If your job search feels scattered, frustrating, or like you're spinning your wheels… this episode is for you.

In this second episode of the Job Search Series, we’re stepping back to something even more foundational than your resume or interviews: clarity.

Because if you don’t know where you’re going, everything else—your resume, your applications, your networking, and how you show up in interviews—will feel unfocused and ineffective.

In this episode, I’m walking you through:

• Why lack of clarity is the real reason your job search isn’t working
• What “career clarity” actually means (hint: it’s not one perfect job title)
• How to identify what you want more of—and less of—in your next role
• The 3 simple steps to start finding your direction
• How to use informational interviews and strategic volunteering to test new paths
• Why your resume should reflect where you’re going—not just where you’ve been

If you’re a mid-career woman ready for a career change but unsure what your next step should be, this episode will help you move from feeling stuck to taking aligned action.

🎧 This episode is part of a multi-part Job Search Series designed to help you land the right role—not just any role.

Strategic volunteering leads mentioned on the episode:
Catchafire.org
Volunteer Match (Idealist)

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Work with Me

Want an HR expert’s eyes on your resume?
Book a 30-minute Resume Review with Christina - live on Zoom, recorded, and focused on one goal: getting you interviews.

Want to talk through your career goals and explore next steps?
Schedule a career consultation to see how I can support you.

Email me directly at christina@hernextchapters.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kohlchristina

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Free Resource

Grab the Strengths-First Resume Template - ideal for career transitions, whether you’re returning after a break, navigating a layoff, pivoting roles, or ready for a change.

If you’ve been applying for jobs and not getting interviews, it’s not random - and it doesn’t mean you’re not qualified.

In this episode of Her Next Chapters, we kick off a practical job search series for women who are ready for something new - whether you’re returning to work or feeling stuck in a role that no longer fits.

We start with the resume problem that quietly holds people back: bullets that read like a job description instead of showing real impact. You’ll hear clear before-and-after examples and learn how to add scope, results, and simple metrics - even if you don’t have exact numbers.

Then we shift to strategy. Your resume is not your full career history - it’s a marketing document for the job you want next. That means choosing a direction, using the employer’s language, and pulling keywords directly from the job posting so your resume stands out to both ATS systems and hiring managers.

We also talk about why applying online alone gives you the least control in your job search, and how small, intentional networking steps - including outreach on LinkedIn - can create momentum, conversations, and real opportunities.

If you’re ready to stop second-guessing your resume and start positioning yourself for your next chapter, this episode will give you a clear place to start.

Subscribe, follow along with the series, and share this with a friend who’s ready for a change.

Ready to take the next step?

• Download the free Strengths-First Resume Template to get a clear, confident starting point
• Want personalized feedback? Book a Resume Review and get direct, actionable guidance on what’s working and what’s not

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Work with Me

Want an HR expert’s eyes on your resume?
Book a 30-minute Resume Review with Christina - live on Zoom, recorded, and focused on one goal: getting you interviews.

Want to talk through your career goals and explore next steps?
Schedule a career consultation to see how I can support you.

Email me directly at christina@hernextchapters.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kohlchristina

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Free Resource

Grab the Strengths-First Resume Template - ideal for career transitions, whether you’re returning after a break, navigating a layoff, pivoting roles, or ready for a change.

Ever find yourself waiting to feel motivated before you start?

You’re not alone. And it might be the exact reason you’re stuck.

In this episode, I’m sharing a real-life moment from this week when I caught myself putting something off… and what I did instead. (Spoiler: motivation never showed up.)

We’re flipping the script on the idea that motivation has to come first, and instead focusing on what actually works: taking small, simple actions that build momentum.

Whether you’re navigating a job search, trying to get back into a routine, or tackling something that feels overwhelming, this episode will help you stop waiting and start moving forward.

Inside the episode, I talk about:

• why waiting for motivation keeps you stuck
• how procrastination shows up in everyday life (and how to catch it)
• simple ways to take action when you don’t feel ready
• why small steps create real momentum
• practical examples from job search, productivity, and daily life

If you’ve been putting something off, this is your nudge.

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Work with Me

Want an HR expert’s eyes on your resume?
Book a 30-minute Resume Review with Christina - live on Zoom, recorded, and focused on one goal: getting you interviews.

Want to talk through your career goals and explore next steps?
Schedule a career consultation to see how I can support you.

Email me directly at christina@hernextchapters.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kohlchristina

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Free Resource

Grab the Strengths-First Resume Template - ideal for career transitions, whether you’re returning after a break, navigating a layoff, pivoting roles, or ready for a change.

