In my last post, I shared about the incredible strengths that experienced professionals bring to the workplace—the kind of qualities that make them truly stand out as hires.

Today, I want to turn toward the other side of the conversation: ageism.

It’s not easy to talk about, but it is real. Sometimes it shows up subtly, other times more directly. Either way, hiring managers and recruiters, like all of us, carry their own assumptions and biases. And those biases can shape decisions in ways that have nothing to do with your actual skills or potential.

As a career coach, part of my work is helping clients anticipate and navigate these challenges. Here are a few practical strategies that can make a real difference.

In my coaching and résumé writing work, I often meet professionals who have recently been laid off and are worried that their age will work against them in the job search.

If that resonates with you, I want to pause here and remind you of something important: your years of experience are not a liability—they are an incredible asset.

When it comes to a job search, there are some parts we can control… and others we simply can’t. 

I recently worked with a client who had been job searching for over a year after earning his master’s degree. From the start, I was impressed by how well-prepared he was. His resume needed only a few minor updates, and he already understood the importance of networking. In fact, he was having regular conversations, sometimes daily, as part of his job search routine.

He was smart, articulate, accomplished, and had relevant work experience. And yet, despite all of that, he wasn’t landing offers. In some cases, he made it to the final round, only to hear “no” at the end.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it really takes to make a big decision, especially one that feels like a risk. Whether it’s changing careers, leaving a relationship, or moving to a new city, those moments often come with a sense of fear or overwhelm. And what I’ve come to see is that the ability to take risks isn’t just a mindset thing. It’s also deeply physical.

I am constantly amazed by the bravery of my clients. When I begin working with someone new, I never know whether they’ll make a small pivot or a major leap in their career. Both are equally powerful. Sometimes, a small shift is all it takes to create a huge difference in someone’s life. Other times, I watch clients take bold steps into the unknown to pursue careers that align more deeply with who they are.

This week I caught up with a friend and was reminded, again, of how much can change in a person's life in just a few years.

We originally met on an Outward Bound trip in the Yosemite backcountry. During one of our long hikes, she opened up about the intense burnout she’d been experiencing at work. It had been building for years, and she was beginning to realize just how much it was affecting her health.

Last week, a close friend reached out with the news: “My contract might not be renewed in the fall. I need to start job searching… but where do I even begin?”

It’s a question I hear often, from clients and friends alike.

In my friend’s case, she has a resume, but has never done a formal job search. Most of her roles had come from word of mouth, or simply walking into the HR office at the right time.

Growing up in Colombia during the 90s, I saw firsthand what it meant to live under the weight of scarcity. In 1998, our economy collapsed. My father filed for bankruptcy, and everything we had known as stable suddenly crumbled. That was the time when my family fragmented, and we had to depend on others for food, housing, and school. That chapter imprinted in me a deep fear around money - one that followed me across borders when I left for the U.S. in search of a better life.

I distinctly remember scrolling Instagram a few years back and seeing a woman who was ‘going on a daytime hike on a random Tuesday’ (that seemed to be the hot financial-freedom phrase of the moment). I wanted to be her SO bad.

It wasn’t that I hated my job or didn’t want to work; I just wanted the freedom to be able to work on what I wanted, when I wanted, without having to be on someone else’s schedule all day long. I wanted to go on a hike on a random Tuesday.

So eventually, I took a leap of faith and started exploring self-employment.

Like everyone else, I Googled "how to become a freelancer" and got hit with a ton of articles about all these platforms that supposedly connect you with clients and give you "freedom." Some of that was true. Some of it was total BS.

If you're thinking about diving into freelancing, here's what I actually learned about the main platforms after using them for the past few years.

Many years ago, I was invited to a “networking lunch” by one of the managing partners at the small professional services company I worked for. He was meeting up with a long-time contact of his from another firm, and I was asked to join. It was my first time attending anything labeled as a “networking” event, and I had no idea what to expect.

Here’s what I noticed at the lunch.

This is an interactive guide that will have you actually TAKE ACTION on each step to create a debt payoff plan. You’ll be tempted to just read and not do the work - I encourage you to push through and actually do the activities in each section!

If you do, your will literally create a complete debt payoff plan in under an hour - and experience an immense weight off your shoulders.

Ready to get started? Let’s dig in.

In my 15+ years in human resources, and now as a career transition coach, I’ve seen many people who feel unhappy in their jobs, but they keep pushing through.

They tell themselves it’s not that bad. They don’t have the energy to figure out what’s next. Maybe they worry that making a change is too risky.

These days, many people consider their pets to be family members. The emotional bond we share with our pets often surpasses that with our human companions. As such, it’s only natural you’d want to make sure your furry friend is provided for in your estate plan, so when you die or if you become incapacitated, your beloved companion won’t end up in an animal shelter or worse.

When I talk about networking with clients, I often sense a quiet resistance. For some, it’s the introvert’s dread of having to “extrovert.” (I can relate!) For others, it feels like an unfair hoop to jump through; one more exhausting task in an already broken job search system.

And you know what? They're not wrong.

Vacations can be the perfect opportunity to relax, disconnect from work and responsibilities, and enjoy your spouse, partner, kids, or friend’s company. But before you head off on your next getaway, there’s something else you should consider doing that might not sound quite as fun—creating an estate plan. While it may not sound like the most thrilling way to spend a day, here are some reasons you need to consider your estate plans before traveling.

Imagine this: You've built a business empire worth hundreds of millions of dollars, transformed a city's downtown area, and touched countless lives with your vision and generosity. Then, unexpectedly, you pass away—and nearly five years later, a will you may have created suddenly appears. Meanwhile, your family has been battling creditors, former associates, and mounting legal fees in a probate nightmare that has cost millions and years to manage.

With the arrival of summer, young people across the country are about to reach a key milestone: high school graduation. If you have a child claiming their diploma, now is the time to prepare them for life after leaving the nest.

Graduating from high school is a significant accomplishment. However, it comes with serious responsibilities that your child probably isn’t thinking much about right now. Once your child turns 18, they become a legal adult, and specific areas of their lives that were once under your control will be solely their responsibility.

Picture this: you've just set up your estate plan using a quick and easy online DIY form or a budget-friendly legal service. Or, your financial advisor drafted it for you for a nominal fee while creating your financial plan. These options promise ease, convenience, and at a fraction of the cost of hiring a legal professional. The website assured you that in just 30 minutes, you could secure your family's future. You click "submit," pay the fee, or receive the documents from your financial adviser, and breathe a sigh of relief, thinking your affairs are now in order.

But if you're a business owner, this might not be the all-encompassing solution it claims to be.

If you have some extra cash sitting around, you’re probably wondering the best place to keep it. Should it stay in your savings account, or is there somewhere better to grow that money? The right answer depends on your goals, your timeline, and how much risk you’re comfortable with.

Let’s break down the most common options for keeping extra cash safe - and what you should know about each.

If you’re thinking about saving for retirement, chances are you’ve come across both 401(k)s and Roth IRAs. Both are popular retirement accounts, but they each have unique features that make them better suited for different situations.

So, which one should you invest in? Let’s break it down.