Tips for Work and Life with Andrew LaCivita

Discover how to future-proof your career by focusing on timeless human needs instead of chasing fleeting trends. Understand how demand for quality and speed drives job opportunities. Learn to spot resilient industries for 2026 and beyond. Explore the importance of adaptability in a shifting job market and how to identify connections across sectors. Finally, realize that while technology aids processes, strong communication skills remain irreplaceable. This insightful guidance helps you take control of your career direction.

Job searching can be brutal. It tests your patience, your confidence, and your resolve. But if you shift your focus from results to wisdom, everything changes. That's what I'm teaching in this week's lesson, how to use your job search to make you a better professional. In the podcast, I share a personal story about recently finishing my new book. It's now off and running with the publisher, moving through the production process. The moment I hit send, I sat in my favorite Pottery Barn Wells swivel chair and thought for 20 minutes about nothing but the "agony" I'm going to endure over the next 12 months. Kidding aside, I genuinely did this. I didn't think about how many copies I might sell or what it'd take to make a bestseller list. I focused on something more important, the skills I need to strengthen over the next year as I market and launch this new book. You might think that because this is my fifth time around, I'd have mastered it by now. But if you assumed that, you'd be completely wrong. Yes, I've done a lot right and built some great skills when it comes to marketing a book. But many efforts have fallen short of my hopes. Some were dead ends. Others just confused the heck out of me. Which means only one thing, I need to try new things, keep learning, and keep building. Does this sound like your job search? The things you think will work don't. The things you don't expect to work do. It's effort, surprises, ups, and downs. That's just life in a nutshell. And what I'm about to say might sound like common sense. But I'm guessing it'll only sound like common sense after I actually say it. If you're going to go through a job search, why not gain the benefits of the experience? If we agree those benefits come in the form of new experiences and better skills, then it's time to ask yourself... 👉 What skills do you want to build throughout your job search? If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

Most job seekers approach interviews all wrong by memorizing answers. Instead, it’s crucial to sell the transformation you can bring to the employer. Understanding the anatomy of an interview, including crafting a 'power story,' can set you apart. Learn to handle probing follow-up questions and strategically highlight your skills. By emphasizing repeatable steps and closing with impressive results, you can leave a lasting impression. This approach shifts the focus from mere storytelling to demonstrating real value.

In this insightful discussion, candidates learn to present their value through storytelling rather than listing skills. The focus is on understanding employers' goals and the transformation they seek. List the obstacles preventing success and demonstrate how you can solve them with impactful case studies. A powerful one-slide summary ties everything together, showcasing your approach and the results achieved. Prepare to impress by framing your presentation around outcomes that resonate with hiring teams!

First impressions in interviews are crucial—interviewers form opinions in just 15 seconds! Instead of listing tasks, candidates should highlight the business problem they solve. Learn about the CAR method, emphasizing Context, Approach, and Result. Understand the eight core business goals and why candidates should lead with results. Discover why starting stories with a business challenge, rather than personal anecdotes, captures attention and demonstrates strategic thinking. Craft your own power story for a memorable interview opener.

Most people think success comes from constant hustle. It doesn't. It comes from patience mixed with smart action. Most people chase quick wins. I learned the real secret is patience mixed with purpose. When you think long-term, you make better short-term decisions. You stop chasing every shiny idea and start stacking small wins that lead to something big. Back in 2015, I made a decision that tested every ounce of my patience. Even though I was most qualified to teach leadership, I didn't start there. My long-term vision was to become a one-stop shop for your career. But to earn that, I needed to start by solving your most acute pain first…getting the job. That meant helping people fix their search, knowing they'd leave me once they succeeded. It was a sacrifice, but a necessary one if I wanted to serve for the long haul. This week's lesson shares (in under 4 minutes) how I created a long-term vision for my career success. And how you can build yours using the same approach. If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

Perfectionism is the great career stall. Most people don't slow down because they're lazy. They slow down because they want everything just right before they move. Job seekers spend months polishing résumés, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles before they ever start actually searching. Professionals over-edit reports and presentations until the opportunity passes. They all have the same problem…waiting until it's perfect before they ship. But progress doesn't come from polishing. It comes from acting. This week's lesson is all about breaking free from perfectionism so you can finally make real progress. I share how I overcame a decade of "consultant conditioning" that taught me perfection was everything and how learning to act fast and iterate changed my entire career. If you've ever felt stuck trying to make something flawless, this one's for you. If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

