Shine at Work®: Recent Episodes

Karen D. Weeks and Dan Carr

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the Founder and CEO of Shine at Work®. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as Global Chief People Officer at Obviously, a VML/WPP company.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work® Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

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The Shine at Work Podcast has hit 100 episodes!! As a part of our 100th episode special, we are sharing all the things we wish we had known earlier in our careers. Whether there is something you’re struggling with in your career, or you just need a pick-me-up this week, there is some inspiration in this episode for everyone. Plus, we are joined throughout the episode by some of our previous guests and their own words of wisdom that you can implement in your career today! Thank you so much for being a part of the show by tuning in, and we’ll see you in season seven!

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

  • Nobody has all the answers, and everybody is figuring it out as they go! Don’t pretend you know everything. Instead, create trust by being honest about what you do and don’t know, and show tenacity by doing what you can to figure it out.
  • There is no “wrong” career choice, and choosing not to make a career change is still a decision even if it feels passive. Even if you end up in a role that’s totally wrong for you, you will learn valuable things about yourself and what you want.
  • Be the most authentic version of yourself at work. If you portray yourself as an inauthentic version of yourself in a job interview, you will be exhausted trying to keep up with that image instead of just being yourself.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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If you’re about to start looking for a new job, this episode is for you! Karen and Dan are sharing their five steps for starting your job search so you feel clear, ready, and even excited to get started looking for your next big role. We’re confident that if you follow these steps and take decisive action, you could land a new job by the new year - keep us posted over on IG!

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

  • Identify the companies you want to target and why. If you can point to something about the company that makes you genuinely excited to apply there, it’s going to come through in your cover letter and make the process more enjoyable overall.
  • In order to effectively update your resume and LinkedIn profile, you have to be super clear about the types of companies and roles you’re looking for. The more specific you can be, the more you’ll stand out to recruiters.
  • Start networking early. Use the first four steps to craft your story and what you’re looking for, then start meeting people and building relationships. You never know who could lead you to your next big role.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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Your ability to learn new skills quickly is a great asset to employers, but what if you took it a step further and pursued learning the skills you need on your own before you apply for the job? That’s called upskilling, and it’s an amazing way to build your skillset, confidence, and industry knowledge to secure your next big role. In this episode, we’re sharing our experience with upskilling in our careers, and the spectrum of learning opportunities from webinars to certifications to online courses.

Links mentioned:

  • Udemy
  • Skillshare

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

  • While you don’t need to check every single box in a job description to apply, the knowledge gaps you have might make you nervous for an interview. By taking a class or getting a certification in that area, you’ll show up confidently for your interview… and hopefully the role!
  • When you’re deciding which skill or tool you should learn more about, scan through the job descriptions you’ve been looking at and pick the ones that have shown up consistently in 10-15 of those job descriptions.
  • Sometimes there’s a big payoff for upskilling, but it can also come down to applied experience. Remember that upskilling is an opportunity to learn new things, find new passions or things you’re great at, and shouldn’t only be tied to your job search.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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If you’re struggling to find a full-time role, or you’re not yet sure what you want to commit to full-time position, a contract role might be a great fit for you. In this episode, we’re sharing some of the benefits of taking on a contractor position, how to negotiate as a contractor, and key things to know about contract roles from an HR perspective.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

  • Taking a contractor role can have a few benefits. You can expose yourself to different types of companies, leaders, and roles to get a feel for what you will eventually want in a full time role while building your skills and your resume.
  • If you sign a contract with the understanding that a contract role will turn into a full-time role down the line, try to get a timeline in writing for when you’ll have a follow-up conversation with your manager about it.
  • As for what to charge, remember that you’re responsible for paying your income taxes yourself as a contractor. A good rule of thumb is to add about 20-30% to your standard hourly rate, factoring in the industry standard and your experience.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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If you’re currently in a full time role while you’re job searching, you’re in a great position! However, it can still be tough to find time to research, apply, and interview for a new job while balancing your full-time job. In this episode, we’re sharing the routines you can adopt to make time for job hunting without burning yourself out or alerting your current company to your search.

Links mentioned:

  • Listen to Episode 91: Navigating Layoffs

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

  • If you have a pretty demanding job, carve out a few hours on the weekend for your search. You can also repurpose your personal time, such as lunch breaks or the hour you’re usually decompressing on social media at the end of the day.
  • When it comes to interviews, let the recruiter or hiring manager know you’re still working full time. Try to schedule a time in the morning hours before work, on a lunch break at a quiet coffee shop, or later in the work day when meetings aren’t really happening.
  • Updating your LinkedIn profile can be nervewrecking because you don’t want to alert your employer that you’re possibly looking for a job. In your LinkedIn settings, you can actually turn off the public notifications that let your connections know you’ve updated your profile.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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If you’re several years into your career, you might be feeling an itch to make a huge change - but where might that desire be coming from? In this episode, we’re posing some questions to you about what you feel you’re lacking in your career, what some new opportunities might look like, and what’s truly important to you in your career at this time in your life. And of course, we’ve got the actionable steps for you to take towards this change.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

  • The first step is to identify why you’re feeling stuck, or what’s happening in your life right now. Are you wanting to shift career paths, prioritize working for a company that’s making an impact, or build a program from scratch?
  • Next, figure out what you want (what you really really want), now that you know that a shift is possible. Identify your transferable skills, and identify what you’re willing to give up to start fresh.
  • Leverage your HR partner or HR manager. The HR team at your company wants you to be happy, so they would likely be willing to work with you to find a role at your organization that fits your ultimate goals and values.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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One of the trendiest places to work is a startup, but how do you know if a startup is actually the right fit for you? In this episode, we’re covering everything you need to know about working at a startup. From the types of experience recruiters expect, to how the pay structure might differ from a traditional company, this episode is packed with the actionable tips you need to land your next job at a startup.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

  • What matters to you most, and how do you want that represented in the culture of the startup you’re joining? You might value the positive impact of the work you’re doing, or a flexible schedule, or a social working environment, and all those inform the type of startup you might be interested in joining.
  • One of the top skills you need to thrive at a startup is flexibility and adaptability. The priorities at a startup can change on a dime, and recruiters are looking for candidates who are resourceful and solution-oriented to accommodate this.
  • If you’re looking to jump from a larger, more established company to a startup, it’s important to present yourself as someone who is looking for innovation and coming up with fresh ideas, or sharing your experience with starting new teams, initiatives, or departments within a larger organization.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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Job searching can be a long and tedious process, and if it’s taking longer than you expected, you are probably not doing anything wrong. In this episode, we’re sharing the timelines to expect when you’re looking for a job, what to expect from a recruiter’s perspective, and what to do if you feel like your job search is never ending.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

  • There are a lot of factors that can influence how long a job search might take. Three to six months is pretty standard, but your industry, season of life, and companies you’re applying to can all impact how long it takes.
  • Summer months, holidays, and vacations can slow down the hiring process on the employer’s side. September through mid-November is peak interview season to get roles filled before the holidays.
  • This season of applying to jobs is a good time to reconnect with your network and build relationships with professionals in your industry. Additionally, make sure you’re practicing self-care and doing things that make you feel confident and grounded.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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It’s impossible to avoid the prevalence of ChatGPT and Open AI programs in today’s world, especially while it’s relatively new and trendy. No matter how you feel about it, ChatGPT is a tool that - just like any other - has its pros, cons, and best practices. In this episode, we’re talking about how our clients are using it for their cover letters and resumes, where it can get you into trouble, and how recruiters and HR teams are utilizing it.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

  • ChatGPT can be a good way to get some ideas down on paper for your cover letter, resume, or interview questions to prep for so the process feels less daunting as you get started.
  • Just like with individual opinions and perspectives you get from humans, you should carefully and strategically consider the advice or suggestions you get from ChatGPT based on what’s important to you and your unique job search. Don’t treat it as the end-all be-all.
  • One great way to utilize ChatGPT is to ask it about various job titles in your industry related to your target role. You can use that list to search on LinkedIn or in local meetup groups for people to connect and network with.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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If you’ve been laid off, or you’re worried about upcoming layoffs at your company, you are not alone. Being a part of layoffs can make us feel like we did something wrong or weren’t performing well, but that’s probably not the case at all. In this episode, Karen and Dan share their tips for bouncing back after being laid off, how to communicate it to potential employers, and what to look for in your next company to feel safe accepting an offer.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

  • In most cases, getting laid off is not a reflection on you or your performance at work. It doesn’t make it feel better, and it can still be hard not to take it personally, but it shouldn’t impact your ability to get hired for your next role.
  • If you’ve been impacted multiple times by layoffs at companies you’ve worked for, it can be helpful to recruiters and HR teams for you to indicate that on your resume or LinkedIn. Own your story instead of letting others write it for you.
  • It’s normal to feel a little traumatized after being laid off, and to want to find a “safe” company to work for next. Make sure you’re asking potential employers about the financial health of the company, their growth trajectory, and why the role you’re interviewing for is open to begin with.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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Welcome to season six of the Shine at Work Podcast! I am thrilled to bring on Dan Carr as my official co-host of the show starting this season. In season six, we’re covering everything you need to make the next big move in your career. 

On Shine at Work, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent. 

Connect with Us!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
  • Dan Carr on LinkedIn

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Welcome to the Season 5 finale! In this episode, Dan and I talk about making a plan for the new year. Whether it be how to shine your brightest at work or maybe creating a plan to find a new job this year, it’s so important to start by reflecting on the past year to figure out what went well, what you wish had gone differently, what you learned and then start to think about what you want for the new year. We also share our own reflections on the past year and what we want to accomplish in 2023. I can’t thank you all enough for joining us on this journey and can’t wait to see what 2023 brings not only our way but yours too! 🤩

In this episode, you will specifically learn …

  • How to find your passion and what will bring you closer to your dream
  • How to set yourself up for success to start your job search
  • How to prep for interview questions and reconnecting with your network
  • How to reignite your job search if you are feeling stuck
  • How to know when you need to take a break from the job search

Links mentioned…

90 minute Career Spark with Dan Carr

Shine At Work Career Packages

More about Karen and Dan…

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I am a recent Charlotte transplant where I live with my husband and furry babies.

Dan Carr is KDW Coaching’s Recruitment Coach and co-host of the Shine at Work podcast. Over the last decade+, Dan has partnered with early stage, high growth, startups as a recruiting leader, driving strategic direction and execution of all areas of the talent lifecycle. His role was to understand and advise on the skill sets needed to achieve company goals and then identify and engage with the best talent in the industry, building world class teams. He found that success is achieved with authentic relationships that have a foundation in empathy, transparency and trust.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Connect with Karen!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

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This week's episode is a little different. I wanted to share with you my thoughts on “quiet quitting” and “quiet firing”. And more recently, “quiet promoting”. Basically it comes down to assuming bad intent. Employees are realizing they may need to create some boundaries but companies are concerned they are disengaged and “quiet quitting”. Or, an individual feels like more work and taking on more responsibilities but not getting a promotion, so therefore, they feel the company may be “quietly promoting” them. On the flip side, people believe their company is sending negative signals about their role and their employment, and worry about “quiet firing”. In my opinion, in all these situations, it all comes down to communication. Here’s a thought… Let's actually start talking to each other!!

In this episode I share my thoughts on these click-bait trends (and yes we know we used it in our own headlines this week). So whether you are an employee, a manager or if you are in HR, I really encourage you to listen to this episode to recognize how we might be biased in what we are experiencing. And if there is truth to the situation (you are disengaged, you are avoiding a tough conversation, you aren’t recognizing your team) then we share some tips on how to identify that and start the real conversation that needs to happen.

In this episode, you will specifically learn about…

As a manager…

  • How to have hard conversations that you need to have with an employee
  • How to improve communication to try to calm uncertainties in your organization
  • How to recognize an employee even if a promotion isn't available right now

As an employee…

  • How to set boundaries and talk to your manager about them
  • How to interpret “negative” signals from your company?
  • How to talk to your manager about your career path (or apparent lack of it)
  • How to identify if you are disengaged or just burned out

Helpful resources…

The Ladder of Inference - Mindtools.com

Leadership and Self-Deception - Getting Out Of The Box - The Arbinger Institute

Is It Time To Find A New Job, Are You Just Having A Bad Day Or Hitting A Ceiling? - Shine At Work Podcast episode 69, season 3

More about Karen…

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I am a recent Charlotte transplant where I live with my husband and furry babies.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Connect with Karen!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

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Happy New Year! For many people the new year is a time for reflection and goal setting. And for companies that often means it’s performance review time! For some people this is a stressful time, or drives up our anxiety, no matter if you are concerned about the feedback or hoping for a promotion. But don’t worry, we got you!

In this week’s episode, I give you all the tips you need to be prepared for your performance review and feedback conversations. While this isn't our typical topic of searching for a job, changing careers or considering a new role, your performance review ties directly into these things. It’s a time to think about and talk to your manager where you need support, where you shine your brightest and what those next steps may be to continue to grow in your career.

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to…

  • Reflect on how the year went and being self-aware and objective in all areas
  • Ask for feedback from your co-workers
  • Recognize your manager’s style of feedback and understanding how to respond to the feedback you receive
  • Understand the what and why of your goals for the new year
  • Advocate for yourself for a promotion or a compensation increase

Links mentioned…

Preparing to Receive Feedback

Development Plan Template

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

More about Karen…

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I am a recent Charlotte transplant where I live with my husband and furry babies.

Connect with Karen!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, Dan and I talk about busting through all the myths about how to write a cover letter, crafting a resume and most importantly what a recruiter or hiring manager is looking for in those documents. This is the first impression you have with a potential employer so you need to be able to convey your brand, what you are looking for in a job and not get caught up in outdated rules of the cover letter and resume. We talk about how the more you can help the recruiters connect the dots between your background and their role, the more likely they are to reach out for an interview. And as always, we have helpful tips, tricks and actionable steps!

In this episode, you will specifically learn…

  • What are recruiters are looking for on your resume - spoiler alert they start with your most recent role and how it relates to the role you applied for - and THEN the rest of your resume and your cover letter
  • How to use keywords to grab the recruiters attention and when it may be appropriate to “retitle” yourself that correlate to the position you are applying for
  • What story to tell in your cover letter and how to make a genuine connection to the brand, position and/or company

Links mentioned…Cover Letter Format

Resume Best Practices

More about Karen and Dan…

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I am a recent Charlotte transplant where I live with my husband and furry babies.

