The Crescendo Group

The Crescendo Group To increase and promote diversity in the workforce by supporting survivors of gender-based violence,

Some of the most difficult stories I hear from clients are about their experiences with abuse in the workplace. Most of ...
05/06/2026

Some of the most difficult stories I hear from clients are about their experiences with abuse in the workplace. Most of my own workplace trauma comes from toxic and hostile work environments.

Toxic behavior can come from supervisors, leadership, and even coworkers. It could even be you.

Here’s what I know after working across government, nonprofits, startups, and corporations:

🚩 Toxicity is a system, not a personality quirk. The same playbook runs in every sector: gaslighting, credit-stealing, public humiliation, manufactured urgency, etc. Different logo, same script.

🚩 Toxic managers fail up because the cost is invisible. They hit numbers, charm their way up the chain, and ignore the wreckage (burnout, turnover, legal risk).

🚩 Discrimination wears a lot of faces. Implicit bias, explicit bias, sexism, ageism, homophobia. Sometimes it’s a joke. Sometimes it’s a pattern. Both are real, and both do damage.

🚩 Document everything with dates and details. Find your allies before you need them. Name the behavior, not just the person. And know when it’s time to go.

🚩 What you’re feeling is not weakness, it’s wiring. Workplace trauma keeps your nervous system on high alert long after you’ve left. The symptoms look like anxiety or burnout. The symptoms can manifest physically (extreme weight loss or weight gain, hair loss, headaches, indigestion). Most people never connect the ailments back to the job.

🚩 Screen the workplace before you say yes. Watch how they treat a junior colleague. Ask why the last person left. Talk to people who left on their own terms. The answers will tell you everything.

🚩 Don’t be the one causing it. Do a real self-audit: Are you giving credit? Are people walking on eggshells around you? Are you telling hard truths or just comfortable ones? This is ongoing work, not a one-time check.

What’s one thing you wish you’d known earlier about surviving (or spotting) a toxic workplace? Have you survived a toxic boss, colleague, or work environment? How did you overcome the challenge?

“I don’t know who to ask.” ⁉️This is the number one reason people never start. And I understand. Reaching out to someone...
04/23/2026

“I don’t know who to ask.” ⁉️

This is the number one reason people never start. And I understand. Reaching out to someone you do not know well feels vulnerable.

💡But here is the thing:
Most people are willing to talk about themselves and their careers. You just have to make it easy for them to say yes.

🔎The harder problem is not the ask. It is knowing who to look for. Here is how I think about it: Start with your existing networks.
Before you go looking outward, go inward.

👩🏻‍🏫Who do you already know who works in the field, sector, or role you are interested in? Former colleagues, classmates, professors, people you have met at conferences, community members, or even people you follow online and have engaged with?

✅A warm connection, even a loose one, dramatically increases your response rate.

🤝Use LinkedIn strategically:
Search by job title, company, or industry. Filter by location, mutual connections, or school.

👩🏻‍💻Look at people who have made the pivot you are considering. Read their posts. Engage genuinely with their content before you reach out. A cold message lands very differently when the person recognizes your name.

🎓Tap into professional associations and alumni networks

✅On the actual ask:
Keep your outreach short and specific. Tell them who you are in one sentence. Tell them why you are reaching out to them specifically, not generically or broadly. Ask for 20–30 minutes. Make it clear you are not asking for a job.

🌟People say yes to genuine curiosity. They ignore flattery and vague asks.

🔎The right people are already around you. You just need to start looking and start asking.

Who was the most valuable informational interview connection you ever made, and how did you find them?

Half of the clients I’ve worked with have said that they didn’t know how to participate in an informational interview. S...
04/20/2026

Half of the clients I’ve worked with have said that they didn’t know how to participate in an informational interview. Some mistake it for an informal job interview, so their expectation was that they would answer questions instead of being the one to ASK the questions. (See Part 1 of this series to learn what is an informational interview.)

Most people walk into an informational interview with the wrong questions. They ask things that are too vague (“What is your job like?”), too broad (“How do I get into this field?”), or too forward (“Do you know of any openings?”).

The result? A pleasant but forgettable conversation that leads nowhere.

💡The right questions are specific, thoughtful, and designed to surface what you actually need to know, the things that are not on job descriptions, LinkedIn profiles, or company websites.

✅One rule above all others:
Do not ask them to give you a job. Do not hint at it. Do not mention it.

🌟Your job in this conversation is to be genuinely curious and fully present. The relationship, and what it may lead to, comes later.

Which of these questions would you find hardest to ask or be asked? Do you have any memorable informational interviews that come to mind?

There is a tool that costs nothing, requires no application, and has opened more doors for me than any resume I have eve...
04/16/2026

There is a tool that costs nothing, requires no application, and has opened more doors for me than any resume I have ever submitted.

It is called the informational interview. And most people either do not know what it is, or they are too intimidated to use it.

✅Here is the plain truth:

An informational interview is a conversation, NOT a job interview. It is a structured, intentional meeting where you ask someone about their career, their industry, their company/organization, or their role so you can learn and make better decisions about your own path.

⁉️Who is involved?

• You: the person seeking insight, clarity, or connection
• Them: a professional whose career, company, or field you want to understand better

This could be someone who is two steps ahead of you, someone who made a pivot you are considering, a leader in an industry you want to enter, or someone whose career you genuinely admire.

⁉️How do you actually conduct one?

