Her Next Chapters

88. Don’t Wait for September: Build Job Search Momentum This Summer

• Christina Kohl

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Thinking about returning to work or making a career change this fall?

Don’t wait until September to start. In this episode, I share a summer checklist of quick career-boosting tasks you can do in between everything else life throws your way.

Reconnect with your network. Ask for references. Organize your interview outfits. Clarify what you’re looking for. And yes—even get help from your teen with your Zoom setup.

These micro-actions build confidence, clarity, and career momentum—one step at a time.






Christina Kohl:

Hi and welcome to Her Next Chapter's podcast. I'm your host, Christina Kohl. I'm a mom of three and soon to be an empty nester. I'm also a certified HR pro who restarted my career after being a stay-at-home mom for over a decade. I created this podcast to connect with moms who have an empty nest on the horizon and are wanting to redefine their identity outside of motherhood, which might include a job search. On this show, we'll have raw conversations about our ever-changing roles as moms. We'll hear from women who restarted their careers and share tips for a job search after a career break. So if that's you, you're in the right place. Friend, let's get started. Hi everyone, and welcome to this week's episode of Her Next Chapters.

Christina Kohl:

As always, I'm so excited to have you listening today, and I don't know about you, but summertime just seems to like put things in slow motion. So if you are feeling that as well, if your kids are younger and they're home, that's obviously a completely different routine. Even if your kids are older, there's you know, things are just different in the summer, right? And if you are planning a job search, whether that's returning to work or you're just, you're currently working but you're ready for a change and you don't have the full on motivation right now in the summer to like be a hundred percent in on a job search, that's okay. First of all, and secondly, what's what I want to talk about today is just little things that you could be doing over the summer, even five to 10 minute things that'll make a difference for your job search in the fall. Again, whether you're returning to work, you've been out of the workforce for a while and you're ready to come back in, but you're waiting for the kids to go back to school or go off to college, or you're just wanting to get through the summer months before making a change. So here are some things that you can do. Again, low impact. Let me rephrase that Low effort, but big impact, okay.

Christina Kohl:

So we're going to start, first of all, with rethinking references. So the old way of thinking about references so I'm talking about employment references is that they come at the end, right when you were a finalist. They're getting ready to offer you the job. They're going to call your references and make sure that you are who you say you are and that you're a good candidate and that they're not taking a risk and hiring you. So that's the old way of thinking. The new and smarter way of thinking is to think of references as your job search allies. Right, there are people who will walk this journey with you, and while you only use three to five references to give to an employer to do their background check on you, you actually want to talk to as many people as possible to have them be references for you. I'm talking 10, 15, maybe even 20 people, if you think you can manage it. Get those people on your job search team right.

Christina Kohl:

This is something, again, that I recommend doing at the beginning of your job search. You want them in your corner early, cheering you on, making introductions and then, of course, vouching for your strengths when the time comes. And you're not going to give that list of 10 to 15, or however many people, to the potential employer. Right, you're going to give them the three to five references that make sense for the job that you're trying to get. But in the meantime, you've got this whole list of people who are supporting you and they know about your job search, and they're going to naturally be thinking of introductions they can make for you because they're one of your references, right? So who belongs on your list? Well, start brainstorming 10 or more people who know your strengths both professionally and personally. So here's some things to get you started personally. So here's some things to get you started.

Christina Kohl:

So, obviously, your former managers, your colleagues or direct reports and especially direct reports you might think, well, they were a coordinator or entry level, but if it's been five years, 10 years, they might be in a senior level position now and they're being in a great position to talk about you. And then, okay, so it's not just people you directly worked with at the same employer, it might be vendors or clients that also knew you really well and could speak to your work. And then don't forget about volunteer leaders or committee chairs or community or board service teammates. And finally, any personal contacts who can speak to your integrity, your adaptability or leadership. Finally, any personal contacts who can speak to your integrity, your adaptability or leadership.

Christina Kohl:

And don't forget, if you are returning after a long break from the workforce, volunteer roles count. Unpaid experience is experience and people connected to that volunteer role absolutely belong in your reference list. So a lot of the moms that I talk to that are coming back in the workforce. They're like well, I haven't worked for 10 years, so those references are old and they don't remember me. But your volunteer roles, those are people that you can contact now that are more recent. And as far as not remembering you here's the thing I want to speak to that for a minute. If you remember them, most likely they remember you right. So let that excuse get out of your head and just know how excited and happy you would be to hear from someone that you haven't heard from for years. And if they reached out to you, you'd be excited and happy and you would love to talk to them. It's that way in reverse too, all right.

