ADHD Career Coach | Founder of Momentum — the 8-week coaching program built to get ADHD brains off the overthinking line and into a rhythm of task execution (even on low-energy days)

If you're like most senior leaders I work with, you're not stuck because you lack experience, but because locking into your next move feels impossibly heavy.

I know that feeling well.

For years, I could lead teams, close deals, and make high-stakes decisions without blinking.

But when it came to my own next step?

– Everything blurred.
– The options multiplied.
– The second-guessing crept in.

And the longer I sat with it, the harder it got to move at all.

You can probably relate:

– You can see multiple lanes.
– You can imagine yourself in all of them.
– You can talk yourself into each one if you're not careful.

But eventually, the weight of all those possibilities starts to work against you.

➝ Your story doesn't point anywhere.
➝ Your positioning feels scattered.
➝ Your confidence nosedives.

And you start asking the real question:

"𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄?"

Most people assume it's a motivation problem.

It's not.

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺.

Because when you're keeping too many options open, nothing really lands.

Once you stop hedging and lock into one clear lane, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀:

➝ Your direction locks in. 
➝ Your positioning becomes clear. 
➝ Your visibility grows in the right spaces. 
➝ Your authority increases with the people who matter.

Small wins start stacking again.

Movement feels normal.

Confidence comes back online.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗜 𝗱𝗼.

Through 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 — my 8-week 1:1 career accelerator — I help leaders in transition stop hedging, lock into one clear path, and build visibility and authority where it actually matters.

Here's what you get:

– A structure for clarity, positioning, visibility, and authority
– The accountability and scaffolding that keep you steady
– 1:1 support to reduce friction instead of adding pressure
– A 2nd brain to guide the work between calls (Persona™)

By the time the conversations start, people already understand who you are, what you bring, and where you fit.

And once you lock in?

Momentum becomes the norm.

📩 𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 "𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺" 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱.

David Hannan

I keep coming back to this photo.

I almost didn't take it.

— Last summer
— Olivia's first day of kindergarten
— I was just focused on getting her through the door

I was 48 when I became a dad.

— Older than expected
— Less apologetic than I imagined
— Already more at peace with it than I realized

People didn't say it outright.

They rarely do, but the message was there:

— It's selfish
— You won't keep up
— She'll graduate before you retire

I didn't debate it.
I just carried on.

Last year, at 53, I walked my daughter Olivia into her first day of kindergarten.

— Her hand in mine
— Purple backpack bouncing
— That half-skip kids do when they're excited

That's when it landed: if I'd listened to them, this moment wouldn't exist.

And while that decision was playing out at home, I was watching the same pattern play out at work.

I've spent years watching people edged out after 50.

— Resumes stop getting traction
— "Too experienced" turns into a liability
— "Not a fit" says everything without saying anything

Translation: ageism in disguise.

Here's the part that's stayed with me since.

That same stretch of life is often when things click.

That was true for me.

In my early 50s, I was diagnosed with ADHD.

— A clearer view of my patterns
— A new way of working with my brain
— A reframing of everything that came before

It forced me to strip away the noise.

— Better systems
— Cleaner decision-making
— Fewer obligations I never agreed to

I grew more in my early 50s than I had in decades before.

We're sold a neat timeline:

— Career first
— Family on schedule
— Progress in orderly stages

Real life doesn't follow that script.

Some of the most important things arrive once you stop racing the clock.

I turn 54 next month.

I don't feel late.
I feel settled.

And when someone quietly decides I've missed my window, I don't feel the need to correct them.

I know what opened once I stopped believing in that clock.

P.S. A lot of people already have a "late" moment behind them.
They just haven't given it credit yet.

Helping high-performing leaders get clear on their next move and show up with confidence | Founder of Momentum | Former $4M full-desk recruiter

My client, a Head of Marketing in EdTech, recently received a $265K offer because of this:

We'd been working 1:1 to get clear on her next step after feeling stuck for months—riddled with overwhelm and imposter syndrome.

Before then, she had no clarity on what role she wanted next.

Her resume and LinkedIn profile told two different stories.

