The Career Chat Room

In this episode Gabby Lopez joins the Chat Room to discuss ways to make your networking work for you in all the best ways. Whether you are using social media like Facebook or Linkedin or you are networking in person or live (phone or video), there are some best practices to consider that will make the energy you are putting into networking turn into the results you are looking for.

We discuss how to focus your requests when connecting with others for help and how you should make proactive networking a priority so that you are not just connecting when you need something. An interesting idea that Gabby shares is how to leverage a local volunteer opportunity in your community as a way to add to your network and acquire experiences that could go on your resume as well. We explore tips and best practices that have worked in a variety of different scenarios.

Gabby is the Founder of Morning Tea Coaching, which focuses on helping young women grow professionally by translating their school and life experience into a career they love. She also manages a Facebook networking group which helps women connect with each other and the resources they need to be successful. Check out that FB group for the resources she mentions in the episode or reach her directly by visiting www.morningteacoaching.com.

This is another installment of what I have come to think of as my Career Launch series of episodes. The need to record and publish this content is usually driven by trending coaching needs. When I find myself offering a particular theme of advice a lot, then I record. This episode addresses preparing to interview.

Actually being ready to interview can sneak up on you and might feel like something that is out of your control. But with some strategic preparation you can be ready for interviews and feel confident about how you will perform.

I recommend practicing answers to these commonly asked general questions:
Why are you interested in this position at this company?
What is driving your interest in this career path or line of work?
What led you to pursue a degree in XX?

Then take an inventory of situations to use as examples to answer behavioral questions and craft the story that sets the context for each situation:
Tell me about a time you had to make a decision without having as much information as you would like?
Tell me about a time when you had to share difficult news with a stakeholder about a project or deliverable?
Tell me about a time when you had to switch directions midway through a project or assignment?

You'll be able to match the situation that best fits the interview question. But also, be prepared to answer follow up questions that are designed to assess your learning agility like:
What other approaches did you consider but not take?
What did you takeaway or learn from that situation?
Tell me about time when you had to apply this learning to another situation?

And finally, practice, practice, and practice until you feel like you can consistently nail the interviews you have so diligently pursued. Ask for help from others to practice your answers and listen to the feedback you get along the way. Tap into your career services center on campus for assistance, that is what they are there for!

I hope this gives you a solid plan for preparing to interview. Good luck!

Understanding your transferrable skills can be so powerful when trying to make a job switch or a "career pivot". In this episode my guest is career coach and program manager Andrea Abernethy. I invited Andrea to the Career Chatroom because she has helped hundreds of people from a variety of backgrounds make career transitions. