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About ten years into my career, I sat down in front of a hiring manager for the job I was convinced was going to change everything. Higher salary. Reputable company. A field I was dying to get into. I had done the networking, rewritten my resume, taken the train into the city, found the right high rise, pushed 14 on the elevator, and put on a pencil skirt I will never wear again.
Her first question: “So why are you here?”
I completely blanked.
What came out of my mouth was something slightly more intelligent than “because I want the job”, but not by much. Because the truth was, I knew what I didn’t want. I didn’t know what I did want. I had no idea how to talk about my experience in a way that connected to where I was trying to go. I had done all the tactical things and skipped the most important one: figuring out who I actually was and what I actually wanted next.
That interview was a turning point.
So, I did the work.
Not just the resume-and-LinkedIn version. The real work.
I got honest about the imposter syndrome I had been dragging around for years.
I identified what I actually wanted, not what I thought I was supposed to want.
I found the words to talk about my strengths in a way that felt true instead of performative.
I practiced interviewing until I could walk into a room and own it.
And then, something shifted. I didn’t just find a better job. I found a better relationship with my work and with myself.
Eventually I found my way to entrepreneurship and realized I couldn't go back. Not because employment was wrong, but because I had finally found work that was built around who I actually am.
And then someone asked me how I did it. And I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my career helping people answer that question for themselves.
I had found something that lit me up: holding space for people who were ready to stop following someone else's script and start writing their own. Helping them reconnect to who they are, what they want, and why it matters. Watching them transform, not just professionally, but as whole people.
That's when I knew this was the work I was meant to do.
What I Believe & How I Work
Most people who come to me know exactly what's wrong. They've been ignoring it, white knuckling it, or waiting for it to get better on its own. It hasn't.
My job is to sit in the passenger seat with you, maps in hand, while you drive. I'm not going to take the wheel, this is your career, your life, your call. But I've been down this road before. I know where the wrong turns are. I know what the right questions sound like. And I know how to help you figure out what you actually want when everything is pulling you in every direction.
I'll hold space for you to think out loud, be honest, and be uncertain. And when you need a push, I'll give you one. When you need to hear something you don't want to hear, I'll say it with care, and without apology.
I've also spent years on the other side of the hiring table. I have reviewed hundreds of resumes and interviewed hundreds candidates across eight different organizations. Not including my own coaching clients. I know what makes a hiring manager stop scrolling, actually listen, and how they'll know you're the ideal candidate. I know how to help you walk into any room as the obvious choice.
A little more about me
I live outside of Boston with my husband and two boys who are deeply into Magic the Gathering, building forts in what used to be my living room, and convincing me to pile into the king-sized bed for family movie night. (I always say yes.)
My husband and I met in Mexico about 25 years ago, life took us in different directions for a while, and then brought us back together. We speak about two-thirds English and one-third Spanish, and Bachata plays in our kitchen more than anything else, which means dinner is basically always a dance party.
I once thought I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. As it turns out, I love being a working mom and the breadwinner for our family. I love building things, solving problems, and doing work that genuinely matters to people. I am creatively fueled by my work in a way that makes me better at everything else — including being present with my kids. In addition to coaching, I co-own a tutoring company, which means I get to think about growth, potential, and what people are capable of from two completely different angles every single day.
From My Resume
Certified Professional Coach, iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching)
Founded Sarah Decker Coaching in May 2020; supported 100+ clients through career transitions, professional pivots, and major life transitions
Reviewed hundreds of resumes and interviewed candidates across eight different organizations and a wide range of industries
Hired, supervised, advised, and mentored professionals across three prestigious Boston-area colleges
Led the growth of a tutoring company by more than 600% over eight years
Designed and facilitated custom leadership development programs for individuals, women's groups, faith communities, and even my summer camp
Keynote speaker on career transitions and finding your footing in a new chapter
B.A. in Spanish and B.S. in Education, Ohio University · M.A. in Higher Education Administration, Bowling Green State University
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