Dan Carr is KDW Coaching’s Talent Partner and co-host of the Shine at Work podcast. Over the last decade+, Dan has partnered with early stage, high growth, startups as a recruiting leader, driving strategic direction and execution of all areas of the talent lifecycle. His role is to understand and advise on the skill sets needed to achieve company goals and then identify and engage with the best talent in the industry, building world class teams. He found that success is achieved with authentic relationships that have a foundation in empathy, transparency and trust.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Connect with Karen!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

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In this week's episode, Dan and I talk about interviewing, whether it’s an in-person interview, exploratory call or virtual coffee, you want to put your best foot forward. We all know it’s going to begin with someone asking you the typical questions: tell me about your background, why are you interested in a career pivot, why did you leave or are leaving your current company, etc and it's important how you craft your story. Spoiler alert, it's not about going through your resume bullet by bullet, they have the resume and have read it, that's why they are talking to you. Knowing the answers to these common questions is the key to it all. And don’t worry, we have some actionable tips, tricks and advice for you to get you through an interview!

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to…

  • How to tell your why
  • How to talk about a career pivot
  • How to explain if you were fired or laid off
  • How to talk about a gap or short employment stints
  • How to talk about a toxic work environment
  • How to talk about compensation

Links mentioned…

Interview Preparation Worksheet

More about Karen and Dan…

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I am a recent Charlotte transplant where I live with my husband and furry babies.

Dan Carr is KDW Coaching’s Talent Partner and co-host of the Shine at Work podcast. Over the last decade+, Dan has partnered with early stage, high growth, startups as a recruiting leader, driving strategic direction and execution of all areas of the talent lifecycle. His role was to understand and advise on the skill sets needed to achieve company goals and then identify and engage with the best talent in the industry, building world class teams. He found that success is achieved with authentic relationships that have a foundation in empathy, transparency and trust.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Connect with Karen!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

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In this week's episode, Dan and I talked about networking or as I like to say relationship building. How to do it in a way that's authentic to you, the benefits in your job search and beyond and how it doesn’t have to be at happy hour or swapping of business cards. We’ve talked a lot in the past episodes about networking because relationship building is one the most valuable resources you will have throughout your career. You should be leveraging and strengthening those relationships even when you aren’t looking for a new job, role or career, who knows, you may be in a position to help someone else when they are looking for a new job or someone to hire. We have some great tips, tricks and actionable steps for you!

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to…

  • How to build a network - Start with Linkedin and build your network with anyone you currently work with, have you worked in the past or you consider a subject matter expert in your industry or desired industry. You can also connect with alumni from your school, a sorority or fraternity, even friends and family.
  • How to connect with someone - You may not know everyone personally that you want to connect with but find common ground and send a short direct message to them. It can be as simple as, we went to the same school, looks like you know this person, I really liked what you mentioned in this post, making it purposeful and clear that you took the time to reach out to them and not a general message.
  • How to network if you aren't currently seeking a job - You may be happy in your current role/industry but want to figure out what the future looks like. Think about what type of company you want to align with, where you want to take your career and start with information gathering. Leverage your connections by having conversations about the company they work for, what do they like or dislike in their company, what projects are they currently working on, etc. .
  • How to network if you are currently seeking a job - Don’t be shy about reaching out to your connections. By showing genuine interest in their company, brand or a position that is open, shows you have done your research and not sending the same message to others. Many companies have a referral program so if you get hired, they may get a bonus or extra vacation day!
  • How to prepare for a conversation with a connection - Focus on one topic to start, it will seem natural and not like an interview. Ask about their journey, their experience with the company, the culture of the company and allow it to grow organically. Be respectful of their time, if they give you 15 minutes and it goes over, that's great! But show you are conscious of their time and it may lead to more conversations.

Links mentioned...

Linkedin Best Practices

Karen’s Linkedin

Dan’s Linkedin

More about Karen and Dan…

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career fro

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In this week's episode, Dan and I talk about how to actually understand job descriptions as you do your job search. There are job descriptions that are really good at describing what the job is going to entail, the team you will work with and the company's expectations, however, since there are no real guidelines on how to write them, or they have been recycled over the years and never updated, they can be lacking key information. But that's no reason to discount the role or company! Dan and I have written many job descriptions in our years of HR and recruiting, some good, some bad, and we share with you how to decipher the what the hiring manager is looking for, key elements in the description, what questions to ask, as well as, some helpful actionable tips and tricks to help you in your search!

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to…

  • How to find key elements in the “about the company” description - what are the company’s values or culture, how the company is growing or even a snapshot of what the role will be or the team that you will be working with in the company.
  • How to look for key elements about the role - you can learn a lot in the overview as well as what is listed in the “responsibilities” and “qualifications” sections. Focusing on finding what is important to you and putting the two together.
  • How not to over analyze job descriptions - you probably don’t have 100%, or close, to the requirements or qualifications. But still apply to the role! Let the recruiter and hiring manager make that decision.
  • How to find your “green and red flags” - knowing what is important to you and where to find that information. Is it a company’s mission/culture/values, a remote or hybrid working environment, work/life balance, health of the company, etc.. Spoiler alert - are they listed anywhere on the career page or job descriptions?
  • How to understand the titles/levels - titles and levels can all mean different things within any company so we talk about how to use the language posted for the role, minimal years of requirement to figure out if it would be a lateral move, or a promotion or other indicators

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I am a recent Charlotte transplant where I live with my husband and furry babies.

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

And I’m Dan Carr, Talent Partner at KDW Coaching and co-host of the Shine at Work podcast. Over the last decade+, I have partnered with early stage, high growth, startups as a recruiting leader, driving strategic direction and execution of all areas of the talent lifecycle. My role is to understand and advise on the skill sets needed to achieve company goals and then identify and engage with the best talent in the industry, building world class teams. I have found that success is achieved with authentic relationships that have a foundation in empathy, transparency

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In this week's episode, Dan is back as my co-host and talk about all the different ways to actually find different open jobs. We walk through different job boards, creative ways to find out about openings, how recruiters find your application and the cadence needed to do your job search. In today’s world, there is so much information at our fingertips and job searching can be overwhelming. Dan and I share insights, advice and how-tos from our 20+ years in HR and recruiting to help you with your job search. We will also give you actionable steps to help you along the way!

In this episode, you will specifically learn…

  • Where to find job postings - From letting Google do the work for you, searching job boards on a company’s website, niche job boards, Linkedin, Slack channels, Indeed, etc.
  • How to use networking to find out about jobs - Spoiler alert, often networking groups have their own job boards or will just share open roles their companies are hiring for because they want to find great people for their teams
  • How to consider negative reviews of companies you find - If a company has 1 or 2 negative reviews, don't pass them over. Instead look for trends, such as, leadership is checked out or the work/life balance doesn’t exist and there are 5 or more with the same theme, then you may want to explore that more in interviews.
  • How to job search without burning out - Setting a cadence on your search, having a time limit each day to spend searching for roles, as well as creating a list of what to search on those days.

Some of our favorite * job boards (outside of LinkedIn & Indeed)...

  1. Remote work - Power to Fly, We Work Remotely
  2. Start-ups - AngelList, Otta
  3. Tech jobs - BuiltIn
  4. Non-profit or mission driven companies - Idealist, B-Corp
  5. Working Moms - The Mom Project
  6. Education - HigherEd Jobs

*We do not have any association with these boards, they are just places we have posted jobs and know other companies use to post their open roles!

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to ex

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When working with clients, often they are trying to figure out how to decide on good companies to consider, especially in today's market. And it’s a fair question considering what we have gone through in the past few years. People want to know how they can make sure they are moving to a company that reflects their values, is stable, has a strong leadership team, and where the company is going. In this podcast, we are going to identify questions you should be asking yourself as well as the companies you are thinking about moving to. And as always, you will walk away with some actionable steps when considering if a company is right for you!

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to identify…

  • What is most important to you - is it flexibility, alignment with values of the company, the background of the leadership team, etc..?
  • What is different from today - identifying things you love with your current company and what are things you wish you could change.
  • What is the health of the company -how are they handling the hard times as well as how they celebrate the good, are they in an industry that has been impacted lately by the economic rollercoaster, and how much have they been hiring lately.
  • What questions to ask about the company's culture - identifying what questions to ask to get tangible answers from the company and how they handle different situations on a day to day basis.

Links mentioned…

Career Investigation Worksheet

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I am a recent Charlotte transplant where I live with my husband and furry babies.

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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Welcome to season 5! I had no idea when I started this podcast at the beginning of the pandemic that it would lead to 5 seasons of sharing not only my advice based on my own story but all the inspiring stories and advice from some amazing everyday people! And I am excited to have Dan Carr onboard with my team as a coach to help with resumes, job searches and recruiter insights. In this new role, Dan will join us from time to time on the podcast as well!

If you are looking to make a change, whether it be making a change in your current organization, wanting to refresh your current role or thinking about going for that promotion, we’ve got you covered! Don’t let the calendar scare you! You can start today even with 10 weeks left in 2022 and still get to that new job!

Season 5 is all about helping you in your career search, getting unstuck and shining brighter! And we can't wait for you to join us on this journey!!

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to…

  • Identify why you want to make a change - what do you love in your role or company, what would you change in your current role, what are some of your values that you hold and what are your non-negotiables.
  • Identify roles and industries that excite you - make a list of your skills or skills you may need to learn. You can do this by looking at job description and see where your skills overlap or where there are gaps.
  • Identify your network- reach out to anyone and everyone, they may not be in the industry you are targeting but you never know, they might just know someone. This will also allow you to tell your story and let the world know where you are heading and not where you have been.
  • Make a plan - tips on how to create a plan to land that new role this year!

Links mentioned…

Goal Setting And Tracking Worksheet

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I am a recent Charlotte transplant where I live with my husband and furry babies.

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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In this pop-up podcast, we are going deep into the weeds on how to land that amazing new job! The newest member of the KDW Coaching team and our talent partner, Dan Carr, comes along for the conversation with his knowledge from the recruiting world about his experience hiring and what he looks for as a recruiter to help you with your job search. Dan focuses on not only getting the right person for the company but also making sure the company is right for the person. We are so happy to have Dan partner with us and think you will be too!

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to…

  • How to stand out on your resume - Recruiters and hiring managers get thousands of resumes so making sure you stand out among the crowd is crucial.
  • Understanding and using keywords - Linkedin, recruiters, job boards, etc… how recruiters use “keyword” searches to sort through resumes and how you shouldn’t obsess how about it!
  • Why networking is SO important - Networking is scary but shouldn't be. How to begin to network and how to find someone who is close to the job or company that you are targeting and reach out to them and leverage your contacts or relationship you already have.
  • How to prep for the interview - Researching the company and job and reflecting on your experiences, interviewing in-person vs. ZOOM and also being prepared for the hard questions.
  • Remembering you are a whole human - Life happens and realizing there are things out of your control so set goals but also give yourself forgiveness during your job search.

More about Dan Carr…

Dan partnered with early stage, high growth, startups as a recruiting leader, driving strategic direction and execution of all areas of the talent lifecycle. His role was to understand and advise on the skill sets needed to achieve company goals and then identify and engage with the best talent in the industry, building world class teams. His most recent partnership was with a FitTech startup that grew from 20 to 225 people in a little less than a year.

He has always led with one core initiative and that has been to humanize the recruiting experience. Dan feels that too often working with a recruiter or the job search experience as a whole can feel nothing less than transactional. He found that success is achieved with authentic relationships that have a foundation in empathy, transparency and trust.

You can connect with Dan on LinkedIn and through our KDW Coaching website!

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WOW! I can't believe we are wrapping up season 4 of the Shine At Work podcast! We had SO many amazing guests who shared their own career journeys as well as their advice on how to achieve your goals and shine bright in work and life! This season we focused on various themes including mental and physical health, negative self-talk, imposter syndrome, remaining true to your values and being authentic in your career and your life and so much more! In this episode, we will bring it all together and talk about how to map out your career goals and share them with others.

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to…

  • Identify career goals - what does success look like and how does it tie to bigger life goals?
  • Identify the gaps - where are the gaps and opportunities and how do you fill them? Is it through going to school, is it on the job training or a networking group?
  • Map out the plan - what are the things you need to do to make your goals possible? What are the obstacles? What are the steps?
  • Write the goals down - Are the goals tangible? Write down the steps to get there. Tell everyone - you never know who can help you reach those goals!

Links mentioned…

Self Reflection
Development Plan

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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In this week's episode, I spoke with Julie Wuench, my friend, mentor and partner. Julia studied economics and gender studies in college and after graduating she went into corporate finance in the healthcare space. After several years, and feeling like that wasn't what she was meant to do, Julia went back to school to get her MBA. Eventually realizing that she didn't have to mash up all her skills and knowledge into one career and could spread it around in different areas of her life. So she founded her own company! She works with emerging and seasoned leaders either in large corporations or directly one-on-one. Additionally, she writes for various publications and is a speaker about being authentic and how to take risks to see yourself succeed.

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to…

  • Lead with some soul searching - think about what you have done in the past that excited you in your career or your life, finding the facets of those things and apply those to the career you want.
  • Use the skills you have - making a career pivot is not failure, it’s realizing that the skills and knowledge you have can be used differently.
  • Talk to others - ask others who know you well from different areas of your life how they see you, this may also highlight what you are passionate about.
  • Be authentic - stop being who you think you are supposed to be; by being your authentic self, you will feel more confident, present your best self and do a better job!

Other helpful resources...

The Authenticity GuideQuestions Beliefs Guide

More about Julia…

Julia Wuench is the Founder of The Authenticity Guide, an Executive and Career Coaching firm. She has an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and is a regular Contributor to Forbes, writes on topics like The Positive Power of Failure, How to Combat Imposter Syndrome, and Leveraging Strengths at Work, to name a few. She has been named a Business Insider Most Innovative Career Coach and has been featured on BBC World News and Fox Business News. Previous clients include many other departments at Duke, Cornell, and Cisco and Chief.

How to connect with Julia…

Website
Linkedin
Instagram
Twitter

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers

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In this week's episode, I spoke with Erin Breeden about “imposter syndrome”, what it is and how it shows itself in different ways. Her journey took her into a successful career in marketing and public relations. She worked in public relations agencies, as a marketing director and an editor-in-chief of a bridal magazine. While she loved each industry, Erin couldn’t find the job of her dreams that would use each skill set she had acquired. She felt really stuck and wondered why she just wasn't happy in any of those roles that she loved and always feeling like an imposter. So she created it for herself, founding her own company, Blue Tide Creative, helping others tell their story and making sure their message matches their mission and get them out in front of their intended audience and most of all to be yourself because YOU ARE AMAZING!

