Change Is Possible, Even When You're Invisible

This week was a game of two halves, the kind I’ve come to expect in the career space these days. On one hand, there’s the standard rhythm: CV reviews, coaching calls, interview prep. On the other hand, there’s a growing theme that keeps showing up in bolder colours: reinvention - the need to change direction, to be seen again, and to be supported through that process.

I kicked off the week welcoming three brilliant people into my Job Search Sprint, a 45-day programme designed to break through the noise and get people to offers - fast.

Each person comes in at a different point in their journey, but the common thread is the same: they’re ready to take control. Not in a passive, “let’s hope” way - but in a real, gritty, sleeves-rolled-up way.

Alongside the Sprint, I did a lot of one-to-one coaching. One conversation that stuck with me was with a senior-level woman in consulting. She’s worked relentlessly for decades, recently made redundant, and now - for the first time in a long time - she’s asking herself what she really wants. She has this incredible background in stand-up and improvisation. And now, she’s exploring how to blend her corporate experience with her creative voice and maybe even build a business from it. That’s not a small shift - that’s a redefinition of identity. And it’s possible.

Another theme that keeps repeating: brilliant, capable people , out of work for months - starting to internalise the wrong story. They think it's their age. Or a couple of short contracts. Or some invisible flaw. But the truth is harsher and simpler: their CVs aren’t even reaching a human. They’re stuck in digital purgatory. And the solution isn't just tweaking bullet points - it’s forensic tailoring, plus using your network to elbow your way in. There’s no glamour in it. It's a technical job, and a more scary one - networking!.

This week I also helped someone prep for a senior charity role. We tackled her presentation - not by packing it with more info, but by stripping it back. Themes, buckets, clarity.

Often, the people I work with are so close to their own brilliance, they can’t see it. They try to cram everything in, and end up saying nothing clearly. We re-read the job brief together, and what she thought was an “either/or” question was actually “both.” That one insight may have saved her from answering only half the brief.

Unlock Your Career: Transform from "Tired to Hired" in 45 Days or Less with Comprehensive Support and Proven Success!

And then there’s the quiet power of connection. I spoke to an lawyer - multilingual, razor-sharp - and I've identified a contact who might just help him find the next right move. It’s a small act, but one that could change everything. I also connected someone considering the Sprint to a past participant who’s now thriving in the same field. Sometimes, what people need most isn’t a tip or a resource — it’s proof that this can work.

What did I rediscover this week? That people are more fragile than they let on. Especially those who were once constantly headhunted, now invisible. It’s not that there aren’t jobs. It’s that the way we apply for them is broken - and it breaks people along the way.

Confidence doesn’t bounce back on its own. That’s why I’m planning a LinkedIn Live with the wonderful Judith Quin soon — all about confidence in how we speak about ourselves. Because the most important part of any interview is how you tell your own story.

Here’s the thing: nothing is impossible. You just need the right support or broom to sweep the path.

If you're in the thick of it - stuck, uncertain, or just tired - know this: you're not broken. You're just not visible yet. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Career coach Sarah Bryer offers a transformative program titled "Tired to Hired," designed to help individuals secure their next role in 45 days or less.