Thanks!

If your inbox is like mine, it’s probably full of Black Friday deals full of URGENCY!!

This email is decidedly not that. This is me, Sara, writing from the couch at my friend’s house while my kids help set up a Christmas tree and I kick back with a cup of oat milk cappuccino and a gluten-free coffee cake.

My career started in TV news where ratings are everything. I worked many Thanksgivings thanks to arcane rules regarding on-air staff not taking vacation during sweeps months (and if I’m writing in a foreign language to you, here’s a peek into the joys that were the Nielsen ratings months of yore).

With this background, numbers still matter to me. And that’s where you’ve come in. You’ve made me smile each time I sent out my newsletter because you’ve found it valuable enough to keep opening it. More than 65% of the people who receive this newsletter open it, and in newsletter statistics, that’s a great number!

My dad lost his job many times during my childhood, and I know the stress this creates for individuals and families. I know what it means to make difficult choices to stretch the limited money you have.

I’ve been a job seeker myself so many times and have felt the isolation and disappointment that can come with the search. I know what it’s like to send out application after application and not hear anything.

In a world where there is less and less opportunity to find community and support, this is my effort to give back. And for my fellow cynics, I know that can be hard to believe, so I appreciate you give me the chance to demonstrate that I truly mean this. Thank you, reader, for showing me that what I’m doing matters.

Sick of deal shopping?

If you’re looking for something to do online today other than taking advantage of the best deals of the season, I’m here to help (and if you want to shop, that’s OK too, no judgement). During the car ride to our Thanksgiving host’s place, I compile a list of some of the people I follow on LinkedIn who are regularly sharing job opportunities. The links are to one of their more recent posts but once you click on them, you can click “follow” to see more of what they’re regularly sharing. There’s a lot of folks who are on a mission to help others find meaningful work.

• Kaitlyn Arford - Focuses primarily on freelance opportunities and emphasizes pay transparency, also sends out a free weekly newsletter

• Chris Bibey - Focuses on freelance writing also has a newsletter

• Brenna Lasky – Focuses on jobs in big tech (most recent post is remote jobs)

• Daniel Méndez Aróstica – Focuses on communications jobs using #commsjobs along with many others

• Tyler Hakes - Shares a variety of job opportunities including freelance, contract and full-time share through the Top of the Funnel email

• Alesa Mackool - Shares “values aligned” job opportunities

Note: While LinkedIn is moving away from hashtags, it’s still possible to follow them on your mobile device. Here’s my post on how to do that.

That’s all for now, I hear the leftovers calling my name (and my 5-year-old may have found a pair of adult scissors while I was typing so I’m not sure what’s going on in the dining room).

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 to be the first to know when I offer my workshops: Using LinkedIn to be a Powerhouse Networker and How TV News Pros Can Land a Remote Job.

• Participate in one of my LinkedIn Sprints

Did you find this newsletter valuable?

Please share it and consider buying me an oat milk cappuccino so I can keep offering it for free to all job seekers.