The Career Change Maker Podcast I Career Change, Career Advancement & Leadership Development

In today’s episode of the ‘Career Change Maker’ podcast, I talk about 3 ways to get recognition for the amazing job you are already doing and the importance of ensuring that you are positioning yourself to get the recognition that you desire and you deserve. I am quite passionate about this topic because there's so much value that people are bringing, but they're not recognizing it as a value, and that's why I want to talk about this.Episode Highlights02:40 – There's a big difference between saying that I supported client retention and saying that I helped to make sure that the firm didn't lose 350k. Quantifying things makes such a difference but when you're in it, it's so easy to gloss over.06:10 – There are three things that I want to talk about in order to make sure that you are getting the recognition that you need.08:40 - One of the ways that we can remember our achievements when it is required is by keeping a record of achievements. It doesn't necessarily have to be all of the big things, it can just be about what contribution you have made.10:50 - Being proactive does two things, it ensures that you are having the conversations that you need to have, and it also makes sure that you're visible because you're there doing the work, and getting the job done.13:00 - Often people are not that comfortable talking about themselves. We need to get confident and comfortable when we are talking about ourselves if we really want to make an impact through the work that we're doing.What you will learn:What you must recognize is the value that you bring to a role and the thing that you get paid for the value that you're bringing. So it's not just showing up doing the job like that's a given. If you're hired to do a role, you're going to show up, you're going to do the role and you're going to execute. But when you are able to articulate what value you have brought to the role, when you can speak about that, and you can confidently articulate that, that is what allows you to make sure that you're getting the promotion that you want. I want you to think about that how much are you going to get the job done, and then move on to the next thing? How much are you taking time to actually reflect on what you've been able to do, and the impact that has had on the people around you? The first thing for you is to keep a record of your achievements because it's hard to recall things when you want to record them. Keep it recorded either electronically or physically, because if you can record it, then you're able to talk about it.Another thing that you want to be doing is creating opportunities to have conversations with the partner, director, or manager that you work with. This is because sometimes we can be waiting for them to tap you on the shoulder and say, do you want to have a performance review or an update? But you might need to create an opportunity because it's likely that their calendar is busy.Other episodes you may also enjoy:Episode 170:  Stop Seeking Career Change Advice From The Wrong PeopleEpisode 173:  Wanting More For Your Career Isn't A Bad ThingTHIS EPISODE IS BOUGHT TO YOU BY THE CAREER CHANGE MAKER PROGRAMIf you are looking for support with changing career direction, book a suitability call >> Send us a text

In today’s episode of the ‘Career Change Maker’ podcast, I talk about the common career mistake lawyers make that keeps them feeling stuck. I am having this conversation, particularly because this is promotion season, and I thought it would be good to talk about this as I'm seeing it happen quite often. Episode Highlights·       02:00 – I want to support as many professional women as I can, particularly lawyers in this May Cohort of this career coaching program.·       04:00 - On paper, if you're working hard, you're getting a promotion, and you're climbing the ladder then you are successful. But in reality, just getting the promotion isn't the only determining factor when it comes to success.·       07:00 - As lawyers and professionals, sometimes we are so busy doing the work that we don't prioritise the time to take stock. Therefore, we feel the frustration and the misalignment, but we’re not paying attention to it.·       08:45 - I think a lot of the time we're building up careers from an outside-in perspective, versus an inside-out perspective.·       11:10 – I want to share with you the common mistake that the lawyers make is not paying enough attention to the misalignment that could be happening inside of their careers where there's misalignment between the expectations and the reality of what's going on. What you will learn: 1. I often see a mismatch between the expectation of how we're going to feel, and then the reality of what happens when we get there because we use our logical brain. Your marker of success at the beginning, might not be your marker of success now. But one of the biggest mistakes lawyers make is not taking the time to take stock around this type of stuff, not recognising the misalignment that is happening, and not recognising that the misalignment is there.2.The source of your frustration when you're saying expectations are not meeting the reality, that can be different for different people. So it's about you being able to say if I'm