Christina Kohl:

So your five to 10 minute summer strategy this only takes five to 10 minutes. It's not about hours of work, it's just being intentional a few times a week. That can build major momentum over time. So here's what to do Just reconnect socially, send a quick message or a voice note and say, hey, I was thinking about you, how are things going at? And just name their company and how are the kids, your spouse, your puppy, whatever it is that you know about them because you know each other. So just be checking in to say I'm thinking about you and then let the conversation flow.

Christina Kohl:

Naturally, if they reply, they'll likely ask what's new with you, and that's your moment. So you want to share your career intentions. Be brief, honest and positive. For example, I'm starting to explore returning to work or maybe for you it's a new direction and you came to mine because and then make the reference, ask when the time feels right and just something along the lines of when the time comes, would you feel comfortable serving as a reference for me? And then, of course, you can let them know what types of roles you're exploring. So that's the whole thing for reference. You know, getting building your reference list, which is your job search team, right, so you're getting everyone on your team, your supporters.

Christina Kohl:

The other piece of this is just activating and nurturing your network. So, beyond references, this is also the time to rekindle social and professional connections. And you guys, it is easier than ever to find someone from your past via social media. Like I said earlier, if you remember them, they probably remember you and just send a casual hello saying something like I came across your profile and realized we haven't talked in ages. How are you? This isn't about pitching yourself. It's about rebuilding relationships. So if you're on the sidelines at a kid's event or you're catching up with another parent this summer. Ask about their work. Chances are they'll ask about yours too. And if your social circle has gotten smaller as your kids have grown more independent, now is the time to rebuild your own network. These connections might not be references, but they are part of your broader support and networking circle.

Christina Kohl:

In addition to activating and expanding your network and getting that list of references at the ready, here's a list of a few other five to 10 minute job search prep ideas that you can do, and every action you take this summer is a step toward being ready in the fall. So try these ideas. Tech check Simply practice using Zoom or Google Meet or have your teen show you like how to use those and get your lighting set up right. Make sure that tech all works, because a lot of interviews these days are happening virtually, so that's something that you want to make sure you've got your camera, your microphone and good lighting.

Christina Kohl:

And then a wardrobe review. Try on a couple of interview ready outfits now so you're not scrambling later. All this reconnecting with people and talking about your career goals might surprise you with an interview like the next day, and then you don't want to be scrambling going. Oh my God, what am I going to wear Right? So just kind of have a day, and it doesn't have to be a day, but just 10 or 15 minutes. Pick out two or three things in your closet that would make you feel like a million bucks when you're on an interview.

Christina Kohl:

And then the other thing it's really important to know what is it you want to do in your next role. So just a quick little clarity exercise jot down five things you want in your next role. So just a quick little clarity exercise. Jot down five things you want in your next role and five things you don't Simple. And then another couple little things you can do a LinkedIn update Really simple things like removing your graduation years, updating a headline or refreshing your about section. You can use ChatGPT for help with that. And then a resume review. I'm not talking about the entire resume, that feels overwhelming, but just spend 10 minutes reviewing one section, just one. And none of these items that I just listed need to take more than 10 minutes, but over time they're going to make a difference.

Christina Kohl:

So summer might be busy, but it doesn't have to be idle when it comes to your job search. So if you do one thing this week reach out to just one person, whether it becomes a reference or just a supportive conversation. That one connection might be the nudge that you need. It's not about doing everything. It's about starting small, staying consistent and letting the momentum build. And if you are planning to return to work or a job change later on this year and you want help mapping out your next steps, book a free consultation call with me and we can talk about ways that I can support you. In the meantime, there's plenty you can do this summer, even with a full house and shifting routines.

Christina Kohl:

All right, friends, that is it for this week's episode. I will talk to you next time. Thank you so much for listening today. I hope this episode hit home for you and, if you haven't already, be sure to connect with me on LinkedIn and say hello so I can personally thank you for listening. Until next time, remember, your story is uniquely your own and your next chapters are ready to begin.