Have you ever pulled back after criticism, made yourself smaller to feel safe, or found yourself stuck in the same bad situation over and over again?
In this coaching session, I work with Michelle—a mom and grad student in Australia working toward becoming a psychologist. She came in thinking she had a job problem: toxic environments, difficult bosses, and a resume full of short stints she couldn't explain.
But what we uncovered was a deeper pattern. Years ago, Michelle took down all her books from Amazon after one negative comment. Within 24 hours. Everything gone. That same cycle—something feels unsafe, retreat, make yourself smaller—was showing up everywhere in her life.
This session is about how to break that cycle. How to build safety inside yourself instead of waiting for the world to feel safe. How to stop hiding and start building.
We cover:→ Why hiding feels safe but keeps you stuck→ How to create a cooling-off period before reactive decisions→ Building a somatic sense of compassion and courage→ Identifying your north stars (not job titles—what you actually do)→ Using a difficult season to invest in your future→ Why connection is the antidote to almost everything
If you've ever wondered how to trust yourself when you keep getting it wrong, this episode is for you.
📝 Get the full post with key insights and action steps: clairewasserman.substack.com
Estelle knows what she wants: to be an environmental storyteller. She's already doing the work—some paid, some unpaid. But when someone asks "What do you do?" she freezes.
In this coaching session, we workshop her introduction over and over again until she lands on language that feels true, invites connection, and positions her for the opportunities she actually wants.
You'll learn:
The identity you're stepping into? You're already living it. Now it's just about owning it.
Get the full 7-day action plan at clairewasserman.substack.com
Hosted by Claire Wasserman, career coach, author, and founder of Ladies Get Paid.
In this coaching session, I work with Bea who's facing a challenge I hear all the time: "I feel a disconnect between what I want and how to get there, but I don't know how to bridge the gap."
Bea experienced professional whiplash—her federal portfolio was decimated overnight, she landed a new job, and 5 months in, her senior director is leaving. Now she has the opportunity to step into leadership, but she feels completely unequipped and overwhelmed.
In this episode, we uncover:
If you've ever felt like you're in a holding pattern in your career, waiting to feel "ready" before taking the next step, or navigating a transition you weren't prepared for—this episode will give you a completely different framework.
📧 Check out the accompanying Substack with key insights and action steps from this session: https://clairewasserman.substack.com/
Cecilia has been trying to restart her career for 5 years—children's books, freelancing, illustrations, volunteer work, workshops. She's doing all the right things, but nothing is landing.
Sound familiar?
In this coaching session, we discover that her problem isn't lack of ideas or talent (her design work is stunning). The problem is simpler and harder: she's spreading herself so thin that nothing has time to work.
In this episode, you'll learn:
I also walk Cecilia through a specific project idea she can use to break into her dream industry—combining design, environmental work, and community impact.
If you're a designer, writer, consultant, or anyone building a "portfolio career," this episode will help you stop scattering your energy and start building real momentum.
📥 Get the full breakdown, frameworks, and 7-Day Momentum Plan at clairewasserman.substack.com
Each day is just 5-20 minutes, and by the end of the week, you'll have:✅ Clarity on your actual focus✅ A project brief you can start working on✅ Real connections with people in your target space✅ A way to measure progress beyond "getting hired"
Stop trying everything. Start committing to something.
→ clairewasserman.substack.com
Meg thought she had a purpose problem. Turns out, she had a permission problem.
After losing a campaign and launching her own consulting firm, she spent a year doing work she was proud of—but couldn't make a website, update LinkedIn, or tell anyone what she'd built.
This session reveals the moment everything shifted, plus the 5 tools we used to move from "lemonade stand" to legitimate business.
Listen, then get the full breakdown with templates and a 7-day implementation plan at clairewasserman.substack.com
Stuck in your career? Feeling behind? Wondering if the thing you love could actually be your next step?
Today’s session is with Ali, a 28-year-old content writer who’s spent six years in the same lane and feels ready for a new adventure—but unsure how to find it. What we uncover together is powerful: her competitive edge has been hiding in her side hustle this whole time.
Ali runs a food Substack, wrote a cookbook with her dad, and is completely lit up by culinary storytelling—but she never saw it as part of her “real career.” Until now.
In this episode, we explore:
• How to pivot careers in 2025 without traditional experience
• Why applying to random jobs isn’t working—and what to do instead
• How to pitch yourself to the brands and industries you genuinely care about
• How to identify (and monetize) your competitive edge
• Why nervousness is often a sign you're on the right path
• How to combine content, storytelling, and community into a meaningful career
If you’re in your late 20s or early 30s wondering what’s “next,” this episode will help you see your path differently.
Want the full written breakdown + a 7-day Progress Plan?
I created an in-depth analysis of Ali’s session with daily exercises (5–20 minutes each) to help you apply these insights in your own life.
→ clairewasserman.substack.com
Getting interviews but not offers? This real coaching session reveals the strategic mindset shifts that separate candidates who get hired from those who get forgotten.
