Chan with a Plan: Recent Episodes
Max Chan
Providing career advice in easy actionable steps, for frustrated professionals, helping you overcome career challenges so you can stop feeling confused and defeated and start feeling focused and confident in order to excel in your career.
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we dive into the journey of turning setbacks into successes, especially for those who have been out of the job market for a significant period. Our guest John Tarnoff, a trusted advisor and thought leader, shares personal experiences from a career in the volatile entertainment industry, where being fired 39% of the time became a catalyst for reinvention.
Drawing from years of teaching senior-level professionals how to secure great jobs despite ageism and a broken hiring system, John offers contrarian advice that challenges conventional wisdom:
- Don't follow your passion; find your usefulness. Passion is fleeting, but your skills and how you can be of service are enduring.
- Your resume won't get you hired. It's about demonstrating your value in ways that resonate beyond paper.
- Assessments are pointless. Focus on showcasing your real-world impact instead.
- Stop applying to jobs you can do; attract the jobs you were born to do. Your unique abilities and experiences make you the perfect fit for specific roles.
- Confidence comes last. Don’t wait for it; act first and let confidence follow.
We explore how to stop complaining about ageism and instead, actively demonstrate your value.
This episode provides actionable insights on reinventing yourself, overcoming outdated business cultures, and navigating the job market with a fresh, empowered perspective.
Tune in to learn how to transform your career setbacks into your most significant comebacks.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS:
- John Tarnoff on Social Media:
- Book: Boomer Reinvention: How to Create Your Dream Career Over 50
- X
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we sit down with Brandon Bramley, the Founder of The Salary Negotiator, to explore the ins and outs of job offer negotiations. Brandon brings a wealth of experience from his strategic negotiation roles at global giants such as Amazon and American Airlines. With over a decade of expertise in salary negotiations, Brandon has led multi-million-dollar business-to-business deals and hired countless career professionals.
At The Salary Negotiator, Brandon offers professional job offer negotiation coaching and courses, helping individuals secure competitive compensation. Throughout this episode, he shares his valuable insights on how to approach job offer negotiations with confidence, regardless of whether you're dealing with small startups or large corporations.
Join us as we uncover Brandon's tried-and-true strategies for navigating the job offer process, from understanding your worth to effectively communicating your value to potential employers. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to master the art of job offer negotiations and elevate their career.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS:
- Brandon Bramley on Social Media:
- Website
- Salary Negotiation Courses
- Salary Negotiation Templates & Scripts
- Free Total Compensation Calculator
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we sit down with Kara Renninger, a dynamic entrepreneur and business strategist who specializes in helping entrepreneurs align their goals with their businesses. Kara shares her unique approach to customizable scaling methods, revealing how she guides her clients to grow their revenue, increase their impact, and find greater joy in their entrepreneurial journey.
Kara's insights are invaluable for anyone looking to take their business to the next level without losing sight of their personal and professional goals. She discusses the importance of alignment in business strategy, the key elements of successful scaling, and practical steps for achieving sustainable growth.
Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this episode is packed with actionable advice and inspiring stories that will help you align your vision with your business operations and achieve lasting success.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS:
- Kara Renninger on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, Jacquelyn unveils the keys to unlocking a "Yes, And Life by Design." This isn’t your typical self-help talk; it’s a potent blend of courage, confidence, and intentional self-expansion. From navigating the limits of success to embracing a life of fullness without sacrifice, Jacquelyn provides a concise, no-fluff perspective that will leave you empowered, activated, and ready to create your destiny with intention.
Explore the realms of decision mastery, experience radical breakthroughs, and learn to manifest your deepest desires with Jacquelyn. Having coached high performers, high-ticket sales professionals, recovering people-pleasers, and ambitious business owners, she guides her clients to new levels of time and money freedom without compromise. If you’re ready to break free, embrace radical self-mastery, and live a "YES, AND" life on your terms, let Jacquelyn Mack lead the way, inspiring you to unlock your unlimited potential.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS:
- Jacquelyn Mack on Social Media:
- Podcast
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we sit down with Chris Meador, a 20-year marketing veteran who has pivoted from B2B/B2C tech, media, and startups into executive recruiting for early-stage companies. Chris shares his journey and the strategic insights he's gained from navigating both personal and professional transformations. He discusses how a layoff, while challenging, can open unexpected doors and become a launchpad for career growth.
Chris, known for his direct yet caring approach, offers practical advice on enhancing your personal brand, leveraging digital networks, and connecting with opportunities that align with your skills and passions.
He provides real-life examples of individuals who have successfully turned their layoffs into stepping stones for greater achievements.
Throughout the episode, Chris emphasizes the importance of a strategic mindset in assessing and seizing career opportunities, encouraging listeners to push forward and craft their own comeback stories with confidence and clarity.
RESOURCES AND RELEVANT LINKS:
- Chris Meador on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:In this episode, we sit down with the dynamic Matt Peet, a seasoned expert in building successful sales funnels and a well-traveled entrepreneur. Matt shares his rich experiences working with industry giants and notable personalities. From capturing events featuring celebrities such as Will Ferrell and Paris Hilton to collaborating with business influencers such as John Lee Dumas from Entrepreneurs on Fire, Steve Larsen, and Andrew Warner from Mixergy, Matt's journey is nothing short of inspirational.
Last year, Matt and his wife took the bold step of exploring America in a small camper, embodying the true spirit of freedom and flexibility that entrepreneurship can offer. This adventure not only allowed them to experience the diverse beauty of the country but also to operate their business remotely, proving that you can truly work from anywhere.
This year marks a significant milestone for Matt as he joined the team at Clickfunnels, where he now hosts live calls for the One Funnel Away Challenge and the 2 Comma Club live trainings. Through his role, Matt has gained invaluable insights into the challenges and triumphs of various entrepreneurs as they navigate through these intensive courses.
Join us as Matt dives into the essentials of creating effective sales funnels, a cornerstone of his expertise, and shares actionable advice on how to start and scale a business with minimal complexity. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or looking to refine your business strategy, Matt's practical tips and fascinating anecdotes are sure to inspire and educate.
RESOURCES AND RELEVANT LINKS:
- Matt Peet on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we sit down with Marcus Long, a devoted husband, father, and Naval Officer, who has seamlessly transitioned his disciplined military strategies into building a thriving real estate investment portfolio. Growing up on a small farm in Missouri and actively participating in his family business, Marcus developed a robust work ethic and a passion for finance early in life. Despite his formal education in business finance, Marcus quickly recognized the gaps in our educational system, especially regarding personal finance, and felt a deep calling to bridge this gap through his endeavors.
Marcus shares his journey of helping others achieve financial freedom and create lasting legacies, whether for an individual, a community, or the world at large. With almost two decades of experience leading diverse teams across the nation, he brings a unique perspective to real estate investing, emphasizing the various strategies and tax benefits that make it an exceptional tool for wealth accumulation and positive community impact.
Listen in as Marcus discusses how his military experience has provided him with the discipline and leadership skills necessary to succeed in the competitive real estate market. He dives into the importance of legacy, the adventure of pursuing financial independence, and the joy of making a tangible impact through real estate investment. Marcus's story is a testament to the power of combining passion with purpose, offering invaluable insights for anyone looking to make a similar transition or to understand the intersection of military precision and real estate success.
RESOURCES AND RELEVANT LINKS:
- Marcus Long on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
Episode Summary:
In this episode titled, we're joined by Steph Cartwright, a Job Search Strategist, Certified Resume Writer, and the visionary behind Off The Clock Resumes.
With a track record that stretches back to 2014, Steph has dedicated herself to aiding job seekers from various career levels to navigate through the complexities of the job market, helping them secure positions at their dream companies with meticulously crafted resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and tailored job search strategies.
Throughout our discussion, we'll explore the reasons behind the ineffectiveness of many resumes in today’s job market and uncover practical tips and strategies that Steph has honed over her career that she has taught her clients to help them succeed and get their dream job.
RESOURCES AND RELEVANT LINKS:
- Steph Cartwright on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
Episode Summary:
In this episode, we delve into the fascinating journey of Clarissa Constantine, the visionary founder of Parent(w)een Connection, as she shares her transformative leap from traditional office life to the freedom and flexibility of living and working from an RV.
Clarissa opens up about the initial challenges and ultimate rewards of merging her professional aspirations with a nomadic lifestyle, providing invaluable insights for those dreaming of a similar shift.
Discover how Clarissa successfully navigates the logistics of running a thriving business, maintaining strong family connections, and fostering community ties, all while exploring the beauty of the open road.
From practical tips on managing remote work to the emotional aspects of downsizing and adapting to a life of minimalism, Clarissa's story is a treasure trove of advice for aspiring RV dwellers looking to blend career ambitions with adventure.
Whether you're contemplating a temporary getaway or a permanent transition to RV living, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge on how to make the most out of your professional and personal life without boundaries.
RESOURCES AND RELEVANT LINKS:
- Clarissa Constantine on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, Davidson Hang shares his transformative journey of stepping out of his comfort zone by engaging with hundreds of strangers, leading to profound personal growth and the creation of an empowering coaching program.
Davidson's experiences showcase the power of vulnerability, courage, and authentic connection, culminating in a unique approach to helping others discover and pursue their true selves with conviction.
Through his coaching program, Davidson aims to guide individuals on a journey of self-discovery and transformation, making this episode a must-listen for anyone seeking to embrace their authenticity and live with purpose.
RESOURCES AND RELEVANT LINKS:
- Davidson Hang on Social Media:
- Youtube
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we're joined by the inspirational Kelsey Wat, whose journey from a state of career paralysis to becoming a celebrated career coach and mentor exemplifies the transformative power of finding one’s calling.
Kelsey, with a decade of experience under her belt, has mastered the art of coaching individuals across various sectors, helping them not only to articulate their unique skills and talents but also to align their careers with their personal values and aspirations. Her belief that a career should not just be a series of jobs but a reflection of one's authentic self in the world has empowered hundreds of clients and thousands more through her workshops and training sessions.
Listen to this episode as Kelsey dives into her innovative approach to bypassing the traditional job application marathon, offering listeners a treasure trove of strategies and insights. She emphasizes the importance of career clarity, industry-driven strategies, and the courage to pursue a career that not only meets one's financial needs but also brings joy and fulfillment.
RESOURCES AND RELEVANT LINKS:
- Kelsey Wat on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we explore the journey of Melissa Esmeralda, who transitioned from being a top-level rugby player to a masterful copywriter and marketing strategist.
Melissa shares the profound parallels between the grit required on the rugby field and the creative strategies needed in the world of marketing, providing a unique insight into the crossover skills that fuel success in both arenas.
She opens up about how the discipline, resilience, and competitive spirit honed on the field have been integral to her approach to copywriting and developing marketing strategies.
A significant focus of our conversation is on the lessons Melissa has learned from failed product launches and marketing campaigns.
With candidness and depth, she reflects on these experiences, emphasizing the value of resilience, adaptability, and the continuous pursuit of learning.
Melissa illustrates how each setback has been a critical learning opportunity, helping her refine her approach and achieve greater successes in subsequent endeavors.
Melissa's story is a powerful reminder of the importance of leveraging one's past experiences to forge a path to success in new fields.
RESOURCES AND RELEVANT LINKS:
- Melissa Esmeralda on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we welcome Craig Sotkovsky, a survivor of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, who faced an unimaginable challenge and emerged with a powerful message of hope and resilience.
Craig's journey is not just one of survival; it's a testament to the human spirit's ability to overcome the most harrowing of circumstances.
During our conversation, Craig shares the harrowing details of that fateful day at the World Trade Center and the subsequent battle with lung cancer, a stark reminder of the tragedy's lingering effects.
But this episode goes beyond the story of survival. Craig delves into the lessons learned from his near-death experience and how it propelled him on a path of self-discovery and mentorship.
Listeners will be inspired by Craig's commitment to helping others learn from his mistakes, find their path, and live their dreams.
His story is a poignant reminder of the power of mentorship, the importance of facing our fears, and the unyielding strength that comes from within.
Join us as Craig Sotkovsky shares his remarkable journey from the brink of death to becoming a beacon of hope for others. It's an episode that will leave you reflecting on your own life, the choices you make, and the legacy you wish to leave behind.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS:
- Craig Sotkovsky on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this inspiring episode, we embark on a journey with Nini Tolson, whose remarkable story is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and sheer determination.
Nini's transition from a Business Class Cabin Crew member serving passengers across 126 nationalities to a formidable entrepreneur who built a multiple 7-figure business is nothing short of spectacular.
Throughout our conversation, Nini shares the rich tapestry of experiences she gained while flying high, which laid the foundation for her exceptional emotional intelligence and understanding of diverse cultures.
These insights proved invaluable as she navigated the turbulent waters of the Covid crisis, steering her business toward unprecedented growth of over 250% in challenging markets.
Nini delves into her evolution as a confidence coach, where her expertise in clarity, confidence, and cash flow has empowered countless individuals and businesses, including Fortune 500 companies, through The Tolson Institute.
Her journey of growth and self-discovery illuminates the path for others seeking to transform their lives and careers.
Listeners will be captivated by Nini's stories of traversing the globe, her transition to entrepreneurship, and how her background in the skies has influenced her business ethos and coaching practices.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Nini Tolson on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode of, we sit down with Kelly Snider, a name synonymous with innovation and resilience in the event production industry.
With over 25 years of experience orchestrating some of the most memorable events, Kelly's career took an unexpected turn when the global pandemic put the world on pause.
Instead of viewing this as a setback, Kelly saw it as a serendipitous opportunity to realign with her true passions and embark on a mission-driven path.
Join us as Kelly shares her profound journey from being at the helm of high-profile events to discovering a deeper sense of purpose amidst the chaos.
She opens up about the challenges of leaving a familiar industry behind, the process of self-discovery during the pandemic, and how she harnessed her skills and experiences to make a meaningful impact in a new realm.
Kelly's story is not just about career transformation; it's a testament to the power of embracing change, pursuing passion with purpose, and the beauty of finding your mission when life takes an unexpected turn.
Whether you're facing your own pivot or seeking inspiration to follow your passion, Kelly's insights and experiences offer valuable lessons on resilience, adaptability, and the courage to embrace a new chapter.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Kelly Snider on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, we sit down with Sondra Harper, the heart and mind behind "The Four Attitudes" and the "Divine Times Newsletter". "The Four Attitudes," a book stemming from her experiences, brings forward the four noble attitudes essential for a fulfilling life.
Sondra shares the transformative power of these attitudes, not just in her life as a yogi but also in her roles as a mother, business owner, friend, wife, and householder. Join us as Sondra shares her passion for teaching others the art of breathing, ensuring that they too find tranquility and purpose in every breath.
This episode is not just a story of triumph over adversity but a testament to the power of integrating mind, body, and spirit practices in overcoming life's greatest challenges.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Sondra Harper on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we dive deep into the world of career change and job hunting in 2024. Our special guest, Meaghan Latella, a Career Change Strategist from TideShift Coaching, brings her wealth of expertise to the table. As the employment landscape continues to evolve, many individuals are considering career shifts, and Meaghan is here to guide us through the process.
Whether you're looking to pivot into a new industry, explore different career paths, or simply want to enhance your job search skills, this episode is packed with practical advice and actionable strategies to help you succeed in securing your dream job in 2024.
Join us for an engaging conversation with Meaghan Latella as we uncover the secrets to career change and job search success in the year 2024. Your dream job might be closer than you think!
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Meaghan Latella on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we're joined by Hilary Saxton, a remarkable figure whose life story is a testament to the power of resilience and self-belief.
Hilary's journey, offers invaluable lessons on overcoming adversity and reclaiming self-confidence.
In our conversation, Hilary shares her transformative journey of rediscovery.
After years of feeling lost, she reached a crucial moment of self-reflection that ignited her determination to rebuild her life.
She not only regained her strength and vitality but also launched a successful coaching and property mentoring business.
Her book, “3 Wines In,” encapsulates her experiences and the lessons learned along the way.
Now, as an international speaker, Hilary takes the stage to empower thousands of women, instilling them with the courage to embark on their own paths of rediscovery.
Her story is a beacon of hope and inspiration, reminding us that triumph over adversity is possible.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Hilary Saxton on Social Media:
- Website
- 3 Wines In Book
- Chan With A Plan
- Join The Free Dream Job Accelerator Community
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we delve into the world of side hustles and explore the fundamental steps for starting and scaling a successful venture. Our guest, Pamela Dale, is a seasoned digital marketing entrepreneur and strategist who has not only mastered the art of side hustles but has also turned them into full-fledged businesses.
Pamela shares her invaluable insights on the initial stages of launching a side hustle, from identifying viable ideas and assessing market demand to setting realistic goals and managing her time effectively.
She emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between passion and profit and provides actionable advice on overcoming common challenges that aspiring side hustlers may face.
Whether you're considering a side hustle or already have one in motion, this episode offers practical guidance and inspiration to help you take your side gig to the next level.
Join us as we learn from Pamela Dale's wealth of experience and expertise in the world of scalable side hustles.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Pamela Dale on Social Media:
- Youtube
- TikTok
- Chan With A Plan
- Join The Free Dream Job Accelerator Community
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan shares how to prepare for job searching in 2024. He shares information about the 2024 job market, how to improve your chances of getting the job you want, and how to make yourself look better on paper and online.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:56 | 2024 Job Market
- 01:07 | Self assessment
- 01:21 | Enhance your skills
- 01:36 | Revamp resume
- 01:49 | Networking and relationships
- 02:45 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Free Dream Job Accelerator Community
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, we sit down with a remarkable guest, Jackie Roby, the CEO of Inspired Journey Consulting.
Join us as we delve into Jackie's incredible journey from the traditional 9-to-5 corporate world to the exhilarating realm of entrepreneurship. But that's not all—Jackie's story is a testament to resilience, determination, and breaking barriers as a Latina in business.
Discover the challenges Jackie faced, the pivotal moments that led her to take the leap into entrepreneurship, and the strategies she employed to overcome obstacles along the way.
She shares her insights on how to navigate the unique challenges that minority entrepreneurs often encounter and how to turn these challenges into opportunities for growth and success.
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned business professional, or simply looking for inspiration, this episode will provide you with valuable insights and motivation to overcome obstacles and pursue your entrepreneurial dreams.
Join us as we unpack the inspiring story of Jackie Roby, the CEO who broke barriers and blazed her own trail in the world of business.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jackie Roby on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Join The Free Dream Job Accelerator Community
In this intriguing episode, we sit down with an exceptional guest – a mortician who not only excels in his profession but also has a remarkable passion for filmmaking as a side hustle.
Join us as we delve into the extraordinary world of mortuary science and discover the profound career lessons it offers.
Our guest shares captivating stories from his unique career journey, shedding light on how the mortician's profession has shaped his perspective on life, death, and everything in between.
We explore the invaluable insights he has gained through his experiences in the funeral industry, which offer surprising parallels to success in any career.
But that's not all. In this episode, we go a step further. Our guest reveals his secrets to successfully juggling a demanding 9 to 5 job in the mortuary field while pursuing his passion for filmmaking.
You'll learn how to strike the balance between your day job and your side projects, and how to find the time, energy, and motivation to chase your dreams, no matter how unconventional they may be.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Wade Simmons on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan shares how to be an “A” player at your new job. He shares how to improve your position with your manager, improve your position when cuts happen, and how to take initiative in your job.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:58 | Making manager’s job easier
- 01:37 | Communication is key
- 01:47 | Take initiative
- 02:35 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
In this episode, Max sits down with Ben Hoang, the founder of an online personal training and life coaching business.
Ben has successfully navigated the challenges of his first year in business, and he's here to share his invaluable insights and experiences.
Join us as Ben takes us on a journey through the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial debut.
He'll reveal the pivotal moments, unexpected hurdles, and key strategies that helped him not only survive but thrive during his first year.
As a business owner in the fitness and life coaching industry, Ben's story is both inspiring and educational.
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or already in your first year of business, you won't want to miss this episode.
Ben's practical wisdom and candid anecdotes will provide you with actionable tips and a dose of motivation to tackle your own entrepreneurial challenges head-on.
Tune in to discover how to turn your rookie year into a stepping stone for future success.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Ben Hoang on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan shares how to apply for a job out of state. Max will hit on why company’s hesitate hiring out of state people, tips to show you’re still the best fit, and lead you to landing that job despite your location.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:40 | Applying for out of state jobs
- 01:00 | Companies hesitate hiring out of state
- 01:42 | Strengthening your out of state application
- 03:18 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan shares why and how you might be oversharing on your resume. He shares why you shouldn’t share too much, navigating jobless gaps, and balancing info and the oversharing.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:45 | Sharing too much
- 01:16 | Experience location
- 01:45 | Adding your address
- 02:43 | Main takeaway
- 03:08 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Mila M., copywriter, content creator, and actor/model.
During this conversation Max and Mila discuss AI tools, copywriting, and how expand your streams of income without overextending.
QUOTES FROM MILA
- “This is kind of echoing what you said last time about paranoia, where people kind of psych themselves out and they get into this mindset where they feel they have to kind of conform to something or do something because they're scared of what the alternative is.”
- “I can't tell you how many times I've seen people say like, wow, I'm so excited because my two favorite people are going to be collaborating on a podcast!”
- “They're going to cut corners to be able to make more and to maintain that sort of control and divide but I do think that there is a silver lining with this [AI]. There are good things that are going to come out of this.”
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 | Introduction and Background
02:54 | Mila’s story
08:40 | Turning to freelancing
16:29 | Differentiate yourself in the marketplace
23:57 | Niching down vs different streams
29:44 | Copywriting AI disruption
31:31 | AI tools
41:29 | Tools to improve copywriting
47:15 | Getting started in copywriting
51:08 | Mila’s big career challenge
55:42 | Closing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Mila M. on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Darlene Meissner, Founder and Coach at Décalage Solutions.
During this conversation Max and Darlene discuss burnout, fixing our self-talk, and being a digital nomad.
QUOTES FROM DARLENE
“Burnout became a big part of myself and what was happening to me for the past several months. And it has made me think this whole time about how important it is to really check in with ourselves.”
“If I'm not using all of my self and everything that I have in working with somebody that I'm not giving them the best type of care.”
“Make sure that you are getting to know yourself. Don't spend too much time focusing on other people or focusing on partying or, you know, things that are going to keep you distracted.”
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 | Introduction and Background
01:11 | Darlene’s story
04:51 | Why people stay in toxic work environments?
10:03 | Signs it’s time for a change
15:08 | Digital nomad life
16:20 | Solo vs. With Others
22:34 | Road to self-discovery
26:37 | Local or abroad travel
31:16 | Action steps for the audience
32:17 | Closing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
Darlene on Social Media:
-
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Jason Sharon, real estate mortgage broker.
During this conversation Max and Jason discuss multiple industry careers, knowing yourself better, and what to sacrifice to get into a new industry.
QUOTES FROM JASON
- “But then cars and girls got to be interesting, so coins went by the wayside. And then cars and girls got to be a big pain in butt, so coins came back. So me and my buddy Bill started buying and selling coins just out of our house. You know, put a little small ad in the newspaper, so I am dating myself.”
- “And you've got to work way harder than you think you need to in order to be successful in whatever it is you're going to do.”
- “You got to be good at numbers. You got to be good with people. If you're not good at both of those, this is not the industry for you, but get an understanding of what the day to day process looks like for whatever it is you're going to go into.”
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 | Introduction and Background
01:32 | Jason’s story
03:25 | Options outside of school
06:13 | Hobby vs Business
09:32 | Unconfident leap
15:58 | Finding a good business partner
21:53 | Long sales cycles
25:22 | Adapting to change
28:32 | Acceleration through coaching
33:44 | Making informed decisions
36:25 | Challenge Jason overcame
37:48 | Closing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jason on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Anjali and Urvina, a duo who are founders of Ukan Coaching.
During this conversation Max and his guests discuss career pivots, overcoming roadblocks, and evaluating your next career move.
QUOTES FROM ANJALI & URVINA
- “It could be six months to a year, even. I think it's quite subjective and different for every person who goes through that process. Sometimes it's also important to look at how you're reacting, how you're behaving.”
- “Some of the underlying issues in terms of lacking confidence is part one of them that we see a lot of is that they have done the same thing for a long time and with the pace of things moving so quickly they are feeling like they've been left behind or they're not able to catch up. And so therefore that feeling of losing confidence to try new things comes into play.”
- “What I would say to them is that sometimes they do need to slow down to learn to walk before they can run.”
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 | Introduction and Background
02:56 | Anjali & Urvina’s story
07:04 | System for career pivots
11:43 | Unhappy in current roles
16:21 | Teaming up
23:03 | Questions for possible business partners
26:53 | How to build the confidence
32:35 | Professional legacies
38:09 | Action step
39:35 | Closing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Anjali & Urvina on Social Media:
- Anjali – LinkedIn
- Urvina - LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan shares his journey of his Facebook getting hacked and taken over. He shares the red flags that lead him to finding out he had been hacked, steps he took to solve this issues, and the mindset necessary for business growth.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:40 | Modern age nightmare
- 01:25 | Facebook ad account hacked
- 02:28 | Starting over
- 03:02 | Moving forward
- 04:35 | Facing hurdles
- 04:40 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Angela Gentile, empowerment coach.
During this conversation Angela discusses career transitions, doing what you’re passionate about, and taking the steps to go all in.
QUOTES FROM ANGELA
- “Teaching is different in different places, but if you have a really strong union, you can do some pretty shitty things and still have a job, with the exception of, actually physically harming children.”
- “Because the schools are underfunded, teachers have to go into their own pockets. Because the school's underfunded, they don't have enough resources or therapists or special, teachers, specialized teachers, so that falls on you as, the classroom teacher.”
- “Asserting yourself starts with knowing what it is that you will and won't do, what you want and what you don't want.”
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 | Introduction and Background
01:31 | Angela’s backstory
06:14 | Pricing happiness
08:01 | Teaching career red flags
12:11 | Being more assertive
14:50 | The turning point for Angela
20:15 | What does security even mean
28:36 | Planning your exit
31:17 | Letting your colleagues down
35:22 | Can’t get fired with a union?
41:03 | Action steps for career transition
43:07 | Overcoming one career challenge
47:11 | Closing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Angela Gentile on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan discusses some times getting a promise for promotion isn’t always truthful. He will discuss if promotion promises are genuine, advice for promotions, and what to focus on.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:35 | Promotions
- 00:50 | Not all are lies
- 01:08 | Changes happen
- 01:26 | More than one star player
- 01:35 | Not available
- 02:07 | Max’s advice
- 02:35 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Emily Rogers, Founder of The Leap To Lead.
During this conversation Emily discusses common challenges her clients face, how to transition to a career that’s right for you, and how to navigate it all.
QUOTES FROM EMILY
- “What's really important is to get really clear on you and the place to start is to understand your strengths and to really get clear on what are those two or three key strengths that are important to me.”
- “If you've got a family and if you've got other commitments, you need to be really realistic about it, but it's a short term hit for a long-term gain.”
- “Once you know your strengths, you are more open to opportunities. You can identify where, where you fit better.”
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 | Introduction and Background
00:49 | Emily’s backstory
06:34 | Work life balance
09:02 | Self Discovery
12:01 | Business owner vs. new career
18:15 | Disconnect with job and skills
21:45 | Taking a step back
26:19 | Career Transitions
31:38 | Uncertainty in the world
34:52 | Starting a new job strong
38:19 | Client’s regretting career transition
40:59 | Overcoming one career challenge
42:06 | Closing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Emily Rogers on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan discusses where the line is with business and your social life. He will discuss why he used to think they should be completely separate, when it’s okay to mix the two, and the importance of who you do have as friends.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:38 | Mixing business with pleasure
- 00:57 | Motivation
- 01:13 | The elephant in the room
- 01:24 | Old vs Young
- 01:35 | Blurred Lines
- 02:10 | Finding the right balance
- 02:25 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Yuvika Iyer, Professional IT Resume Specialist.
During this conversation Yuvika discusses resume structure, job search timelines, and keep your mind right during the search.
QUOTES FROM YUVIKA
- “Whenever you look at a new graduate, they spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on their education, paying off all those student loans, and nobody thinks about those two pages that any employer is going to see when you're, you know, applying for a job.”
- “Being open to learning or being open to feedback can go a long way.”
- “Using any kind of tech is good. It's not bad, but then the extent to which you're using, there needs to be a strategy behind it.”
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 | Introduction and Background
1:23 | Yuvika’s backstory
5:52 | Updating your resume
10:31 | Percentage between skillset and matching the job ad
14:10 | GitHub Professional Format
19:05 | Tailoring your resume
24:48 | Cover letters
27:45 | Job search timeline
32:42 | Using the right keywords
37:34 | Having the right mindset
59:56 | Overcoming the resume gap
41:53 | Closing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Yuvika Iyer on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan discusses some common job hiring scams. He will discuss why you need to be aware of these scams, a real life example of a scam, and the 8 things to look out for that could point to a scam happening to you.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:40 | Real life example of a job scam
- 02:15 | Always be aware
- 02:38 | Verify the email
- 02:43 | Research the sender
- 02:58 | Check the company
- 03:12 | Personal info requests
- 03:28 | Overly generous offers
- 03:43 | Unsolicited job offers
- 04:11 | Trust your instincts
- 04:32 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Jen Braganza, VP of Global Head of Business Transformation & Technology Services.
During this conversation Jen discusses transition careers, getting promoted, and networking with influential people.
QUOTES FROM JEN
- “The job description is not always the best indicator of what it actually takes to get into that role. That's probably the first mistake that I see people make because if you're relying on the job description, you're basically reading the bare minimums of the role”
- “If you are networking, it helps to actually know people who are going to be on the team that you're going to be part of, because they already have the ear of the director that you might be trying to get a manager level role from.”
- “You want to have a growth mindset, which is once you've hit really good at what you do, it's time to pass the baton to somebody else so that you can stretch out your arm and get the next baton.”
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 | Introduction and Background
2:27 | Jen’s backstory
4:31 | Mistakes stopping you from moving up
13:59 | Common misconceptions
22:57 | Influencing people
27:51 | Promotions
34:43 | Preparing for the opportunity
41:18 | Getting rejected from a promotion opportunity
46:26 | Jen’s one big obstacle she overcame
47:53 | Closing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jen Braganza on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan discusses the reasons recruiters look at your LinkedIn and then don't reach out to you for an interview.
He will discuss why you need to review your profile, so it matches their resumes, why to network, and how to avoid more mistakes.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:15 | Inconsistencies with your profile and resume
- 00:33 | Incomplete profiles
- 00:47 | Unprofessional content
- 01:02 | No signs on activity
- 01:15 | Mismatched career goals
- 01:28 | Poor network
- 01:45 | Low industry involvement
- 01:56 | Bad cultural fit
- 02:32 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Kyle Goodknight, a professional with an extensive healthcare career with a passion for Voice over work.
During this conversation Kyle discusses weighing your education options, how his journey has been affected with the trauma he has seen in the healthcare field, and making a career pivot by starting a new career in voice over work.
QUOTES FROM KYLE
- “When we came out of college, both the bachelor program and their associate’s program, we made the exact same money when we started the hospital at the same time. I ended up meeting people that graduate from Ohio State the same year I did, started the same hospital jobs that I did.”
- “you've got to keep everything in perspective. So what I'd tell people looking into that is you have to dive deeper than just school, no school, trade, no trade. It's really what do you have passion to do? If you have passion to do any of that, and it takes a little bit of a higher education, then by all means.”
- “I thought those [accidents] never really affected me, but they did. And I didn't know they did until the one that was the straw that broke the camel's back. I had no clue, completely blindsided, went down a bad tunnel, pulled myself out of that tunnel, and now I'm in the position to go educate.”
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 | Introduction and Background
1:23 | Kyle’s backstory
18:03 | Growing your career through educational advancement
26:55 | Other people’s opinions
32:59 | Balance between right and wrong opportunities
39:26 | Surrounded by death
47:42 | If it doesn’t work, go back
51:04 | Goodknight origin
53:10 | Getting into voice acting
57:31 | Kyle’s one piece of advice
59:50 | Contacting Kyle
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Kyle Goodknight on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan discusses if you should choose to hand in a one or two page resume when applying for a new job. He will discuss the difference between both, pros and cons when considering either, and how to choose what’s best for your situation.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:50 | Resumes are important
- 01:06 | One page resumes
- 01:10 | Benefits
- 01:37 | Main deterrent
- 01:50 | Two page resume
- 01:59 | Benefits
- 02:28 | Main deterrent
- 02:43 | How to choose
- 02:50 | Job description
- 03:00 | Quality over quantity
- 03:10 | Industry norms
- 03:28 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Sonja Price, Career and Leadership Coach at Dynamo Careers.
During this conversation Sonja discusses creative job search techniques, market competitiveness, and strategies to applying online.
QUOTES FROM SONJA
- “If you're sending that first initial connection requests on LinkedIn, you'll only have 200 characters. So, you're going to have to keep it short and sweet.”
- “One of the biggest challenges that I see with networking is that people rely on their existing network. They reach out to friends and family. If you went to an Ivy League school and you have this very well-connected integrated network that can get you directly in contact with the CEO of all your favorite companies. Great, awesome. Go for it. And it's not that you have to connect with the CEO, but if you don't have friends in the right places then look outside of your existing network.”
- “You have to go above and beyond. You've got to do something different.”
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 | Introduction and Background
3:15 | Strategies for Networking
14:45 | Frustrated Job Seekers
18:57 | Networking Benchmarks
23:36 | Increasing Response Rate
29:10 | Connection Request Rate
31:36 | Positive Affirmations
36:50 | Job Market Predictions for Q4
38:55 | Contacting Sonja
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Sonja Price on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max Chan discusses why all this talk about a bad job market is a myth and provides valuable insights and tips for job seekers to use and to assure people any time is a good time to find a new job. He will discuss reasons behind the myth, why it’s just a period of transition, and how to use this myth to your advantage.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 | Introduction
- 00:45 | The Myth
- 01:20 | Business Adaptation & Evolution
- 01:35 | Best Time for Entrepreneurial Ventures
- 01:50 | Change of Demand for Skills
- 02:05 | Upskill
- 02:10 | Use Your Network
- 02:15 | Your Attitude Matters
- 02:28 | Conclusions & Wrap Up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Rana Salman, CEO of Salman Consulting.
During this conversation Rana discusses entrepreneurship, sales, and why sales can help you land a job.
QUOTES FROM RANA
- “Throughout the sales process, you should be involving the right people at the right time. And also, there should be some form of documentation. Also, when you close a deal, you are the orchestrator. You are the one responsible to have a seamless handoff.”
- “How do you influence that behavior, right? Okay. It's about actively listening. It's about customizing the conversation, my value preposition to show you how I can help you. It's about doing my homework and understanding your business and your business outcomes and sharing with you insights about how I've helped other customers similar to you.”
- “How do I differentiate myself from others in the sales process and how do I identify if I'm the right fit? Well, number one, you got to make sure that you're targeting the right what we call in sales ideal customer profile. Are you targeting the right companies if you are searching for jobs? Are you targeting the right departments, the right industry? So that is the first thing you got to do because if you're not targeting The right buyer profile or buyer persona, we call it in sales. You're wasting your time because that means there's not a good fit up front.”
TIMESTAMPS
[0:00] Intro
[1:39] Rana’s backstory
[6:00] Sales foundations
[10:00] Skills to leverage
[14:54] Being crystal clear on your product
[17:55] Solution Selling
[12:59] Profile recommendations
[16:36] Writing a profile for a job seeker vs. business owner
[22:13] Alignment with sales and onboarding teams
[27:40] Social selling strategy
[31:13] Networking to get more opportunities
[35:57] Discovery meetings
[40:21] Handling rejections
[42:04] Rana’s one big challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Rana Salman on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, Max discusses the "Fall Hiring Surge" and provides valuable insights and tips for job seekers to make the most of this opportunity. He will discuss reasons behind the fall hiring surge, tips for job seekers, and seizing your opportunities.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:00] – Introduction to Fall Hiring Surge
- [00:45] - Definition of Fall Hiring Surge
- [01:05] - Year-end Headcount Importance
- [01:30] - Back to School and Final Quarter
- [01:50] - Updating Your LinkedIn Profile
- [02:10] - Networking Strategies
- [02:25] - Interview Preparation
- [02:45] - The Power of Follow-ups
- [03:00] - Seizing the Opportunity
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Sabita Singh, Global LinkedIn Coach & Strategist.
During this conversation Sabita discusses figuring out your niche, using LinkedIn fully, and connecting with high level individuals.
QUOTES FROM SABITA
- “A big part of the differentiator of my business, maybe compared to other LinkedIn experts and coaches is around showing my clients how to build their presence as an expert or a thought leader, so they can attract new business from your, your opportunities.”
- “It really is a long lead space, like whether it's for, if it's a role that you're not maybe suited for right now, adding the recruiters to your network, adding anyone who's interviewed you to your network is good. And if you are more visible and active on the platform, maybe the job's not right for you right now, but they might come back to you later, especially if you're sharing good content as an expert in your space.”
- “Make sure you're building out a very thoughtful, customized invitation to connect.”
TIMESTAMPS
[2:35] Sabita’s backstory
[3:56] Figuring out your niche
[6:31] Sharing personal stories on LinkedIn
[7:32] Content posting
[10:48] Bare bones profiles are mind blowing
[12:59] Profile recommendations
[16:36] Writing a profile for a job seeker vs. business owner
[18:42] Content strategy
[20:46] Being consistent
[23:59] Connecting with people who don’t post content
[28:16] LinkedIn features you might not know about
[32:21] Featured section
[33:32] Keeping momentum with your LinkedIn brand
[36:27] Sabita’s one big challenge she overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Sabita Singh on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
Episode Summary:
After consistently delivering engaging episodes and being by your side week after week, it's time for a temporary pause. But before we step away, I wanted to dedicate this episode to explaining why this short break is happening.
In this candid and reflective episode, I delve into the reasons behind the break, and although It's been a journey filled with growth, learning, and connection, I delve into the reasons behind the break and that even the most dedicated podcasters need time to refresh and regenerate.
We are guaranteed to be back in September, in time for the big fall hiring season so we can equip you with the best tips possible to exceed in your job search and accelerate your career.
In the meantime, I invite you to explore previous episodes or connect with me on social media.
Thank you for being on this incredible journey with me. I can't wait to reconnect in September.
Until then, stay curious, stay engaged, and happy listening!
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Kate Teves, career coach.
During this conversation Kate discusses career transitions, resume building, and how to be a better networker.
QUOTES FROM KATE
- “I think it's a chance to reassess your resume and reassess your gaps in terms of your missing skills and knowledge and things like that and find a way to address them. Maybe take the next couple of weeks to do so. While the market is on the rise and take some courses, revamp your resume and off to the races.”
- “A resume has to reflect who you are. And respectfully never will because it's not you and it doesn't know you.”
TIMESTAMPS
[02:20] Start applying now, not later
03:08] Kate's journey into career coaching
[05:40] Max discusses career transitions
[07:15] Common job search mistakes identified
[09:25] Kate on hot industries for transitions
[12:00] Addressing imposter syndrome in transitions
[14:38] Analyzing job ads for qualifications
[17:45] Networking and online job platforms
[20:45] Resume doesn't reflect true self
[39:00] Handling challenging feedback experiences
[26:01] Authenticity is crucial in interviews
[30:31] Importance of cultural fit in hiring
[46:05] Tidy appearance, respectful environment, professionalism
[47:05] Long waiting times, staying motivated
[48:30] Faster hiring process
[52:05] Kate’s big challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Kate Teves on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Julia Abeln, holistic coach and founder of The Holistic Toolbox.
During this conversation Julia discusses the path to self-discovery, how to be your authentic self, and finding a career that aligns with your natural values.
QUOTES FROM JULIA
- “I did what every good millennial would do and I quit my job and I went traveling for half a year just to do some soul searching and I guess also with the intention to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.”
- “I just found that it's not just me who feels that way. It's a lot of people who never consciously thought about those questions and answered them for themselves. So, I just felt like self-discovery was really a missing part.”
- “Self-discovery is never going to tell you, this is going to happen in the future, this is how your life is going to turn out, this is what you're going to have to deal with. We’re not looking into the future and making a prediction of your future because also we have free will.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:48] Julia’s background
- [04:30] Self-discovery
- [11:14] Three systems of self-discovery
- [16:24] Misconceptions of self-discovery
- [20:43] Finding a career that aligns with natural values
- [26:04] Continue to grow and evolve
- [29:17] Future goals for Julia
- [33:06] Overcoming Julia’s biggest challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Julia Abeln on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Gabby Gooding, life & business strategist and host of, Mindset over Matter.
During this conversation Gabby discusses going from personal trainer to corporate career, networking, and the banking industry.
