Hi Friends,

It didn’t feel right last Sunday to send this newsletter as the Israel-Hamas conflict unfurled -so I didn’t. Instead, I took time to pause and begin to really educate myself, to check in on my friends more directly impacted and connected to Israel and the surrounding region, and to sit and try to make sense of my feelings.

I won’t pretend to have the right words to describe how I’ve been feeling. But, in hopes that it helps even just one person, I’ll try.

I - a white American non-Jewish woman not directly connected to the region - am incredibly sad about the unimaginable loss of human life. I am perplexed as I learn more and more about the nuance of the region and the complexity of this extensive conflict. I am frustrated and feel helpless that I can’t do more. And I am angry - that senseless terrorist organizations can hold this much power in 2023, that there seems to be no realistic peaceful solution, and that this stirs up generational trauma for people I deeply care about.

And I won’t pretend to even imagine how those loved ones are feeling. But know their heaviness weighs on my heart too.

What I do know is that in dark times, this ‘pause’ I take feels more like paralysis. And that I’m not alone in immersing myself in conflict-related social media posts & news coverage - turning my full attention to the conflict and pushing my ‘regular’ life plans and obligations.

I also don’t think I’m alone in feeling guilty about sharing personal problems because they pale in comparison to what's happening in the world or celebrating life accomplishments because you believe joy has no place amongst such sorrow.

So I write this as much for me as for every one of you:

invalidating and minimizing your anxieties in your own life because of this conflict will not change the outcome, it will just lead to stress and a lack of self-compassion. Not celebrating your milestones and achievements just deprives the world of joy when we need it most.

So let’s acknowledge what’s going on & show up for those impacted in the ways we can AND we can move forward - for ourselves.

So I am finding ways to move forward this week - the most exciting of which for you is my own curated job board. Read on for more details…

Clarify 💡

We have 8 full working weeks left until 2024 is upon us. I tell you this not to add to your scaries but to encourage you to get clear on what is important for you to focus on through the end of the year. And what you can release from your list and your mind.

Maybe you set resolutions or you have quarterly goals - I encourage you to take a look at your list and really ask yourself:

why is it important that I focus on this?

What will the impact be in achieving this?

Not all goals are meant to be checked off - circumstances and priorities change along with us changing as human beings. Don’t take things off your list just to make things easier and settle but do take stock of what you’re working towards and why, with self-compassion.

The benefit of refining your goals this week is that it sets you up wonderfully to think strategically about 2024. When goal setting, you often don’t just think about the current time period - you think about how what you’re focused on now impacts your future and what you want in that future. Cleaning up your 2023 focus areas will enable you to start 2024 strong.

more on how I’d love to help with that clarity closer to the New Year

Connect 🤝

I’ve spoken with hundreds of job searchers this year and from my conversations and own experience, it’s clear that finding a job in 2023 is a broken process. I’m not naive to think that I alone can fix all that is broken but I am confident that I can help you navigate this process - starting with finding the right opportunity.

I introduce to you….

Instead of doom-scrolling on LinkedIn all the time, I invite you to bookmark this job board, which will be updated every Tuesday at 12p EST, with roles hand-selected based on the following criteria, that align with my values and I hope yours as well:

💰 fair & transparently compensation

🏠 allows for flexible work (fully remote or hybrid)

 🤗 generous benefits

 📈 contributes to a growing organization

 🤝 sponsored by a connection of mine that I trust

For my subscribers (that’s you) only, if you see a role that interests you, you can apply for an introduction to someone I know at the company.

This project is important to me because I recognize that many are just building their network and I’d like to equalize the hiring process a bit by connecting the best candidates to great roles, whether they have an extensive network or not.

Confidently Communicate 🗣️

How many of you are confident in your answer when asked in interviews or networking events, “So tell me about yourself?”

How you present yourself and weave your career narrative can make or break whether you get an opportunity but many of us rush through it or go into way too many details. For those who feel like they could use a refresher, look out for a separate email from me on some free resources and how I believe I can help

And now, to close on some lighter things - here’s what I’m up to…

Until next time,

Jess Storiale