Author: April Ogden, Founder and CEO, It’s Your Outcome

Nicholas sat in the weekly managers’ meeting, his notepad resting on the conference table, pen in hand. It was a routine meeting—updates, expectations, and corporate directives. But this time, the tone was different.

“In the coming days,” the store manager announced, “we’ll be evaluating hiring and our current employee distribution.”

Nicholas sat up a little straighter. He had already noticed the signs—fewer customers trickling through the doors, shorter shifts on the schedule, and employees quietly murmuring about their hours getting cut. Now, hearing it put into corporate language, the thought he had been trying to ignore crept to the forefront of his mind.

“Are layoffs coming?”

His throat felt dry, and for a second, he thought about raising his hand. But just as he was about to, Stephanie—another manager—spoke up instead.

“Will there be layoffs?” she asked, her voice steady but urgent.

The store manager hesitated before answering. He exhaled through his nose, tapping his fingers on the table before finally saying:

“I can’t promise there won’t be layoffs. But I also can’t promise there will be a job for everyone.”

The words landed with a dull weight in Nicholas’ chest.

A Career Now at Risk

Driving home that night, Nicholas gripped the steering wheel a little tighter than usual. The silence in the car gave him too much space to think.

He had spent decades in retail management, working his way up from an entry-level position years ago to overseeing operations, managing staff, and ensuring everything ran smoothly.

Retail had always felt like a solid choice. He knew how to lead teams, problem-solve, and keep customers happy. But now? The industry itself was shifting. The

February 2025 job report

had already warned that job creation in retail was declining. He had read the numbers, but now, they weren’t just statistics. They were his reality.

His mortgage, his kids—one in college, the other preparing to graduate high school—depended on him. There was no room for uncertainty.

That night, as he walked through his front door, he caught sight of the framed photo on the entryway table. A younger version of himself, standing proudly in front of his first store as a new manager. He remembered that day so clearly—the pride, the feeling of stability.

Now, years later, that certainty was gone.

Nicholas needed a plan.

Step 1: Assessing Transferable Skills

When he reached out to me, his first words were blunt.

“I don’t even know where to start. I’ve always done this job. But if it’s not stable anymore, what else am I even qualified for?”

We took a step back and broke it down:

✅ Leadership & Team Development – Managing employees, coaching them, and helping them grow.

✅ Operations & Logistics – Scheduling, budgeting, and inventory control.

✅ Customer Relationship Management – Building strong customer service strategies.

✅ Crisis & Problem-Solving – Handling supply chain issues, staffing shortages, and customer complaints.

To further explore his transferable skills, I introduced Nicholas to the

CareerOneStop, My Skills My Future website.

This resource helps individuals identify how their existing skills can apply to various industries, providing a broader perspective on potential career paths.

Nicholas didn’t realize it yet, but his skills translated seamlessly into industries that were hiring despite the economic slowdown.

Step 2: Exploring Career Options

Now that we had a clearer understanding of Nicholas’ core skills, the next step was figuring out where those skills were in demand. If retail was shrinking, what industries were growing?

Nicholas needed a field where his strengths—team leadership, efficiency, and problem-solving—would still be in high demand. We explored:

🔹 Operations Management in Healthcare or Logistics – Stability even in economic downturns.

🔹 Customer Success or Account Management – Using his people skills in a corporate setting.

🔹 Training & Development Roles – Helping employees grow and perform better.

He was skeptical at first.

“I’ve only worked in retail,” he admitted. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

I reassured him: He already had what it took. He just needed to present himself differently.

Step 3: Building a Marketable Career Profile

Nicholas’ experience was valuable, but his résumé and LinkedIn weren’t telling the right story. We needed to shift the focus from retail-specific language to a results-driven leadership narrative.

📝 Résumé Transformation

We revamped his résumé to highlight measurable achievements:

✅ “Led a $5M+ retail operation, increasing revenue by 18% year-over-year through operational efficiency and staff performance improvements.”

✅ “Developed and coached a high-performing team of 25+ employees, improving retention by 32% and promoting 5 team members into leadership roles.”