Every rejection felt personal, feeding her imposter syndrome and making it hard to keep going.

Networking felt overwhelming and random (which is fine, but not effective).

So what changed?

4 things:

1. Clearer, more specific career direction
2. Cohesive resume and LinkedIn branding
3. Targeted engagement/networking strategy

But #4 has been the wildest unlock of them all ↓

4. Consistently posting authority-building content

Once her approach changed, she not only landed conversations with key decision-makers…

But she built real momentum and started drawing the right roles without overthinking every step.

Before, her job search efforts looked like this:

— Applying to roles without tailoring outreach
— Sending connection requests with no purpose
— Hesitating to engage out of fear of being judged
— Never sharing her insights or perspective publicly

Now, her strategy looks like this:

— Clear direction on the role she wanted
— Cohesive resume and LinkedIn throughline
— An engagement strategy that built real visibility
— Posting original content weekly to build authority

See the difference?

❌ Less guesswork
✅ More intentionality

But that's not all.

We got crazy specific about her LinkedIn content:

— The exact topics she wanted to align with
— The companies that should be paying attention
— The decision-makers she wanted reading her posts
— The exact message she wanted to communicate
— The clear value her expertise demonstrated

This works because your content shapes who pays attention and what happens next.

It's like a magnet.

Attract the right people and the right conversations, and it's just a matter of time before you get that offer.

Get it wrong though?

You're left wheel-spinning.

P.S. If you're feeling stuck and:

➝ struggle with focus challenges or overthinking
➝ have zero clarity on what you want to do next
➝ have a confusing resume and LinkedIn profile
➝ want a strategy that plays to your strengths

I'm opening up 4 more spots to work 1:1 with US-based senior leaders to help them do just that.

DM "Momentum" if you want to see how this works.

2025 David: What I got wrong (and what actually worked):

1. Every tough year means something is broken.
↳ Last year stretched me.
- It also sharpened the business.
- Some things worked. Others needed rebuilding.
- Both were true at the same time.

2. Growth required grinding harder each year.
↳ That belief aged poorly.
- Revenue stabilized when systems replaced urgency.
- Fewer calls, better containers, clearer expectations.
- Momentum came from consistency, not exhaustion.

3. More availability meant better service.
↳ Wrong math.
- Being always on blurred boundaries fast.
- The work improved when I protected my time.
- Clients got a calmer version of me. Family did too.

4. Recruiting expertise alone would be enough.
↳ Half true. Half naïve.
- I knew hiring systems inside out. 
- I underestimated the impact of identity loss.
- Execution followed once people felt steady again.

5. Transparency would land the same for everyone.
↳ That was projection.
- My ADHD diagnosis reshaped how I work and talk.
- I assumed everyone shared the same openness.
- Meeting people where they are built trust.

6. One unified workspace would solve everything.
↳ Spoiler: it didn’t.
- Persona worked for strategy and layered thinking.
- Content suffered when context got too crowded.
- Custom GPTs restored clients' voices fast.

7. More structure always equals more progress.
↳ I learned this one the uncomfortable way.
- Granular milestones worked for me.
- Clients experienced the same system as overload.
- Fewer steps created more follow-through.

Here’s what I know for sure:

☑ Clarity compounds faster than effort.
☑ Systems fail quietly before people do.
☑ Protecting your energy is part of the work.

Grateful for the clients who trusted me through the experiments and the resets.

2026 gets a cleaner version of everything.

P.S. What’s one shift from last year that stuck?

——
Hi, I’m David. I help high-performing leaders get clear on their next move and show up with confidence.

If time off didn’t shift the direction question, it probably wasn’t ever about energy.

I keep noticing this in the first week back. 

People get a bit of distance over the holidays. 

Quieter mornings. Fewer meetings. 

Just enough space to breathe and think that once the noise drops, things will probably feel clearer.

And then you make it to Friday.

You’ve been back in it long enough to tell what actually changed and what didn’t. 

The same career question’s still there. 
The same next role that isn’t quite defined. 
The same sense that the story still isn’t clear.

