Client Success Story: Michelle
The result: a senior AI role at another FAANG company and a jump to $295,000 in total compensation — nearly double what she was making before.
When Michelle came to me, she was sitting in one of the most coveted seats in tech, and she was miserable. This one's for anyone who's ever felt exactly like that.
She held a senior AI role at a FAANG company, the kind of position most people spend years trying to reach. But the culture had shifted, the company was moving in a direction she didn't believe in, and layoffs were looming. The anxiety of waiting to see what happened next was becoming unbearable.
She knew she needed to move — she just needed to land somewhere better, not just somewhere different, and she needed to nail some of the most competitive interview processes in the world to get there.
Together, we:
● Reviewed and reframed her interview stories so they clearly communicated her impact, leadership, and results
● Ran full mock interviews using structured frameworks (STAR and SAIL) so she could apply them confidently under pressure
● Prepared her to simulate the kinds of conversations she'd have with senior executives, so she could hold her own at every level of the process
By the time she reached her final interviews, she wasn't just answering questions — she was structured, confident, and ready to showcase her experience at the highest level.
The Outcome:
● Landed a senior AI role at another FAANG company after more than a year of searching
● Negotiated an additional $10,000 in base salary, plus a later start date than the hiring manager had originally wanted
● New total compensation: $295,000, up from $160,000 — an increase of over $130,000
In Michelle's words:
“The most valuable part of the experience was the combination of the interview story review and the mock interviews. Reviewing my stories helped me identify stronger examples and reframe them in a way that clearly communicated my impact, leadership, and results. By the time I entered my final interviews, I felt prepared to answer questions thoughtfully, stay structured under pressure, and showcase my experience in the strongest possible way.
I can't recommend this experience enough. The coaching gave me the confidence to show up differently in interviews, advocate for myself, and aim higher than I had before. You helped me see the strength of my experiences, articulate my impact more effectively, and trust that I was a strong candidate. The impact went far beyond interview prep — it changed how I viewed myself as a candidate.
I was so nervous about negotiating — the offer was already so much more than I'd earned before, and I was afraid to ask for more. But that support allowed me to negotiate a higher salary and a later start date than the hiring manager initially wanted. When I talked to the recruiter, they told me my approach to the negotiation was one of the best they'd seen. That shift in mindset was just as valuable as the interview preparation itself.”
What actually changed: Michelle didn't just escape a situation that was no longer working — she walked into one of the most prestigious roles in her field, on her terms, with a compensation package that finally reflected what she was actually worth.
A role that looks great on paper but doesn't feel right anymore is worth a real conversation — let's talk about what “better” actually looks like for you.
*Name changed for confidentiality.
