Episode 303 - Kyle Samuels returns to share his personal health journey, the lessons it taught him about leadership, and the hiring trends shaping today’s job market. We explore recruitment trends, networking strategies, and how to handle career gaps with confidence.

The last time I spoke with executive recruiter Kyle Samuels, we were deep in conversation about executive compensation. This year, the conversation was very different. Kyle returned to my podcast with not only market insights but a deeply personal story. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, undergone major surgery, and endured six months of chemotherapy. On top of that, he continued to lead his firm, Creative Talent Endeavors, during one of the toughest job markets in recent memory. His experience illuminates three critical themes for corporate professionals today: resilience in the face of disruption, the centrality of relationships, and the rapid changes occurring in recruitment and hiring.

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Job Hunting Made Simple

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Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

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Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 Weathering the Storms: A Personal Journey
• 03:48 Facing Cancer: A Life-Altering Diagnosis
• 09:16 Navigating Business During Health Challenges
• 12:57 The Importance of Health Over Work
• 16:47 Raising Awareness: The Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer
• 22:06 Returning to Work: Balancing Health and Career
• 24:25 Navigating Personal Challenges and Resilience
• 26:11 Diversity and Inclusion: Progress and Challenges
• 29:00 The Job Market Landscape: Candidate Experiences
• 33:27 Networking and Relationship Building in Job Searches
• 41:51 Emerging Job Trends and the Role of AI
• 52:46 Conclusion: Embracing Change and Future Opportunities

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 226 - This Recruiter Wants You to Rethink Your Salary Expectation, with Kyle Samuels
• Episode 279 - What Job Seekers Can Learn from Sales Professionals

About the host, Renata Bernarde

Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate, non-profit, and public professionals the steps and frameworks to...

Hardly a week goes by without news of another high-profile layoff. From tech giants like Meta and Tesla to government agencies and financial institutions, corporate professionals at every level find themselves confronting an unsettling new normal. As a career coach, outplacement provider, and host of The Job Hunting Podcast, I've observed firsthand the toll layoffs are taking both financially and emotionally. In this episode’s conversation with Steve Jaffe, author of "The Layoff Journey: From Dismissal to Discovery," we unpacked the psychological impacts of job loss and how professionals can emerge stronger.

Read the full Blog on the Website

Job Hunting Made Simple

Reset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend

31 Days of Action for Job Seekers

Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

Join 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe Now

Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 Navigating Layoffs: A Personal Journey
• 02:07 Understanding the Stages of Grief in Layoffs
• 04:52 Coping Mechanisms and Emotional Resilience
• 07:57 The Impact of Identity Loss
• 11:02 Managing Anger and Bargaining
• 13:42 The Importance of Rest and Recovery
• 16:49 Finding Meaning and Moving Forward
• 25:25 The Importance of a Well-Rounded Life
• 27:24 Shame and Identity in Unemployment
• 29:07 Owning Your Professional Identity
• 30:58 The Job Search as Full-Time Work
• 33:59 Building and Utilizing Your Network
• 37:14 Resilience in Job Searching
• 39:04 The Role of Career Coaching
• 40:55 The Value of a Strong Network
• 46:05 Living with Intentionality
• 51:38 New Chapter

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Link to Purchase Steve's book

About the host, Renata Bernarde

Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate, non-profit, and public professionals the steps and frameworks to help them find great jobs, change, and advance their careers with confidence and less stress.

Watch the Episodes on YouTube

Follow Renata on Social Media:

• LinkedIn

If there’s one lesson from the corporate world that deserves a headline, it’s this: the workplace is not a meritocracy. Or at least, not in the way most professionals imagine. Hard work is necessary, but it’s not the defining factor in who gets promoted, who receives stretch opportunities, or who survives the next round of cost-cutting.

In this episode, I spoke with Kendall Berg, former senior executive turned career coach and author of Secrets of the Career Game. We explored how professionals, especially those at mid to senior levels, are stalling not because of performance but because of invisibility. They’re delivering outcomes, checking boxes, staying loyal, but failing to cultivate the relationships and influence that truly drive advancement. Berg’s following on social media channels amounts to over 500,000, indicating that her message about what actually gets you promoted resonates with many people.

Berg’s career turning point came when a senior leader told her: “Everyone wants you on their team because you're so efficient, and nobody likes working with you.” That moment, which she recounts without bitterness, shattered the myth that excellent work alone was enough to earn the next title. It was, as she puts it, the moment she realized she’d been playing a game she didn’t know existed.

Read the full Blog on the Website

Job Hunting Made Simple

Reset Your Career - Fast-Track Your Job Search in One Weekend

31 Days of Action for Job Seekers

Find Your Talents: Learn About Your Strengths, and Watch Your Career Grow

Join 5,000+ Readers of The Job Hunting Newsletter: Subscribe Now

Lear More About Renata's career coaching and courses

Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 00:00 The Game of Career Advancement
• 05:27 Navigating Feedback and Growth
• 08:37 The Importance of Relationships in Career
• 11:36 Learning from Mentorship and Coaching
• 14:31 Building a Growth Mindset
• 17:32 The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
• 20:34 Career Choices and Personal Values
• 23:23 Empowerment and Control in Your Career
• 32:44 Empowerment Through Career Choices
• 35:02 Taking Control of Your Career
• 41:00 Building Authentic Connections
• 46:35 The Balance of Likeability and Trust
• 53:45 Actionable Steps for Career Advancement

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Purchase Kendall's book

About the host, Renata Bernarde

Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate, non-profit, and public professionals the steps and frameworks to help them find great jobs, change, and advance their careers with