KC IABC Coffee Chat Recap: Rising Above the Head Games of Job Search
At KC IABC’s July Coffee Chat at Rochester Brewing & Roasting Company, communications professionals gathered to hear from Jeff Pelaccio, host of “The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends” podcast, on the mental, emotional, and physical side of job search.
His talk, “Job Search Psyche: Rising Above the Head Games,” was not a traditional job search presentation. There were no resume font debates, secret tricks for beating the applicant tracking system, or magical LinkedIn posts promising recruiters would parachute into your backyard with offer letters.
Instead, Pelaccio focused on what job search can do to confidence, identity, energy, and well-being.
Drawing from his experience of leaving nine companies involuntarily, Pelaccio shared the “head games” many job seekers face: ghosting, silence after interviews, vague feedback, confusing timelines, and rejection emails that somehow feel both automated and personal.
His core message was simple:
“The hiring process may be broken, but you do not have to let it break you.”
Pelaccio encouraged attendees to separate facts from stories. Not hearing back is a fact. Deciding “they hated me” is a story. That distinction matters when candidates are trying to protect their confidence in a process that often feels impersonal and inconsistent.
He also shared a powerful emotional story about a rejection from a role he desperately wanted, later realizing that the “no” allowed him to take FMLA and spend important time helping care for his mother.
That experience led to one of the talk’s key takeaways:
“A no from one company may simply be making room for a better yes.”
The practical heart of the talk focused on controlling the controllables, including daily structure, energy, mindset, and relationships. Pelaccio shared how career coach Teresa Carey helped him reframe networking from “How can this person get me a job?” to “How can I help this person?”
He closed with four reminders for anyone in job search:
You are not crazy.
You are not alone.
You are not your job status.
Keep moving.
The morning left attendees with a more human way to think about career transition and a reminder that being between jobs is a chapter, not an identity.
If you’re interested in more events like this, be sure to stay connected with KC IABC for upcoming programs and networking opportunities.