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to…

  • Stop hiding who you are - quit saying “why me?” and trying to fit into a mold in your career that is outdated and frankly boring!
  • Have confidence in yourself - learn to be your authentic self and not the person others expect, sit quietly and ask yourself what is it that you REALLY want.
  • Get out of your own way - take the risk, stop believing in obstacles, the things that hold you back because “that's the way it has always been” or because someone said it has to be that way.

Helpful link…

Self-Talk Exercise

More about Erin…

Erin founded Blue Tide Creative, a strategic communications firm, in 2015. She has worked at PR agencies, led marketing departments, and was the editor-in-chief of a magazine. Specializing in brand strategy, public relations and content creation, Erin ensures that clients stand out from the crowd by maximizing all communications and marketing investments.

How to connect with Erin…

Website
Twitter
Linkedin
Instagram
Blue Tide Creative Instagram

Interested in working with Erin…

In the spirit of saying F*ck You to Imposter Syndrome, Erin is offering a free 30-minute pep talk call for two lucky listeners who sign up for her newsletter by May 31, 2022.

Do you want to talk through your feelings about imposter syndrome? Have a question about marketing, public relations, or messaging? Want to say you talked to a mermaid? On June 1st, Erin will each out to the lucky listeners selected and schedule your session with her. Remember, you're amazing just as you are — don't forget that!

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

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This week I spoke with Habibah about finding her voice in her career and aligning it with her personal values. When she started college, Habibah had no idea what career path she wanted to pursue. After taking some general courses, she chose nursing since she loves to care for others but, like many of us, as she learned more about that field realized it wasn’t right for her. Having a love for mathematics and after talking with friends and family members, she found engineering. She jumped in feet first, graduated and began a career in construction management. During this time, she overcame obstacles and broke down barriers to achieve her version of success. She became passionate about sharing her journey with others so she recently took another step in her career and became a coach and wrote a book to help others!

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to...

  • Trust yourself - saying yes to challenges that may be out of your comfort zone and finding opportunities you may not have tried otherwise
  • Have candid conversations - being open and willing to communicate with your manager about what you believe in, your values, your experiences and who you are as a whole human
  • Be quiet and sit with yourself - finding an outlet to define, reflect and understand what your values are, what is important to you and what impact do you want to make, this could be meditating, journaling or just sitting alone outside, craving out time for just YOU

Links mentioned…

Engineering Excellence - COMING SUMMER 2022

More about Habibah…

Habibah is the founder and CEO of RYT Health and Life Coaching. She is a career success coach and also holds a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. After working in construction management for over 6 years, she decided to transition into coaching professional women in order to help them achieve their definition of success in their career and life. Habibah is a full-time entrepreneur, an author, a wife and mother of three beautiful children. When she’s not switching between the many hats she wears, Habibah spends her time connecting with and providing academic mentorship to the youth in underserved communities in northern New Jersey.

How to connect with Habibah…

Linkedin
Instagram
Facebook Group (Women Only)

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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In this week's episode, I spoke with Kris Senior about finding a mentor and finding what truly inspires you as a whole human. Kris decided a few credits short of a forensic psychology degree that maybe it just wasn't for them. After having a random conversation with someone in a grocery store, they became a receptionist at a construction company in NYC. While there, Kris decided to check out other departments within the company and just ask what they could help with. In doing that, Kris found a mentor that was the CFO of the company and she took Kris under her wing and the rest, as they say, is history. Kris shares their journey from “college dropout” to finding someone who became their mentor, not only mentally but emotionally supporting them to become successful and fulfilled as well as how to be a mentor.

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to:

  • Find a mentor that inspires you - someone who will push you, give you the hard facts but encourage you to find your own space and who you are and allow you to be vulnerable and authentic
  • When you find something new, where are the gaps and opportunities - is it through going to school, is it on the job training or a networking group?
  • How to become a mentor - Is there a place in your community that lacks resources, does your company sponsor a mentorship program?

More About Kris…

Kris’s career began in the NYC construction industry as a receptionist after leaving college a few credits shy of a forensic psychology degree. Quickly, they began to take on responsibilities from all departments not knowing at all what they wanted to focus their career on. Kris's first promotion was into the accounting department as a project accountant after spending a lot of personal time digging through the department to find any shortcomings. After a couple of great catches, they were running the accounting department just shy of an accounting degree and then moved onto multiple small companies looking to make extreme growth moves. Currently, Kris is the financial controller for an exterior home remodeling firm that is rapidly growing in a very odd economy.

How to connect with Kris…

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Linkedin

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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In this week’s episode, we are focusing on the interview process; how to prepare for interviews, how to handle the tough questions about job gaps, former employers, and the dreaded money talk. And to add in an extra layer of complication in this whole new world since the pandemic, you also may be interviewing remotely for the first time and need to prepare for the uniqueness of that as well. I have been in HR for over twenty years and have done what seems like millions of interviews and they can be hard! You may feel like there are some “gotcha” questions, which are not intentional but just may be hard to answer if you aren't prepared - but don’t worry, you will have everything you need to handle all those questions! I also share with you my Interview Preparation Guide to help you shine your brightest at the interview!

In this episode, you will specifically learn…

  • Basic interview prep - Research the company, the interviewer and the details of the job so you have detailed questions for the interviewer and stay away from those surface level questions.
  • How to approach tougher questions - You know they are going to come up, so be ready to answer questions about a gap in your resume, why you are making a career change, why you are leaving or have left your previous company and the always dreaded question about compensation.
  • Practice answering interview questions - Take the time to say your answers out loud and get some feedback so you are comfortable with how you are saying it. And if the interview is remote, practice getting on ZOOM or checking your surroundings.

Link mentioned…

Interview Prep Guide

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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In this week’s episode, we are focusing on negative self-talk. The voices in our head that hold us back. These can be the voices of others, voices of our past, our own voice telling us real and perceived “truths” that keep us from doing what we want to do. I’m going to be very vulnerable with you because this subject is near and dear to my heart and you have no idea how much I live in my head. It's about the should’ve would’ve could’ve, which are not necessarily wrong but you need to find what is important to you and what brings you joy and work through those voices in your head. I will talk you through a self-talk exercise that will help you let go of your past, shed expectations and quiet that negative self-talk in your head that's not serving you.

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to…

  • Replace negative language into positive language - Find what makes you unique and integrate it into how you speak about yourself. For example, “I am not creative” becomes “I’m creative in this way”
  • Figure out if your obstacle is real or perceived - Think about something that you have overcome in your past and how you can apply that to an obstacle today.
  • Let go over the baggage of your past - Committing to yourself to find how to change something that's negative in your life and how you can perceive it differently.

Link mentioned…

Self-Talk Exercise Worksheet

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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This season as we focus on opportunity and confidence, I spoke with my friend, Lauren Widrick, who is also my own life and business coach. After college, Lauren went into IT within the investment banking world. While she was very successful in her career, leading a large team, making money and climbing the corporate ladder, she realized she wasn't happy or remaining true to her authentic self and personal brand. So she hired a coach and then decided to start her own side hustle as a coach herself! In 2018, she exited corporate life and took the leap into full time entrepreneurship, her business morphed several times but her personal brand remained the same. Now she helps other people amplify what makes them unique! Because finding your GOAT statement will give you swagger and help you shine bright.

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to:

  • Identify internally your GOAT factor - What you are good at, what do you love, what are your lived experiences? Also, getting other people's feedback to check and see if your personal brand is authentic or needs to be tuned up.
  • What you want to be known for - What are the core 3 or 4 things you want others to know about you?
  • Where to express it - LIVE IT EVERYDAY! Don't be afraid to infuse those 3 or 4 things into your current job or project.
  • Have open conversation with others - Open conversations with others about your own personal brand will help you stay true to your authentic self. It's also a way to connect and help bond your team.

More about Lauren…

Lauren Widrick is a Life + Business coach, and her mission is to help you Grab Life by the Goals. She helps people at all phases of their entrepreneurial journey, from startup to sales to scaling. She helps people find the swagger to expand and disrupt in all areas of business. She offers courses, coaching masterminds, retreats and speaking/training engagements.

How to connect with Lauren…

Website

Instagram

Helpful tools…

Resume and LinkedIn Best Practices

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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In this episode, I spoke with Alex Simmons about his career in private equity and investment banking, the impact it had on his life and how he took action to help others not find themselves in the same place. He found himself burned out during the traditional high stakes nature of this career and was introduced to therapy and meditation and later coaching. He soon realized that everyone around him was stressed and burned out and his employer only offered a standard Employee Assistance Program, which was not proactive but instead for crisis management and came with its own stigmas. Alex shares his vulnerability in his own mental health journey and how he created a safe space for people to be proactive in their own mental wellbeing by starting a company, Boon Health, that offers accessible coaching for employees.

In this episode, you will specifically learn how to:

  • Build consistent healthy habits: What keeps you healthy mentally & physically, is it working out, eating better? Do you have good sleep habits? Are you tracking your bad days and what helped you feel better?
  • Build resiliency: Having the skill set in tough times to adapt to adversity and how quickly you can bounce back from it.
  • Be self-aware: Ensure that your decision to change jobs or companies isn't coming from emotion rather being grounded in that decision and why you want to make the change.
  • Find gratitude: What makes you happy outside of work?

More about Alex…

Alex is the Co-Founder + CEO of Boon Health, a B2B personalized coaching platform that is on a mission to build a more resilient world. After spending the beginning of his career working in private equity and investment banking, Alex saw an opportunity to bring more approachable and personal and professional growth tools into the workplace. Alex is an avid golfer and COVID has turned him into a serious barista.

How to connect with Alex…

Linkedin

Links mentioned

Boon Health

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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In this episode, I spoke with Erin Galloway about her career journey and the habits that she had to continually evolve as life changed for her. Although she had been fortunate enough to create and maintain good habits growing up, she knew she needed to keep developing different habits to keep learning, growing and moving forward. She shares some of her most impactful tips on how to create healthy habits for your career, especially when you are searching for a new job!

In this episode you will specifically learn how to…

  • Find ways to learn in a new space or career
  • Be open to different experiences, and how they may take you down a road that you didn’t realize you would love, or perhaps realize what you thought you might love you really don’t.
  • Weave all your experiences together
  • Be aware of potential burnout while searching for a new job by finding balance in your job search (it’s a marathon, not a sprint)

More about Erin Galloway…

With a Master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies, and time at The Ohio State University and Johns Hopkins University under her belt, her entire career has focused on behavior change and how small choices add up to have a big impact. She has been supporting families, communities, and schools in creating lifestyle changes and building healthy environments that lead to long-term, multi-generational wellbeing.

Erin also managed a high-achieving career while being fiercely independent and being a present single parent to her daughter. All of these decisions have come with LOTS of messiness that "life" can sometimes throw at us.

She applauds women who don't try to "do it all" and coaches entrepreneurs and parents on how to create habits, systems, and structures that keep us consistent through times of crisis and times of coasting.

How to connect with Erin…

Linkedin
Instagram
Website

Link for Erin’s books…

Amazon Page

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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In this week's episode, we focus on when you know if you need to make a job change or not. No job is perfect, we all know this, but is this a good time to reflect on why you are feeling this way. There are a lot of different factors that can affect your engagement in your career. There could be life things: you may have had a major life change, you need to be in a different city, you need to work remote, earn more money, etc. It’s important to consider all of these things, but in this episode, we are going to focus on what in your career is impacting the rollercoaster of engagement. Once you figure out the why, then you can figure out what can actually change.

In this episode, you will specifically learn:

  1. How to track your energy to see if you are just having a bad day or if this is affecting your engagement consistently.
  2. If there is a trend of frustration, disengagement and unhappiness, how to talk to your manager about it.
  3. How to identify if you have hit your ceiling in your current role (but like your company and team) and what next steps could look like.

Links mentioned:

Career Investigation Worksheet

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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Welcome to Season Four! This season we are going to focus on opportunity. How to have the confidence when opportunity comes along, having the skills to seize it, plan for it and best of all, get the most out of it! Every episode has specific and actionable tools and advice.

We also have some amazing guests this season who all have similar stories of finding the opportunity when really they wanted to dive deeper into their current path or exploring a new career path. It's amazing the journey these folks take and I'm honored they share it with us.

In this episode, we will focus on creating strong goals that you can achieve and be excited about. It’s easy to say you are going to do something but if you don’t really understand WHY you want to do something, what that goal ACTUALLY should look like and HOW you are going to get there so you won't be stuck every time. So today we focus on making you sure you are setting the right goals and have a plan to achieve them!

You’ll specifically how to:

  • Identify your goals
  • Create tangible goals
  • Identify real and perceived blocks to work through
  • Share your goals with others to help both achieve them and create accountability

Links mentioned

  • Action Plan for Goals
  • Goal Setting and Tracking Worksheet
  • Free 30 minute coaching session with Karen

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

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Whether you have listened to previous episodes or you are just finding us now, welcome! This season is all about “opportunity”. Each week, we will focus on a key skill you need to shine bright and navigate your career through all the opportunities in front of you. How to find your moment, ask for help, set your goals, and be in control of your path with confidence and how to put it into play. Every episode has specific and actionable tools and advice. You deserve to shine bright in work and in life!

We have some amazing guests this season who all have similar stories of finding the opportunity when really they wanted to dive deeper into their current path or exploring a new career path. It's amazing the journey these folks take and I'm honored they share it with us

Shine Bright

UNSTUCK

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker and published author. My purpose is to help career-oriented humans get unstuck so they can shine bright in business and in life. And I know how that feels, I navigated a career from theatre & the arts to HR (with lots of twists and turns there) to expanding my career into coaching as well. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

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We made it to the season finale! In today’s episode, Karen wraps up the season to make sure you are on the best path forward. She will share her own experiences navigating her own career and some actionable ways you can continue to Shine at Work by making sure you are running towards something and not just away from something.

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to identify what you like and don’t like in your current role, and how that overlaps with your strengths.
  • How to determine what kind of manager works best for you and what you need out of your direct team to be successful.
  • How to recognize a culture that is right for you (spoiler alert it's not about free coffee and ping pong tables).
  • How to pick an industry that best fits your interests and the kind of work you want to be doing.