Career coach Claire Wasserman coaches someone who was laid off 4 months ago and is now navigating interviews in a tough job market. You'll learn:
✅ How to analyze the job description
✅ How to position transferable skills
✅ What to do when you're missing required experience
✅ How to leave a lasting impression.
Key takeaway 👉 "I'd rather you be memorable and not get the job because you weren't the right fit, than be forgettable and not get the job because they can't remember why they should hire you."
Stuck between a soul-sucking 9-to-5 and creative dreams you keep dropping? This coaching session reveals how to:
✅ Monetize what you're already doing✅ Build sustainable creative consistency✅ Manage your energy at draining jobs✅ Overcome impostor syndrome through self-pride✅ Separate success from external validation
Perfect for creatives in corporate jobs struggling with consistency and wondering how to bridge the gap between paying bills and feeding your soul.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR SUBSTACK FOR KEY INSIGHTS + ACTION STEPS: https://clairewasserman.substack.com/subscribe?utm_source=subscribe_content_block&next=https%3A%2F%2Fclairewasserman.substack.com%2F
#CareerAdvice #CreativeCareer #ImpostorSyndrome #SideHustle
How do you walk into an interview and explain a 3-year employment gap without it becoming a therapy session?In this real coaching session, I work with someone navigating exactly that challenge—and we transform her story from something she's apologizing for into her greatest competitive advantage.
YOU'LL LEARN:
✅ The exact 30-second framework for explaining any career gap
✅ Why "I gained resilience" isn't enough—and what to say instead
✅ How to translate personal challenges into professional skills
✅ The confidence work you need to do BEFORE landing the job
✅ How to make a career transition when you don't check all the boxes
✅ Strategies for managing overthinking and self-judgment
Even if your gap is shorter or your circumstances are different, the strategies we cover apply to anyone who's ever felt like they're starting over, worried about resume complications, or wondered "who's going to want to hire me after all this?"
Content note: This episode includes discussion of health issues and loss.
FOR MORE RESOURCES:Claire Wasserman: www.coachmeclaire.comLadies Get Paid: https://pages.ladiesgetpaid.com/subscribe
#CareerAdvice #JobSearch #InterviewTips #CareerGap #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerCoaching #CareerChange #ReturningToWork #JobInterview #CareerTransition
Should you make a major career pivot after a life-changing experience? In this episode, I sit down with a marketing professional and new mother who nearly lost her life during childbirth. The experience left her questioning everything about her career path—should she stay in marketing, transition into nursing, or find something in between?We explore:✨ How trauma can be a catalyst for career reevaluation✨ The difference between what looks good on paper vs. day-to-day reality✨ Why "connection with others" became her non-negotiable value✨ Strategic ways to explore a new industry without starting over✨ How to bring more meaning into your current role while figuring out your next move✨ Why marketing in healthcare might be the perfect middle groundThis conversation is for anyone feeling stuck between staying safe and taking a leap—and how to start exploring new paths without blowing up your life.
For insights and action steps related to this session, check out https://clairewasserman.substack.com/#CareerChange #CareerTransition #Marketing #Healthcare #WorkingMom #Motherhood #CareerAdvice #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerPivot #FindingPurpose
What if the diagnoses you've been hiding in job interviews are actually your greatest professional assets?
This coaching session features a 52-year-old woman diagnosed at 48 with autism, ADHD, dyscalculia, anxiety, depression, and PTSD—currently living in a women's shelter and navigating final-round job interviews. Instead of teaching her to mask better, we identify the concrete superpowers embedded in each diagnosis: pattern recognition, emotional intelligence, advanced systems thinking, and the ability to manage up because she's had to manage herself her entire life.
We discuss using AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT to translate neurodivergent traits into employer benefits without forced disclosure, why a "pride check-in" matters more than interview prep, how to mine current hardships (homelessness, job loss, health struggles) for creative purpose, and why detaching from desperate outcomes is the only way to show up powerfully in interviews.
Publishing professional "Amy" has spent 17 years being everyone's cheerleader while her own creative dreams died. Sound familiar?
In this raw coaching session, we tackle:
Whether you're in publishing, tech, teaching, or any field where you pour yourself out—this conversation will shift everything.
Key moment: "I thought I'd be a writer." After 17 years in publishing, she forgot she could still become one.
📝 Full transcript & 7-Day Progress Plan available on Substack: https://clairewasserman.substack.com/
Perfect for: Career changers, creative professionals, anyone who feels behind, women over 40 questioning everything
#Career #Coaching #Burnout #CreativeRecovery #WomensCareer #MidlifeChange #PersonalDevelopment
From cancer survivor to career transformer: Shea shares her raw journey through 4 years of job searching, workplace trauma, and discovering how generational patterns sabotage our careers.
In this breakthrough session, career coach Claire Wasserman introduces revolutionary techniques combining somatic healing with practical job search strategies. Learn why traditional career advice fails when you're dealing with executive dysfunction, ADHD, or workplace PTSD.
Discover:
Perfect for job seekers dealing with overwhelm, career changers processing workplace trauma, or anyone whose mental health is blocking their career progress.
Are you struggling to be taken seriously at work? In this career coaching session, we tackle the common challenge of being perceived as "too young" in professional settings.
Learn powerful strategies to command respect regardless of your age, including:
This session features insights from a 25-year-old executive recruiter navigating relationships with senior professionals, but the lessons apply to anyone facing workplace bias or struggling to be seen as a respected colleague.
#CareerAdvice #WorkplaceStrategies #ProfessionalDevelopment #YoungProfessionals #CareerCoaching #WorkplaceTips #CommandRespect
In this intimate conversation, Claire Wasserman, founder of Ladies Get Paid, sits down with holistic executive coach and author Amina Altai to discuss her new book "The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living."This powerful dialogue explores:✅ Amina's personal wake-up call that led to developing two autoimmune diseases from overworking✅ The five core wounds that drive painful ambition (rejection, abandonment, humiliation, betrayal, and injustice)✅ How to identify your "zone of genius" and create more flow in your work✅ The shift from discipline to devotion in our approach to ambition✅ Practical strategies for workplace contentment and living above the "resentment line"Whether you're feeling burnt out, questioning your career path, or wondering if success without self-sacrifice is possible, this conversation offers both wisdom and actionable insights to help you redefine ambition as natural unfolding rather than painful pushing.Join us as we explore a new vision of ambition that aligns with who you truly are.
In this episode, Claire Wasserman interviews Shriya, a tech community-builder who created a newsletter documenting her entire job search journey—rejections and all. Shriya shares her innovative approach to networking and demonstrates how vulnerability can be a strategic advantage in your career journey. Key takeaways include how to:✅ Craft compelling emails that activate your network✅ Make strategic career pivots, network authentically✅ Negotiate effectively when you're overqualified✅ Leverage AI tools to strengthen your job search materials.
Welcome to today's episode where we're diving into a challenge many professionals face: navigating workplace disorganization while trying to advance your career.My client Rachel finds herself in a familiar but difficult situation - she's up for promotion from senior manager to director, but she's already doing both roles without the support she needs. She's dealing with a chaotically structured organization, miscommunication across departments, and the feeling of constantly putting out fires that aren't of her making.In our coaching session, we explore practical strategies for protecting your energy, creating efficient systems, and maintaining boundaries in a disorganized workplace. We'll also discuss the importance of reconnecting with parts of yourself outside of work to prevent burnout, especially when leaving your current position isn't an option.Whether you're dealing with similar challenges or just want to be prepared for future workplace chaos, this episode offers actionable advice on thriving professionally while preserving your wellbeing.Key Takeaways include:1. Separate your identity from your work role. Remember "it's just a job" - creating emotional distance helps prevent burnout when dealing with workplace chaos.2. Create efficient systems for repetitive problems. When faced with recurring issues (like repeatedly justifying budgets), develop streamlined processes to reduce your workload and frustration.3. Protect your energy with visualization techniques. Mental exercises like imagining a protective golden shield or washing away negative experiences can create psychological boundaries.4. Reconnect with creative outlets outside of work. Consistently engage with non-work activities that energize you, even just for short periods daily. Frequency matters more than duration.5. Seek community with peers in similar positions. Connect with others facing similar challenges for support, validation, and practical strategies.6. Frame improvements as benefiting the company. When proposing solutions to inefficiencies, demonstrate how they save the organization time and money.7. Maintain visibility with leadership. Ensure your contributions are recognized by multiple stakeholders so when others' mistakes impact your work, your reputation is protected.8. Involve your team in problem-solving. You don't have to shoulder all challenges alone - collaborative solutions often work better and reduce your mental load.
In this episode, we break down exactly how to transform your expertise into a thriving business. Perfect for workplace coaches, consultants, and service providers who feel uncomfortable "selling" themselves. Learn practical frameworks for:✅ Finding your perfect niche (w/out limiting future growth)✅ Creating 52 weeks of compelling content✅ Building lead magnets that actually convert✅ Developing a relationship-based marketing pipeline✅ Overcoming the mindset blocks around self-promotion💡 RESOURCES MENTIONED:Melody Wilding: melodywilding.com/Level Up Creators: welevelupcreators.comCreator Science: creatorscience.com
In this eye-opening coaching session, we follow Shaye's journey to launch an outdoor adventure blog for families while navigating the challenges of ADHD and parenting young children. Discover practical strategies anyone can use to turn their passion project into reality, even with limited time and focus.
You'll learn:
Whether you're struggling with procrastination, overthinking, or simply finding time for your side hustle, this episode delivers actionable advice to help you move from idea to implementation. Perfect for parents, aspiring content creators, and anyone who's ever said "I'll start tomorrow."
Subscribe for more breakthrough coaching sessions that provide real solutions to your career and creative challenges!
Today's client is facing a challenging decision between two job offers after a recent layoff - one with a major corporation requiring travel to Seattle, and another with a mission-driven organization that pays significantly less. With a new home in California and family responsibilities to consider, she opens up about the struggle between financial stability and personal fulfillment.
Join us as we explore the nuances of this decision, discussing strategies for preventing burnout, setting boundaries, and finding balance between professional growth and personal well-being in today's complex job market.