Wes Pearce's Linkedin Analytics

June is Men’s Mental Health Month, and we need to talk about something uncomfortable… …the silent career killers that destroy more than just your work performance. Younger men tend to hide the red flags 🚩 surrounding mental health more than anyone else. Here are 10 things your workplace is making worse that you might not even realize: 1 // Saying yes to everything because you're afraid to set boundaries 2 // People pleasing to keep your job or get that promotion 3 // Trying to fix every problem at work because you think that's leadership 4 // Putting your manager's/company's needs above your basic well-being 5 // Defining success based on what your bosses/industry expects, not what fulfills you 6 // Tolerating toxic colleagues or an unhealthy culture because "every job has problems" 7 // Comparing your career to others on LinkedIn and feeling behind 8 // Poor sleep because you're stressed about work deadlines 9 // Poor diet because you're too busy/stressed to eat properly 10 // Isolation because work consumes your life and ruins relationships The harsh truth: If your career is causing more than 3 of these, you're in the wrong place. Your mental health isn't something to sacrifice for a paycheck or a title. It's the foundation everything else is built on. I've seen too many talented professionals burn out, develop anxiety, or lose themselves entirely because they thought "that's just how work is." No. That's not just how work is. A career that truly serves you: ✅ Challenges and pushes you without crushing you ✅ Values your contributions without exploiting your boundaries ✅ Grows your skills without grinding down your soul ✅ Pays fairly without demanding you sacrifice your life This Mental Health Awareness Month, audit your workplace's impact on your well-being. If the cost to your mental health outweighs the career benefits, it's time for a change. You're not being dramatic. You're being responsible. (Men…I’m speaking to you.) Question: What's one work habit you've changed this year to protect your mental health?

Remote workers are more productive—and companies hate it. Here's how to find an employer who values you 👇🏼 Companies demanding return-to-office aren't doing it for productivity. They're doing it for control. My client Jessica had been crushing her goals working remotely. Even though she was more productive than her office coworkers, her manager still demanded she come back to the office three days a week. "We need more collaboration," they said. Translation: "We don't trust you and need to see you sitting at a desk." The data doesn't lie. Over 90% of remote workers report being as productive or more productive than before, and companies like Best Buy, British Telecom, and Dow Chemical see 35-40% productivity increases from remote workers. (*Stats from Buffer’s State of Remote Work and Owl Labs reports) But Jessica's company wasn't interested in data. They wanted butts in seats. Here's the simple strategy I teach clients to find companies that actually value remote work and YOU: ✅ 1 // Use remote job boards only to identify companies hiring remote workers. Don't apply through the boards—just use them to find companies that clearly value remote work. If they're posting remote jobs, they believe in the model. ✅ 2 // Research these companies on LinkedIn and connect with the right people. Find department heads, team leads, and potential colleagues. Don't ask for jobs—just build genuine relationships and share insights about their industry challenges. ✅ 3 // Position yourself as a solution, not an applicant. When conversations develop naturally, focus on problems you can solve rather than what you need from them. Remote-friendly companies want results, not office attendance. The result? Jessica used this approach and landed three interviews in six weeks—all for roles that were never posted publicly. She accepted an offer with a fully remote company that judges her on output, not office time. Six months later, she got promoted because her results spoke louder than her ZIP code. Stop wasting time convincing control-obsessed managers about remote work benefits. Find companies that already get it. Your productivity deserves a workplace that values results over surveillance. 📌 Question: What's the most ridiculous reason you've heard for why remote work "doesn't work?”

Companies are looking to hire leaders who can lead remote teams AND fix fires before they happen 🔥 Here's the thing about landing remote leadership roles - companies aren't just looking for someone who can handle whatever disaster shows up in Slack. They need someone who can look at their messy systems and think, "How do we make sure this never becomes a problem again?" I see this mistake all the time when reviewing resumes for remote leader roles. Everyone writes the same boring bullet points about "solving problems" and "managing teams." But companies are drowning in firefighters. They desperately need someone who can actually prevent the fires. Take my client David. Smart guy, great experience, but his resume was putting hiring managers to sleep: 📌 “Resolved team conflicts and improved collaboration"
📌 “Met project deadlines consistently" 📌 “Boosted team productivity" Sounds fine, right? Problem is, so does everyone else's resume. David wasn't getting interviews because he sounded like every other leader who just keeps the lights on. So we completely rewrote his story to show he actually fixes what's broken: Instead of "resolved conflicts," we wrote: "identified team issues impacting project handoffs, designing a new process that eliminated 90% of those friction points." Instead of generic "met deadlines," we showed: “Realized our delays came from unclear requirements, not slow work, so I built a requirements checklist that prevented scope creep entirely." The difference? David went from describing his job duties to proving he makes problems disappear permanently. Five weeks later, he landed a remote engineering manager role where the CEO specifically said, "We're tired of putting out the same fires every quarter. We need someone who can fix our systems." Look, anyone can manage the chaos. Remote companies will pay premium for someone who can eliminate it. Your resume shouldn't just show you can handle problems - it should prove you're the person who makes sure they stop happening. That's the difference between getting hired and getting passed over. 📌 Question: How’s your resume looking?

