Navigating a New Path

As I write this newsletter, I’m sitting on a Metro North train bound for Grand Central Station in NYC to see my brother’s musical theater improv show. (I’ve noted in a past newsletter that participating in improvisation is a great way to improve your job interview skills.) This isn’t my first time attending one of his shows, but this one is at a different theater in Manhattan so I’m having to navigate a new path.

Choices

There are many ways I could do this.

• I could get a book from the library about New York subways or read a blog post on the topic, but I don’t know if they’ll be current.

• I could call the theater and ask the person who answers to give me directions. The spoken information may or may not make sense to me without a map in front of me (and with the way my mind works, “may not” is more likely). The person I talk with may also just tell me to look it up online.

• I could rely entirely on AI in the form of Google Maps. It will probably get me there, but it may take me along one of its unusual paths. It might have me walk through a construction site or it may suggest I leave the subway system mid-trip and reenter, forcing me to pay twice for my subway ticket.

• I could rely on my brother’s advice. He’s a frequent subway rider and is very familiar with Grand Central Station, though he hasn’t taken this exact route as he lives in another part of NYC.

Here’s what I did.

I chose a combination. I had AI giving me basic information (When does my train to NYC depart? What are some of the options for getting to the theater once I reach Grand Center Station?).

But I trusted my brother to pick the best option for me. He considered things like my willingness, in fact my preference, to walk outside in nice weather. He suggested an entirely different path from what Google Maps offered. It meant I walked a short distance to a nearby subway station, removing the need to pay twice and transfer subway lines.

He's also keeping his phone handy in case I have last-minute questions. I’ll again use Google maps as I walk between Grand Central Station and the subway entrance, just to make sure I don’t turn the wrong way or enter on the wrong side of the street.

Find Your Guide

As you navigate your job search journey, it is important to consider what resources you use.

• A book or blog post can provide big picture ideas or suggestions, but with the rapid changes in technology and the job market, their advice may be out-of-date.

• It’s great to reach out to someone at a company or organization where you want to apply. However, if they’re not involved with the hiring process, the information they can provide may be limited. They can tell you what it’s like to work there and can even put in a good word for you (see the Resource Roundup below for more on this). However, they may not be able to help you understand what the company is looking for with a specific position.

• AI can help with certain tasks, but in the end, hiring is done by a human. In a competitive job market, you want to stand out, not mix in.

• Finding a knowledgeable guide or guides who can support you is invaluable. Career coaches can see a bigger picture. A community of fellow job seekers who are on the same type of journey can provide guidance, empathy and support

Putting together your plan and modifying it as things change—a type of improvisation I’ll be talking about in a future newsletter—takes a variety of resources. Some are digital, but don’t forget the importance of support from other people on your journey.

Join Other Job Seekers

If joining with others to uplift one another during the job search sounds like just want you need, my LinkedIn Sprint for Job Seekers registration is now open! The Sprint runs May 30-June 6 (runs…get it??!? Ah, the simple joys of a metaphor, at least for me).

I’ve also scheduled my next live workshop, Using LinkedIn to be a Powerhouse Networker for May 20. If you register for the Workshop, you can join the Sprint for free.

For those who are currently unemployed, I have a pay-what-you-can option for the Sprint because, based on my deep experience with job loss in my family, I don’t want finances to stop someone from joining.

If you want to see and support my current sprinters from the STEM Community, here’s where you can find their LinkedIn posts from the last week.

p.s. If you’re ever in NYC, most Thursday nights you can experience musical theater improv for yourself! My brother is on one of the house teams at Magnet Theater (his team is called Lil’ Spoon) and for less than $30, you can see up to 3 hours of top-notch theater! And no, this is not a paid endorsement, just a big sister who is proud of her little brother.

Resource Roundup

I’ve decided to mix things up in this section of my newsletter and share a variety of types of resources.

• I mentioned the value of someone “putting in a good word” for you at a company. Having someone advocate for you behind closed doors is really important. In a Newsweek article, The Differences Between Mentorship and Sponsorship, Rosalind Chow (author of The Doors You Can Open) offers the following advice for job seekers. “Resist the urge to draw close and hunker down. Now is the time to take a careful look at your network and reach out to people for help, particularly if those people tend to spend time in different spaces than you do. And once you reach out, be forthcoming about your need for sponsorship, not (just) mentorship.”

• Looking for folks to follow on LinkedIn who regularly post job opportunities? Check out the list at the bottom of my newsletters from November 29, 2024 to January 16, 2025.

• Struggling after being laid off? Listen to the podcast, Proxy with Yowei Shaw. Yowei is the former host of the NPR podcast Invisibilia but was laid off in 2023. She started Proxy as a way of trying to understand why she felt so terrible. She began this new podcast with “The Layoff Trilogy”. This series does an amazing job of combining research and storytelling as it address a devastating situation with compassion and generous helpings of humor. This is a must-listen resource if you’ve been laid off or if someone you care about has been.

Hi! I’m Sara Kobilka, owner of Renaissance Woman Consulting.

I am a Renaissance Woman (what’s THAT? Good question! Here’s my answer). My wide-ranging background includes time as a TV meteorologist/reporter, non-profit leader, higher education program coordinator, curriculum designer, and now, business owner. During each leg of this journey, I gained new skills that I was able take with me in my next step. Now, I work remotely with clients to help them confidently tell their story and navigate the transition to the next leg of their career journey.

Take the Next Step

• Follow me on LinkedIn where I actively cross-pollinate impactful ideas across industries and disciplines (and regularly share job opportunities I come across)

• Check out my one-on-one career coaching program or join a cohort of job seekers for small group coaching

• Sign up for my workshop Using LinkedIn to be a Powerhouse Networker

• Participate in one of my LinkedIn Sprints (May is for job seekers)

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