feeling frustrated then why is that? What about it is misaligned, and when do we need to go from here, because sometimes that misalignment can be a quick fix. Sometimes that misalignment means you need to consider doing things in a completely different wayOther episodes you may also enjoy:Episode 143: Embarking On A Career Change After Decades In Your Career With Maddy Lee-SmithEpisode 144: How To Land Your Ideal Role QuicklyTHIS EPISODE IS BOUGHT TO YOU BY THE CAREER CHANGE MAKER PROGRAMThis episode was brought to you by my signature program, the Career Change Maker Program. The May Cohort of the program will be specifically for Lawyers because  it's one year since I left my legal career and completely went into what I wanted to do, and it has been a brilliant journey. So, if you are the one who is making a move and haven't been sure how to move forward, then go and make your application  www.careerchangemakers.com/ccmprogramSend us a text

In today’s episode of the ‘Career Change Maker’ podcast, I talk about how my career changed for the better post-COVID-19 Lockdown. I am going to be sharing this because in a lot of areas I've experienced that it is relevant to people that I have been speaking to who are considering making a career move right now. There is a lot of movement that's happening in the marketplace. We're hearing about the resignation, and the great big shuffle. Episode Highlights·       06:35 - The reality is that your legal career is very sticky, which means that there are a lot of reasons why you will feel like you need to stay where you are. ·       11:20 - Instead of focusing on whether it is even possible for me to make a move, that focus can go to how can I make a move from where I am now in a way that allows me to leverage all of my experience and expertise that I have.·       13:30 - Are you the same version of you that you were when you first started out in your career or when you first started this role? If not, maybe we need to pay attention to who are you right now so that you can move into a role that is well-aligned with who you are as a person.What you will learn: I had time to think and reflect during the lockdown, and I asked myself the hard questions. What do I want to be doing with my career next? Yes, I have got to this point, and yes, I made the decision to get here but where do I want to go next? I came to a point where I had to decide whether I'm  going to go all-in with my legal career or am I going to focus on the business because I didn't have the capacity to continue to do both.If you're a lawyer yourself and if you have been having some of those same conversations with yourself then I totally get it because the reality is the time that has been invested, the energy that has been invested, the desire to continue to have intellectual stimulation is understandable. When you brainstorm alternative career paths, it's probably likely that there isn't much that's coming up for you where you can say, yes, I can see how that's going to work. And so, what ends up happening is you're trying to look at alternatives, but the alternatives seem viable, and so because the alternative is still viable you backtrack and you're saying, well, I probably just need to stay where it is that I am right now.When I  had time during the pandemic to pause and think and allow myself to explore what alternatives could look like. I guided myself through the data method and this method is about looking at defining exactly what it is you want to do with your career next, it is about aligning who you are as a person and what your expectations are to the vision that you now have. It's about creating a transition plan. How are you going to move out of the role that you're in right now toward what it is that you want to do? Other episodes you may also enjoy:Episode 103 - Staying In Your Current Role Could be Costing You More Than You ThinkEpisode 115: Overcoming Limiting Beliefs and Going For Big Goals with Angie BryanTHIS EPISODE IS BOUGHT TO YOU BY THE CAREER CHANGE MAKER PROGRAMThis episode was brought to you by my signature program, the Career Change Maker Program.If you are looking for support with changing career direction, book a suitability call >> Send us a text

In today’s episode of the ‘Career Change Maker’ podcast, I talk about the topic of guilt and feeling bad about wanting to make a move.The reason I want to talk about this topic is that it comes up time and time again when I'm working with clients who are contemplating making a career move.Episode Highlights·       01:22 - When you consider having worked in a role or being in a particular industry for a very long time, it can feel challenging to envision or even think about doing things in a different way.·       03:17 - If you're in a role that you don't want to be in, but you're comfortable in that role, it means that you're missing out on the opportunity of carving out an experience in a role that is well-aligned.·       05:55 - Just because I have decided on a particular path doesn't mean I have to stay there.·       07:15 - My mission is to level the playing field for women in the workplace and help you to realize that it is possible for you to navigate your way through and align yourself to a role that is a good fit for you.