Stop Applying. Start Strategizing.
The job market is different than it was a few years ago. If you’ve spent most of your career being recruited, referred, promoted, or tapped for your next opportunity, conducting a proactive job search can feel surprisingly unfamiliar.
You may know exactly what you want to do next—but not know how to get in front of the right people, identify the right companies, or create enough momentum to generate opportunities.
That’s where we can help.
Briefcase Coach now offers one-on-one job search strategy sessions with members of our talented team of certified coaches. These personalized 60- or 90-minute sessions combine coaching with practical, roll-up-your-sleeves job search strategy.
We won’t apply to jobs for you. We won’t promise to “place” you. And we won’t sell you a done-for-you job search.
Instead, we’ll help you build a smarter strategy so you can take control of your search.
A Better Approach to Your Job Search
Most of our clients are accomplished professionals who haven’t had to conduct a traditional job search in years.
They’ve been recruited by executive search firms. A former colleague called with an opportunity. A boss moved to a new company and brought them along. Someone in their network knew they were available.
Then suddenly, they find themselves on the other side of the equation.
They’re looking for a job—and discovering that applying to jobs online isn’t generating the traction they expected.
Our strategy sessions are designed to help you understand what actually needs to happen between “I’m looking for a new opportunity” and “I’m having conversations with people who can help me get there.”
I am very thankful for your support and guidance. You provided tremendous counsel, and I wouldn’t be here without you and your team.
CEO, top trade association
I utilized her interview coaching services to prep for a final interview as well as overcome a few repeat questions…The call was very productive and I left feeling more confident in every way.
Event Manager, Denver
…the most valuable thing for me was gaining confidence through practice. Your interview was more difficult than most… I’m glad that I built up confidence by running through those questions.
Medical Student
This Isn’t “Reverse Recruiting”
You’ve probably seen services promising to take your job search off your hands.
Some companies market “reverse recruiting” or “done-for-you job search” services that promise to find jobs, submit applications, and manage the process for you.
We take a different approach.
We believe your job search is too important to outsource.
Your relationships, reputation, experience, judgment, and personal story are uniquely yours. No outside service can authentically build those relationships or have the conversations that ultimately lead to many of the best opportunities.
Instead, we’ll help you develop the strategy, confidence, tools, and habits to conduct a more effective search yourself.
Think of it as part coaching, part strategy consulting, and part working session.
You bring the questions.
We bring the experience.
And together, we figure out what to do next.
What We Can Work On
Your session is tailored to your situation, goals, experience, and search. Before your appointment, you’ll have an opportunity to share what you’re trying to accomplish and where you’re getting stuck.
Depending on your needs, your coach may help you:
Build a Target Company List
Identify the organizations that align with your experience, interests, leadership profile, compensation goals, and career direction—and create a focused list rather than applying everywhere.
Research Companies Strategically
Learn how to go beyond the careers page and research organizations, business challenges, leadership teams, growth plans, acquisitions, organizational changes, and other signals that can help you identify potential opportunities.
Find the Right People
Determine who you should actually be talking to inside your target companies—including hiring managers, business leaders, former colleagues, executives, recruiters, and other potential connectors.
Find and Work With Recruiters
Understand which recruiters may be relevant to your search, how to identify them, how executive search differs from corporate recruiting, and how to approach recruiters without relying on them to manage your entire search.
Create Better Outreach
Develop a practical approach for reaching out to people in your network and beyond it. We’ll talk about what to say, who to contact, when to follow up, and how to make your outreach feel human rather than transactional.
Get Beyond Job Boards
Job boards can be one part of a job search—but they shouldn’t necessarily be the entire strategy. We’ll help you think about referrals, networking, direct outreach, target companies, recruiters, professional associations, and other ways opportunities surface.
Create Structure for Your Search
If you’re unemployed or between roles, an unstructured day can quickly become an unproductive day. We’ll help you think through how to organize your time, prioritize activities, measure progress, and stay focused.
Define What “Success” Looks Like
A productive job search isn’t always measured by the number of applications you submit. We can help you establish meaningful activity and progress measures so you know whether your strategy is actually working.
Troubleshoot What’s Not Working
Getting no responses? Having networking conversations that don’t lead anywhere? Applying to dozens of positions without interviews? We’ll help you diagnose where your search may be breaking down and determine what to change.
Who Is This For?
Our one-on-one job search strategy sessions can be particularly helpful for:
- Executives and senior leaders navigating a job search for the first time in years
- Professionals who have been recruited into their previous roles
- Job seekers who are applying extensively but aren’t getting interviews
- People who aren’t sure where to focus their search
- Executives who need help developing a target company strategy
- Professionals who know networking matters but aren’t sure how to do it effectively
- Job seekers who want to build a more proactive search strategy
- Individuals who are considering a career transition or new direction
- People who want an experienced outside perspective on their search
- Job seekers who want practical help—not a generic career coaching program
What to Expect
Before Your Session
You’ll share information about your goals, current situation, target roles, challenges, and questions. This gives your coach context before you ever get on the call.
