From Biochemist to Red Cross Leader: Madelyn Mackie’s Journey of Career Reinvention

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Madelyn Mackie on Career Reinvention, from Biochemist to Theater to Red Cross Officer and Career Coach

Madelyn Mackie started as a biochemistry researcher, spent 15 years in professional theater, became an officer at the Red Cross and now works as a career coach and professional speaker. She talks with Anika Jackson about changing fields more than once and how job seekers can use their strengths to stand out. Her lesson: skills carry across industries if you know what they are and point them where you want to go.

How did Madelyn Mackie move from biochemistry to theater?

She chose theater over her parents' expectations. Madelyn Mackie left biochemistry research and spent 15 years working in professional theaters. Her story is a straightforward case for following the work you want to do, even under outside pressure.

How did Madelyn Mackie become a Red Cross leader with no nonprofit experience?

By bringing a theater professional's problem-solving to a new problem. After 9/11, she began volunteering with the Red Cross. She had never worked in a nonprofit, but her creative thinking let her propose new ideas for disaster preparedness outreach. Within 18 months she was promoted to an officer position, a clear example of transferable skills at work.

What is Madelyn Mackie's advice for job seekers?

Write your resume for the job you want next. Along the way, Madelyn Mackie found a calling in career coaching and speaking, and saw how much training and preparation matter in a career change. She developed a system to help job seekers, including many from the theater industry, write stronger resumes. Her main points:

• Write for where you are going. Align your resume with your future goals, not just your past roles.
• Stay ahead of trends. Know that AI is increasingly used in resume screening and job applications.
• Prepare for video. Video interviews call for a different kind of preparation.

She also tells professionals to be proactive and name their strengths, which she calls their "superpowers," so they stand out in a competitive market.

What is Madelyn Mackie doing next?

She is pursuing a master's in pastoral ministries and hopes to become a chaplain. The motivation is the same one that has run through each change: helping others and encouraging self-awareness. For Madelyn Mackie, a career change is less about switching jobs than about doing work that feels right.

Key takeaways

• Transferable skills can carry you into a new field. Madelyn Mackie became a Red Cross officer within 18 months with no prior nonprofit experience.
• Write your resume for the role you want, not only the roles you have held.
• Expect AI in resume screening and prepare specifically for video interviews.
• Identify your "superpowers" and lead with them.
• Each career change can follow the same underlying purpose.

Listener offer: For a limited time, Madelyn Mackie is offering a 15% discount on all resume writing packages to friends and family. Visit Madelyn Mackie's Resume Writing Services to use the offer.

Listen to Anika Jackson's full conversation with Madelyn Mackie on Your Brand Amplified.