You're Not Unqualified-You're Playing Small
She’s been in tech for over a decade. A certified project pro, skilled across project management, Agile methodology, team leadership, and business analysis. The kind of person who holds the glue together when no one else is watching (as we Black Women always do✊🏽).
But despite all that, Kara found herself stuck, applying to job after job with nothing to show for it but automated rejections and dead silence. She was frustrated doubting the hell out of herself and if her experience even mattered anymore. Sound familiar?
Kara came to me wondering if she needed to apply for junior Project Manager roles again, just to “get her foot in the door.” She worried her skills weren’t relevant (although she has degrees and certifications galore), her resume wasn’t strong enough, and that maybe, just maybe, her time had passed in today’s job market.
I said: Absolutely not.
It wasn’t her experience. It wasn’t her age. It was how she was telling her story (a dash of imposter syndrome too) and the strategy that was keeping her invisible.
Most job seekers, especially those making a career transition, fall into this same trap. You’ve done the work, carried teams, led initiatives - but your resume still reads like a task list, not a results story. Kara’s resume said “Business Analyst.” But she was also running cross-functional projects, leading agile teams, training new hires (none of which were showing up in ways that actually spoke to hiring managers).
We flipped that script. We reframed her experience to focus on outcomes, transformation, and business value. Suddenly, her resume wasn’t a recap of duties. It became a marketing tool-her sales pitch. And that made all the difference.
Now, remember that imposter syndrome? Despite 10+ years of experience, she hesitated to go after full PM roles, afraid she wasn’t ready or might “mess up.” (Imposter syndrome makes my head spin yall).
But she wasn’t underqualified. She just wasn’t used to seeing people like her: a black woman in her 40s, balancing family, navigating corporate microaggressions, be championed in these spaces.
That’s where mindset comes in.
When we stop applying to roles that reflect who we were five years ago, and start aiming for what we’re truly qualified for today—everything shifts.
Kara did not need permission from her corporate boss Chad, to own her leadership. She needed a strategy that matched her value.
Another block? Networking fear. Kara told me she felt awkward reaching out to strangers on LinkedIn. She didn’t want to “bother anyone.” But in today’s hiring market, applying online isn’t enough. The data is clear: 85% of jobs are filled through referrals and connections, not cold applications.
So we created a custom outreach approach that felt genuine, confident, and human. No spammy DMs. No begging. Just real conversations with people inside the companies she admired. And THAT is how you do it, THAT is how you land a role in 90 days or less with me.💁🏽♀️
If you’re reading this and thinking, “That’s me,” I want you to know: You’re not too late. You’re not unqualified. You’re just playing small.
And that stops today.
I help job seekers especially those navigating mid-career pivots, ageism, burnout, and messy resumes build a job search strategy that actually works. Whether you’re in tech, project management, or operations, I’ve helped people like you land offers without watering down their worth.
If you want a free checklist on what you need to be doing when you are networking in this job market, drop in the comments: NETWORKING.
And if you know someone tired of feeling stuck in the job search… tag them. Let’s get them unstuck, too.
Wishing you a day of happiness,
Chelsea (Davis) Gerdes