Most managers don't actually manage people. They manage tasks. They tell. They correct. They rarely coach. That's the difference between a boss people tolerate and a leader people trust. When you learn how to coach and mentor someone, everything changes. You build loyalty and develop people who think for themselves. This week's lesson shares a simple four-step framework to help you manage people more effectively through better communication and growth. If you lead a team, you'll recognize yourself in this one. If you've ever felt frustrated trying to motivate someone who just isn't getting it, this will show you why. It's not about pushing harder. It's about coaching smarter. At first, you'll wonder why you haven't been doing these steps all along. Then, you can take action, or even manage upward, to start maximizing your team's enjoyment and performance! If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

Last week, we spent five full days together building and fine-tuning your résumé. You now have a marketing document that's designed to get you noticed. But here's the #1 mistake most job seekers make right now… they slow down. They assume the holidays are dead time. They think no one's hiring until January. They coast into the new year. That couldn't be further from the truth. November through February is THE BEST time of year to land a new role. Companies evaluate their budgets. They make sure to spend the current year's budget so they don't lose it. They prepare next year's budgets and identify the resources. Then, they hurry to start recruiting because people aren't teleported on January 2. They panic because employees who didn't get the promotions or raises leave. And then they have more seats to fill. All these employee mobility spikes mean opportunities for you. But only if you're in the game! If you step off the gas now, you're handing those jobs to someone else. That's what I cover in today's podcast… If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

Last month I celebrated my 59th. It had me reflecting on the biggest influences that rerouted my path, especially the books that shaped my mindset, my career, my health, and even my view of the universe. These aren't just books I enjoyed. They are turning points that literally changed how I live. Some helped me become a better teacher, others taught me discipline and financial independence, and a few opened up my sense of purpose. Here's the list in the same order I cover them, with a personal note on why each mattered to me. Mindset, Self-Discovery Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, Richard Carlson I stumbled into this book in 1997 after literally knocking over a stack of them in Barnes & Noble. It sparked my lifelong love of self-help. Its short chapters and practical reminders taught me to let go of stress and focus on what actually matters, which helped me lead my teams (and my life) with a clearer head. You'll See It When You Believe It, Wayne Dyer This is the book I've re-read more than any other, sometimes daily for weeks at a time. Dyer's lessons on manifestation and the "seven attachments" helped me release ego, control, and the need to be right, which created more peace and focus in every area of my life. Stumbling on Happiness, Daniel Gilbert Gilbert proves we're never as happy or as sad as we think we'll be, because we can't fully predict our future selves. This freed me from chasing perfection and helped me embrace the journey, knowing joy comes more from growth than from reaching the finish line. Storytelling, Career Transformation Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath A dearly-departed friend gifted me this book in December 2007, and it completely changed how I thought about communication. Its framework for making ideas memorable became the foundation of my Interview Intervention methodology, and eventually the blueprint for the storytelling systems I still teach today. Interview Intervention, Yours Truly I wrote this book in just five weeks at the end of 2011, and it completely transformed my career. For the first time, I captured years of coaching into a system anyone could use, and that was the first official step that turned me from recruiter to teacher to author. Choice, Goals, Perspective This Is Water, David Foster Wallace This slim book, adapted from a 2005 commencement speech, is one of the most powerful I've read. Wallace's simple but profound message, that you can choose what to think about, has reshaped how I approach daily life, teaching me to stay present and compassionate in the middle of life's noise. It also served at the stimulation for the next book on this list. Out of Reach But in Sight, Me Again Born from a keynote I gave to scholarship students, I turned the speech into a book. Capturing timeless lessons on setting and pursuing goals, it later evolved into my Goal Setting Masterclass and proved how small steps can inspire big transformations. Wealth, Health The Millionaire Next Door, Thomas Stanley and William Danko At 30, this book confirmed that wealth is built through discipline, not high income. It cemented my lifelong approach of living below my means, investing early, and building habits that would later help me achieve financial independence and peace of mind. Good Energy, Casey Means Of the 70+ health books I've read, this one had the most immediate impact on my life. Understanding metabolic health and cutting refined sugars, refined grains, and seed oils gave me more energy, clarity, and resilience than I thought possible. I've felt sharper and healthier ever since. My Life's Work, Beyond The Zebra Code, The New Me This is my most ambitious book, and easily the toughest project I've ever taken on. It demanded every ounce of experience, discipline, and creativity I had, but it also gave me the chance to share the full methodology I believe can help any professional thrive. Journey of Souls, Michael Newton This book opened my mind to ideas about past and future lives, whether you take them literally or not. It gave me a new lens for thinking about purpose, why I might be wired the way I am, and how being open to bigger questions can deepen the way you live today. These aren't just books on a shelf. They're turning points in my story. Please add any of these to your own shelf that speak to you. Maybe they can be turning points in your story too! If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy