Career Growth Archives - Women's Career Coaching

Career Growth

5 Podcasts That Will Skyrocket Your Business

May 9, 2020

As consumers, our appetite for podcasts has increased as they become the new radio, and consequently our medium of choice. Listening to them has never been so easy, with 64% of podcasts being listened to on a smartphone or tablet. We’re able to consume them in virtually any computer-free environment such as our car or at the gym.

According to statistics, podcast listeners get hooked. Those in the UK listen to over 6 hours per week and those in Australia listen to 5.5 hours per week. In the US, with only 21% of the population are listening monthly, there’s still plenty of opportunity to convert the rest.

So what is a podcast? A podcast is “a digital audio or video file or recording, usually part of a themed series, that can be downloaded from a website to a media player or computer” (http://www.dictionary.com).

Podcasts can be about any topic that people are interested in or passionate about. Most are free to download and listen to. You simply subscribe to a podcast via iTunes or an app on your phone to have each episode automatically downloaded when it is released.

For those of you keen to pursue your passion and become an entrepreneur, podcasts are one of the best ways to gain information and knowledge. All you have to do is listen. As podcasts allow you to digest information whilst doing your morning commute or daily walk, there’s no such thing as unproductive time. It’s important to be always improving yourself and doing something to move towards your goals.

With so many podcasts out there, it’s often difficult to know which ones you should listen to. So I’ve compiled a list of the 5 podcasts you need to subscribe to and start listening to today! These podcasts combine business tips and strategies, mindset approaches, lessons and challenges. As well as lots of entrepreneur journeys to inspire you every step of the way.

She Did It Her Way

This podcast is a must to subscribe to. It’s hosted by Amanda Boleyn who created “She Did It Her Way”. It’s a resource for female entrepreneurs wanting to make the leap into entrepreneurship. Amanda is extremely relatable having quit her corporate job in 2012. She understands the trials and tribulations associated with the world of entrepreneurship. She’s honest, down-to-earth and vulnerable in sharing her struggles and lessons. The podcast has a mix of interviews with other cubicle crushers who’ve made a variety of transitions as well as solo-casts with Amanda. There’s a range of topics from mindset, the journey of entrepreneurship, productivity, relationships to spiritual awareness. With an average podcast length of 35 to 40 minutes, it’s perfect for your daily walk or morning commute.

2. Christy Wright’s The Business Boutique

The energetic and deeply passionate Christy Wright has developed a podcast for like-minded women wanting to build a business. Her podcast explores everything from combining motherhood and a business, digital marketing strategies, making money in your business to understanding if your business ideas will work. Christy shares her true self, uncovering and exploring the challenges of business and family. Along with solo-casts where Christy delves into a topic to interviewing others who’ve walked the path her listeners are on. There’s always something to learn and many gold nuggets you can take away from her podcast. Allow about an hour to soak up the information and enjoy her endearing accent. You’ll love what The Business Boutique Podcast has to offer you.

3. Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod

Hal Elrod is the most amazing, inspirational and passionate person I have ever listened to. From surviving a car accident at age 20 where he was clinically dead for six minutes, broke 11 bones and was told he will never walk again to surviving acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a very aggressive form of cancer. Hal’s positive mindset and determination is absolutely inspirational. Everybody needs a bit of Hal in their podcast playlist! The Achieve Your Goals podcast provides you the motivation and inspiration to achieve your goals and dreams. Hal’s energy is infectious as you listen to him interview others about how they have achieved their goals and dreams. From building wealth to making the best of every day, the list of guests share their journeys and offer practical tips for anyone wanting to achieve in any area of life. The average podcast length is about 42 minutes and it’s the most favourite minutes of my week. I literally look forward to the new release of Hal’s podcast every week. A must for your weekly podcast listening!

4. Pivot Podcast with Jenny Blake

Based on the book, “Pivot”, this podcast hosted by Jenny Blake explores unique stories of Pivoters who’ve often walked the unconventional path. The stories are refreshing and moving as they share lessons learnt, challenges overcome all whilst embracing the unexpected and learning to trust in their bigger purpose. Jenny has a very honest and raw connection with her interviewees which really draws you in and makes it relatable. Usually around one hour long, there’s so much value and takeaways that you’ll be wanting for more.

5. Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield

The incredibly honest Amy often exposes her true self to her listeners sharing everything from her personal relationships, struggles with self to tips and strategies for building a six to seven figure business. Her behind-the-scenes look at business gives you actionable steps to help you build a successful business of your own. From online course creation, creating a lead magnet for your audience to creating multiple streams of revenue. Amy combines a mixture of solo-casts and interviews with other experts on a range of topics to provide a super-sensational resource for your business success. It’s easy to connect with Amy as her infectious personality comes through. Not only is this one of the best 40 minutes or so of your week, there’s a wealth of information shared that you’ll need to download the notes of the podcast to ensure you captured everything. Subscribe today to supercharge your marketing and business success!