QUOTES FROM GABBY
- “You know, personal training would be considered cyclical. And so that just means that certain times of the year, there's kind of highs and lows to how the business is going. Right. So it's slower during some times and busier and other times. And so banking was one of the ones where it's stable all year long.”
- “You can provide value to other people by being the one that connects two people together.”
- “Networking really makes or breaks your experience sometimes. There's a right and wrong way to do networking as well.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:15] Gabby’s background
- [06:08] Personal Training
- [09:19] Banking career pivot
- [18:21] Networking lessons
- [24:18] Common traits of working with people in personal training and banking
- [27:11] Building rapport with people
- [33:40] Landing a job without being an insider
- [41:50] Landing a promotion
- [43:32] Overcoming Gabby’s biggest challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Gabby Gooding on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Jennifer Sacco, LinkedIn Consultant & Webinar Facilitator.
During this conversation Jennifer discusses LinkedIn profile sections, career transitions, and how to set yourself up for success.
QUOTES FROM JENNIFER
- “When it comes to your profile, you have to remember it's your profile. Yes, you've worked for a whole list of companies, but in your experience section, in your description box, you do not need to put the company biography in there. I want to read about you.”
- “When you're going through a career transition, you want to activate the open to work option. But what people don't understand is that when you activate the open to work, you have two options. You can have that green banner that says open to work and it's visible to everybody on the platform or you can choose to just let recruiters know.”
- “The most impactful thing is to start leveraging the platform. You do that by building your connections.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:30] Jennifer’s background
- [02:25] LinkedIn misconceptions
- [03:36] Strengthening your LinkedIn profile
- [13:35] Work experience
- [19:30] Don’t waste words in your headlines
- [24:20] Career transition
- [28:18] Featured section
- [30:25] Skills section
- [35:40] Properly build out your network
- [42:03] How LinkedIn has changed Jennifer’s life
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jennifer Sacco on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max highlights the 6 critical mistakes that many immigrant job seekers unknowingly make, which can hinder their chances of landing their dream job.
From resume blunders to cultural misunderstandings during interviews, Max uncovers the key missteps to avoid.
Learn practical tips and strategies to overcome these challenges, enhance your job search, and increase your chances of securing employment as an immigrant.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:00] Intro & summary
- [00:57] Debunking immigrant myths
- [01:30] Not understanding the job market
- [01:53] Ignoring cultural differences
- [02:05] Not utilizing networking
- [02:43] Not mastering the English language
- [03:18] Recognizing transferable skills
- [03:40] Seek North American qualifications
- [03:58] Closing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Jessica Bennett, Marketing & LinkedIn Strategist.
During this conversation Jessica discusses LinkedIn branding, content marketing, and how to grow in a non spammy way.
QUOTES FROM JESSICA
- “As a marketer, you're going to want to show off your marketing expertise and skills. So you could try and do like tutorials, so you could do like how to videos, like people like to learn on LinkedIn. They're really there for learning. So do one thing at a time.”
- “I think it really comes down to a mix because if you look at posts that use personal branding and kind of sharing your own personal life, people feel that they can get to know you and you like humanize the brand.”
- “I'm focused on relationship building, similar interests, finding out the obstacles. Then it's almost like them telling you, I need your help. You want them to tell you, but you have to probe them with questions.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [03:22] Jessica’s background
- [06:15] LinkedIn Newsletter
- [10:10] The About section
- [13:12] Work experience section
- [15:05] Skills section
- [19:00] Personal and professional content
- [22:20] Content strategy
- [25:38] Marketing generating opportunities
- [30:40] Sales navigator
- [38:00] How LinkedIn has changed Jessica’s life
- [39:25] One big career challenge for Jessica
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jessica Bennett on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses how to effectively research a company for a job interview. He will help you learn how to research the company, how to use your research to your advantage, and why this is so important.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:00] Intro & summary
- [00:51] Why researching the company is important
- [02:02] 5 key areas to research
- [02:40] How you get this information
- [03:50] Interviews are a two way street
- [04:10] Closing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Leigh Neys, career transition coach helping educators transition to corporate careers.
During this conversation Leigh discusses the transition educators face when getting into corporate, how to better transition, and her journey as into coaching.
QUOTES FROM LEIGH
- “I decided to step away from my career in higher education and transition to the corporate world and in my, about 10 years of my higher ed experience was actually as a manager, so I hired a lot of people.”
- “If you're looking to make that transition, certainly you have to be a subject matter expert, and that's probably the biggest qualification for the job.”
- “It's a little more difficult to transition in the middle of the school year. It certainly has been done and can be done, but I see most teachers waiting until the end of either the fall semester or first semester or the spring semester, and I encourage teachers to start that planning early.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:48] Leigh’s background
- [03:10] Why do educators want a change
- [06:35] Learning transferable skills
- [08:05] Obstacles during transition
- [10:55] Transition timeline for educators
- [14:40] Quantifying metrics as a teacher for your resume
- [17:31] Optimizing your profile
- [19:35] Big mistakes teachers make
- [22:40] Use your experience
- [26:20] Going from education to corporate: shockers!
- [31:50] Is it a good time to transition?
- [33:50] One big career challenge for Leigh
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Leigh Neys on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses 8 secrets recruiters won't tell you about the hiring process. He will help you understand what recruiters look for, how to better navigate the hiring process, and dive into each of the 8 secrets from recruiters.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:00] Intro summary
- [00:40] Navigating the hiring process
- [01:08] You’re not the only priority
- [01:28] Salary is negotiable
- [01:55] Social media matters
- [02:28] Recruiters might not understand the job
- [03:08] You are Googled
- [03:35] Presentation can trump experience
- [04:08] Unemployed bias
- [04:53] Recruiters might not have the final say
- [05:23] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Bill Birchard, Author of Writing for Impact and consultant/coach to professionals who want to become an effective writer.
During this conversation Bill discusses writing and becoming an author, copywriting, and competing with AI.
QUOTES FROM BILL
- “The core algorithm that drives ChatGPT is the statistical probability of one word following another. I asked it to view some improbable wording to write an ad for hair coloring, and what happens is if it gets outside the statistical probabilities, it starts generating nonsense essentially.”
- “I'm not a fan of opening a blank screen and starting to write. I'm a fan of trying to get your ideas together and then writing.”
- “We can see what happens when you use a metaphor versus literal language. We can see that in the brain. We can see that the amygdala lights up because there's some emotion involved. We can see that the motor and sensory circuits light up because there's probably some action and some sensations involved and so forth.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:23] Advancements in AI
- [05:20] Lessons in improving writing
- [10:43] Challenges for copywriters
- [16:28] How has writing and copywriting evolved
- [23:30] Getting motivated to write content
- [29:00] Write for impact is science backed
- [35:43] Biggest takeaway from all the research
- [38:20] One big career challenge for Bill
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Bill Birchard on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses how you can be better than 99% of job seekers out there. He will dive into how to set yourself apart, how to play the job hunting game better, and how to know what employers are actually looking for.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:35] Intro summary
- [00:52] Knowing the rules of the game
- [01:18] Stop making excuses
- [02:25] Relying too much on a career coach or hunting service to do all the work
- [02:58] No shortcuts to success
- [03:02] Work smarter not harder
- [03:20] Networking is powerful
- [03:38] Filter out the noise
- [04:10] Being consistent is the key to success
- [05:52] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Cindy Chan, career coach.
During this conversation Cindy discusses layoffs, balancing emotions but taking action, and AI with the job search process.
QUOTES FROM CINDY
- “You can't expect me to respond to your direct message if you send it to me at around like 8:00 PM and the job people is like, oh, okay. I, I hadn't thought about that. I thought they're on there all day every day. Yes, but they have to give themself a break.”
- “We're human beings. We all grieve. When something is lost, it's very normal. And I want to take this moment to encourage our friends here if you did recently experience layoff. I want to let you guys know that it's completely okay to feel how you feel.”
- “This is really interesting, honestly. The companies that I've seen who still ask for traditional cover letters are not for profit organization and maybe the government, but I haven't quite seen other organization ask for cover letters.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:50] Summer time hiring lull
- [05:00] Making layoffs less impactful
- [10:15] Cindy gets personal – her layoff story
- [14:37] Pause or start searching – dealing with layoffs
- [21:00] Resume format
- [26:25] LinkedIn – A recruiter’s tool
- [31:30] Cover letters yes or no?
- [36:25] Keyword strategies
- [37:40] ChatGPT
- [39:20] What to do after a layoff?
- [44:25] Cindy becomes a career coach
- [49:05] Cindy’s one big career challenge she overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Cindy Chan on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max dives into the hotly debated topic of the MBA degree. Max will discuss the pros and cons of an MBA degree, quality of MBA programs, and how an MBA can improve your skills.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:39] MBA degrees
- [01:45] Pay increase?
- [02:40] Gaining relative experience
- [03:33] Improving skills and abilities
- [04:05] Benefits of MBAs
- [04:18] Career advancement
- [04:35] Career changes
- [04:47] Networking
- [05:06] Personal Development
- [05:38] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Chris Burns, author, consultant, and podcaster.
During this conversation Chris discusses his journey into marketing, how to build your personal brand, and content creation tips.
QUOTES FROM CHRIS
- “Cultivate relationships. Put the social back in social media. But unfortunately, so many people are doing it the opposite way is they're just shooting arrows at their prospect and they're going to end up killing them.”
- “If you could open the door and you can humanize your brand or humanize yourself as a leader, You can cultivate relationships and a lot of good things can happen from that.”
- “In a perfect world, you would mix it up, you would have maybe 20-30% variation from platform to platform.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:35] Chris’s journey
- [02:59] What is a personal brand?
- [08:29] Using personal brand to advance your career
- [12:04] Use of social media for the older population
- [18:32] Businesses’ social proof
- [20:45] Having good authenticity
- [25:10] Improve the first impression
- [28:14] Building your brand, which social media platform?
- [35:23] Managing content topics
- [40:45] Finding a niche
- [48:24] The turning point in Chris’s personal brand
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chris Burns on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max teaches you how to overcome interview anxiety with 8 powerful tips and techniques. Discover proven strategies that will help you conquer your nerves and perform at your best during job interviews.
From effective preparation methods to mindset shifts, this episode offers practical advice and actionable steps to help you crush interview anxiety and increase your chances of landing your dream job.
Don't let nerves hold you back any longer, listen to this episode and unlock your full interview potential.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:38] Job interview anxiety
- [01:25] Uncertainty in the interview
- [01:45] You might feel judgement
- [01:55] The novelty of the job interview
- [02:27] Be prepared
- [02:50] Mindfulness
- [03:05] Adopt positive affirmations
- [03:19] Visualize success
- [03:43] Stay active and healthy
- [04:08] Good sleep hygiene
- [04:26] Dress for success
- [04:45] Be early
- [05:20] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Carol Parker Walsh, Strategic Advisor, Master Certified Executive & Leadership Coach, and Certified Personal Brand Strategist.
During this conversation Carol shares how to make career pivots, about personal branding, and the differences between a midlife crisis and just changing careers midlife.
QUOTES FROM CAROL
-
“I was a lawyer and I decided to move into organizational consulting work, so the industries do not pay the same. Let's just be honest. What I was making at $500 an hour as an attorney, I was not going to get that in a corporate job.”
-
“You shouldn't go all in your careers because what happens is as you get older your professional identity becomes more powerful than your own individual identity.”
-
“There's so much stigma around mental health, at least among sort of my generation older folks, but around Gen Z, there really isn't as much, and I think that's a really healthy thing.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:49] Carol’s journey
- [06:45] Career change considered a failure?
- [11:00] Become well-rounded
- [12:28] Build long lasting relationships
- [13:40] Midlife crisis
- [18:01] Career pivoting advice
- [23:06] Fear of taking a pay cut
- [26:18] Blocking out what others think
- [29:37] Midlife crisis vs just wanting change
- [33:48] Time management
- [40:18] Changing your environment
- [42:19] Carol’s main takeaways
- [47:39] One big obstacle
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Carol Parker Walsh on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max shares how to create an effective cover letter. Max will share why a cover letter is important, some mistakes people make on their cover letters, and how to properly format your cover letter for success.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:02] Cover letters are an additional platform to showcase your experience
- [01:12] Cover letters help you stand out
- [01:28] They allow you to show your writing skills
- [01:40] You can show off your personality
- [02:00] A common cover letter mistake
- [02:18] First paragraph: Your qualifications
- [02:48] Second paragraph: Show, not tell.
- [03:29] Third paragraph: Express interest
- [03:58] End with a positive statement
- [04:26] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Alex Budak, Berkeley faculty, social entrepreneur, and author of Becoming a Changemaker.
During this conversation Alex shares about co-founding StartSomeGood, which has helped more than 1,200 changemakers in 50 countries raise millions of dollars to launch and scale new change initiatives and about what is means to become a changemaker.
QUOTES FROM ALEX
-
“My point isn't that it's about taking more risks, it's about taking more smart risks. So no matter where you are on the sort of nature spectrum of risk taking, I think each of us can learn to take more smart risks.”
-
“Just try to take this holistic picture of like, what does it take to actually lead a positive change and then build that from the ground up.”
-
“There's so much stigma around mental health, at least among sort of my generation older folks, but around Gen Z, there really isn't as much, and I think that's a really healthy thing.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:05] Alex’s journey
- [04:50] Getting buy in from faculty and administration
- [07:01] How Alex created one of the most popular courses at Berkley
- [09:03] Mindset differences between Gen Z and Millennials
- [11:25] Definition of a changemaker
- [14:25] Servant leadership
- [15:55] Micro leadership moments for young leaders
- [21:14] Productive over busy
- [26:00] Changing mindset around your place in work
- [32:12] Best practices for building the long term mindset
- [37:25] Tips for building resilience
- [39:54] Alex’s main takeaway
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Alex Budak on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max shares 10 things to help you ace your next virtual / video interview. Max will share how to navigate the world of virtual / video interviews and how to improve your chances of moving on to the next round or getting that coveted job offer.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:40] Virtual Interviews
- [01:13] Test your technology
- [01:32] Create a professional environment
- [01:52] Be dressed to impress
- [02:10] Prepare ahead of time
- [02:32] Minimize distractions
- [02:59] Body language matters
- [03:23] Have good equipment
- [03:38] Show enthusiasm
- [03:55] Take notes
- [04:16] Follow up after
- [04:50] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Carly McLeod, career coach helping new grads launch fulfilling careers by landing non-technical roles.
During this conversation Carly discusses her journey of harmonizing her 9-5 and coaching side hustle, how new grads can find fulfilling careers, and skills you should learn to succeed in finding the career you want.
QUOTES FROM CARLY
- “A lot of information is coming your way, how can you decipher from what's right and what's not right? A good way to know that you are following the right advice is look to people who are making content or speaking to those experiences who are already in the space that you want to be in.”
- “You can follow what makes you excited to get up in the morning, and also understanding that what works for another person might not always work for you.”
- “Leadership's really important because when you get into that role, a manager wants someone who can take it on, make it their own after the initial training process, doesn't need a ton of hand holding and can bring in new, innovative ideas, speak their mind, and be a reliable and accountable person who can take a project or task from start to finish.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:43] Building something outside the 9-5
- [05:26] Challenges facing new grads
- [09:43] Figuring out what advice to follow
- [13:03] Effective ways of researching companies
- [14:31] Key skills needed to increase your chances of getting employed
- [21:20] Learn to stand out in the market
- [26:31] Tips on performing well in your interviews
- [30:54] Staying upbeat in the face of rejections
- [33:20] Carly’s personal job search lessons
- [38:12] Encouraging words for new grads
- [39:51] Carly’s biggest challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Carly Mcleod on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max shares discusses applying to jobs despite what some of the requirements might be. Max will share why requirements are more like a wish list, the deeper deal when companies are trying to hire, and ways to help you stand out despite not meeting some of the requirements.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:39] Ignoring job requirements
- [01:20] Real deal with hiring
- [01:40] Correct percentage of requirements met
- [01:45] Does the job excite you?
- [01:51] Are you lacking teachable skills?
- [02:04] Must-haves vs Nice-to-haves
- [03:12] Taking your application up a notch
- [03:25] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Amita Kumar, a mindset coach.
During this conversation Amita discusses how to improve your mindset, be more authentic, and overcoming limiting beliefs.
QUOTES FROM AMITA
- “Most of our opportunities if just work hard enough here, you can get to wherever you need to go, right? Like it's not so much about corruption and who you know, et cetera, but I think that it's easy to compare ourselves. I guess that's the bottom line.”
- “Do not try to fight the current. If you feel that you're in a rip current, wait, breathe, and float. Let it take you and then float out of it.”
- “I'm doing it from a place of want. I want instead of I should. And if I've learned anything in the last year, it's that there's such an important role for your own thoughts and your own self-talk.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:42] Getting into mindset coaching
- [04:24] Showcase your authentic self
- [11:45] Gratitude
- [14:19] Learning to go with your intuition
- [18:16] Overcoming fears
- [21:55] Being open minded
- [27:42] Limiting Beliefs
- [36:41] Taking uncomfortable action
- [40:13] Finding your people
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Amita Kumar on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max shares how most people pick the wrong career when they’re starting out. Max will share tips on self-discovery, how to navigate societal and parental pressures, and how to not give up because any setbacks or mistakes can benefit your future.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:40] Bit of bad news
- [01:13] Not doing the proper research
- [01:27] Self-discovery is crucial
- [01:40] Societal & parental pressures
- [02:23] Embrace the possibility of failure
- [02:40] Lacking experience
- [03:04] No perfect career
- [03:30] The rapid changing job markets
- [04:49] Navigating twist and turns
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Rose Caiazzo, Social Media Consultant & Founder of Social Media Secrets Club.
During this conversation Rose shares her journey of creating her business, how to be more confident on camera, and how to improve your communication.
QUOTES FROM ROSE
- “Typically, in the space of corporate, people are having conversations with each other. They are on camera just to kind of show their emotions, these types of things. You always want to keep that smile on.”
- “It's okay to take a pause and wet your whistle because. That is what helps you continue to be able to speak well and taking command of your words.”
- “So, the main thing about looking at the green dot is when you're being asked questions, you can completely focus. You don't even have to look at them. You're just looking at the green dot and you're saying what you need to say and you answer it the best that you can.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:22] Rose’s story
- [08:15] Being live vs recorded
- [12:25] Speaking calm and effective
- [15:35] Staying alert
- [19:12] Background of your video
- [23:37] Strategy if there are multiple people on the virtual interview
- [26:31] Tips for presenting virtually
- [35:15] Be authentic on video
- [40:44] Lighting matters on video
- [41:35] Rose’s leap into video
- [53:54] Calming your nerves of video content
- [57:33] Video is the future?
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Rose Caiazzo on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max will be sharing some valuable insights on how you can land your dream job through applying online. As we navigate through this digital age, finding the right job can be quite challenging. However, Max will be discussing some effective strategies on how you can stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of getting an interview. He will be sharing some valuable tips on how to craft a compelling application that will grab the attention of potential employers.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:02] Research the company you’re applying to
- [01:47] Optimize your resume
- [02:25] Adding a cover letter
- [03:12] LinkedIn profile
- [05:53] Reaching out to recruiters
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Mark Delaney, a Purpose and Life Mentor.
During this conversation Mark discusses his journey of build his business, overcoming your past, and how to find your purpose and fulfillment in your work.
QUOTES FROM MARK
- “Meaningfulness is something we have, and we take it to our jobs. My job is not what gives me my value and my purpose. I bring my value and purpose to my job.”
- “I want people to live and fully live. And if we're an eagle, I want us to fly.”
- “I think the earlier we get fired from something and realize, wait a second, my job is not my identity, probably the better.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:47] Mark’s story
- [05:24] Getting uncomfortable
- [11:16] Why people have a hard time finding meaningful work
- [16:04] Dealing with loss of job and identity
- [22:23] Finding your purpose
- [27:57] The pressure of finding the “right” job right away
- [34:42] Advice from Mark
- [36:12] One big takeaway to live a fulfilling life
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Mark Delaney on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, Max shares his personal experience of spending $8,000 on various online certifications to advance his career. He discuss the reasons why he decided to make this investment and what he hoped to gain from it. He will also provide a detailed breakdown of the different certifications he obtained, the time and effort required to complete them, and the cost involved.
Moreover, he talks about the challenges he faced along the way and how he overcame them. He also reflects on the value of these certifications in terms of career growth, job opportunities, and salary increases. Finally, He provides his honest opinion on whether or not this investment was worth it, and offer some tips and insights for anyone considering pursuing online certifications for career advancement.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:16] Max’s first time investing in a online certification program
- [01:33] Pivoting into marketing
- [03:08] Padding the resume
- [03:54] Getting into Digital Marketing
- [04:40] From marketing to product management
- [06:07] Building his career coaching business
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Jasmine Escalera, Career & Confidence Coach for Women of Color.
During this conversation Jasmine discusses signs that your employer is managing you out and what tactics they use to make it happen, so you can be on the lookout and know what next steps you need to take to continue excelling in your career.
QUOTES FROM JASMINE
- “I don't like that sort of nomenclature. So, I remember working in nonprofit organizations mainly was where I worked in my career. And nonprofit organizations often call themselves like scrappy startup culture.”
- “I love mentoring. I love coaching. It truly is one of the best things that I've had the blessing to do in my life. And so it started from really figuring out what my strengths were and you know, coming into my story.”
- “It is hard for you to move around. You don't have the same access to resources as you did before, whether that be people, teams, things. So those are the big signs there that you may be getting pushed out.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:08] Growing an audience on LinkedIn
- [03:09] Starting her coaching business
- [06:38] Following your gut but still ending up in a toxic place
- [07:55] Common red flags usually ignored
- [11:34] Getting kicked out of a job
- [14:32] Tactics used to get you to leave
- [20:31] Getting what you want from your career
- [24:16] Taking the entrepreneurship leap
- [25:31] Being a woman of color in the workplace
- [29:59] Navigating job uncertainty
- [33:21] One big career challenge Jasmine has faced
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jasmine Escalera on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max explores the common reasons why people struggle to achieve their career goals. Join us as we discuss the 5 most prevalent factors that contribute to failure and explore the root causes behind them.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:20] Not putting in the work
- [02:22] Don’t be indecisive
- [03:00] Timing will never be perfect
- [04:15] Taking risks
- [04:53] Lacking self confidence
- [05:30] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Christina Wallace, an author, and Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School.
During this conversation Christina discusses her journey of living the portfolio life, using four pillars to build your portfolio, and how to practice failure.
QUOTES FROM CHRISTINA
- “The idea of the portfolio life is simply that you can and should build a portfolio for your career, your hobbies, your community, your commitments that is diversified.”
- “The challenge there is if you identify as your job. Your identity can be taken away from you, whether you're fired or you're laid off, or your entire industry disappears. If who you are is what you do, who you are is at risk.”
- “Part of my identity was I am someone who succeeds. And the problem with that mentality, that narrative, is that if I am someone who succeeds and there's a chance that I might fail at something, I'm probably not going to try.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:08] The Portfolio Life
- [03:28] Christina’s journey
- [08:31] Four pillars to create the portfolio life
- [12:47] Failure can be good
- [17:50] Building your narrative
- [20:40] Business model for your life
- [25:02] Having a well balanced portfolio
- [32:03] Seeking your board of directors
- [34:40] Director vs Partner
- [36:23] Crafting your story
- [39:19] Preparing for the future
- [41:17] Adapting to AI
- [43:55] Key takeaway
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Christina Wallace on Social Media:
- The Portfolio Life
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max gives you the steps to answer, “Why are you looking to leave your current job?” Max will address why this question is asked, provide you tips on answering it, and even sample answers.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:15] Why are you looking to leave your current job?
- [02:00] Try to avoid being negative about your current job
- [02:14] Highlight your career goals
- [02:31] Stay professional
- [02:47] Be concise
- [03:17] Sample answer 1
- [03:34] Sample answer 2
- [03:55] Sample answer 3
- [05:05] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Brandon Neely, cash flow specialist at Wealth Wisdom Financial.
During this conversation Brandon discusses his journey in financial field, how to improve your financial decisions, and why mental health is more important than money.
QUOTES FROM BRANDON
- “Well, I think one thing is it's good to be an optimist. That's helpful, but also realize that volatility happens. The reality is life is messy. Things happen. Things happen big like covid.”
- “Start building the healthy habits that are going to impact you in so many other ways, psychologically, mentally, emotionally.”
- “The numbers tell me do I deserve it or not? That's why I love Profit First. That's why I love thinking about the envelope system. The numbers are going to tell us if we can do it or not. And not just say, ‘I'll just use a credit card. That's my emergency fund.’ That's not healthy.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:20] Brandon’s journey into finance
- [04:08] Save smartly
- [06:48] Preparing finances in case of a layoff
- [09:02] Common mistakes causing you to live paycheck to paycheck
- [11:14] Power of the envelope system
- [15:22] Finances and the housing market
- [17:41] Instant gratification delays long term wealth
- [18:39] Stay the course without getting distracted
- [20:20] Mental health obstacles and finances
- [26:07] Getting couples on the same page with finances
- [28:34] Take away action steps
- [30:31] Don’t look at the dollars, look at the percentages
- [32:22] One big financial challenge Brandon has overcome
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Brandon Neely on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max gives you the 2 emails you need to remember to write during the interview process. Max will explain these 2 emails, why it is important to follow up, and why forgetting to send these emails could be detrimental in your job search success
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:08] Why the thank you and follow up emails are important
- [01:42] When to send the thank you email
- [01:53] Tips for a great thank you email
- [02:08] Thank you email template
- [03:25] The follow up email
- [03:35] Tips to a great follow up email
- [03:51] Follow up email template
- [05:32] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Jim Loehr, serial author and expert in making better choices.
During this conversation Jim discusses his journey in writing 17 books, how to improve decision making, and the obstacles he had to overcome along the way.
QUOTES FROM JIM
- “If you really want to figure out, you know what you should be doing now, you really should be looking at where you want to end up. Stephen Covey said, start with the end in mind, and he was a hundred percent correct, so we take people to the end of their life.”
- “Parents don't really have a clue about how to teach their kids how to make good decisions. They just assume that's going to come by osmosis, you know?”
- “Your inner voice is your coach. The way you speak to yourself is closest to what I call your command center.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:02] Jim’s background
- [03:44] Different factors and making better decisions
- [09:53] Using our gut vs. proper decision making
- [24:15] Questions to identify values to help make decisions
- [27:54] The state we are in determines our decisions
- [31:34] The Yoda Framework
- [36:43] Stress and its impact on our decision making
- [42:51] What is one big career challenge Jim overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jim Loehr on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max gives you the 8 questions you should ask at the end of your interview. Max will explain these 8 questions, why it is important to ask good questions as the person being interviewed, and what the answers to these questions mean for this new job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:13] What are the next steps in the hiring process?
- [01:36] How do you onboard new employees?
- [02:16] How long have you been a manager?
- [03:08] What are the biggest challenges that one might face?
- [03:50] What is the performance review like?
- [04:43] What are the most important things I should accomplish in the first 90 days?
- [05:27] Where have successful employees moved on to?
- [06:07] What’s different about working here than other places you have worked?
- [06:22] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Shon Washington, client success manager with inTulsa.
During this conversation Shon discusses his journey to getting a new job within 30 days of starting the search, tips and tricks for you to do the same, and challenges he overcame.
QUOTES FROM SHON
- “I think that was like the first step I took. I actually went all the way through the entire interview process without applying for the job at all.”
- “I always keep myself open to opportunities, not necessarily like on my profile where recruiters can reach out to me, but if I see a job or see a company that's doing something interesting, I'm always going to like check 'em out a little bit more. Try to form some connections and relationships with people that work there.”
- “I didn't want to pigeonhole myself into that particular sector knowing that the odds were going to be against me. So I just had to broaden my search to industries I knew were going to hire and like identify different organizations within those industries that were aligned with what I was looking for.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:43] Shon’s career journey
- [07:41] Starting a new job search at the end of the year
- [11:03] Finding which industries are hiring
- [15:44] Taking the active approach and networking
- [18:02] LinkedIn messaging
- [21:47] Figuring out who to reach out to
- [26:11] Return to work policies
- [27:57] Opinions on hybrid jobs
- [34:10] Pain of layoffs
- [35:51] Evaluating pros and cons of multiple job offers
- [37:46] Advice if you get laid off
- [45:07] Shon’s one big career challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Shon Washington on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max explains why job hopping isn’t always the best thing to do to advance your career! Max will explain why job hopping can hurt your career more than help, the reasons it is negative to your resume, and when it might be okay to job hop.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:04] Increases your chances of being laid off
- [01:47] You make it more probable to land in a toxic job
- [02:35] Job hopping can increase stress and pressure
- [03:25] Limited opportunities for career advancement
- [04:18] Reduced benefits and perks can be an outcome
- [04:42] Difficulty building valuable skills and expertise making you less marketable in the long run
- [06:26] You become unemployable after a certain amount of time
- [07:00] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Xue Hua, software engineer in tech and Chief Tech Officer at Boba Talks.
During this conversation Xue discusses her journey to getting her job in tech, overcoming obstacles, and preparing for tech company interviews.
QUOTES FROM XUE
- “You'll feel like you're doing everything right, but you're still not landing an offer. It really depends on your learning style. Programming is an iterative process, so they just gave me the project. I didn't have to ask. I wasn't expecting it, and it was a big decision.”
- “It really depends on your learning style. I've had people learn from books. I've had people learn from Udemy videos. I've had people learn from practicing it.”
- “They saw that on my resume I had that freelance thing and that really set me apart from the other candidates because they had a problem with their current website or their current management system, and they needed somebody who understood how to make websites or applications. So that really helped me stand apart.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:12] Xue’s educational background
- [04:39] Difficulties in learning multiple coding languages
- [07:38] Resources for learning to code
- [09:56] Using internships and co-ops to help your career path
- [11:22] Preparing for first interviews
- [13:28] Gaining additional experience through projects in your job
- [16:20] Learning lessons when overcoming job search obstacles
- [19:07] Lacking the experience needed
- [20:35] Improving interview skills
- [24:45] Pivoting in your career
- [28:48] Tips for getting into top tech companies
- [33:37] Balancing offers while you wait for others
- [36:42] Culture shock
- [41:59] One big career challenge Xue had to overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Xue Hua on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses 7 signs that you’re about to get fired, ranging from changes in your workload and responsibilities to negative feedback from your manager.
By identifying these warning signs, Max aims to empower listeners with the knowledge and awareness to take proactive steps to safeguard their employment and career prospects.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:43] Getting laid off vs Getting fired
- [01:31] Formal warnings
- [02:06] Not getting new tasks or responsibilities
- [02:38] Being asked to train someone for your position
- [03:25] Manager is documenting your mistakes and performance issues
- [03:50] Manager puts you under a microscope
- [04:19] Getting targets that are impossible to hit
- [04:42] You get denied a bonus or salary increase
- [05:33] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Mikey Styles, entrepreneur, barber, and creative director at Status Barbershop.In this conversation Mikey discusses his entrepreneurial journey, how he got into being a barber, and he gives us a look into the hair business.
QUOTES FROM MIKEY
- “It was a big process. It started as a hobby. Like I said earlier, do the right thing from the beginning. If you want to talk a lot, if you want to relax, if you want to kind of just chill, you go to a specific barber to enjoy yourself. What I would say is when people leave, it's because the barber shop was toxic.”
- “My industry is hair care, barbering, beauty, making men feel like themselves. Confident. Take over the world vibes.”
- “I have a strategy for anyone that has a problem with walk-ins because, there's obviously no one to take care of them. Hire someone that doesn't have a lot of clientele and that's willing to be in the business and understand this is predominantly what you're going to do in the business is when you get started there's a lot of kids cuts. That's what I did. That's what I know a lot of barbers.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:07] Insights to owning a business
- [03:12] Finding his career as a barber
- [08:58] Navigating COVID
- [14:40] Location, location, location
- [17:10] Business traffic
- [21:40] Balding and losing hair, how to approach difficult conversations
- [26:01] Hiring processes
- [28:50] Coming up with a business name
- [31:55] Pivoting in the market
- [37:58] Running the show for himself
- [43:25] What makes new barbers quit
- [47:02] Brand building strategies
- [52:33] Over delivering
- [56:10] Pay structure
- [01:00:43] Future business goals
- [01:04:15] One big career challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Mikey Styles on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses about working with toxic coworkers. Key points he discusses in this episode are 7 common behaviors of toxic coworkers and 7 strategies to deal with toxic coworkers.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:38] Can’t choose who you work with
- [01:13] Constantly gossiping
- [01:19] Refusing to take responsibility
- [01:31] Taking credit for work of others
- [01:40] Always negative
- [01:46] Overly critical
- [01:53] Too demanding
- [02:00] Passive-aggressive behavior
- [02:55] Avoid gossiping
- [03:10] Less time spent with these individuals
- [03:36] Document negative incidents
- [03:53] Don’t take it personally
- [04:17] Stay calm
- [04:31] Confront the toxic person
- [05:04] Keep a positive attitude
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Chrisa Z Boyce, Executive Coach and Consultant.In this conversation Chrisa discusses how to improve your relationship with time and get more done.
QUOTES FROM CHRISA
- “Keeping in mind that there is a spiritual or emotional component to that. So really being in charge of your energy going into something begrudgingly is just going to make the experience suck for you, not just for everybody else.”
- “People usually perceive time as if time is their enemy. I do believe I work better under pressure. We tend to not disappoint other people. We all need certain steps to our day, especially when you are starting off in a new relationship, giving yourself an incentive. Human beings don't really understand the impact of their behavior, like, get over it.”
- “What ends up happening is because human beings are social animals and we don't want to let other people down and we care about not being embarrassed or humiliated or looking bad, or failing in some way, we tend to not want to disappoint other people. So, procrastinators, we'll get everything in at the 11th hour, especially if we're working on a team or working with colleagues. We're not going to disappoint our colleague and not get something in.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:27] Chrisa’s journey
- [03:51] Bad relationships with time
- [06:07] Staying motivated with distant deadlines
- [12:20] Set good time boundaries
- [14:34] Prioritizing your time
- [17:09] Pleasing others versus doing things for you
- [20:47] Balancing the pleasurable versus non pleasurable tasks
- [25:22] Ditching the scarcity mindset
- [31:09] See results from your new habits
- [35:51] Relationship with time past and present
- [40:55] Overcoming career change fear
- [43:29] Take away piece of advice to make the move
- [46:16] Chrisa’s big career challenge and how she overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chrisa Z Boyce on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses about job applications for entry level positions, stating why they aren't really entry level. Key points he discusses in this episode are the truth about “entry level” jobs, 7 reasons why entry level jobs aren’t truly entry level, and how to better your chances to get that first entry level job and begin your career in your desired field.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:38] Max’s job search reality
- [01:55] Job market competition
- [02:29] Industry knowledge
- [02:59] Technology skills
- [03:43] Previous work shows strong work ethic
- [04:15] Company culture
- [05:00] Reducing training costs
- [05:43] Reducing risk
- [06:20] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Bill Murphy, author, speaker, and philanthropist. In this conversation Bill discusses how to thrive in the storms of life and finding your why in a career you love.
QUOTES FROM BILL
- “It's way easier not to have to explain why you didn't keep going on. On the flip side of that, if you stumble and you fall and you miss a few things and you miss your workouts, your gym visits, then you can even say, ‘Hey everybody, I drifted a little bit. Can you help me get back on track?’”
- “Find your top five for anything that you want to accomplish and make sure those top five are going to elevate you to the levels you want to go. And occasionally you'll have some people that are close to you that may not be suitable to bring you to that level.”
- “You can't be sedentary when you have set major goals, or you will fall to that victim mentality or even the survival mentality where, you know what the storm. I'm just going to let it pass and wait and I'll wait for it to pass over and get through this. Why not thrive? Why not be on a course where you want to go out there and succeed like crazy?”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:04] Bill’s journey
- [02:47] Time as a counselor to juvenile inmates
- [05:30] Overcoming your fear of failure
- [08:41] Victim mentality
- [12:12] Finding your purpose
- [15:04] Building momentum with your habits
- [18:41] Being patient with the process
- [20:20] Overcoming adversity
- [23:31] Junk Miles
- [25:30] Being productive vs being busy
- [27:13] Growing others as well as yourself at the same time
- [29:16] Passions vs hobby
- [34:30] Setting smart goals
- [35:52] Thriving in the Storm
- [38:17] Bill’s big career challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Bill Murphy on Social Media:
- Thriving in the Storm
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses when it might be time to quit your job. Key points he discusses in this episode are the signs you should quit your job and how staying in a bad job can hurt your health and relationships.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:39] Time to quit your job
- [01:03] Toxic work environment
- [01:44] Toxic work environments can cause negative health issues.
- [02:34] Ways to tell if you’re underpaid
- [03:10] Work-life balance
- [04:52] Lack of growth opportunities
- [05:27] Are you being led on about promotions?
- [06:09] Misaligned values
- [07:12] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Priya Sam, keynote speaker, executive presentation coach & keynote consultant and podcast host.In this conversation, Priya discusses how she made a career change from journalism into tech consulting and how she was able to leverage her existing skills in journalism and public speaking to make that leap.
QUOTES FROM PRIYA
- “I've talked to dozens of people. I applied for dozens of jobs. I mean, this one felt like the right fit, but I think so many things need to fall into place. You know, it's like you need the right fit. You need someone who's willing to take a chance on someone with a different background.”
- “I found that really being vulnerable with the people around me, as hard as it was sometimes it was so helpful because on the times when I didn't ask for help, that's when it took me so much longer to figure something out.”
- “The other thing that helps is just practicing in front of your family, in front of your friends, just record yourself. Watch yourself back, look at things or listen for words that maybe are your crutch words that you repeat over and over again. Those are things that I think can be really helpful as you're getting started.”
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:04] Priya’s journey
- [02:45] Getting over the fear of speaking
- [03:57] Recommendations to be a better speaker
- [07:38] Getting into show business
- [11:17] Making sacrifices without burning out
- [16:40] Taking steps to get into tech
- [22:52] Finding the right transferable skills
- [24:46] Trials and tribulations of journalism
- [31:41] Finding transferable skills for tech
- [32:56] Starting a podcast
- [35:38] One big career challenge for Priya
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Priya Sam on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses the pain of job search rejections. Key points he discusses in this episode are the reasons you might get rejected, feelings that come after getting rejected, and how to overcome them.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:35] Reasons you might get rejected
- [02:15] Feelings that come after getting rejected
- [03:43] How to move forward from job search rejection
- [03:48] Staying positive
- [04:02] Stay active and engage in your job search
- [04:19] Ask for a second opinion
- [04:56] Talk to someone about your feelings
- [05:52] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Steph Shinabery, CEO of Genius Code Academy. In this conversation Steph discusses changing careers even if you’re older and when is the right time to go all in on your dream career.
QUOTES FROM STEPH
- “But say you're kind of like still the solopreneur. You're doing a lot of, maybe you have a little bit of a team. How can you maybe decrease your profits for a shorter period of time to figure out what it is that you really want to do?”
- “It's figuring out how to close that gap between the nine to five and this. Some people have a big nest egg and they're like, okay, I'm just going to go through my nest egg and I'm going to do the entrepreneurial idea and then if it doesn't work, then I'll go back to the nine to five. It’s not a one size fits all.”
- “When your alarm clock goes off in the morning am I excited to get out of bed or am I just hitting the alarm clock full of dreads. If you are dreading it, it's time to have like a self-assessment of like, what can I do differently?”
TIMESTAMPS
- [03:42] Making the move and starting over in your career
- [05:59] Finding career clarity
- [08:23] Age and career change
- [12:02] Conversations about career change with parents
- [16:39] Navigating a 9-5 & entrepreneurial journey
- [18:59] Worrying about money loss
- [25:28] Deciding to make a career move
- [30:07] The X Factor
- [34:40] Action item to change career trajectory
- [39:12] Having curiosity and a mindset to lean into your passions
- [40:36] One big career challenge for Steph
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Steph Shinabery on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses 5 common resume mistakes. Key points he discusses in this episode are the 5 common mistakes people make on resumes, how to write a summary correctly, and bad formatting practices.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:40] Your resume is the snapshot into your whole career
- [01:20] Don’t put your education above experience
- [01:55] Listing a bunch of job duties can hurt your resume and why
- [03:19] Highlight more than generic soft skills
- [04:14] Review the job advertisement
- [04:30] Make sure you have a career summary
- [06:20] Bad resume structure
- [07:55] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Colleen Paulson, a career consultant with her business Colleen Paulson Consulting. In this conversation, Colleen discusses what happens when a job offer gets rescinded and how you can recover from it happening.