Resources from this episode...

Career Investigation Worksheet

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Aoife O’Brien. Aoife built an incredible career in international business, focusing on insights, data, category research and a lot of other really interesting projects. But as she worked for different companies, she realized that she was in toxic environments more often than not, where “companies, and individuals, should have been making better decisions”. The researcher and data nerd in her took over and she started researching what actually made people happy at work. Now she works with companies to use data to create great cultures, where company and personal values align and people actually are happy at work!

More about Aoife...Aoife is a Happiness at Work expert. Her mission is to help organizations to increase employee retention by using culture-fit in their hiring decisions. She is passionate about ‘fit’ and specifically how creating the right environment can help individuals to reach their full potential and support organizations to thrive. She helps HR and business leaders to make data-driven decisions, with a specific focus on values, needs, and strengths. Aoife has been featured on several media platforms and podcasts speaking about ‘fit’ as well as imposter syndrome. She has also delivered a number of keynote speeches on these topics. She also has her own podcast, Happier at Work.

Before launching her own business, Aoife had a successful 17 years in the corporate world, working with global clients like Coca Cola, Unilever and Heinz to solve marketing problems using data analytics. She has lived and worked in Dublin, London, Perth, and Sydney and has a MSc in Work and Organisational Behaviour, a Diploma in Executive and Life Coaching and a Certificate in Career Coaching.

Links mentioned in this podcast...
Podcast - https://happieratwork.ie/happier-at-work-podcast/

How to connect with Aoife...Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien
Twitter - https://twitter.com/HappieratWorkHQ
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/happieratwork.ie

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • That you always have a choice, even if that choice is to stay at your current company (“I choose X because Y is important to me at this time”)
  • How to identify what is important to you at an organization and your deal breakers
  • How to identify your unique strengths and bring those into a career

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Stephan Vincent. In college, Stephan was interested in “business” but he wanted to apply psychology to the human experience and help companies build amazing cultures. ‘But at that point that’s not what HR did”. So he went into marketing and thought about the customer experience instead. Fast forward several years, and the business world caught up with Stephan’s initial goal of employee experience but at that point, he didn’t have the supposed expertise to move into HR. So he created his own group and community to not only explore his beliefs but learn from others. Now he works at a company focused on learning and experience and leads the People First Community!

More about Stephan Vincent...
"Leaders who don't care about their employees will eventually be surrounded by people who don't care about their business."
Through my 20+ year experience building and leading teams, I strongly believe that in order to build a winning, inspiring and caring culture, a leader must place their collaborators at the center of their strategy. As a thought leader/disruptor in Employee Experience (EX) and a pioneer in B2E (Business-To-Employee) Marketing, I help organizations transform their company culture by adopting a human-centric, CX and brand mindset to increase employee attraction, retention and engagement.

I’m excited to be part of LifeGuides’ Executive Team to help its customers shape a culture of caring and put their employees at the heart of their HR strategy. I’m the founder and Chief Human Rebellion Officer at the People-First Community (formerly eX Podcast and eX Summit), and the author of the “B2E branding - a path to employee experience” manifesto.

How to connect with Stephan...
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/peoplefirstcommunity/
You Tube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIGWaQ7qbvpgujO5Jyv_7zA
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ppl_rebellion

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to candidates can ask challenging questions during an interview to really learn what the culture is like at that organization
  • How as an employee, you have the power to change the culture in your organization
  • How to challenge the traditional skill set expectations and demonstration how your skills fill that gap

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Jessica Lackey. Another guest that had an extremely successful career on paper with roles at McKinsey and Nike and a degree from Harvard Business School. But what they don’t really prepare you for is the incredible pressure, competition and honestly obsession that is placed on someone (or we place on ourselves) in those roles. For Jessica, that took a real toll on her health, both physically and mentally. She realized she had to make a change. So she looked at her unique skills set in operations and business strategy and combined that with her outside interests in energy and health coaching and has created a business where she helps entrepreneurs and leaders not lose their soul in their work. So they don’t get to a point that she got and can grow their business in a healthy and successful way!

More about Jessica Lackey....
Jessica Lackey is a Business Integrator and Coach that helps individuals and businesses transform their results while reclaiming their time, freedom, and legacy. Jessica combines master coaching with deep experience as a corporate warrior and has 15 years of experience in the best of corporate America, at McKinsey and Company, Nike and Electrolux Major Appliances. Jessica is an ACC Certified Coach and an Awaken Your Life Master Coach-Trainer. Jessica has a MBA from Harvard Business School, engineering degrees from Virginia Tech and Penn State and is also a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and PN1 Certified with Precision Nutrition.

How to Connect with Jessica....
Website - https://www.jessicalackey.com/
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-lackey
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jessicalackey_consulting

Interesting in working with Jessica....
Enroll in the Soul and Strategy Clarity Accelerator Program for business leaders to set up a successful 2022 and reference "Shine at Work" to receive an extra coaching call to help you get ready for your year!

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to make the declarative statement about what you want and how to ask for help in getting it
  • How to remove your limiting beliefs and find the confidence to make the leap
  • The importance of creating space to think, see and listen to yourself, your body, your mind and your soul

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Brooke Gasaway. As a kid, Brooke wanted to be a teacher, but like all of us, as she got into school, other interests came forward and she started her career as an architect. But even as an architect, her favorite part of the work was communicating with clients and the feelings that came with the designs. But it was a great job, she should like it, she was successful. She fueled her soul with side projects, non-profit work. “I had about a decade of learning about myself a little bit at a time”. She moved into a role training architects (aka teacher!) and she realized that was a bridge to a new career in employee experience. Now she designs career & culture experiences versus physical spaces.

More about Brooke...
Brooke is an Employee Experience advocate, pandemic parent, a MS fighter. She builds welcoming cultures through people programs. She's driven by helping both employees and organizations achieve their goals and uniting multifunctional, remote teams.

How to connect with Brooke...
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-gasaway/

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to find the thread and build on the experiences you have in your career
  • How to recognize when you need “a” job versus “the” job
  • How to have patience to take the steps towards your next amazing thing even though it may take time

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Keith Johns. After a very successful career climbing the ranks at companies, he realized something was missing in his life. He was not living the best life he wanted for himself and his family. It wasn’t until he reconnected with a former colleague, who was now a coach, that he realized he didn’t want the 9-5 life anymore and he made the leap to start a side hustle which is now his full time work. He had to accept the truth that “it is ok to make a change”. More about Keith Johns...
Keith is a mindset, energy, and behavior coach with a passionate belief: Work shouldn't suck. He helps people rediscover their purpose, step into the highest version of themselves, and design a professional life that's full of joy and purpose.

How to connect with Keith...
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithjohns/

Interested in working with Keith...Keith has 1 enrollment spot open in November for his “Ditch your 9-5” coaching program and he has 2 slots available in December. That’s it, just 3 spots for the rest of the year! Lock in your place as you head into the New Year. You’ve got one life! Time to live it. Work shouldn’t suck.

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • The impact that pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone can have on your point of view
  • The importance of doing the hard work, the self-reflection about what is off and what you want to be different
  • How you can interview a company to find the right match so you don’t find yourself in the same situation in six months or a year

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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Happy fall! We are more than half way through this season (unbelievable) so we are going to do another deep dive episode with our host Karen Weeks! In this week’s episode, Karen expands upon the advice given by Keiko, Pariss, Holly and Sun. She will share her own reflections on their advice and career stories and give you FIVE challenges to turn it into actionable steps you can take today to continue to shine bright at work!

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to listen to your inner voice and take a step towards change
  • How to leverage a passion or interest outside of work and become a thought leader or inspire change in others through that work (doesn’t mean a job change per se)
  • Reflection tools to recognize patterns in your career and interests that may help you recognize the kind the of work you like to do or want to do next
  • Why you have left jobs in the past and what that tells you about the kind of career you want (and don’t want) moving forward

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Sun Kim. Really from day one of his career, Sun showed the entrepreneurial spirit, he just didn’t know that’s what it was! He wanted to find more meaning in his work, “not just climb the corporate ladder” which led to eight jobs in ten years. After his third product manager job, he started to realize that the theme in all these jobs was that he wanted to create something, provide value but then move on. And while that looks like a job-hopper on paper, it’s actually an independent spirit finding its way through to the light! Now Sun is working on four different companies: a real estate tech company, a dog training business, a resume & interview coach, and a PM & Agile consultant...all companies he has started on his own!

More about Sun Kim...
Sun is an engineer turned software product manager and has been building products for the last 10 years, from medical devices to banking apps. As an unabashed job hopper (8 jobs in 10 years), he has learned how to navigate different leadership and management styles and has found himself in mentorship roles to help new product managers grow and advance in their careers.

How to connect with Sun...
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sun-kim-ab7b6b14/

Interested in working with Sun...
Listeners who mention this podcast will receive a 20% discount on all resume and interview services.
I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Holly Shannon. While Holly talks about her non-linear career path in our conversation, you will see there is a throughline around business strategy. Through years in the hospitality and event industries, Holly has built an amazing career creating white glove services, focusing on creating experiences and using EQ to help guide leaders to grow and scale their businesses. She has even done that for herself as an entrepreneur, author and podcast host.
More about Holly Shannon...
Holly Shannon is a Swiss Army Knife in business and marketing. With a background in 5-star hospitality and leading teams in the event space (which clearly imploded with Covid), she has pivoted into podcasting with Culture Factor 2.0. It is now a Top 2.5% globally ranked podcast out of over 2.5 Million podcasts.

Holly Shannon is the Author of Zero To Podcast, it hit #1 AMAZON in Hot New Releases in 2 categories and the Top 10 AMAZON Bestseller in 3 categories and is carried in the UChicago Co-op Bookstore

She is a Speaker and Consultant for businesses and individuals that want to grow a global footprint. She believes everyone should own their own microphone and encourages woman to use their voice in this medium. She is also published in Thrive Global, Hubspot Marketing and CEO Medium.

How to connect with Holly...Website - https://hollyshannon.com
Linkedin - https://linkedin.com/on/hollyshannon1
Instagram - @hollyeshannon
Twitter - @HollyShannon_
Clubhouse - @hollyshannon

Interested in working with Holly...
Subscribe, rate and review Holly's Zero To Podcast podcast on Culture Factor 2.0! https://apple.co/2Ky0NGk or on Amazon https://amzn.to/3nZfUto and take a screenshot, share it in Holly's Instagram DM and you will receive a 15 minute free consultation on business strategy or a podcast idea.

Links mentioned in this podcast...https://hollyshannon.com/culture-factor-20

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to find your voice and how to then leverage it in your career journey
  • How to be open to saying yes to opportunities you never imagined or thought would be the next step in your career
  • The importance of telling your own story and sharing your experiences to help others

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Link

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Pariss Chandler. Pariss has had a couple of careers but then last summer she found how all her previous experiences naturally came together as the country found itself again discussing racial inequality. After a career in acting, writing, video production, make-up and waxing she was trying to figure out what was next. She looked to the corporate world, first in marketing and then in tech. But as she worked at some amazing organizations, she realized she often did not see people that looked like her and she felt the impact of unconscious bias, microagressions and the sense of not belonging on a non-diverse team. So she started to ask “what does black in tech look like” and that opened the waterfall of conversation that led her to start her own recruiting agency for black tech talent. She doesn’t just help place amazing tech talent, but she works with organizations to make sure “inclusion” is part of their strategy (not just diversity) and that the new hires are set up for success.

More about Pariss Chandler...Pariss Chandler is a former aesthetician turned front-end developer. She transitioned into tech in 2017 after participating in Resilient Coders, a coding bootcamp for people of color. Pariss is the founder & CEO of Black Tech Pipeline, a platform bringing exposure, resources, and opportunities to Black Technologists. She is also the creator of the movement and community #BlackTechTwitter, a global movement that brought exposure to the existing Black community in tech. “What ‘pipeline problem’?”

How to connect with Pariss...Website - https://blacktechpipeline.comLinkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariss-chandler/ In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • The importance of trying something new and figuring it out from there (but you have to try first!)
  • How to talk to companies, as a candidate, about their diversity and inclusion strategies and how they support their team members in their careers
  • How to take a hobby, a mission you care about, anything from your personal life and turn it into a career

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Keiko Munro. Keiko’s energy and approach to life is inspiring. She has a musician’s soul and while she tried for a few years to pour that energy into a marketing career, she realized that she was “building everyone else’s dreams” but not her own. So after an eye-opening trip to Guatemala, she decided to try to figure out what success looked like for her and is now on a path to help others as an energy coach. But more importantly, she found the things that drive her in her career and her life.

More about Keiko Munro...
Keiko Munro loves to break the rules. She's never been the one who obliges to a path laid down by someone else. Over the years, she has learned to truly take the driver's seat of her life - especially when it comes to her career path. Her love of music from a young age instilled an internal belief (and trust) that not everyone's path to success will look the same. She learned to dance through the doubts and naysayers and continued to believe in her purpose - even with a few obstacles along the way. What does bartending, digital marketing, e-commerce, yoga teacher training and energy coaching have in common? Keiko. Her passions extend wide and she embraces her evolution in all its facets. Her key to a fulfilled, expansive life is to remember each piece of this human experience is a gift and holds a lesson we can grow from.

How to connect with Keiko...Instagram - @keikomunro

Interested in working with Keiko...Lauren and Keiko's90-day SYSH Group Coaching program is back! Use "SHINE10" and you will receive 10% off the Slay Your Side Hustle program for both the pay-in-full and payment-plan options. The live coaching calls kick off on Tuesday, Sept 21st. Listeners can enroll whenever, have access to all 12 modules right away and join in on the upcoming coaching call. Head to: Laurenwidrick.com/slayyoursidehustle to learn more and enroll.

Also be sure to join thier free Facebook group - Grab Life by the Goals Community - for weekly live-stream coaching and all the squad support a badass could ask for!

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to find clarity in your own career journey, ignoring others narratives, or what is “normal”
  • Where you can use your skills and talents outside of the corporate world
  • The importance of trusting your gut so you can lead the life you want to lead

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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We hope you are enjoying the new season so far. In this week’s episode, Karen goes deep into the advice given by Lauren, Angelica, Bo & Tevis. She will share her own experiences navigating her career based on their stories and some actionable ways you can continue to Shine at Work using their journeys as examples

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to design the life you want to lead and how your career fits into that
  • What you enjoy doing and why and what that could mean for a career
  • How to get the confidence to say yes to a new opportunity or to raise your hand to a new experience
  • Questions to ask yourself for weekly self-reflection to make sure you really do love what you do (and if not, why)

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Tevis Trower about her journey through many “on paper” impressive corporate roles into a career as a leadership futurist, an organization nerd and work that allows her to answer the question of “Do I Matter” with affirmation and joy. After years of looking around large corporations and not seeing people who reflected her values and honestly weren’t even reflections of their true selves, missing that aliveness that is inside all of us. Now she helps high-performers and leaders identify what their heart actually longs for in their career (spoiler alert it’s not money and title).