Even though you really hoped it might be by now.

Nothing really shifted. 

It’s not heavier, but it’s not lighter either.

From the hiring side, this is usually the part people don’t clock straight away.

It’s rarely about motivation, or effort, or a reset.

What lingers tends to be quieter than that. 

It’s the part where what’s next still feels fuzzy, where every option can still be justified. 

Where the story sounds fine in your head but wouldn’t quite land in a real conversation yet.

That’s the stuff a few days off doesn’t touch.

I don’t think that moment gets talked about much. 

That realization in the first week, when the calendar’s filling back up but the direction still hasn’t locked.

You’re left sitting with the same unanswered question you parked a couple of weeks ago.

It tends to just sit there for a bit, whether you’re ready to deal with it or not.

Some questions just take longer than a break.

The hardest roles to leave are the ones you're stuck explaining why you stayed.

I was sixteen years into a recruiting career. 

It wasn't bad, it just wasn't right anymore.

I remember this one Friday night, dinner done, sitting on the sofa half-watching Dexter, phone in my hand.

And there it was again, that question, the one I'd been carrying around for months but kept putting off because there was never a good time to deal with it.

I wasn't stressed or spinning, and to be honest, my week had been fine, which was the weird part.

When things are bad, you have a reason to move.

But when deals are closing, and big commission checks are rolling in, you start wondering why you're still thinking about leaving at all.

I sat there for a bit, finished my tea, and went to bed.

Woke up the next morning, same commute, same desk, same pipeline to work, and that question was right there with me like it had been the whole time.

I didn't do anything about it that week. 

Or the week after.

But it didn't go anywhere either.

P.S. Ever had one of those moments?

——
Hi, I'm David. I help high-performing leaders get clear on their next move and show up with confidence.

You don't need a perfect story to start a job search.

But most senior leaders act like they do.

That usually means:

- Waiting until the story feels "tight"
- Believing every chat has to go somewhere
- Pressure to sound confident before you feel clear

At senior levels, you're carrying identity, reputation, and expectations into every single conversation. 

That's a lot of weight. 

No wonder it feels exhausting.

Here's the reframe most leaders need:

A search is a private, low-pressure exploration phase.

The goal is just to gather information:

- What energizes you now
- What you don't want anymore
- What trade-offs you're willing to make

Clarity doesn't come 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 you start.

It comes 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 you start.

Shelley Piedmont, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

You've spent years building real expertise. You've solved many problems and delivered great results.
 
But when it comes time to talk about what you do, whether you're considering a career change or sitting in an interview, you can't quite put your finger on what makes you valuable. You know you're good at what you do, but you can't clearly explain why or how that matters to someone else.You're struggling because you've never stepped back to truly understand what your experience adds up to and how to talk about it in a way that makes sense to someone else.

I was a recruiter for 20 years, which means I've interviewed thousands of leaders. I've also coached 400+ mid-career professionals through career transitions and interview prep.What I've learned is this: most people know what they're good at. They don't know how to talk about it.

I work with people in two situations:

1) You're thinking about a career change.You know you need something different, but you're stuck. You're worried your experience won't translate. You're scared of starting over or taking a pay cut. You don't know how to explore options without blowing up your current stability.

I help you figure out what actually makes sense for you, then show you how to talk about your background so it sounds like an asset, not a liability.

2) You have interviews coming up, and you're not ready. When you try to explain what you do, it either comes out as a rambling career history or three vague sentences. You leave interviews kicking yourself because you forgot to mention half your accomplishments.I teach you how to tell your story in a way that's clear, confident, and actually lands. The organization has a strategy; you should, too.

Here's what's different about working with me: I've been on the other side of the table. I know what hiring managers are actually listening for. I know why some answers work and others fall flat.

For example, everyone says they're a "strategic thinker," but almost no one shows how they think strategically or what results that thinking produces. That's the difference between an answer that sounds good and one that gets you hired.

"I was feeling very lost when we started. Shelley helped me organize my plan, understand my strengths, and put an actionable plan together. I now feel ready to move forward with purpose."

