People in Transition – Details, episodes & analysis

My guest today is Merry Korn, author of Fired to Inspired, a powerful teaching memoir that chronicles an extraordinary journey from professional setback to purpose-driven success. Merry’s story begins with being fired—a moment many job seekers fear most—but instead of letting that moment define her, she used it as the starting point for reinvention.

What followed was not a polished overnight success, but a real, unvarnished transformation. Through strategic pivots, hard-earned lessons, and persistence, Merry went on to build a social enterprise that now employs more than 1,300 people across 30 states, giving hiring priority to individuals facing the greatest barriers to work. Her journey is a roadmap for anyone who has ever felt defeated by a career setback and wondered whether their lowest moment could become their greatest opportunity.

Merry’s perspective is deeply rooted in resilience. Her role model is her mother, a Holocaust survivor, who taught her the meaning of perseverance and never giving up. That lesson shows up throughout Merry’s work and is especially relevant for job seekers who may feel discouraged, fearful, or worn down by a prolonged search. In a time of economic uncertainty and career disruption, her story offers both hope and practical guidance for building something meaningful out of adversity.

Key Themes We Explore in This Episode

In our conversation, Merry shares insights and tools that are immediately applicable for anyone in transition, including:

• Turning setbacks into setups for success and reframing career disappointments as opportunities for clarity and growth
• The power of informational interviews—what they are, how to use them, and why they are one of the most effective job-search strategies
• Using available resources such as coaches, books, and LinkedIn to build momentum and expand opportunity
• Staying physically strong during your job search, and how physical health directly impacts emotional resilience and mental well-being
• Overcoming fear and uncertainty, with the reminder that this season will end
• Finding purpose before accepting your next role, and why not jumping at the first offer, can lead to a more fulfilling career

Call to Action

If you’re in the middle of a job search—or know one is coming—this episode is for you. Listen with intention, take notes, and choose one idea from this conversation that you can act on this week. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement, and subscribe to People in Transition for more conversations designed to help you move forward with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

This is Bob Gerst, and this episode is about turning transition into transformation.

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Ever look at your life and think, “How did I end up here… and why doesn’t this feel the way success should?”
If that question feels uncomfortably familiar, this episode of “People in Transition” is one you’ll want to hear.

My guest, Jake Kennington, knows what it’s like to build a career that looks enviable on paper while feeling disconnected on the inside. As a licensed Structural Engineer, he spent more than a decade designing $100M buildings, leading high-pressure projects, and stacking up the achievements people associate with success. But privately, his health was slipping, his relationships were stretched thin, and he began questioning whether the life he was building was actually the life he wanted.

Becoming a husband and father of four brought that reality into sharper focus—and ultimately pushed him to redefine success, rebuild his habits, and realign his life around what matters most. Today, through his work at Actively Human, Jake helps mid-career professionals do the same: reconnect with who they really are, create space for what they care about, and build lives that feel as fulfilling on the inside as they look on the outside.

In our conversation, Jake and I explore:

• The moment he asked himself, “Is this it?”—and why that question is worth paying attention to
• How identifying who you are not can open the door to who you truly are
• Why defining your own meaning of success becomes a powerful compass
• Subtle early signs of misalignment—especially in your health and relationships
• The value of owning your morning for yourself, not your inbox
• Why slowing down (and sometimes even disrupting what you’ve built) can be the path to clarity and joy

If you want to learn more about Jake and Actively Human, visit his profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakekennington/

Or visit his website at activelyhuman.com

 Listen to Jake’s recording here—and take the first step toward a life that finally feels aligned.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to go deeper on these topics, grab a free resource called The Own Your Life Playbook here: activelyhuman.com/#playbook

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If you're on the job hunt, considering a career change, or simply looking to elevate your professional brand, this is the podcast episode you don’t want to miss!
I’m thrilled to welcome Courtney Motyczka, a Certified Career Success Coach and Certified Resume Writer, to the show. With over seven years of experience helping job seekers successfully launch and transition their careers, Courtney brings a wealth of knowledge, practical advice, and motivational insights to the table. Her passion for career development is contagious, and she’s dedicated to helping people find fulfillment and confidence in their professional journeys.

