About Sam Glatzer

I've spent 20 years on both sides of the hiring table. That's what makes this different.

From recruiter to coach — My two hats and why it matters for you

I started my career as a creative recruiter, co-founding Sam & Lori Associates, a boutique recruitment firm placing talent at some of the most respected agencies and companies in the industry — Wieden+Kennedy, BBDO, Droga5, Ogilvy, Mother, Landor, Apple, Google, Lyft, and CAA.

For years I reviewed thousands of resumes, portfolios, and reels. I sat across from hiring managers and watched what actually got people hired and what got them filtered out in the first ten seconds. I knew the hidden job market, the unwritten rules, and exactly what a recruiter is thinking when they open your application.

But something kept nagging at me.

The people I was placing weren't just looking for jobs. They were looking for direction. They'd land a role and six months later call me because something still didn't feel right. Or they'd come to me stuck talented, capable, accomplished — and completely unsure of what they actually wanted next.

I realized the missing piece wasn't tactical. It was clarity. And clarity wasn't something a recruiter could give them. It required a different kind of conversation.

So I became one.

The coaching side

I'm an ICF-certified coach (ACC), trained through Brown University's ACT program. I built YourCareerCompass to combine everything I know about how hiring works with the deeper coaching work that actually moves people forward.

That means we don't skip straight to your resume. We start with the harder questions what lights you up, what's been holding you back, what the inner critic is telling you that isn't true. For leaders especially, that inner voice is often the real obstacle. The imposter syndrome. The fear that pivoting means starting over. The belief that wanting something different is somehow ungrateful for what you have.

We work through all of it. And then we build a real plan.

Who I work with

I work with two distinct groups of people, and I love them both for different reasons.

Creative professionals and leaders who are navigating a career change, a leadership transition, or simply that restless feeling that something needs to shift. People who are good at what they do but aren't sure it's what they want to keep doing — or who know exactly what they want but can't figure out how to get there.

Students, recent grads, and early-career creatives who are trying to launch with intention rather than luck. People who are talented but struggling to translate that talent into a job search that actually works — and who need someone who knows how hiring really works to help them close the gap.

I've supported students from Syracuse, Brown, Wesleyan, UT Austin, Northeastern, Delaware, Hamilton, Emerson, Ithaca, and Binghamton. I've coached senior leaders at agencies and companies across the industry. And I've watched people on both ends of the experience spectrum have the same breakthrough — when you get clear on who you are and what you want, everything else gets easier.

The approach

Everything I do is built around the MAP framework — Mindset, Adventure, Path. It's not a rigid process. It's a way of making sure we don't skip steps.

We start with Mindset — getting honest about your values, your strengths, and what's actually lighting you up versus what you've been told should light you up.

We move into Adventure — exploring real-world roles and environments, connecting what you love to what exists, and designing a direction that genuinely excites you.

And then we build the Path — the strategy, the materials, the outreach, the plan. The part where clarity becomes momentum.

The combination of reflective coaching and real recruiting knowledge means the work feels both meaningful and practical. We're not just talking about your feelings. We're building something you can actually use.