QUOTES FROM COLLEEN
- “It's getting in the mindset that just because this didn't work out for you, it has nothing to do with your abilities. You know, you shouldn't let it shake your confidence once they take it personally, even though it has nothing to do with their ability.” - Colleen Paulson
- “Try to make friends with some recruiters on LinkedIn and really be honest about the situation that you find yourself in. Again, you don't need to hide that information. It's nothing to be embarrassed about, but you want to be proactive about reaching out to folks.” - Colleen Paulson
- “You need to be really careful in your resume. It is a marketing document, but when you are giving that to a company, you're saying that this is true.” - Colleen Paulson
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:17] Is getting your job offer rescinded common?
- [02:41] Negotiating for a later offer
- [03:50] Risking job hopping
- [07:37] Addressing employment gaps
- [11:00] Economic climate and risk of rescinded offers
- [12:40] Seeking out lawyers
- [14:32] Getting back on your feet quickly
- [18:01] Spelling out the work you’ve done
- [20:53] Improving your chances of landing your next job
- [24:10] Good industries for career pivots
- [27:59] AI and Careers
- [29:34] Engineering to Career Coaching
- [33:14] Colleen’s big career challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Colleen Paulson on Social Media:
- Colleen Paulson Consulting
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses how to answer the question “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” Key points he discusses in this episode are how to prepare for this question and how to craft an answer that will help you stand out.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:03] Companies want to know your long term goals
- [01:13] Your answer shows your commitment level
- [01:25] How you answer also helps the company plan
- [02:32] Don’t be vague or non-committal
- [02:46] Being unrealistic and overly ambitious is bad
- [03:02] Don’t be self-centered
- [03:16] Align with the company’s mission
- [03:34] Breaking down the structure of the best answer
- [03:37] Show how there is alignment
- [03:41] How will you make a positive impact
- [03:55] Highlight your professional development roadmap
- [04:12] Template for your response to this question
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Liz St. Jean, founder of The Mint Ambition, a website in growing leadership skills and advancing careers. In this conversation Liz discusses overcoming obstacles, navigating layoffs, and her 3 question framework to handle gut-wrenching news.
QUOTES
- “I do hard work. I should be rewarded for it. And sometimes that can really trip us up because to move into a supervisory position or a management position, it's not about doing good work of what you're doing at the individual level. Like it's a whole new role.” – Liz St. Jean
- “The foundation piece is like being kind to ourselves, giving ourselves that space and the grace and the compassion to essentially feel the feels.” – Liz St. Jean
- “We all love to do it. And one of the challenges with advice is that most of the time we're giving advice from our experience and our lens and our life and our personality and how we would approach things. And that may or may not be helpful for the other person.” – Liz St. Jean
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:50] Liz St. Jean and Mint Ambition
- [04:17] Coping with gut-wrenching news
- [07:15] Clearing your mind
- [08:45] Having a support network
- [10:16] Venting and listening well
- [13:58] Getting the right advice at the right time
- [15:33] Speeding up the healing process
- [17:15] 3 question framework for gut-wrenching news
- [21:51] Real life scenario for the framework
- [26:12] Giving yourself enough time vs procrastinating moving on
- [30:23] Getting passed up for promotions
- [33:02] Not just about working hard
- [34:34] 3 question framework during job hunting
- [39:34] Creating the framework and using it herself
- [42:18] Liz’s big career challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Liz St Jean on Social Media:
- Mint Ambition
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses how to deal with the interview question “What is your greatest weakness?” Key points he discusses in this episode are the 4 common mistakes when answering this question and how to structure a winning answer.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:05] Spinning your strengths as a weakness
- [01:15] Providing no weakness at all
- [01:27] Providing a deal breaking weakness
- [01:48] No improvement plan
- [02:17] Identifying a genuine, non-deal breaking weakness
- [02:49] Explaining the importance of this weakness
- [03:26] Results of you improving the weakness
- [03:42] Reinforce your commitment to improve
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Cassie Spencer, a career coach and podcast host of Happenstance. In this conversation, Cassie discusses the economic climate and layoffs, panic applying, and what happenstance is all about.
QUOTES
- “You know, many people experience happenstance in terms of they maybe didn't necessarily plan on entering a specific field or industry, but a conversation or an opportunity led them onto a specific path that they didn't even know existed. But there they are.” – Cassie Spencer
- “It's really important for people to take a little bit of time to get clear on what they're looking for and what they want and need out of that next job.” – Cassie Spencer
- “With as much uncertainty we live in endlessly now. It’s important to always be prepared. The best thing that you can do in terms of that preparation is to start thinking about and paying attention to the companies that you're interested in, the types of roles that you're interested in, and starting to lay that groundwork.” – Cassie Spencer
TIMESTAMPS
- [03:07] Why aren’t you getting good responses when you apply?
- [05:12] “Easy Apply” on LinkedIn
- [06:31] Strategies for effective applying
- [12:11] Does the time of year you apply matter?
- [14:59] Stay put or always be on the lookout when in a tolerable job?
- [18:58] 2023 job search concerns
- [21:31] Happenstance; what it means and how Cassie uses it
- [29:12] How to start networking
- [34:17] Overcoming fears
- [38:17] Cassie’s big career challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Cassie Spencer on Social Media:
- Happenstance podcast
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses how to deal with counter offers from your current employer when you plan to exit for a new job. Key points he discusses in this episode are: why people take counter offers so often and why you should not take a counter offer.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:55] Getting a counter offer
- [01:40] Taking a counter offer out of fear
- [02:05] Too much emotional attachment
- [02:30] Your sense of loyalty
- [03:00] The issues have been resolved or so you think
- [03:45] Never take a counter offer because it’s desperate
- [04:45] A counter offer is a temporary fix
- [05:05] Your loyalty will be questioned
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Jennifer Coners, of Jen Coners Consulting. In this conversation Jen discusses her career as a direct hire recruiter and business consultant, navigating layoffs, and working on getting your dream job.
QUOTES
- “You're going to be great in that industry. So they have to have that confidence. You have to build them up, you know? And it's okay to say you're new. It's okay to say you don't know, but you also have to say, but here's what I can bring to the table, and I want it really bad.” – Jen Coners
- “We do need structure, and we do need flexibility. So, I think if we keep going in that route and not being so harsh and everybody's saying, you have to come back in, I think things are going to look a lot better. People aren't going to be so angry and so, you know, demanding.” – Jen Coners
- “They just want to get the job. That’s where I come in and say, I get it. I get that you're frustrated. I get that you've done all of these things, but you're not doing something right. So, we're going to figure out what that is.” – Jen Coners
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:18] Layoffs and the labor market
- [02:18] Hybrid work schedule
- [05:02] Career challenges moving forward during economic hardships
- [09:19] Doing the detective work
- [10:22] Transitioning to a role in a different industry
- [14:16] Avoid instant gratification
- [16:27] Don’t forget your manners
- [20:11] Importance of employer feedback to non-hires
- [23:12] Salary expectation question
- [28:35] Could your job posting be bad?
- [34:00] Getting ghosted
- [35:31] Crushing your interview and following up well
- [37:40] Interview Strategies
- [41:17] Should you start to make a career change right now?
- [43:13] Jennifer’s biggest challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jennifer Coners on Social Media:
- Jen Coners Consulting
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses what to look out for during job interviews and how to spot red flags. Key points he discusses are why you shouldn’t take a bad job, the 7 red flags to watch out for during a job interview and questions you can ask an interviewer to get a better feel for the job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:40] Looking for THE job, not A job
- [01:05] Don’t take a bad job
- [02:38] Navigate the job search process to find a good job
- [03:04] 7 Red Flags in a Job Interview
- [07:34] 5 questions to ask the interviewer to spot additional red flags
- [09:05] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max speaks with Frank O’Connell, author of Jump First Think Fast. In this conversation, Frank discusses his extensive career with major companies like Reebok, and HBO, how to evaluate risk along your career journey, and build yourself into a confident expert.
QUOTES
- “In trading cards. We had all of the athletic NBA, NFL all of their licenses, and everybody said, this is the athletic trading card business. The kids said, no, you're in the business of connecting heroes and their fans.” – Frank O’Connell
- “In today's environment, you better be very agile. We used to develop a strategic plan. We'd review it once a year. You now need to view it every three months. And if things don't work, you've got to be agile and willing to make major changes quickly.” – Frank O’Connell
- “I would say almost all my major moves to other companies or promotions came through someone who I did develop a very personal relationship with and who knew me very, very well.” - Frank O’Connell
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:12] Frank’s journey
- [03:50] Pivoting into a new industry
- [08:27] Evaluating career move risks
- [14:59] Testing and reevaluating new tactics to grow
- [16:38] Building relationships
- [18:49] Becoming the expert and job hopping
- [20:13] Building your personal brand
- [22:39] What Frank looks for in a job candidate
- [26:31] Valuable skills to develop
- [29:09] How do you establish confidence?
- [31:07] Encouragement when you think you have made a mistake
- [33:19] Learning from Frank’s mistakes
- [34:46] Finding your passions and showcase your full self
- [35:49] Valuable takeaways from Frank’s book
- [39:44] Frank’s big challenge
- [40:55] Advice on relationships and careers
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Frank O’Connell on Social Media:
- Jump First Think Fast
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses how to properly respond to the question “Tell me about yourself”. Key points he discusses are how to successfully summarize your professional background, accomplishments, unique qualities, and how to connect your goals with the job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:40] Tell me about yourself interview question
- [01:02] Being too literal and personal
- [01:35] Don’t ramble when answering
- [02:00] Stop being too modest
- [02:31] Don’t be too general
- [03:52] Highlighting your professional background correctly
- [04:05] Using your top accomplishments
- [04:28] Hitting on your unique qualities
- [04:40] Connecting the dots between roles and goals
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Mark Willis, CFP with Lake Growth Financial Services, working with individuals, couples, and business owners who want to grow their wealth in a safe and predictable manner, and create tax-free income for life. In this conversation Mark discusses how to navigate a recession and prepare for retirement with your finances.
QUOTES
- “But I want more control. I want more agency. I want more capacity to be able to influence my environment rather than being impacted by it. And so that's been my great honor, is to work with clients to do exactly that.” – Mark Willis
- “That's an interesting word. Do you remember that movie, The Princess Bride, where the guy says, ‘You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means’, and he's so right when it comes to diversification, we keep using that word, but I don't think it means what we think it means.” – Mark Willis
- “Some point math just takes over and we're all going to see taxes rise over our lifetimes. So I knew I wanted to pay my taxes now and have a tax-free future that was going to yield the best return for me.” – Mark Willis
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:22] Mark’s journey
- [02:54] Recession opinions
- [04:50] How to make it through a recession
- [06:50] Investing during a recession
- [10:17] Key tools to use for investing
- [15:40] Investing in life insurance?
- [17:12] Combating the cost of living and inflation with your job
- [21:31] Self-control with credit cards
- [23:35] Preparing for a recession
- [28:24] Diversify your portfolio
- [30:19] Strike it rich with new investments?
- [34:10] Is cash trash?
- [36:49] Difference between the Recession vs the Pandemic
- [39:15] Episode main takeaways
- [41:32] Mark’s big financial challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Mark Willis on Social Media:
- Podcast
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses how to prepare for phone interviews to pass more interview rounds and get more job offers to take your career to the next level. Key points he discusses are questions to prepare for getting asked, what questions to ask at the end to help you strategize for future interviews, and phone interview logistics.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:03] Main goal of phone interviews
- [01:25] Being clear and concise
- [02:28] STAR method
- [03:26] 2 questions you need to ask
- [05:15] Following up after the interview
- [05:30] Logistics for a good phone interview
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Dr. Maky Zanganeh, Author of the book The Magic of Normal and Co-CEO of Summit Therapeutics, focusing on improving patient outcomes for serious unmet medical needs. In this conversation Maky discusses her battle with cancer and her journey to writing her book and how all those challenges gave her a new outlook on life.
QUOTES
- “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. At the end of the day, if you think that everything is possible they give you the opportunity to move. You keep going, going, going.” – Dr. Maky Zanganeh
- “But every time that shows me I do not have this mentality to give up. I love to continue because at the end I know I'm in a better position.” – Dr. Maky Zanganeh
- “I wanted to publish the book before my dad passed away and they did everything to get it done before and he saw the book and that was my biggest achievement related to this book.” – Dr. Maky Zanganeh
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:51] Maky’s career and book
- [04:33] Book writing process
- [05:32] Cancer diagnosis
- [07:29] Learning lessons through the challenges
- [09:48] Obstacles that got her where she is today
- [11:45] Quotes to live by
- [13:05] Women overcoming glass ceilings
- [15:12] Helping business thrive
- [16:29] Top tips to reach your dreams
- [17:45] How generosity helped Maky
- [18:58] Hardest chapter to write
- [20:07] Key takeaway from the book
- [21:09] Maky’s challenge that shaped who she is
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Dr. Maky Zanganeh on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses how to frame your layoffs / employment gap when writing your resume and going through the interview process to increase your response rate on your job applications, not get stuck when they ask you "What happened at your last job?" so you can move forward in the interview process and get your next job faster.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:40] Getting laid off is hard
- [01:40] Don’t settle for less salary
- [02:40] Start with your resume
- [03:46] Answering recruiter questions
- [05:35] Showcase you’re a good fit
- [06:36] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max Speaks with Austin Kerr, Founder & CEO of Humanagement.io, the simple software to manage your employees & business. In this conversation Austin discusses his experience in the HR industry and how you can prepare better for interviews and increase your chances of getting hired.
QUOTES
- “That was where I went, I don't want to do this job anymore. I'd realized that the parts of it that made me happy were no longer, and so that's a good reason to not do a job. If you can say, the things that make me happy are X and this doesn't provide X, then that's a good reason to quit.” – Austin Kerr
- “You yourself must then understand, you know, if you're going to ask a question like that about sports, you have to have an understanding of sports, how different sports operate as teams. Certain sports like golf are more lonesome versus football, which is more team based. You can gain data from that, but you must be prepared to do the work.” – Austin Kerr
- “Four or five months in [to a relationship], they would always run into problems with their relationships where the person would leave them and they'd be like, ‘What's wrong with me? We were so happy in the first three months.’ And I'm like, you weren't so happy in the first three months. You were fake for the first three.” – Austin Kerr
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:56] How Austin got his start
- [04:41] Being a fit for the job and culture
- [07:58] Using the correct amount of pause
- [10:26] How to know if someone is lying
- [13:20] Personality traits that are looked for
- [15:30] Jobs and their similarities to dating
- [17:39] Big red flags for interviewers
- [21:33] Title inflation and interview turn offs
- [25:07] Don’t get too personal when asking questions
- [27:09] Make your resume stand out
- [29:05] Austin’s career journey
- [36:45] If you’re self-teaching are boot camps good?
- [39:44] The right time to quit
- [43:47] How do you promote internally?
- [46:21] One big career challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Austin Kerr on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses how to negotiate your salary when going through the interview process. Key points he discusses are doing your research, networking, and building relationships. Max also gives guidance on what are the best things to say during the negotiating process.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:40] Don’t leave money on the table
- [01:26] Doing the correct research
- [02:06] Network and get informational interviews set up
- [02:36] Building relationships with recruiters
- [03:34] Answering the question about salary expectations
- [04:26] Picking a range and using correct wording
- [06:05] What to say when negotiating
- [07:04] Negotiating professionally
- [08:34] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max speaks with Marina Krivonossova, a professional in Public Relations & Communications. In this conversation Marina discusses her transition internationally for schooling and work as well as her use of LinkedIn to network to grow her career.
QUOTES
- “I've never done anything with LinkedIn. Because I think as many people, I had the belief that like LinkedIn is just where you paste your resume. You say I'm humbled to announce my new job, things like that. But I was like, No, there's got to be something more to it.” – Marina Krivonossova
- “Networking is huge here. And I mean, currently the company for whom I work, we organize, you know, a few annual conferences, we always place a huge emphasis on networking and the networking opportunities we offer. And we know our clients are extremely keen on that, they want to meet other people in their industry in similar industries, just in other industries, and networking is a huge thing for them.” – Marina Krivonossova
- “You should really just push past the initial awkwardness of starting to post and start posting about what you're interested in, I would really say that you don't even have to pick a specific field of interest at the beginning, you should just start posting and see what feels comfortable.” – Marina Krivonossova
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:12] Making an international move
- [04:10] European vs North American Application Processes
- [13:03] Finding digital marketing as a career
- [15:19] Using the job posting to build your resume
- [21:17] Utilizing LinkedIn by publishing content
- [23:42] LinkedIn as a learning experience vs a competition
- [34:09] Learning lessons from pivoting careers
- [35:47] Advice if you’re worried about opinions of others
- [37:12] Marina's career challenge
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Marina Krivonossova on Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max recently had the opportunity to speak at a college to some soon to be college graduates about increasing their chances at landing their dream jobs after they graduate. In this presentation, he discusses proper resume building to stand out with recruiters to get more interviews and get your dream job right out of college.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:36] Focus on bullet points
- [02:37] Proper resume length
- [03:54] Too much emphasis on soft skills
- [05:25] Recruiters, on average, spend 6 seconds to look at your resume
- [06:40] Work Experience section
- [08:34] Executive Summary section
- [09:10] Professional Work Experience Section
- [09:35] Putting Volunteer Experience on your resume
- [10:18] Should you put all your certifications?
- [11:43] Why you should show numbers, percentages, and other metrics
- [13:25] Closing and Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max speaks with Jennifer Brick, Career Strategist and Founder of Capdeca Solutions focused on helping ambitious professionals dismantle the glass ceiling for themselves for good. In this conversation Jennifer discusses how to stay motivated during tough times in your career whether you have been laid off or currently stuck in a toxic work environment.
QUOTES
- “There's a lot of people that meet me that are like, I can't stand your voice like I hate you like what you're saying makes no sense. And, you know, there's someone out there for everyone. And I think like, especially like our unique value, like, again, it goes to like what we intuitively are bringing to the table.” – Jennifer Brick
- “I love Bernie Browns quote of like, I don't take advice from people who aren't in the arena. It rings so true in so many different areas of our lives and in our careers and our ambitions.” – Jennifer Brick
- “I don’t think that's the best thing to do. I think that looking for a job is a part time job. And then what you can do with the additional time is do things like upskill so that if there's something that you're interested in, if there was already a career growth area, now is a great time to focus on growing.” – Jennifer Brick
TIMESTAMPS
- [05:31] Change in perspective after the pandemic
- [10:51] Staying motivated during tough times
- [12:46] Searching for a job is a full time job itself?
- [14:55] Power of networking
- [19:01] Building a career that works personally and professionally
- [30:35] Goals can change
- [33:59] Do you believe in saturation of skills?
- [45:28] Jennifer’s big takeaway for you
- [47:35] Jennifer’s big challenge she overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jennifer Brick on Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Chan With A Plan The Podcast recently hit a milestone, achieving 10,000 cumulative downloads. In this episode, Max breaks down the best practices, tips and tricks he used to achieve this download number to help you if you're looking to start and grow your own podcast.
In addition, he provides a few nuggets on the future direction of the show, with the new format starting with the 100th interview episode of Chan With A Plan which will be released next week as he brings back one of his 1st guests that help him launch the show in January 2021, Jennifer Brick.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:14] First and most important thing about podcast directories is SEO
- [02:42] The second helpful thing to get to 10,000 is consistency
- [03:39] Gaining time back through outsourcing
- [04:13] Collaborating with your guest
- [04:53] Focus on what matters with podcasting
- [05:48] Other benefits from podcasting
- [07:13] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, Max speaks with Jamie and Jacklyn Purvis, father-daughter Co-Founders of the Be Do Have Movement - High-Performance Coaching Company, helping people get unstuck to build bigger careers and businesses through the Be Do Have Method.
In this discussion Jamie and Jacklyn provides strategies on how you can master your mind and get clarity in order to achieve your goals.
QUOTES
- “Most people have no problem spending a lot of money on a car, like jumping on a plane and spending $10,000 on a vacation. And yet we don't invest in ourselves. I just looked at it from a different perspective and realize the most important asset that I have is my mind.” – Jamie Purvis
- “When we pay, we pay attention, if it's given to us, people have reasons not to follow through, it's not their money, so they don't value it.” – Jamie Purvis
- “It's really tapping into whether you're in a career or you're an entrepreneur, how can you be helping someone in what you're doing and really tapping into that purpose.” – Jacklyn Purvis
TIMESTAMPS
- [03:05] Be Do Have Movement
- [06:56] Getting into coaching after bankruptcy
- [12:01] Pay after you get results
- [14:26] Creating self-discipline
- [16:06] Have careers without burnout
- [19:25] Growing your mindset
- [23:32] Planning versus procrastinating
- [24:49] Figuring out the next best steps
- [26:00] Long term results
- [31:37] How did they decide to start a business
- [42:27] Finding new team members
- [44:36] Overcoming challenges
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Purvis Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses how he overcame his fear of creating video content and hopes that his story inspires you to push past your own fears to get your career and life to the next level. Based on this past week's episode with Alden Mills on how to overcome fear and failure in order to become successful in your career and live the life you want.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:36] How Max got started in Career Coaching
- [03:02] Diversifying and expanding his content strategy
- [04:50] Importance of having a funnel with ads
- [06:00] Difficult things propel you the most
- [08:11] There is no such thing as failure
- [08:45] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, Max speaks with Alden Mills, Founder of Perfect Fitness, 3 Time Navy SEAL platoon commander and best selling author to discuss his learning lessons throughout his career and business life, especially on the topic of turning fear and failure into fuel to help you achieve career success.
QUOTES
- “When you have a tiger by a tail, with that kind of a launch, as fast as it can go up, it can also go down. I really didn't want to have to sprint to hire a bunch people and then fire a bunch of people.” – Alden Mills
- “In SEAL team, we would call it darkest before dawn. And that's actually a true phenomenon. It's actually darkest and coldest, right before dawn. And I liken that, to dealing with ideas that you're bringing to market. The biggest challenges you deal with during the darkest moments are the challenges between your ears.” – Alden Mills
- “But we will be so brutally hard on ourselves. And we will accept that whiner if we're not careful. Now there's another voice. It's much quieter, it's softer, and you have to be aware of it. And tune into it. And that's the whisper.” – Alden Mills
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:52] Alden’s failed businesses and how he ended up succeeding
- [09:12] Three controls to your mindset and how to use them to your advantage
- [11:33] Getting rid of naysayers
- [19:46] Fighting temptations to stay focused on your goals
- [24:55] Becoming an author, the 10 year process
- [28:38] Sacrificing for success
- [37:56] How to scale business
- [41:27] Roadblocks along the way
- [46:32] Big challenge Alden had to overcome
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Alden Mills Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the importance of networking to help you get into your dream company, but he stresses why only reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn is not the most effective approach. Instead, he explains a better way to network if you want to maximize the LinkedIn platform for your job search. Based on this past week's episode with Mohammad Kasujee on how to optimize your LinkedIn profile for your job search to successfully change careers or get your dream job fast.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:32] Utilizing LinkedIn on your resume
- [01:07] Red flags on LinkedIn profiles
- [01:48] Common mistakes when networking on LinkedIn
- [03:00] Effective networking strategies
- [03:41] Building rapport with recruiters
- [04:59] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, Max speaks with Mohammed Kasujee, Career Coach and Founder of MK Career Solutions. Mohammed shares his best advice to help you optimize your LinkedIn profile to either successfully change careers or get your dream job fast.
QUOTES
- “So be very, very wary about disclosing finances or information on your LinkedIn profile that gives away too much information about the company. People can get in trouble for that. So, if there's anything that you feel in doubt, just remove it, especially when it comes to monetary values.” – Mohammed Kasujee
- “I think most of the time, it's not the job itself. It's what the job is not allowing them to do.” – Mohammed Kasujee
- “The LinkedIn algorithm, as a whole, favors a complete profile. And a banner is an indication of a complete profile as well. So, if anyone does not have a banner, they should definitely have one.” – Mohammed Kasujee
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:01] Mohammed’s journey
- [04:49] Major obstacles in the way of your career success
- [07:52] Optimizing your LinkedIn profile
- [09:34] Major LinkedIn profile areas of focus for recruiters
- [21:57] Do recruiters look at volunteer experience?
- [23:26] Are endorsements crucial?
- [26:16] Is posting content on LinkedIn that important to get a job?
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Mohammed Kasujee Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses 5 money lessons he wish he knew in his 20s that would have made him miles ahead financially in his 30s and beyond. Based on this past week's episode with Patricia Roberts on creative ways to pay down your student loan faster.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:09] Always have an emergency fund
- [02:03] Learn to make money work for you
- [02:40] Make more money over cutting all your expenses
- [03:13] Start your retirement early
- [03:58] Be careful of lifestyle inflation
- [04:54] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, Max speaks with Patricia Roberts, COO of Gift of College where she discusses creative strategies that you can use to pay down your student loan faster and move forward with your life.
QUOTES
- “I also have personal experience with the value of higher education. I believe firmly it is that education that I obtained that helped me to lift myself and my family out of the situation that we were in.” – Patricia Roberts
- “I found a way to make it work to go to college, to work multiple jobs, still send money home to help my family, but also get on a path of advancing myself.” – Patricia Roberts
- “I encourage people to start saving, whether it's in a 529 plan or some other way and to do it consistently. Another tip I have is to invite friends and family to join you in your savings journey. Nobody really knows what to buy your child or children for their birthdays or holidays, and to tell family members that you're on a mission to save for the child's future and invite them to join you.” – Patricia Roberts
TIMESTAMPS
- [2:03] Patricia’s personal debt journey
- [06:52] Lessons to not have huge amounts of student debt
- [12:14] Best types of school to attend to keep cost & debt low
- [28:26] How to help yourself pay off debt faster
- [33:42] What secondary education is the most valuable?
- [39:26] Patricia’s big career challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Patricia Roberts Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses his experience in getting multiple certifications to build his career, and reflects whether it was worth the investment in time and money. He hopes by sharing his experience, it will help his listeners who are currently going through the decision making process to make the right move for their career. Based on this past week's episode with Dr. Sabine Charles on how to pass your certification exam on the 1st try, build your career and make more money.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:34] Max’s journey with career changes, education, and certifications
- [02:11] Connecting with a career coach
- [02:43] Certifications in marketing and product management
- [05:12] Max’s journey starting his career coaching business
- [05:37] Don’t assume certifications are the magic pill to success
- [06:37] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, Max speaks with Dr. Sabine Charles, CEO of TAPA Institute on how to effectively prepare for your certification exam and pass it on the 1st try. Dr. Sabine Charles goes through her study system she has developed that helps you prepare for your certification exam for any field, making this episode a must listen for anyone going through this process.
QUOTES
- “Everyone wants an A, so then what happened? We try to give everyone an A. I always tell my students there's two things happening in my class, getting an A, and learning. Two different things. Because you can get an A and not necessarily learn.” – Dr. Sabine Charles
- “You have to do a good job and know what your skill set and see whether or not a certification can enhance that.” – Dr. Sabine Charles
- “You have to know your life. I have clients who are single moms, and they study in their closet. They're hiding from their toddler, because they have to go study for their cert, or they study in their car. You got to figure out where you have your space so you could absorb the information.” – Dr. Sabine Charles
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:17] Cracking the code for certification exam success
- [05:27] Do a good job and know your skillset before certifications can enhance it
- [08:13] Foundational components to certifications
- [13:40] Skillsets that have helped professionals use certifications that got them promoted
- [16:34] Common reasons people fail certification exams
- [20:56] Mental exercises to help you feel calmer and more confident
- [24:11] How Sabine started her business helping professionals
- [29:05] Sabine’s big career challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Dr. Sabine Charles Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Making a career change can be tough, and can be made tougher when you have a lot of people criticizing your decision to do something different with your career.
In this episode of Chancap, Max talks about his own experience with criticism when he was diving into the field of resume writing and career coaching with only a background in marketing.
Based on this past week's episode with Lisa Arthur on how to overcome the fear of making a career change and take action to get your dream job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:43] What it takes to make a career pivot
- [01:09] Mindset's role in pivoting
- [01:39] Max’s real life example
- [02:56] First criticism is that it’s usually people behind you that criticize you not people that are ahead of you
- [03:48] Second thing when it comes to criticism is that you’ll always have haters, no matter how right or good you are
- [04:39] Third thing when it comes to criticism is that it’s your life so you just need to be happy with it and the decisions you make
- [05:52] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max chats with Lisa Arthur, a multiple business owner who has an extensive background in education working as a Department Chair for her department for 2 years. Lisa comes on to discuss her insights and strategies on how you can overcome your fears and insecurities when it comes to making a successful career transition.
QUOTES
- “Really it comes down to you trusting your inner being and trusting yourself to make that transition. Imposter syndrome. As you talked about, there's a lot of people that have that, even though they know they have the skills and knowledge and honestly, I've gone through those doubts.” – Lisa Arthur
- “And that's just what you have to do, you have to make a decision. And either way would have been hard, because being the victim thing would have also been hard, because I wouldn't have made the money, I wouldn't have been successful, I wouldn't have learned a lot of things.” – Lisa Arthur
- “I try not to let fear stop me from pursuing other avenues. That's been kind of a lifelong thing that I've had, as far as like this need to discover new possibilities, especially right now, with the pandemic, now is a wonderful time to be exploring different options.” – Lisa Arthur
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:26] Diversifying career streams
- [06:12] Enjoying your job despite the challenges
- [09:19] Learning lessons with career transitions
- [14:34] Getting into more of an active productive path
- [17:17] Common fears as people transition into new programs
- [23:17] Decision making and risks
- [26:53] Action steps if you are unhappy with your career
- [31:04] Stay the course when you feel frustrated
- [35:17] Regrets or no regrets; living with your choices
- [41:13] Final piece of career pivoting advice
- [42:47] Lisa’s big career challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Lisa Arthur Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the 3 things you need to do to ensure you are making the right career move to avoid taking the wrong job. Based on this past week's episode with Megan Camacho on The Career Triple Jump: How to successfully change job functions, industries and countries all at the same time.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:31] Research current and future demand for the role
- [01:51] Understand what the day-to-day is like of the role you’re seeking
- [02:13] Gathering intel from individuals in that target role
- [02:35] What skills will be required and how long will they take to obtain
- [03:26] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, Max speaks with Megan Camacho, a qualified career and life coach with 15 years of professional experience in a variety of companies and industries including media, law, investment banking and higher education. She has worked with multiple MSc and MBA students in successfully making the career triple jump, which is changing job function, country, and industry, all within a compressed timeframe. So if you are looking to make a pivot whether it's a new job, moving to a new country or changing industries, this episode is for you.
QUOTES
- “I think that's one positive thing that's come out of the pandemic is remote working has become so much more available, which is great because it gives people more flexibility to live their life and do other things besides just the nine to five.” – Megan Camacho
- “Forbes did an article I think it was earlier this year that said that if companies are not willing to adapt and move to this more flexible way of working, they really won't survive.” – Megan Camacho
- “I think what scares most people about networking is they feel like they're the one that has to do all the talking. And they have to sell themselves to people, when what you want to do with networking is actually find out more about that person.” – Megan Camacho
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:39] The world of digital nomads
- [07:44] Future of workplace flexibility
- [10:35] Getting back in the workforce after a career break
- [13:09] Restarting your job search
- [18:50] Dealing with rejection
- [21:17] Working at Imperial
- [26:16] Common mistakes professionals make getting ready for their job search
- [28:45] Networking during your MBA program
- [34:39] Your resume doesn’t have to match 100% of the job description
- [34:25] Adapting and prospering in the face of uncertainty
- [35:32] Adapting to a new country’s work environment
- [39:02] Megan’s biggest challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Megan Camacho Social Media:
- Balanced Mother Coaching
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses what cautionary steps you need to take in order to ensure you don't go from one toxic work environment to another. Based on this past week's episode with Tammy Alvarez on how to beat the "Sunday Scaries" and learn to love Mondays again.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:23] Importance of getting a job that is a good overall fit for you
- [01:34] How do you know if the company you’re interviewing at is the right fit?
- [02:30] Finding middle ground between the positive and negative reviews of a business
- [02:47] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max speaks with Tammy Alvarez, CEO and Founder of Career Winners Circle, a comprehensive collection of coaching and training programs designed to strengthen leaders to grow their careers quickly and sustainably. In this conversation, Tammy provides insights and strategies on how you can stop the "Sunday Scaries” and learn to love Mondays again.
QUOTES
- “You're exactly right Max, every single one of them comes in with that fear, right? I'm going to have to take a step back to be happy. And I don't believe that for a minute. We have this idea that when we do something new or different, suddenly, all our experiences from the past doesn't count.” – Tammy Alvarez
- “But it always starts with clarity, where are you right now, and where do you want to get to, and then we create a roadmap to take you from point A to point B. That's the clarity part.” – Tammy Alvarez
- “Everything related to networking should be done from today on. Because that will open doors for you.” – Tammy Alvarez
TIMESTAMPS
- [03:13] From staffing industry to Wall Street to coaching
- [06:17] Why go back to school?
- [09:01] Balancing your job and creating a plan to get the job you want.
- [13:24] Mistakes to avoid when searching for a job in a different field
- [17:56] Discovering coaching was the next move
- [21:40] Balancing work and home life
- [24:18] Pulling back after burning out fears
- [27:26] Job hopping today
- [30:16] Fear of staying in your job versus fear of the economic condition in the world
- [34:25] Adapting and prospering in the face of uncertainty
- [39:35] Making the move to living the life you want
- [41:26] Tammy’s biggest challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Tammy Alvarez Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Every job search starts with the fundamentals of having a good solid resume, so in this episode of Chancap, Max discusses the 5 essential sections that every resume needs to get you more job interviews. Based on this past week's episode with Juliana Rabbi on how to get a job where you can work from home.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:50] Why to use one column on your resume
- [01:37] Contact information section of your resume
- [02:28] Your resume’s executive summary
- [02:47] Work experience section of your resume
- [03:14] Your resume’s education section
- [03:29] Skill section of your resume
- [04:20] What to do if you don’t have a lot of work experience
- [05:05] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, Max speaks with Juliana Rabbi, a Career Coach where she provides insights and strategies on how to get a remote (work from home) job. Whether you want to get a remote job, or hybrid job, every job search starts with the fundamentals of a targeted job search strategy and Juliana dives into different ways to prep for your job search to get the job you want.
QUOTES
- “People in my team, they were not working remotely. So it was kind of a weird situation at the beginning. So I had to get used to that. But I have to say that after just a few months, I really started enjoying it. And I saw so many advantages.” – Juliana Rabbi
- “But it always starts with clarity, where are you, where you want to get, and then we create a roadmap to take you from point A to point B. That's the clarity part.” – Juliana Rabbi
- “Everything related to networking should be done from today on and you need to keep going. Because that will open doors for you.” – Juliana Rabbi
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:48] Who is Juliana Rabbi?
- [07:08] Balancing your work from home lifestyle
- [10:19] Taking time away from work
- [12:33] Cons of working from home
- [16:54] Strategies of getting remote work
- [28:28] Applying for a remote job
- [37:33] Networking to increase your chances at landing a remote job
- [47:22] Stand out in your new remote job
- [52:36] Challenges Juliana overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Juliana Rabbi Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the importance of writing a cover letter if you're looking to make a career transition. Based on this past week's episode with Chengeer Lee on how to jump start your job search this fall and get your dream job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:35] Recruiter vs Talent Acquisition Professional
- [01:19] Cover letter debate
- [02:18] Horizontal vs Vertical job change
- [03:13] Two scenarios for cover letters needing written
- [04:28] Explaining your story
- [05:30] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, Max speaks with Chengeer Lee, a Talent Acquisition Professional where he shares his insights and strategies to help listeners who are currently in the job market, improve their job search results to get their dream job.
QUOTES
- “I was getting paid, especially at higher levels, like my compensation was bad. But this culture made me absolutely miserable and no amount of money will be able to justify it. There are more things to life than money. Money, will come if you believe in your purpose.” – Chengeer Lee
- “You have a funnel, you have your leads, the companies that you talk to, your resume applications, and you need to convert them into phone calls, your phone calls, you convert into first, second, third round, which you eventually need to convert into the offer, and multiple offers, if you're lucky and good at what you do.” – Chengeer Lee
- “If you have a box of chocolates to sell, and you knock on doors, you knock on one door, you're not gonna stand there. If it doesn't open, it doesn't open, you just move on right until one door opens in front of you.” – Chengeer Lee
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:49] Career lessons from Chengeer
- [08:43] How NOT to approach a recruiter or talent manager
- [14:33] Rejection can be a blessing in disguise
- [15:59] Best way to reach out to recruiters and talent managers
- [20:57] Normal day of a talent acquisition person
- [26:49] How much screening does ATS do?
- [34:57] Making a good tailored resume
- [42:52] Focusing on the right job searching tasks
- [47:32] LinkedIn profile tips
- [49:38] Do cover letters matter?
- [51:53] Mistakes made on screening calls
- [56:12] Job hopping stigma
- [1:00:56] Job search tips
- [1:03:27] Big careers challenges and how Chengeer overcame them
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chengeer Lee Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses why it's important to have deadlines as it helps prevent procrastination and keeps you motivated in order to achieve your career goals. Based on this past week's episode with Jette Stubbs on how to get your dream job in 90 days.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:43] Importance of deadlines
- [01:27] Keeping you accountable with your goals
- [02:05] Creating momentum
- [02:42] Increase innovation and creativity
- [03:32] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max speaks with Jette Stubbs, Career and Business Coach in which she talks about her job search journey where she had to get a job in 90 days, or she would have to leave Canada. It was definitely a stressful time for her. But she was able to achieve her goal and now has built a successful career coaching business. She tells her story in hopes of providing insights and strategies to help accelerate your own job search to get your dream job in record time.
QUOTES
- “Rabbit holes, we think of them as a bad idea. You go down a YouTube rabbit hole, but I always tell people think of it as Alice in Wonderland, you end up in this whole new world of opportunities and you can find career options that you never realize existed.” – Jette Stubbs
- “Once I figured out the skills that I had, how I wanted to live, which is desire, the third piece was demand. And that's where I did that labor market research. And I had to figure out what would make the most money, I found these three jobs, I was in the sweet spot of these three things.” – Jette Stubbs
- “So, the first thing they need to recognize is that every job, freelance service or business is based on solving a problem. So anytime somebody is handing you money, you are either taking them away from a problem or towards a better situation for the company.” – Jette Stubbs
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:33] Who is Jette Stubbs?
- [03:16] Increasing application response rate with less applying
- [13:12] Following the right advice
- [17:25] Becoming a high value candidate
- [22:02] Highlighting how you will impact the company and not going overboard
- [25:26] Telling a good impactful story
- [28:00] Who to network with?
- [35:25] How much time to spend on applications
- [38:48] Resume building strategies
- [41:23] Common interview mistake
- [45:40] Jette’s big challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jette Stubbs Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses his episode with Stuart McCalla and why building relationships with people, whether it's at your workplace or networking with people in your field or desired field is the key to your career growth and success.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:41] Focus on the right things
- [01:18] Getting passed up for promotion
- [01:56] Becoming the right person through relationships
- [03:20] Know, like, and trust factor matters
- [03:48] Wrap up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max speaks with Stuart McCalla, Managing Partner at Evolution, a coaching, culture and leadership development firm. Stuart shares his underdog career story from being a college dropout to building a prosperous career in tech with the purpose of providing lessons in hopes of helping guide you in your job search to get your dream job.
QUOTES
- “I was like, ‘Well, what do I need to do?’ And what I figured out is relationships serve you best when looking for a job. So, when I was younger, I remember looking at LinkedIn, I was like, ‘Oh, who are the people that are going to help me get in front of a decision maker.’” – Stuart McCalla
- “I learned very quickly, your resume is one of probably three or four hundred resumes that somebody is filtering through. And so even if you have the best credentials, sometimes you won't make it past that initial filtering system.” – Stuart McCalla
- “Be curious, be helpful. But don't give so much of yourself that you're depleted.” – Stuart McCalla
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:38] Taking control to get the job you want
- [04:07] Stuart’s underdog story
- [09:13] First job search after dropping out of college
- [11:52] Be a generalist or get really focused on one thing?
- [13:51] Building protection for potential layoffs
- [22:09] Quick turnaround within tech company jobs
- [25:09] Transitioning from printing to tech industries
- [30:05] Dealing with rejection
- [35:19] Building a network
- [40:26] Attracting the right people
- [43:46] Stuart’s big challenge and how he overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Stuart McCalla Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides advice on how to handle financial and career uncertainty due to a turbulent economic climate with talks about a recession coming. Based on this past week's episode with Kate Walker on how to thrive in career uncertainty and stay positive during your job search.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:17] Financial related fears
- [01:39] Find ways to make more money
- [02:16] Fear of losing your job
- [02:35] Make yourself indispensable in the work place
- [03:05] Start job searching and the difficulty of it
- [04:06] Reducing those fears by action taking
- [04:34] Wrap up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max speaks with Kate Walker, HR and Leadership Consultant. Kate discusses how to thrive in career uncertainty and provides actionable insights and strategies to help you stay positive during a long and exhausting job search.
