HI, I’M JULIE CHASE.

I wish I could tell you I had the most amazing career – where I was strategic and intentional with every move. 

In all honesty, about half of my career could best be described as wayward. While I absolutely had a few dream jobs along the way, I also had my fair share of misadventures.

I started my tech career almost 25 years ago at Intel when there were more desktops than laptops. There were key advantages to starting at a big company. 

I had access to a ton of training from thought leaders (including the team who launched “Intel Inside”) and the ability to move around. Through a series of serendipitous events, I made my way from the PR group to my discovery of and love for marketing.

The one thing I didn’t love was the bureaucracy and excessive time it took to complete or launch projects. So when I decided to make a move, I intentionally went for a SaaS startup with just 120 employees. I had a blast! I loved the fast-paced environment and how my work directly impacted the company. 

I spent the next decade of my career at early stage startups that were filled with big highs and lows. The rewards I enjoyed were balanced in equal measure with the risks – and I was in the job market more often than I wanted to be.

At the end of my corporate career, I reflected on all my experiences. 

I realized there was a pattern of loving my job for a year or so, working like crazy, burning out and then looking for a new challenge that filled “the one” major thing I was missing. It was a rat race – chasing the next bigger and better opportunity. And frankly, it was exhausting.

I realized that if I had just slowed down, taken the time to understand what was really important to me and focused my efforts on that, I could have had a much more fulfilling career. 

I also knew I wasn’t alone. For over a decade, I built and led teams and took career development seriously. I became a go-to person for career advice across a wide range of colleagues, including senior executives. I realized that while we all had unique experiences, we all shared missteps and insecurities in our careers.

During this time, I also started a resume and coaching business on the side and found those same commonalities with my clients.

I knew there had to be a better way and wanted to help people not only avoid unnecessary mistakes, but also have more fulfilling careers. 

So I teamed up with my business partner, Mai Hoang, to create Dream Job Catcher. Together we've created a framework that has helped hundreds of people define and make strategic career moves – based on what’s most important to them.

Most of our clients, myself included, have had an organic career. They take jobs that come to them – they earn a promotion, a manager or colleague approaches them with an opportunity or a recruiter reaches out to them.

When you’re presented with an opportunity, it feels like a gift that you should accept. Even if you know it’s not your dream job, it suddenly looks better than your current job. You hone in on the things that resonate about the new position – things like a higher salary, familiar work or a good manager.

Before you know it, you’ve gotten a new job…and then another one and another one. Been there, done that.

At some point, a small voice in your head finally grabs your attention and you realize that while you are quite good at your job, you don’t love it and certainly don’t love the direction of your career. You may find yourself in a mid-career crisis.

If this makes you uncomfortable thinking about your current situation, that’s actually a good sign. Awareness is half the battle and the starting point for every meaningful journey. You are in the right place, and I promise, there is a solution.

And that’s building an intentional career based on your vision, values and goals. You begin by taking a proactive approach with self-reflection and intention. It requires you to dig deep and determine what’s most important to you, what you’re good at and what excites you.

That’s exactly why I’ve co-founded Dream Job Catcher. My purpose is to help people realize their potential and be their best selves. 

More than landing your dream job, I’ll help you gain agency in your career. You'll have a series of rich and meaningful jobs that align with your goals and values. And before you know it, you’ll have an intentional and fulfilling career!

Wishing you the very best,

Julie Chase

Co-founder of Dream Job Catcher

MY JOURNEY