Career Coaching for Changemakers

Job searching in the social impact space is incredibly difficult right now.

The market is extremely competitive and candidates are highly qualified.

To stand out among the crowd you need a clear story, sharp materials, and an intentional strategy.

The right partner changes everything.

I help you connect the dots of your career, your story, and your strategy.

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Meet your S² Coach: Sadaf Sajwani

Practitioner to Mentor.

I am Sadaf Sajwani, a career coach for social impact professionals and a Lecturer and Career Coach at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. I also coach through the Obama Foundation Voyager Scholars program.

I bring a unique perspective. I am both a practitioner who has spent more than 20 years working inside the organizations my clients are trying to enter or advance within, and a mentor who has guided hundreds of professionals into meaningful work in the social impact space. My career spans the United Nations, Sesame Workshop, the Aga Khan Development Network, PepsiCo, and an edtech startup I co-founded.

Career paths are not always linear. Each decision you have made along the way has a purpose and a story. A big part of what we do together is rebuild your confidence in that story so your experience, expertise, and impact are finally visible to the people making decisions.

As a first-generation professional and daughter of immigrants, I understand firsthand what it takes to navigate these spaces without a roadmap. I built S² Strategy to help others gain advantages I did not have.

Impact strategy built from the inside out.

Meet Your Coach

  • Global Policy. Secretariat. UNDP.

  • Storytelling. Children's Media. Global Reach.

  • Alumni. Lecturer. Career Coach.

  • Career Change. Private Sector. Management.

  • Corporate Social Responsibility. Private Sector.

  • EdTech. Entrepreneurship. Co-Founder.

  • Policy Research. CSR. Education.

  • International Development. Refugees. Field Work.
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  • Leadership Development. Public Service.

I work with people navigating careers in nonprofit, education, public policy, international development, philanthropy, and other mission-driven fields, as well as professionals transitioning from the corporate sector into social impact work.

Often, the people I work with are excellent advocates for others but find it difficult to advocate for themselves. Part of what we do together is rebuild your confidence in that story, so your experience, expertise, and impact are finally visible to the people making decisions.

I work with professionals at every stage — from students and early-career professionals entering the field, to mid-career leaders ready for their next move, to career changers making the shift into mission-driven work.

I am especially passionate about supporting women, first-generation professionals, and people from underrepresented backgrounds to break barriers, lead authentically, and thrive.

Who I Work With

Sectors

Nonprofits | Public Service| Policy| International Development | Education | Edtech | Kids Media | Digital Media

Career Stages

Students & Early-Career Professionals | Graduate Students | Mid-Career Professionals | Career Changers | Entrepreneurs

Whether you are applying and not hearing back, struggling to tell your story, unsure how to pivot, or preparing for an opportunity you have already earned, these sessions are designed to help you move forward with confidence and purpose.

Every engagement starts with a free 15-minute consultation. From there, a customized plan is designed around what you actually need. Sessions are structured, exercise-driven, and built around your specific goals.

How I Help

Service Offerings

Career Narrative and Storytelling → Career Pathways → Resume and LinkedIn Optimization → Job Search Strategy → Career Networking → Interview Preparation → Negotiation and Acceptance → First 90 Days

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Words from Clients

  • Designing a Career Path

    “My session with Sadaf was incredibly valuable. She takes a thoughtful and strategic approach, helping you design a purposeful career path that truly aligns with your values and experience. Sadaf provided insightful exercises that helped me craft a compelling personal narrative, making it easier to present my story with confidence. I left the session feeling more focused and equipped with practical tools to take the next steps in my career. Highly recommend!”

    — Anna G.

  • Getting Unstuck

    “Sadaf really helped me get unstuck! Her exercises were helpful and she talked me though many complicated questions about a post-PhD career shift in middle age. I highly recommend Sadaf for anyone who is looking to change careers and needs some expert advice on how to get started and get focused.”

    — Drew Z.

  • Branding & Narrative

    “Sadaf offered thoughtful advice and guidance on how to brand myself, craft my career narrative and network effectively. She has an impressive resume and is able to provide learnings from her own personal experience- which is extremely valuable. Her passion for helping her clients and students succeed is genuine and shows through her work ethic. I would definitely recommend Sadaf as a career coach- undoubtedly.”

    — Shamira L.

  • Storytelling & Navigating a Career Change

    “I was able to benefit from Sadaf's experience and her extremely thoughtful and tailored career advice. Sadaf thought deeply about my particular question in advance, how to convey my multi-sector experience to multiple distinct audiences, and came prepared with practical solutions as well as new frameworks of thinking about my career over the long-term. I would enthusiastically recommend Sadaf as a career coach to anyone starting out, making a career change, or looking to advance.”

    - Emma L.

  • Preparing for Next Steps

    “Sadaf just had an abundance of advice and experience to share. I'd been struggling with not knowing where to begin or where to look and within minutes of talking with her, I had gotten the answers to so many of my questions and more. She's so friendly, empathetic, gives practical and specific advice, and made me feel prepared to take on this next step. I am so grateful to her and recommend her without hesitation.”

    - Aapta G.

  • Gaining Clarity

    “I'm so grateful to Sadaf for a brilliant session. She came well prepared having reviewed my application materials and armed with information to address the agenda I had prepared. Her insightful advice included industry trends, best practices for job applications and personal anecdotes of how she had handled similar situations. I was particularly impressed by her follow up after the session with additional tips and resources. Thank you Sadaf for: being a compassionate listener, providing me with actionable tips, clarity on my path forward and inspiration when I needed it most!”

    - Anonymous

  • Resume Review

    “Sadaf gave me time and individual attention to understand my background and what my resume needs were. Her demeanor and attitude towards me calmed my anxiety, and helped me to start thinking productively about how to approach my resume. Sadaf then helped me think through which information was necessary, what structure was right for me, and how to phrase the information the right way to appeal to potential employers. I now have the kind of position I set out for, and confidence in my resume helped my overall confidence when interviewing. Sadaf's approach is comprehensive and it was clear she was invested in my success. I highly recommend her services.”

    - Anonymous

  • Career Planning

    “Sadaf advised me during my time at Columbia and afterwards and was a great mentor and coach. She gave me excellent advice on how to manage my career aspirations, and had the amazing ability of being able to motivate and inspire me to action all at once. She is great at providing a broader, big picture view on major career steps but she is also able zoom in on the minute detail and assist accordingly. Sadaf would be an excellent career coach to anyone and I recommend her highly.”

    - Serene H.

  • Resume & LinkedIn Refresh

    “I reached out to Sadaf because I was in the process of relocating to a new city, and wanted advice refreshing my resume and LinkedIn. Sadaf gave me helpful feedback, and a process to follow to make adjustments my materials. She covered a lot within one session, making it well worth the cost. She also followed up one month after to check in on my progress. I felt much more confident moving forward in my process of looking for a new role. I would definitely recommend her!”

    - Nicole C

Ready to see what’s possible for you?

Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to connect, clarify your goals, and map out your next step forward.

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