·       09:15 - Am I being unapologetic about what it is that I want and what it is that I'm working towards or am I coming from a place of I'm only going to allow myself to do the things that I think everyone else says I can do.·       13:00 - You need to be in a position where you feel like your interest is aligned with what it is that the company is doing or you feel like your values are aligned with what it is that the company is standing for.What you will learn: If you're feeling that your career right now is not hitting the mark, that's not a bad thing. In fact, that's an indication that it is time for you to take action. It’s time for you to consider that if this isn't where I'm supposed to be, what is it that I'm supposed to be doing? And a lot of times when we think about it, we feel guilty or what might people think or what might my boss think or what might my colleagues think we sometimes make up stories in our mind. So, we're assuming that people will think and feel a certain way but do we have evidence to support that? Often not. We are accepting our assumptions as fact, and that whole process of accepting your assumptions as facts can be causing you to stay in a place where you don't want to be. There are things that I need to do, there is an impact that I want to make that staying in that particular role will not allow me to fulfill. So, I had to separate myself from that feeling of guilt. If I remove that feeling of guilt and feeling bad that I want more, what would I want to do? I want to encourage you to step into what is the next thing for you, where is it that you want to be going in your career and how is it that you want to navigate your way through versus feeling like there's something wrong with you actually wanting to do things in a different way. There's nothing wrong with it. If you're feeling it, it's okay to feel.Other episodes you may also enjoy:Episode 117: Stop Overlooking Experience And Missing Out On OpportunitiesEpisode 149: You Have What It Takes To Make A Career ChangeTHIS EPISODE IS BOUGHT TO YOU BY THE CAREER CHANGE MAKER PROGRAMThis episode was brought to you by my signature program, the Career Change Maker Program.If you are looking for support with changing career direction, book a suitability call >> https://www.careerchangemaSend us a text

In today’s episode of the ‘Career Change Maker’ podcast, I talk about why you need to stop saying that you don't have the experience required to go for what you want and what you should be doing instead.  The reason I have chosen this topic is that oftentimes when people are looking at making a career move, they feel like, they don't have enough experience in that, and how they would move into that. So, I want to talk to you about how to shift your thinking a little bit around this and how you can be focusing on other things than ‘I don't have enough experience’. Episode Highlights·       03:30 - When you're looking at a job specification and there is a list of things that the company has stated that they need in a candidate. I want you to realize that whoever has put that job spec has decided that these are the things that they require. ·       05:51 - If you're able to articulate that value, and can demonstrate how that is relevant for the type of role that you want to go into then it becomes less about if you have the specific bullet points and more about does the value that you have makes sense for what you want to move into? ·       07:52 - There's so much that you have been able to achieve and forget about because it's your experience and it is super easy for you to overlook the value that you bring.·       09:53 - Just because you don't have this particular experience with a certain principle or method, that doesn't mean that you have to go back to school and study for two years, get a Master's, or get an MBA. ·       11:04 - We want to be looking at how would I build the bridge from where I am now to where it is I want to go? What you will learn:When you're looking at an organization are you looking at why are these different elements important! When you take the time to go a little bit deeper, what you might recognize is that I don't have that specific thing that they stated on the job spec. However, knowing what they're trying to achieve, or what their objectives are, there may be some brilliant experience that you may have that is relevant to this organization.The first thing is, let's identify what value you have. Figure out how you can articulate that value to someone else, and then the second thing is identifying what those gaps are and figuring out what would be my plan to bridge those gaps. What would I need to do for me to get confident in those areas that I feel like I'm lacking so that I can perform the best in this type of role? So think about it objectively and strategically rather than feeling like I need to go back and get another degree.I want to encourage people as they are thinking about what the next steps can be for them and they are thinking about what it is that they want to do. Don't discount yourself too easily just think about what you want to do and then make a plan of action as to how you can get there. Other episodes you may also enjoy:Episode 111 - The Biggest Reason You Are Reluctant To Make A Career Change Right NowEpisode 121 : You Don't Need To Retrain To Find Job SatisfactionTHIS EPISODE IS BOUGHT TO YOU BY THE CAREER CHANGE MAKER PROGRAMThis episode was brought to you by my signature program, the Career Change Maker Program.If you are looking for support with changing career direction, book a suitability call >> Send us a text

