3 Things Bowling Taught Me About Career Strategy
I’ve loved bowling since I was a kid. 🎳 I’m not great at it—but I kinda love it anyway. (which is saying something)
Growing up, like any good Midwestern girl, I spent a lot of birthday parties at bowling alleys (and roller rinks—but that’s a metaphor for another time 😏).
And when we were kids, they’d put the bumpers up.
Not to perfect your aim—just to keep you out of the gutter. Or from accidentally launching your ball into the next lane and crashing someone else’s birthday party. (yeah…it happens.)
I don’t use bumpers anymore—I’ve technically outgrown them.
But wow…there are still moments in my career, business, and life where bumpers would come in really handy. You know, something to gently guide me back to center when I’m a little off.
Because even when I can see the pins (aka: my goals) and know what I’m aiming for:
Empowering women through their careers
Helping professionals outsmart corporate America
Building something real that can’t be taken from me (#layoffPTSD anyone?)
And doing work I’m actually proud of…
…sometimes, I still throw a gutter ball, or I just need a push along the way to reach them.
In case you’re new here…
Hey, I’m Tessa—Career Consultant & Job Search Strategist. I help ambitious professionals navigate the job search and create a career strategy they’re actually excited about.
Before starting my business, I spent over a decade in recruiting and talent strategy—hiring thousands of employees, reviewing 15,000+ resumes, and logging more interview hours than I can count.
And one of the most pivotal moments in my own career was when a mentor told me:
“Our careers aren’t linear—we can change direction whenever we want.”
Without that moment—and without women like her in my corner—I’d probably still be trudging along a career path I’d clearly outgrown.
Because here’s the thing…
No matter how skilled, ambitious, or driven you are—there will be moments when you feel a little wobbly, veer off course, or just start questioning everything.
And having some guardrails—some bumpers, if you will—to catch you before you spiral for too long?
It’s not a luxury, it's essential. (she speaks from experience 😅)
P.S. Bowling aficionados do not come for me. I’m just a novice who loves a good metaphor 🫣
✨ Check out my my exclusive career strategy community:
The Roundtable Collective.
1️⃣ Everyone needs bumpers sometimes.
When I started my business, I knew so many things—how to lead hiring strategy and coach clients through high-stakes transitions. I could write and negotiate job offers, run interviews, build equitable programs, and navigate corporate politics. ⭐
But only some of that prepared me for entrepreneurship—because your girl is first gen. This wasn’t just a new job—it was all the jobs.
Everywhere. All at once.
And I remember thinking:
“I know how to coach other people through big career transitions…but I’ve never done this one. And if I’m gonna do it—I wanna do it right.”
So I invested in a business coach. And through that, I found a whole community of other women doing BIG things.
In different industries, at different stages, sharing different tools and perspectives—and doing it for the first time too.
That became Bowling Alley Bumpers (Tessa’s Version).
Not to keep me perfectly straight or prevent every mistake (which would be counterproductive, tbh) — but to stop me from spiraling out of control when this whole business thing got on top of me.
And I’m reminded everyday that just because I haven’t hit every pin yet, doesn’t mean I won’t.
Which for someone who’s used to overachieving on the reg, is invaluable.
💥Career Strategy Takeaway:
Find your people. The right community isn’t there to just hype you all day long—it’s there to challenge you, to push you, and to keep you on track.
2️⃣ You hit what you aim for.
One of the weird things you learn in bowling? Don’t just aim for the pins. I know—that sounds backwards, but stay with me.
If you only focus on the pins—the big goal at the end of the lane—you’ll miss the marks that are actually responsible (neh, imperative) for getting you there.
The trick is to line up your shot using the arrows on the lane…those little guides just a few feet in front of you. Because if you’re not aligned in the short term…babe, you’re not landing that strike.
Same goes for your career.
You might be dreaming of:
✨ A sick 6-figure job
✨With your dream company
✨Leading a team you genuinely love
✨For a cause you actually give a good damn about (as you should)
But if you’re only staring at that big, shiny end goal and not checking in with the smaller moves you need to make along the way?
You’re gonna feel disappointed a good portion of the time—maybe even discouraged or stuck altogether.
You can’t hit what you haven’t prepared for—and you don’t prepare by staring blankly ahead at your end goal.
You prepare by ensuring your shot is lined up every step of the way:
✅ LinkedIn: Polished, optimized, recruiter-ready
✅ Your value: Clear and compelling—in spirit, on paper, and in interviews
✅ Salary range: Defined, rehearsed, and backed by data
✅ Networking: Strategic, genuine, and not spammy
✅ Resume: Sharp, skimmable, and results-focused
These are your arrows on the lane—the important and necessary steps to reach those career goals.
💥Career Strategy Takeaway:
You don’t get to your dream job by visualization, alone—you get there by setting, tracking, and hitting the mini-milestones that get you ready for it.
3️⃣ Sometimes you have to change your approach.
Ever bowl a split? (omg, it’s so annoying) Two pins. On opposite ends of the lane. Judging you like: yeah, good luck, babe. 😒
Now, you could go for your usual shot—the old stand by that worked the last five frames, and feels comfy and familiar.
…but you’re not gonna hit anything.
Because this situation calls for a different strategy, angle, or even a different ball.
Our careers are kind of like that, too.
It’s that whole:
“What got you here, won’t get you there.”
The way you got your last job, or promotion, or into your industry to begin with…might not be what gets you to where you wanna go next.
🧭 Your 2021 resume or application strategy—not hitting anymore.
🧭The cover letter your friend uses and swears by—doesn’t make sense for you.
🧭Or that whole “head down, work hard, wait to be noticed” approach—if we’re honest, that never really worked.
So I say this with love: if the pins have changed, so does your shot.
💥Career Strategy Takeaway:
Your career and job search strategy has to evolve. Don’t be afraid to try a new approach—even if that means scrapping the old routine that used to hit every time. And if you’re not sure where to start?
Surround yourself with people who’ve been there, are navigating it now, and are willing to share what actually works.
✨ That’s what we’re building inside The Round Table Collective.
So...What’s Next?
You don’t need bumpers because you’re bad at what you do—you need them because you’re a human being.
Sometimes you’re navigating a tough transition, a new chapter, or a new goal that’s about to seriously up-level your career and it just feels a little out of reach.
Here’s the God’s honest truth: No one gets anywhere worth going…alone.
That’s why I created The Round Table Collective—not just to hype you up (though, there will be that too 😉), but to support you with real-time strategy, guidance, and community while you navigate your next step.
And then...empower you to take it.
Ready when you are.
P.S. Want the BEST salary negotiation tip? Check this out ⤵️
