Vanessa Coates Careers

09/30/2026

Storytime… ❤️

Four years ago, I had a candidate I placed here in Minnesota.

She absolutely thrived in that role.

Then life took her to Florida. I was fortunate enough to place her again with one of my clients there, and once again, she thrived.

Eventually, that location started downsizing, and this time, I didn’t have the right opportunity for her.

But our relationship didn’t end because I didn’t have a job to offer her.

I coached her through interviews. We talked through opportunities. I stayed in her corner.

Because I’ve always believed recruiting is about so much more than filling the jobs sitting on my desk.

It’s about being part of someone’s journey.

Today, I got the BEST phone call.

She was promoted to General Manager! 🎉

She was so excited, and the things she said to me about the role I’ve played in her career genuinely warmed my heart.

And to be clear — she did the work.

She showed up.
She grew.
She led.
She earned this.

But knowing that I got to be a small part of her journey — from candidate, to placement, to candidate again, and somewhere along the way, to friend — is incredibly special.

Four years later, she reminded me why I love what I do.

Sometimes the impact we have on people has nothing to do with the job we can offer them today.

Sometimes it’s simply about staying in their corner while they find their next chapter. ❤️

To all of my candidates, past and present: thank you for trusting me with pieces of your journey.

These are the calls that mean everything. 🥹❤️

09/28/2026

What are you waiting for?

The right time?
More confidence?
More experience?
Someone to tell you you’re ready?

What if the bigger risk isn’t failing?

What if it’s waiting so long that you never find out what could have happened?

Tim Grover said something this week that stopped me in my tracks:

“If you think the price of winning is too high, wait till you get the bill for regret.”

Read that again.

Because sometimes the opportunity in front of you is going to require something from you.

Courage.
Discipline.
Sacrifice.
Action.

And you may not know how it’s going to turn out.

But maybe the question isn’t, “What will it cost me to go for it?”

Maybe it’s:

“What will it cost me if I don’t?”

Thank you, Tim Grover, for a message I won’t forget.

09/21/2026

Happy Monday, Colorado! 🏔️

I’m kicking off the week with some great hospitality leadership opportunities across Colorado — FOH, GM, Sous Chef & Chef roles with salaries reaching $140K.

Great restaurants. Strong teams. Exciting next steps.

Ready to see what’s out there? Let’s talk! 👋

09/16/2026

7 years with EHS Recruiting Company. ❤️

It’s hard to put seven years into a few words, but the one that keeps coming to mind is gratitude.

Grateful for every candidate who trusted me with their next chapter. Every client who trusted me with their team. Every colleague, mentor, friendship, conversation, referral, lesson, win, and even the hard moments that helped me grow.

This career has given me so much more than I ever expected.

Seven years later, I still genuinely love helping people, making connections, and getting to be a small part of some really big moments in people’s lives.

To everyone who has been part of my journey — thank you. Truly.

Here’s to 7 years of relationships, growth, kindness, and a whole lot of gratitude. ❤️

09/15/2026

🚨 PSA: A Quick Reminder About Staying Safe When Communicating With Recruiters

As recruiting continues to become more digital, so do the opportunities for fake accounts, impersonation, and scams.

Whether you’re actively job searching or a recruiter reaches out to you unexpectedly, take a few extra seconds to verify who you’re communicating with.

A few things to watch for:

💰 A legitimate recruiter should never ask you for payment to interview or be considered for a position.
If someone asks you to pay a fee, purchase something, send money, or provide financial information as part of the recruiting process, STOP and verify.

If you’re working with a company that does charge job seekers for a service, do your homework:
• Research the company independently — don’t rely solely on links they send you.
• Look for an established website, business presence, reviews, and real employees.
• Verify the person you’re speaking with actually works for that organization.

📧 Pay attention to the email address.
An email coming from a Gmail, Yahoo, or other personal account isn’t automatically fraudulent, but when someone is representing an established recruiting company, it deserves an extra layer of verification.

Look at the actual email address — not just the name displayed in your inbox.

🔎 Cross-reference the recruiter.
If an email says, “Vanessa Coates — Recruiter,” for example, take 30 seconds and look that person up on LinkedIn. Does the company match? Does their professional history make sense? Can you verify their contact information through the company’s website or another trusted source?

And when in doubt, contact the recruiter through a channel you independently verified.

A name, photo, company logo, email signature, or job description can all be copied.

Doing a little due diligence before responding can make a big difference.

Stay safe out there — and please share this with someone who is currently job searching. ❤️

09/14/2026

09/09/2026

Prepping My Guy for His First Day of Preschool ❤️

Today was my little guy’s first day of preschool, and apparently I only know one way to prepare someone for a big day…

I prepped him exactly like I prep my candidates for an interview. 😂

“Are you excited?”
“Are you ready?”
“Be a good listener.”
“Use your manners.”
“Be kind.”
“You’re going to do GREAT.”