In today’s episode of the ‘Career Change Maker’ podcast, I talk on the topic ‘How to Be More Confident in Your Career Change Choices’. I want to dive into how you can confidently take career change decisions in a way that's going to keep you moving forward rather than staying stuck.The reason why I am discussing this topic is that often I see people waiting until they have any idea about what it is that they want to do before they take any action.  Episode Highlights·       04:10 - The importance of recognizing the correction process does not begin with identifying what you want to do next because before you even get to that point, you need to know why this is what you want to go for.·       06:25 - It's not about what should I do because should is the issue, should is probably the thing that got you to where you are now feeling like I'm just showing up every day doing a job that I don't want to do.·       08:10 - If you're someone who's saying I've been trying to figure this out for ages, I've been going around in circles, just asking myself, what else should I do? What we start with is, what do I need for me to feel happy and fulfilled in the role.·       10:37 - If you don't feel confident enough then you need to ask yourself, how am I coming up with the answers or the potential options.·       12:20 - What you need to be able to do is to position yourself in a way that attracts the type of opportunities that you want going forward. But if you're not confident in yourself, then it's difficult to position yourself correctly in the marketplace. What you will learn:·       Most of the thoughts that you think on a day-to-day basis are repeated. The statistic is that 90% of anything today is repeated for both yesterday, and so the things that you are consistently thinking about and the way that you're consistently approaching things is the pace at which you're trying to decide on doing something different.·       It is difficult to say this is the type of role which is right for me, because when you get to a certain point or phase in your career after you've gone through the first phase of settling into your professional role and climbing the ranks a little bit, then you want that role. Also, if you're not taking the time to check in with yourself, then it's likely it's going to be hard for you to identify what the right type of role is.·       In my Group Coaching Program, when I work with my clients, I talk a lot about making data-driven decisions. They don’t make decisions on a whim, instead, they take an approach where they ensure that they’re doing all that they can and collect enough data so that they can make an informed decision about the steps that they’re going to take to move them forward.Other episodes you may also enjoy:Episode 166: Want To Make More Impact And Have More Satisfaction In Your Career? Do This...Episode 168: The One Thing You Need To Make A Successful Career ChangeTHIS EPISODE IS BOUGHT TO YOU BY THE CAREER CHANGE MAKER PROGRAMThis episode was brought to you by my signature program, the Career Change Maker Program.If you are looking for support with changing career direction, book a suitability call >> Send us a text

In today’s episode of the ‘Career Change Maker’ podcast, I talk on the topic of - Stop Seeking Career Change Advice from the Wrong People. I talk about why you need to recognize that in some areas in your career having external insight can really help.The reason why I dive into this matter is that the advice that you gain from different people can shape your perspective, and that perspective can then inform the types of bias that is created in your mind around what is possible for you.Episode Highlights·       01:25 – Internal bias is an area that many women struggle with but sometimes overlook.·       04:30 – There are two things I want you to consider when you're thinking about who it is you're seeking advice from when it comes to your career development.·       06:50 - If you find yourself seeking out advice from the people and that advice helps you stay where you are, then perhaps you could consider this as productive.·       08:12 - The person that you are asking advice from doesn't have all context, then is it fair to ask them for that advice, and expect that you're going to get an answer that you can rely on?·       10:00 – As some of my family members and friends don't understand what I do as a career strategist, when it comes to me making career decisions about my business growth, I'm not going to go to them for advice.·       11:55 – Seeking external guidance helps you in what you want to do in your career, and that can't always happen on a surface level, which sometimes takes time. What you will learn:·       It is so important to make sure that you're surrounding yourself with people who are helping you to grow and to stretch but it also highlights the impact that other people's perspectives can have. This is why I want to talk about seeking advice from the right places when it comes to your career.