With a background in higher education and technical training, Courtney has worked with thousands of individuals—coaching them through resume writing, job searches, interviews, and career transitions. She also holds a degree in Communication and Conflict, giving her a unique edge in helping job seekers refine their messaging, navigate tough conversations, and advocate for themselves with clarity and confidence. In this must-listen episode, we dive into game-changing career strategies, including: 

• Why job searching isn’t a solo journey—don’t be afraid to reach out for help! Lean on your network, seek mentorship, and open yourself up to opportunities through connection. 
• The power of networking—understanding the key differences between in-person networking and LinkedIn networking and why both are critical for career growth. 
• How to craft a standout resume—it’s not just about listing what you’ve done; it’s about showing how you did it and the impact you made. 
• Mastering interviews with confidence—why it’s okay to pause before answering, gather your thoughts, and communicate your value effectively. 
• Overcoming self-doubt—there’s a job out there for you. The key is believing in yourself and staying persistent in your search. 
• The importance of communication—how to own your professional story, articulate your value, and leave a strong impression on recruiters and hiring managers. 

This episode is jam-packed with actionable insights and career-boosting tips that will help you navigate your job search with confidence. Whether you're polishing your resume, preparing for interviews, or expanding your network, Courtney’s expert advice will help you get one step closer to landing your next great opportunity. 

Tune in now!  Remember to have a pen and paper ready—you’ll want to take notes on these invaluable knowledge nuggets!

If you’d like to connect with Courtney, be sure to reach out here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmoty/. 

Your dream job is out there—go after it with confidence! 

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 Valerie Woerner is an accomplished CEO/ President/ CFO, as well as an experienced and influential Board member, for family and corporate Boards of Directors. Her authentic and collaborative leadership experience in manufacturing consumer facing products began in banking where she developed a strong finance foundation.  High growth business building roles, startups, and turnaround success are among her skills. She is a qualified financial expert with marketing, HR, M&A and board expertise, and public speaker, who consistently creates and delivers value. By request, Valerie has taught Finance, Entrepreneurship and other business and HR courses including Compensation at two universities.

In this episode, Valerie shares several helpful job transition tips including:

·        Networking is critical to your job change success – and it does not have to be a stressful activity.  “Never Eat Alone” is a great book to help you be more effective in your networking.

·        To help you do better on your phone or ZOOM interview, make sure you do your research on the company and people you will be working with.

·        Create your job-hunting plan, help others along the way, exercise and remember – you need to be happy with the job too, not just the company being happy with you.

·        Be a lifelong learner – read, take courses, and learn new skills.

This is a high impact episode that you will want to listen to a couple of times to get all the key points from it.  Enjoy, give me your comments, and share it with others.

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Pin Cher is quadrilingual, globally minded, and driven by curiosity and a desire to learn.
 She has resided in Asia for over 9 years.  She has been positively influenced by the great people surrounding him. Being a German native speaker, fluent in English and Mandarin and conversational in Cantonese, this diversity gives him a competitive advantage when it comes to breaking through in today's business world. 
 
 In this episode, Pin Cher discusses:
 
 ·        If you just "hate" your job or you just don't like where you’re at, it is not enough to just be down/upset, you need to act, to wallow in your negative feelings, do something.

·        In change, people feel fear, of what others think or their judgement of you and of the unknown, you need to understand where this fear is coming from and do the things needed to overcome the fear.

·        Pin Cher described what a coach is and is not, and how someone in job transition might use one.

·        Being clear what type of job and environment, you want and use the key words in LinkedIn to find jobs that match your needs/expectations.

·         "Feel the fear and do it anyway" is her best job transition advice.

 This is an information packed, warm, caring and reflective episode.  Please share with me your thoughts about the recording and as always, share it with others who may need the support.
 
 Thank you!

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Juliana Rabbi is a recruiter-turned-career coach. After working for over 15 years as a recruiter and part of the human resources teams in multinational corporations all over the world, she has been working remotely for the past 8+ years and now helps professionals to create a career and a lifestyle that makes them happier. Juliana has a background in Psychology, a master’s degree in human resources. She currently works as a Career Coach and helps professionals to land their dream remote job in 90 days. She is also a Digital Nomad who has been to 51 countries, she can't resist playing with dogs, she tries different animal poses in yoga and enjoys acting in comedy improv.

Some key points for Juliana recording are:

·       Losing your job is hard, we place a lot of importance on work, if you are down after you lose your job, you are normal; but soon it is time to move on, don’t hide at home, be with people you care for, create your job search action plan, and work it.

·       Juliana breaks down how to make the most introverted person tools and techniques to help them network with confidence and success.

·       Being someone connected is a superpower and anyone can do it.