More about Tevis...
Tevis Trower is an Author, Leadership Futurist, Executive Coach and Balance Integration Corporation Founder/CEO. Tevis Trower is a pioneer in optimizing corporate cultures from the top down. Heralded in bestselling Megatrends 2010 as “corporate mindfulness guru for the new millennium," and called ”a breath of fresh air in leadership development" by Forbes magazine (2020), over her long career Tevis has assisted powerful organizations ranging from Disney to Morgan Stanley in optimizing their most precious asset: humanity. Serving clients in over 70 U.S. markets, Europe and Latin America, Tevis has facilitated global executive immersions, keynotes, and panels for prestigious organizations including Fast Company, Harvard Business Review Events, YPO, Conscious Capitalism, Peer 150, PWC, KKR, Soros, Bloomberg LP, Viacom, Google and The Economist on issues including work/self integration, wholeness based leadership, mindfulness, resiliency, mastery, innovation, and radical success.

NYU Faculty teaching Business Creativity & Personal Mastery, Tevis has also served as resident resiliency expert to WebMD and HuffPost. Her board service includes American Diabetes Association, New York Yoga Teacher’s Association, and Conscious Capitalism-NYC.

Tevis lives what she teaches from her homes in Woodstock and Chelsea NYC, enjoying story slamming, surfing, snowboarding, playing guitar and singing.

  • The full quote Tevis kicks off our conversation referencing (from Martin Luther King Jr): “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well. '”

How to connect with Tevis...
Instagram - @tevistrower
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tevistrower
Twitter - https://twitter.com/corporateyogi

Interested in working with Tevis...Balanceintegration.com/happiness

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How work does not have to be a four letter word, but instead a relationship with others and ourselves
  • How to get over perfection and embrace fabulousness; working with what is going on versus being a victim of our circumstances
  • The importance of asking yourself powerful questions, including “What things threw you off this week?” and “How many things delighted you this week?”

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they shine.

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Robert “Bo” Brabo. Right out of high school, Bo joined the military and had an incredibly successful career serving our country, including working directly for Presidents Bush and Obama. He had the unique opportunity to follow mentors to amazing jobs he never would have imagined by “raising my hand once and the rest just followed” and help his fellow servicemen and women build amazing careers for themselves. But more importantly he helped grow future leaders, which he then turned into his second career once he retired from service.

More about Bo...
Bo Brabo has a combined 30+ years of Human Resources Leadership experience in the Department of Defense and private industry. Throughout his career, Bo has always focused on the people, helping them tackle their business problems as if they were his own. Since retiring from the US Army as the Chief of HR Operations with the White House Communications Agency and Presidential Communications Officer for both Presidents Bush and Obama, Bo has served in several executive positions including most recently, Founder of Hail Media Group and The Brabo Center of Excellence, providing fully accredited continuing education for HR professionals around the globe.

How to connect with Bo...
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbrabo/
Website - www.robertbrabo.com

Interested in working with Bo...
Use code "BOANDLUKE" for 20% off of any of Bo's e-Learning courses at https://thebrabocenterofexcellence.teachable.com/courses

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • The importance of networking and saying yes to new opportunities
  • The art of storytelling and how important communication skills are, not just for leaders, but for all team members
  • How to handle high stakes projects and build character and confidence in those moments

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Angelica Patlan about her journey through a couple of different majors in school to years as a police dispatcher and how that led her to explore HR! Why HR? During her time as a dispatcher, she saw employee turnover that wasn’t addressed, she saw opportunities to improve morale and communication. She was told that “didn’t have anything to do with HR” but she felt differently!

More about Angelica Patlan...
As the proud daughter of a single mother and first generation college graduate, Angelica has been breaking down barriers and overcoming obstacles since day one. She recently transitioned into HR with a nontraditional background and is passionate about employee engagement and bettering the feel of the workplace. She has a B.A in Anthropology from Smith College and a M.S. in HRM from SNHU.

How to connect with Angelica...
https://www.linkedin.com/in/apatlan

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to stand in your own power, and not focus on what you “don’t have”
  • How to network and put yourself out there to meet new people...which leads to new opportunities you didn’t even know existed
  • How to identify what you want and why...and then how to tell that story with confidence

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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In this week’s episode, I talk with Lauren Widrick about not just her career journey but also how she helps others now design the life they want to lead. Lauren was interested in the psychology of marketing and business but like all of us, she found herself in a career that wasn’t filling her soul, “I was a right brain girl working in a left brain world”. When she found herself in crisis mode, she realized she had to make a change. And now she helps others realize their full potential, the swagger we all have inside, and how we can craft the life and the career we truly want.

More about Lauren...
Lauren Widrick is a Life + Business coach. Her mission is to help you Grab Life by the Goals. She helps people at all phases of their entrepreneurial journey, from startup to sales to scaling. She helps people find the swagger to to expand and disrupt in all areas of business. She offers courses, coaching masterminds, retreats and speaking/training engagements.

How to connect with Lauren...
IG - @laurenwidrick
Website - https://www.laurenwidrick.com

Interested in working with Lauren...
Use code SQUAD to receive a $300 discount on the Slay Your Side Hustle 90-day business accelerator program.
https://lauren-widrick-coaching.mykajabi.com/slay-your-side-hustle-live-program

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to identify what you actually want to do by pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, without finding yourself saying yes to everything and drowning
  • How to take messy action and try something new, breaking it down bit by bit
  • And finally making the decision to “love it or list it” - where to make a change in your life and your career to build your legacy

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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Welcome to Season Three of the Shine at Work Podcast (formerly known as Getting off the Hamster Wheel). Why the name change? As I reflected over last year of all the episodes and the goal of the podcast, I realized (with the help of my new friends at Novice Studios) that really we are talking to people that have all kinds of career journeys, not just people who felt stuck. And that the connecting thread is that they found a way to live their best life and found a career that represented them. We all work way too much and if we aren’t enjoying what we do, our light is dim.

This season we talk to people who made full career changes (police dispatcher to the corporate world), people who left the corporate world to be entrepreneurs, folks who have had lots of different jobs because the non-linear career path is right for them, and others who now coach people to design the best life for them or create amazing cultures for others to be set up for success. They have all found what makes them shine at work.

Links mentioned:

  • Shine Bright Worksheet - find out what areas of your life are a little dim for you right now and how you can adjust to shine bright
  • Novice Studios - an amazing production team that not only helped me with my rebranding but is now editing all my episodes!

In this episode you’ll specifically learn...

  • How to take the first step to shine at work (spoiler alert, find a partner!)

I’m Karen Weeks, the Founder & Principal Coach at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, a speaker, published author, Girls in Tech NYC board member and award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove). My purpose is guiding individuals to get unstuck from a career that is draining them and transform their careers so they can feel the same renewed energy I did all those years ago when I transitioned from theatre to human resources to coaching. I live in NYC with my husband and furry babies!

Connect with Me!

  • Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • “Transform Your Career” Facebook Group
  • Twitter

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I truly cannot express enough gratitude to all the listeners. I can't believe we have done 50+ episodes over the last year, over two seasons, with full length episodes with amazing guests and mini-episodes in-between to help create some actionable next steps based on the advice of our guests.

While there are always great take-aways from every episode and each season. For me, this season was all about how life is too important to not enjoy the work you are doing. You don't have to live a life others expect of you, or stay in a career you aren't enjoying any more or that is impacting your health negatively.

As we take a break in July, I leave you with this challenge to think about how you can transform your career this summer...

  • Find clarity - Why are you feeling stuck today? What is not working? Is it your career or something else in your life?
  • Make a change - Once you have decided what needs to change, what can you do to take a step to make that change?
  • Evolve your career - Maybe you actually are trying to get a promotion or a new role internally. Or you have landed that next amazing job but you want to make sure you are going to kick butt in the new role. How can you talk to your manager about your internal career goals?

As I mentioned, we will be back the first week of August with all new episodes. Until then, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. You can even just take a screen shot of the episode and share it on social media and tag me! We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and transform their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers or follow me on Instagram(career_changers_kdw) or Twitter (career_changers) for more tips or to connect so we can help you transform your career and get off the hamster wheel!

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In this week's episode, our last full episode of season two, I speak with Kellie who took her years of experience as a physical therapist and expanded her offerings to include a broader approach to wellness. Some of the shifts were purposeful, others were opportunistic, others were "forced" upon her but every time she asked herself "who do I serve and how can I be helping them even more". We also talk about that she honestly wouldn't have been able to make the career shifts she did earlier in her career because she needed that strong expertise and knowledge to have the confidence and credibility to expand her business.

In this episode we specifically talk about

  • Having those light bulbs moments when you say, "I actually think I can do this"
  • The importance of starting with one new thing, asking people if it would be valuable, and trying it out - versus getting stuck and waiting until its perfect before putting out in the world
  • Listen to the opportunities when they present themselves, be open-minded with a growth mindset because that's when you find something new and exciting

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) and Instagram page (@career_changers_kdw) for more tips!

So let's connect so we can chat about the best way to get you unstuck and into a role, or life, that is right for you!

More about Kellie...Kellie is foremost is a mom of 4 kids and a true entrepreneur.

Kellie studied at the University of Arizona for her bachelors degree and the Mayo clinic in Rochester Minnesota for her Masters in Physical Therapy. She then achieved a second Master’s degree in Business from University of Phoenix.

Kellie and her husband, Arthur, have their own private practice in Laguna Niguel, California specializing in Neurological disorders; Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion, as well as Wellness Optimization. She has an integrative approach to treating and a huge passion for Prevention, Wellness and Regaining Vitality. She is also part of an International Wellness Company bringing a medical breakthrough to the world. Today, Kellie and her husband, have a Podcast, “Becoming the CEO of your Health” and she is the CEO of Women’s Wellness Revolution, a Membership for Women over 40 looking to optimize their energy, focus, overall health and life using the Vitality Method.

Learn more: https://linktr.ee/kellielupsha

https://members.thelupshas.com/wwr

Https://thelupshas.com

Contact me on messenger: Kellie Lupsha or info@thelupshas.com

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In last week's episode with Duncan he spoke about the connection between his work and his personal values. Values have come up a lot over the last few weeks in my life so I thought this might be a great time to share an exercise you can do identify your personal values!

In this episode, I walk you through a values exercise...

1) Over a week, write down (draw, vision, journal, post it, whatever!) words, behaviors, phrases that best identify you at your core, your true self.
2) Find 3-5 themes from everything you captured.
3) Ask trusted others what words they would use to describe you.
4) Think about a time when you felt you were at your best and when you were not. How do those themes overlap with those times. Often the right values describe you at your best, and they were missing when you were at your worst.
5) Put it all together :). Pick words, phrases, something simple for each value that mean something to you!

Now you can use those values to help guide your life and your work. Help you make decisions, help you prioritize, help create goals and communicate with others. What can you be doing differently to live your life aligned with your values? How does your work & career align with your values? What is one thing you can do more of because it IS aligned? And what is one thing you can do differently to better align with your values?

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers or follow me on Instagram (career_changers_kdw) or Twitter (career_changers) for more tips or connect with me so we can find a the right career for you!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Duncan who started as an engineer and spent years at Virgin Mobile. But he always had a focus on people and the human interaction between technology and customers. So when life presented an "interruption moment" he spun that human focused approach first into a psychology degree. He started a non-profit to help student think about their careers in Ghana and then created the Burnout Clinic in Toronto which helps companies and their leaders prevent or treat burnout. Little did he know that this focus on the human side of business was going to be so crucial as a pandemic hit the globe.

In this episode we specifically talk about

  • The Hero's Journey and how those moments of resilience and questioning and forks in the road can end up creating an amazing career
  • Recognizing "interruption moments" and how to leverage those into a pivot in your life (and career!)
  • A lot of talk about burnout!
  • Finding our motivation through personal valies
  • And how we are coping through this pandemic in a collective movement that will hopefully continue as we start to figure out our new normal

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) and Instagram page (@career_changers_kdw) for more tips!

So let's connect so we can chat about the best way to get you unstuck and into a role, or life, that is right for you!

More about Duncan...Duncan So is the Co-Founder & Executive Director at The Burnout Clinic. Duncan has been a child of corporate burnout that has led him professionally into the field of human flourishing for over a decade working on systemic social change projects. He’s a social entrepreneur and change agent, on a mission to create a more passionate world building systems and programs for companies and communities on the path of making social good.

Board Certified with the Association of Integrative Psychology. A Master Practitioner in Mental Emotional Release, NLP and Hypnosis. He graduated with a degree in Applied Sciences specializing in Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto.

At the Burnout Clinic, we help HR Leaders and Entrepreneurs develop and integrate burnout intervention programs within their organization. Our flagship 2-day burnout intervention program stops the cycle of high anxiety, fatigue, creative slumps, and burnout, and rapidly returns leaders back happy, productive and creatively engaged at work.

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In last week's episode with Brittany, she talked about how at one point she thought she found her "dream" job but it still wasn't making her happy. She had to take a step back and figure out what was not aligned for her, her values and what was going to really bring her joy in her role.

This is common with the folks I talk to - you think you have figured it all out but when you get there you aren't loving it. Instead of running away from a job you aren't enjoying, I challenge you to take some time to reflect what you actually don't enjoy about your current situation. Is it...

1) The company or the culture?
2) Is it your manager or your team?
3) Is it the actual role and day to day responsibilities?

Once you have figured that out, then you can figure out what you need/want to change in the next job. And you will be running towards something amazing, not just away from a job you aren't enjoying today? Need a little more help with this, check out this worksheet that I use with my coachees to help them dig a little deeper in these areas!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers or follow me on Instagram (career_changers_kdw) or Twitter (career_changers) for more tips or connect with me so we can find a the right career for you!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Brittany who while going through her own career journey of getting unstuck in a career she wasn't enjoying found a purpose of helping others with the same. While working her "dream job" (ie the job that combined all her past experiences and education) she still found herself uninspired. She started working with a coach and realized he wanted to offer others what she was gaining from her own experience with a coach. Even after landing a great corporate job, when COVID hit, she knew she had to make a leap and start her own practice!!!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) and Instagram page (@career_changers_kdw) for more tips!