·       The first thing is when you're thinking about whom to ask for advice then ask yourself why you asked that person. The second thing you want to be thinking about is who am I seeking advice from, what does that person have to bring to the conversation, or what insight do they have?·       Seeking advice from someone who has the information and is qualified enough to give you an answer is going to help you to move forward in your career. This is because not only are they going to be able to give you the answer, but they're going to be able to ask you questions that can be so powerful. Those questions will allow you to step outside of the trade that you've been on, and allow you to shift your perspective and think about things from another angle. Other episodes you may also enjoy:Episode 145: Why You Feel Stuck In Your Current Role And What To Do About ItEpisode 135: How To Overcome Feeling Guilty About Seeking A Career Change THIS EPISODE IS BOUGHT TO YOU BY THE CAREER CHANGE MAKER PROGRAMThis episode was brought to you by my signature program, the Career Change Maker Program.If you are looking for support with changing career direction, book a suitability call >>  Send us a text

In today’s episode of the ‘Career Change Maker’ podcast, I want to talk about how to change the industry, get promoted, and secure a salary increase, simultaneously. I'm going to be discussing one of my clients who were able to make the move off and share with you three things that she focused on, and helped her to be able to move forward into a role that she was excited about.The reason I am talking about this topic is that there are professionals who are considering making some kind of move in their career but they assume that making a move is going to require them to start at the bottom. Episode Highlights·         02:26 - My client had been at the same company for 11 years, and she was at the stage where she was no longer feeling aligned with the values of the organization. She knew that she wants to make a change.·         06:13 - The first thing that my client did was to address the assumptions around what would be possible for her moving forward. When she did that, she was able to open up her mind to the possibilities and permit herself to explore.·         12:10 – She was able to see the overlap between the industry that she was in before choosing the oil and gas space and see what the opportunities were in the industry that she was targeting. ·         14:47 - She stepped into a senior leadership position all because of the way that she positioned her existing experience not because she has experience within the industry or within that particular industry, doing that particular role. ·         16:16 – For my client what helps her was, being able to understand the problem and then linking her expertise and her previous experience to how she would approach those problems going forward.  What you will learn:When you're thinking about the assumption that I am a professional with 10 plus years’ experience, so I'm going to have to start at the bottom, I want you to think about, how could that 10 plus years of experience serve me differently? How that could be applied in a different setting? Look into your experience, not from a high level like, I spent these many years in this role, but what have you been doing? What excellent feedback have you got from clients? What approach do you take? So all of those things, understanding those to high levels allow you to then articulate the value of those things to a potential employer, even if it's in a different industry.If you're moving into a different industry, but you understand what the challenges are, you're able to move beyond just looking at a job spec and saying, oh, do I tick those boxes, but be speaking to how you can be the solution to the problem that they are facing and how all of that relevant experience that you have identified helps you to be the best candidate for the role. Other episodes you may also enjoy:Episode 159: How to Position Yourself for Better Career Opportunities in 2022Episode 161: Career Change Is Not Supposed To Be EasyTHIS EPISODE IS BOUGHT TO YOU BY THE CAREER CHANGE MAKER PROGRAMThis episode was brought to you by my signature program, the Career Change Maker Program.If you are looking for support with changing career direction, book a suitability call >>   Send us a text

In today’s episode of the ‘Career Change Maker’ podcast, I talk about the one thing you need to make a successful career change. If you are someone who is feeling frustrated in your current role then the likelihood is that you're taking this approach of starting to look at job boards, and searching for opportunities.I think that the people who are willing to innovate, who are willing to adapt, and who are willing to look at different ways of doing things, are the ones who are going to succeed and rise both inside organizations and industries in general. Episode Highlights·         04:30 - There's a time and a place for everything, and when you don't do things in order, you end up sabotaging your results.·         06:15 - When I talk about commitment, it comes down to you making a decision, like, is this something that I want to do or if I am ready to make a career change?·         09:05 - The reality is, when you're in the midst of something, or making a transition it isn't necessarily easy, but if you have that commitment, then you can go back to that.