Most people come to me wanting a better resume. What they actually need first is clarity on where they're headed — the resume is just the messenger.

A few patterns I see constantly in 1:1 sessions:

• People polish bullet points for a role they're not even sure they want, because "applying" feels like progress even when it's the wrong target.

• Interview prep starts the week of the interview instead of months before — so nerves show up as unpreparedness, not just nerves.

• Negotiation gets skipped entirely because people don't want to seem difficult. The data says otherwise: most offers have room, and asking rarely costs you the offer.

If you're mid-transition right now, the order that actually works is: direction → positioning (resume/LinkedIn) → interview reps → negotiation. Skipping step one is why step two feels impossible.

I run 1:1 career coaching (single sessions or a 4-session package that walks through all four stages above) if you want a second set of eyes on where you're stuck. Happy to answer questions here too.

— Dr. DeCola