Keep it focused and respectful of their time. 20–30 minutes is the standard. You lead the conversation with prepared questions (more on those in my next post). You listen more than you talk. You take notes. And you always follow up with a thank-you email.

You are not there to ask for a job. You are there to learn. That distinction matters more than most people realize.

⁉️When is the best time?

• When you are considering a career pivot
• When you are entering a new field or sector
• When you are starting a job search
• When you have been job searching for more than 60 days with no traction
• When you are early in your career and still mapping the landscape
• When you want to build a relationship before a role even exists

The best time to do an informational interview is before you need something. Plant the seeds when the ground is not on fire.

💡I have used informational interviews to break into new industries, understand fields before making big decisions, and build relationships that became some of my most important professional connections.

They work. You just have to be willing to ask.

To be continued in Part 2.

Navigating the bleak job market? 📉 August ‘25 saw just 22,000 new jobs and unemployment up to 4.3%. Nearly 1 in 4 job se...
09/23/2025

Navigating the bleak job market? 📉 August ‘25 saw just 22,000 new jobs and unemployment up to 4.3%. Nearly 1 in 4 job seekers have been out 6+ months.

✅ Network with purpose—reach out and get creative

✅ Focus on fresh job postings/company sites

✅ Broaden options: temp, contract, or new fields

✅ Target growth sectors

✅ Persist and celebrate small wins

✅ Update skills for industry trends

✅ Customize your resume/profile for every job

✅ Stay visible & active in your field

✅ Protect your mental and financial health
Tough markets reward those who adapt and stay resilient. Keep learning, connecting, and showing up. You’ve got this!

Experiencing a job loss or career transition can be overwhelming, but it’s also a powerful opportunity for growth and re...
06/17/2025

Experiencing a job loss or career transition can be overwhelming, but it’s also a powerful opportunity for growth and reinvention.

If you’re exploring new sectors or trying to figure out your next move, the right support can make all the difference and that’s where the right coach can play a significant role. But do you know which type of coaching you need?

Let’s break it down…

🔹 Career Coach: Specializes in helping you clarify your strengths, identify transferable skills, and develop a strategy to pivot into new industries. They offer guidance on effective job search tactics, resume updates, and interview prep tailored to your new direction.

🔹 Executive Coach: If you’re a leader or manager, an executive coach can help you leverage your leadership experience, adapt to new environments, and position yourself for roles in different sectors.

🔹 Life Coach: Supports your overall well-being and mindset during times of change, helping you stay resilient, focused, and confident as you navigate uncertainty.

Remember: Career transitions are challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. Investing in the right coaching can help you unlock new possibilities and land your next great opportunity.

Invest in yourself and unlock your full potential!
04/10/2025

Invest in yourself and unlock your full potential!

This month is Crescendo’s 7th birthday! Since launching the social enterprise in 2018, we have reached hundreds of margi...
04/08/2025

This month is Crescendo’s 7th birthday! Since launching the social enterprise in 2018, we have reached hundreds of marginalized and underserved populations through empowerment and leadership workshops as well as through one-on-one coaching. Despite the growth, we are still keeping our fees low to ensure accessibility.

Here’s to another year of growth and empowerment!

When I first arrived in DC in 2011 to search for work in international development, human rights, and foreign policy, I ...
12/30/2024

When I first arrived in DC in 2011 to search for work in international development, human rights, and foreign policy, I did not see a lot of diversity in positions of authority and leadership. After more than a decade, there are some shifts, but not enough. This is why I founded Crescendo. Plenty of data show that diversity in leadership drives innovation, profits, and employee retention, but change needs to happen from both the top-down as well as bottom-up.

This is why organizations such as WCAPS is critical in helping to drive change!

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Repost

WCAPS Members Answered the Call: “How does your work align with WCAPS’ mission of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in peace, security, and foreign policy?”

Amy Chin , Founder and Empowerment Coach at the Crescendo Group (www.crescendo.llc) shares her story: “In my work as an Empowerment Coach, I work with a niche clientele of people of color, immigrants, refugees, and members of marginalized communities. Because of my 15-year career in human rights and international development, 80% of the clients I work with are interested in transitioning into the industry, or they’re looking to advance in their careers in the industry. My mission is to diversify the workforce, and I do that by providing tools and resources so that clients are prepared to advocate for themselves (as well as others) in the workplace. I also work with leaders and managers to support them to lead with authenticity and compassion so that they can create psychologically safe spaces for team members.”

I’m speaking at the virtual 2024 Women’s Global Leadership Forum, May 8-9!The topic I will be presenting is “10 Real Way...
03/22/2024

I’m speaking at the virtual 2024 Women’s Global Leadership Forum, May 8-9!

The topic I will be presenting is “10 Real Ways to Be an Effective, Inclusive Leader”.

Inclusivity is becoming a more widely recognized crucial practice in businesses, which stimulates a need for developing the skills to do so. Additionally important is *how* to implement these strategies to be a more effective leader.

I’m covering ten different methods in-depth on how to successfully integrate these into your role, promote inclusivity to your business, and create a thriving environment.

This year’s theme at the @2024 Women’s Global Leadership Forum: “Lead at every level, everywhere”.

Your ticket this multi-tiered event gives you:
* Access to a six month leadership development program
* Actionable leadership skills and insights
* Unique career-enhancing networking opportunities for individuals and organizations alike

We’re proudly providing live, interactive programming which is available during the workday in 25 time zones.

Please join us in this incredible global movement. Learn more and buy your ticket here: https://bit.ly/3k2L87g

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