QUOTES
- “I wouldn't say that when decisions are being made. Again, every layoff every situation is different. But if you were a high performer, a top performer, then someone may fight a little harder to keep you on.” – Kate Walker
- “I did not believe in moonlighting because I was more of the mindset, you know, you should be loyal to your company.” – Kate Walker
- “I think momentum is another name of the game and yeah, there can be days where you're down and out and it just feels overwhelming. And maybe those days that you plan to go do something for yourself you plan to just go to the park and or you know, take your animals out and play with them.” – Kate Walker
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:53] Kate’s story
- [04:53] Pivoting successfully
- [06:47] Building relationships and networking
- [09:09] Getting laid off, things will be okay
- [11:03] Working 2 full time jobs
- [13:11] Advice on getting laid off
- [16:12] Resources for improving job search
- [19:05] Using keywords; best practices
- [20:59] Getting desperate for a job?
- [23:14] Building rapport with professionals
- [24:46] Signs of potential layoff
- [28:29] Approaching an interview being let go from your previous job
- [33:40] Talking about personal baggage
- [36:45] Older professional getting laid off
- [42:13] Next steps after getting laid off
- [43:44] Kate’s biggest challenge and how she overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Kate Walker Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses his episode with Fran Garton who talk strategies on how to reduce workplace stress. The release of the episode aligns with the trending term of Quiet Quitting. For those who don't know what Quiet Quitting means, it's a trending term right now, that means scaling back in the workplace, not going above and beyond and doing what is only required in order to keep your job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:35] What is ‘Quiet Quitting?’
- [01:02] Do remote workers really end up working more hours?
- [02:53] No one wakes up and says, ‘I feel like being average today.’
- [03:20] If you feel burnt out at your job, talk to your manager.
- [04:25] Also, self-discovery can help you when you are feeling like Quiet Quitting.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max discusses stress reduction tips in the workplace, with Fran Garton, a Pain Reduction Coach, Body Positive Personal Trainer and a Fibromyalgia Warrior who helps women who desperately want to live pain-free. Fran specializes in helping people lower the stressors they have in the workplace. So, if you feel overly stressed in your job, this episode is for you.
QUOTES
- “I like it to be simple two types of stress, internal stressors, and external stressors. So, the external stressors, I'll start with them. Those are the things that you don't have control over. So, for example, your work schedule.” – Fran Garton
- “Stress is really important in our life because it keeps us safe. It tells us that there's something going on or there's something dangerous that we need to pay attention to. And we are designed to go in and out of stress.” – Fran Garton
- “When we get into a job, we always want to say yes, yes, yes, yes. And you have to remember, if that's the pattern you're setting up, then moving forward, you're going to be the person they always come to, because they're like, oh, Max will say, yes, we'll ask him to do it. And then you just piling more stuff on you.” – Fran Garton
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:24] Fran’s story
- [04:36] Dealing with stress at work
- [13:36] Setting boundaries to perform optimally
- [21:33] Advice on not focusing on what people think about you in the workplace
- [28:41] Adapting to the work environment and coworkers
- [37:10] Big takeaway from the episode
- [39:25] Things Fran wishes she would have learned earlier to lower her stress
- [41:57] Is it still a vacation if you’re looking at emails?
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Fran Garton Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses why it's ok that not every job is for you and you should never take it personal if you end up not getting the job. In addition, Max explains why it's sometimes normal to work in an environment where you don’t click with everyone, from coworkers to even your manager. Based on this past week's episode with Sarah Wallace on how to identify your personality in order to find a job you love.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:50] Sometimes you don’t end up getting the job after all
- [01:47] The one who got the job might have more experience but they probably have a better fit for the culture too
- [02:25] You won’t get along with everyone, there’s too many personalities
- [03:20] Key takeaways from the episode; be mindful of the jobs you go for
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan with a Plan, Max speaks with Sarah Wallace, a Certified Enneagram Coach, host of the Enneagram MBA podcast, speaker, and workshop facilitator. Sarah discusses the 9 types of personalities that people have to help them discover their true self and find a career path that aligns with their personality.
QUOTES
- “There were probably multiple things that were like I want to be accomplished. Yes, I want to be strong and powerful, right? Yes, I want to have integrity. We have all nine of those strategies in us. There tends to be one though, that we use most often.” – Sarah Wallace
- “There's two that I tend to focus on. One is it [Enneagram] really dives deep below the surface beyond just your behavior… The second way that it's different, and one of my favorite things about it is that it gives you a clear direction, on where to go once you understand your type.” – Sarah Wallace
- “If you've never looked under the hood of your car, to get a regular checkup, eventually it's going to burn out, it's going to break down. And so that is the challenge for a lot of us. We just keep going, doing the same thing, and having the same issues over and over...” – Sarah Wallace
TIMESTAMPS
- [02:04] How Sarah helps others increase career fulfillment and be happier
- [03:00] Difference between personality assessments
- [04:38] How Sarah got started
- [06:36] 9 Personality types in the Enneagram
- [08:58] Strength and weaknesses of the personality types
- [11:05] What if you don’t like your personality type
- [13:15] How’s the Enneagram work?
- [17:55] Working with people with different personalities
- [19:55] Asking questions to make sure a job fits your personality
- [25:31] Can you fix bad relationships after you find out your personality?
- [26:05] Sarah’s personality type, Type 7
- [27:30] Big learning lesson along her career
- [29:12] Next steps in redirecting your career path
- [30:33] One life lesson Sarah overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Sarah Wallace Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
One of the points that Andrew Waddell mentioned in this past week's episode that resonated with Max a lot is that there's still a stigma when it comes to men asking for help. Max explains in this episode why asking for help is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:23] Stigma on men asking for help
- [01:09] Being a good leader by leaning on others when it’s needed
- [02:37] There is nothing new under the sun, so seek wisdom from others
- [03:10] Summary of episode
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Andrew Waddell, The Midlife Coach that helps men struggling with midlife and provides guidance to discover the life they want to live and how to live it. Andrew discusses how men can feel stuck in their careers midlife but also how there is hope to overcome this obstacle and live their life on their terms.
QUOTES
- “I mean, for me, midlife crisis is sort of immediately a derogatory term, right? It's like society has kind of positioned the midlife crisis, especially for men, or something slightly ridiculous is a sign of sort of male immaturity. It's a sign of kind of men being sort of led by their testosterone. And as a result of which it actually creates an environment in which men can't admit to feeling vulnerable.” – Andrew Waddell
- “I think a lot more people in their 20s now are working on self exploration. I think my generation didn't do that. Because we had no guidance from our own fathers in that space. It wasn't something our fathers did. So there was no kind of path for men to kind of explore themselves in a more meaningful way.” – Andrew Waddell
- “It's this idea that I think about most jobs, especially in the corporate world, that there are a box. And that box is very well defined in terms of job description, in terms of the skills and the capabilities and the qualifications, you need to be in that box. Most of ourselves fits in that box, you know, maybe a large amount of capabilities and skills. But for most people, not all of themselves fits in that box.” – Andrew Waddell
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:29] It’s not midlife crisis
- [04:14] Planning for your mid-career in your 20’s
- [06:25] Living fully and taking risks
- [08:32] Losing your sense of self and getting it back
- [10:42] Common fears in terms of taking action
- [12:51] Pushback from those closest to you when you make a change
- [14:24] What gets in the way of men asking for help?
- [17:23] Advice for people who have been laid off
- [20:25] Sometimes it’s better to get shoved off than leap off the proverbial cliff
- [21:21] Looking back at Andrew’s career
- [26:45] Separating yourself from the weight of pleasing your parents
- [32:49] Advice for those in their 20’s to avoid the mid-life transition
- [36:13] Impulsive decisions that come from the midlife-transition
- [42:07] Andrew’s big learning lesson
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Andrew Waddell Social Media:
- Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the 1 skill you need to have, to increase your job security during the recession. Based on this past week's episode with Roman Prokopchuk, career learning lessons from the 2008 recession to help you recession proof your career.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:52] Being recession proof in your career.
- [01:18] Forced changes happen. Be adaptable.
- [01:43] Becoming a valuable asset on your team
- [02:08] Max’s example of being adaptable
- [03:22] Popular career fields in demand right now are…
- [03:42] The two mindsets when it comes to a recession
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Roman Prokopchuk Founder of Nova Zora Digital, and podcast host of the Digital Savage Experience. In this conversation, Roman discusses lessons he learned during the 2008 recession that will help others prepare for what many experts are predicted the next big recession.
QUOTES
- “For me, I didn't really have a choice. So, I took advantage of the opportunity. Ask yourself, ‘If you get an opportunity in a completely different field, and it potentially can lead to something else are you going to take it?’ My recommendation would be take it because you don't know where it could lead you.” – Roman Prokopchuk
- “All the ups and downs and getting to wherever you want to get, so if you're doing it that way, and you're getting value out of the process and the journey, and it's actually rewarding.” – Roman Prokopchuk
- “Maybe they don't give you an opportunity, but at least you can pick their brain, maybe even ask them, has this ever happened to you? What do you recommend, for me, what would be the best thing? So, taking opportunities like that, there's a lot of things you can do for free, it just takes you time to find them.” – Roman Prokopchuk
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:39] Roman’s story
- [05:48] Signs of the 2008 recession
- [06:41] How the recession affected friends and family
- [09:46] More millionaires are made during economic hardships
- [13:20] Businesses and their plans to weather recessions
- [18:09] Testing business ideas before pulling the plug
- [19:41] Future proofing yourself and being adaptable
- [25:42] Deciding which direction to take when things get rough
- [30:12] Learning lessons through the recession and how he might’ve handled it differently
- [33:41] Dealing with being fired
- [36:41] Advice on learning a new skill
- [45:08] If the recession in 2008 hadn’t have happened would you have followed a different path?
- [47:57] Lessons for economic hardships
- [52:20] Roman’s big career challenge and how he overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Roman Prokopchuk Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses why people like the idea of making a career change, but not a lot of people are actually serious in doing the work to actually make it happen. Based on this past week's episode with Natalie Murphy on how to get your 1st Customer Success Manager job in Tech.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:41] What making a career change actually takes
- [01:06] Figuring out your personal brand
- [02:46] What your profile says about you
- [04:36] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Natalie Murphy, who successfully transitioned from a Recruiter Role to her 1st Customer Success Manager Role in Tech. She provides job search tips from her days as a recruiter and also provides insights and strategies on how she was able to make the pivot to a Customer Success Management position, so you can do the same as well in your career.
QUOTES
- “I love understanding the mind. I love understanding interpersonal relationships, human interactions, human behavior, and recruiting as a sales job. The great and not great thing about recruiting is that your product is a person, so it can talk back to you. And it can also say no.” – Natalie Murphy
- “I know that in the digital age, a lot of us are used to texting or sending you know, messages or emails. But having a simple professional voicemail, just stating your name, when you'll get back to them, making sure that you're smiling while you're speaking. Because it makes a really big difference.” – Natalie Murphy
- “If you can put some sort of hook in a cover letter. That's awesome. If you have something that's very copy and paste generic, it doesn't stand out and not really worthwhile, just kind of extra space, it could kind of dissuade a recruiter or hiring manager.” – Natalie Murphy
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:29] Natalie’s story
- [06:44] Common mistakes by job applicants
- [11:23] Resume mistakes you don’t want to make
- [13:46] The great cover letter debate
- [18:00] Mindset shift from being a recruiter compared to being a hiring manager
- [23:24] Moving from New York to Colorado
- [27:29] Finding a job before you move
- [32:01] Transparency laws
- [36:01] Making the career shift and determining factors
- [44:38] Challenges as a customer success manager
- [45:47] Average day as a customer success manager
- [49:07] Advice if you want to get into customer success management
- [59:16] Natalie’s big challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Natalie Murphy Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max highlights learning lessons that he gained in his very 1st job search right after graduating University/College. Based on this past week's episode with Angelina Spadaro on how to get your 1st job in Corporate America as a New Immigrant.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:02] Lesson 1: Why you might not get feedback
- [01:35] Lesson 2: Don’t stick to a script for answers
- [02:25] Lesson 3: No second chances
- [03:43] Lesson 4: Why your commute matters
- [05:20] Lesson 5: Being yourself matters most
- [06:31] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Angelina Spadaro, Founder of CAN.Link.People and has over 15 years of HR experience including reviewing over 70,000 resumes and interviewing thousands of candidates. In this conversation, Angelina discusses helping new immigrants land jobs in North America. She uses her experiences being an immigrant and working in her corporate positions to help other immigrants land their 1st job in their field in North America.
QUOTES
- “I think the idea is just really to build relationship. And you know, use your community as well. So for example, go on some Facebook group, like I know a lot of French people, they have like French groups, and they can support each other.” – Angelina Spadaro
- “Then the other thing is the resume, you know, first of all, the legal requirements are very different. So for example, in France, you are allowed to have your birthday, your picture, your marital status, how many kids you have, but in Canada, legally speaking, you should not have that on your resume. So that's the first step.” – Angelina Spadaro
- “But I think in other countries, it's just a conversation. And if the conversation goes, well, you're hired. And so I think that's one of the big things, but also, for anyone who comes, you know, to a new country, the English may not be their first language. And it's an extra layer of stress and going to an interview is already stressful.” – Angelina Spadaro
TIMESTAMPS
- [04:56] Angelina’s story
- [08:56] Job search process differences between countries
- [15:17] French resumes unique structure and information
- [20:46] Interview preparation for immigrants
- [23:55] Interview feedback when you didn’t get the job
- [27:50] Applying to jobs on your own vs using an agency
- [31:32] What is ghosting and does it happen?
- [36:43] Other advice for immigrants looking to work in Canada or the USA
- [41:49] Steps to take tomorrow to change the outlook of your job search
- [44:40] Angelina’s big challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Angelina Spadaro Social Media:
- Can.Link.People
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max highlights 3 common communication mistakes that professionals make in the interview that cost them the job. Based on this past week's episode with Tracy Hooper on how to improve your communication skills for career advancement
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:58] Why you need to stop rambling
- [01:41] Make sure your answers are relevant and connected to your experiences
- [02:40] Don’t talk negative during an interview
- [03:51] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Tracy Hooper, Founder of the Confidence Project. In this conversation, Tracy discusses how to communicate effectively in the workplace and how the words we use can hurt or help us excel in our careers.
QUOTES
- “Scientists tell us if you use someone's name, it activates a part of their brain long enough for them to stop talking. And for you to be able to interject what you want to say.” – Tracy Hooper
- “It's all about our audience, whether we have an audience of one other person or crowd, we need to have what we're talking about relate to the audience. Because if it's not about them, they will check out mentally and physically.” – Tracy Hooper
- “And I will tell you, there is power, in pause for sure. But there's also power in pace. If you go too fast, you can lose people. And when that happens, then they don't relate to you, and they can zone out.” – Tracy Hooper
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:58] Getting to know Tracy’s expertise
- [02:07] Getting people to open up to you
- [05:15] Building rapport with people you talk with
- [08:03] How to improve your communication
- [09:26] Words you might be saying that you should stop using
- [16:44] How difficult is it to change what words you use?
- [18:13] Don’t be vanilla, speak with confidence
- [20:33] Using your body language correctly
- [22:31] Replacing poor choice of words with stronger ones
- [26:39] Being comfortable with silence
- [30:27] Steps to improving your speech and communication
- [36:17] Being interrupted and how to deal with it
- [46:22] Tracy’s big challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Tracy Hooper Social Media:
- Confidence Project
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses how to build a solid personal brand to help you elevate your career and why not building one now, will hurt your career in the long term. Based on this past week's episode with Jennifer Shryock on how to grow your career and make more money by building a strong personal brand.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:23] Lessons from Gary Vee
- [01:49] Being referred is huge, so be known by many
- [02:27] Be good at your job but they’ve got to know who you are too
- [03:21] What building a personal brand means
- [04:33] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Jennifer Shryock, Certified Master Coach and Founder of Rainmaker Resumes. In this conversation, Jennifer discusses how building a personal brand is crucial in your job search journey and the steps you can take to build a solid personal brand to grow your career and make more money.
QUOTES
- “How do people know that quality? How do people really understand what you do? In the real world? The answer to the question how you grow your career might be based on what people think about you and your work. And now we're talking about personal branding.” – Jennifer Shryock
- “Personal branding is what other people say about you when you're not in the room. And that is one of the main factors of your personal brand.” – Jennifer Shryock
- “What other people say about you matters to your personal brand, because there are more of them than there are of you. And some of them are going to be decision makers.” – Jennifer Shryock
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:45] Getting to know Jennifer’s expertise
- [03:14] Starting to build a personal brand
- [05:32] Friends sitcom example
- [09:50] Getting people to know your brand and what you do
- [13:07] Get others to grow your personal brand well
- [18:57] How to change someone’s mind who might have the wrong idea about your personal brand?
- [20:29] You have to get known, memorably
- [23:55] Get on a clear path of where you want to go
- [26:53] Speak to your target audience
- [29:56] Creating the right intro statement
- [34:32] Key takeaway when it comes to building a personal brand
- [36:34] Jennifer’s biggest challenge and how she overcame it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jennifer Shryock Social Media:
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses why sometimes it's actually advantageous and beneficial to stick around at your current job compared to your job hopping colleagues that want to leave the company. Based on this past week's episode with Sonja Price on how to switch jobs to maximize your salary.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:58] Less competition for promotions
- [02:14] Making a lateral move
- [03:06] Less risk when moving up or laterally in your existing company
- [03:44] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Sonja Price, a Certified Career and Executive Coach. Sonja discusses how she helps professionals who want to have more meaning and fulfillment in their life and find jobs that are an excellent fit for them. She discusses steps professionals can make to not only make more money but be more fulfilled. This episode is to help you take a step up in your career ladder.
QUOTES
- “The challenge with this is that when you get a raise and an annual timeframe, you're getting lumped into the same bucket as everybody else, every single other employee is getting a raise at the same time. So there's not as much money to allocate amongst the workforce.” – Sonja Price
- “What you want to be doing is do that external… And even if it's like 5% or above, it's still percentage of what you previously made. Versus if you come in as a new hire. It's a whole new ballgame. We're starting over completely; we're starting from scratch.” – Sonja Price
- “I think sometimes people can get into this like kind of call and response mode when they're in an interview setting. But instead, what you want to be thinking about is how can I help this organization or this manager sitting in front of me right now? How can I help them solve their problems?” – Sonja Price
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:46] Job Hopping Can Increase Compensation
- [04:35] Internal Promotion Challenges
- [07:42] Horizontal vs Vertical Promotions
- [10:35] Negotiating a Job Offer
- [13:31] Job Hopping Time Frame
- [16:51] Assumptions with Job Hopping
- [18:46] When Are You Ready to Hop?
- [20:47] Making the Right Move with No Regrets
- [24:48] Concerns with Hiring Managers and Recruiters
- [29:06] Company Counter Offers
- [35:17] Roadmap to Increasing Compensation via Job Hopping
- [37:22] Common Learning Lessons
- [38:56] Sonja’s Biggest Challenge and How She Overcame
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Free 14-Minute Masterclass
- Sonja Price Social Media:
- Sonja’s Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max shares with you 6 questions you can ask at the end of your interview, according to the Harvard Business Review that helps you gain knowledge on professional development, career paths and future opportunities at this new company that you want to work with. Based on this past week's episode with Scott Anthony Barlow on how to make a successful career change and live a more fulfilling life.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:31] Talk about recession
- [02:51] What learning and development opportunities are there in the new role?
- [03:27] How do I grow professionally being a part of this team?
- [03:51] Career path beginning with this position.
- [04:18] Common career paths in this department.
- [04:52] How are promotions typically handled?
- [05:11] Where have successful employees moved on to?
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Scott Anthony Barlow, CEO of Happen to Your Career, which focuses on researching on what creates more fulfilling work. In this conversation, Scott discusses how to have a fulfilling career and strategies for listeners to get their careers to the next level. This episode is to help you make a career change, whether it's moving to a different industry all together, or just looking to elevate where you are right now, because you feel stuck.
QUOTES
- “He gave me a choice. He said, I could walk out of there with two weeks’ pay and just leave, or I could sign a severance deal and go, and you know, get up in front of everyone who reported to me and everyone that I worked with, and essentially say, ‘Hey, I'm leaving the organization.’” – Scott Anthony Barlow
- “So, no matter which way you look at it, I would encourage you to find and expose yourself to people that are doing what you want to be doing in one way or another. So, if that is identifying work that is meaningful for you, and then making a change without starting over and bringing over your experiences, and then getting well compensated for doing so, then that's where you begin.” – Scott Anthony Barlow
- “If you do a little tiny bit of work up front and execute some experiments, then that helps you either pivot quickly at the beginning, or it helps you reinforce that, yes, I am, in fact going the right direction for me.” – Scott Anthony Barlow
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:57] Meet Scott
- [07:17] Changing Your Mindset About Your Worth
- [11:19] Pivoting Successfully
- [15:17] Goldilocks and the 3 Bears
- [19:59] Giving First to Receive More
- [21:42] Making New Connections Well
- [30:22] Scott’s Client Testimonial
- [40:30] Scott’s Big Challenges and How He Overcame Them
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Scott Anthony Barlow Social Media:
- Scott’s Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan On Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses job search strategies and career clarity to help you get to the next stage of your career based on this past week's episode with Shelley Piedmont on how to effectively apply for jobs online to get your dream job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:09] Best quality candidate
- [02:09] 2nd level of candidate
- [03:30] 3rd level of candidate
- [04:19] Example of interviews being different candidates
- [06:04] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Shelley Piedmont, an HR Professional for over 20 years that has reviewed thousands of resumes and interviewed many candidates to count. In this conversation, Shelley discusses how to improve your chances during your job search and help with career clarity. She has a lot of experience with HR, recruiting and discusses her experience with hiring and working with hiring managers. This episode is to help you with your job search and increase your chances of getting the job of your dreams.
QUOTES
- “You shouldn't have to spend hours tailoring a resume, it really should be reviewing that job description, comparing it to what you have written. And then you're doing essentially a reconciliation.” – Shelley Piedmont
- “I wrote a lot of job descriptions in my careers in HR. So you should always go back to that, because that should be the working document that you are using to assess your candidates.” – Shelley Piedmont
- “But in general, if you want to do a cover letter, just make sure that it provides value for the reader.” – Shelley Piedmont
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:34] Meet Shelley Piedmont
- [02:27] Common Resume Mistakes
- [06:12] Recruiters’ Screening Process
- [09:37] Do You Qualify?
- [15:08] Entry Level vs Executive Candidate Mistakes
- [16:48] Cover Letter Debate
- [22:55] LinkedIn Profiles and Job Applications
- [24:42] YouMap Certification
- [31:03] Crafting a Good Cover Letter
- [38:03] Tailoring Your Application Per Job
- [46:03] Navigating Multiple Rounds of Interviews
- [48:28] Common Interview Mistakes
- [51:25] Behind the Scenes of the Final Interview
- [55:11] Challenges and How She Overcame Them
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Shelley Piedmont Social Media:
- Shelley’s Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the 5 main reasons why people start looking for a new job based on this past week's episode with Karen Loftus on the stages of the employee lifecycle, from excitement to becoming disengaged.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:11] Karen’s episode recap
- [01:11] Research on the effects of holding on to job stress for too long
- [02:31] 5 most common reasons people start looking for new jobs
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Karen Loftus a consultant that helps the C-Suite improve employee engagement and implement change management and leadership development initiatives. In this conversation, Karen discusses her journey of working in HR and has a lot of experience with understanding why employees come and go. This episode is to help you understand the employee lifecycle from being really excited for a new job to getting disengaged from the organization and looking for your next opportunity.
QUOTES
- “That first week, it's about getting all the stuff that you need to be a successful employee, whether that be your laptop or a phone or technology or software, or if you're actually sitting at a desk, maybe it's a key to the building, and a desk and you know, or uniform or whatever that might be.” – Karen Loftus
- “Obviously, technical roles take a lot longer. Because if you're dealing with software, or let's say your tier one support or something, you really have to get up to speed on the software for the client calls you're taking.” – Karen Loftus
- “And so instead of having 5000 people in your target market that could potentially be interested in a job now you have the world.” – Karen Loftus
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:44] Meet Karen Loftus
- [01:59] Karen explains the employee lifecycle
- [04:25] First couple years of the employee’s experience
- [07:39] Should you leave a job after a couple years
- [12:01] Questions to ask the interviewer or panel
- [16:04] Signs of a disengaged employee
- [18:22] Improving the company environment
- [21:26] Get engagement with a survey
- [25:33] The point along the process where employees get disengaged
- [27:24] Getting honest survey answers
- [32:22] Navigating the PIP plans
- [36:27] Common reasons employees leave
- [38:08] What challenge have you faced in your career and what did you do to overcome it
- [40:11] Connect with Karen
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Karen Loftus on Linkedin
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on Social Media
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses whether getting a MBA will be beneficial for your career path or not based on this past week's episode with Zeinab Alliji and her experience with getting her MBA.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:27] Max’s story about wanting an MBA
- [01:04] MBA vs. Social Media
- [01:58] 3 reasons why you should consider an MBA
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Zeinab Alliji, an ex-consultant and financial services professional who has worked in tech for the majority of her career. In this conversation, Zeinab discusses her journey of investing in education to acquire her MBA. She has also worked in the consulting space, one of the more lucrative fields that many professionals want to get into. This episode is to help you make an informed decision if you are thinking about getting your MBA, or if you’re thinking about getting into the consulting field.
QUOTES
- “I had 18 months where I worked on three different big, large programs. I had two head of mentors and a director who was also a mentor of mine, and they really helped me pick where I wanted to go and why I wanted to go there, as well as giving me a lot of opportunity because they have visibility at that level.” Zeinab Alliji
- “I think a lot of the big firms now are getting a lot better at providing consultants with work life balance. But you generally do find, in consulting firms, it is younger people who don't necessarily have families. I think the type of people that go to consulting firms are the ones that do want to work hard.” – Zeinab Alliji
- “On the other side, it was just a case of me figuring out what was important to me. And I think that's probably a key point around this is, regardless of what you want to do before you even think about kind of applying to places and trying to get that to land a job, you really need to know why you're doing it.” – Zeinab Alliji
TIMESTAMPS
Part 1 - Consulting
- [2:46] Meet Zeinab and how she got into consulting
- [6:45] Zeinab’s take on management consulting
- [9:25] Work life balance in consulting
- [12:28] Consulting compensation
- [18:43] Interview process
- [22:46] Time frame between interview and getting a job offer
- [24:53] Pros and cons of consulting
Part 2 - MBA
- [26:59] What made her decide to get an MBA
- [31:17] MBA application process
- [35:34] Advice on doing well in an MBA program
- [39:18] Condensed vs. full MBA programs
- [43:35] Life after getting her MBA
- [48:57] Do MBA’s give you better skills
- [51:49] What challenge have you faced in your career and what did you do to overcome it
- [54:28] Connect with Zeinab
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Lattes with Leaders Podcast
- Zeinab Alliji on Linkedin
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses how formal education will make you a living, but self-education will make you a fortune, based on this past week's episode with Emilie Mazurek on how to become a UX/UI Designer with no experience.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:28] Formal education vs. self-education
- [01:15] Adapt and learn to continue to grow
- [02:48] Recap Emilie’s story
- [03:44] How to get unstuck in your career
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Emilie Mazurek, UX/UI designer. In this conversation Emilie discusses her journey from being in the hospitality industry to working her dream career as a UX/UI designer. She hopes her story will help other students and professionals realize that it’s okay to pivot and go after what can truly make you happy.
QUOTES
- “Most of the projects were group work, which at the time was like very annoying, but looking back, I'm extremely grateful for it because now I work in a group, and having that experience is extremely valuable.” Emilie Mazurek
- “I did try networking. For me, it felt a bit disingenuous, just because I knew the reason, I was reaching out to them is to see if they would like me and want to chat with me and have any openings. And I know that the best time to do networking is when you're not looking for a job.” - Emilie Mazurek
- “I also have to look at some of my peers from the boot camp. A lot of them did get jobs, but a lot of them didn't. And their $15,000 is just gone. You get out of it what you put into it, I think too.” - Emilie Mazurek
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:55] Meet Emilie
- [4:07] How did Emilie decide that UX/UI design was the right career path for her
- [4:57] Was the bootcamp full time or part time
- [5:44] Emilie explains what the bootcamp was like
- [7:26] Working in a group setting
- [8:37] Utilizing the bootcamp experience during interviews when searching for a job
- [12:18] Was there an ROI from the bootcamp
- [12:39] Realizing her portfolio wasn’t job ready
- [14:19] Landing her dream job as a product designer
- [15:01] Networking and online job application process
- [17:38] Red flags when searching for a UX/UI job
- [21:22] Going over cover letter and resume format that helped Emilie
- [24:27] Emilie’s experience interviewing
- [26:51] Why she decided to keep going and giving value
- [27:54] Carving out time with a full time job and still trying to learn new techniques to be better
- [31:42] Finally getting the job offer
- [34:43] Proudest moment so far in her job
- [38:04] 3 lessons learned from Emilie’s journey
- [39:44] What big challenge did she face and how she overcame it
- [40:35] Contacting Emilie
- [41:03] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Emilie Mazurek's Portfolio Website
- Emilie Mazurek on Linkedin
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses how his grandmother's passing gave him a huge lesson about why you shouldn't wait till tomorrow to do something; based on this past week's episode with Dr. Rowena Winkler on how the death of a parent impacts career change.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:11] Your mindset tends to be based off of your parents
- [2:32] Max’s personal story with loss and living life
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Dr. Rowena Winkler, a Cosmic Catalyst Coach & Realignment Strategist that helps women find their voice and take intuitive action steps so they can live authentically empowered lives. In this conversation, Dr. Rowena Winkler discusses how her career was on autopilot until the passing of her father prompted her to evaluate her stressful career trajectory and led her to pivot from academia to a more fulfilling career in the marketing industry.
QUOTES
- “My sister told me that dad had passed away. And once I found out and I just, you know, I told my students, I walked out, I told the chair of my department and I got my things together and drove home.”- Dr. Rowena Winkler
- “[In terms of staying at a career I was no longer happy with] I think it was just the fear of failure, right, that I had invested so much time, so much energy, so much money into these degrees and into this education and the expectation that I would do what I quote, unquote, was supposed to do with these degrees, which is to be a tenure track faculty member, you know, I was a rock star of my department. So I think there was also a fear that there would be judgment or that I would let people down.” - Dr. Rowena Winkler
- “I think the journey as an immigrant kid, especially much of my life, was checking these boxes and performing and achieving, especially academically, and just doing all of these external validation things to make me feel that I'm contributing, that I'm valued, that I have worth. And it just got to the point where I didn't even really know what I wanted anymore. And that I needed to find time to figure out for myself inside what makes me happy, and not what makes my family or makes other people around me, the department chair, whoever happy, you know, I need to advocate for myself.” - Dr. Rowena Winkler
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:43] Meet Dr. Rowena
- [6:26] Broader acceptance of improving mental health and advice for professionals currently struggling with their own mental health
- [10:17] Benefits of talking to a therapist about your mental health over talking to a good friend
- [11:36] The major event that happened in Dr. Rowena’s life that would change her career path
- [15:28] Why Dr. Rowena didn’t make a career move right away but instead stayed in a career path she no longer desired
- [16:42] Dr. Rowena’s advice for people staying at roles that aren’t right for them but don’t want to make a move
- [18:40] Dr. Rowena’s plan to get out of academia
- [24:39] How Dr. Rowena knew that Marketing Communications was the field that she needed to move to once she left academia
- [26:09] Resigning from academia and what her superior and co-workers thought of her making this move
- [27:37] Asian parenting dynamic affecting career choices
- [33:27] What Dr. Rowena is doing now in her career
- [35:53] One career lesson that Dr. Rowena can share to help people take action today to start getting what they want in their career and life
- [38:06] Contacting Dr. Rowena
- [38:43] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Dr. Rowena Winkler Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses how you should deal with rejection in the job search in order to push forward and keep applying to land your dream job. Based on this past week's episode with Stephanie Su on how to land a coveted software engineering job at Meta.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:58] The mindset shift you need to make to effectively deal with rejection in the job search
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Stephanie Su, Software Engineer Intern at Meta. In this conversation Stephanie discusses her job search journey from dealing with application rejection, to how she prepared for her interviews to getting the job offer from Meta, her dream company. She hopes her career story will inspire other students and professionals looking to land their dream job to keep going even when things seem daunting.
QUOTES
- “Throughout the year, while I was working on these analytical type projects, I was updating my resume wherever possible, trying to make it sound as technical as I could. And most of the resume advice that I've gotten has been through LinkedIn. I've been using LinkedIn for several years now. So I have a general sense of the most common resume tips. I found a lot of great guides online that helped me build my resume. In hindsight, I probably should have gotten older people to look over it. So that was one thing I would change about the process. But that's the main way I created my resume.”- Stephanie Su
- “So one valuable lesson I learned last year is that with each rejection you get, it's easier to move on from them. So while I did receive a lot of rejections, I just looked at the email, like, okay, great, let's move on. I wasn't particularly attached to one company too much, because I wasn't even selected for the interviewing process. So it's not like I invested more than five minutes of effort.” - Stephanie Su
- “I think networking is incredibly important. And it is something that should be done year round. So if you have the offer already, just keep it going, because it's much easier to start where you left off versus having to go through the entire process again.” - Stephanie Su
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:43] Meet Stephanie
- [2:34] Why Meta was the right choice for Stephanie for her 1st internship in university
- [4:57] How did Stephanie decide that Software Engineering was the right career path for her
- [6:01] Advice for working professionals that want to pivot and get into Software Engineering
- [9:43] Obstacles Stephanie had to overcome for companies to take her serious as she was still a freshman when companies prefer to hire juniors or seniors
- [13:26] Stephanie’s job search strategy
- [15:09] Overcoming rejection throughout the job search
- [17:27] Stephanie’s interview experience at Meta
- [29:20] Learning lessons Stephanie gained from this job search experience and what advice she would give to other job seekers
- [32:08] How to reach out to recruiters at your target companies
- [33:38] How Stephanie started building her personal brand on LinkedIn
- [35:37] How being rejected at her dream schools during the university application process mentally prepared her for rejection during her job search
- [36:28] What’s next for Stephanie in her career
- [38:13] Additional job search resources that Stephanie recommends to help professionals with their job search if they are struggling or feeling stuck
- [40:19] One challenge that Stephanie had to overcome in her career to get to where she is today
- [42:29] Contacting Stephanie
- [43:13] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Stephanie Su on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses why if you're serious in learning a new skill that it's best to invest financially from the start to build your foundation, then trying the free route and figuring things out through trial and error. Based on this past week's episode with Emily Hill on how to be a software developer and make 6 figures without a degree.
TIMESTAMPS
- [2:06] The more money you invest the more you will be committed to the process
- [3:34] The importance and value of accountability and getting real customized feedback
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Emily Hill, Founder of Joy of Coding Academy. In this conversation Emily discusses how she started the Joy of Coding Academy school, and how she is able to train anyone with a non-technical background to be a 6 figure developer within 6 months as long as they put in consistent work.
QUOTES
- “We need everybody involved in designing and developing software. That's why I do what I do. Because right now, the only software we have is being created by the people that just got it. But there's so much value when you bring in other areas of expertise, everyone has a superpower, like, we're all looking to find and share our superpowers.”- Emily Hill
- “What differentiates [a 6 figure developer with a 5 figure developer] is that a 5 figure developer is not going to have any experience working on a team. And they're not going to know that much. They might know HTML, CSS, and some JavaScript with the web stack. But they may not have experienced the major framework, they probably don't have a lot of back end skills, they may not be very good problem solvers, they're getting their foot in the door, and they're getting tried out.” - Emily Hill
- “There's only one requirement, you don't have to be a math whiz, you don't have to be a genius, you don't have to be able to work 24/7. But you do have to be able to show up and practice and do the work. So that's like two hours a day, can you cut out two hours a day to invest in your dream of becoming a six figure developer, and if you can't, it's not going to work.” - Emily Hill
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:18] Meet Emily
- [5:38] The difference between programming and computer science
- [7:17] How Emily learned computer programming languages on her own
- [14:29] How Emily landed her first job as a programmer and how she developed the Joy of Coding Academy to teach others
- [18:29] The essential programming language to learn first
- [21:17] How Emily condensed her curriculum to 6 months
- [23:12] The 7 fundamentals of computer programming
- [23:53] Common obstacles Emily’s students have faced when learning programming
- [25:16] Difference between The Joy of Coding Academy and a bootcamp
- [30:52] How Emily helps her students with their job search
- [32:16] Difference between a 6 figure programmer and a 5 figure programmer
- [36:28] How to continue to build up your skills once you graduated from the academy and landed your first job
- [40:52] The mindset you need to have if you want to learn to become a programmer
- [42:45] Biggest challenge in starting up the Joy of Coding Academy
- [44:56] Biggest career challenge Emily has faced, and what steps she took to overcome it to get to where she is today
- [46:32] Contacting Emily
- [47:49] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Joy of Coding Academy Website
- Joy of Coding Academy Facebook Group
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses his strategy on how you can lean into your transferable skills to resonate with your target audience to help you pivot and land your next job in a new type of role and/or industry. Based on this past week's episode with JD Elliott on how to transition from military to Corporate America.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:11] The importance of doing your research
- [2:17] Removing technical terms and jargon that is only relevant in your current role and/or industry
- [3:19] The importance of networking to help you find out what hiring managers really want in their next hire to help you craft a strategy to pivot to your next role successfully
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Joshua David (JD) Elliott, a former military member who is currently a headhunter for Lucas Group, a Korn Ferry Company and a Podcast Host for the podcast The Military Corporate Survival Guide. In this conversation JD discusses his transition from the military to Corporate America and provides advice and strategies to other military members that are looking to do the same.
QUOTES
- “Another struggle I had was the idea that it's okay, if I mess up. Because in the entrepreneurial world, for example, or in the corporate world, whatever's going on, you learn through failure, you get so much more data from failure than you do from success. However, in the military, if you fail, there's a chance someone's going to die.” - JD Elliott
- “[When it comes to pursuing further education] it really comes down to what they want to do from a salary perspective. Right now, it's a hot job environment. It really doesn't matter. And when I'm looking at MBAs, for example, unless it's Harvard, Yale, Princeton, I don't advertise you as having an MBA, I advertise your military experience, because there's a lot of people with MBAs, that are just not worth it. That's really what it comes down to.” - JD Elliott
- “When I had interviews with, you know, Fortune 100 companies. Looking back, I see now that I came across as a bit on the cocky and arrogant side, which is not okay. Corporations are looking for someone who is teachable, who is hungry, and is willing to learn. So the biggest mistake, and I've had people that have made it to final rounds of interviews, and every one that failed, has come down to the fact that they thought highly of their skill sets more than they should have.” - JD Elliott
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:00] Meet JD
- [2:19] How JD pivoted from military to Corporate America
- [4:26] Challenges that JD faced from pivoting from military to entrepreneurship
- [7:10] How JD’s experience in the military made him more effective in Corporate America
- [8:11] Common challenges and fears military members have when they try to get into corporate and solutions to resolve them
- [14:47] Discussing whether military members that want to get into Corporate America should go back to school and further their education first
- [16:12] Common reasons why military members leave the military to pursue a corporate career
- [17:20] Roles military members should look at right away to ease their transition into a corporate career
- [19:49] The benefits for military members to use a recruitment agency to land a corporate role
- [20:45] Common interview mistakes military members make
- [24:51] Why some military members should stay in the military and not make the switch to corporate
- [27:37] JD’s experience with the military and why he decided to join
- [28:46] Why you should consider joining the military
- [30:22] Learning lessons that JD had throughout his career and what advice he would give someone to grow their income and live a more fulfilling life
- [33:54] Strategies on how not to overspend
- [35:47] A career challenge JD is currently working on, and what he is doing to overcome it to become who he truly wants to be
- [36:59] Contacting JD
- [38:20] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Military to Corporate The Survival Guide Podcast
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses why you shouldn't give up if something isn't going your way and how persistence and overcoming obstacles will be the X factor in helping you achieve your goals, not raw talent. Based on this past week's episode with Mike Motter on the struggles of finding a job with autism and how to take proper action to get your dream job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:57] Why you should not give up on your goal if something isn't working and how pivoting is the right mindset to achieve any goal you set your mind to.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Mike Motter, an autistic professional with a mission to educate individuals on autism and how to effectively interact with autistic people in the workplace to make them feel welcome and feel they are a major contributor to the team and organization. In this conversation Mike discusses his career struggles as an autistic individual and what actions he took to help him land his dream job.