✅ “Implemented a customer service strategy that boosted satisfaction scores by 22%, reducing complaints and increasing repeat customer purchases.”

✅ “Optimized inventory management, reducing excess stock by 15% and cutting shrinkage by 28% through improved tracking and loss prevention initiatives.”

✅ “Reduced employee turnover by 25% by launching a targeted training and mentorship program that increased staff engagement and performance.”

To ensure his résumé was top-notch, I shared my blog on

“6 Résumé Mistakes Not to Make”,

 helping Nicholas avoid common pitfalls and present his qualifications effectively.

Nicholas now had a résumé that showed measurable results, not just responsibilities.

Optimizing His LinkedIn Profile & Networking Strategy

A strong résumé is essential, but applying online alone won’t cut it. To maximize opportunities, Nicholas needed to leverage LinkedIn strategically.

We started by optimizing his profile with:

✔ A Compelling Headline → “Operations & People Leader | Driving Efficiency, Growth, and High-Performing Teams”

✔ An Impactful About Section → Showcasing his leadership, problem-solving skills, and measurable results

✔ Engagement Strategy → Connecting with professionals in industries he wanted to transition into

Next, we worked on his networking approach. Instead of haphazardly applying to jobs, he needed to start conversations with decision-makers and professionals who had already made career transitions.

One key step was sending personalized LinkedIn messages to professionals in industries he wanted to break into.

📌 LinkedIn Message Example

💬 Subject: Career Transition Insights

“Hi Mark, I saw that you transitioned from retail management at Solomons to an operations leadership role in logistics. That caught my attention because I’ve led retail teams for over 10 years and am now strategizing my next move into operations. I’d love to hear how you navigated that transition—what worked, what you wish you knew sooner. Would you be open to a quick 10-minute chat? I’ll keep it short, and I’d really appreciate your insight!”

Why This LinkedIn Strategy Worked

Nicholas’ previous job search strategy was limited to job boards, leading to little traction. But once he started networking intentionally, things changed:

🔹 He got responses from professionals who had made similar transitions

🔹 He learned about job opportunities before they were publicly listed

🔹 He positioned himself as a peer, not just another job seeker

Within two weeks, he had multiple conversations and secured an interview through a referral—a conversation that ultimately led to his next job.

This proved that real opportunities come from connections, not just applications.

The Night Before the Interview

With his résumé updated and LinkedIn networking in motion, Nicholas finally secured an interview.

The night before, he sat in his bedroom, looking at his reflection in the mirror. His suit was laid out. His résumé was printed.

“Can I really do this?” he wondered.

But then he remembered—he had spent years solving problems, managing crises, and

leading teams. He was more than ready.

The Interview

During the interview, the hiring manager leaned forward.

“Your background is in retail—what makes you think you can lead in logistics?”

Nicholas smiled.

“Because leadership isn’t about products—it’s about people, systems, and efficiency. I’ve managed multi-million-dollar operations, reduced turnover by 25%, and increased customer satisfaction by 22%. I know how to optimize processes and drive performance. And I can do the same here.”

The hiring manager nodded.

The Breakthrough Moment

After the interview, Nicholas called me.

“April, they said they loved my leadership approach. They even asked if I’d consider a senior role.”

He hadn’t just found a new job—he had found security in a new industry.

Final Thoughts

Nicholas’ story is a wake-up call for anyone who’s ever thought:

“I’ve done this job my whole life—what else can I do?”

The truth is, your career isn’t just a job title—it’s your skills, your leadership, and your ability to adapt.

The job market is changing. If you’re waiting for stability to return, you might be waiting for a while. But if you take action—like Nicholas did—you can createstability for yourself, even in uncertain times.

So ask yourself:

• Are you positioning yourself for the jobs that are growing, not shrinking?
• Does your résumé tell the right story—one that hiring managers in any industry can understand?
• Are you making the connections that can open doors beyond just applying to job boards?

If you’re facing career uncertainty, don’t wait for things to happen to you. Take control now.

👉 Let’s build a plan for you.

Schedule a career strategy session here.

Your next career move isn’t about starting over—it’s about stepping into the next level of who you’ve always been.

Are you ready?