Interview Women in Senior Roles on Career Journeys & Lessons

“I can’t even get an interview for a job I could do in my sleep”. I hear this from a lot of women. I’ve said it a lot myself. If you’re highly qualified and still getting rejected, the problem might not be your experience, but the roles you're prioritising. When the pressure is on to find a job, scarcity starts taking over. Savings feel tighter. Confidence takes a hit. The panic starts to rise. So you do the seemingly sensible thing: you apply for roles beneath your level. Roles you know you could do in your sleep. It may feel safer, but it just feeds the Scarcity Monster. Put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager. They see your application and immediately know you can run circles around the person leading the team. They don’t see “safe”; they see “risk”. ❌ They worry you’ll be bored. ❌ They assume the pay won’t work. ❌ They wonder what problem you’re really trying to escape. ❌ They question how long you’ll stay once something better appears. So they pass. That rejection feeds the panic. The panic pushes you to apply even further down. And the loop continues. Even if you started out with tons of confidence in your abilities, suddenly you find yourself full of self doubt. I am here to tell you that *your abilities have not changed.* Instead, what has happened is the mounting pressure has you focusing on the wrong thing, seeking "easy" instead of "right fit". But worse than that: It wastes your time and increases the rejection that exacerbates your panic. I know it might feel bonkers to do this but…Hold your level. Focus on roles that match your scope, judgement, and track record. The roles where your experience makes sense and doesn’t cause hiring managers to raise an eyebrow. Making yourself smaller will only make you *feel* smaller. Stand on your experience and hold the line. You’ll feel better about it and you’ll get better results. -- P.S. I’m Rachel — leadership coach for people carrying a little too much. I help you get clear, make decisions, and build momentum without doing everything yourself. 🔎 in January, I am looking to interview women in senior roles about their careers: what got them here, where they want to go, what they’d do differently if they could do it all again. If you’re interested, send me a DM!