·         11:00 - If you are sitting in your organization, and you are saying this isn't aligned with my values then I want you to know that you are showing up spending a lot of time. You are contributing there, when you could be making a contribution somewhere else, and be moving towards making the type of impact that you want to make.·         19:10 – I want to encourage you that the one thing that you need is the commitment to the process or commitment to figuring out what this role needs to look like. What you will learn:There's a misalignment between how you're showing up and how you are putting yourself out there in the market, and the type of person who's looking for someone to hire within their organization. So if you are thinking about making a move, and you're not sure what that looks like, slow down, and pause, don't start updating anything just yet.Commitment to the process is the biggest thing, commitment to saying that I'm going to make a career change so that it's not dependent on what the outcome looks like. If the commitment is not there, then the likelihood of you staying in the course and you do what is required to make this transition is going to be slim. The people that sit in positions of authority are making a huge impact on the way that we do things and the way that we do life. So, if you are in your situation, think about what impact you could potentially be making if you were to take yourself out of that environment where you don't feel like it's the right place for you to be.When it is possible for you to design the type of lifestyle that you want, it is also possible for you to enjoy the work that you do and make an impact through it.Other episodes you may also enjoy:Episode 111 - The Biggest Reason You Are Reluctant To Make a Career ChangeRight NowEpisode 105 - Why Brainstorming Potential Career Options Isn't Getting You AnywhereTHIS EPISODE IS BOUGHT TO YOU BY THE CAREER CHANGE MAKER PROGRAMThis episode was brought to you by my signature program, the Career Change Maker Program.If you are looking for support with changing career direction, book a suitability call >>    Send us a text

In today’s episode of the ‘Career Change Maker’ podcast, I am interviewing an amazing guest who works with women to guide them in their careers by assisting in equipping and strengthening them to discover their potential. I am talking to Nakisha about what it has felt like to make a career change amid a pandemic, some of the things that she had to think about when she was deciding when and how she would make her transition.  Episode Highlights·       05:12 – Nakisha wasn't doing what she wanted to do anymore. She had met the goals that she had set for herself, but she wasn't doing that purpose visibility work that she wanted to get.·       09:06 – It’s important to recognize when you're making a shift but you may require to be a new version of yourself.·       15:24 - As you increase your level of self-awareness, you're able to do things that you need to do whether this is in a business or within a role that you're in, in a way that works for you. ·       27:03 - If you're trying to figure out what you're good at, think about your family and your friends. What do they often ask you for help with? Says Nakisha.·       31:17 – Nakisha mentions, if you sit down and you do the pre-work and self-reflection, then it makes the job search so much easier.·       41:35 – Nakisha has a signature program geared specifically towards HR professionals. If you are interested in that then definitely follow her.·       44:46 - You can get creative with the stuff. There's no one way to do a thing, but whatever the goal is, you can get it done. What you will learn:It's being thoughtful about the decisions that help us to transition better. It's thinking about things from a tactical perspective, but also thinking about the mindset shifts that you're going to have to do. It is doing the research and understanding, what are you working with, and how does that translate into the next world that you’re trying to go into?We often don't use all of our talents in our workspaces, because we're boxed into an agenda that whatever the organization has for us for that position that they hired us for. So, if we're lucky, sometimes we'll be able to kind of branch out and do those things that are according to our expertise, but it's when you step out and you become a business owner, you get to fully operate in those gifts that you had.When you're thinking about transitioning, it is about, who you know, it is not about what you know. It is about being able to stretch yourself come out of your comfort zone. So, if you want to move around, you definitely can. But you have to put the things in place and you have to grow and cultivate your networks.Links Connect with Nakisha on LinkedIn Visit Nakisha's website Other episodes you may also enjoy:Episode 84 - Why You Feel Stuck In Your Current Role And What To Do About ItEpisode 79 - How To Land Two Job Offers in Less Than 90 Days with Christina KyriacouTHIS EPISODE IS BOUGHT TO YOU BY THE CAREER CHANGE MAKER PROGRAMThis episode was brought to you by my signature program, the Career Change Maker Program.If you are looking for support with changing career direction, book a suitability call >> Send us a text