But career strategist Ilana Golan argues that experienced workers may benefit more from strengthening their professional reputation and networks than adding another credential, Entrepreneur reports. Golan, founder and CEO of Leap Academy, said many of the most valuable career opportunities available to seasoned professionals are never publicly advertised. Instead, she said they emerge through established reputation, relationships, industry visibility, and professional trust. She wrote that rebuilding her career led to advisory positions, investments, podcast opportunities, and eventually the launch of Leap Academy — none of which resulted from submitting job applications. While credentials remain valuable, Golan contends that long-term career resilience increasingly depends on developing portable professional capital — including trust, credibility, and relationships — that can create opportunities regardless of changes within a single employer.