QUOTES
- “So the number being tossed around right now is that 80% of autistic people are either unemployed or underemployed. Now underemployed would be like I was before I got my Master's degree. I was driving a forklift in a warehouse, even though I had a college degree. That's just one example of being underemployed. Most autistic people I know, a lot of them don't even have a degree.” - Mike Motter
- “Autism still isn't well understood. Because up until a few years ago, if you said autism in any case or capacity, people would associate that with people like who are nonverbal and don't have an executive function and can't take care of themselves and wouldn't be applying for these kinds of jobs in the first place. But recently, we found out that you can be autistic and you can be in a traditional work environment with some accommodations. Some people just don't know that. So if you tell them you're autistic, that's why they are probably going to be turned off by it.” - Mike Motter
- “[When I didn’t get the job I really wanted] I really got disheartened and wondered if I was ever going to find a job. Then I started looking up neurodiversity hiring initiatives, just to see if they existed, and turns out they do.” - Mike Motter
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:33] Meet Mike
- [2:59] How to tell if someone is autistic
- [4:54] Employment stats for the autistic
- [5:52] Mike’s educational experience as an autistic individual and advice for someone who’s autistic that’s currently getting their degree
- [7:36] Mike’s initial struggle with the job search process as an autistic individual
- [9:40] How Mike changed his approach when the regular job search process was not working for him and how he landed his dream job
- [13:48] Mike’s current work experience at his dream job
- [15:49] Mike’s terrible work experience from past jobs where they didn’t accommodate his autistic needs
- [16:46] Advice from Mike for people who work with someone who’s autistic to make them feel more welcome and a part of the team
- [18:48] Advice for autistic individuals currently struggling at school or at work and some solutions to help tackle these issues
- [19:30] Mike’s mission
- [20:20] The biggest career challenge Mike has faced, and what he did to overcome it to get to where he is today
- [21:11] How Mike discovered that he was autistic
- [22:38] Contacting Mike
- [23:57] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Mike Motter Youtube Channel
- Mike Motter on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the common reason why people get nervous talking to new people and the mindset shift you need to make to make meeting new people both enjoyable and prosperous. Based on this past week's episode with Kerrie Phipps on how to build new connections and grow your career.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:46] The common reason why people get nervous talking to new people
- [2:50] The mindset shift you need to make, to make networking and meeting new people enjoyable
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Kerrie Phipps, an International Speaker, Author and Coach that helps purpose-driven entrepreneurs and authors to increase their clarity and confidence to connect with anyone, and anywhere. In this conversation Kerrie provides strategies and advice on mindset to help you become more confident in connecting with anyone to grow your network and build your career.
QUOTES
- “Always start with gratitude. Like, if you can say, thank you so much for meeting with me, like, I'm really keen to learn more about what you do. Or you can just share again, what it is that you're looking for. And when we're honest with people, and being honest with ourselves, it really is the first step. But when we're honest with people, they will feel free to be honest with you.” - Kerrie Phipps
- “But there are moments [in the conversation] where maybe it's awkward, maybe you're just like, we're just kind of doing this networking thing. Feel free to just shift the conversation, ask a better question.” - Kerrie Phipps
- “I think it's important to remember, again, that you're having a conversation in your head, you're making assumptions that are quite possibly far from the truth, you don't know that somebody's not connecting with you or not responding to you, because they've got a family member in the hospital, something's come up. And they are far behind on their emails. And I have a friend who has an intense number of emails and social media messages. And she says, just message me again, don't get offended that I haven't responded.” - Kerrie Phipps
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:36] Meet Kerrie
- [3:59] Advice on mindset for someone who is looking to try networking for the 1st time to further their career
- [7:33] How to reach out to people authentically
- [15:11] How to prepare for your informational interview
- [18:03] How to leave a lasting impression at the informational interview
- [19:39] Handling conversations that aren’t going well or didn’t go well
- [23:55] How to steer the conversation to a more personal level instead of only keeping focused on professional topics
- [25:13] Maintaining contact after the initial informational interview is over
- [30:10] Discussion on how rejection isn’t about you
- [32:01] Networking at events / conferences
- [37:13] Fitting in at a new job
- [39:50] Main lessons Kerrie wants you to take away from this conversation
- [44:40] The biggest career challenge Kerrie has faced, and what she did to overcome it to get to where she is today
- [47:04] Contacting Kerrie
- [47:56] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Kerrie Phipps Website
- Career With Confidence Podcast
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses his experience and learning lessons he gathered from networking and his attempt to connect with over 100 people when he was trying to figure out his next career move and pivot to a new industry a few years ago. Based on this past week's episode with Sara Seymour on how informational interviews help you land your dream job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [2:35] Expect and embrace rejection
- [4:28] You won't connect with everyone that is willing to talk to you
- [5:54] The importance of having the right mindset to networking effectively to generate your desired results
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Sara Seymour, host of the podcast What Do People Do All Day? In this conversation Sara discusses the importance of conducting informational interviews and how to do them the right way to bring value to you and the professional you are speaking with and help move your career in the right direction.
QUOTES
- “There are a number of different ways to [reach out to people for an informational interview]. One way is, you know, just through LinkedIn, if you're looking for a specific person or a specific company, or if you're looking for a specific role, you can look through LinkedIn, that can also help you identify people who maybe went to the same university that you went to, and I think that can be helpful for just easing the conversation. But you don't have to, like you don't have to necessarily know the person in any way or have any connection to the person, it's very reasonable to cold reach out” - Sara Seymour
- “One thing to keep in mind is you want to make your ask clear [when reaching out to professionals]. And this is true, like generally with communication, you want to make sure that you are upfront. But you also want to give them a little bit of background [of why you’re reaching out].” - Sara Seymour
- “[Informational interviews can be better than applying online] because sometimes jobs don't even get posted. And part of the reason that they don't get posted is that they have someone in mind, they hire internally. So if you have spoken with someone, and this role comes up, and they think of you, they reach out to you before they even post the job, you sort of skipped the part where your resume and potentially cover letter are competing with a bunch of other resumes and cover letters [in the online application pool].” - Sara Seymour
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:01] Meet Sara
- [1:58] Introduction to informational interviews and how Sara used them to help move her career in the right direction
- [4:46] Common misconceptions about informational interviews
- [6:00] Reaching out to the right people for an informational interview
- [9:10] Being realistic with response rate when reaching out cold to professionals on LinkedIn
- [10:16] Important questions you should ask in an informational interview
- [15:17] Why you should never ask for a job at the end of an informational interview
- [18:09] How to stay connected with your contact once the initial informational interview is over
- [20:53] The benefits of networking / informational interviews over only applying online
- [21:33] How long it takes for networking / informational interviews to start generating job opportunities to move your career forward
- [23:46] Additional strategies and tips when it comes to utilizing informational interviews to further your career
- [25:02] The biggest career challenge Sara has faced, and what she did to overcome it to get to where she is today
- [26:28] Contacting Sara
- [27:48] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- What Do People Do All Day? Podcast
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses how you can never lose when it comes to investing in your own personal and professional growth as long as you don't do this one thing that will hinder your success. Based on this past week's episode with Katrina McGhee on how to take a successful career break and come back stronger than ever.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:33] How you'll never lose in investing yourself as long as you don't do this one thing
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Katrina McGhee, a Career Break and Sabbatical Coach that helps 9-to-5ers design mind-blowing breaks to create happier, more fulfilling lives. Katrina discusses her own career breaks and how she did not need to take a step back in her career when she was ready to return, but ended up receiving multiple job offers and getting way more salary than when she was working prior to her career break.
QUOTES
- “I talked about my break and so many people in the interviews would ask me about my break, and they wanted to know, like, Were you scared? What was the highlight? What was your favorite country and being able to connect, you know, when they go off to discuss all of the candidates, you're the person that took a break, you're the person that traveled around the world, like, everybody else has the same qualifications as you and honestly, like probably similar experiences. And so you get to be all of that, plus, this amazing person that did this very memorable thing.” - Katrina McGhee
- “Am I going to jeopardize my career success [by taking a career break]? Right? Is it going to be gone? Am I going to erode all this hard work? Am I going to basically not be on track to get promoted? Here's what I want to say, you know, I personally have supported over 40 career breaks beyond the two, you know, of my own. And so as much as it can feel like it's the end, I want to remind you, all of that experience, all of that education, and your network comes with you. Those all come with you, no one takes that away from you. So when you show up a year later, six months later, you know, 20 months later, you are still that person.” - Katrina McGhee
- “We're so afraid to stop running and stop racing. We're just so afraid we're gonna lose our spot. I don't want to lose my spot. If I get off this wheel, can I get back on? The answer is yes, that will always be waiting for you. They will always want you back on the wheel. And it's your choice if you want to get back on or not when your break is over.” - Katrina McGhee
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:47] Meet Katrina
- [7:24] Why Katrina decided to take a career break
- [12:00] How Katrina saved up enough money to take an extended career break
- [15:54] Katrina’s plan to effectively re-enter the workforce
- [20:46] How to position your career break positively so it isn’t considered a red flag
- [23:38] Overcoming the naysayers stating that Katrina would need to take a demotion or pay cut to get back into the workforce after her career break
- [26:19] Advice for professionals that want to take a career break but are too scared to
- [31:14] How Katrina started her business and how she decided after her second career break that it was time to take her business full time
- [34:34] How Katrina paid off her student debt
- [36:09] Life lessons Katrina learned during her career breaks
- [39:21] Advice for people looking to take a career break within the next few months
- [42:59] Discussing whether Katrina ever had the itch to end her career break early to go back to work
- [45:21] How far you should plan in order to get back into the workforce effectively during your career break
- [46:26] The 1 common lesson her clients and herself have learned by taking a career break
- [47:34] The biggest career challenge Katrina has faced, and what she did to overcome it to get to where she is today
- [49:00] Contacting Katrina
- [50:13] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Katrina McGhee Website
- Katrina McGhee on Instagram
- Katrina McGhee on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses 3 valuable lessons he learned from getting fired at his 1st marketing job when he was a recent grad. Based on this past week's episode with Daniel Lantin on how strong work performance doesn't always increase job security.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:45] Why your manager is the main factor in your performance and job satisfaction
- [2:33] Being patient and not take opportunities you know aren't a good fit because you're desperate
- [3:46] The importance of having a support network during the down times in your career
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Daniel Lantin, a professional that was originally from the Philippines and moved to Canada as an international student to build a better life. In this conversation he discusses his experience of being laid off for the 1st time in his career that had nothing to do with his performance, the learning lessons he gathered and what he’ll do next time to ensure that he’s ready to tackle career obstacles head on with confidence.
QUOTES
- “What I learned [from this experience] was, even if you have a job now you think you're stable, like I would still network with other people. And I would still kind of apply just to keep my resume fresh and everything, just so you're protected, just in case something happens.” - Daniel Lantin
- “You should never burn bridges. Like, even if you're super mad at them, just try your best not to burn bridges, because you'll never know, you might end up working for them again, or you might end up working for the same colleagues that you have, or they might recruit you somewhere. Just never burn bridges.” - Daniel Lantin
- “[In Canada] I really felt that you're not really 100% secure in your job. Again, like what you said, it doesn't even have to be based on your performance. It's just like, things change here so quickly, that sometimes they have to change direction, right? So that's what I learned.” - Daniel Lantin
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:35] Meet Daniel
- [5:54] Daniel’s plan at his job to increase job security and the sacrifices he made to do it
- [8:25] Daniel’s experience in Canada with being laid off, and lessons he learned to effectively move forward
- [15:32] What Daniel did after the announcement of his layoff and what he did during his remaining time there
- [29:47] Daniel’s strategy on applying for a new job and planning his next career move
- [39:13] Biggest career challenge Daniel had to overcome and what steps he took to overcome it
- [41:32] Contacting Daniel
- [42:19] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Daniel Lantin on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Community
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the importance of asking for what you want to grow your career. Based on this past week's episode with Mary Guirovich on how to create your plan to get promoted this year.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:59] The importance of asking for what you want to move forward in your career
- [3:34] The success of your ask is based on the level of the ask and how strong your relationship is with the person you are asking
- [5:40] Summary
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Mary Guirovich, an Award-winning holistic career coach and author. In this conversation she discusses how she followed traditional career advice that only left her with more self-doubt, frustration and work with no end in sight. Trying to figure out how to push through this career wall, she developed her now signature My Promotion Plan system that has helped her scale her career into the C-suite and was named partner, giving her the income, impact and joy that she always dreamed of.
QUOTES
- “The traditional career advice really just helps us to work hard, and wait to be noticed. That means we get on strategic projects, we try to find mentors and the problem is, it's just not created equal for everybody. And that advice has been passed down because it's worked for people. But the problem is, it only works for a certain category of people really, really well, which is not the majority of the population” - Mary Guirovich
- “[When it comes to asking for that promotion] you go to them with value, and it changes everything. But you have to know your value. And you have to be willing to own your accomplishments.” - Mary Guirovich
- “Most people that put themselves out there for advancement, they are not 100% ready, there are many things they don't know. But you will figure it out as you go. So I just want to encourage you to really dream. Allow yourself to think and dream big, and then take those actions.” - Mary Guirovich
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:15] Meet Mary
- [2:22] Why the standard promotion advice doesn’t work for a majority of people
- [6:19] Overview of crafting your promotional plan to get that guaranteed promotion at your work
- [12:05] Identifying problems in the company that you can help solve
- [13:28] Balancing doing your assigned work with proactive work that will help get you noticed for a promotion
- [16:24] The importance of working yourself out of your current job in order to get promoted
- [18:02] The best time to present your promotion plan to your manager and how to do it
- [32:23] The importance of asking for that promotion
- [33:27] Getting buy in from other teams to put your ideas into motion
- [35:59] Why it’s never too late to craft a promotion plan even if you’ve been in the same role for many years
- [35:59] Mary’s turning point in regards to no longer listening to traditional promotional career advice and creating her own solution to push past that career wall
- [40:06] One piece of advice Mary wants you to take away from this episode if you currently feel stuck in your career
- [40:56] Contacting Mary
- [41:48] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Mary Guirovich Official Website
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
Episode Summary
Max discusses the importance of taking small steps in order to achieve your career goals. Based on this past week's episode with Talia Dashow on how to stop feeling overwhelmed in a new job and be the best you can be.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:29] The importance of the one degree shift and taking small steps consistently over time to achieve a large result
- [2:33] What Max wants you to do if you want to start something new this year and are serious about it
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Talia Dashow, a coach that specializes in ending people’s procrastination and on using creativity as a means to grow. In this conversation she discusses the 3 pillars of procrastination (overwhelm, resistance and perfectionism) and provides strategies to overcome them for someone that is starting a new job.
QUOTES
- “Overwhelm is a huge issue when you're starting a new job, because there's so much to learn. Your boss knows that. They've hired a human being and not a machine. And so human beings have limitations to how much their brains can absorb at any given time. Any manager worth their salt will know that” - Talia Dashow
- “One of the things that I've learned over the years of coaching is the power of a one degree shift, you know, it doesn't seem like you're moving a huge amount to make a one degree shift. But if you make a one degree shift, and you maintain it over time, you get to an entirely different place than you would have been. If you're a ship going across an ocean, and you're one degree off from where you intend to be, you're going to land on the other side of the ocean in a different country.” - Talia Dashow
- “Done is better than perfect, it's a good thing to keep in mind that it's some point, continuing to try to make it better has diminishing returns, and it's better to have finish it, even if there's a typo in it somewhere.” - Talia Dashow
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:12] Meet Talia
- [1:55] Overview of causes of procrastination when you enter a new job
- [6:19] Dealing with overwhelm at a new job
- [9:05] The importance of doing small steps even when it doesn’t appear significant
- [11:30] How resistance leads to procrastination
- [12:45] Asking the right questions to your manager to speed up your onboarding and learning curve at your new job
- [16:48] Overcoming perfectionism as a new employee and how to focus more on output than perfection
- [24:02] Exercises to help you overcome procrastination
- [28:39] How procrastination played a big part in Talia’s life and what she did to overcome it
- [34:55] Biggest career challenge that Talia had to face, and what she did to overcome it
- [37:37] Contacting Talia
- [38:43] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Talia Dashow Coaching
- Creativity as a Spiritual Practice Facebook Group
- Talia Dashow on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
Episode Summary
Max discusses how the follow up is essential in your job search strategy so you don't end up missing out on job opportunities you are interested in. Based on this past week's episode with Sara Curto on 5 innovative job search strategies to get your dream job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:12] The importance of the follow up and how Max got his 1st corporate job out of university by following up
- [2:56] Discussing when and how to follow up
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Sara Curto, a career coach for helping people find a career they love. In this conversation she discusses her 5 innovative job search strategies, to help you stand out from the pack and accelerate your job search to get your dream job.
QUOTES
- “We have used [the video resume] very successfully with clients who are trying to break into an industry where they have little to no experience or making a career change. Now, this does not replace your resume, this enhances it.” - Sara Curto
- “I am not a believer in a 40 hour job search, I don't believe your job search should be a full time job. In my experience, that's like the worst job ever, gives you like nothing, and then it's just soul sucking, and it's the worst, it doesn't lead you to a good job.” - Sara Curto
- “You don't have to do fast food and get an overnight job because you think that's the only place that will hire you [if you have a big career gap]. We can address the gap, we can address your confidence and we can get you in a job you want. And volunteering is one of the best ways to do that.” - Sara Curto
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:04] Meet Sara
- [2:44] The current job search landscape
- [4:34] Starting your own networking group
- [7:09] Video resumes
- [12:00] Volunteering
- [16:21] Knocking on doors
- [21:32] Taking advantage of everyday moments
- [23:16] The importance of slowing down and being patient in your job search
- [26:51] Main career challenge that Sara had to overcome to get to where she is today in her career
- [32:01] One piece of advice Sara wants to provide to all job seekers out there, looking for their next career move
- [32:43] Contacting Sara
- [33:20] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Sara Curto Website
- Sara Curto on Instagram
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides his strategy on how he optimizes his clients' LinkedIn profiles to increase the amount of recruiters reaching out to them to generate more opportunities and accelerate their job search. Based on this past week's episode with Willena Long on how to succeed in your job search and get your dream job.
TIMESTAMPS
- [2:15] Headline
- [4:13] About
- [5:49] Work Experience
- [7:08] Skills
- [7:35] Additional tips to optimize your LinkedIn profile to help it stand out
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Willena Long, an Executive Career Coach and Senior Technical Recruiter for the past decade. In this conversation she discusses the role of a recruiter in the hiring process and what you should do when it comes to your resume and LinkedIn profile to get a recruiter’s attention to get you in the running to interview for your dream job. She also shares additional strategies that have helped her own clients land dream opportunities at some of the biggest tech companies in the world.
QUOTES
- “[When it comes to reviewing potential candidate’s LinkedIn profile] I'm going to skim at it first, so maybe 15 to 30 seconds to see if they are a good fit. If I can tell from the 30 second review, they have the titles, a few key details and keywords that are popping out to me, then I'll maybe give it a little bit more time and then do a quick reach out.” - Willena Long
- “If you're putting yourself out there, it should be a job that you really want. So you should want to invest the time in tailoring each resume for those jobs. A lot of companies are looking for people that can highlight their brand and not just what you do, but who you are. And so when you're doing your research on each company, you should really be researching before you apply at each company and understand their mission statement.” - Willena Long
- “I personally don't read [cover letters], but the hiring manager might. You're writing the cover letter for the hiring manager, more so than the recruiter in most cases. So the hiring manager is going to be more likely to read it than I would, but I wouldn't say it's a waste of time, always try to put one together if you can.” - Willena Long
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:52] Meet Willena
- [4:10] Explaining the working relationship between the recruiter and hiring manager when it comes to filling a specific role
- [6:46] What happens after a recruiter posts the job description of a role
- [7:37] Why you shouldn’t care how many professionals apply for a certain role
- [9:35] Reapplying to a company if you were recently rejected
- [10:26] Moving to the next level up in your career externally than trying to do it internally
- [12:42] How recruiters look at LinkedIn profiles and how you should write yours to increase your chances of a recruiter reaching out to you
- [15:59] The main part of the resume you need to get right if you want a response on your online applications
- [17:07] Discussing appropriate resume length
- [19:13] Additional LinkedIn strategies professionals should use to help them get noticed and land their dream job
- [28:57] The importance of tailoring your resume for each application and how to do it effectively
- [31:51] The importance of cover letters for job applications
- [33:10] How long it takes to hear back from a recruiter after you submitted your application online
- [34:12] Why you shouldn’t worry about the amount of applications for a role and apply anyway if it’s still open
- [35:21] One way video interviews and advice on how to succeed at them
- [38:00] Common interview mistakes professionals make
- [43:14] Tips and advice for professionals looking to make a move this year and how they should go about their job search right now so they can get that next opportunity they are looking for
- [44:06] Main career challenge that Willena had to overcome to get to where she is today in her career
- [45:41] Contacting Willena
- [48:18] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Your Favorite Career Coach - Live Webinar Training Sign Up
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the 3 steps you need to follow in order to go from someone with no domain expertise in their dream career path, to getting the right knowledge and foundational experience needed for people to want to hire you. Based on this past week's episode with Annie Singer on why you don't need to take a traditional path to achieve career success.
TIMESTAMPS
- [3:06] Work with people who are experts in your target field
- [5:00] Create a portfolio of client work to showcase your abilities
- [5:52] Spreading awareness of your new expertise through content creation
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Annie Singer, Founder of Reciple. In this conversation, she talks about her career beginnings where she ended up dropping out of high school due to unhappiness and mental health struggles and took a nontraditional career path to get to the level of success that she has today, consisting of completing 2 degrees, working in her dream field of marketing and starting her own business in an industry she is passionate about. The main message she wants listeners to take away from her story is that you don't always need to take the path that everyone takes in order to achieve your definition of career success.
QUOTES
- “I was kind of a miserable teenager in general. And I think a lot of it for me was mental health struggles, and I was depressed and felt very, very restless in school. And so, you know, I think I just had a different learning style than what they teach at high school, because you're really only getting one mode of teaching in high school. And that didn't work for me.” - Annie Singer
- “It's okay to look at everything and say, my priorities have changed. And that's why I have burnout. I'm doing this because I want future me to be happy. But today me is very, very unhappy. And it's okay to take care of today me when you need to do that.” - Annie Singer
- “Have confidence that you can progress your career, even if you haven't had the most traditional background so far.” - Annie Singer
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:22] Meet Annie
- [3:09] What made Annie dropout of high school
- [4:22] Getting buy in from her parents on dropping out of high school
- [5:53] Annie’s plan after dropping out of high school
- [10:22] Why the community college environment was better for her compared to the high school environment she left
- [13:10] The break she took from community college to discover her ideal career path
- [16:21] Should professionals who don’t have a degree be worry that their career will have a ceiling if they don’t go back to school to get one
- [17:39] The correlation between getting more advanced degrees with higher compensation packages and when should someone consider going for a Master’s degree
- [21:59] Juggling work and studies for Annie’s Master degree and the experience of burnout
- [26:45] Thoughts on taking a step back when you are not happy but believe you are so close to completing a goal that you don’t want to stop
- [31:28] How Annie transitioned out of corporate to start her own business
- [35:30] Advice for building a lifestyle you’ll enjoy and staying the course when things are not going as well as you initially intended
- [41:36] The biggest factor that Annie believed, contributed to her success in her career
- [43:34] Main lesson Annie wants listeners to take away from her story
- [45:06] Main career challenge that Annie had to overcome to get to where she is today in her career
- [46:11] Contacting Annie
- [47:03] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Reciple
- Annie Singer on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
One of Martina's quotes in this past week episode discusses how she needed to just dive into the deep end in order to grow in her career and Max elaborates on this in this episode of why too much preparation is actually a form of procrastination, and the main growth and learning you will get is actually by taking action and figuring it out as you go.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:40] Why the level of success you'll achieve is heavily correlated to how much action you take, not how much preparation you make.
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Martina Pichler, a transformational and empowerment coach for aspiring women who want to access their authenticity, creativity, and vision to create a luscious life of their choice. In this conversation, Martina talks about her 1st experience as a leader in a male-driven industry, where she had to manage a team that was all men that were much older than her, and what she did to gain their trust, resulting in building one of the highest performing teams in the company.
QUOTES
- “The number 1 obstacle for me, being a 1st time leader, was trust. So you come in, and they see that you’re younger than them, most of them were way older than I was, and then I had no experience in managing or leading a team. Also at that time, the company was downsizing a lot, so they also had a lot of fear, and that’s where trust comes in.” - Martina Pichler
- “When you’re a 1st time manager, the 1st thing I would do is find yourself someone in the company you trust as a mentor, someone that you can ask questions, someone who is in a similar position, or had that position already and don’t be afraid to ask for help and support.” - Martina Pichler
- “The biggest roadblock for me, was getting out of my comfort zone, and finding myself in the process, compensating for what I didn’t know, with what I knew I could really do, that I was really good at and figuring out what are my strengths and instead of focusing on what I didn’t know or on my weaknesses, I just leverage my strengths.” - Martina Pichler
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:38] Meet Martina
- [6:39] Advice on achieving work life balance where you can strive for your career goals but still have a personal life you can enjoy
- [7:48] Martina’s experience in her 1st role in leadership and how she had to successfully manage a team that was all men
- [15:58] Advice for 1st time managers
- [25:00] Navigating workplace politics as a leader
- [27:07] Common perceptions of female leaders and how to combat and overcome them
- [33:11] The impact Martina made with her leadership ability on her team before she moved to the next phase of her career
- [34:55] Biggest career challenge Martina had to overcome, to get to where she is today
- [37:07] How Martina became a transformational coach as the next part of her career journey
- [39:13] Contacting Martina
- [40:18] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Martina Pichler on Instagram
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses how to get out of your comfort zone, in order to start growing as a person both professionally and personally and utilizes the comfort zone model from Positive Psychology to explain the process. Based on this past week's episode with Rebecca Scott on how to reinvent yourself and get out of your comfort zone to grow your career.
TIMESTAMPS
- [2:32] Explaining the 4 zones you need to go through, in order to achieve success (Comfort Zone, Fear Zone, Learning Zone, Growth Zone) and Max tells his career story to illustrate the 4 zones he, himself went through
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Positive Psychology From Comfort Zone to Growth Zone
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Rebecca Scott, a professional that grew up in a small town in Ontario, Canada. Not only did she pivot her career trajectory from psychology to marketing but moved to the big city of Montreal, Quebec, not knowing a single person and not even having a job lined up when she moved. She shares her career pivot and the trials and tribulations that came with it in order to grow to become the person she is today in hopes of guiding others, contemplating making the same drastic change she made herself a few years ago.
QUOTES
- “I ended up going to Montreal, I wouldn't say on a limb. But I knew I wanted to change my life because I just wasn't happy. There was something inside of me that just wasn't at peace and so I knew I needed to make a change.” - Rebecca Scott
- “[When it comes to speaking French] I'm not going to be perfect. I'm going to mess up. But as long as I keep practicing and keep putting myself in these situations, then I'm going to get better and that I think is the best way to immerse yourself in any language is to be in the heart of it, and to be forced almost to speak it ” - Rebecca Scott
- “[When it comes to making a career change] I would say plan, but don't over plan because you don't actually know how things are going to go once you move to a new city. So yeah, I looked for interesting jobs. At the time, I think I was using Indeed and I knew that I could use the skills that I had gained from doing research and working in academia [to pivot to a different career].” - Rebecca Scott
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:30] Meet Rebecca
- [6:03] Going over Rebecca’s decision that Montreal was the perfect place to move to, to start a new chapter of her life and her experiences living there so far
- [15:27] Rebecca’s journey in pivoting into Marketing
- [22:19] Additional creative projects Rebecca pursued outside of work
- [29:10] Building a social circle from scratch in a new city
- [34:24] Whether Rebecca would have done things differently, based on what she knows now
- [40:37] The level of importance of what school you got your degree from in building your career
- [41:52] Biggest career challenge Rebecca had to overcome, to get to where she is today
- [43:57] Contacting Rebecca
- [45:10] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Rebecca Scott on LinkedIn
- We Just Like To Talk Podcast
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides 5 reasons why people stay at a toxic workplace and don't take action to leave even though it will affect them physically and mentally for the long term so you can see the signs and don't make the same mistake. In addition, Max also provides a strategy on how to start planning your move to bigger and better things to finally leave your current toxic workplace behind. Based on this past week's episode with Jean Tien on how to overcome bullying in the workplace and take back your career.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:27] Not finding the same or better compensation elsewhere
- [2:13] Fear of finding something worse
- [2:57] Being comfortable with where they are and sticking to a routine
- [3:32] Connected with other people at the company that they get along with and don't want to leave them behind
- [4:28] Lack of confidence and don't believe they can find something better for themselves
- [5:27] Max's action plan on how to start planning and taking action to leave your current toxic workplace behind to get something better and something you deserve
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Jean Tien, an intuitive mindset coach, specializing in working with female corporate executives ready to experience more in life without burnout. She shares her own personal experience with workplace bullying and provides strategies and advice on what she did to overcome it so you can do the same thing and take back your career.
QUOTES
- “Once you submit to [their bullying] and they see that they have control over you, in that sense they pretty much live off of that, they thrive off of that and there’s a compound effect to that as well, meaning like they see it, they know it, they keep kind of like sticking that dagger within you.” - Jean Tien [9:23]
- “If your end goal is to have the [bully] fired, I wouldn’t go to HR, I would reevaluate that end goal because unless it’s illegal, it’s most likely not going to happen and it actually looks poorly and reflects poorly on you.” - Jean Tien [26:08]
- “I think the 1 career lesson that I’ve learned that I think has helped me along the way is really to understand that what I do at the office is not about me.” - Jean Tien [37:25]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:35] Meet Jean
- [4:17] Types of bullying Jean has experienced throughout her career
- [8:56] Overcoming fear based bullying
- [15:43] Standing your ground
- [25:31] When should you go to HR to report bullying
- [32:00] Difference between bullying and harassment
- [34:52] Strategies to overcome a bullying boss
- [37:12] Biggest career challenge Jean had to overcome, to get to where she is today
- [38:14] Contacting Jean
- [38:39] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jean Tien Official Website
- Jean Tien on LinkedIn
- Jean Tien on Instagram
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
One of the essential components of a good leader is communication, and Max highlights 3 big interview mistakes when it comes to communication in the interview that you need to avoid that is costing you the job. Based on this past week's episode with Danielle Cobo on how to become a better leader in the workplace to get that promotion
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:42] Not listening attentively and not answering the question that's actually asked
- [3:14] Rambling or speaking in generalities
- [4:09] Not making it a conversation
- [5:34] Summary of the 3 interview mistakes
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Danielle Cobo, a Career Coach focusing on helping professionals discover their vision, recognize the power within and create the life they desire. She shares top qualities people need to become a great leader in the workplace and strategies on how to get promoted if you feel stuck with where you currently are in your career.
QUOTES
- “When it comes to wanting to transition from individual contributor to a leader, it really starts with you, and investing in yourself and your development as well as maybe leaning into discomfort, and knowing that you get to take risks.” - Danielle Cobo [13:07]
- “Servant leadership is really understanding who are the individuals on your team, so one of the recommendations I do for anybody that’s in a leadership position, is sit down with your team, with each individual person and look at their individual development plan.” - Danielle Cobo [16:00]
- “The higher you go up, the more you’re not only implementing the current, you are also looking further out as to where the direction of that company is going to go.” - Danielle Cobo [31:12]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:21] Meet Danielle
- [3:11] Talking about the job search, applying online and why sometimes people don’t apply for roles they are interested in
- [8:46] The importance of diverse teams
- [10:01] Leadership qualities companies look for when hiring
- [13:40] Advice on being stuck as an individual contributor but want to move up to a management role with no prior management experience
- [15:44] Overview of the Servant Leadership style and why this leadership style is the future to building and retaining talent
- [22:48] Disconnect between company offerings in educational and professional development opportunities and the lack of employees taking advantage of them
- [26:19] The importance of companies creating a roadmap for their employees to provide direction for their career at the company to retain them
- [29:16] Different leadership qualities you need to develop to start moving up the corporate ladder
- [32:30] How to show executives that you have the potential to succeed at the next level
- [33:51] Cross-functional leadership
- [35:03] The importance of active listening as a leader
- [38:04] Whether to continue to try to get promoted at a company after being rejected multiple times or time to look elsewhere
- [40:45] Biggest career lesson Danielle learned, to get to where she is today
- [42:51] Shifting your mindset to become more confident in order to achieve your goals
- [46:31] Contacting Danielle
- [47:20] Outro
RESOURCE & RELEVANT LINKS
- Danielle Cobo
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides advice for his listeners that are looking to pivot to a technical field such as data science, and whether paying thousands of dollars to attend a bootcamp to build up your skills is the best move to make this career change happen. Based on this past week's episode with Alyssa Fedgo on how to get into Data Science with no prior experience.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:27] Start of the discussion whether attending a bootcamp is the right approach to make a career change into a technical field such as data science
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Alyssa Fedgo, a professional that started her career in a non-technical role as an Office Manager for a health startup, to building up her skills and making the right career moves over the years to be able to get into her dream field of Data Science. She shares her journey in hopes of providing insight and guidance for other professionals looking to make the same move into Data Science and do it successfully without all the trial and error that comes with changing career paths.
QUOTES
- “[Once you’re finished a bootcamp or certification] if you stop learning, you are going to be kind of stunted in your career growth, especially in data science.” - Alyssa Fedgo [12:06]
- “[When it comes to building my skill set to get into data science] making sure that I’m learning Python because Python or R is key in data science.” - Alyssa Fedgo [17:11]
- “As a Data Scientist from my experience, you also need to have more skills in the planning of an entire system, so you need to understand how the data is structured and stored, is there a better way for it to be stored, is there a better way for it to be queried” - Alyssa Fedgo [24:49]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:12] Meet Alyssa
- [3:36] How Alyssa started her career
- [5:06] Learning curve from going from a non-technical role to a technical role with no formal training
- [6:46] Going from Office Manager to Data Analyst at Alyssa’s 1st company
- [8:37] Learning lessons in Alyssa’s 1st data oriented role
- [12:13] Advice on what to do after you finished your bootcamp or certification to continue growing your skills and being marketable as a data scientist for the long term
- [13:23] Resources to build your SQL and SAS skills if you decide to start as a Data Analyst 1st
- [13:55] Making a move from Data Analyst to Data Scientist
- [15:54] Main differences between Data Analyst and Data Scientist
- [16:43] Skills Alyssa built up to prepare her to become a Data Scientist
- [18:40] Alyssa’s process on learning Python
- [19:43] Why Alyssa took the self learning route then taking a data science bootcamp to build her skills
- [21:17] How Alyssa pivoted from a Data Analyst role to a Data Scientist Role
- [21:51] Walking through Alyssa’s experience interviewing for a Data Scientist position and how she was able to showcase her abilities successfully without prior formal Data Scientist experience
- [24:22] Major difference between being a Data Analyst and being a Data Scientist that Alyssa has experienced since starting her journey in data science
- [25:25] Discussing what a Data Scientist actually does, compared to what people perceive a Data Scientist does
- [27:30] Battling imposter syndrome when Alyssa was starting as a Data Scientist
- [28:58] Continue to build your skill set as a Data Scientist if you don’t have as much opportunity to do so at work
- [30:29] Discussing whether Alyssa could have went straight to Data Science from an Office Manager or she needed the Data Analyst role 1st to successfully move to Data Science
- [32:03] Data Visualization and what tools to learn
- [33:06] Managing expectations of your hiring manager on what you can and can’t do as a Data Scientist when you start off in your 1st role in the field
- [34:22] Advice on how a professional can go from a non-technical field to a technical field such as Data Science
- [35:40] Soft skills you need to succeed in Data Science
- [36:18] Common mistakes entry level Data Scientists make when starting their career
- [37:28] Alyssa’s career goals in Data Science in the next few years
- [39:46] Data Science trends professionals should watch out for
- [40:47] Biggest career challenge Alyssa had to overcome to get to where she is today
- [41:33] What to do when a piece of programming code is not working and how to resolve it
- [43:00] Contacting Alyssa
- [43:40] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Alyssa Fedgo on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max gives you 5 questions to ask the hiring manager during the interview process to potentially spot red flags to avoid taking a job you may regret later. Based on this past week's episode with Lauren Felter on Job Interview Red Flags: Signs of a Toxic Environment
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:46] New role or replacing someone
- [1:30] Work/Life Flexibility
- [2:41] Company culture
- [3:24] Issues and challenges
- [4:15] Personal development
- [5:08] How evaluating the interview process can be a good indicator of what the work culture/dynamic will be like if you decide to work there
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with (Lauren) Felter, podcaster, educator and Founder of Felter Unfiltered. Felter discusses the top red flags in the interview process of a company that shows signs of a toxic workplace to avoid accepting a job that could potentially derail your career trajectory. She also discusses questions to ask the hiring manager/team to reveal red flags and ends the conversation with some tips for job seekers, looking to make a good impression at interviews and what to focus on to be a stand out candidate.
QUOTES
- “If they are looking for the job to be the number 1 priority in your life, like you’re allowed to have higher priorities, but if their expectations are that you have to care about this job, above all else or you have to care about the mission above all else, that’s toxic.” - Lauren Felter [7:37]
- “Just be really weary of being asked to do things in the interview process that seem, above and beyond that you might just be exploited, for unpaid work.” - Lauren Felter [11:13]
- “[As someone that hires] one thing that a lot of people do [that’s a red flag], is they tell me what they think I want to hear, instead of being honest.” - Lauren Felter [33:15]
TIMESTAMPS
- [2:13] Meet Felter
- [6:48] 7 red flags in the interview process you should watch out for
- [12:49] Company asking you to take a lower salary now for potential higher returns in equity or other compensation later
- [14:07] Work life balance at startups
- [14:46] Why there’s no such thing as a perfect job and it’s more about what challenges that you are willing to accept in your new role that’s better than staying where you are
- [18:35] Why only having good relationships with your manager and colleagues are not a good reason to stay at a job if the work isn’t interesting
- [19:48] Discussing whether you should stay at your job while looking for a new one to avoid the potential stigma of being unemployed during your job search
- [21:23] Questions to ask the hiring manager to reveal and spot company red flags
- [24:54] Is the length of an interview process at a company a red flag
- [26:41] 4 things you should research the company on to ensure it’s the best fit for you
- [29:29] Advice for young professionals that want to work at their dream company but see red flags that it may not be the right culture for them
- [31:06] How Felter hires new team members and what she looks for during the interview process
- [33:10] What things candidates do that Felter disqualifies them immediately from consideration for the position
- [35:26] The reasonable time frame between final interview and hearing back from the company and what goes on behind the scenes
- [37:32] Taking a bridge job or a "for now" job because you really want to leave your current company but aren’t landing the role you want
- [38:48] Biggest career challenge Felter had to overcome to get to where she is today
- [40:54] Contacting Felter
- [56:06] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Felter Unfiltered on Instagram
- Overcoming Should Podcast
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
One of Max's best career decisions he made in 2021, was starting his podcast and in this episode, Max gives 3 lessons that he learned in 2021 on starting a podcast and what mindset you need to have in order to build a podcast for the long term. Based on this past week's episode with Chris Templeton on how to make better decisions to achieve your career goals.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:23] What type of download numbers you should expect for your new podcast even with having a sizeable social media following
- [2:36] Importance of having a niche and focusing on it long term
- [4:41] The main thing you need to focus on to start a successful podcast for the long term and why most new podcasters don't stick around
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Chris Templeton, Founder of Oh The Stories We Tell. Chris discusses his 3 question model that he has been developing since 2003 to help you make better decisions to further your career. The podcast also discusses current employer and employee dynamics and what companies need to change in order to retain and attract new employees to their company in the present and future.