"Shelley gave me different ways of looking at how I answer interview questions, which will help tremendously."

Book a free consultation, and I'll show you what's getting lost in translation. Check out the link in my contact information.

Interview the Right Way Coach

Shelley Piedmont

Is 2026 the year when you can finally breathe?

That was all a client of mine wanted when I asked her to imagine what achieving her career goals would do for her life. 

In 2025, many professionals were holding their breath. They stopped dreaming about what was possible because they were paralyzed by what they thought was probable:

—News stories about 6-month+ job searches and ghosting made staying in toxic cultures feel like the "safe" choice.
—Losing the emotional energy required to actually go for it, because it seems so out of reach.
—Starting to doubt your marketability, because you don't get positive affirmation that your work is valued.

To start breathing in 2026, you have to follow my client’s lead and move from "surviving" to "strategizing":

—Write down what "breath" means to you. Is it more autonomy? Better leadership?
—Separate the horror stories from your specific market reality. Many job seekers who struggled did not apply a strategic, relationship-based search.
—You don't have to do this alone. High-performers use coaches to maintain the accountability and perspective they lose when they’re burnt out (ask my clients).

We are in a new year. At this time next year, do you want to bemoan another year where you still can't breathe, or do you want to say you have found your fresh air?

If it is the former, I am here to help you out.

---
I'm Shelley. I used to hire for companies, but now I advocate for YOU. My goal? Helping you find work that energizes you rather than exhausts you.
♻️ Resonated with you? Your repost could help someone else, too
🔔 Follow + ring the bell for weekly career reality checks
🟪 Questions about your next move? I'm here to help. Ask below or DM me

Shelley Piedmont🧭

Clarity↣Strategy↣Hired For Managers to VPs • Job Search Strategist & Interview Coach • Career Coach, Job Change Advisor & Resume + LinkedIn Advisor

Campus recruiting is changing (again).
And not in a good way for most students.

A note: I usually focus on mid-career job seekers in my posts. This will likely apply to your children, nieces, and nephews who are in college or about to graduate. It is something you should know.

My Monday's number: 26%

That's how many companies were exclusively recruiting from a shortlist of elite schools in 2025, up from 17% in 2022, according to a Veris Insights survey of over 150 companies.

The "talent is everywhere" message from the hot job market? Gone. Now, hiring from elite schools and near corporate HQ is a priority.

Let's look at what is happening.

GE Appliances cut their campus visits from 45-50 schools down to just 15.
McKinsey removed  "We hire people, not degrees" from their career page. Evidently, that is not true anymore (but what is ever?).

If you're not at a target school, you're starting from a massive disadvantage.

And the timing couldn't be worse for new grads.

The unemployment rate for "new entrants" (recent college grads trying to break into the full-time workforce) hit a nine-year peak in 2025, according to federal data analyzed by the Burning Glass Institute.

For the first time in modern history, bachelor's degree holders ages 20-24 are experiencing unemployment rates closer to those of those with only a high school diploma. The gap between the two groups is the smallest it's been since at least the early 2000s.

One think tank called the U.S. "no country for young grads." It is pretty bleak right now.

I get some of this.

I did campus recruiting as a recruiter. When companies want in-person work, recruiting close to the corporate office makes sense. Fewer companies are willing to pay to relocate.

Plus, when you focus on fewer schools, you can build deeper relationships. You're not spread so thin.

What this means for students:
If you don't attend an elite university or a school near a major corporate hub, one expert put it bluntly: "God help you."

His advice? Referrals, LinkedIn, and networking (always best practice). Because traditional campus recruiting won't reach you.

The doors that opened during the hot job market are closing again.

And I haven't seen any data showing that this narrower approach is actually producing better hires. 

Mid-career professionals: If you have a college student or recent grad in your life, what's one concrete thing you're doing to help them navigate this? Referrals? LinkedIn coaching? Honest talk about what schools/locations actually matter now?

Sources: Wall Street Journal (January 2026), CNBC analysis of Burning Glass Institute data (October 2025).

