23
Years as Ad & Non-Profit Executive
20+
Years Career Counseling & Psychotherapy
100s
Clients Helped Across Every Career Stage
4
Successful Careers Lived Firsthand
Jim Weinstein Biography
Brought up in the New York suburbs (Eastchester), I attended Wesleyan University in Middletown Connecticut where I majored in Political Science. Graduating magna cum laude Phi Beta Kappa I was accepted to Harvard Business School where I concentrated in marketing. I graduated with distinction and thereafter began working in New York for one of America’s largest ad agencies, Benton and Bowles, as an account executive. I rose quickly in the organization, being named Vice President four years later. In the subsequent 15 years I worked at several other major agencies, including Wells Rich Greene as Executive Vice-President and Chiat/Day as Director of Account Management. Among the clients I serviced were Procter and Gamble, Sony, Coca-Cola, Bayer, Mitsubishi, Fisher-Price, and Energizer (the bunny was developed under my tenure as the lead account manager).
In my 40s I embarked on a process of inner work and exploration that led me to move from New York to Los Angeles and to ultimately discover the path of my current career. It started with my running a community-based clinical trials organization, Search Alliance, and then co-founding the internet’s first psychotherapist search site, 4Therapy.com. I enrolled in Antioch University’s clinical psychology program, earning a Master’s degree and accumulating 3000 hours of internship training, after which I opened a successful private practice in Beverly Hills.
Job Coach Washington DC
Missing the seasons and the intellectual environment of the East, I moved to DC in 2005, making a professional pivot to emphasize career guidance. The reason for the pivot: I had concluded that the more directive approach embodied in coaching vs. therapy would enable me to make a difference to a much larger group of people. While therapy certainly plays a valuable role in achieving individual satisfaction, I increasingly saw that coaching had a much faster impact and, in most cases, led to equally profound change in people’s lives. And the skills I developed as a therapist enabled me to provide tailored coaching that was maximally effective. In the time I have been here I have been fortunate enough to build a thriving practice working with a very diverse, motivated, and intelligent group of clients. I am proud to have helped many hundreds of clients to dramatically improve their career and life satisfaction.
If you’re exploring a career change, here’s Jim’s 4-stage process
Develop Your Profile
Jim helps you build a concise narrative capturing everything relevant: who you are, what drives you, and where you want to go.
- Professional history, key experiences, defining traits
- Core strengths and preferred work environments
- Salary range, location, company size, and your real decision criteria
- Your values
Identify Promising Options
Jim identifies paths with clarity including responsibilities, entry points, challenges, and genuine trade-offs.
- Compensation outlook and growth trajectory
- Transition pathways and entry requirements
- Key advantages and honest trade-offs of each path
Evaluate and Prioritize
Jim assesses each path against your strengths and constraints. A prioritized shortlist formed based on logic and AI feedback.
- Alignment with strengths, interests, and real constraints
- Comparison across fit, feasibility, and long-term upside
- A focused finalist list for real-world validation
- Conversations with people doing the actual work being considered
- Research and AI provide validation of choices
Getting the Job
Jim ensures that your networking outreach, resume, LinkedIn profile, elevator speech, and interview performance are superior.
- Network outreach and targeted introductions
- Independent research and industry trend analysis
- Informational conversations with people in those roles
Client Reviews
Working with Jim was a refreshing and positive experience. As a first-timer to working with a coach, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Jim was spot-on in identifying the primary goals and we achieved them within the four weeks he had predicted. His great demeanor made the process effective and easy. Jim is truly delighted in the progress his clients make. This became clear when seeing the broad smile and satisfaction on his face when he realized we achieved our stated goals and that I had the tools to take the next step in my professional and personal success. He’s a great resource to have.
I am so incredibly grateful for Jim’s guidance during a challenging career change. His insight, feedback, and support were essential to my success in landing a dream job. From helping me chart a new course and finding a new passion after burning out in a draining career, to coaching me through final interviews, he was with me every step of the way. I cannot recommend him enough!
As an executive search/headhunter I have been lucky enough to partner with Jim on a number of occasions. I have referred several local and remote (Skype, etc.) mid-level to executive-level candidates to him who have reported back to me with rave reviews. Jim has also consulted with me whenever my executive search expertise has been a helpful element to his full-service thoughtful career advice he provides his clients. 100% class act and worth the investment.
Ready to Begin?
The first step is a complimentary 15–20 minute conversation — completely free, no obligation. Fill out the form and Jim will be in touch personally. No pressure, no scripts, just a genuine exchange about what you need.
Phone
(202) 667-0665
Jim@DCLifeCounseling.com
Main Office · Alexandria, VA
2405 Brentwood Place
Alexandria, VA 22306
Part-Time Office · Washington DC
1633 Q St., NW, Suite 200
Washington D.C. 20009