QUOTES
- “When you start to recognize, oh my god, I can tell a more authentic story, people gravitate to that in a big way.” - Chris Templeton [18:36]
- “I guarantee you the places that aren’t losing employees are places where the employees, feel like they are partners with leadership, as opposed to minions.” - Chris Templeton [22:39]
- “I can take the most meaningful work in the world, and crush it with crappy management.” - Chris Templeton [31:14]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:13] Meet Chris
- [2:45] Overview of Chris’ 3 Question Framework Model and how to apply it
- [14:51] The importance on focusing on career fundamentals
- [18:46] The power of career authenticity
- [20:09] Discussing current employer and employee dynamics
- [27:37] Leadership styles and which one will help build employee morale and loyalty
- [29:53] The power of relationships in building your career
- [32:22] How going to the office Monday to Friday is dead
- [34:07] Importance of congruence
- [35:58] How extrinsic perks don’t work long term to keep employee retention
- [38:34] Importance of onboarding and how to keep a good working relationship going with your new team member
- [40:35] The best work environment Chris has ever been in and why
- [45:35] Feeling guilty for quitting your current job
- [47:19] The main reason why professionals fail at building good relationships for their career
- [50:07] Main thing Chris wants you to take away from his model and from this interview to help put your career in the right direction
- [52:23] Biggest career challenge Chris had to overcome to get to where he is today
- [54:25] Contacting Chris
- [56:06] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Oh The Stories We Tell
- Oh The Stories We Tell Youtube Channel
- Oh The Stories We Tell Link Tree
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the main reason why someone experiences career burnout and why leaving your current job may be the best course of action. Based on this past week's episode with Elizabeth Rosenberg, signs of career burnout and how to recover from them.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:49] Main cause of career burnout
- [2:09] Why most content creators burn out in the long term
- [3:46] How to find out if you need a mental break from your job or it's indeed career burnout and it's time to move on
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Elizabeth Rosenberg, Founder of The Good Advice Company, a marketing and communications consultancy. Elizabeth discusses her personal story of how extreme stress and burnout led her to having a scary trip to the ER and what she learned from that experience to turn her career around and become the business owner she is today.
QUOTES
- “I got home [from the hospital], I had 100s of Emails, I had dozens of text messages, and instead of putting it all away, and not dealing with it till morning, I jumped back into work and the next morning I woke up, and realized that something was drastically wrong.” - Elizabeth Rosenberg [5:39]
- “What I’ve learned now is that there's 4 quadrants, that we need to be listening to, your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional self.” - Elizabeth Rosenberg [7:04]
- “I’ve been fired from a job, I’ve been laid off from a job, I’ve quit from a job, it’s very humbling, to experience all of those things and I think that people forget, that you can be super successful, in your career, and have places where you just not a fit either.” - Elizabeth Rosenberg [27:09]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:10] Meet Elizabeth
- [2:54] Elizabeth’s story of how she ended up going to the ER, the aftermath and lessons learned along the way
- [8:49] Signs of burnout
- [10:30] Elizabeth’s process from having her ER experience to pivoting to becoming self employed and a business owner
- [13:57] Avoiding burnout as a business owner
- [17:15] Managing your workload and your manager’s expectations of you to avoid burnout
- [21:26] Keeping a positive mindset and not panicking when Elizabeth started her business at the beginning of the pandemic
- [24:22] How to properly quit your job so you aren’t taking a drastic step back
- [25:37] Elizabeth’s plan on quitting her last job before pursuing starting her own business
- [27:48] Self discovery to find out what you truly want to do
- [29:58] Elizabeth’s health now and advice for people who are experiencing signs of burnout
- [31:47] The one major career challenge Elizabeth had to overcome to get to where she is today
- [35:02] Contacting Elizabeth
- [35:25] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- The Good Advice Company
- The Good Advice Company on Twitter
- Elizabeth Rosenberg on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the 3 lessons he has learned in customer service after working with over 100+ clients over the past year and a half since he started his career coaching business. Based on this past week's episode with Melanie Wood, on how to confidently handle difficult conversations with challenging clients to reduce your stress levels.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:55] Being responsive is the backbone to delivering impeccable customer service
- [2:50] The importance of being solution oriented when a client problem arises
- [3:57] Accepting the fact that not every client you have will work out no matter how much effort you had put in
- [5:20] Summary of the 3 customer service lessons Max has learned
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Melanie Wood, an International Communication and Leadership Speaker, Best-Selling Author and Founder/Owner of Speaking Styles. She provides an overview on providing amazing customer service and goes through her experience dealing with difficult conversations with clients such as managing expectations and unhappy clients threatening to cancel or withhold payment.
QUOTES
- “[When they object] you haven’t gone enough into exploration there to finding out and getting them to really realize what their big need is.” - Melanie Wood [9:31]
- “[When it comes to managing client expectations] that’s definitely on the onboarding, is going through those expectations there, the other things that I do is, then each step of the way, I then ask them, how is everything going for you.” - Melanie Wood [14:33]
- “[When it comes to handling difficult conversations] you always should plan and prepare your conversations, because that is the way that you’re going to get the best out of the communication, out of yourself, and out of the other person by planning and preparing.” - Melanie Wood [20:10]
TIMESTAMPS
- [2:22] Meet Melanie
- [3:57] Communication lessons that helped Melanie build her client list during the initial startup phase of her business
- [6:10] Melanie’s process on how to perform an effective consultation call with a client
- [9:09] Overcoming common objections during a consultation call
- [11:30] Tips for giving a great onboarding experience with a new client
- [14:19] Managing client expectations
- [15:46] Other difficult conversations you could potentially have with clients
- [17:38] Handling an angry client after a mistake has been made
- [20:25] Client threatening to cancel
- [22:58] Whether you should honor a refund request for an unhappy client after they’ve already worked with you for a few months
- [24:50] Dealing with clients that are withholding payment
- [27:44] Signs during the initial consultation that this prospect is a red flag and would not be a good person/business to bring on
- [28:51] Advice for professionals that want to start a service based business or want to work in a client facing role
- [30:41] The one major career challenge Melanie had to overcome to get to where she is today
- [31:48] Contacting Melanie
- [32:21] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Speaking Styles
- Melanie Wood on LinkedIn
- Melanie Wood on Instagram
- Melanie Wood on Facebook
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses 3 foundational components for effective networking, to help move your career forward. Based on this past week's episode with Sarah Langner, how to overcome workplace loneliness to improve your mental health and have a more happier and fulfilling career.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:40] Preparing questions ahead of time and listening attentively to generate more questions
- [3:05] The importance of preparing your elevator pitch and why you want to learn more or work for this company
- [3:24] The main principle you need to follow for networking to be enjoyable and effective
- [5:01] Summary of points to network with professionals properly and effectively
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Sarah Langner, Founder of Hey! Lemonade, a transformative online community and coaching platform that actively works to create belonging, foster connection, and inspire members. She discusses workplace social dynamics to help you make friends at work and keep them long after the working relationship is over. She also goes over strategies on how to combat loneliness in your personal life to build a social network that improves your mental health and gives you a more fulfilling life.
QUOTES
- “I think that the best way forward to get more promotions is to make friends, not only friends with the people who are at the same level as you, but friends with the people below you and the people above you.” - Sarah Langner [14:57]
- “So why this [people lose touch once someone leaves for another opportunity] happens is because we only have so much bandwidth in our brains, we can really only maintain about 5 close relationships, and say about 125 secondary relationships.” - Sarah Langner [23:06]
- “We’re looking at 40-60% of the population feeling chronically lonely depending on the age group.” - Sarah Langner [35:22]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:24] Meet Sarah
- [3:49] Combating loneliness during COVID as a working professional
- [5:48] Discussing what’s worse long term, social isolation or a regular long commute
- [6:55] Decrease in social attachment to a company due to COVID
- [11:12] Disadvantage of always working from home and possibility of being passed over for promotions due to lack of visibility
- [12:26] Prediction on the most optimal work model for work/life flexibility and satisfaction
- [13:57] If it’s possible to make real friends at work
- [19:59] Reaching out to someone that got laid off that you use to work with and embracing the potential awkwardness to maintain the relationship you’ve built
- [22:40] Keeping in touch with a former colleague that left for another opportunity
- [27:10] Difference between a friend and an acquaintance
- [27:46] Being friends with your manager
- [29:48] Your diminishing social circle as you get older
- [31:50] Building a social circle as a mid career professional
- [34:45] The main factor that contributes to a decreasing social circle over time
- [38:48] Long term consequences of chronic loneliness
- [39:43] Right amount of social interaction for a long healthy life
- [41:49] Going through a scenario of a professional that recently moved to a new city for a new job and how to start building a rich social circle
- [43:03] Conversation starters when meeting new people
- [49:33] The one major career challenge Sarah had to overcome to get to where she is today
- [50:24] Contacting Sarah
- [52:01] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Hey! Lemonade
- Hey! Lemonade on Facebook
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses the strategy he used to help a client apply effectively for jobs out of state and how to bring the location issue up with the recruiter in order to keep you in the running for your dream job. Based on this past week's episode with Dawn Smith, when to decide to search and take a new job in a new city, to advance your stagnant career.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:07] Properly positioning your resume and cover letter when applying out of state
- [3:52] Explaining to the recruiter your current living situation and next steps to keep you in the running for the position even though you aren't located near their office yet
- [4:25] Summary of points and what to do to effectively apply to jobs out of state
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Dr. Dawn Smith, President and CEO of DMDS Partners Inc., a full-service evaluation and applied research corporation. She discusses her relocation experience as she relocated twice in order to advance her career and provides lessons and strategies to help you decide whether moving to a new city is the right path for you.
QUOTES
- “[When it comes to applying to jobs outside your area] I think it’s really about your experience so far so for example, if you’ve sent out, 100s of resumes and applications in the area that you are currently living in and you’re not getting any traction with respect to either interviews or even invited to come in to talk to someone about a position, then I think it’s a good idea to start expanding your geographic space outwards.” - Dawn Smith [4:52]
- “[When deciding on when you should start considering buying a home in your new location] a year is really a good barometer in figuring out the fit between you and the place of employment, you don’t want to jump too quickly between jobs because that doesn’t look really good on your resume.” - Dawn Smith [10:06]
- “I always do a pro con list and I always do, what are all the pros, what are all the cons, I kind of weigh them, and then have a conversation with my partner about what makes the most sense and then you’re making a data driven decision on that.” - Dawn Smith [20:38]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:20] Meet Dawn
- [4:28] When to decide between relocating or sticking it out in your current city when it comes to searching for a new career opportunity
- [5:53] Deciding what location to move to in search for your next career opportunity
- [9:56] When to consider buying a home in your new city
- [10:42] Bias from recruiters about candidates applying from out of city/area when they haven’t moved to the location yet and how to combat this
- [12:02] Compromising on a video interview with the company at your target location if they aren’t willing to pay for your travel expenses when a certain interview stage tends to be an in person interview
- [13:30] Evaluating whether company size matters when it comes to applying for positions at your target location and if company size is an indicator of whether the company will pay for your travel expenses to bring you in for an in person interview or not
- [14:51] Asking for relocation assistance in a job offer
- [15:56] How much time can you ask for before you start your new job so you have time to move and settle down at your new location
- [17:13] Budgeting your relocation expenses and what to move with and what to sell as a single individual
- [19:20] Considering moving for an opportunity while your partner is happy with where they are in their career
- [20:53] Advice on adjusting and adapting to your new surroundings both professionally and personally
- [23:35] Dawn’s lessons of relocation that she learned in her 1st relocation that she applied to her 2nd relocation to make it a more smoother experience
- [26:18] Interview red flags to watch out for so you don’t move locations for a company that may not be a good fit for you for the long term
- [27:59] Thoughts on adjusting someone’s current salary based on where the individual is located if they decide to move away from the office to a place with a lower cost of living
- [31:57] If Dawn had any regrets with her 2nd relocation where she moved away from family and friends to grow her career
- [34:41] Summarizing the relocation conversation and whether relocation is the right move for you
- [36:17] Whether you should highlight why you are applying for a specific role at the company if you are not currently located in the area in your cover letter and/or resume
- [37:21] The one major career challenge Dawn had to overcome to get to where she is today
- [39:33] Contacting Dawn
- [40:19] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- DMD Partners Incorporated
- Dawn Smith on Facebook
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses 3 self sabotaging behaviors he had that stalled his career and what mindset shifts he had applied to overcome them to get to where he is today. Based on this past week's episode with Mara Palermo on how to overcome your limiting beliefs in order to achieve your full career potential.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:31] Definition of self-sabotage
- [1:00] Being a self-critic and overanalyzing past situations
- [2:40] Being a self-protector and distrusting of others
- [4:17] Avoidance and procrastination
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Mara Palermo, a certified coach who helps guide people to breakthrough limitations, awaken their potential and develop a self-mastery mindset so that you can create a life that you love. Mara discusses her own battle with limiting beliefs and through her experience, share some exercises and strategies in order to help you build the career that you truly want.
QUOTES
- “[Limiting Beliefs] will stop us from moving in the direction of our dreams and our goals, right so it’s holding us back from living our best life or taking that promotion or doing the things, advancing us in careers.” - Mara Palermo [4:29]
- “[When it comes to goal setting and] to know if it’s really true for you, because you can ask yourself why you want it and if you ask yourself why do you want it and if there’s any other reason besides just because I love it, then it’s not true.” - Mara Palermo [32:03]
- “It’s starting to build that muscle of just overcoming things, then once you start overcoming some things, you’ll be able to overcome the big things that you don’t want to do too.” - Mara Palermo [46:23]
TIMESTAMPS
- [2:02] Meet Mara
- [4:05] Discussing the definition of limiting beliefs
- [6:51] Limiting beliefs Mara had and what she did to overcome them
- [9:20] Overcoming the fear of failure
- [11:22] Validation from parents and why it’s so important even if they are no longer a big part of your day to day life as you get further into your career
- [16:37] Getting comfortable networking and meeting people that are perceived as higher value than you in order to grow your career
- [19:58] Discussing mindset and strategies to help you overcome your limiting beliefs
- [22:28] How long till you start seeing some progress when it comes to overcoming your limiting beliefs when you start implementing some of Mara’s strategies
- [25:59] Recommendations to maintain your accountability as you go on this journey
- [31:34] Evaluating what you truly want and not what you think you want
- [34:30] Fear of success and what it means
- [36:18] Fear of growing and losing people in your current network during your self-improvement journey
- [39:39] Finding like minded people in order to help your grow
- [42:30] Strategies to help you if you feel stagnant in your career or are currently in a rut
- [48:42] Overcoming limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome when you recently got a promotion
- [51:06] The one major career challenge Mara had to overcome to get to where she is today
- [52:40] Contacting Mara
- [53:36] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Self Mastery Mindset Facebook Group
- Self Mastery Mindset Instagram
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses his battle with his own limiting beliefs when it came to starting his career coaching business and what mindset changes he needed to make in order to make things happen, based on this past week's episode with Laura Sousa on how to make a drastic career change to achieve fulfillment and happiness in your work.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:29] Max's limiting beliefs when he wanted to start his career coaching business and how he pushed through them to get started
- [3:45] 3 things you need to be aware of and do before deciding to pull the trigger on making a drastic career change
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Laura Sousa, former executive turned florist, where she shares her story of how she lost her passion for her work when she started working remotely due to the pandemic and what led to her to make the drastic career change she did in order to achieve fulfillment and happiness in her work again.
QUOTES
- “I had to really be ok with that kind of shift in status and realizing that status is not as important as my own happiness.” - Laura Sousa [9:48]
- “I think part of it is putting certain parameters say for example a timeframe, so if you’re feeling you know, a little bit in a rut or something and you’re feeling you know things will get better, time box it, say ok you know I’m here, how long am I willing to give myself to see if it kind of will turn itself around.” - Laura Sousa [15:59]
- “Be really cognizant and aware of what motivates you and really your overall happiness and don’t be afraid to kind of question and assess and you know kind of dare to think differently.” - Laura Sousa [35:10]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:42] Meet Laura
- [4:17] What made Laura decide to pivot into a career as a florist
- [7:54] Limiting beliefs that Laura had when it came to deciding to pivot her career to becoming a florist
- [10:51] Discussing the importance of status and how to make right decisions throughout your career to keep you fulfilled
- [15:36] Evaluating whether you are thinking about a career change due to the current circumstances or whether it is not actually for you
- [18:12] Timeframe between the flower shop owner putting it in Laura’s head about becoming a florist to actually writing her resignation letter
- [22:16] Resigning from her role as VP
- [26:30] Laura’s last 2 weeks at her last job before focusing full time on being a florist
- [28:26] Next steps after leaving her last job
- [29:02] Financial preparation in order to successfully pivot into a career as a florist
- [30:36] Landing her first apprenticeship
- [33:43] Whether Laura has any regrets about making the career pivot
- [34:58] 1 career lesson that Laura wants people to take away from her story
- [36:15] Contacting Laura
- [36:49] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Laura Sousa on LinkedIn
- Laura Sousa on Instagram
- Hill's Florist
- Amy Marden Podcast Episode
- Sydney Magana Podcast Episode
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max elaborates on Paul's 3 key career lessons from this past week's episode that he has applied himself when it came to growing his career coaching business.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:53] Protecting your time
- [2:21] Building your advisory network
- [3:50] Investing in yourself
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Paul R. Goudreault, author of the book Own Your Career No One Else Will. Paul has had an extensive career in leadership, business development, operations and delivery and shares his lessons and insights to professionals to help them build a roadmap to achieve the career success that they desire.
QUOTES
- “You’re not going to be taken care of in the workplace, you have to own it, you need to determine where you’re going, set your aspirations and make your plan.” - Paul R. Goudreault [4:27]
- “The role is really, I hate to say it but probably secondary, you want to be with a group of people that are compatible with the way you think, the culture that you like to work in and gives you opportunities to perform and can support you.” - Paul R. Goudreault [16:37]
- “I think that having a fulfilling career can help you have a fulfilled life as well.” - Paul R. Goudreault [31:52]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:43] Meet Paul
- [4:59] Highlighting Paul’s career lifecycle model, ADAPT and discussing the first two points for early career developers
- [6:57] 3 common career challenges or obstacles that Paul has found from his conversations with professionals that need the most focus to take action and solve
- [9:02] Protecting your time
- [11:34] Finding the fine line between being impatient with your career growth and making a move when you realize there’s no more growth in a role/company
- [13:54] Casting a wide net early on and narrowing your focus as you get more experience in your career
- [18:25] The pressure to accelerate your career in today’s age and the one thing you need to know about growing your career to your satisfaction
- [19:45] Effectively growing your network both internally and externally
- [25:39] The importance of investing in your network more so than investing in your skills from a personal development perspective as you get further in your career
- [27:53] Maintaining connection with colleagues that have left the team/company
- [30:17] Creating work life balance in your career
- [32:58] Utilizing the ADAPT model to develop your career plan
- [37:06] Discussing if your career is capped if you do not want to be a people manager
- [38:18] What makes a good manager compared to a bad one
- [39:22] Breaking away from the standard mindset of how moving up the ladder is the main indicator of career success
- [41:14] Advice for professionals currently in a crossroads in their career and what is the 1st step they need to do to get career alignment and what they should do in the next few years and beyond
- [44:11] The one tidbit out of the 75 tidbits that Paul had written in his book that significantly helped him in his career
- [45:48] The biggest challenge Paul had faced in writing his book and what he did to overcome it to put the book into market
- [47:17] How Paul came up with the ADAPT career lifecycle model
- [49:11] Contacting Paul
- [53:57] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Enorine Partners
- Own Your Career - No One Else Will
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max tells his story on how he overcame procrastination to start a new habit that resulted in him growing a personal brand on LinkedIn to over 20,000 followers in a year and a half. Based on this past week's episode with Heather Spiegel on how to stop procrastination in your job search and start moving your career forward.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:08] How Max got his start in career coaching
- [1:53] Discussing how Max got his start on posting content on LinkedIn and how he built the habit and maintained it over time
- [4:10] Where Max got his initial direction and strategy so he didn't feel overwhelmed when starting to build his personal brand on LinkedIn
- [5:51] Overcoming perfectionism and the importance of just pushing content out on LinkedIn
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Heather Spiegel, Founder of Hidden Squirrel Consulting on procrastination in the job search, why it occurs and what you can do about it to overcome it, to get the job you want. In addition, we also discuss the main difference in thinking between C-Suite Executives and professionals that are early on in their career when it comes to achieving enormous career success.
QUOTES
- “If you do small things every single day, you get into, A a routine, and B it’s not going to have that same level of discomfort [that tends to lead to procrastination].” - Heather Spiegel [9:38]
- “The general sort of consensus is that a job search usually takes somewhere in the span of 3 to 4 months minimum, so people shouldn’t get frustrated and discouraged, these things do take time and particularly if you are seeking an executive role then the time horizon can be even longer. ” - Heather Spiegel [11:09]
- “At the end of the day, your [career] success is going to be determined by your ability to forge relationships.” - Heather Spiegel [40:41]
TIMESTAMPS
- [2:15] Meet Heather
- [4:38] Common reasons that lead to job search procrastination
- [8:44] Why it’s important to do a little at a time then trying to do a lot in one go
- [10:14] The average length of a job search
- [13:34] Discussing cognitive distortion and how it negatively impacts your job search success
- [21:47] The importance of not resting on your laurels after a good final round interview performance with a company and to stick to your job search strategy
- [23:49] When should you hire a career coach to get help in your job search and when is getting more education the better decision
- [30:34] Starting a new habit and how to be accountable to maintain the new habit in order to achieve job search success and walking through an example
- [36:23] What you can learn from C Suite Executives as someone that just started or a few years in, into their career to help you accelerate your career growth
- [40:49] How to reach out and build relationships with external recruiters to help you transition successfully to the next chapter of your career
- [45:01] Few tips from Heather on what to change in your approach to your job search to start seeing better results
- [48:38] The one habit that Heather needed to implement consistently into her life in order to get to where she is today in her career
- [52:42] Contacting Heather
- [53:57] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Hidden Squirrel Consulting
- Heather Spiegel on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max highlights why you should write a cover letter for every job application and his formula on writing targeted cover letters efficiently and effectively. Based on this past week's episode with Marie Zimenoff on leveraging social media in your job search to get the job you want.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:43] Why you should write a cover letter for every job application and the main reason why recruiters don't take most cover letters from professionals seriously
- [2:46] Max's cover letter formula that he teaches all his clients in order to write highly targeted and effective cover letters for any job fast
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Marie Zimenoff, CEO of Career Thought Leaders and Resume Writing Academy. Marie discusses additional job search strategies that goes beyond applying online and optimizing your LinkedIn profile, such as using Facebook and Instagram to engage with companies and potential professionals that could make a huge impact on the success of your job search. She also discusses the foundation of a successful job search strategy and how to overcome procrastination in the job search process that most professionals face when they don't get the results they want right out of the gate.
QUOTES
- “It’s not just about the [LinkedIn] profile, and that’s where I feel like the careers industry, has kind of got stuck in the mud, talking about optimizing a [LinkedIn] profile, we really can’t just leave it at that, we got to teach clients how to use LinkedIn and how to connect, how to message, how to use the tool to continue to stay in touch with someone.” - Marie Zimenoff [6:41]
- “Do the research, find your audience, and then choose your [social media] platforms and that will help you reduce your overwhelm, and to just really engage where those people are. ” - Marie Zimenoff [31:57]
- “You can only grow, when you take a risk, you can only change when you make change, but start small.” - Marie Zimenoff [43:35]
TIMESTAMPS
- [2:09] Meet Marie
- [3:05] Why recruiters aren’t using LinkedIn to source candidates as much as they use to
- [7:11] The importance of networking to build your career
- [10:19] Utilizing Facebook and Instagram as part of your job search strategy
- [12:44] Why creating content isn’t necessary and engaging with a company’s content on social media is more important for your job search
- [14:07] The importance of utilizing other social media platforms besides LinkedIn as part of your job search and how to use them
- [18:49] Recruiters loosening the importance of having relevant work experience and cultural fit for the role they are trying to fill
- [21:42] The future and importance of video resumes and how you can get comfortable with this medium
- [26:16] Text, video or audio messages when it comes to reaching out and networking with professionals on social media
- [27:54] Thoughts on Discord and Slack channels as part of your job search strategy
- [28:44] Picking the right online courses to boost your credentials and get the job you want
- [31:29] Picking the right platforms for your job search to not get overwhelmed
- [32:10] The increase in importance of the cover letter
- [34:01] The importance of utilizing hashtags on social media platforms to help you with your job search
- [34:51] Tips on building a foundation for a successful job search
- [36:13] Overcoming job search procrastination
- [40:02] Job search trends professionals should watch out for in 2022
- [42:42] One big career challenge that Marie had to overcome to help her grow to become the person she is today
- [44:20] Contacting Marie
- [45:05] Going over Max’s pitch to have Marie come on the podcast and what made her accept the invitation
- [46:26] Outro
RESOURCES AND RELEVANT LINKS
- Jobvite - 2021 Recruiter Nation Report
- Career Thought Leaders
- Resume Writing Academy
- Marie Zimenoff on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides 2 tips on how you can manage your workload at your job effectively and manage your manager's expectations of you without falling out of favor or being overworked. Based on this past week's episode with Nichole Harrop on toxic workplace: overworked and underpaid, signs you are being taken advantage of.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:46] Importance of creating your own project tracker and having weekly meetings with your manager
- [3:02] Taking on urgent items and how to communicate and prioritize your workload with your manager effectively
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Nichole Harrop, a career coach helping women get promoted at work. Nichole talks about her own experience where she was being overworked and not being compensated fairly so you can see the signs you are being taken advantage of and can start planning your exit strategy to a better job. In addition, Nichole also discusses setting boundaries and expectations in your new job so being overworked doesn’t happen again.
QUOTES
- “The pay was one issue, and then the maternity leave was honestly, the last straw where I was like I can’t be a support to this company anymore if I can’t be supportive when I am having a baby.” - Nichole Harrop [33:36]
- “I was upset that I was being treated this way after being told that you were so great, so don’t let the lip service dictate how you’re doing, also make sure that it’s coming back to saying, hey you’re always saying how great I am, I love to see what that looks like in terms of a pay increase.” - Nichole Harrop [52:02]
- “Recognizing when people are saying things, but not following through on them and setting a boundary, at what point do you start looking for something else because I promise you there is so much more out there.” - Nichole Harrop [56:47]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:24] Meet Nichole
- [4:31] Being a smarter manager and using the skill of delegation
- [7:35] Asking for help at work
- [9:56] The start of Nichole’s story and how she got hired at the company that later began overworking her
- [16:07] Why it is a red flag when your manager states that they will renegotiate your compensation later after you accepted new responsibilities
- [18:02] Showing you are a team player and also being compensated fairly
- [21:47] Initiating the difficult conversation of asking for a raise and balancing your workload
- [28:50] Her reaction after taking on all these new responsibilities at the company to only get a menial raise and her next steps
- [34:45] Discussing the option of equity in a compensation package and when is it the right move to forgo additional salary for more equity in a company
- [37:35] Nichole’s exit strategy to move from her current company at that time to another opportunity
- [42:16] Discussing the common issue of why internal employees don’t get fair raises compared to their external hire counterparts that tend to come in making more in the same position
- [47:47] Her experience going back to work from her maternity leave, Nichole handing in her resignation and reaction from the company of her departure
- [52:21] What Nichole is doing now in her career
- [54:53] Nichole’s learning lessons she gained from the experience with that company and what signs does she look out for now so it doesn’t happen to her again
- [57:15] Signs that the company is giving you empty promises and how many chances should you give a company when it comes to having your needs met before it’s time to move on
- [1:01:08] One big career lesson that Nichole learned that helped her grow to become the person she is today
- [1:03:17] Contacting Nichole
- [1:03:53] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Nichole Harrop Website
- Nichole Harrop on Instagram
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan On LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides 3 career tips for introverts wanting to grow their career based on his own personal experiences as someone that leans more towards the introvert spectrum. Based on this past week's episode with Jacqueline Shaulis on how to embrace your introversion in order to accelerate your career.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:04] How to balance getting out of your comfort zone but not feel overwhelmed when it comes to corporate social events as an introvert
- [3:25] Why honing in on your strengths is a better play than working on your weaknesses
- [4:20] Why you shouldn't focus on fitting in and embracing who you are is the key to long term self fulfillment and prosperity
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Jacqueline Shaulis, motivational speaker and author that guides introverted women of color to get seen, heard, and respected by embracing their awesome. Jacqueline explains what introversion really is and the common misconceptions people have about introversion. She then dives into strategies on how to thrive in a corporate work environment as an introvert and how the winning formula is to embrace your introversion, not try to reject it and become something you’re not.
QUOTES
- ”There’s nothing wrong with being an introvert, it's not something that needs to be fixed, it’s not something to overcome, it’s not something to put to the side, it’s just literally how the brain processes what’s going on around them.” - Jacqueline Shaulis [16:27]
- “No matter what tips and techniques [I give you], if you don’t have the mindset of thinking, okay my introversion is a positive, as opposed to the negative that is perceived as, you won’t take action.” - Jacqueline Shaulis [30:27]
- “I’ve had conversations with dozens of women [of color] and it’s the same story, where within their workplace they are doing what their job entitles them to, they are doing it at a high level, however they are being told that they cannot advance or they’re not being told about opportunities because of their introversion.” - Jacqueline Shaulis [43:33]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:46] Meet Jacqueline Shaulis
- [3:26] Explaining what introversion is and common misconceptions of introversion
- [14:02] Jacqueline’s obstacles during her career as an introvert, misconceptions that stem from that and the strengths she learned of being an introvert
- [18:38] How to identify introverts and how to work with them
- [20:08] Strategies for introverts to thrive in a corporate work environment
- [24:41] The value of being an introvert
- [27:14] Building relationships and growing your network as an introvert
- [30:16] Changing your mindset and owning your introversion within 30 days to start elevating your career
- [33:06] Transforming yourself in your current role to become a star player and owning your introversion
- [36:56] Wanting to become a manager as an introvert
- [40:55] Why introverted women of color have the biggest obstacles to overcome in the workplace compared to other demographics
- [46:27] A major career roadblock that Jacqueline had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [48:30] Contacting Jacqueline
- [50:20] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jacqueline Shaulis Website
- Jacqueline Shaulis on Instagram
- Jacqueline Shaulis on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Community
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max discusses 3 important factors that everyone talks about when it comes to evaluating your next opportunity and how they differ based on company size from his own personal career experience. Based on this past week's episode with Dani Hao on your job search, large vs small companies and which size company is right for you.
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:01] Salary expectations and growth at large companies vs smaller companies
- [2:31] Work culture at large companies vs smaller companies
- [3:29] Job security at large companies vs smaller companies
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Dani Hao, a marketing communications leader who has worked in both the B2C and B2B space and is passionate about building brands, community, and real connections. Dani walks us through her career journey and her experience working at companies of various sizes and highlights the pros and cons of each to help you make the right decision when it comes to making your next career move.
QUOTES
- ”When I first started off my career, I thought that joining a larger company would help me elevate my career because it would look better on my resume, but I was quickly proven wrong just because, as a new grad most likely you’re probably going to be, starting out in a junior position.” - Dani Hao [4:26]
- “[When it comes to salary] I think it will depend on the industry that you’re in, and the role that you’re looking for right, I know a lot of my friends who are in like huge companies, like Fortune 100s and they’re being paid a lot less than, for example what I was making at my previous roles [at smaller companies]. ” - Dani Hao [33:58]
- “You’re doing your best work, you’re being very proactive, but you’re getting all these Nos and you are getting all these blockers, that’s a red flag, that’s a sign, that hey like this company may not have that culture of being able to promote people who want to be more proactive.” - Dani Hao [45:06]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:26] Meet Dani Hao
- [5:15] Common trap recent grads fall for when it comes to choosing their first employer and how to avoid it
- [6:49] Dani’s experience working at a large company and learning lessons along the way
- [15:53] Dani’s experience working in agency and learning lessons along the way
- [18:21] Difference between working in industry vs working in agency
- [19:43] Dani’s journey into entrepreneurship and how it led to her role at a Saas company
- [22:47] Being a part of a growing company and the changes that happen during the growth stage
- [27:41] Discussing Dani’s current work experience at the small company she’s at now and what work was like during the transition/growth phase
- [33:47] Salary expectations between large companies and smaller companies and discussing whether you will always make more at a large company compared to others
- [34:56] Job security at large companies vs smaller companies
- [37:37] Discussing middle management and how it affects you when you are starting out in your career
- [38:31] Your level of C-Suite executive exposure at large companies compared to smaller companies
- [39:48] Social atmosphere between large companies and smaller companies
- [41:21] Interview process differences between large and smaller companies
- [43:06] Summarizing the conversation and what you need to do to advance your career
- [46:43] A major career roadblock that Dani had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [49:44] Contacting Dani
- [50:20] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Dani Hao on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides 3 tips on tackling your current resume gap to make you more marketable in your job search, based on this past week's episode with Mimi Moss on how to overcome the dreaded resume gap and get back into the workforce with confidence.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:50] Addressing your resume gap correctly with recruiters and hiring managers
- [2:31] Content you can add to your resume to bolster it, when you aren't currently working a full time job
- [4:14] How networking is your equalizer when overcoming a work gap
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Mimi Moss, Director of Strategic Partnerships at reacHIRE, an organization that works with professionals to return to corporate America after being out of the workforce for an extended period of time. The discussion focuses on various resume gaps, how to address them and strategies you can utilize so you can stay positive, keep your eye on the prize and get back into the workforce as soon as possible.
QUOTES
- ”Talking to people and talking to people who know you, who are friends of friends, the more people who know you’re looking the better, don’t be ashamed of [the work gap], just go right out there and talk to as many people as you can and any personal connection, can make a difference [in your job search].” - Mimi Moss [13:01]
- “I think [recruiters] will continue to be less stringent [on work gaps], I think that they’re seeing that people can come back from a gap, be really productive and that is already happening, and now they’re realizing that this is ok, this can work.” - Mimi Moss [18:21]
- “Keep surrounding yourself with people that know you, that support you, that believe in you, so you don’t lose that confidence [when you are struggling to stay positive in your job search].” - Mimi Moss [41:06]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:08] Meet Mimi Moss
- [3:44] Explaining a resume gap properly if you got fired or laid off
- [4:59] Quitting a job before you have another one in hand
- [6:36] When should you put a work gap on your resume and when not to include it
- [8:01] Chronological resumes vs functional resumes when you have a long career gap
- [9:02] What recruiters really think of work gaps
- [10:36] Addressing your work gap in your cover letter and LinkedIn profile
- [12:28] Overcoming a work gap through networking
- [14:14] Types of work gaps reacHIRE has dealt with when working with professionals
- [15:30] Recruiter’s perception of entrepreneurs wanting to get back into a corporate role after they finished their venture
- [16:40] Recruiter’s perception of professionals taking a sabbatical and wanting to get back into a corporate role once they are done their break
- [18:08] Recruiters being less stringent on resume gaps as we move to a new normal of work
- [20:45] The proper way to address your resume gap or what happened at your last job
- [23:06] Overview of what a returnship is and how to get one
- [29:29] If professionals get paid lower than market rate if they have a long work gap and should they negotiate for more money
- [30:09] Advice on how to make a good first impression in your first role back from a long work gap
- [31:17] Discussing whether upskilling is necessary if you have a long work gap
- [33:42] Thoughts on putting the work experience lower on your resume if you’ve been out of work for awhile
- [34:40] Obstacles people have about their work gaps and how to own it and move their career forward
- [36:05] Starting in a new field after a work gap or stick with what you know
- [38:07] A major career roadblock that Mimi had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [41:16] Contacting Mimi
- [42:15] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- reacHIRE
- Mimi Moss on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Community
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max shares his story on why he quit the only company he's ever worked for in order to grow his career to where it is today based on this past week's episode with Jennifer Hocutt on how to quit your unsatisfying job and do something you'll love.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:59] Why Max left his 1st job at the only company he's ever worked for
- [2:39] Thoughts on counter offers and why Max knew not to take their counter offer if they offered him one
- [3:34] Overview of Max's exit strategy and successfully pivoting from agency to big corporate
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Jennifer Hocutt, founder of J. Hocutt Group LLC, focusing on helping professionals become the CEOs in their career. We discuss the common reasons why professionals leave their job, and help you craft an exit strategy to not only leave your unsatisfying job, but to find a new opportunity that gives you fulfillment and satisfaction, as we all should be able to find happiness in the work we do.
QUOTES
- ”No matter where you are in your career, whether you love your company or not you should always be open to opportunities, at least hearing them out because opportunities don't come knocking very often, you don’t want to miss out just because you’re in a good space at that time. ” - Jennifer Hocutt [14:15]
- “When you clearly define what your non-negotiables are [in a job offer] and you stick to those, then you’re not compromising, you’re not trying to make the job fit for you.” - Jennifer Hocutt [23:28]
- “Your ultimate goal in life, it really should be happiness, nothing else matters and happiness is an inside job that you have complete control over.” - Jennifer Hocutt [49:20]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:16] Meet Jennifer
- [3:24] The influx of employee attrition never seen before in recent memory
- [5:47] Common reasons why people want to leave their jobs
- [10:20] Why moving up the corporate ladder is not always the path to happiness
- [13:37] Crafting your exit strategy to successfully leave your current job
- [21:03] Thoughts on job hopping and the wrong way to job hop
- [23:12] Evaluating a job offer properly
- [24:53] If you should try to repair your current working relationship before trying to leave the company
- [30:27] Thoughts on counter offers and if you should consider taking it
- [34:53] How to balance looking for a new job, while still giving enough effort at your current job to not make it obvious you checked out
- [39:19] Scheduling interviews effectively without raising red flags at your current company
- [43:56] Quitting a job without another one lined up
- [47:47] Additional job search tips
- [51:02] A major career roadblock that Jennifer had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [55:38] Contacting Jennifer
- [54:42] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- J. Hocutt Group
- The Career Clarity Exercise
- J. Hocutt on Facebook
- J. Hocutt on Instagram
- Jennifer Hocutt on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides 3 career lessons he wish he knew in his early 20s based on the question he asked Amy Marden on this past week's episode about changing careers in your 30s to fulfill your life's purpose.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:55] Why you should stop caring what people think
- [1:58] Academics shouldn't be the only thing you focus on during university/college
- [2:48] Be open to opportunities outside your field of focus
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Amy Marden, author of The Parts We Lost and Mirror Mine, and founder of Afghan Refugee Resettlement Assistance DMV. We go through Amy’s journey from pivoting from a successful career in law to becoming a creative writer, writing stories based on experiences from her own life as a military spouse. From knowing when it was time to quit working in law, to her journey in writing and publishing her first book we hope her journey can provide some inspiration for you to make the move in pivoting to work that fulfill your life’s purpose.
QUOTES
- “I think the first thing would be before you make a leap do your research, it should be an educated leap into a new field, you shouldn’t just one day walk into your job and say I can’t take it anymore and quit and then go find something else, I think that’s not smart.” - Amy Marden [18:17]
- “Be kind to yourself in that regard and know your value and have a little faith that all this work that you’ve put into it and all the leg work that you’ve put in ahead of time is going to pay off, regardless of the little voice in your head that saids maybe it’s not good enough.” - Amy Marden [32:17]
- “I think it’s a lie to say money can’t buy happiness cause in some respects it definitely can, but there is the internal need that I think we all have as humans to have passion, and I think it’s a rare thing if you can be passionate about the thing that you are also getting paid for, and I think that if you can say that about your life, you’ve really figured it out.” - Amy Marden [41:45]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:49] Meet Amy
- [2:22] Amy’s journey on becoming a lawyer
- [4:41] Advice for recent JD graduates on getting their first job as a lawyer
- [6:31] Guidance on paying off law school debt quickly
- [9:46] Moving to a new geographical area for work and how to properly adjust if you have children
- [11:21] The trigger point in which Amy was done with law and decided to make a change and focus on pursuing a new career path in creative writing and how she got started in this new career path
- [15:48] What family and friends thought of Amy quitting law to pursue creative writing
- [18:10] Advice for professionals that want to pursue something completely different but are too scared to make the jump
- [19:22] Career advice Amy wished she knew in her 20s
- [20:40] Delaying family to focus on building your career
- [25:02] The process in writing and publishing Amy’s 1st book
- [29:54] Marketing Amy’s 1st book and learning lessons along the way
- [31:46] Amy’s lessons on writing and publishing her 1st book and next steps
- [35:56] Discussing Amy’s Afghan refugee project
- [39:32] The importance of volunteering and community outreach
- [41:33] Why working prestigious jobs don’t actually make you happy and fulfilled compared to other creative pursuits
- [43:17] A major career roadblock that Amy had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [45:04] Contacting Amy
- [54:42] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Amy Marden
- Lutheran Social Services
- USAID Disaster Response for Afghanistan Crisis
- Chan With A Plan
- Career Advice with Chan With A Plan Facebook Group
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides insights on 3 key points based on this past week's episode with Mike Montague on how to work effectively in a multigenerational team and how those same teachings can help you advance your career.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:48] Importance of adaptability
- [2:36] The value of taking risks in your career
- [3:53] The danger of only ticking boxes at your job and why you need to be solution oriented to truly be a stand out employee at your current company
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Mike Montague, founder of Playful Humans, a community designed to help the burned-out and bored get re-energized and engaged with life. We discussed how to effectively work in a multigenerational team in order to excel in your career, from obstacles younger professionals face when trying to get promoted, presenting ideas and getting buy-in with an older executive team and how to successfully manage a multigenerational team.