So grab some pods or earphones and subscribe to one of these podcasts today. Such a great way to increase your knowledge, develop yourself and learn!

5 Ways To Get Out Of A Career Rut!

April 28, 2020

Are you one of those lucky people who found a job they’re passionate about? You absolutely love what you do and it doesn’t feel like work at all. Or have you found yourself in job where you dread every Monday? You spend your working week counting the days till the next weekend.

You’re not alone if you find yourself in a career rut and hating your job. In fact, according to a Gallup poll 85% of people worldwide hate their job. It’s not as simple as handing in your resignation and saying “I’m outta here” to your boss. There’s a number of things for you to consider. Number one is that all important pay check. Let’s face it, we all have bills to pay. You also might be really good at your job, the pay is decent and you know the company. However on the flip side, there’s no excitement or passion for your job. Instead of fulfilling you, it’s draining the heck out of you and impacting other parts of your life. Your relationships, health and happiness are all taking a back seat as it takes every bit of energy to go to that job every day.

You know you need to do something but what? Complacency may have crept in and you find it almost easier to get up and go to that job than to get off your butt and do something about it. Let’s face it, getting another job is pretty much a full-time job in itself. You quietly hope for a miracle. To win Lotto? To find that rich partner? I’m afraid to tell you, while either of those would be amazing, the odds aren’t in your favour for either of those happening.

So that means the only person to change this situation is YOU. Yep, that person who’s looking back at you in the mirror.

How the hell do you get out of a career rut? It’s not as complicated or as difficult as you think. I’ve got 5 ways for any budget that will help you change your job situation for the better.

As Confucius said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”.

“If you want to be successful in this world, you have to follow your passion, not a paycheck.” – Jen Welter, NFL first female coach.

1 – Conduct a skills inventory

It can happen that you find yourself in a job that wasn’t part of your plan. This could’ve happened for many reasons. Maybe your job options were limited at the time or maybe you thought you would enjoy it more than you are. Whatever the case, don’t discount the skills you have learned. Sometimes you can overlook what skills you have and focus only on what you don’t have. However, it’s important to remember that every skill you have gained is valuable. They are never a waste. Your skills are also transferable into another job or career. It’s time to sit down and list the skills you have so you are clear on what value you could bring to a new job.

Take a piece of A4 paper, make yourself a cup of tea or pour yourself a glass of wine, grab a pen and sit yourself at a table. Think of your current job and list all the skills you have in order to perform the role effectively. Repeat this for all the jobs you have had. Once you have finished, look for any commonalities as this will give you a guide to what is a strength.

2 – Know Yourself

One of the greatest attributes an individual can have is self-awareness. The ability to know yourself inside and out, your strengths and weaknesses, what you like and don’t like in a job can be very beneficial for your career satisfaction. Whilst this sounds simple, you’d be surprised how often people overlook the powering of deeply knowing oneself. The best way to do this is to invest in a personality assessment. These tests measure your personality (relevant to the workplace) and behaviourial style. There’s no right or wrong answers and they help to determine your suitability for a role or job. There’s a number of different ones available. The more popular ones include, Myers Briggs, Strengthsfinder, Enneagram and DISC. Each assessment offers something slightly different but they all show your inherent strengths and potential blind spots. For the full benefit, I recommend working with a certified professional in the respective test as they can assist you to interpret your results. For access to each test, click below:-

Myers Briggs – https://www.mbtionline.com/?utm_source=MBF&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=online

Strengthsfinder – https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/store/en-us

Enneagram – https://tests.enneagraminstitute.com/

DISC – https://www.discprofile.com/products/?c=7

3 – The Power of Books

One of the most valuable resources you have at your fingertips, is books. They are a great way to get practical steps and advice from an expert without the hefty pricetag. Additionally, they are also a great alternative if spending the money on a personality assessment is not an option for you. Here are some great ones that I highly recommend.

“Do What You Are” – by Paul D. Tiger, Barbara Barron and Kelly Tieger

This book goes into more depth on the Myers Briggs Type Instrument (MBTI – which is it’s official name). It breaks down everything about the test including the four personality preference scales. There’s information on to how to identify your strengths, detailed explanation on the 16 different personality types and also how each of these types is at work. The in-depth chapter on each type identifies different job or career options, gives practical examples of different types at play in work and outlines a pathway to success. Whilst this book will provide enormous benefit to you for your career, it will also help you to understand other personality types which can lead to stronger relationships and assist you with working with others.

“Pivot” – by Jenny Blake

If there’s one book I recommend you buy, it’s this one. Pivot is a fantastic resource for anyone who has hit a career plateau and trying to work out their next move. Jenny is a former career development program manager at Google. Her book gives you a 4-stage process to help you work out how to pivot in your career. It is an easy read, very relatable with examples from successful pivoters and filled with practical exercises aimed at helping you answer, “What’s Next?”. Everybody should have this book regardless of where you are at in your career.

“The Element” and “Finding Your Element” by Sir Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica

Ken defines “The Element” as the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. When you find your element, you feel fulfilled, inspired and will be able to achieve at high levels. There’s many inspiring stories and a theme of getting active in finding your element.