Purple background featuring 'MONDAY NUMBER' text in tan/beige lettering with '26%' written in white handwritten style below. Shelley Piedmont, wearing a burgundy sweater, has her hand cupped to her ear in a listening gesture. Website URL www.mycareergps.com appears at the bottom. This is Shelley Piedmont's Monday Number post about the percentage of companies exclusively recruiting from a shortlist of elite schools, showing how campus hiring has narrowed and is affecting college graduates' job prospects.

Is a traditional full-time job search actually holding you back from the work you love?

When mid-career professionals think about career success, they've been trained to look for a seat at one table. But for many, that model no longer works for them.

If you’re frustrated by long hiring cycles or looking for more variety in your day-to-day work, you might not have considered a path many of your peers are already taking: The Fractional Shift.

This isn't just about a filler job until you can find a permanent home. It’s about building a 'Portfolio Career' where you: 

✓ Solve diverse, high-stakes problems across different industries. 
✓ Regain autonomy over your schedule and who you work with. 
✓ Get paid well for your expertise and are respected.

Instead of waiting for one company to say "yes," imagine multiple companies saying "yes" to your problem-solving abilities.

I’ve broken down why this might be the right path for you and what you need to know.

Many of you are stymied in a full-time search because you are selling time when we should be selling results. For my fractional pros: what was the most challenging part of that mindset shift? 

---
I'm Shelley. I used to hire for companies, but now I advocate for YOU. My goal? Helping you find work that energizes instead of exhausts you.
♻️ Resonated with you? Your repost could help someone else, too
🔔 Follow + ring the bell for weekly career reality checks
🟪 Questions about your next move? I'm here to help. Ask below or DM me

Fractional Work For Mid-Career Professionals

Are you in the mid-career gray area?

You know, where you feel the following:

You’re good at your job, but not "lit up" by it.
You’re respected, but they won't move on your best ideas.
You’re wondering if a new title, industry, or career is the answer. 

It is not that you are miserable, dreading every workday. It is more that you are feeling underutilized.

This was my conversation with "Michael" yesterday. He has a lot of ideas about what else he could do, but he can't pinpoint one and say that it is it.

"Michael" is not alone. Many of you have that "January itch." You want 2026 to be the year that you find something more fulfilling, but don't know what that is.

Well, what are you going to do about it? Keep thinking and thinking, but not making any progress?

Or are you going to take constructive steps like "Michael" and get support?

You can end 2026 the same way you ended 2025, or you can do something different—your choice.

If you want help to get career clarity, DM me (it is always free). I'd love to make your 2026 one of your best years.

"Why should we hire you?" 

Many of you are getting this interview question wrong.

You think, "I'll tell them I am a great problem solver or build strong relationships. That's what they want to hear, right?

Well, sort of.

Saying that makes you sound like everyone else. Getting an offer is not about being like everyone else; it is about showing you're uniquely qualified for the role.

You have to provide this proof.

Instead of: "I'm great at problem solving." Try: "I reduced customer complaints by 40% in six months by creating a new tracking system that caught issues before they sidetracked us."

Instead of: "I'm a team player." Try: "I started weekly cross-department check-ins at my last job. Within three months, we saw project delays drop by 25%, and it increased morale."

Also, when answering this question, don't forget to talk about your cultural fit.

You are hired not only because you can do the job, but also because you fit in with the culture.

For example, I worked at an organization that used a repeatable scaling process. When interviewing candidates, I enjoyed hearing about their comfort level and preference for our business approach. I knew they could work within our way of doing business.

So, here is a cheat sheet on how to answer this question.

Before your next interview, write down three specific examples:
—A problem you solved (with numbers)
—A time you improved something (with results)
—How you embody their company values (with a story)

Skip the buzzwords. 
Give them the evidence. 

That's how you stand out when everyone else is giving the same generic answers.

Need help with your interview prep? DM me (always free).

----------
💜 Helping mid-career professionals find clarity, build confidence, and land jobs they love.
📖 Follow me for career tips, job search strategies, and interview advice.
💌 Need support in your career journey? Reach out—I’m here to help!

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