QUOTES
- “[When it comes to preferred method of communication in the workplace] typically Baby Boomers prefer a phone call and they’ll pick up the phone and call, Gen Xers prefer Email, Millennials then will prefer a text message and Gen Zers are already using Slack and other direct messengers outside of that.” - Mike Montague [4:49]
- “If you’re looking for a modern leader, somebody who’s collaborative, inspiring, looking to pull people along into a mission, I think you should look harder at Millennials and Gen Zers to lead more collaborative teams.” - Mike Montague [16:52]
- “If you bring solutions, you’re saving them trouble, you’re taking away problems off of their plate and offering a solution then they can then choose from, any leader of any age is going to appreciate that.” - Mike Montague [33:54]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:59] Meet Mike
- [4:22] Current common intergenerational conflicts in the workplace
- [8:29] Aligning multiple generations to adapt and use the provided technology that the company has provided
- [11:45] Ageism in the interview process
- [14:41] Obstacles that millennials face in order to get promoted
- [17:07] Guidance for older workers adapting to a work environment driven by younger leadership
- [20:20] What skills to develop to maintain your marketability
- [23:12] Balancing automation and job generation
- [25:08] Tips for Gen Z on improving their face to face communication skills
- [30:48] Presenting ideas as a young professional to an older executive team without conflict
- [35:26] Advice for Gen Z on adapting and transitioning from an educational learning environment in college to a corporate work environment
- [41:15] Not taking work / business rejection personal
- [43:40] Managing a multigenerational team
- [46:08] Advice for Gen Z entering the workforce and collaborating effectively with other generations
- [50:13] A major career roadblock that Mike had faced and what he did to overcome it to move his career forward
- [52:49] Contacting Mike
- [54:42] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Sandler Training
- Playful Humans
- Chan With A Plan
- Chan With A Plan Facebook Community
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides insights on 3 key points based on this past week's episode with Sydney Magana on how to successfully pivot into tech with no prior industry experience.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:28] The importance of writing your resume with your target audience in mind
- [1:51] Knowing that there's more than one avenue to do things when it comes to having a successful job search
- [3:19] Focus so well on selling your value proposition that the specific experience the company may think they really want, becomes irrelevant
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Sydney Magana, a professional that recently took the leap and made the successful career pivot from higher education into tech. We discussed the various job search strategies she utilized in order to make the successful pivot, from tailoring her resume and LinkedIn profile to utilizing networking to generate conversations that moved the needle, including one conversation that led her to being referred for an opportunity that matched her skill set, resulting in going through the interview process for that opportunity and getting the job.
QUOTES
- “I focused on networking, starting with folks that were in my own network, my friends and my family asking them if they knew anyone who potentially worked in tech who would be open to having a coffee chat or informational interview and from those conversations, I think I just gathered really tangible action items and just kind of sat down and put in the time and effort and work into trying to figure out what a career pivot really means.” - Sydney Magana [15:16]
- “[When it comes to informational interviews it’s about] understanding how they got there because everyone’s career trajectory is not linear, you always can learn something from someone else’s experience.” - Sydney Magana [32:14]
- “I did not find that they kind of looked down on me for not having tech experience, they were very optimistic. I definitely practiced how I was going to communicate my skill set and my experience and how it translates to that specific role I was interviewing for.” - Sydney Magana [41:45]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:12] Meet Sydney
- [5:25] Discussing Sydney’s start in her professional career in higher education
- [8:56] Reaction to higher education shutting down due to the pandemic and how Sydney handled it
- [10:52] How the idea of moving away from higher education came about
- [11:34] Worries of layoffs due to the pandemic
- [12:08] Deciding what industry Sydney wanted to pivot into
- [13:45] What challenges Sydney knew going into trying to pivot to a new industry
- [15:47] Identifying transferable skills from higher education that would be valuable in the tech space and how Sydney was able to communicate this effectively on her resume
- [23:02] Tailoring Sydney’s LinkedIn profile for tech
- [26:07] How to continue networking after you landed your job
- [28:14] Sydney’s results in cold outreach on LinkedIn
- [29:47] Sydney’s strategy on utilizing her warm network to get into tech
- [31:05] Walking through how to conduct an informational interview with a professional
- [34:08] Researching what role in tech to target that fit Sydney’s experience level and skill set
- [37:07] How long it took for Sydney to successfully pivot into the tech field
- [39:53] How an informational interview led to Sydney getting an interview for the Business Operations Program Manager position she currently has
- [40:22] How to maintain business relationships with professionals you talked with after the first conversation is over
- [41:23] Discussing whether the hiring team had any qualms of Sydney’s lack of experience in tech
- [43:15] Types of questions that were asked in the interview and time between final interview and job offer
- [46:01] Sydney’s game plan when it came to onboarding effectively in her new role in tech
- [47:22] Similarities and differences between working at Microsoft and working in higher education
- [50:26] Sydney’s future career plans
- [51:31] A major career roadblock that Sydney had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [53:43] Contacting Sydney
- [54:42] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Sydney Magana on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides insights on 3 key points based on this past week's episode with Ilona Polinovsky on how to go from an individual contributor into a management role.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:29] How to tailor your resume effectively to apply for managerial jobs when you've only been an individual contributor in your career
- [1:55] The one thing you must know when it comes to evaluating your interview performance at a company that will save you headache and anxiety
- [2:46] The difference between applying and interviewing for a managerial role compared to an individual contributor role
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Ilona Polinovsky, with multiple years in the healthcare industry. We discussed her career journey, including how she was able to successfully move up from being an individual contributor into a management role with direct reports and providing advice for professionals that also want to take that step in their career.
QUOTES
- “Cover letters are crucial too [in the job application], at least I think so, it helps you drift away from the strictly structured resume layout and add a personality touch to the application.” - Ilona Polinovsky [23:26]
- “[My preparation on becoming a manager is] highly recommend listening as much as you can, asking questions as much as you can, that’s what I’m doing right now, I’m reading from early morning to late night, getting to know the policies, all of the procedures, getting to know the team, getting to know the projects and building that foundation of knowledge.” - Ilona Polinovsky [27:17]
- “The end goal of the individual contributor is to succeed in managing an initiative or a project, so all of the interview questions are focused on that, while the end goal of a manager is to help the team succeed in that task.” - Ilona Polinovsky [29:26]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:01] Meet Ilona
- [2:59] How Ilona started her career as a business analyst
- [5:45] Deciding to go straight into doing her masters program instead of getting work experience first
- [6:46] How Ilona found the company she wanted to work for after graduation
- [8:18] Ilona realizing her rejection was based on her communication skills at the interview and not due to lack of relevant experience
- [9:23] An overview of the complete interview process for Ilona’s 1st role at her target company
- [11:39] Ilona’s time investment in job searching and interview preparation in order to land her 1st full time role after graduation
- [13:38] Discussing Ilona’s journey and her multiple individual contributor roles during her time at her company
- [18:31] Deciding whether to pivot to another role internally or moving to another company altogether
- [19:59] Having the conversation with your manager of wanting to move to another position internally
- [20:33] What Ilona enjoyed about being an analyst vs being a consultant
- [21:25] The decision to go from individual contributor to manager
- [22:30] Tailoring an individual contributor resume to a managerial focused resume
- [23:45] If there were any doubts from the hiring team about Ilona’s experience to lead a team when she was never officially a manager before
- [25:16] Evaluating the offer from her current company and their competitor and how she decided to stick with her current company in her new managerial role
- [26:00] Ilona’s preparation in order to become a successful team manager for the 1st time
- [28:10] Ilona’s advice on building rapport with existing team members as their new manager
- [29:14] Interview differences between an individual contributor interview and a managerial interview
- [30:23] Ilona’s experience with getting the Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification and whether it was worth it for her to get it
- [32:04] Having the discussion with your manager on getting the company to fund your educational endeavors
- [32:51] An overview on how to get your PMP Certification and how to prepare for the exam
- [36:17] A major roadblock that Ilona had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [37:45] Contacting Ilona
- [39:37] Outro
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides insights on 3 key points based on this past week's episode with Dominic Imwalle on how to thrive in your career as a young professional.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:27] Why you should network and build a community and how to approach it from a tactical perspective
- [2:56] Dealing with rejection
- [4:55] How to work with your manager to get that promotion or raise
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Dominic Imwalle, Founder of DxConsulting. We discussed various strategies that young professionals can utilize and implement in order to excel in their career. From building confidence, growing your network and making a big impact at work without compromising your personal life and mental health in the process.
QUOTES
- “Setting expectations is my favorite, clear and upfront and I just did it this week with a manager, hey this is a promotion year for me, I’m looking to do X Y and Z where else can I step up to the plate.” - Dominic Imwalle [18:16]
- “[When it comes to deciding whether to move up internally] look at what your manager, senior manager, couple levels above do on a daily basis and ask yourself if you like what they’re doing.” - Dominic Imwalle [34:53]
- “When you get to that spot, when you just get so confident and comfortable and operating in who you are and you trust that, other professionals need to watch out because you’re going to be putting some people on watch and it’s going to be really fun and exciting for you.” - Dominic Imwalle [44:11]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:39] Meet Dominic
- [5:45] Strategies to build your community as a young professional
- [9:43] Building confidence when it comes to reaching out to professionals
- [12:54] Landing informational interviews with professionals and how to conduct one well
- [14:40] Dominic’s experience with professional rejection
- [16:45] Finding career clarity
- [18:12] Going for the tough asks that are necessary to grow your career
- [19:36] Building confidence as an overall individual both professionally and personally
- [23:25] Being successful in your first corporate job as a young professional
- [25:08] How to continue to grow as a professional while you are working your job in order to stay marketable
- [27:16] Advice for professionals getting impatient with their lack of career progress even though they haven’t been at their company for that long
- [30:32] Work life balance and taking care of your mental health
- [34:39] Deciding between trying to move up internally or looking for an opportunity externally
- [36:16] How Dominic started his career coaching side business
- [40:04] Potential conflicts with Dominic’s full time job and his side career coaching business
- [42:45] A major roadblock that Dominic had faced and what he did to overcome it to move his career forward
- [46:17] Contacting Dominic
- [47:59] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- DxConsulting
- Prescribed Motion: The Thriving Guide for Young Professionals
- Dominic Imwalle on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides insights on 3 key points based on this past week's episode with Dr. Michael Ho on building a personal brand that services people worldwide.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:28] How Max's first company name was a failure and why he decided to rebrand
- [3:36] Why you need to get help in order to be successful in business
- [5:16] The need to find purpose and why only focusing on money is a terrible reason to start a business
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Dr. Michael Ho, Founder of DR. HO’S, a company that has developed and formulated a line of products that have helped millions worldwide live a healthy lifestyle. We discuss his career journey in depth, from starting out running his own clinics, to transitioning in creating and developing his line of products and expanding his business worldwide, all through the power of building a trustworthy personal brand.
QUOTES
- “I want to create a brand that people will trust, so putting your own name behind something will ensure someone will realize, hey if you put your name behind something there’s more likely hood that this product is trustworthy.” - Dr. Ho [19:01]
- “I think to build a [successful] brand, you have to help your customers the best you can with the right intentions.” - Dr. Ho [25:50]
- “[To be a successful entrepreneur] is to have a purpose. You gotta ask yourself why are you doing this, if your only purpose is to make some money, well that’s a very weak purpose, and not very inspiring for yourself and for your team.” - Dr. Ho [42:05]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:27] Meet Dr. Ho
- [1:28] How Dr. Ho got started in product development
- [10:05] How Dr. Ho decided to mass produce his first device
- [13:08] Discussing whether Dr. Ho still has his clinics or has he now focused on only his product lines
- [17:02] Choosing the name and building the DR. HO'S brand
- [21:58] Additional business branding lessons from Dr. Ho
- [26:19] Deciding the right time to build additional products
- [30:49] Expanding to other markets effectively
- [36:01] The future of marketing and what messaging will resonate with younger audiences
- [38:12] A major roadblock that Dr. Ho had faced in growing his personal brand and what he did to overcome them to continue to grow the business
- [40:16] Biggest business lessons for new and aspiring entrepreneurs
- [46:07] Contacting Dr. Ho
- [46:20] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
DR. HO'S
Chan With A Plan
Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides insights on 3 key points based on this past week's episode with Christine LeLacheur on The Great Resignation and the future of work.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:26] How being visible with executives through attending social events helped Max land multiple promotions and raises, working at his first job out of university
- [2:02] Shorter tenures are now the norm and it's expected for someone to leave a job after a certain period of time
- [3:35] When to quit your job
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Christine LeLacheur, Co-Founder of the C Factor Community and Founder of Cheurfire Consulting. We discussed The Great Resignation, what the future of work will look like and how managers can help their team transition effectively back into an office work environment, as well as what to do with the team members that have become disengaged due to the fact they have to go back to the office.
QUOTES
- “So if nothing changes [if you do prefer to work remotely for the majority of your work week] you’ll probably still unfortunately going to have that where people who are getting that face time in will continue to be top of mind [for those promotions]” - Christine LeLacheur [10:36]
- “[When it comes to unhappy employees coming back to the office] as managers, I think we need to look at what is your sphere of influence, right so there are things that you can make an impact on from your role but also understanding that there are things outside of your control and not taking on the burden of the outcomes of those situations.” - Christine LeLacheur [22:23]
- “You’re basically dealing with these younger generations that have seen multiple economic downturns with massive layoffs happening and so they were given the message that they were expendable and therefore they needed to think about their own career.” - Christine LeLacheur [38:04]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:39] Meet Christine
- [1:39] Overview of The Great Resignation
- [4:47] The future of work
- [9:47] Will working remotely for the majority of your work week affect the chances of you getting a promotion
- [11:32] Zoom fatigue and how it can’t replace face to face interactions
- [14:13] Are employees working more now because of being remote and not having a commute
- [16:29] The difficulties of a hybrid model and what would the ideal hybrid work model look like
- [18:49] Advice for managers getting ready to go back to the office
- [21:39] Dealing with team members that are not happy going back to the office
- [26:00] The subtle difference between thinking of quitting and actually quitting
- [28:22] Managers being short staffed due to an influx of resignations due to The Great Resignation
- [30:49] Having conversations with your disengaged team members
- [33:55] How to become more approachable as a manager and creating a psychological safe work environment
- [36:41] Discussing possible consequences of the younger generation having shorter tenures than their older counterparts
- [38:34] How younger generations are going to shape the future of work
- [40:10] Discussing whether we are moving towards a more gig economy work culture
- [42:01] A major roadblock that Christine had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [44:46] Contacting Christine
- [46:20] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- C Factor Community
- Cheurfire Consulting
- Christine LeLacheur on LinkedIn
- Christine LeLacheur on Instagram
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
Max provides insights on 3 key points based on this past week's episode with Andrea Yacub Macek on overcoming curveballs to steer you into a career path you'll enjoy.
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:38] Job search advice for recent graduates to help them mentally and tactically prepare for a possible gruelling job search
- [3:08] Why you shouldn't take a job that you don't 100% believe is the right fit for you and mindset tips on how to overcome job opportunity scarcity
- [3:58] Finding career clarity and why experimenting in your 20s is crucial to discover what you truly want in your career later in life
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Andrea Yacub Macek, founder and CEO of AYM Consulting, a career coaching company. We discussed 2 significant career curveballs she had to face in her career that were both a blessing in disguise as each curveball helped give her career clarity and guidance needed to move her career in the right direction. The main message she wants to provide is that linearity does not equal success and as long as you are making moves that helps you get one step closer to discovering what you truly want, that's all that matters.
QUOTES
- “[When looking for signs a layoff is coming] In my experience with myself and with clients, typically it’s a reorganization, a leadership change, a budget reason most of the time.” - Andrea Yacub Macek [16:54]
- “[When I got laid off from my job] I was very relieved and I know that’s not always the emotion that people feel, rightfully so when they get laid off but I was at a place mentally, emotionally with that job that it was not healthy anymore.” - Andrea Yacub Macek [29:58]
- “Sometimes these unexpected events like a layoff will happen to you, if you’re already looking for something else, you aren’t sure what you want to do, I hope for you, it’s going to push you in the right direction, cause it’s done that for me multiple times in my career.” - Andrea Yacub Macek [33:39]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:33] Meet Andrea
- [2:19] The 2008 recession (1st career curveball) and its impact it had on Andrea as a soon to be Masters Graduate trying to enter the workforce
- [7:09] Andrea’s networking strategy to land a higher education job opportunity and advice to professionals trying to network to advance their career
- [11:14] Common misconceptions of the job search that Andrea had as a recent graduate looking for her first corporate role
- [13:12] How much should you tinker your resume when you are already getting a consistent amount of interviews but aren’t landing that job
- [14:35] Getting laid off (2nd career curveball)
- [16:25] Additional signs a layoff is coming at your company
- [17:25] How Andrea knew she was being let go on her first day back at work, coming back from her honeymoon
- [19:52] Discussing how performance plays a factor in who gets laid off in an organization
- [21:31] Signs at an interview that this company is not right for you
- [23:46] Accepting a less than ideal job because you need the money and what you need to do to plan your next move after
- [25:08] Perspective on job hopping
- [28:05] What happened after the layoff conversation Andrea had with her former company and what she did short term to adapt to this change in her life
- [32:57] Job searching after layoff and what led her to start her own career coaching business
- [35:53] How Andrea landed her first client for her career coaching business and her current business strategy to grow it
- [37:27] Difference between employee and employer that Andrea realized as she started her own business
- [39:14] The difference between the 2008 recession and COVID-19 pandemic when it comes to how it affects someone’s career
- [41:00] A major roadblock that Andrea had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [43:59] Contacting Andrea
- [44:27] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Andrea Yacub Macek on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Nicole Andani, VP of International Sales & Marketing at Northern Response, a company that reaches 90 countries worldwide. We go in depth on product development and product marketing, from finding the right product to build, finding key subject matter experts to help you with your launch and marketing your product effectively to your target market.
QUOTES
- “I always say when something is in the market and successfully selling, it’s proof of market, it is selling and so if you can capture just a piece of that pie by having just a unique spin or twist on those types of things, then you can make a good living for yourself.” - Nicole Andani [6:16]
- “Everything is Google searchable now, you will be surprised how many resources are online and how many angel investors want to invest in this process [of building a product].” - Nicole Andani [27:03]
- “One of the biggest mistakes [entrepreneurs make] is not planning and giving yourself enough time for a product launch.” - Nicole Andani [58:48]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:30] Meet Nicole
- [3:07] Popular product categories you should build in
- [6:07] Building a product in a category that already has a lot of competition
- [8:36] Finding and researching the right product to start your business and understanding the marketing fundamentals in order to have a successful product launch
- [17:42] How much should one plan before starting to invest in a prototype and how to acquire funding
- [27:37] Finding resources to help build your design and build your product if you don’t have that expertise
- [29:10] The use of focus groups to ensure you are building the right product for your target customer, finding your unique value proposition and the consequences if you do not do proper customer research
- [34:30] Discussing whether it’s better to build a test product first or to do a fundraiser to see the demand and use the money from the fundraiser to build the product
- [38:14] Key subject matter experts you need to work with in order to build a successful product
- [45:13] Defining your product’s price to generate a healthy margin in order to be profitable
- [47:53] Marketing your product and finding the right channels to market your product effectively
- [53:28] Evaluation of whether your product is successful
- [58:06] Common mistakes that entrepreneurs make when starting their product creation journey
- [1:03:15] A major roadblock that Nicole had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [1:06:00] Contacting Nicole
- [1:06:40] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Northern Response Company Website
- Nicole Andani on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Lindsay Issler, an entertainment industry veteran currently a Brand Director at CBS. We go in depth with Lindsay’s career journey from getting her start in the entertainment industry and taking risks in her career in order to get to where she is today. Lindsay also provides advice for aspiring entertainment professionals that want to get into the industry themselves and what they need to do in order to be successful in the industry in the long run.
QUOTES
- “Dig your well before you’re thirsty, and take advantage of being a student and get yourself out there and start building relationships and planting seeds everywhere you can at these companies that you’re interested in.” - Lindsay Issler [8:16]
- “I know that it’s a really personal thing, but I’m not really big on counter offers for a number of reasons, mainly that I felt like I was done with that experience at Lionsgate and I had outgrown it and I was already too far down the rabbit hole interviewing with other companies, that it wouldn’t have made sense for me to stay.” - Lindsay Issler [26:06]
- “Taking risks and doing challenging things that scare you, put you out of your comfort zone and just make you feel like you have to rise to a challenge are important to have, like those are the types of experiences that you have room to grow.” - Lindsay Issler [33:54]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:25] Meet Lindsay
- [1:09] Lindsay’s thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the entertainment industry
- [4:23] How Lindsay got her start in the entertainment industry
- [7:42] Advice for soon to be grads and recent grads on how to break into the entertainment industry
- [9:57] Knowing your why when it comes to wanting to get into the entertainment industry
- [16:59] The future of new movie releases as the COVID-19 pandemic dies down
- [18:22] Advice on getting promoted in the entertainment industry
- [21:56] Evaluating her opportunity with Fox and the risk of joining a company that was going through being acquired
- [27:37] Lindsay’s next move after Fox and what she needed to do to get to the next step of her career
- [33:39] Advice on taking calculated risks to further your career
- [35:51] What Lindsay looks for in her next hire for her team during the interview process
- [41:27] Discussing whether it’s a good time right now to try to pivot into entertainment as the industry is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic
- [44:06] A major roadblock that Lindsay had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [45:51] Contacting Lindsay
- [46:43] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Lindsay Issler on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Amanda Henry, founder of Lady Boss Finance, a platform created to equip young professionals with the blueprint for navigating the corporate workplace and their personal finances to live abundant lives. We go in depth with Amanda’s story of how she graduated from an ivy league school with $65K in debt, paying it off quickly and going into detail in her investing strategy to build a 6 figure net worth to set herself up for long term financial success.
QUOTES
- “It is true when they say you can only decrease your expenses by so much, and I’m not even somebody who had a legit social life and so, I can only imagine how hard it is if you’re more you know out there person.” - Amanda Henry [29:40]
- “[When it comes to investing] One of the things I’m really thankful for in terms of understanding your benefits package and just for any professional out there, make sure you understand what all is available to you, like companies do want to invest in your well being and in your success and there’s likely some sort of benefit that you are not taking advantage of.” - Amanda Henry [44:42]
- “At the end of the day, personal finance is personal, it is not my place or anyone else’s to tell you what’s going to make the most sense for you and your family because we all have different things we’re trying to achieve and on different timelines.” - Amanda Henry [56:17]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:24] Meet Amanda
- [9:03] Advice for students wanting to juggle a job and school in order to pay off some of that student loan
- [13:42] Differences between working in an educational environment and working in a corporate environment
- [15:32] Learning lessons when Amanda started to pay off her student loan
- [22:07] The importance of negotiating in your career
- [24:15] Amanda’s experiences on moving to a new city for her new job at Google and why she decided to leave her current job at the time
- [25:40] A walkthrough of Amanda’s financial strategy in paying off her debt from her start at Verizon to her current tenure at Google
- [32:36] Thoughts on investing while you’re paying off your debt
- [34:00] The logistics of your 401K when you move to another company
- [35:45] How Amanda calculated the right amount for her emergency fund
- [38:46] Amanda’s journey getting into Google
- [44:28] Amanda’s investing strategies in building her 6 figure net worth and learning lessons along the way
- [1:02:41] Career advice for recent grads in finding the right work environment for them to start their career
- [1:06:15] How Amanda started Lady Boss Finance and the future of the brand
- [1:16:36] A major roadblock that Amanda had faced and what she did to overcome it to move her career forward
- [1:21:11] Contacting Amanda
- [1:22:01] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Lady Boss Finance on Instagram
- Lady Boss Finance on TikTok
- Lady Boss Finance on Twitter
- Amanda Henry on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Joseph Kim, the Director of Talent Acquisition at Kira Systems where he has led growth efforts to scale the company by more than 500%. We talk about job search strategies in general and what recruiters look for in selecting a candidate from 1st round screening to sending out that coveted job offer. In addition, we also dive deep into Kira Systems’ hiring process to get an inside look at how his company evaluates candidates so you can get an idea of what companies such as his, looks for in a standout application to increase your odds of engaging with more companies that want you as their next hire.
QUOTES
- “I’ll tell you right now, many Talent Acquisition professionals are very biased towards you having done the role before, or the job before, unless you are applying for an early career job, they will want to have seen you do something similar in capacity as opposed to taking a chance.” - Joseph Kim [23:57]
- “[When it comes to finding proper salary information] I think what you need to be doing is asking other professionals in your network who are in a similar role, if I want to be let’s say a senior accountant on a finance team what’s the kind of compensation I should expect to ask, or what I should be expecting in terms of compensation.” - Joseph Kim [1:01:17]
- “[When it comes to reaching out to recruiters] I feel like a lot of people send those notes without doing the leg work involved to prepare for those conversations or do the work that makes me want to engage with you.” - Joseph Kim [1:28:01]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:05] Meet Joseph
- [4:44] Difference between a 3rd party/agency recruiter compared to an internal company recruiter
- [10:01] The importance of LinkedIn as part of your overall job search strategy and what to do to optimize your LinkedIn profile to increase messages sent to you from recruiters for potential job opportunities
- [16:24] An overview of the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and what it does as part of a company’s recruiting process
- [20:01] The process of creating a job ad for a new role
- [23:16] How close of a match you need to be with the job ad in order to apply and have a good chance at getting an interview
- [26:38] Discussing if ATS systems auto-reject resumes that don’t fit a certain criteria outlined by the recruiter
- [28:53] How much time on average does a recruiter spend looking at a resume
- [32:28] Joseph’s tips on writing a good resume to increase your response rate for online job applications
- [37:44] Does Kira Systems emphasize on cover letters for their online job applications and Joseph’s opinion on cover letters for your job search
- [39:22] Additional documents you should upload as part of your online job application to strengthen your candidacy
- [41:45] Resume tips for recent grads
- [47:31] Average amount of candidates that get selected for a 1st round screening at Kira Systems
- [50:33] Reference and Background check process at Kira Systems
- [54:29] How Kira Systems competes for top talent against the big companies that everyone knows and wants to work for
- [59:12] How compensation is crafted at Kira Systems and why some companies ask salary expectations at the 1st round screening call
- [1:00:58] Finding good accurate salary information for a role you are interviewing for to not eliminate yourself out of the running for an opportunity
- [1:04:23] Discussing Kira Systems interview process and what they look for in a candidate
- [1:14:24] Joseph’s thoughts on thank you notes and follow up Emails from candidates
- [1:15:57] If a candidate doesn’t get the role at Kira Systems that they interviewed for, is it ok to apply to another role in the future, how soon can you apply again and how many can you apply to at once
- [1:17:47] Would Kira Systems be proactive in reaching out to a candidate that’s on file that didn’t get the job they apply for to apply for another role at the company
- [1:19:09] Joseph’s thoughts on 1 way video interview screenings
- [1:20:53] Joseph’s opinion on professionals job hopping for a better opportunity
- [1:23:04] The advantage of being a referral candidate for a job opening compared to going in completely cold and tips from Joseph on how to network properly to get that referral
- [1:27:17] Best practices when wanting to reach out to the recruiter who posted the job ad on LinkedIn
- [1:32:06] Joseph’s opinion on sending your LinkedIn profile as part of your online application if you apply to a company’s job through LinkedIn directly
- [1:33:04] A major roadblock that Joseph has faced and what he did to overcome it to move his career forward
- [1:35:08] Best practices on how older workers can collaborate and work well with younger professionals that are part of the Gen Z and Millennial generation
- [1:38:03] Contacting Joseph
- [1:38:48] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Kira Systems
- Joseph Kim on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Virginia Franco, a multi-certified Executive Resume and LinkedIn Writer, Coach and Storyteller. Virginia discusses how writing a resume isn’t a one size fits all solution, as your strategy will change depending on where you are in your career. She also discusses other important resume best practices such as length of bullet points, addressing work gaps and common mistakes you should avoid when writing a resume. We end the conversation more on the business side of resume writing such as when is it best to hire someone to write it for you, the expected price range and what questions to ask the resume writer to ensure they are an ideal fit for you.
QUOTES
- “When it comes to writing your resume and writing your LinkedIn profile [for the next level up], you need to go through job postings and compare a manager role to a director role and see the differences.” - Virginia Franco [3:52]
- “[When writing a resume to pivot industries] what I try to do is often times I can dig into someone’s history and uncover where they’ve actually worked at different industries but maybe that stuff doesn’t show up until page 2, so someone doesn’t recognize it so when someone is looking to make an industry pivot, sometimes I will list the industries they worked at, in the branding paragraph at the top, so that the reader can go, oh well he’s clearly been able to jump from industry to industry.” - Virginia Franco [10:54]
- “A big error that I see is that people are still writing these [resumes] as if the only way we look at them is by printing them out, resumes are by in large read online, they do get printed out but usually doesn’t happen until a little bit later down the road so you really have to write for the online read.” - Virginia Franco [19:36]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:18] Meet Virginia
- [3:33] Writing a resume to land you a role that is the next level up
- [6:43] How close of a match you need to be with the job ad in question as it pertains to your experience and skill level to land an interview for that role
- [8:01] Essential framework of a good resume
- [10:22] Drafting a resume to transition to another role and/or industry
- [11:35] Crafting effective resume bullet points for your roles on your resume
- [14:15] Writing an effective resume as a new grad with no to limited work experience
- [17:32] Difference in writing a resume the higher you are in the corporate ladder
- [19:00] Common mistakes professionals make when writing a resume on their own
- [22:38] Difference between writing your resume and writing your LinkedIn profile
- [25:14] Virginia’s thoughts on the importance of cover letters for online job applications and her strategy on how to write a standout cover letter
- [27:28] Mentioning work gaps on your resume
- [30:10] Virginia’s thoughts on the future of the resume and what part it will play in the overall job search process
- [32:23] Why and when should you hire a resume writer to write your resume
- [33:46] The average online application to job interview ratio
- [34:44] What a resume writer does not do for you
- [35:18] How much should a resume cost for a professional
- [38:54] Choosing the right resume writer for you and questions to ask them
- [40:49] Virginia’s story on overcoming a major roadblock in her life and what she did to overcome it
- [42:51] Contacting Virginia
- [45:08] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Virginia Franco Resumes
- Job Search Secret Weapon
- Virginia Franco on LinkedIn
- Resume Storyteller with Virginia Franco Podcast
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Linda Evans, a strengths-based career coach, speaker, and writer who specializes in personal branding. Linda provides various tips and strategies to help you ace your interview and land your dream job. From discussing how to predict what types of questions the company will most likely ask, to how to strategize when you are interviewing for multiple people at the same time compared to 1 on 1 and what companies are really looking for as you go into the deeper rounds of their interview process.
QUOTES
- “[First round screening calls] only last 10-15 minutes, it really is to screen out people who can’t talk professionally, can’t represent themselves clearly.” - Linda Evans [2:26]
- “[When it comes to deeper interview rounds] that’s where they are really looking for the fit and I know that is becoming a controversial thing, like looking for a cultural fit, personality fit, but people hire other people that they want to work with.” - Linda Evans [8:15]
- “The biggest clues you have [when it comes to practicing interview questions] are in the job description, so make sure you read it many times and highlight it, take notes and understand what they are looking for.” - Linda Evans [12:45]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:13] Meet Linda
- [2:04] How to prepare for the 1st round screening call with a recruiter
- [5:13] Preparing for 1 sided video interview screenings
- [7:27] Preparing for deeper rounds in a company’s interview process and the difference compared to the 1st round screening
- [10:11] Common mistakes candidates make at interviews
- [11:25] Linda’s rule of thumb on how long an interview answer should be
- [12:35] What questions to expect in a company’s interview process and how to prepare
- [14:51] How to handle an unexpected question at your interview
- [16:31] Pre interview prep to lower nerves and increase confidence
- [23:07] How much of an advantage do you have in an interview if you came in via referral
- [23:39] Advice for recent grads who are going through the job search/interview process for the very 1st time, or professionals that are in the job search game for the 1st time in years
- [25:27] What type of questions you should ask in an interview and what type of questions to avoid asking at this stage
- [28:37] Strategy for effective interviewing at an 1 on 1 interview vs interviewing with a hiring panel
- [31:05] Managing post interview anxiety
- [32:32] Advice on making a good 1st impression at your new job
- [34:06] Linda’s perspective on what the interviewer wants the interviewee to know about them and what the interviewee wants the interviewer to know about them to make the interview process as enjoyable and pleasant as possible for both parties
- [35:27] 1 of Linda’s biggest obstacles she has faced, and what she did to overcome it
- [37:10] Contacting Linda
- [37:43] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Launched By Linda Website
- Linda Evans on LinkedIn
- Linda Evans on Facebook
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Bryan Clayton, CEO and co-founder of GreenPal, an online marketplace that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. Bryan discusses key business lessons when it came to growing GreenPal to what it is today such as why you should be focused and deep when you start, why outsourcing initially is a bad idea and when to consider expanding and scaling your business.
QUOTES
- “When you're starting a tech company, the first inclination is two things, get a co-founder, and raise money and I think you don’t need to do either. I think you can bootstrap and I think you can do it by yourself.” - Bryan Clayton [11:44]
- “[When it comes to expansion] it wasn’t until we knew that we could predictably deliver the service on a consistent basis and by that I mean, homeowner signs up, they get 3 or 4 quotes, they can read reviews, they hire somebody to mow it on Tuesday and the person they hire actually shows up on Tuesday and mows it and does a great job. As simple as that sounds, it took us 3 years to get that right.” - Bryan Clayton [26:05]
- “The bootstrap self-funded way is harder, it’s slow and low, but your chances of success, I think, are better, so long as you aren’t willing to give up. The raising outside capital path is kind of like, those guys are selling you 1 thing and it’s rocket fuel, and if you try to put rocket fuel in a Ford Taurus, it’s going to blow up.” - Bryan Clayton [44:28]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:07] Meet Bryan
- [2:12] Bryan’s 1st business and how he knew lawn mowing was a problem he could solve for homeowners
- [4:27] Soft skills Bryan built at his first company that he was able to utilize at GreenPal
- [7:01] Bryan selling his 1st business and when he knew it was time to sell
- [9:48] How the idea of GreenPal came about
- [11:20] How Bryan chose his co-founders
- [14:07] Bryan’s evaluation of GreenPal and why he kept going even when GreenPal only made $10K of revenue in the 1st year
- [17:36] Focusing on only 1 marketing channel to start when growing your business
- [22:15] Bryan’s reaction when he started getting consistent customers on the app
- [23:56] Getting buy-in from lawn care companies to join the app
- [26:01] Factors in deciding to scale and expand into other cities and states
- [27:49] Initial issues with customer retention and how it was resolved
- [31:06] Learning lessons on the failure of outsourcing development of the 1st iteration of the app
- [38:10] Keeping your personal expenses low to re-invest more into the business
- [40:04] Balancing family and running a Startup
- [44:15] Discussing bootstrapping vs raising capital for your startup
- [45:46] Bryan’s tips on creating your initial business plan
- [48:10] What is a Fractional Expert and the benefits of hiring one
- [52:28] The importance of having multiple ways for customers to contact you when you are starting out
- [55:28] 1 of Bryan’s biggest obstacles he has faced, and what he did to overcome it
- [58:16] Contacting Bryan
- [58:42] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- GreenPal Company Website
- Bryan Clayton on LinkedIn
- Bryan Clayton on Twitter
- Bryan Clayton on Instagram
- Chan with A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Justin Dux, a Salesforce Administrator for Be The Match, a company saving lives by matching unrelated donors to cellular therapies. Justin provides an overview of what Salesforce is and why starting your career path in Salesforce as a Salesforce Administrator can be the 1st step to a long and lucrative career.
QUOTES
- “CRM, or Customer Relationship Management Software is in almost every industry, Salesforce the company has 25% of the market for this type of software and they are projecting 4 million new jobs that don’t exist today over the next 3 years in this industry.” - Justin Dux [5:53]
- “And that community around Salesforce is the secret sauce, it’s not the certifications, it’s not the free Trailhead [Salesforce educational training platform] that I just told you about a moment ago, it’s actually the community.” - Justin Dux [11:33]
- “Less than 1 year experience, coming into it brand new, freshers as some people call themselves, you are probably looking at getting those volunteer experiences, unpaid. And then your 2nd or 3rd volunteer project you should probably start charging for those at $25 to $45 per hour, but there projects, you might work for a couple weeks, maybe 6 weeks at most and that’s just to get enough job interview stories to land that next job offer for salary. That salary will probably start around $60K - $65K USD, that’s a national average.” - Justin Dux [42:18]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:18] Meet Justin
- [4:07] An overview of Salesforce and why it’s the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to focus on to build your career in this space
- [13:38] Getting certified in Salesforce and breaking into this career path
- [22:48] How to learn and prepare for your first exam to enter the world of Salesforce and start your career as a Salesforce Administrator
- [31:19] Getting hired with only a Salesforce Certification with no actual Salesforce work experience
- [37:04] What to expect in a Salesforce job interview
- [41:58] Starting salaries for professionals entering the world of Salesforce as a Salesforce Administrator and potential career growth as you start getting those years of experience
- [47:01] Contacting Justin
- [50:06] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Trailhead (Salesforce Training Platform)
- Talent Stacker Salesforce Career Development Program
- Salesforce for Everyone Facebook Group
- Justin Dux on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Brittany Ramsey, Founder of BWell Mindset with over 7 years of recruiting experience both internal and agency side. Brittany discusses various networking strategies to help you land your next job, from the dos and don’ts of outreach and how to stand out from other professionals networking at the same target companies that you are also pursuing. In addition, she also emphasizes how networking should not only be for when you need a job and that you should always be building relationships even when you don’t need anything, as that’s where the true long term career growth lies.
QUOTES
- “Networking to me is lifelong, it's not just when you need a job, networking is not when you need something, it’s something you continuously need to cultivate throughout your career.” - Brittany Ramsey [2:49]
- “So the messages that I respond to are concise, they get to the point and they're not pitching themselves right, so it’s often just a curiosity and a specific question too.” - Brittany Ramsey [5:49]
- “Be generally curious [about people] and if you are, you’re going to get more of a response vs just pitching yourself and again be patient, it’s key.” - Brittany Ramsey [14:53]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:43] Meet Brittany
- [2:47] What is networking according to Brittany
- [4:09] Messages that Brittany tends to ignore
- [5:46] Messages that Brittany will respond to and going through a good example message
- [10:50] The art of following up
- [14:32] The right mindset/approach when it comes to networking with professionals at your target companies
- [17:29] Common reasons why people are afraid to network
- [19:05] How networking has helped Brittany advance her own career and the learning lessons she’s gained along the way
- [22:43] Networking beyond messaging professionals on LinkedIn
- [27:19] Thoughts on the Clubhouse app from a job searching and a company recruiting perspective
- [28:36] Brittany’s thoughts on resumes and what role it now plays in the hiring process
- [29:31] What questions you should ask in an informational interview
- [32:03] How to continue building the relationship after the initial conversation has been completed
- [36:44] What Brittany’s resources were that gave her guidance and propelled her career
- [39:26] Contacting Brittany
- [39:50] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Brittany Ramsey on LinkedIn
- Brittany Ramsey on Instagram
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Kirsten Granados, Founder of Grow & Arrow based in Irvine, California. Kirsten discusses a wide range of fundamental personal finance topics such as investment options, credit scores and financial planning to buy your 1st home. Kirsten also discusses a framework on how to evaluate purchase decisions as well as having the right financial mindset for long term wealth.
