Chime In Professional Reinventions Can Be Hard—But Also Very Rewarding Stories You May Like Tips for Mid-Career Job Hunters What My Winding Career Path Taught Me About College Just Starting Out in Your Career? Dyson Prof Has Advice! As a career development coach based in Washington, DC, I'm seeing firsthand how crisis can lead to opportunity “Chime In” comprises brief first-person essays by Cornellians. Do you have a topic in mind? Email us at cornellians@cornell.edu! By Melissa Reitkopp ’85 No one expects to find themselves at the epicenter of chaos—but as a career development coach based in Washington, DC, that’s exactly where I am. In the past seven months, the career landscape has shifted underfoot, especially for those employed in or adjacent to the federal government. My clients and I are feeling an unprecedented level of uncertainty. Yet I’ve also found that my career, with its own twists and turns, has prepared me to be a resource for other professionals during the current crisis. I’ve learned a lot about the factors driving success, like practice, persistence, maintaining a strong network, and—the one I’m thinking about the most these days—the ability to pivot and reinvent oneself. Flash back with me to the mid-20th century, when my parents (Ellen Auslander Reitkopp ’61 and Howard Reitkopp ’61) graduated from Cornell. I’ve found that my career, with its own twists and turns, has prepared me to be a resource for other professionals during the current crisis. In those days, you started your career, worked hard, and expected to climb the corporate ladder. Rather than stay in their traditional jobs, though, my parents caught the entrepreneurial bug, and purchased a management recruitment franchise. When I matriculated on the Hill, I expected to end up as either a psychologist or a veterinarian. (I’d chosen Cornell because it offered paths to both options.) The author's parents on their graduation day. I was kind of awkward; the idea of talking to strangers made me queasy, and I thought of sales as “icky.” Yet after I graduated, the family business exerted a strange gravitational pull. I’d always been that person to whom strangers—at airports, in grocery stores, on soccer sidelines—spill their whole history. I enjoyed listening to people’s stories, as I was curious and could spot patterns. I valued meaningful connections and wanted to help foster them. Maybe I could discover purpose in connecting the dots between what someone wants in their career and how a company might benefit from their capabilities. I started running the front office of my parents’ firm, and eventually began executive recruiter training. That training and subsequent work taught me how to help people identify their strengths, express themselves, and most importantly, translate their abilities into value for an organization. It also showed me how to help them identify what was important for their next career move. Reitkopp (third from right) with undergrad friends at Stewart Park. As the years went by and the economy shifted—as it always does—I learned how to help people pivot when necessary. A successful career pivot requires the capacity to take a step back, assess the big picture, and see how we can fit into a new landscape in different and meaningful ways. A successful career pivot requires the capacity to take a step back, assess the big picture, and see how we can fit into a new landscape in different and meaningful ways. For example, I once worked with a Peace Corps volunteer who’d returned to the U.S. after helping build school libraries abroad. Since “library builder” isn’t a job description that exists in this country, they felt adrift. I helped them figure out what was really important to them: mission-driven work and helping a community identify and meet its needs. They took a job with Meals on Wheels, earned an MSW, and are now a case manager in a public hospital. Stories You May Like Tips for Mid-Career Job Hunters What My Winding Career Path Taught Me About College Leading a workshop. I’ve also made multiple career pivots myself. One began when I realized that even successful professionals often struggle to manage their career trajectory—especially now as AI reshapes hiring. Drawing on my experience as a headhunter, I expanded my recruiting work to include career development training and one-on-one coaching—from helping job seekers write AI-optimized resumes to preparing them for how companies use ranking systems to screen candidates. This, in turn, led me to recognize that at different career stages, job seekers need help with overall tools and strategies. So I created a blog and a newsletter, the Reitkopp Report, and eventually wrote a book, MAD Skills: Make Crazy Good Career Choices! Now, this year—after what folks in D.C. are calling the “March Massacre”—a whole wave of talented federal employees and contractors are being pushed into the marketplace after long careers. Many of the job-seekers I’ve been talking to are in crisis: stunned, confused, and demoralized. While I have been counseling professionals for many years, the people who need help now have been traumatized—and trauma makes pivoting and reinvention tougher. My methods are now being put to the test. I’ve been digging into my toolbox to not only provide skills, but also emotional support, as the displaced workers try to regain their footing, rebuild their confidence, and reinvent themselves. To do this, I’ve expanded my knowledge and leaned on colleagues in my network—especially to explore how AI can support job searches and uncover opportunities in new industries. This, too, is a pivot of sorts. Additionally, I’m conducting more group sessions for professionals in transition. For a long time, I’ve run three or four workshops per year—but since March, I’ve increased it to three or four per month. (The Yale and Cornell clubs each invited me to lead virtual career workshops, which attracted more than 160 registrants.) I’ve been digging into my toolbox to not only provide skills, but also emotional support. Over the summer, I’ve seen these professionals begin to reinvent themselves, transition to new industries, and land new jobs, or at least secure interviews. For example, one client who lost their position as a drug analyst for the FDA, but has deep concerns about joining the pharma industry, has identified some organizations that align with their values. The author (second row, second from right) with the first Big Red women's soccer team in 1982. Another client, a former senior communications leader in public health, has been interviewing with biomedical organizations, where their ability to communicate complex scientific ideas to lay audiences would be invaluable. Some changes we welcome—and some are thrust upon us. However, I’ve learned that a willingness to pivot, a curiosity about opportunities, and an open mind can help us absorb those changes, and positively reinvent ourselves. A Human Ecology student on the Hill who designed her own major, Melissa Reitkopp ’85 is the founder of Reitkopp Recruiting. She and her work have been featured in such publications as Business Insider and PBS’s Next Avenue. (All images provided.) Published August 14, 2025 Comments Jeannie Engel, Class of 1985 14 Aug, 2025 Thank you Melissa! This is great! Reply Melissa Reitkopp, Class of 1980 15 Aug, 2025 Thanks for reading, Jeannie, it was great to see you on the Hill at our 40th reunion this summer. Soon lunch in DC 🙂 Reply Karen Rockowitz Reiner 14 Aug, 2025 Fantastic perspective and helpful insights. I plan to forward this to a friend, until recently employed at NIH. Photos made me smile!! Reply Melissa Reitkopp, Class of 1985 15 Aug, 2025 Karen, It’s been too long, and I’m betting your mom forwarded the piece. Good to hear from you, and I’m happy to speak with your friend from NIH, if it’s helpful. Find me on Linkedin! Melissa Reply Anne Suissa, Class of 1988 26 Aug, 2025 Hi Melissa. Great write up. Challenging times in DC for sure. Those still inside government are struggling with finding their footing as well. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. 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