I considered walking out of a tiny Tokyo restaurant because it felt uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and way too hard to navigate in English. It seemed like every head turned when we walked in, the menu was handwritten in Japanese, and then a “free delicacy” landed on the table that looked like chopped-up worms. That moment could’ve ended with us retreating to the nearest convenience store and calling it a night.

Instead, I took a bite. It was raw baby squid, and it was actually delicious. That tiny choice sparked a conversation with a local man named Hiro and, somehow, turned into the funniest, sweetest connection of our entire Japan trip. We talked, laughed, and even sang Country Roads together when it started playing in the restaurant. It reminded me how rare real connection can be when most interactions as a tourist are quick, polite, and transactional.

You never know what's waiting on the other side of an awkard moment. This episode is a reminder to stay open, say yes, and not walk away too quickly — in travel, in networking, and in life. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more women can find Her Next Chapters.

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Work with Me

Want an HR expert’s eyes on your resume?
Book a 30-minute Resume Review with Christina - live on Zoom, recorded, and focused on one goal: getting you interviews.

Want to talk through your career goals and explore next steps?
Schedule a career consultation to see how I can support you.

Email me directly at christina@hernextchapters.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kohlchristina

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Free Resource

Grab the Strengths-First Resume Template - ideal for career transitions, whether you’re returning after a break, navigating a layoff, pivoting roles, or ready for a change.

Career pivots rarely happen in a straight line.

In this episode of Her Next Chapters, Christina talks with Brenda Brusegard, founder of Informed Tech Solutions, about her unconventional career journey from middle school science teacher to international educator to tech and AI consultant helping business owners streamline their operations.

Brenda spent more than 15 years in education, teaching in the U.S. and internationally in Ecuador, India, and Panama. Along the way, she discovered a love for technology, research, and problem-solving that eventually led her to start her own business helping entrepreneurs simplify their tech and automation systems using AI.

In this conversation, Brenda shares how small decisions and unexpected opportunities led to a major career shift, and why paying attention to what comes naturally to you can point toward your next chapter.

Christina and Brenda also tackle a topic that many career returners and career changers feel intimidated by: artificial intelligence. If AI feels overwhelming or unfamiliar, this episode offers a practical and encouraging starting point.

You’ll hear about:

• How following small “breadcrumbs” can lead to meaningful career pivots
• Why networking and real conversations still matter in a tech-driven world
• Simple ways to start using AI in everyday life and work
• How AI can help with tasks like planning, research, and productivity
• Why AI should do about 80% of the work, with humans responsible for the final 20%

Connect with Brenda:
LinkedIn: Brenda Brusegard
Website: informedtech.io
AI Course: Build Your Dream Team

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Work with Me

Want an HR expert’s eyes on your resume?
Book a 30-minute Resume Review with Christina - live on Zoom, recorded, and focused on one goal: getting you interviews.

Want to talk through your career goals and explore next steps?
Schedule a career consultation to see how I can support you.

Email me directly at christina@hernextchapters.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kohlchristina

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Free Resource

Grab the Strengths-First Resume Template - ideal for career transitions, whether you’re returning after a break, navigating a layoff, pivoting roles, or ready for a change.

What happens when a lifelong identity no longer fits the season you’re in?

In this episode of Her Next Chapters, Christina sits down with Kiersten Lortz, former professional violinist turned women’s empowerment coach, author, and founder of the Possibilities Conference. After a 25-year career in music, Kiersten made a bold midlife pivot to support women navigating identity shifts, career transitions, and the emotional complexity of the empty nest years.

Together, they explore:

• Letting go of long-held professional identities
• Career pivots in midlife and starting over from experience
• The emotional realities of the empty nest transition
• Reclaiming your relationship with your spouse, your adult children, and yourself
• Why women often feel lost after their kids leave home
• Coaching vs. therapy and how forward-focused coaching supports real change
• Small, sustainable action instead of “massive action” during busy life seasons

Kiersten shares her journey from performing on major stages as a professional musician to launching a women’s empowerment conference and building a coaching practice centered on helping mothers reconnect during the college transition years (ages 16–24). She also discusses the loneliness many women experience during this phase and why community and structured support matter.

If you are navigating a career reinvention, identity shift, or the emotional complexity of midlife motherhood, this conversation will remind you that you are not starting from scratch—you are starting from experience.