Sometimes the cost of staying in a toxic job far outweighs the cost of leaving. My post about Maria from a few days ago has gotten a lot of attention. When Maria first called me, she didn't say "I need to find a new job." She said: "I think something's wrong with me. I can't seem to succeed no matter how hard I try.” This successful 40-year-old professional with 15+ years of experience believed SHE was the problem. Why? Because for eight years, her workplace had systematically dismantled her confidence: // When she spoke in meetings, she was interrupted or ignored // When her projects succeeded, her manager took credit // When she asked for growth opportunities, she was told to "be grateful" // When she suggested improvements, she was labeled "not a team player” She'd normalized it all. Called it "paying dues." Minimized it as "office politics." What Maria didn't realize: She wasn't failing at her job. Her workplace was failing HER. During our work together, I asked her to calculate what staying was really costing: 📌 $15K/year in lost earning potential 📌 200+ hours annually in commute time 📌 Countless physical symptoms from chronic stress 📌 The innovation and joy she could bring to the right workplace The most devastating cost? Her belief in her own value. When we mapped her transferable skills and accomplishments without the toxic lens of her current environment, Maria was shocked. "I've actually done some amazing work under terrible conditions," she realized. We rebuilt her professional identity around four non-negotiables: ✅ Remote work (reclaiming her time) ✅ Regular recognition (visibility for her contributions) ✅ Collaborative leadership (ideas valued, not stolen) ✅ Mission alignment (work that matters to her) Three months later: Maria landed a role with a 15% salary increase, fully remote, with a manager who schedules weekly recognition calls with her team. She told me yesterday: "I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. I can't believe work can feel this... healthy." Your career shouldn't require emotional armor to survive each day. The question isn't whether you can afford to leave a toxic workplace. The question is: Can you afford to stay? What's one sign you've normalized in your workplace that might actually be toxic? — 📌 If you’re needing more help, this is why I created Remote Dream Job Masterclass. It’s the exact strategy I teach all my 1on1 coaching clients to land interviews without applying online. If you’d like to join, just scroll up and click “View My Newsletter” or check the Featured Section on my profile.

Stop rejecting candidates because of resume gaps. You're missing out on some of the best talent 👇🏼 The best candidates often have the most "complicated" resumes, and companies are throwing away amazing candidates over arbitrary resume expectations. Last year, I worked with Marcus who had an 18-month gap on his resume after being laid off during COVID. He was getting rejected before interviews even happened. "We're looking for someone with more consistent employment," recruiters kept saying. Here's what they didn't know: During that gap, Marcus learned three new programming languages, started a nonprofit that served 500 families, and took care of his sick father. But none of that mattered to hiring managers obsessed with perfect resumes. I helped Marcus reframe his gap and land multiple offers using these strategies: ✅ 1 // Address the gap proactively and with confidence, not shame. Marcus stopped apologizing for his gap and started highlighting what he accomplished during that time. The right employers saw this as initiative, not a red flag. ✅ 2 // Target companies that value diverse experiences over perfect resumes. We focused on companies known for inclusive hiring practices rather than traditional corporations that prioritize conventional career paths. ✅ 3 // Lead with skills and results, not chronology. Marcus created a skills-focused resume that put his capabilities front and center, with employment dates de-emphasized but still included. (I don’t usually recommend a skills-based resume, but for some clients it makes sense.) The result? He landed a senior developer role at a company that specifically told him his diverse background made him a stronger candidate than others they interviewed. Life happens. Layoffs, family emergencies, health issues, caregiving responsibilities, education, travel, starting businesses—none of these make someone less qualified. Some of the most resilient, creative, and valuable people are the ones who've navigated real challenges. Remember: A gap in employment doesn't mean a gap in growth, learning, or value. 📌 What's the most ridiculous reason you've heard for rejecting someone with a resume gap?

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Let’s stop shaming people for leaving a toxic job. They’re not quitting, they’re standing up for their career. Maria came to me at 40, exhausted and defeated. For eight years, she'd been working at a company where her ideas were dismissed, her achievements went unrecognized, and her manager took credit for her work. She stayed because she feared starting over would mean "throwing away" her experience. "But what if I can't find anything else at my age?" she asked during our first session. I see this fear paralyze so many talented professionals. The belief that starting over means starting from zero. The worry that age makes you less valuable. Neither is true. Together, we took inventory of her transferable skills – project management, team leadership, client relations – skills that transcend any specific role or industry. Then we identified her non-negotiables: ✅ Remote to eliminate hercommute ✅ Collaborative culture that valued input ✅ Clear opportunities for growth ✅ Work that aligned with her core values Maria hesitated when I suggested she could find all four. “That feels like asking for too much," she said. Three months later, she proved herself wrong. After submitting 20+ applications, doing 4 interviews, and turning down 2 offers that didn't meet her criteria, Sarah landed a fully remote position with a company whose mission she believes in – at a 15% higher salary than her previous role. The best part? She recently told me: "For the first time in years, I feel valued. My manager actually thanked me for my contributions last week. I didn't realize how starved I was for basic recognition." Maria’s story isn't about starting from nothing. It's about having the courage to use everything she'd learned to write a better next chapter. If you're staying in a toxic environment because you fear starting over, remember: You're not starting from zero. You're starting from experience. Question: What would you do in your career if you weren't afraid of beginning again? — 📌 PS - Do you need more help with your job search? This is why I created Remote Dream Job Masterclass. I’ll teach you the exact strategy I give my 1on1 clients to start generating remote job interviews without applying on job boards. You can join by scrolling up and clicking “View My Newsletter” or check the Featured Section on my profile.

We need to stop telling people to "push through" toxic workplaces that are slowly killing their confidence. We also need to stop acting like enduring bad behavior somehow makes you stronger - it just makes you exhausted. Here's what I've learned after helping dozens of clients escape toxic workplaces in the last year: The time you spend trying to change people who don't want to change could be spent finding people who already respect you. A few months ago, Maya reached out to me completely burned out. She's a brilliant data analyst, but her manager was making her question everything about her abilities. He'd dismiss her insights in meetings, then present the same ideas as his own the next week. When Maya tried to speak up, he'd tell her she was being "defensive." She kept thinking if she just documented everything perfectly, HR would finally listen. I asked Maya one simple question: "What if you put that same energy into finding a company that actually wants your ideas?" Here's how we shifted her approach: ✅ 1 // Stop building cases for people who've already made up their minds. Start building relationships with companies that value your skills. Maya began networking with remote-first companies instead of collecting screenshots for HR. ✅ 2 // Use every toxic interaction as material for your "why I'm leaving" story. Turn their dysfunction into your motivation. When her boss stole credit again, Maya used that exact project as a success story in interviews. ✅ 3 // Set your exit date and protect it. Don't let last-minute promises or guilt trips derail your timeline. Maya gave herself 90 days, period. No extensions, no "let's see if things improve." The result? She landed a remote senior analyst position paying 1.5X more with a team that actually implements her recommendations. After her first month, Maya told me: "I'd forgotten what it felt like to have someone say 'great idea' instead of 'that won't work here.'" Your toxic workplace is giving you valuable data - use it to find somewhere better, not to fix what's already broken. You deserve to work somewhere your talent can actually flourish. Don’t you? — 📌 If you’re needing more help, this is why I created Remote Dream Job Masterclass. It’s the exact strategy I teach all my 1on1 coaching clients to land interviews without applying online. If you’d like to join, just scroll up and click “View My Newsletter” or check the Featured Section on my profile.

Unless your company is going to offer 100% loyalty to you, don’t voluntarily offer it to them. Companies that say "we're a family" will throw you under the bus faster than anyone else. Always have a backup plan 👇🏼 Here’s the truth too many of my clients have learned: The more a company talks about being "family," the less they actually care about your wellbeing when things get tough. My client Jessica worked for a startup where the CEO called everyone "his work kids" and talked constantly about their "family culture." Jessica ate it up. She worked nights and weekends, skipped her own family events, and turned down other job offers because she felt loyal to her "work family." When funding dried up, they laid her off over Slack. No call, no meeting, just a message saying her access was being revoked. After having a good cry, Jessica realized she'd made a huge mistake trusting a company more than she trusted herself. Here's what I now teach every client about protecting yourself, no matter how "family-like" your workplace feels: ✅ 1 // Always keep your resume updated and your network active, even when you're happy. Jessica hadn't updated her LinkedIn in two years because she "wasn't looking." Big mistake. Your backup plan starts with staying visible in your industry. ✅ 2 // Save at least six months of expenses, period. This isn't just good financial advice—it's freedom money. When you can afford to leave, you can't be held hostage by guilt trips about "abandoning the family." ✅ 3 // Keep your skills sharp and your options open. Take that training course, accept those coffee chats, say yes to industry events. Your "work family" won't care about your career development when they're cutting costs. The reality? Jessica found a better job within three months because she finally prioritized her own security over company loyalty. Her new role pays more, has better benefits, and guess what? They don't pretend to be her family. They just treat her well as a professional. Look, I'm not saying be paranoid or disengaged. Just remember that no matter how much they care about you today, you're still an expense on their spreadsheet. Your real family and your mental health should always come first. 📌 Question: Have you ever been burned by a "we're a family" company? What happened? — 📌 PS - Do you need more help with your job search? This is why I created Remote Dream Job Masterclass. I’ll teach you the exact strategy I give my 1on1 clients to start generating remote job interviews without applying on job boards. You can join by scrolling up and clicking “View My Newsletter” or check the Featured Section on my profile.