So let's connect so we can chat about the best way to get you unstuck and into a role, or life, that is right for you!

More about Brittany...Brittany is the founder of Hello Velocity where she empowers ambitious millennials to get unstuck now to avoid the midlife crisis later. When she isn’t coaching, you can find her doing yoga, learning something new (currently: Spanish and piano), or cuddling with her cat and dog at home. You can follow her on Instagram!

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In last week's episode with Danielle, she mapped out how she made the move from accounting to internal communications through freelancing and starting to write on the side. This allowed her to build a portfolio and brand as a writer that she could then present to jobs when she was ready to make the move.

This is one of the key elements of getting UNSTUCK! So in this mini-episode the challenges I lay out are...
1) What is one thing can start doing on your own that represents the new career you want to move into?
2) Then how can you start doing it casually for others?
3) Finally, how can you do it as a freelancer or part time to start building credibility and experiences you can share with future employers.

I use event planning in the episode, but whatever becoming a teacher? You start by helping teach (especially remote learning) kids in your family, then maybe you offer to volunteer to help at a school or a non-profit for kids whose parents can't help them with their school work, then finally you sign up to be a substitute teacher or a tutor. It all builds to a great list of experiences as a teacher without ever having to take that leap to leave your current job until you are ready.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers or follow me on Instagram (career_changers_kdw) or Twitter (career_changers) for more tips or connect with me so we can find a the right career for you!

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In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, I wanted to follow up Regard's episode with some insight into how different areas of your life can impact your health and of course when you don't feel your best, you often feel disengaged at work as well.  It all feeds each other!  I call this our ability to Shine Bright!  

All the areas below impact our satisfaction and happiness in life.  Where are you feeling the most dim?  Where are you stuck?  

  • Career
  • Finances
  • Home
  • Relationships
  • Health
  • Purpose

Here's the link to my Shine Bright worksheet if you you want to explore and reflect further.  It includes action plans once you have identified where you are feeling the most stuck as well!  

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others.  We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers.  If our guests can do it, you can too!  

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers or follow me on Instagram (career_changers_kdw) or Twitter (career_changers) for more tips or connect with me so we can find a the right career for you!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Regard who shares her story of finding her way as a make-up artist in the fashion industry to recognizing the impact it was having on her mental health to starting her own business focusing on self-development, self-love and mindset. She has such an infectious laugh and energy but is also very real about her struggles with burnout and mental illness and how she has now turned that into her mission to help others. Her message of finding the path that's right for you, no matter your stage of life, finding success through joy and fulfillment (because otherwise what's the point), to love what you do and do what you love, and stop comparing yourself to others is all a reflection of her own journey of trying things outside of her comfort zone and riding the ride along the way!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) and Instagram page (@career_changers_kdw) for more tips!

So let's connect so we can chat about the best way to get you unstuck and into a role, or life, that is right for you!

More about Regard...Regard was a professional makeup artist in the fashion and commercial industry for over a decade turn certified life coach. Her focus is on self-development, self- love and mindset. Her strong work ethic and people skill as an artist has landed her on many magnificent projects and well-known brands, such as Victoria’s Secret, Project Runway, JCrew, Nike, Levi's, Bobbi Brown, among many other amazing clients. Regard always knew her gift is to create a trusting relationship with her clients by making them look and feel beautiful about
themselves. Despite finding success, Regard felt unfulfilled and dissatisfied in her work. She developed depression and anxiety without knowing for many years. In 2018, she started going to therapy to find joy once again in her life. She realized an unpredictable makeup artist lifestyle doesn’t serve her anymore. The silver lining was that her career in cosmetics would lead her to a bigger mission.

In 2020, Regard decided to start her coaching business. She knows love and compassion are much needed especially during a pandemic. Regard’s friendly, fun-loving and trustworthy character attracts many clients in her coaching practice. She believes everyone is enough and beautiful in their own way. Her compassion and kindness help clients to achieve their goals and help them bring out a better version of themselves. Regard is committed to giving each individual client exceptional service, full and nonjudgmental support and authentic
communication.

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In this week's episode, I speak with Danielle who eventually went from accounting to corporate communications. But her message is less about the career change and more about the steps she took to get there. First moving out of accounting, when she realized it was impacting her health, to recruiting accountants. And then writing on the side, sharing her story and writing for others, then to social media marketing and finally corporate communications. But she kept taking small steps to get her closer to her goal (and honestly, learning more about what she wanted that goal to be along the way)!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) and Instagram page (@career_changers_kdw) for more tips!

In addition to 1:1 coaching, I have a free workshop this Thursday, April 22nd that focuses on how your health and your engagement in your career are directly tied. And registration is still open for the May cohort of Transform Your Career, my group program for people making a career change. So let's connect so we can chat about the best way to get you unstuck and in a role that is right for you!

More about Danielle...Danielle Doolen is a Charlotte-based communications professional and freelance writer. Her writing has been published in Business Insider, Career Contessa, Elite Daily, PopSugar, The Financial Diet, Motherly, and more. She has a master’s degree in professional accountancy from the University at Albany, which she realizes has nothing to do with her current profession. By day, she works at a Fortune 500 automotive retailer to create content and strategize the best way to share it, but her favorite role to date is being a mom and a wife. Learn more about her at www.danielledoolen.com.

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A little something different this week as we approach the halfway point in season two.  My approach to helping people in their careers is to help them get UNSTUCK.  It's the theme of every one of our guests - they felt stuck and worked to find a new path forward that was more fulfilling.  So this week, I walk through what UNSTUCK means and how you can apply it to your own life.

The challenge for this week is just one thing!   Where are you feeling the most stuck in your career journey...and what is one thing you are going to do today to start getting UNSTUCK?

And of course I'm here to help!

I offer 1:1 coaching packages and my group program starts the first week of May.  Our next career changer workshop will be on April 22nd with special guest Julie Wald from Namaste Wellness.   Check out my website for more info or follow me on social media to learn more about upcoming registration and ways we can connect.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others.  We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers.  If our guests can do it, you can too!  

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers, Instagram (career_changers_kdw), Twitter (career_changers) or LinkedIn (Karen D Weeks0 for more tips or to connect so we can find the right next career for you!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Marie about her journey from teaching to writing to the editorial department to corporate communications and social responsibility. The whole time she was creating her path and finding unique opportunities to challenge herself. Then when two layoffs happened in two years, she realized life was telling her that it was time to work for herself and create the kind of business that reflected who she was and the impact she wanted to have. Take a risk, take a leap, especially if you are in a toxic environment, and find a way to thrive!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) and Instagram page (@career_changers_kdw) for more tips!

As you will hear in this episode my first group coaching program launches this May, registration is now open. And my next free workshop is this April 22nd. So let's make sure to connect so I can help you navigate your own career journey and get off the hamster wheel!

More about Marie...Marie Gettel-Gilmartin is a writer and marketing communications coach who loves to connect people and resources or solve seemingly impossible problems.

She guides clients in discovering what makes them special and helps them share that with the world. She also does that on her Finding Fertile Ground podcast, where she interviews people who possess grit, resilience, and connection and helps them bring their stories to life.

Marie helps clients communicate about pressing issues; create compelling websites that showcase company culture; implement world-class sustainability and community engagement strategies; ghostwrite for clients to position them as experts in their fields; write communications that boost employee engagement; coach leaders and executives on how to strengthen communications and leadership; help win work by writing compelling, unbeatable proposals and award applications; and coordinate authors and reviewers to produce documents in one voice.

Find out more at Fertile Ground Communication or contact Marie directly at marie@fertilegroundcommunications.com

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I've spoken about this before, but especially after Coonoor talked so much about choice, I thought it was a good time to bring back the message of the Serenity Prayer and the power to make changes (or not)!  

In this week's episode I walk through an exercise you can do to help...

1) Accept the things you cannot change
2) The courage to change the things you can
3)  And the wisdom to know the difference

And of course action plans for all of the above.  And as always, I'm here to help!

I am launching my first group coaching program in May so make sure we are connected so you can learn more!  

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others.  We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers.  If our guests can do it, you can too!  

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers or follow me on Instagram (career_changers_kdw) or Twitter (career_changers) for more tips or connect with me so we can find a the right career for you!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Coonoor Behal. I had a lot of fun chatting with Coonoor, so much of her story resonated with me and I think will for you as well. We not only talk about all her different industry experiences, but the importance of discovering your personal values and getting to know yourself along the way. That's its out to try different things because that is the only way to not just learn what you want to do...but just as important, what you do NOT want to do. And whether you decide to quit or not, you are making a choice, and that is your choice to make. What is really amazing is that you realize the whole time she was building a career based on creativity and innovation and just finding a way to bring the two together.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) and Instagram page (@career_changers_kdw) for more tips!

My next free workshop for career changers is this Thursday, March 25th! I hope to see you there (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/143997377031).

More about Coonoor ...
Coonoor Behal is the Founder & CEO of Mindhatch, a consultancy that helps organizations create the conditions for innovation and creativity to thrive. Through Mindhatch, Coonoor delivers her unique mix of expertise in Design Thinking, Organizational Improv™, Innovation Facilitation, and Diversity & Inclusion.

Coonoor has helped Deloitte create, prototype, and launch an in-house design thinking consulting arm; been a part of a “stealth” team of design strategists and researchers guiding numerous teams at Starbucks; trained more than 100 people at Bethpage Federal Credit Union in design thinking and creative problem-solving; helped the Department of State and the Pentagon use improv to be more creative and collaborative thinkers; and has helped the Inter-American Development Bank’s Gender & Diversity Division generate and come to consensus on their strategic vision.

Coonoor is also the author of I Quit! The Life-Affirming Joy of Giving Up, which will be published by New Degree Press in April 2021. The book seeks to help readers rethink and reframe quitting by sharing stories from everyday people who summoned the courage to quit things in their lives.

Coonoor has been an improv comedy performer for 10 years, is an avid fan of professional tennis, and dotes on Nikka, her Bernese Mountain Dog.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/coonoorbehal/

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Several of our guests have talked about building their own freelance or full-time business as part of their career changes.  So I wanted to expand on some of Alex's tips and my own experiences to help you find success if this is the path you take!

In this week's episode I give you three challenges to help you set your business up for success! 

1) Where do you want to spend your time within your business?
2) Where can you outsource any work you don't enjoy or need outside expertise?
3)  How can you protect the time needed to work on your freelance work?

And of course I'm here to help!

I am leading my next career changer workshop on Thursday March 25th, check out my website for more info or follow me on social media to learn more about upcoming registration.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others.  We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers.  If our guests can do it, you can too!  

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers or follow me on Instagram (career_changers_kdw) or Twitter (career_changers) for more tips or connect with me 1:1 so we can find a the right career for you!

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In this week's episode, I speak with my good friend Alex Cason. After years of just going job to job without finding his purpose, he finally realized that he could make a career out of photography. It was always a hobby and while he never had any formal training or support to go out on his own, he has built a successful freelance business (even during COVID). He has some great advice for anyone who feels lost and wants to start their own business. And he is just a character and I think you will love the conversation.

Speaking of freelance support, here is the link to the platform I mention in the beginning of the episode: gethecticapp.com/gettingoffthehamsterwheel

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) and Instagram page (@career_changers_kdw) for more tips! And I'm running a special for my Teachable course that dives into each step in order to make a career change! Check it out at https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Alex ...Alex Cason is a Charlotte-based photographer who’s primary focus is artistic storytelling. Cason’s dynamic interpretations are woven into the fabric of urban life that is bustling with growth, challenged daily with racial and socioeconomic equality issues, and overflowing with art and creativity. Alex’s photographic work is on display at a gallery at Sanctuary Pub in Noda arts district in Charlotte or you can check out his website https://www.alexcasonphotography.com

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It's ok to change your mind.  This might be the best advice on this podcast from last week's guest!   Change can be scary.   But it is necessary in life...if you know what needs to change and why.

In this week's episode I give you three challenges and exercises on to identify if you need to make a change and what needs to change!  
1) Is it a bad day or time to make a changes 
2) Is it the role or the company  and  
3) What do you need and what do you want...and are you getting that today.
Don't be scared!  I walk you through all three of those considerations.   And I'm here to help if you want to connect!  

I am leading my next career changer workshop on Thursday March 25th, check out my website for more info or follow me on social media to learn more about upcoming registration.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others.  We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers.  If our guests can do it, you can too!  

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers or follow me on Instagram (career_changers_kdw) or Twitter (career_changers) for more tips or connect with me 1:1 so we can find a the right career for you!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Chaelyn Wielkie about her many many roles in different industries. Even as she found her passion for helping people improve and grow personally and with their health, she still loves holding different jobs at once. I have talked to more and more people that realize their "career" is a combination of a bunch of jobs that all come together as one career path. And it's ok to not know along the way what your "long term" plan is! Her energy is infectious and her honesty about the side looks she got when asked the question "so what are you doing now" is so genuine! I love her final advice...You are allowed to change your mind!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) and Instagram page (@career_changers_kdw) for more tips! And I'm running a special for my Teachable course that dives into each step in order to make a career change! Check it out at https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Chaelyn ...Chaelyn Wielkie is a multi-passionate entrepreneur, coach, and teacher who is no stranger to transitioning through many different industries throughout her career. She started in education, then pivoted into healthcare, retail management, then restaurant management, and then back to education and training over the past decade. After discovering the common thread through all her various experiences - the deep desire to help people improve and grow - Chaelyn now works in fitness, health and wellness education, and life coaching.

Connect with Chaelyn on Instagram @consistently.chaelyn

Find her podcast, Conscious Confessions - anywhere you listen to pods

Join her email list for freebies, updates and more at www.chaelyn.com/joinmylist

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Are you feeling stuck because you aren't sure how your skills will transfer to your next career? I get it, when I left the arts I had to really work to put together a story of my main skills and how they applied to a job in the corporate world. But guess what, they totally did. And yours do as well!