This episode is for women who are ready to release old chapters, redefine what’s next, and step into their next season with intention.

Click on these links to learn more about Kiersten’s Possibilities Conference and coaching programs.
Or grab a copy of her book: Possibilities: Partnering with God to Become Your Best Self

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The hardest part of interviewing isn’t your qualifications — it’s knowing how to talk about them.
Let’s fix that.
Book your Interview Clarity & Confidence Session HERE.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Work with Me

Want an HR expert’s eyes on your resume?
Book a 30-minute Resume Review with Christina - live on Zoom, recorded, and focused on one goal: getting you interviews.

Want to talk through your career goals and explore next steps?
Schedule a career consultation to see how I can support you.

Email me directly at christina@hernextchapters.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kohlchristina

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Free Resource

Grab the Strengths-First Resume Template - ideal for career transitions, whether you’re returning after a break, navigating a layoff, pivoting roles, or ready for a change.

What happens when grief, divorce, and a career crossroads all arrive at once? For parenting coach Alyssa Smith, they arrived together in 2022 — and changed everything.

After 17 years in the classroom, Alyssa walked away from teaching, moved back to the States from South Korea, and spent six months coming home to herself. What she found on the other side was a completely new chapter — and a calling to help parents raise confident, compassionate kids while growing into their own next version.

In this conversation, Christina and Alyssa dig into identity shifts, growing out loud alongside our kids, the power of high warmth and high expectations, and why the next brave step — however imperfect — is always the right one.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Free resource: Name the Hard, Model the Hope
• Group program: The Parent Reset (runs quarterly)
• Alyssa's website: alyssasmithcoaching.com
• Follow Alyssa on LinkedIn
• Follow Alyssa on Instagram @parentlikeahuman

Navigating your own career pivot? Christina's Interview Strategy Sessions help you clarify your story and walk into your next interview with confidence. → [LINK]

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Work with Me

Want an HR expert’s eyes on your resume?
Book a 30-minute Resume Review with Christina - live on Zoom, recorded, and focused on one goal: getting you interviews.

Want to talk through your career goals and explore next steps?
Schedule a career consultation to see how I can support you.

Email me directly at christina@hernextchapters.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kohlchristina

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Free Resource

Grab the Strengths-First Resume Template - ideal for career transitions, whether you’re returning after a break, navigating a layoff, pivoting roles, or ready for a change.

In this episode of Her Next Chapters, Christina sits down with Missi Bantner, an integrative neuro rehab, fitness, yoga, and nutrition coach and founder of Whole Life Health.

With over 24 years in the wellness field, Missi shares her deeply personal career journey, including early burnout, recovery from an eating disorder, multiple professional pivots, and how her own healing led her to a truly holistic approach to health. Her work integrates neuroscience, nutrition therapy, movement, mindfulness, and behavior change to help clients heal their relationship with their body, brain, and beliefs.

This conversation explores why sustainable health and habit change is not about willpower, punishment, or January 1st resolutions, but about understanding readiness, nervous system capacity, and aligning change with the natural rhythms of the seasons. Missi introduces practical frameworks such as the stages of behavior change, habit loops (cue, routine, reward), and how stress and overwhelm can block progress even when motivation is high.

Christina and Missi also discuss:

• Why winter is a powerful season for reflection, planning, and contemplation rather than forced action
• How neuroscience explains why change feels hard and how to work with your nervous system instead of against it
• The role of self-awareness in weight loss, nutrition, and long-term health
• Why your body is not a “trash can” and how childhood food beliefs still show up in adulthood
• How pain, inflammation, and discomfort can become powerful catalysts for change
• The importance of meeting yourself where you are and choosing entry points that feel supportive, not overwhelming

This episode is especially relevant for women navigating midlife transitions, career shifts, or a desire to feel better in their bodies without extremes or quick fixes. Missi’s approach offers a compassionate, science-backed path to whole-life health that honors both the body and the brain.

Connect with Missi:
livewholelifehealth.com
Early 2026 Coaching Offer

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Work with Me

Want an HR expert’s eyes on your resume?
Book a 30-minute Resume Review with Christina - live on Zoom, recorded, and focused on one goal: getting you interviews.

Want to talk through your career goals and explore next steps?
Schedule a career consultation to see how I can support you.

Email me directly at christina@hernextchapters.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kohlchristina

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Free Resource

Grab the Strengths-First Resume Template - ideal for career transitions, whether you’re returning after a break, navigating a layoff, pivoting roles, or ready for a change.