The Career By Design Podcast with Stacey Back

How often do YOU pay attention to your career growth and development? Today, I’m talking about the less obvious signs you’ve grown in your career.
Research shows employees want access to advancement opportunities at work. In fact, Gallup has linked record rates of disengagement to a lack of career development. Meanwhile, McKinsey found it’s one of the top three reasons people quit their jobs.
After working with hundreds of leaders, here’s what I’ve noticed...
You think about your development when you’ve got a big career goal in mind — say, a promotion. Or if you’re feeling unhappy, unfulfilled or confused about what to do next in your career.
Many organisations are now encouraging regular career and development conversations between staff and leaders. Yet for these discussions to be successful, they need to be employee led.
Meaning: YOU must be clear on your career goals, development areas and track your progress on an ongoing basis.
But when work (and life) gets busy, attention shifts to short-term priorities. And it’s easy to forget your long-term goals, where you were six months ago -- and how much you’ve grown.
So HOW can you tell if you’re developing in your current position?
In today’s episode, I’m sharing 7 subtle signs you’ve grown in your role -- even if you think you haven’t!
You'll learn:

• 2:50: A tell-tale growth sign -- and two things you NEED to know to advance your career
• 3:29: The danger of letting others dictate your career path and what to do instead
• 4:32: When worrying less about your weaknesses is a sign of career growth -- and a simple step to leverage your strengths
• 6:26: Why confidence is the biggest clue you’re developing in your current job -- and the one thing you MUST master to cultivate more of it!
• 7:38: Whether doing MORE in LESS time is an indicator of growth
• 8:25: When receiving recognition is clear evidence you’ve grown in your role
• 8:55: How having ‘itchy feet’ is hinting you’re growing -- and practical ways to use it to develop your current career

Listen in now -- all will be revealed in this episode!
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast now and leave me a 5 star rating and review. This is how other people can find this podcast and benefit too!
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars and then select ‘Write a review.’ Then, be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
LINKS:
Ignite Your Career is open for enrolment! This signature coaching program will help you find the work which lights you up, increase your income, impact and create a career -- and life -- on YOUR terms. Learn more here.

If you’re interested in working together in 2024, I invite you to book a 30 minute call with me here.
Learn more about what I do at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

This ONE crippling issue keeps high-performers, like you, stuck in a constant cycle of overwork and burnout.
Can you guess what it is?
It's overachievement -- and perfectionism!
Ever been asked in an interview: ‘What’s your weakness?’. Well, way back in the early days of my career, my go to response which I'd state very proudly was: ‘I’m a perfectionist!’
Perfectionism has been a constant battle my ENTIRE life. And I’m not alone.
It’s a common trait amongst many high-achievers -- and traditionally, society has often associated it with accomplishment and success.
But when does achievement become unhealthy or unhelpful? And how do you remain driven and motivated, while keeping your perfectionism in check?
In today's episode of The Career By Design Podcast, I cover:

• Where perfectionism comes from and the consequences of over-achievement
• The difference between healthy striving and perfectionism -- and how to determine if it’s time to address it
• How to find better balance AND remain productive -- without burning out
• Ways to work through procrastination so you can stay in action and get the results you want
• My top tips to help you successfully balance your ambitions with the desire to ‘be perfect’

As a ‘recovering’ perfectionist, this topic is near and dear to my heart -- and one I support many high-performers with too.
My intention with this episode is to give you actionable strategies you can immediately implement to successfully manage perfectionism and keep your overachievement in check!
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast now and leave me a 5 star rating and review. This is how other people can find this podcast and benefit too!
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars and then select ‘Write a review.’ Then, be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
LINKS:
Ready to create a career on your terms? Listen to this free guided audio and learn 3 steps to make the right career decisions, every time. Get instant access.
Learn more about what I do at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Understanding your unique strengths is key to growing a fulfilling, successful career. Yet once you know WHAT your gifts are, what do you DO with them?
Today, I’m diving deeper into the practical application of your unique strengths -- and HOW they can propel your career forward.
One of the first areas I work on with my coaching clients is identifying their unique strengths. And while I believe it’s critical to do some reflection upfront to build self-awareness, I’m all about practical strategy.
Because gaining new insights about yourself is nice -- but HOW do you use your superpowers to create the career you want?
In today’s episode, I’m sharing the 5 ways understanding YOUR unique strengths supports your career growth. You'll learn:

• A simple way to use your strengths -- and the power of neuroscience -- to crush self-doubt and boost confidence!
• Why knowing your superpowers is key to making the right career choices
• How to stand out in the market so you attract new opportunities and advance your career
• The secret to re-designing your role or creating a career which ‘works’ for you
• Practical strategies to leverage your strengths as an individual or team, so you increase performance and skyrocket your career success!
• PLUS, an invitation to work with me further in 2024 to get unstuck and design the career you want with clarity and confidence

Listen in now -- all will be revealed in this episode!
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast now and leave me a 5 star rating and review. This is how other people can find this podcast and benefit too!
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars and then select ‘Write a review.’ Then, be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
LINKS:
Ignite Your Career is open for enrolment!
This signature coaching program will help you find the work which lights you up, increase your income, impact and create a career -- and life -- on YOUR terms. Learn more here.

If you’re interested in working together in 2024, I invite you to book a 30 minute call with me here.
Learn more about what I do at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Do you struggle to stick to your New Year resolutions?
Every January you look forward to a fresh start and set new goals for the year ahead. But studies show over 80% of resolutions fail by February.
So today I’m revealing the REAL reasons why -- and how to overcome them.
Goals ARE important because they give you something to strive for. Still, I don’t buy into the ‘new year, new you’ hype. It’s unreasonable to put yourself under pressure one time per year.
I believe in having a clear vision, setting goals from there and creating a step-by-step plan to reach them -- ANY time of year.
In this special episode, which originally aired in January 2024, you’ll find out how to stop breaking your resolutions. PLUS six simple shifts you can make to reach your big career goals in 2025!
You'll learn:

• Why I stopped setting New Year resolutions -- and what I recommend instead
• The neuroscience behind goal-setting and how to use it to get the results you want in your career
• Practical strategies to reduce overwhelm and stay accountable to your goals -- even during tough times
• How to eliminate the ‘time excuse’ which stops you achieving your goals
• The importance of progress over outcomes

So hit play on this episode now and let’s dive in!
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast now and leave me a 5 star rating and review. This is how other people can find this podcast and benefit too!
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars and then select ‘Write a review.’ Then, be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
LINKS:
Ready to build clarity, confidence and a personalised strategy to take back ownership of your career success? Check out Ignite Your Career.
If you’re interested in working together in 2025, I invite you to book a 30 minute call with me here.
Listen to Episode #4 of The Career By Design Podcast next
Learn more about what I do at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Are you a high-achiever and successful in your career -- but finding yourself at a career crossroads? Feeling frustrated, unfulfilled or confused about your next career steps?
If so, you’re in the right place. This podcast episode is a MUST LISTEN -- and especially made for you!
Today, I’m sharing my signature Career By Design method, which not only inspired the name of this podcast -- but the entire philosophy behind it too.
I’ll give you some background on my journey to developing the Career By Design method and how it helps my clients get unstuck, clarify their direction and create a career on their terms.
Then, I’ll break down the 3 key pillars of Clarity, Confidence and Career Strategy -- and how you can apply this method to your career.
You’ll learn:

• 1:24: The specific steps I took to navigate a career crossroads and move from an established career into more meaningful work
• 3:06: My honest struggles with overworking, burnout and career confusion which led me to redefine success and create my career by design
• 6:52: The secret ingredient to move from confusion to clarity and practical tips to figure out what you want next in your career
• 9:25: The number one mistake people make when it comes to building confidence -- and how to overcome the imposter syndrome and self-doubt holding you back in your career
• 11:39: The importance of having a clear strategy to take you from where you are now, to the ‘next level’ in your career
• 13:50: 4 questions to pinpoint the blind-spots keeping you stuck, so you can get crystal clear on what to do next

My intention with this episode is to show you how to use the Career By Design method to know exactly where to focus. Plus, have practical steps you can keep coming back to any time you’re feeling stuck in your career.
So grab a pen and paper and let’s start creating YOUR career by design!
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast now and leave me a 5 star rating and review. This is how other people can find this podcast and benefit too!
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars and then select ‘Write a review.’ Then, be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
LINKS:
Want clarity on your next career step? Hit play on this free guided audio and in 15 minutes, I'll give you all the strategies you need to get started! Get instant access.

Learn more about what I do at staceyback.com or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.