Michael Greco is a senior program manager at one of the world’s largest healthcare and pharmaceutical companies and an active PM career coach. In this episode, he shares what happened when an unexpected contract cancellation left his team without work overnight, and he had to put his own career coaching advice into practice.
Michael shares how he approached his job search like a project, submitted more than 150 applications, and landed a new role in six weeks. We talk about rebuilding confidence after job loss, staying confident in your skills, sticking to a plan, and staying authentic when résumés are screened by bots.
The conversation takes a heartfelt turn when Michael talks about the people who believe in him. From his wife’s encouragement to a leader’s kindness during his layoff, he reminds us that the relationships we cherish shape both our careers and the impact we leave behind.
Episode topics
3:06 How Michael discovered his project management superpower through teaching and higher education.
5:43 Helping protect veterans from scams and fraud through a White House initiative, with a personal connection to his grandfather’s service.
9:32 How political turnover led to an overnight contract cancellation, sudden job loss, and shaken confidence.
15:20 Practicing what he preached as a career coach: managing his job search like a project and landing a new role in six weeks.
18:51 Showing your value and standing out through your résumé, interviews, and professional relationships.
21:00 Keeping your job search moving when an interview is only one potential path to your next role.
23:18 Building confidence by naming your strengths and backing them up with examples.
24:42 Battling doubt after job loss by taking inventory of your past successes.
29:19 The power of authenticity when keywords, AI screening, and résumé bots shape the hiring process.
35:32 Cherishing the relationships that matter and the people who believe in you through uncertainty.
39:04 Being remembered for the impact you made, at work and in the lives of others.
Connect with Michael
Michael Greco, PMP on LinkedIn
Greco Career Consulting
Resources for project professionals
Download the Project Data Backbone Guides for more reliable reporting.
Listen and subscribe
YouTube
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
RSS