QUOTES
- “One of the things I would encourage them to keep in mind [when it comes to spending money], is just, when you make a choice or you make a decision is it because you're doing it to gain the approval of others or is it because it is going to serve you and honoring your truth and be aligned with your goals.” - Kirsten Granados [11:02]
- “Underestimating the impact of inflation is something so toxic because with money it’s either growing or it’s dying” - Kirsten Granados [15:06]
- “The maximum you can lower your expenses is 0, but the one thing that has no limit is your potential for increasing your revenue.” - Kirsten Granados [16:48]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:08] Meet Kirsten
- [5:29] Common questions and struggles that professionals age 25-35 have when it comes to personal finance
- [6:16] Investment options with your earned income
- [7:48] Guideline for allocating your paycheck properly and effectively
- [8:34] Types of taxes that are applied to your income and some things you can do to reduce it
- [10:28] Tips to stop the temptation of lifestyle inflation and stay the course on your financial roadmap
- [12:21] The benefits of the principle of compounding interest when it comes to financial investments
- [13:56] The long term negative consequences of inflation and what happens to your money if you don’t start making your money work for you
- [15:45] Tips on paying down your student loan faster
- [17:28] The trend of 9 to 5 professionals getting more into side hustles and the common ones that Kirsten has seen getting built
- [19:19] Financial tips on helping you plan effectively to buy that 1st home as well as finding the best mortgage rate that’s right for you
- [23:39] The long term consequences of paying only the monthly minimum on your credit card and tips on how to pay down your credit card debt faster
- [24:40] Making the right choice when it comes to financing or leasing a car
- [26:14] Common purchases that you should reduce or cut out to reach your financial goals faster
- [28:18] How Kirsten’s financial habits and mindset have changed from when she started as a Financial Consultant to now
- [30:52] Changing your financial mindset from scarcity to abundance to live a better life
- [32:19] Kirsten’s biggest tip on how to improve your financial life immediately
- [34:16] Contacting Kirsten
- [34:50] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Kirsten Granados on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Erin Orstrom and Roja Budati both in the Product Management field to discuss their experience with fully remote working. Erin’s expertise focuses on her experience in transitioning from a normal work environment to a fully remote work environment due to COVID-19, while Roja provides expertise mainly in onboarding at a new company completely remote. They also discuss where they want the future work environment to look like once we return to what experts are saying is a new normal.
QUOTES
- “[When it comes to video interviews] really just be prepared, at least when I went to interviews in person, I would get to the place 30 minutes before, kind of go through the same rule, like try to join in the [virtual] meeting at least 15-20 minutes before, make sure everything around you, like you’re comfortable where you’re at, there’s no distractions.” - Roja Budati [21:49]
- “[When it comes to onboarding at a new company effectively] I would say probably, ask questions all the time, have 1 person that you can definitely go to as like your mentor or like a friend, that you can always talk to.” - Roja Budati [29:09]
- “I don’t even want to call [work from home] a perk anymore, but it’s going to be a thing that people and candidates are going to be looking for going forward and in order for companies to remain competitive, it’s something that they will highly need to think about offering [to new hires].” - Erin Orstrom [41:28]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:55] Meet Erin and Roja
- [5:52] Erin describing her experience from moving from a normal work environment to going fully remote because of COVID-19
- [14:24] Erin describing what it’s like working from home for an extended period of time and her thoughts on it moving forward
- [16:45] How work from home flexibility will be a big factor in attracting talent to a company in the future when things go back to what experts are saying to a new normal
- [20:02] Roja’s experience going through a fully virtual interview process at her new company and advice on preparing for video interviews for first-timers
- [24:15] Roja’s experience onboarding at her new company fully remotely
- [29:04] Roja’s advice for professionals starting a new job fully remote and how to ramp up quickly
- [31:16] How Roja integrated herself into the company on a social level when working fully remote
- [33:12] Erin’s recommendations on team building in a hybrid work environment in the future
- [36:54] Tools that Erin and Roja recommend for effective remote work
- [38:55] Discussing whether there was any embarrassment people faced working from home when it came to family interruptions during phone or video calls
- [40:14] What Erin and Roja’s ideal model of work flexibility is going to be in the future once we enter a new normal
- [43:51] Erin and Roja’s COVID-19 predictions in terms of when we will be going back to living a normal life
- [46:14] How Erin and Roja’s families initially handled the pandemic and how they are coping now
- [49:02] Contacting Erin and Roja
- [50:01] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Erin Orstrom on LinkedIn
- Erin Orstrom on Instagram
- Erin Orstrom's Personal Website
- Roja Budati on LinkedIn
- Roja Budati on Instagram
- Roja Budati on Twitter
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan On LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Edward Gorbis, CEO of Career Meets World, a personal development coach, career strategist and author of the book Unbreakable Mindset. Edward discusses his journey into corporate America as an immigrant and what he did to become successful in the workplace. The discussion continues with Edward providing advice on what fundamental skills that immigrants and first generation professionals need in order to succeed in an environment that is foreign to them to achieve the career goals that they desire.
QUOTES
- “I knew I wasn’t living authentically within the workplace and it took about 10 years to process that and really just say, ok I’ve had enough, I’ve hit a wall, and it’s time to really assess who I am.” - Edward Gorbis [10:18]
- “[To network successfully, you need to be] Building relationships that are there for the long term, that are really there for you to have more meaningful and deep connections.” - Edward Gorbis [17:16]
- “A lot of immigrants come into the workplace and they think that just showing up and doing the work is what’s going to propel them to that next level and that’s really not the truth.” - Edward Gorbis [21:49]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:03] Meet Edward
- [5:25] Workplace culture changes Edward experienced when he first started working in the US
- [7:10] Discussing whether immigrants and first generation professionals are more introverted compared to their American born counterparts
- [8:32] How Edward transformed himself from being timid to being more social and communicative
- [11:50] How to tell your immigrant parents you want to move your career into a different direction that’s not what they are accustomed to
- [14:38] Transitioning out of a typical role smoothly without having to take too far of a step back
- [16:09] Networking advice for immigrants and first generation professionals that have never done it before
- [21:07] Getting to the next level of your career at your current company in North American work culture
- [29:50] Being a better speaker in the workplace
- [31:37] Discussing whether a thick accent affects the trajectory of an immigrant’s career
- [35:26] Edward’s main tip on how immigrants and first generation professionals can make this year the best year of their career even during the pandemic
- [37:40] Contacting Edward
- [38:20] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Career Meets World
- Edward Gorbis on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Courtney Nicholson, a sales and marketing professional that ran a boutique digital marketing agency for 7 years before joining a company in Indiana that provides energy code compliance services to residential and commercial builders. Courtney discusses how she ended up becoming an entrepreneur and what led her to close her business to pursue other opportunities. Her main message in this episode is to embrace your entrepreneurial roots if you decide to go back and join a company, as many companies would value your entrepreneurial experience that they can’t get from someone that’s always been an employee.
QUOTES
- “[When starting a business] Know yourself, really really well, be firm in your beliefs in terms of why you are going into this business.” - Courtney Nicholson [15:41]
- “For me, at the end of the day [when it comes to incorporating my entrepreneurial experience on my resume], I am all for transparency and I was as honest as could be and I thought well this is me, take it or leave it and if it’s not meant to be then it won’t be.” - Courtney Nicholson [28:27]
- “You have a skillset [as an entrepreneur] that somebody who’s coming from a similar position as an employee wouldn’t have, there’s just a different level of acumen there and some of it can’t be taught without actual experience.” - Courtney Nicholson [36:00]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:06] Meet Courtney
- [3:57] How Courtney ended up starting her business
- [13:25] Things that Courtney learned as an entrepreneur that she wouldn’t have learned as an employee
- [15:31] 1 tip Courtney would give to upcoming entrepreneurs
- [16:54] When it was time to hire her first employee and how she found and evaluated candidates
- [21:11] Courtney’s decision to close her business and her next steps
- [25:55] Courtney’s journey to landing her current opportunity
- [27:43] How Courtney crafted her entrepreneurial experience onto her resume
- [29:38] The interview process where she landed her current opportunity and what did the hiring team thought about her current founder experience
- [35:45] How having previous entrepreneurial experience can help you stand out as a candidate compared to others
- [37:32] What skills Courtney learned as an entrepreneur that she was able to bring to her current company to provide immense value
- [40:10] Discussing the closing of her business and her future career plans
- [45:48] The resource that was instrumental in helping Courtney in her career development and her main tip for others when it comes to professional growth
- [47:47] Contacting Courtney
- [48:39] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Courtney Nicholson on LinkedIn
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Shaina Danzinger, a professional that came from a non technical background to successfully enter the technical field of UX/UI design. Shaina discusses what made her decide to start learning UX/UI design, what bootcamp she chose and provided an overview of the program from the content to the pace of learning. She then dived into her job search process and provided valuable tips for anyone trying to land their first job as a UX/UI Designer after graduation, from how to effectively apply to jobs online to what to expect in the interview process. The discussion ends with Shaina discussing the feeling of finally landing her first job as a UX/UI Designer and gives advice for people wanting to enter this field of work.
QUOTES
- “[When it comes to choosing the right program] I would also say speak to the alumni that are there because the alumni are going to be giving you the real feedback that you want to hear.” - Shaina Danzinger [10:29]
- “A lot of what I needed and wanted to work on [as part of my job search] was broadening my network, so for me, I got involved in just a bunch of different things. I reached out to people, I joined lunch club, which was a super cool thing and setting up coffee chats all over, so for me a big part of it was just networking.” - Shaina Danzinger [36:56]
- “When you’re applying to a specific job, [ask yourself] who’s posting the job, the second you have the name, send them a message saying hi I’ve just applied to your job, I love to chat with you. Find people at the company, other designers [to network and connect with].” - Shaina Danzinger [40:04]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:52] Meet Shaina
- [6:15] Brief overview of what UX/UI design is
- [9:12] Shaina’s process on how she picked her UX/UI bootcamp
- [11:17] How to contact alumni from various bootcamps to gather feedback and what questions to ask them
- [13:15] How Shaina was able to go from a non technical background to a technical field of UX/UI design effectively
- [16:13] Payment plans that bootcamps offer
- [17:20] Legitimacy and credibility of bootcamps and online learning and its perception with potential employers
- [22:19] Overview of Shaina’s experience at her chosen bootcamp in terms of content and pace of learning
- [31:51] Job search support that her bootcamp provided after graduation
- [34:21] Shaina’s job search strategy and how she landed her first UX/UI design opportunity
- [38:37] Where Shaina got a majority of her interviews
- [39:33] Shaina’s tips on how to apply effectively to jobs online
- [41:39] How to bolster your resume as a fresh grad when you finished the program with no work experience
- [44:24] Interview process for entry level UX/UI Designers
- [52:20] Red flags during the interview process you should watch out for so you don’t get taken advantage of
- [55:00] How Shaina felt when she landed her first full time position as a UX/UI Designer
- [56:48] How long it took Shaina from graduation to landing her first full time role and tips to keep pushing through the ups and downs of the job search process
- [1:03:17] Shaina’s biggest learning lesson during her journey to becoming a UX/UI Designer
- [1:08:31] Contacting Shaina
- [1:09:33] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Shaina Danzinger on LinkedIn
- Shaina Danzinger Portfolio Website
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Mark Herschberg, author of The Career Toolkit, Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You. Mark discusses the importance of always negotiating your job offer, as well as tips and strategies to negotiate for maximum compensation. The discussion ends with a few tips on how to improve your current compensation package at your company so you leave nothing on the table.
QUOTES
- “Learning how to negotiate a little bit better, is literally going to add 5 figures, even 6 figures to your lifetime earnings.” - Mark Herschberg [3:26]
- “If you use proper negotiation techniques and if you do it in a respectful, considerate way, I don’t know of anyone who’s lost a job simply by trying to negotiate it.” - Mark Herschberg [7:07]
- “[You don’t need a formal written offer to negotiate] I think it’s totally fine if it’s a verbal offer or if they just send an Email not the formal offer, they just say hey, we’re thinking of these numbers because at that point they have in good faith made an offer and you can start going back and forth.” - Mark Herschberg [20:38]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:16] Meet Mark
- [2:19] The long term ROI of negotiating your initial compensation
- [4:51] Biggest myths of negotiating your job offer which makes people not want to do it
- [6:39] Discussing whether Mark has ever witnessed or experienced someone losing their job offer because they negotiated
- [8:03] Max’s experience with negotiating his first job offer right out of university with limited work experience
- [9:16] What your mindset should be when you go into a negotiation
- [11:13] How to evaluate your leverage in negotiations
- [12:17] What to say when the recruiter asks you for your salary expectations during a screening call
- [19:50] The best time to negotiate your job offer with the hiring manager / company
- [21:25] What’s the percentage increase you can ask for, based on the initial salary they offer you
- [22:07] Why negotiating only salary is limiting your maximum compensation
- [24:11] What other items can you negotiate besides salary
- [28:07] Mark’s best practices on negotiating your job offer
- [30:00] Discussing what happens after the negotiation meeting is over
- [33:07] When and how to ask for a raise or to review your compensation package once you start working at the company
- [36:11] Last tip from Mark on compensation negotiation
- [37:02] Contacting Mark
- [39:01] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- The Career Toolkit Website
- Mark Herschberg on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with GG (Gayle Gallagher), former Senior Manager - Marketing at Amazon, now Founder of the Amaz0n Interview Whizz Academy, an E-Learning Amazon interviewing training platform to help you prepare for the Amazon interview process. GG discusses the complete Amazon application process from beginning to end and provides great tips along the way. The discussion ends with how to do well when you are starting off at Amazon and what she liked most about working for one of the biggest companies in the world.
QUOTES
- “The very best way into an organization, is to know somebody that works there, have worked with them quite extensively in the past, and approach that person, share with them the role, talk to them about why you think you’re a great fit for that role and then have that person refer you to the hiring manager and be able to talk comprehensively and specifically about your skill set of why they think that your skill set is a match for this role based on the deep knowledge and experience of you.” - GG [5:23]
- “The [Amazon] leadership principles are everything, if you don’t provide the evidence [in your interview], that you are raising the bar on the leadership principles, you aren’t coming in, it doesn’t matter how technically good you are.” - GG [26:26]
- “The really good candidates [in an interview] are able to give me a really good level of detail about what they’ve done and deliver it in a concise fashion.” - GG [32:58]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:46] Meet GG
- [4:52] Discussing the effectiveness of applying online vs getting a referral to land an interview at Amazon
- [11:33] Resume tips for an Amazon application
- [18:01] Amazon’s stance on cover letters in job applications
- [19:06] Getting into detail on Amazon’s online assessment process and if it’s necessary to complete for every role you apply for at Amazon
- [21:25] High level breakdown of Amazon’s interview process
- [26:06] The importance of the Amazon leadership principles during the interview process
- [31:42] The usefulness of Amazon’s interviewing preparation resources on their company website
- [32:39] The difference between a good candidate and a bad candidate when it comes to interviewing for a position at Amazon
- [37:53] The average number of candidates that get interviewed for a position at Amazon
- [39:00] Evaluating the importance of asking questions to the interviewer at the end of the interview
- [43:12] Additional Amazon interview tips for success
- [45:56] Tips for early success when you get your role at Amazon
- [48:03] GG’s favorite things about working at Amazon
- [50:40] Contacting GG
- [54:42] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- GG on LinkedIn
- GG on Youtube
- Amaz0n Interview Whizz Academy
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with AJ Vaughan, Co-Founder of The E1B2 Collective. His focus and dedication is to always put employees first and help forever change the world of work. AJ discusses why it is critical to be open with your career intentions with a company during the interview process and how to ensure that the company lives up to their promises to you as you help deliver value to them through your work. AJ ends the discussion with his thoughts on how companies can increase employee retention for the future and what he has done with employees to make them become more intentional with their career.
QUOTES
- “I was happy [these companies rejected me], I walked out of the door, with a smile on my face because I knew that was not going to be the place for me anyway because if I try to BS them or if I try to ignore the fact that they ignore my needs, I was going to get into an organization and not be happy.” - AJ Vaughan [11:22]
- “[People say] That’s on you as a professional, to drive your own career [growth], and I agree with that, but on the flip side of it, we all need help. Last time I checked Max and I know this for myself, I’ve gotten nowhere without the support and the intentional direction of others.” - AJ Vaughan [16:12]
- “It’s scary to be this intentional, it’s scary to be that bold [in terms of going for what you want in your career] so again about 20 [out of 400] of those employees [when I was the head of people] though, really took what I said seriously and really applied it and they got tremendous results.” - AJ Vaughan [33:29]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:15] Meet AJ
- [1:22] Current relationship dynamics between employee and employer
- [6:09] The importance of showing your true career intentions at the interview process
- [14:29] The long term consequences of not being true to your career goals and taking a job because you need one not because it aligns with where you want to go
- [19:27] How AJ works with companies to ensure employer and potential employee are the right fit for each other
- [20:46] How to ensure what you agreed to during the interview process comes to fruition when you start working for this company
- [24:39] How to set boundaries with teams you don’t directly report to
- [27:10] How companies can help employees stay engaged to increase tenure and decrease turnover
- [31:06] AJ’s strategies in terms of how he helps employees be more assertive and more intentional with their career
- [36:09] Contacting AJ
- [37:38] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- AJ Vaughan on LinkedIn
- The E1B2 Collective Website
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Liz Wilcox, a serial entrepreneur who specializes in Email marketing and helps turn your Email marketing initiatives into a converting machine. Liz talks about how to develop a target Email list that wants to buy from you immediately, the best Email marketing software to start off with and how collaborating with other professionals in your field is the best tactic to accelerate your Email list building efforts.
QUOTES
- “You don’t want an Email list that’s full of, I call them, freebie seekers, they only want the freebie, that’s what they’re there for, they probably, you know, maybe they’ll download the freebie, maybe not. After a couple of months, they forget who you are, those are terrible leads.” - Liz Wilcox [15:46]
- “[When it comes to getting buyers] My framework is first you have a follower, then you have a friend and then you have a customer.” - Liz Wilcox [19:59]
- “The biggest way to grow an Email list, and grow an Email list of people that are engaged, that actually like you, they're not freebie seekers, is to build a network of people that are doing the same thing as you.” - Liz Wilcox [34:51]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:59] Meet Liz
- [13:46] The proper way to generate revenue from an Email list without needing a large Email list to do it
- [17:14] Discussing gated content (providing content in exchange for an Email address) and its effectiveness
- [19:30] Liz’s Email welcome sequence to convert her Email subscribers into buyers
- [26:08] Intro products you can sell to your Email subscribers to convert them to first time buyers
- [28:16] Using Max’s career coaching business as an example of introducing an intro product to his Email list
- [34:36] Building your Email list from scratch
- [37:37] Using Max’s career coaching business as an example on how he would start building an Email list from scratch
- [41:19] Liz’s recommendation on the best Email marketing software to start off with in growing your Email list
- [42:56] The foundational tools for proper Email capture for your side hustle
- [45:37] Contacting Liz
- [46:51] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Liz Wilcox's Official Website
- Liz Wilcox on Facebook
- Liz Wilcox on Instagram
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Diana Alt, a career strategy coach who utilizes the skills she’s gathered throughout 20+ years in corporate product development roles to help people manage their careers and business. Diana discusses in depth about imposter syndrome from what it is, to the long term consequences it will have in one’s career if they don’t manage it. She discusses strategies and tactics on how she helps her clients overcome imposter syndrome to propel their career forward in the right direction.
QUOTES
- “[Imposter Syndrome] is a phenomenon where high achieving individuals have an internalized fear that they’re going to be exposed as a fraud, in other words they’re constantly worried about being found out as not being good enough for the promotion or not being capable of delivering what their boss’ or their friends or their family expect them to deliver.” - Diana Alt [4:10]
- “Analysis paralysis goes right hand in hand with perfectionism and perfectionism is one of the leading indicators that someone might have imposter syndrome.” - Diana Alt [16:37]
- “I would like my clients to think about [the open position like this], would I like it, can I try it, what’s the worst that would happen if I hate it. I would rather have them think about [being proactive and] let’s give it a whirl and then if it doesn’t work out, I’ll figure out the next move.” - Diana Alt [34:28]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:12] Meet Diana
- [4:00] Diana’s explanation of imposter syndrome and signs you may have it
- [7:56] How qualified you should be before you apply for a job posting
- [9:54] Imposter syndrome in Men vs Women and how it affects their career trajectory and career decision making
- [14:54] The long term cost and consequences of letting imposter syndrome take over your career and affecting your decision making
- [16:47] Max and Diana share their own experiences with imposter syndrome
- [23:50] Strategies to help you overcome imposter syndrome
- [30:50] If there is imposter syndrome for professionals that want to move down in position and pay
- [33:04] How you should evaluate a new opportunity and the benefits of trying it out vs not trying at all
- [35:38] Why you shouldn’t look at your career as a straight ladder up
- [41:51] Top tip on overcoming imposter syndrome
- [44:18] Contacting Diana
- [46:59] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Diana Alt's Website
- Diana Alt on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Leslie Cason, founder of The Creative Enclave, a tech studio specializing in helping course creators build profitable online schools on Teachable and Kajabi. Leslie shares the fundamentals of creating a profitable online course, from finding the right expertise to monetize, what content should be in a course and how to ensure that your first course launch is a successful one.
QUOTES
- “The reality is [when it comes to finding the right free information is], that people are busy, they don’t have the time to go scouting all of this information on their own and you can’t really know who to trust because you can go on Youtube and find 20 different videos that are going to tell you 20 different things.” - Leslie Cason [6:03]
- “Video is going to be the best way to deliver your [course] content supplemented by downloads and text and PDFs and maybe even a community if you want to add that in.” - Leslie Cason [9:45]
- “What matters is not so much the amount of content [in a course] that you’re giving them but the end result, the end result is the most important thing in a course” - Leslie Cason [11:12]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:12] Meet Leslie Cason
- [3:30] Benefits of creating an online course
- [4:25] How to find what expertise is worth creating a course on
- [5:43] Why would someone pay you for your expertise in your field when they can get similar information somewhere else for free
- [6:57] How to create demand for your course
- [9:17] The foundational materials when it comes to content for a course
- [10:53] Discussing the amount of content you should put into your course to justify the price
- [12:21] Average price to charge for a course for someone starting out in course creation
- [13:23] Difference between hosting your course on a third party site compared to hosting it on your own website
- [14:40] Researching a course idea that is in demand
- [15:50] Increasing engagement on your course sales page to generate more conversions
- [17:56] What additional upsells/add-ons can you create to supplement your main course sales
- [19:49] Evaluating what would be considered a successful course launch for first time course creators
- [21:33] Summarizing the planning to execution of a successful course launch
- [23:53] Contacting Leslie and discussing one of her successful course creator clients
- [26:15] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- The Creative Enclave
- The Creative Enclave Instagram
- The Creative Enclave Pinterest
- The Creative Enclave Facebook
- Leslie Cason on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan On LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Joel Hansen, an entrepreneur who has grown his personal brand on LinkedIn over the past few years, generating over 30,000 followers and has collaborated with top brands such as the LA Clippers, Translink, Best Buy, Vancouver Canucks, Prezi and Adobe to develop initiatives that drive brand awareness and media attention. In this episode, Joel shares his LinkedIn journey, his learning experiences, the opportunities he has gotten along the way and provides advice on building the foundation and staying focused to ensure long term success on the LinkedIn platform.
QUOTES
- “[When it comes to starting on LinkedIn] I think the biggest step is just enjoying and learning from the process and not getting too connected to the outcome and so for me it was just the relationship building that came with the community.” - Joel Hansen [8:19]
- “A theory I have about passion projects or you know, new habits [that end up falling off] is I think it really comes down to the value alignment they have with the project and the accountability structure they have set up to succeed, and I think one of those two things has to fall flat for them to give up.” - Joel Hansen [12:07]
- “By not having a presence online, you're diminishing your chance at being a trustworthy source for the topic that you are passionate about.” - Joel Hansen [21:43]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:42] Meet Joel Hansen
- [2:35] Joel’s start on LinkedIn and his journey on how he grew his personal brand on the platform and his learning experiences along the way
- [11:39] The reasons why people that start their personal branding journey on LinkedIn end up dropping off and not sticking with it for the long term
- [13:29] Why working professionals need to invest in personal branding
- [14:56] Pushing past imposter syndrome to grow your own personal brand online
- [16:03] How a mid-career working professional can set their foundation up for personal branding success on LinkedIn
- [17:39] Opportunities that Joel has generated from building a personal brand on LinkedIn
- [19:10] The 3 most common questions Joel’s been asked when it comes to building your personal brand
- [19:38] Most common questions Max has been asked when it comes to building your personal brand
- [20:10] Discussion on the future and importance of personal branding and its impact on your career
- [21:52] The importance of LinkedIn and the role it plays in the evaluation of a candidate by the recruiter
- [24:02] How to navigate the perception of building your personal brand on LinkedIn as a current employee of a company where people may assume you are active on the platform because you are looking for another job
- [25:29] Common mistakes people make when building their personal brand
- [26:21] Being consistent and staying focused and what Joel does to stay on track
- [30:22] How to keep going even when you don’t see the results and progress you want right away
- [31:46] Contacting Joel
- [33:19] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Joel Hansen on LinkedIn
- Joel Hansen on Twitter
- Personal Brand Brief
- Leverage LinkedIn Course by Joel Hansen
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Jon Heise, President of Covert Recruiting. From popular assumptions to key features, they go in depth about the applicant tracking system (ATS) and how significant of a role it plays in the job application process and how it affects job seekers when applying online. They also discuss additional strategies to get in front of decision makers, to help you land an opportunity at one of your target companies.
QUOTES
- “[As a recruiter] we generally look at almost all the resumes that come through [the applicant tracking system] no matter if they’re perfect, spot on fit or if there’s something that’s not a fit at all.” - Jon Heise [5:30]
- “We don’t expect people to be perfect resume writers or have everything exact but there are a number of bits of information that you probably need to have a couple of [on your resume]” - Jon Heise [14:39]
- “[When it comes to networking effectively] you hop on LinkedIn, you find XYZ company that you’re excited about and you find your peers, the people that you could potentially be working with, their managers and your next job is to reach out to them.” - Jon Heise [22:32]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:49] Meet Jon Heise
- [3:09] Overview of the applicant tracking system (ATS) and how it helps recruiters manage applications from candidates
- [4:00] Discussing popular myths about the applicant tracking system (ATS) and what it actually does
- [6:41] Does timing of your job application matter or is it more important the fact that the job ad is still open to applications
- [8:36] Applying to multiple positions at once in the same company
- [9:50] Thoughts on applying to another company for a higher position than you are currently at
- [11:01] Key features of the applicant tracking system (ATS) that recruiters use to help make it easier for them to screen and organize candidates faster as well as what candidates can do to make it easier for recruiters to evaluate their resume
- [13:29] The effectiveness of these resume online optimizer tools that are being marketed to job seekers to improve their resume score
- [14:57] The importance of having quantifiable metrics in your resume to tell a good career story
- [16:41] Proper format and structure of a resume
- [18:01] Online pre-screening questions during the job application process and how they work when it comes to filtering candidates for that role
- [21:10] Strategies for job seekers to get in front of decision makers that go beyond the standard online job application process
- [25:04] Contacting the recruiter on LinkedIn about a job posting they posted on the platform
- [26:17] The etiquette of bypassing the recruiter about the job posting and contacting the hiring manager directly
- [28:24] Contacting Jon and discussing the importance of communication and transparency between job seekers and companies during the hiring process
- [31:46] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Jon Heise on LinkedIn
- Covert Recruiting
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
- Chan With A Plan
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Chris Cornthwaite, who’s the founder of Roostervane to help students build amazing careers with whatever degree they’ve got. Chris talks about discussing assumptions made about how hard it is to land corporate jobs with liberal arts degrees and how to navigate this, the importance of soft skills in the workforce and how networking is the key strategy to even the playing field when it comes to job hunting with any degree.
QUOTES
- “A degree is still mandatory for a whole lot of fields, I mean if you apply for a corporate job with only a high school diploma, certain jobs you wouldn’t be able to get in. A degree would still be in a lot of cases the mandatory minimum cut off for actually getting into one of these jobs.” - Chris Cornthwaite [4:56]
- “Universities are increasingly going to be offering internships, so if your university has an internship program, some kind of arrangement, I would definitely consider doing an internship. I think that’s a perfect way to get a foot in both worlds and get some practical experience and in many cases when students do internships, they end up getting hired at that company after.” - Chris Cornthwaite [12:40]
- “I just tell people to network, that’s really the secret sauce [to getting a job] and if you just obsessively try to connect with anybody you possibly can and when I was leaving University after my PhD, I talked to everybody [to find opportunities].” - Chris Cornthwaite [27:23]
TIMESTAMPS
- [1:05] Meet Chris Cornthwaite
- [3:07] Discussing the assumptions made about the difficulty of landing a corporate job with a liberal arts degree
- [5:57] How universities are trying to connect their degrees to work to make them more valuable
- [7:27] The impact of the pandemic and how it evens the playing field between traditional education at universities/colleges compared to alternative online education such as bootcamps and online courses
- [9:02] The importance of soft skills in the workforce
- [10:47] Setting yourself up for success as a 3rd/4th year student to land a job right out of university/college
- [15:07] Networking tips
- [18:51] Creating thought leadership content to open more career opportunities
- [20:01] Assumptions made by recruiters on Masters of Arts and PhD degree holders when applying to corporate jobs online and how to align your experience to what they are looking for
- [25:23] How to effectively transition from academic researcher into corporate and what to expect
- [27:23] Chris’ experience and strategy on networking and how it has helped him build his career outside of academia
- [30:47] Contacting Chris
- [31:48] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Chris Cornthwaite on LinkedIn
- Chris Cornthwaite on Twitter
- Roostervane
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Casey Welch, Co-founder and CEO of Tallo, a digital platform and app that’s connecting over 1.3 million students and professionals to opportunities offered by colleges, companies and organizations. Casey provides job search and career tips catered to Generation Z that have recently graduated from university/college in one of the worst economic climates in recent memory. He discusses building a robust online professional presence, how starting at the bottom of a Fortune 500 company can give you immense opportunity to move up quickly and what to look for in your next job to ensure you are stepping through the right door to achieve career fulfillment.
QUOTES
- “We’re seeing Gen Zers across the country, build a strong online professional presence, so it’s not just about your personal, make sure it’s professional. It’s a great way to get down your elevator pitch.” - Casey Welch [3:38]
- “There are more opportunities and more pathways than ever before, it’s not just, you need to go to college you need to get higher ed, that is a path and that is a path that makes some. But you bring up about bootcamps, you bring up about certifications, credentials, so I think step 1 the most important thing, before you make that quick decision is to determine your career path then work backwards to determine your education pathway.” - Casey Welch [4:55]
- “So you want to make sure that you’re making that right fit, that you have the skills, that they have the culture and they have the location and work environment. If you find those all, you are starting out, so far ahead of so many other people, in finding a career with a company that you can stay with, you can grow with and you can move up that ladder because you can love what you do but if you can’t live the lifestyle you want to live, it’s going to fall apart.” - Casey Welch [14:23]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:34] Meet Casey Welch
- [2:16] Job search strategies and tactics for recent Gen Z graduates that they can implement to help position themselves as a standout candidate
- [4:36] Discussing whether a recent Gen Z graduate should go back to school and get higher education due to the competitive job market
- [6:21] The current landscape of whether companies still heavily invest in employees when it comes to furthering their employee’s education and up skilling
- [9:24] What skills companies really want from their new hires that are hard to find
- [10:49] Is freelancing a good option to gain relevant experience for your resume
- [12:44] What should you really look for when it comes to a company you want to work at
- [15:03] Contact Casey
- [15:28] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Casey Welch on LinkedIn
- Tallo
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Vanessa Zamy, who runs her own consulting company, Your Vision’s Catalyst that coaches and advises 9-to-5ers on how to build a profit producing, purpose driven side hustle. Vanessa debunks common myths about side hustles and guides you on how to set up the proper foundation for success. We end the discussion on what is the right amount of monthly revenue you need to generate to start considering making your side hustle a full time venture.
QUOTES
- “You don’t need a 35 page business plan here. What you need is you need something to share with the world so they can understand what it is that you are delivering. So the 3 components of that, that I always tell my clients are who, what, how. Who are you serving? What problem do they have? And how it is that you help them?” - Vanessa Zamy [10:34]
- “Don’t be sitting here doing DIY, if you try DIY stuff all your life, guess what, you're going to waste 5, 10, 15 years, which you could have done in 1 month, you going to end up spending 5 years trying to get it done. That’s what happens to the DIYers. So ensure you get the help and support that you need, whether it’s a mentor, whether it’s an expert, whether it’s a coach, whatever it may be, but get the guidance that you need, so you can ensure that you are successful and set up for success from the get go.” - Vanessa Zamy [17:35]
- “The first income goal you want to reach [to consider going full time on your side hustle] is that you want to be able to in a month for your business reach a point where you have covered your business and personal expenses and then you want to be at least consistent with that.” - Vanessa Zamy [24:13]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:41] Meet Vanessa Zamy
- [2:17] Overview of Vanessa’s side hustle program and how she helps 9 to 5ers start a side hustle
- [3:54] Biggest myths about starting side hustles and what Vanessa’s advice is to help you navigate through them
- [8:22] Going through an example of a restaurant business as a side hustle
- [10:22] How to set up the foundation for a side hustle and going through an example
- [14:36] When should you expect your first sale from your side hustle to validate your business
- [16:16] What entrepreneurs aren't telling you when they are pushing their programs to show you how to make a lot of money in a short time
- [17:33] Why you shouldn’t Do-It-Yourself (DIY) if you want to build a successful side business fast
- [22:57] When you should consider going full time on your side hustle
- [26:13] How to have the discussion with your family about quitting your day job to go pursue your side hustle full time
- [28:09] Contacting Vanessa
- [29:03] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Vanessa Zamy on Facebook
- Vanessa Zamy on LinkedIn
- 5 Day Business Bootcamp For 9-to-5ers Program
- Finish: The Solopreneur's Guide to Getting Stuff Done By Vanessa Zamy on Amazon
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Terry McDougall, an Executive & Career Coach of Terry B. McDougall Coaching. Terry gives advice on how to position yourself for a promotion with tips such as impression management and performing for the job you want instead of the job you have. She also discusses some alternative career moves you could make if you get passed over for a promotion in order to still move your career forward. We end the discussion with what mindset shifts you have to make and what initial communication you should initiate with your manager in order to be successful in your promotion within the first 90 days.
QUOTES
- “I always tell people that I work with that there’s really only 3 ways to add value in the workplace, you’re either helping the company make money, save money or reduce risk.” - Terry McDougall [1:55]
- “Perform for the job that you want and not the job that you have as well. One of the things that I see a lot of times that people say is I got a lot of capabilities and if I get that next level promotion, I’ll show them, and I’ll say look for opportunities to show them now.” - Terry McDougall [10:25]
- “I think that the most important thing to do when you get promoted is get extreme clarity on what the expectations of the role are and go to your boss and say what does success look like after the first 90 days, what are your priorities for this role and really focus on that. I think it’s really important also to get some quick wins.” - Terry McDougall [19:30]
TIMESTAMPS
- [0:07] Meet Terry McDougall
- [1:27] Key factors why you won’t get promoted
- [3:01] Examples of over performing
- [3:53] Terry’s story of trying to get promoted herself
- [7:20] Tip on where to find your shortcomings that are hindering you for a promotion and external factors that are out of your control when it comes to getting promoted
- [8:33] How to use impression management in order to look like you belong at a higher level at the company
- [10:24] Perform for the job you want
- [10:56] The risk of promoting people
- [11:43] How to decide when to leave the company or try again if you are passed over for a promotion
- [14:55] The pros and cons between leaving a big company to go to a smaller company for a bigger title or do a horizontal move to another big company and try to get promoted there instead
- [16:10] When you should take a promotion with little to no pay raise
- [18:04] Warning signs to not take a promotion
- [19:19] Common mistakes of the newly promoted and what to do instead
- [23:37] Contacting Terry
- [24:36] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Terry B. McDougall Coaching
- Terry McDougall on LinkedIn
- Winning the Game of Work By Terry McDougall on Amazon
- Marketing Mambo Podcast
- Chan With A Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Jennifer Brick, a career success coach and owner of Capdeca Solutions. Jennifer gives advice on how to handle losing a job from a layoff, what to do afterwards and how to get back on your feet. She discusses the best course of action for the exit interview and finding your next job. Listen to what are some of the warning signs before a layoff and how to tell your family you’ve lost your job.
QUOTES
- “The reality of the exit interview is that in most cases, it truly is a formality and it’s not going to have any lasting impact. It’s not going to change how the company runs itself or anything like that. So leaving on a bad impression, you can, but it’s not going to do anything.” -Jennifer Brick [15:56]
- “Job loss is a trauma and we have to call it what it is. I know that’s a scary big word, but there is a trauma involved here, so you need to process this.” -Jennifer Brick [21:47]
- “I still think the best way is to be building up a personal brand so that companies are coming to you, and just making sure that you’re leaving bread crumbs of your awesomeness anywhere that they might be looking for their people.” -Jennifer Brick [29:42]
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:09] Meet Jennifer Brick
- [02:28] Warning signs of a potential layoff
- [05:59] How to prepare for a layoff
- [10:05] How Jennifer planned a layoff
- [11:46] Why doesn’t an organization shuffle people around?
- [13:38] Job security at start-ups vs large companies
- [15:10] The exit interview
- [18:37] How to tell family about the layoff
- [20:47] Plan of action after layoff
- [28:10] Networking and building your brand
- [31:36] Best course of action with salaries
- [34:56] Jennifer’s advice for those who were laid off
- [36:19] Contacting Jennifer Block
- [38:44] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Glassdoor
- Capdeca Solutions
- Capdeca Solutions on Youtube
- Capdeca Solutions on Facebook
- Capdeca Solutions on LinkedIn
- Capdeca Solutions on Twitter
- Career Glow Up
- Jennifer Brick on LinkedIn
- Jennifer Brick on Twitter
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Chan with a Plan
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Max Chan on LinkedIn
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Donald Gregory James about how manners are the key foundational components for career success. Donald shares how manners helped him propel his career at NASA and his experiences interviewing candidates through his 35 years of experience. Donald also talks about the importance of authenticity and his upcoming book.
QUOTES
- “But it really is more about who you are as an individual and having that personality, that essence, those manners, if you will, really reflect the genuine person in a way that, you know, people feel that they want to connect with you. -Donald Gregory James [12:29]
- “The problem of assuming that because certain people look a certain way or they have a certain title that they’re not valuable to the organization. And I try very hard not to make that mistake because you never know who you’re going to be dealing with and how they can be helpful to you even subtly.” -Donald Gregory James [23:59]
- “What I may call good manners for me may, in fact, be bad manners for somebody else.” -Donald Gregory James [29:10]
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:07] Meet Donald James
- [01:42] How manners pertained to Donald’s career growth
- [06:30] How a lack of manners can hinder success
- [10:25] The importance of authenticity
- [16:18] The difference between reading the book on interviewing vs authentic with their answers
- [20:30] Some biggest mistakes people make entering the corporate world
- [24:22] Advice for introverts to cultivate relationships
- [30:19] Understanding where people are coming from
- [35:41] Contacting Donald James
- [37:39] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- Donald G. James’ website
- Donald G. James on Facebook
- Donald G. James on LinkedIn
- Donald G. James on Instagram
- Manners Will Take You Where Brains and Money Won't: Wisdom from Momma and 35 Years at NASA by Donald G. James
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Chan with a Plan
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Max Chan on LinkedIn
In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with A.J. Mizes, founder and CEO of The Human Reach. A.J. previously worked as a Senior HR Leader for Facebook and has over a decade of experience in career coaching and human resources. He shares what employers look for in applicants and tips that can help job seekers stick out for top tech companies such as Microsoft, Google and Facebook.
QUOTES
- “Applying online can work, and there’s definitely cases where big tech companies are hiring people from an online application pool. But more often than not, in fact 80% of the time, it’s happening through referrals.” -A.J. Mizes [06:29]
- “The number one thing that I tell folks is that you have to make sure that your resume is tailored, that you’re using the language in the job description on your resume, so that you have a higher likelihood of passing it to the next round.” -A.J. Mizes [09:40]
- “I’m typically a big fan of hobbies and extracurricular things outside. It just makes you more of a human and it makes you really interesting. You’d be surprised at how often that part of your resume comes up as a common point for interviewers to generate rapport, so I always recommend like a hobbies or a what you do outside of the office type of section at the end.” -A.J. Mizes [15:42]
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:19] Meet A.J. Mizes
- [02:11] A.J’s career background
- [03:32] What type of people does a tech company like Facebook looks for
- [05:40] Applying online vs referrals
- [06:42] Will someone actually see your resume?
- [08:42] What would help your application stand out
- [09:55] Applicant tracking systems (ATS), resume optimization software and keywords
- [13:40] Formatting your resume
- [17:10] Are cover letters important?
- [18:51] How to approach networking
- [21:53] What type of messaging to do in cold outreach
- [24:18] How are interviews conducted at tech companies?
- [28:22] How long to wait to follow-up an interview?
- [29:57] How to build rapport while working remotely
- [31:51] Contacting A.J. Mizes
- [32:48] A.J.’s advice for job searches
- [33:53] Outro
RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS
- The Human Reach
- The Human Reach on Youtube
- The Human Reach on Facebook
- A.J. Mizes on LinkedIn
- A.J. Mizes on Twitter
- A special gift from A.J. Mizes
- Career Amp course
- Chan with a Plan
- Max Chan on LinkedIn