During Your Session
Your coach will spend the time focused on your search—not a predetermined curriculum.
You might spend the entire session building a target company strategy. Or you might discover that your biggest issue is your positioning, networking approach, outreach, or lack of clarity about what you actually want next.
We’ll meet you where you are.
After Your Session
You’ll leave with greater clarity about what to do next and a practical strategy you can put into action.
For some job seekers, one session is enough to get unstuck.
Others may benefit from a 90-minute session or additional coaching as their search evolves
Choose the Job Search Strategy Session
That Fits Your Needs
60-Minute Strategy Session
A focused, one-hour working session designed to address your most pressing job search questions and challenges.
Best for: Job seekers who have a specific issue they want to solve, need a strategic reset, or want an experienced perspective on their current search.
90-Minute Strategy Session
More time to dig into your search, explore multiple challenges, and leave with a more developed strategy and action plan.
Best for: Job seekers who are starting from scratch, need help developing a target company strategy, are navigating a career transition, or have several aspects of their search they want to address.
Our Coaches
Lindsay Koons
- Senior Branding Strategist at Briefcase Coach.
- Experience working across various industries and sizes of companies, ranging from small start-ups to Fortune 500s.
- Strong understanding of Talent Management, Organizational Development, Organizational Effectiveness, Human Resources, Change
- Management, and Learning and Training Development through graduate-level study and industry/consulting experience.
Caitlin Weaver
- Executive Interview Coach and Senior Resume Writer at Briefcase Coach.
- Experience partnering with senior executives to drive leadership excellence and talent strategy.
- Deep expertise in executive coaching, succession planning, and leadership development gained through corporate and consulting roles.
- Strong ability to blend strategic thinking, data-driven insights, and communication to guide executive growth.
Sarah Johnston
- Founder and leader of Briefcase Coach.
- Seasoned recruiter with deep experience in healthcare, insurance, commercial real estate, and beyond.
- LinkedIn Learning Instructor on one of the top interview courses.
- Named to HR Weekly’s list of 100 Most Influential People in HR Globally
- A LinkedIn Top Voice in the career space and “Top Follow” by JobScan.
- Described as equally kind and direct.
Robin Boswell
- Senior Branding Strategist & Executive Interview Coach at Briefcase Coach.
- 20 years leading Career Services at Wake Forest, University of North Carolina-Charlotte & Wales University. MBA program director.
- Recruitment experience in banking and healthcare
- Licensed mental health counselor (LCMHC) and National Board Certified Counselor (NBCC)
- Coaching blends empathy and strategy.
Cathleen Sullivan
- Senior Branding Strategist & Executive Interview Coach at Briefcase Coach.
- 20+ years in product and sales in the education sector.
- Founder of a Toastmasters Club. Passionate about helping non-native English speakers feel more confident.
- Subject-matter expert on 55+ positioning and overcoming ageism.
- Cathleen is known for being high energy, empathetic, and direct.
Your Job Search Doesn’t Need More Applications. It Needs a Strategy.
The goal isn’t to spend eight hours a day applying for jobs.
The goal is to spend your time doing the right things with the right people at the right companies.
If you’re struggling to gain traction in your job search, you don’t necessarily need someone to do the search for you.
You may simply need someone who knows the job market, understands how opportunities actually happen, and can help you figure out what to do next.
That’s what these sessions are designed to do.
Get strategic. Get unstuck. Get moving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a job search strategy session?
A job search strategy session is a personalized one-on-one coaching and working session designed to help you develop a more effective approach to finding your next opportunity. Your coach will tailor the conversation to your goals, challenges, experience, and target roles.
Will you apply to jobs for me?
No. These are not done-for-you job search or application services. We believe you should own your job search and relationships. We’ll provide strategy, guidance, coaching, and hands-on support to help you conduct a more effective search.
Can you help me if I’m not sure what I want to do next?
Yes. While these sessions are primarily designed for active job seekers, we can also help you think through your target roles, companies, positioning, and search strategy if you need greater clarity before diving into the market.
Do I need to be unemployed to book a session?
No. These sessions can be valuable whether you’re actively unemployed, quietly exploring, or preparing for a future search.
Is this the same as career coaching?
Not exactly. These sessions are highly focused on your active job search. Rather than working through a broad career-coaching curriculum, we’ll focus on practical questions such as where to look, who to contact, how to build relationships, how to identify target companies, and how to create momentum.
Can you help me find recruiters?
Yes. We can discuss how to identify recruiters who may be relevant to your background and target roles, how executive search works, and how to approach recruiters as one component of a broader search strategy.
Should I book a 60-minute or 90-minute session?
If you have one specific challenge you want to solve, a 60-minute session may be enough. If you’re starting a search from scratch, changing career direction, or want to work through multiple aspects of your search, the 90-minute session gives you more room to build a comprehensive strategy.