·       You need to create a file which you keep track of who you have connected with and what was discussed, this will help you connect dots on discussions and activities you are pursuing.

·       In your transition you need to be clear on what you want to do next, what are your short/long term goals, what is the price you’re willing to pay to get you there, ask for help when needed, and don’t settle for less.

Juliana has such practical advice that is easy to implement today for anyone looking for a new job.  She understands how recruiters operate and she is a great coach to help those who need the knowledge.  I am so excited about your listening to this episode, please leave me your thoughts/questions and as always, share this with a friend.

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Brain Golod has successfully mentored executives, managers, and professionals around the world and across dozens of industries to help them find their next great job opportunity.

There is only two main problems jobseekers approach Brian with:
 1. They can’t get interviews, or
 2. They can’t get offers

In this episode, Brain discusses several key issues on these problems including:

·       Always remember to make your resume applicant tracking system compliant to ensure it does not get excluded just because of a format issue

·       He shared several great techniques to use when you do a phone or ZOOM interview that can be implemented immediately

·       Make sure you LinkedIn profile is complete and robust; also ensure all the settings for sharing/viewing are turned on correctly

·       If you are struggling with something during your job search – don’t try to deal with it alone – get professional support/help

·       Today, start to build meaningful relationships that can help you when you are in a job transition and can provide great resources to you in your day-to-day job role.

Brain brings passion, experience and caring to this episode of People in Transition.  You will want to listen to this recording several times to get all the meaning and suggestions he shares.  And as always, you would be doing someone a favor by sharing it with them.  Enjoy!

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Sheila Shupp connects the dots. People. Problems. Processes. A solution-oriented, self-motivated, reputable HR professional, she leverages communications to grow relationships and brings about business objectives. People trust her, which often allows her to call out the best in them and advance organizational growth.

During this session, she touched on so many ideas and concepts about transitions including:

·       How to keep your courage up during your search.

·       How she bridged the transition gap after being out of the labor market for many years

·       How to create your networking plan

·       When you are talking with a company, use all your senses to get a read on the environment/culture

·       How to use other people  who are also  in transition to your advantage

·       Always remember, your transition does have an end and you will find that next great opportunity

I think you will really enjoy this smart, engaging, and caring person – Sheila Shupp.   Please share with me your thoughts and comments about this episode on my LinkedIn site.  Thank you - People in Transition has had over 2,000 downloads!

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This episode features Dr. Wiktor Tutlewski.  Dr. T experience lies in assisting and guiding major corporations in designing, developing implementing Strategic Organizational Development, Strategic Human Resource Management, Learning and Development, Business Change Management, Leadership and Talent Management initiatives. He has a very strong background in both the public and private sectors and have held many senior leadership and Board level positions.

Some of his key points he shared during our time together includes:

·       Successful job searches entail preparation, patience, and good self-packaging

·       Make sure you are clear on what you want to do, and as important, what you don’t want to do

·       Discussed how you need to manage your uncomfortability

·       To help keep in a positive frame of mind, which is key in your transition, make daily small steps/accomplishments

·       Face your fears – how can you learn skills or be better prepared to help you deal with these apprehensions

·       Remember to treat life like a journey

I have known Dr. T for many years, and I am always amazed at what he knows and shares.  I think you will really enjoy this session.  

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This episode features Susan Howington, the CEO and Founder of the outplacement and career coaching firm called Power Connections Career Services, Inc.  She is a highly sought-after expert in the career transition field, applying her practical knowledge and intuitive wisdom as a Career Consultant, Executive Coach, Author, and industry speaker.  Her lifelong goal is to help professionals of all levels manage and advance their careers through career enjoy and fulfillment, which ultimately, leads to their success.

Several knowledge nuggets shared in today’s recording including:

·       A description of what outplacement is and how it can support you in your job search.

·       A key in your job search strategy is to know what job/position you want, what industry you are interested in and what sort of company you want to work for.

·       In networking, remember that most people want to help you, but you need to tell them how they can help.

·       There used to be a stigma in being laid off; today if this happens to you, you are just part of the “club” of people who have been without a job.

·       To be more effective in your interviews, be prepared, use ZOOM or whatever media to your advantage – learn to “show up” on screen and be relatable.

Susan had so many other great ideas and suggestions for anyone going through a job search.  Dealing with people in transition is her passion and we are fortunate to hear from the expert in making this change effectively and maybe even enjoyable.

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