There was just one piece of advice I don’t normally give my candidates:

“And don’t forget to go potty in the big potty.” 😂

He had his backpack on, he was ready to go, and he walked into preschool like an absolute champ.

Meanwhile, Mom may have needed a little more prep than he did. ❤️

Big day for my little man. Go crush preschool, buddy.

09/08/2026

THREE INTERVIEWS. ONE DAY. 😳

I recently had a candidate scheduled for three different interviews in one day.

Do I normally recommend that? Not necessarily.

But sometimes availability is availability, momentum matters, and you make it work.

The bigger question becomes:

How do you prepare for three interviews without completely exhausting yourself—or accidentally talking about Company #1 while interviewing with Company #3? 😂

Here are a few things I recommend:

1. Know WHO you are interviewing with.
Before each interview, take 5 minutes and reset. Look at the interviewer’s name, title, and anything you know about their role. You want to walk into each conversation knowing exactly who is on the other side of the table.

2. Know the COMPANY.
This is where you need to pivot.

Your experience hasn’t changed in the last two hours. Your leadership style hasn’t changed. Your accomplishments haven’t changed.

The company has.

Take a few minutes before each interview to review the concept, their values, their menu/service style, locations, and why THIS particular opportunity interests you.

3. Don’t recreate the wheel.
There is a LOT of overlap between interviews.

Tell me about yourself.
How would your team describe you?
How do you handle conflict?
Tell me about a difficult employee.
What are your strengths?
Why are you looking?

You don’t need three completely different answers.

Know your stories. Know your numbers. Know your wins.

Then adjust the examples and emphasis based on the role you’re interviewing for.

4. Create a RESET between interviews.
Do not walk out of Interview #1 and immediately mentally carry it into Interview #2.

Grab some water. Eat something. Take a short walk. Put your phone down for a few minutes.

Then pull up your notes for the NEXT company.

New company. New conversation. Clean slate.

5. Don’t overanalyze the interview you just finished.
This one is BIG.

You don’t have time to replay every answer and decide what you should have said differently.

Write down a few quick notes while they’re fresh, then move on.

You can dissect it later.

6. Remember—you already did the hardest part.

You prepared your career story.

You know what you’ve accomplished.
You know how you lead.
You know what you’re looking for.

Now your job is simply to be present enough to figure out:

Is this the right opportunity for me?

Three interviews in one day can feel like a marathon.

But with preparation, a good reset between conversations, and the ability to stay present, it can also be a VERY productive day.

And recruiters—if we’re going to stack interviews for our candidates, we have a responsibility to help them prepare for the marathon. 💪

08/31/2026

✈️ Starting a new job — but training away from home?

One of my candidates starts a brand-new chapter today, and his first stop is training out of state. 🎉

It got me thinking: Getting the job is one thing. Being ready for Day One is another.

If your new role starts with travel, here’s a checklist to help you leave home organized and arrive ready to learn.

🏠 BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME

☐ Schedule bills/autopay
☐ Arrange pet care + leave instructions, food & vet info 🐾
☐ Ask someone you trust to check on your house
☐ Give them a key/code + emergency contacts
☐ Arrange plant care 🌱
☐ Hold mail or have someone bring it in
☐ Plan for packages/deliveries
☐ Take out trash & clear perishables from the fridge
☐ Finish laundry/dishes — future you will thank you!
☐ Adjust thermostat & check doors/windows/garage
☐ Fill prescriptions
☐ Coordinate childcare, school & family schedules
☐ Share your itinerary with someone at home
☐ Plan for lawn/snow/seasonal home care if needed
☐ Arrange transportation to/from the airport

💻 GET ORGANIZED

☐ Download company apps & training platforms
☐ Test your logins BEFORE you leave
☐ Save trainer, manager, HR & recruiter contacts
☐ Save hotel, flight & training information
☐ Download anything you’ll need offline
☐ Bring ID + onboarding/payroll documents
☐ Pack a notebook & pens
☐ Bring ALL the chargers + a portable charger
☐ Check the dress code AND destination weather
☐ Pack comfortable shoes + a backup work outfit
☐ Leave suitcase space for uniforms/training materials
☐ Bring a few creature comforts from home

🧠 WHEN TRAINING STARTS

☐ Come in humble
☐ Ask LOTS of questions
☐ Take notes
☐ Learn the WHY, not just the task
☐ Introduce yourself to everyone
☐ Be flexible — plans change
☐ Pay attention to the people who know the operation best
☐ Be ready for anything
☐ Learn how THEY do things before trying to show how YOU did things somewhere else

And maybe the most important one:

Give yourself permission to be new.

You aren’t supposed to know everything on Day One.

Take care of the little things at home so that when you arrive, you can actually be present.

Show up prepared, curious, coachable and ready to learn.

Learn the people. Learn the culture. Learn the operation. Enjoy the beginning. ✈️💼

And to everyone starting a new job this week — congratulations. Go crush it. 🙌