In this week's episode I give you three challenges and exercises on how to get unstuck! 1) Identify the skills you enjoy using and are your strengths 2) Find new ways to demonstrate those skills and 3) Grow those skills through any additional training or coaching.
Easy peasy :) Seriously, I walk you through it all, take a listen! And I'm here to help if you want to connect! I also wrote a blog post a few weeks ago that ties to this if you want to get some additional tips! https://www.karendweeks.com/blog/

I am even leading a free virtual workshop this Thursday on how to talk to your manager about your career development. You can register here! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/141224619639

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers or follow me on Instagram (career_changers_kdw) or Twitter (career_changers) for more tips or connect with me 1:1 so we can find a the right career for you!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Deb Meyer who went from multiple roles at Proctor & Gamble (specifically testing diapers!) to real estate to starting her own business with a line of products that get rid of tough odors in your house. Sounds like a lot of career changes but Deb focuses on that they all take problem solving. That this key still has been the driver of every job she has had and given her the ability to evolve her own business during COVID. It's a fascinating story and you have to check out the product itself: https://www.odorxit.com

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) and Instagram page (@career_changers_kdw) for more tips! And I'm running a special for my Teachable course that dives into each step in order to make a career change! Check it out at https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Deb...Deb Meyer is the CEO and owner of Listening Systems, Inc. dba OdorXit – when
your places don’t smell pleasant – get OdorXit. Deb and her husband have always
had jobs that solved problems. They started this company after buying a rental
property that had a lot of stinky cat pee everywhere! Once they realized they had
a product that would totally eliminate the cat urine smell forever, they started
manufacturing and shipping their now named “OdorXit odor eliminator products”
throughout the US and Canada.

“We became experts on odor elimination and entrepreneurs out of necessity -
find a need then fill it. We’ve saved people thousands of dollars on remediation
costs and have made them a whole lot more by increasing the value of their
property – homes and even elderly communities - by making it smell great!

Before OdorXit, Deb worked in Corporate American for 20 years solving problems,
has been on many real estate investor association boards and elder care
networking boards. In her spare time she takes walks with her blind Puggle she
affectionately calls “Velcro” dog.

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Are you feeling stuck because of labels or expectations you have heard from others or put on yourself?  I get it, when I decided to leave a career in theatre I was lost.  I defined myself as a theatre person.  What was I if I wasn't that anymore?!

In this week's episode I give you three challenges and exercises on how  to get unstuck!  1) Remove the labels and realize you are so much more than your career.  2) Let go of expectations of others (or of yourself).  3) Figure out what makes you genuinely happy.  Easy peasy :)  Seriously, I walk you through it all, take a listen!  And I'm here to help if you want to connect!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others.  We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers.  If our guests can do it, you can too!  

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers or follow me on Instagram (career_changers_kdw) or Twitter (career_changers) for more tips or connect with me 1:1 so we can find a the right career for you!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Bernadette Joy who went from HR to running a fashion company to taking her own personal experiences with money and starting a financial education company. Crush Your Money Goals is just the latest example of Bernadette shedding the expectations and labels put on her throughout her career, and her life, and finding the path that speaks to her where she can help others with their financial goals. As she puts it, she never wants someone to be financially dependent on their job, but be in control of their own financial stability & success. And she does it all in her own way and her personality screaming through the microphone! She specifically has two upcoming programs you should check out at https://www.crushyourmoneygoals.com

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers for more tips! And I'm running a special for my Teachable course that dives into each step in order to make a career change! Check it out at https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Bernadette...

Bernadette takes personal finance personally. Overwhelmed and ignored by
traditional advice, she learned not just to talk the talk. She walks the
walk, having paid off over $300,000 of debt in three years and is on track
to retire in her forties.

Dubbed her "magic recipe" by Good Morning America, she also shares
her trademarked five-step Crush Your Money Goals® method as a
contributor for CNBC, TIME, and multiple TV and podcast shows.
While she has over a decade of Fortune 100 experience, two bachelors,
a masters degree and numerous certifications, she's known more for her
refreshing energy, engaging style and relatable messaging.

Her classes are centered around her trademarked CRUSH YOUR
MONEY GOALS® system that teaches simple tips, and tools to:

  • Cultivate a positive money mindset
  • Reverse engineer life goals into manageable steps
  • Use your time, energy, and money efficiently
  • Spend on what matters to you most
  • Hustle to make your income meet your money goals faster!

When she’s not teaching, you can find her singing karaoke, delving into DIY
projects, and eating way too much chocolate with her husband AJ.

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What does alignment and fulfillment look like for you in your personal life? What are the skills and strengths that you have that you WANT to keep using in future roles?  These were the two final pieces of advice that Itiah shared in her episode.  This week I dig into these deeper and share suggestions on how to identify the things that are important to you and the life you want to lead through your career.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others.  We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers.  If our guests can do it, you can too!  

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers for more tips or connect with me 1:1 so we can find a the right career for you!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Itiah who after 11 years in construction realized it was not allowing her to bring her genuine self to her job. She found herself burnt out and in a place where she was not living the life she wanted. So she took a step back, thought about the skills she enjoyed using and what was important to her in her personal life (spoiler alert, it includes the flexibility for travel!) and found a new career in UX. Itiah is a great story teller and has always known she wanted to work with "space" somehow - it just went from "outer space, physical space to virtual space". And now she takes her experiences to encourage other to make career changes. Check out the info below in her bio about her next cohort of Career Upgrade!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers for more tips! And I'm running a special for my Teachable course that dives into each step in order to make a career change! Check it out at https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Itiah...

Hi! My name is Itiah Thomas. I moved from the USA to Australia without having a job lined up or local network, and after a 18 month sabbatical landed a job in my industry with more money & seniority. Yet after 10 years in the commercial construction project management industry it was time for a change so I could live a more aligned lifestyle. I started nearly from scratch, invested in myself & moved to a new, foriegn city to complete a professional leap into tech. In less than one year I've become a Product Designer and User Experience Design Consultant at a prominent global IT company helping large organizations improve their customer & employee’s experiences.

I have expanded and rebuilt my professional network 5 times in 2 countries to support my location and career shifts. I’ve gone on to provide countless people with job & career transition guidance and expansion of their network.

I have created Leaping for Change to prepare people to take a leap of faith, particularly in the areas of changing a job or careers, travelling long-term or moving abroad so they can experience an aligned & fulfilled lifestyle.

More about her upcoming next session of her program Career Upgrade!

Confidently complete your change to a career that aligns with how and where you desire to live. She'll be teaching a small group of people age 30+ who are unsure about how they can start over professionally to fund their life abroad my proven process to confidently complete their change to a new career or job so they can:

  • Feel financially secure about your international move
  • Transition careers with certainty without starting from the bottom regardless of their skills or experience
  • Find enjoyable work that aligns with how & where you desire to live

Book a call with Itiah so she can find out more about you and share details of the program to mutually see if it's a good fit: https://bit.ly/2KKyWG3

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Welcome to Season Two and Happy New Year!   We have some amazing guests this season who all have a similar story of feeling stuck because of pressure or expectations to be in one place when really they wanted to explore a new career path.  It's amazing the journey these folks take and I'm honored they share it with us.

But first, just a quick welcome episode to kick us off!  And my challenge to you - how are you going to get "unstuck" this year?  And what is holding you back?

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others who will find it helpful.  We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers.  And apparently ratings and reviews help when people search for these kinds of topics!

Check out our Facebook Group (Career Changers) for more tips and advice.  And my Teachable course (at a discounted rate through January) that dives into each step in order to make a career change! Check it out at https://career_development.teachable.com.

And of course, feel free to connect directly through my website, LinkedIn, Twitter or whatever way you feel comfortable.  I offer 1:1 coaching, webinars, free resources and a lot more as we get into the new year.  So let's connect!

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I can't believe we produced 12 full episodes and 12+ mini-episodes over the last six months.  Thank you to everyone who has listened and supported the show and our guests.  In this final mini-episode, I reflect back on all the great advice our guests have shared and a final call to action for you before the year ends.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others who will find it helpful.  We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers.  And apparently ratings and reviews help when people search for these kinds of topics!

I'm running a year end special for my Teachable course that dives into each step in order to make a career change! Check it out at https://career_development.teachable.com. And finally, check out our Facebook page: Career Changers for more tips each week!

Have a wonderful holiday season and cheers to a new year!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Mitch who had a lot of self-defined "oh crap" moments in his career. But by keeping true to his values, recognizing the fundamental strengths that he has, and being open to figuring it out as he went with a great sense of humor, Mitch turned those moments into big opportunities and an amazing career journey! From swimming to being a pastor to sales & sales leadership to owning his own coffee company - it doesn't get much more "career changer" than that! But as always, each experience was actually prepping him for the next.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers for more tips! And I'm running a year end special for my Teachable course that dives into each step in order to make a career change! Check it out at https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Mitch...

I have a deep-seeded passion for empowering and building people who are the voice of great products - focusing on the why behind the what. Laying foundations for true scalability, understanding and optimizing the sales funnel, and the consistent reiteration of a company’s vision are my foundation. Serve others and be a good steward. Period.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchdyoung/

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In my conversation with Brooke last week, she shared how she was able to make her career change by staying with her company at the time and changing departments.  In this mini-episode, I share some tips on how to think about if you want to find a new role in your current company and how to have that conversation with your manager!

By the way, for our final mini-episodes I am going to answer questions submitted from the audience.  So if you have a question you want me to include (anonymously of course), email me directly at kdweeks.hr@gmail.com

Follow this conversation and more in our Facebook Group: Career Changers!  And don't forget listeners to the podcast get a discount on my Teachable course with the code "HAMSTER".  The training is full of exercises like the worksheet about about how to get unstuck in your current role and find fulfillment in a new career.  There is also a coaching package that you can add on as well. You can register at https://career_development.teachable.com

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In this week's episode, I speak with Brooke, who I had the pleasure of working with at Yodle!  After some stops along the way she found herself in a Client Services role but realized her skills could be used in a different department, Human Resources.  So she talked to the local HR lead and found a path into HR...all while staying at a company she loved!  Brooke shares her story and specifically her advice to people who want to make a career change but still stay at their current company!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others.  We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers.  If our guests can do it, you can too!  

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers for more tips!  And don't forget listeners of the podcast get a 20% discount on my new Teachable course about how to make a career change.  You can also sign up for a coaching package through Teachable as well.  Just use the code "Hamster".  https://career_development.teachable.com

You can learn more about Brooke and her backgound on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-koutoudis-3a247939/

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In my conversation with Bryan last week, we went down a path talking about burnout and how companies and managers should help their teams manage stress.

In this mini-episode, I ask you some tough questions about what you need in your manager, what kind of team dynamics are important to you, and how (or if) you want your company to reflect your values.  These are key questions in your career journey.   It's not just the role you are considering, but the environment you are going to be working that is just as important.    If these questions were helpful to get your mind turning, check out my full career changer worksheet for even more!  https://docs.google.com/document/d/11til4Blt5GDAZeVdxf6ArblWCC_3yXTk2eO6NQnmWIQ/edit?usp=sharing

Follow this conversation and more in our Facebook Group: Career Changers!  And don't forget listeners to the podcast get a discount on my Teachable course with the code "HAMSTER".  The training is full of exercises like the worksheet about about how to get unstuck in your current role and find fulfillment in a new career.  There is also a coaching package that you can add on as well. You can register at https://career_development.teachable.com

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In this week's episode, I speak with Bryan who found himself taking his interest in human performance and building a career from the military, to helping train athletes to a tech platform that helps employees. On paper those all may look different, but when you did in, you will see each role naturally led to the next! And we expand the conversation to talk about helping people with burnout and how managers and organizations can better help their teams, especially during these heightened times.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

Check out our Facebook page: Career Changers for more tips! And don't forget listeners of the podcast get a 20% discount on my new Teachable course about how to make a career change. You can also sign up for a coaching package through Teachable as well. Just use the code "Hamster". https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Bryan:

Bryan is an ex Wellness Professional/Pro Sports Performance coach turned repeat founder and startup advisor. As the Co-Founder & COO of LEON, he is responsible for business development and employee ecosystem, putting people and technology to work alongside small to large companies and the wellness marketplace to accelerate their corporate and social wellness efforts.

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In my conversation with Robyn last week, she talked about how her goal was to always say yes to new opportunities.  But also recognize when she was obsessing about something that was "not her door".

In this mini-episode, I dive more into the value of saying yes to opportunities outside of your comfort zone.  And how to have the self-awareness to either keep fighting or let it go when you hit a door that just isn't opening.

Follow this conversation and more in our Facebook Group: Career Changers!  And don't forget the October discount for my online training!   Using the code "FALLCHANGE" you can get 50% off my Teachable course about how to get unstuck in your current role and find fulfillment in a new career.  There is also a coaching package that you can add on as well. You can register at https://career_development.teachable.com

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In this week's episode, I speak with Robin who has spent her whole career creating new roles and leading the way in the technology space by saying yes to any opportunity that was presented to her. She is the definition of getting out of your comfort zone, especially when you consider most of the time she was the only woman on a team or in a department. I think her story will inspire everyone who listens.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this podcast to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

We are running a 50% special for October for the Teachable course that outlines details on how you can make a career change. You can also sign up for a coaching package through Teachable as well. Just use the code "FALLCHANGE" when you register for the course. https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Robin:

Ms. Byers is the CEO of her firm, Reed-Marec Consulting Group, LLC. Focusing on Human Resource and Financial systems, she has been employed in the Information Technology field for over 40 years, through every iteration of application software development. Starting with computers that filled entire floors, to the introduction of Windows and client/server, internet enabled applications, to SaaS and mobile apps and digital workflow, she has had the opportunity to learn, lead, manage and implement every technology shift over the past 4+ decades; all because she never said no to any opportunity.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Byers has managed over 45 projects to successful conclusion. Her clients include companies such as Universal Studios, Toshiba, Well-Point Health, AT&T Professional Services, T-Mobile, TransDigm and Applied Materials, as well as the Cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Jose and Ontario, CA, the States of New York and Indiana, and Seattle Public and Shelby County School Districts.

Robin lives just outside Seattle, WA and can be reached via robinmbyers@msn.com and (206) 660-0610. https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-byers-40560b3/ She is writing her memoir, due out early 2021.

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In my conversation with Julie last week, she talked about how she was driven more and more to help companies with diversity and inclusion strategies as she saw each company she went to did not have a leadership team that looked like her.  It became her purpose.

In this mini-episode, I dive more into how to not just identify your purpose but also different ways you can incorporate it into your work, or decide to fill that part of your soul outside of your 9-5 job.  Both are ok!!!  It's about what you need and what fits other areas of your life at this moment.

