Career coaching & consulting for mid-career professionals in Switzerland & beyond

Outgrown your role, but not sure what’s next?

I help mid-career professionals who have outgrown their role work out what’s next. You leave with a clear next move, a step-by-step plan, and the words to go after it: on LinkedIn, in interviews and in the next promotion conversation.

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how i work

Good at your job, but not sure it’s still the right work?

  • You’ve outgrown your role, but you cannot see the next step.

  • You’re frustrated with your manager, your team or where things are heading.

  • You’re capable of more than your job title, your pay or how you show up on LinkedIn.

  • You’ve been considering a change for months, but your thinking keeps going round in circles.

You will spend around 80,000 hours of your life working. You deserve a career you love.

A woman with blonde hair and glasses sitting on a sofa, looking thoughtfully at a laptop in front of her. There is a glass of water and some papers on the table.

There's a simpler, faster way to get clarity about what is next.

A CLEAR, STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS. You always know where you are, what comes next and why it matters.

EVIDENCE, NOT GUESSWORK. Validated assessments such as Gallup CliftonStrengths and small experiments to test an idea before you commit to it.

SWISS MARKET KNOW-HOW. Practical advice on how hiring, networking and promotion work here, with sessions in English or German.

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Kind words from people I’ve helped.

  • “You did a fantastic job. So clear, direct and incredibly empowering.  You see so much, but most importantly, you see the person, and that's truly special.

    Thank you so much for the wonderful hour with you, all the insights I gained and your kind and encouraging words. And thank you just as much for all the materials you so readily provide. 

    I really appreciate it!”

    — Nicole L.

  • “Melissa is truly made for this work. She is exceptionally open, curious, and skilled at asking the right questions. I genuinely enjoyed our sessions and feel they provided the motivation I needed to invest in the process of beginning again—both physically and mentally—after becoming a mother and relocating to a new country. I highly recommend her services—absolutely worth the time, and is a valuable investment in yourself.”

    — Rebecca L.

  • "Melissa has been a highly supportive coach and mentor. She is an authentic and thoughtful guide, offering very useful and insightful advice while being clearly passionate about supporting others in their professional growth. Her strategic insights and practical advice have helped me navigate career transitions with confidence and clarity. I highly recommend working with her to anyone seeking meaningful guidance and support in their career journey."

    — Brooke B.

  • “Before reaching out to Melissa, my LinkedIn profile was showing a very broad view, showcasing all my capabilities and experience with no clear value proposition. With her guidance, I redefined my positioning (focus area), improved my profile structure, and focused on the sector that I see as my next challenge. As a result, I’ve seen more engagement and alignment with the positions that I am currently applying. Melissa’s insights were very valuable specially being in a career break and needing to ‘refresh’ my LinkedIn profile.”

    — Ana C.

  • “When I began working with Melissa, I was navigating a major career transition and needed clarity and direction. Her coaching combined practical, actionable guidance with a deep understanding of current leadership and career trends. From the first session, I felt understood and mostly challenged in the right way. Her support helped me move forward with ultra confidence! “

    — Suzanna I.

  • "Thank you so much for your insights on how to creating a perfect LinkedIn profile that grabs the attention of  headhunters and is powerful for networking."

    — Kathleen H.

Two ways to work with me

  • Coaching: Get Clarity

    CHF 180/hr

    For when you want to know how to design a thriving professional life.

    By uncovering your strengths, values and what gives you energy, we find work that fits, then test your ideas with small, low-risk experiments.

    One 60-minute online or in-person session via Zoom or in person in Zurich.

    👉 You leave with:  greater clarity about who you are, what you want and a step-by-step plan to get there.

    Explore coaching
  • Line drawing of a mountain peak with a flag, a dotted line path, and a shaded circular area representing an obstacle or detail.

    Consulting: Personal Branding


    CHF 180/hr

    For when you need help clearly communicating your professional value.

    I build your personal branding with you: a one-sentence value statement, a LinkedIn profile/CV that matches it, and scripts for the conversations that matter (e.g. promotions/interviews).

    👉You leave with: a personal branding toolkit you can use straight away.

    Explore consulting

Kick-start your career today.

Book a free 20-min Call.

1.

No commitment or pressure. We talk about where you are and whether working together makes sense.

Choose where to start.

2.

Coaching, consulting or both, at a pace that fits your life.

Implement Your Plan

3.

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Design your next career move, with a step-by-step plan and the personal marketing material to get there.

Book a free call

Hi, I am Melissa.

I had a corporate career for over 20 years. I started in investment, moved into communications and later became chief of staff at a global tech company. But at no point did I stop to ask what kind of role would really suit me, or where I would thrive.

When I finally tried to work that out, after moving to Switzerland and taking a ten-year family break, I couldn't find the support I needed in English.

That's why I now help mid-career professionals today do what I had to learn the hard way: work out what fits, then go after it with a plan. I also use my communications superpowers to help people put their value into words, so they get recognised for it at work - during the job search and when want a promotion.

Credentials: Licensed Career Coach | Certified Gallup Strengths Coach | 200+ hours of coach training | 700+ professionals trained in LinkedIn and personal branding | Master's in Career Counselling, ZHAW (in progress)

Learn More >

Connect with me on LinkedIn.

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Who I Serve

FOR MID-CAREER PROFESSIONALS & THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEVELOP THEM

Ready for More

You are good at what you do, but you have outgrown your role. Design your next move, then position yourself for it, inside your organisation or beyond.

Pivoting

You want a new role, industry or direction. Test your ideas with small experiments before you leap, and tell your story so the move makes sense to others.

Enquire about a workshop

Advancing

You are coming back after a career break or a move to Switzerland. Translate your experience, rebuild your confidence and get back into work that fits.

FOR ORGANIZATIONS

Grow the talent you already have

Practical Personal branding and visibility workshops for talent, women's and leadership programmes. Your people leave knowing what they bring, how to say it, and how to get seen for it.

You may still be wondering…

  • In coaching, you do the thinking and I guide it, so you work out what is next for yourself. In consulting, I lead and deliver: I build your personal branding and scripts with you. Many clients start with coaching and move into consulting once they know where they are heading.

  • Most clients book four to five sessions. There are no packages, so you book what you need, when you need it.

  • CHF 180 per hour for coaching or consulting. Assessments such as Gallup CliftonStrengths are additional. The first 20-minute call is free.


  • No. AI can draft a CV in seconds. What it cannot do is decide what you want to be known for. I help you work that out and say it well, on LinkedIn, in interviews and in the conversations that matter. I can assess your CV and give you clear feedback about its effectiveness and clarity.


  • Both. Sessions are in English or German, in my office near Zurich HB or online via Zoom.


  • Yes! I am an experienced LinkedIn strategist and trainer. You can book a 60-minute Career Coaching session and mention in the form that you would like to focus on LinkedIn. You will receive recommendations and summary after the call.

  • No!, for most international roles, especially in Zurich and the wider international job market here. Many companies operate in English. I'll help you understand which roles and sectors are realistic at your current language level, and where learning German or French will genuinely open doors later.

  • Yes. I run a 2-hour personal branding and visibility workshop for talent, women's and leadership programmes, and speak at events. Write to melissa@birchlerconsulting.ch.

  • Yes. You will learn how to build a strategic network, conduct outreach, request informational interviews, and present yourself confidently to new contacts. This is an important part of managing your career and “social capital”. Up to 70% of jobs in Switzerland are hidden, so you will need a strategy if you are trying to land the role you want.

  • Each session is a focused, structured 60 minutes. To start, I ask you to complete an intake form, sign a coaching agreement and then we discuss your goals. We work through where you are, test ideas together, and leave with a concrete next step, not just a conversation. You will receive a session summary and homework to complete between sessions.

  • Both. Sessions run online via Zoom, or in person at my office near Zurich main station, whichever works better for you. I love having a coffee together face to face, so am flexible on the location.

  • We talk about where you are and what you want to change. There is no commitment and no pressure. If working together makes sense, we agree where to start.

Give your career some love…

Every week, I publish Career Love, a free Substack newsletter for mid-career professionals navigating career change.

Some recent articles:

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Hey, I know thinking about your next career step can feel like a lot. But I'm glad you're here. The next right step is easy to find, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

I'd love to help you find it.

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My background & experience