In “Finding Your Element”, Ken helps you to discover and find your element. There’s a series of practical exercises to help you uncover your natural strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, there’s stories of others who found their element.

In both of these books there is a theme of opportunity. That is, having, creating and seizing opportunities that provide you with a new experience aimed at getting you closer to finding your element.

4 – Talk to a Career Coach

There are various situations and times in our lives when we need a little help from someone outside our friends and family. Just as you would see a Chiropractor when you have an issue with your back, it is a worthwhile investment to see a Career Coach when your career needs a little boost. A Career Coach can help you to identify where you are now, where you want to go and how to get there. They can help to keep you accountable on your action plan and assist you with each phase of the job search process. The sessions can vary from 30 minutes to 90 minutes and you will generally require a number of sessions to explore your career in full. There will be a cost involved however when you think of how much time you spend at work, the investment is definitely worthwhile. Any cost you outlay for your coach will often be recouped when you secure your next role either through personal happiness, career satisfaction or a salary increase.

5 – Have a Plan!

The easiest way to stay in a career rut is to do nothing! But that’s not you.

There’s that great quote which say, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. You need to spend some time and come up with a plan. Your plan might include:-

Who do you need to call?
Is there someone in your network you can reach out to?
Do you need to meet with some recruiters?
How up-to-date is your resume?
Is it tailored to the types of roles you are after?

Knowing what steps you need to take provides clarity and confidence. It also feels less overwhelming and motivates you to keep going on the journey.

Don’t let another day go by going to a job that is sucking the life out of you. You can do something about it! Your happiness depends on it.

Tell me about your career rut! What are you doing to change your situation?

How These 4 Simple Statements Can Transform Your Career!

April 27, 2020

Let’s face it, our careers can be a little complicated at times. It’s easy to caught up in the office drama and negativity that surrounds you. I bet you wish at times you could hit the mute button and blissfully go on with your work without having to hear from any of your colleagues. I hate to be the one to burst your bubble but there’s no mute button. And what’s more, your colleagues aren’t going away. What I can offer you is four simple principles which can really transform your career. The Four Agreements from Don Miguel Ruiz is one of the most profound books you’ll ever read. I know that’s a big statement but these agreements can allow you to have a more meaningful career. They are such simple statements which serve as the foundation to a successful career.

Be Impeccable With Your Word

If you say you are going to do something, then follow through with this. This simple step builds credibility and respect with your boss, colleagues and other managers in the organisation. It can lead to you being given more responsibility or projects because you can be counted on to deliver all the time.

Photo by Emma Matthews Digital Content Production on Unsplash

2. Don’t Take Anything Personally

This sounds so simple, yet for most of us (especially those of us who are sensitive beings) this isn’t easy. You bring your whole self to work and that means if there are other issues or challenges going on in your life, it’s natural that they will spill over into your work life. Anyone who says you should leave your personal life at home, isn’t really being honest with themself. Add to all of that the individual intricacies of our uniqueness and there’s beautiful little combustion of emotions that could explode at any time.

When you spend so much time at work, it’s easy for little things to get to us. Let’s face it, we all like to know we’re doing a good job. So some harsh words from your boss, not receiving an invite to lunch with your colleagues or being left out of the office gossip can really get to us. That’s why this agreement is so important. Often what other people say and do is really about them. It’s nothing to do with you. Remember you can’t control what others say or do, you can only control your actions and words. When you don’t take anything personally, you will find yourself feeling very free and liberated.

3. Don’t Make Assumptions

Don Miguel says, “whenever we make assumptions, we’re asking for problems”. There it is, in black and white. Making assumptions can often lead to more drama and making a situation bigger than it needs to be. Unless you actually know what is going on, you’re creating a story in your mind and believing that story. This is highlighted in any relationship across work, personal life and friendships. We often need to justify why someone did or didn’t do something and so we make assumptions. Never assume. You will only create more emotional suffering for yourself. Dig deep and find the courage to ask questions. Clarify a situation before you go on a tangent which can be far from the truth.

4. Always Do Your Best

This probably isn’t new to you. You’ve heard it before. Throughout your childhood, this phrase was often used by your parents. Doing your best will often vary depending on how you feel, your energy levels and where you are in your career. It’s not always possible to give 100% each and every single day. This agreement doesn’t mean giving 100% every single day, some days your best will only be 60%. If you push yourself to always give 100%, you will exhaust yourself and ending giving far less. Remember in any given day you are dealing with lots of different things from emotions to situations. Knowing you have done your best can bring huge contentment to your life. It’s also about enjoying your work and career so that doing your best doesn’t feel like a chore. So whatever task you are given at work, just do your best no matter how big or small it is.

There it is. Four simple statements that can transform your career and life. Write them down and put them somewhere you will see them every day. Continually remind yourself of these until they are embedded in your conscious.

Have you read The Four Agreements? How have these helped in your career or life?