The fine line...

I am NOT an expert.

Experts have certifications, repeatable strategies, professional licensing, and a lot more experience than I do.

I am only a "coach" in the sense that I pay close attention, I do my homework, and I offer strategies, accountability, and support. Most good coaches are experts, practitioners, and teach teachers.

So, what am I?

I am not a psychologist, lawyer, doctor, human resources representative.

I am not (at least for these purposes) a friend. I am not a relative.

I am not a cheerleader, although I can be very encouraging.

Here's what I am: a teammate. A mirror. A guy who has made many mistakes and figured out how to survive and bounce back. A very curious guy who asks a lot of questions. A workout partner, because the job search process can hurt.

And this is the fine line for helpers...when is your doubt impostor syndrome and when is it time to scale back expectations?

I answer this question using the feedback of people that I help.

I started out helping people for free or at a very low cost. As I went along, I learned much more, and increased my services and my price. I realized that most people already know 85-100% of what they need to do.

What was needed was an outside voice to listen closely, mirror back and paraphrase what was being said and done, and ask a lot of questions that sought to increase clarity and raise new possibilities. Then, people needed to commit to a strategy and check in for accountability.

My big takeaways?

1) To job searchers: If you are hungry, you will not only be most capable of getting a good job, but you are most likely to actually stay committed to a strategy and benefit from help. You will leverage the support to get an even better job. You will build a routine and stay on the attack.

This hunger is a painful gift you often must give yourself by facing unpleasant facts and current trajectories.

See the bottom of the page for resources on why reasons matter.

2) To helpers: Keep your expectations and promises right-sized. The temptation is to hang a shingle, declare oneself an expert, and be the 18-year-old life coach that people joke about. The market seems to demand it.

"After all, how will I ever get attention?" We all say it.

Just help people where you can. One piece at a time. Make A difference rather than trying to transform someone's career in 24 hours. Learn from others. Experts, clients, and professionals outside your sector alike. Network effectively and build your toolkit slowly and deeply. You will never fully eliminate self-doubt, but you will calibrate between the skills you have, the results you have delivered, and how you feel about what you do.

Have a great 2025.

Best,

Michael Kane

Resources:

Simon Sinek on Motivation

Mike Boyle's Start With Why lecture

Tony Robbins on Hunger