direct networking activities.

The Aha Moment — Where Real Career Transition Opportunities Live

Here is what I am learning tonight, surrounded by fiction writers and their imaginary characters:

Your network is not on your screen. It is out there—in rooms you have not yet entered, at tables you have not yet claimed, among people who have not yet heard your story.

If you are in transition, if you are building something new, if you are waiting for the right opportunity to find you—stop waiting. Get out from behind the glow of your monitor. Go where the people are. Conferences. Networking groups. Alumni events. Even a Sunday night writing group on the Upper West Side. Embracing strategic executive networking is often the catalyst for the most significant leaps in leadership.

You do not need a finished product to show up. You just need to be present.

Curious how other executives broke through? Read their stories →"

Application Tip:

Identify three networking events, conferences, or professional gatherings relevant to your target industry or role in the next month. Make a commitment to attend at least one, with the goal of having genuine conversations rather than just collecting business cards.

The Bottom Line — Your Next Executive Role Will Come From a Conversation

I am taking my own advice tonight. If all goes well, you will see me more frequently on LinkedIn, in your inbox, and out in the world. I encourage you to do the same.

Application Tip:

Proactively schedule informational interviews with individuals in your target companies or roles. Focus on learning about their experiences and challenges, and seek advice rather than directly asking for a job. This builds authentic connections that can lead to future opportunities.

Visual Aid: The SHARE Method

To effectively articulate your value in these crucial conversations, consider utilizing the SHARE Method for structuring your professional stories: Situation, Hindrance, Actions, Results, Expertise.

Similar to other behavioral interview frameworks, this structure allows you to present your experiences in a compelling and memorable way, demonstrating your capabilities and strategic thinking to potential employers and network contacts.

Your next executive role won't come from a job board — it will come from the right conversation. First Impression Career Services offers executive career coaching, personal branding, and interview coaching for leaders who are done playing it safe. Let's Talk — Book Your Strategy Session →