Follow this conversation and more in our Facebook Group: Career Changers!  And don't forget the October discount for my online training!   Using the code "FALLCHANGE" you can get 50% off my Teachable course about how to get unstuck in your current role and find fulfillment in a new career.  There is also a coaching package that you can add on as well. You can register at https://career_development.teachable.com

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In this week's episode, I speak with Julie who started her career in the corporate world but quickly realized that the leadership team didn't look a lot like her. And she saw that every place she went. She found her purpose helping teams create more diverse leadership teams and becoming more inclusive across the organization. Especially this year this has become such an important topic for companies to address and Julie is passionate about helping them build a strategy and helping leaders become allies for others.

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

We are running a 50% special for October for the Teachable course that outlines details on how you can make a career change. You can also sign up for a coaching package through Teachable as well. Just use the code "FALLCHANGE" when you register for the course. https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Julie:
Julie Kratz is a highly-acclaimed speaker and trainer who led teams and produced results in corporate America. After experiencing her own career “pivot point,” she developed a process for women leaders to build winning plans. Promoting gender equality in the workplace, Julie is a TEDx speaker, a frequent keynote speaker, and executive coach. She holds an MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, is a Certified Master Coach, and is a certified unconscious bias trainer. Her books include Pivot Point: How to Build a Winning Career Game Plan, ONE: How Male Allies Support Women for Gender Equality, and Lead Like an Ally: A Journey Through Corporate America with Strategies to Facilitate Inclusion. Meet Julie at NextPivotPoint.com and watch her speaker reel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2XdGIK8TOY.

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In my conversation with Stuart last week, he talked about how part of his career change journey was learning how he learned as an adult.  That his approach to learning was different now than when he was in school.  Which makes a lot of sense considering you are learning a skill, not a fact, and you will be applying it every day in your new job.

In this mini-episode, I dive more into different resources and tools to learn a new skill.  Especially in 2020, with so many virtual options available, you will be able to find a platform that supports the best way you learn, and in any budget!

Don't forget the discount for all our Hamster listeners!   Using the code "hamster" you can get 20% off my new Teachable course about how to get unstuck in your current role and find fulfillment in a new career.  There is also a coaching package that you can add on as well. You can register at https://career_development.teachable.com

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In this week's episode, I speak with Stuart who started his career in a customer support call center. After a being promoted to manager, he realized he had just fallen into this career and it wasn't what he actually enjoyed. During a vacation, he took the time to explore alternative careers and realized he wanted to move into engineering. But learning a new skill in your thirties is different then in school! After a lot of self-reflection and recognizing time and cost availability, he found his way to a bootcamp that set him up for success as an engineer. And he learned a little more about himself as a team member along the way!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

And don't forget listeners of the podcast get a 20% discount on my new Teachable course about how to make a career change. You can also sign up for a coaching package through Teachable as well. Just use the code "Hamster". https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Stuart:
Stuart graduated in 2004 with a BSc (Hons) in Multimedia Technology from Birmingham City University. He worked for 15 years in Stocks and shares Administration in a customer service role. After deciding to make a career change he began to teach himself to code at home and in January 2019 he undertook a 16 week coding bootcamp and in July 2019 took his first Junior Software Engineer job. He is currently working for the women’s clothing company Bravissimo.

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In my conversation with Leah last week, they came up with the great metaphor that their career was like a tree.  That each job was a different branch.  They laughed about it, but I had actually started to picture the exact same thing as they were talking. At the end of the day, aren’t we all just branching out from our core, or our trunk, as we learn more about ourselves.  

In this mini-episode, I dive more into how your career and life is like a tree, from the roots, to the trunk to the many branches.  And if you are thinking about making a career change, isn't that just your next branch?!

Don't forget the discount for all our Hamster listeners!   Using the code "hamster" you can get 20% off my new Teachable course about how to get unstuck in your current role and find fulfillment in a new career.  There is also a coaching package that you can add on as well. You can register at https://career_development.teachable.com

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In this week's episode, I speak with Leah who started their career in video production but realized they wanted a different way to share their creativity. After a lot of introspection, and a little help from fate, Leah is now a barber at an inclusive and welcoming barbershop. They realized along the way that it's not about a career path or journey, but more like a tree. Each branch represents a different part of your career and a different part of you. But when you look at the whole tree, it all fits together. Whether it's remembering you used to watch your grandmother cut people's hair, to redefining what it means to be creative, to understanding the importance of having a home with the people you work with, your career will have different branches, and that's not just ok but exciting!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do it, you can too!

And don't forget listeners of the podcast get a 20% discount on my new Teachable course about how to make a career change. You can also sign up for a coaching package through Teachable as well. Just use the code "Hamster". https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Leah...
Leah Jubara (they/them) is an Ohioan turned New Yorker and a filmmaker turned barber. After working as a filmmaker for about a decade, Leah was drained, stressed, and dissatisfied. A change was necessary. They discovered a new creative outlet in cutting hair and rediscovered their love of filmmaking by allowing it to be a hobby once again. They haven’t just found a new career though. They’ve found community, safety and joy in the workplace. You can find them at the barbershop Cowlick in Brooklyn - cowlickbrooklyn.com. Or on Instagram @barberstreisand.nyc

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In our episode with Thea, she talked about the self-reflection that she did and the struggle she had realizing she was making decisions based on what she should be doing, or what others expected of her.  And she is not alone, a lot of our guests shared that journey of figuring out what was best for them, and not what others expected (Julia calls it "Breaking up with Should").  

So in this mini-episode, and almost our half way point in season one, I talk about three key things you should be considering to make sure you are doing what is right for YOU in your career.

Don't forget the discount for all our Hamster listeners!   Using the code "hamster" you can get 20% off my new Teachable course about how to get unstuck in your current role and find fulfillment in a new career.  There is also a coaching package that you can add on as well. You can register at https://career_development.teachable.com

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In this week's episode, I speak with Thea who started her career in student affairs. And while she loved working with students, she realized higher education was not the right space for her in the long term. After some introspection, talking to trusted mentors and taking time to explore some different ways her passion could be turned into a career, she found a role with a non-profit whose mission inspires her every day. She now focuses on ways to help students with their health during such a critical time in their lives. Her biggest piece of advice is to listen to your own gut, believe in yourself, and find a path that is right for you, not just what you think you are supposed to do or what is expected of you. She also shares a fun fact that you can find her dancing on TikTok. That alone is worth the listen!

As always, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do you, you can too!

And don't forget listeners of the podcast get a 20% discount on my new Teachable course about how to make a career change. You can also sign up for a coaching package through Teachable as well. Just use the code "Hamster". https://career_development.teachable.com

More about Thea:
Thea Zunick, Ed.D., is the Manager of Community for the JED Foundation which is a is a
nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation's teens and young adults. In addition, she is a national coaching, speaking, and consulting professional bringing engaging learning material to the workplace and to college students both in-person and in a digital environment. Previously, Dr. Zunick served universities for over 12 years in student affairs supporting student engagement, fraternity and sorority life, volunteer and philanthropic initiatives, social justice trainings, wellness programming, strategic planning, and training and development for professional staff.

Dr. Zunick earned an Associate’s Degree from Middlesex County College, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Elementary Education from The College of New Jersey, a Master’s degree in Student Personnel in Higher Education from University of Florida, and a Doctorate of Education for the Design of Learning Environments from Rutgers University.

She loves her time crushing weights at a local HIIT/Crossfit gym, gushing over puppies on the street, trying out new recipes and restaurants, and practicing her dance moves at a local studio, or anywhere music is playing (especially in her living room)!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thearachelzunick/

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In our episode with Patrick, he shared how he has found a balance between having a full-time job he enjoys while feeding the passion he has for the arts.  A lot of people need to find this balance.  Not everyone can either make a 180 career change or they actually want, or need, to keep their passion projects on the side while maintaining a 9-5 job.  As I always say, there is no right or wrong way to live your life to fulfillment.  It's however you design your career and life to make sure you don't feel stuck.  

In this mini-episode I share some examples and ideas of how you can enjoy your passion on the side while maintaining your full-time job.  

Don't forget the discount for all our Hamster listeners!   Using the code "hamster" you can get 20% off my new Teachable course about how to get unstuck in your current role and find fulfillment in a new career.  There is also a coaching package now available that you can add on as well. 
You can register at https://career_development.teachable.com

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In this week's episode, I speak with Patrick about how he has found the right balance for him between career and side passions. He has found a home in Knowledge Management for over twenty years, but always finds ways to support his love of the arts and theatre by working on shows or his own creative endeavors "on the side". Patrick learned early on that he lost a lot of the fun and love for the arts if it was also his job. He talks about the evolution of the KM industry and how that continues to challenge him in his career. And how he finds a lot of opportunities to participate in the arts on nights and weekends. For him, it's the perfect balance so he never feels stuck!

And don't forget listeners of the podcast get a 20% discount on my new Teachable course about how to make a career change. You can also sign up for a coaching package through Teachable as well. Just use the code "Hamster". https://career_development.teachable.com

Please consider subscribing, leaving a rating and review and sharing this podcast and the whole series with others. We do this to help spread the word that everyone can get unstuck and find the thing that brings them joy in their careers. If our guests can do you, you can too!

More about Patrick: Patrick Cleary is a Knowledge Maager with DraftKings in Boston, MA. Prior to DraftKings, Patrick worked for Epsilon, Cambridge Advisors to Family Enterprise and The Monitor Group in various Knowledge Management departments. In his free time, Patrick participates in local theater as a playwright, director, and set designer, as well as participating in the Moth Story Slams in and around Boston.

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In our episode with Andrea, she talked about her journey in identifying what was important to her, both in her career and in life.  And how those things can blur together at times.  In this mini-episode I share some actionable tips and my own experiences identifying gaps in my life using "The Wheel of Life" tool.   It's important that we focus on the whole self, not just our career.   I walk through how this tool can help.

Don't forget the discount for all our Hamster listeners!   Using the code "hamster" you can get 20% off my new Teachable course about how to get unstuck in your current role and find fulfillment in a new career.  There is also a coaching package now available that you can add on as well. 
You can register at https://career_development.teachable.com

Here is a link to the Wheel of Life template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u5HiYio_d8B8Fh_AJF5EODOCqHdXX3KmaQOzWGEdkiI/edit?usp=sharing

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In this week's episode, I speak with Andrea about her journey exploring a career outside of theatre as a school counsellor but ended up finding her way back to her true passion, as a stage hand in theatre.   We talk a lot about how it is important to explore different options and consider what is right for you at different stages of your life.  But also the willingness to say, I tried something different and actually it made me really appreciate where I was.  Maybe that was the right move at the moment or there were outside forces in your life that were driving decisions at that time.  The important thing is not to regret it, recognize all that you got from that detour but don't get restuck.  Keep doing the work of self-reflection to make sure you are on the right path for you!

More about Andrea (or Andy as I have known her 20+ years!)
Andrea Stanley has been a professional stagehand since 1999 after graduating from Elon College with a B.A. in Philosophy.  She joined IATSE Local 336-Phoenix in 2003, and joined IATSE Local 22-Washington, DC, in 2006.  In 2012, Andrea enrolled in The George Washington University’s master program where she completed her M.A. in Education and Human Development for School Counseling.  Andrea is currently working for the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts as a stagehand, specializing in Lighting and Special Effects.

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In our episode with Julia, she mentioned how impactful it was to hear from people her strengths and the skills that brought value to a team...all things that just came naturally to her.  How do you identify these unique skills and how can you leverage them in your career transition?  In this mini-episode I share some actionable tips and my own experiences getting this feedback and turning it into a new career!

I also announce a new discount for all our Hamster listeners!   Using the code "hamster" you can get 20% off my new Teachable course about how to get unstuck in your current role and find fulfillment in a new career.  You can register at https://career_development.teachable.com

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Join Julia and I as we discuss her path from the healthcare corporate world to social impact consulting to her third career as a leadership and career coach. It is so obvious that Julia has found passion in her work and that she loves uses her unique skill set to help others. She shares great advice about listening to your body and being honest with yourself about what brings you joy, not what you "should" be doing. And for listeners of the podcast, she is offering two special deals...

Discount for her online course: https://the-authenticity-guide.teachable.com/p/maximizing-your-potential-at-work-and-in-life
Code: HAMSTERWHEEL which will take price from $99 to $20

And she is offering a discounted coaching session. Click this link to book a career coaching consult: https://calendly.com/juliawuench/15min

A little more about Julia...

Julia is a self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist, leadership and career coach, corporate trainer and keynote speaker with a mission to enhance human connection and fulfillment at work and in life. Using positive psychology and my blueprint The Authenticity Guide, she provides critical “soft-skills” training to individuals, corporate and university teams.

As a graduate of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, she deeply understands and focus on the 3 C’s of culture: connection, communication and collaboration. She is a Contributor to Forbes and have been featured in Business Insider. Some of her clients include Marriott, Lenovo, Cisco, Women Business Owners Network, Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and more.

Julia hold a Bachelor's degree in Economics (magna cum laude) from Brandeis University, and a Masters of Business Administration from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. She am credentialed as a strengths coach from The Marcus Buckingham Company through Cisco.

Check out her website to learn more: www.juliawuench.com

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During Alina's episode, she mentioned several times the importance of "grabbing a coffee" with someone.  But that can be intimidating if you aren't used to networking or talking to people about your career goals. In this mini-episode I share some tips on how to identify who to talk to, how to reach out to them, and how to facilitate a valuable conversation.  As Alina said, you never know where a coffee can take your career!

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In this week's episode, I speak with Alina about her journey from accounting, to special projects, to financial planning, to strategic partnerships, to business operations, with various forms of coaching along the way.   We talk a lot about the importance of finding a career and roles that fit your personality.  Alina found some of her most exciting opportunities by reaching out to and connecting with people about their experiences, what they were working on, and identifying how she could partner with them to leverage her unique strengths to solve interesting business problems.   To learn more about Alina, check out her full profile at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinadoran/  

ALINA DORAN

Alina is a seasoned strategist and operator, who has worked with a number of high-growth companies, as well as conglomerate enterprises, across multiple industries.  Her experience spans business operations, process design & optimization, relationship management, change management, program management, negotiation, people development, financial planning, and accounting, with team and executive coaching along the way.

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Welcome to my new podcast!  In this short episode I share my hopes and goals for this podcast as well as my own career journey to kick us off.