I started calling myself a Talent Leader over a decade ago—long before I had direct reports, just 3 years into my tech recruiting career.

Why?

The way you talk about yourself shapes how others see you—&, more importantly, how you view yourself.

For all the people pushing the boundaries in their field, recreating what we believe is possible, and overcoming the doubters, I'm passing along a few quotes from those who have influenced my own path toward self-actualization and belief in myself, my abilities, and the work that brings me joy.

Being unexpectedly laid off can be a deeply disorienting & traumatic experience.

In this blog post, I cover 3 things to do if you've recently been affected by a #layoff.

This is just one moment in your story—it doesn’t define your entire career. You do.

www.dereklingconsulting.com/post/develop...

Calling all #SalesLeaders and #JobSeekers in the #NY area! I'm excited to be hosting an in-person workshop March 4th on storytelling strategies for sales and career growth.

Learn how to nail interviews, network with confidence, and close more deals!

Learn more & register: lu.ma/bls607r5

#NewYork! Save the date – I'm hosting an #inpersonworkshop March 4th on advanced storytelling, sales, & interviewing techniques.

Learn how to use the STAR Framework to connect with your audience, build long-term relationships, & sell directly to your customer’s problems.

More details coming soon!

I've found that looking to other people to determine my goals or for validation of my value is the wrong approach and led me astray from what was most important to me.

We should look internally for our #inspiration for the answers to the hard questions, "What is my why?" & "What are my strengths?"

Hi everyone! I'm Derek.

After spending 20+ years in the corporate recruiting 🌎, I’m passionate about working directly 1:1 with #jobseekers on the candidate side, sharing my knowledge with others, helping people create “aha” moments for themselves, & landing their dream careers.

Happy to be here!

I speak to job seekers every week who focus all their time applying to jobs before doing the internal self-reflective work of determining their strengths, goals, and joys.

Here are 3 questions to consider before jumping into your #jobsearch.

www.dereklingconsulting.com/post/get-cle...

#NewYearNewCareer? I'm excited to launch my flagship digital product, a resume playbook for job seekers. It's filled with exercises and tips to help you define your unique career story and optimize every section of your resume.

Grab your copy here:

derekling.gumroad.com/l/resumeplay...

Most job seekers focus on the wrong things:

- Using outdated resume templates that don’t tell a compelling, authentic story that highlights their unique strengths

- Networking without a clear direction, compelling story, or CTA

- Applying to as many jobs as possible without a clear strategy

5 prompts to measure your well-being at work:

1. My company has a strong financial forecast
2. My team has a "we" environment
3. My role leverages my strengths
4. My manager cares about me as a person
5. I have clarity on what it will take for me to be promoted to the next level

Being able to add value in an untraditional way by providing insights is one of the biggest ways that you can differentiate yourself.

Looking for more career tips or guidance on your career journey? Let's connect!

3. Hop on some networking calls and coffee chats.

Build an emotional connection and commonality with your audience first. Then discuss your research, clarify the problems and priorities, and look for opportunities to help problem-solve with them live.

2. Do your research:

Research the companies' earnings reports, ALL of their job openings across departments, and recent news or press. Use this background knowledge to your benefit when you move onto step 3 - coffee chats and networking calls.

1. Make a couple of lists:

• Companies that you're interested in and people that you know who work at those companies

• Leaders that you've worked with in the past that you may want to work with again

Why? You want to make your reputation your secret weapon.

One of the most helpful things you can do in your job search is to stop focusing SOLEY on the job description in your company research.

Instead, do this: (a thread 🧵)

I wrote a blog article diving more into this topic and discussing ways to revamp your resume in today's job market. Read it here: www.dereklingconsulting.com/post/6-tips-...

This article highlights a critical insight: many of today’s job seekers haven’t invested enough time in the essentials, like reflecting on their communication strategy, value proposition, researching the market & crafting a strategic job search plan.

www.businessinsider.com/white-collar...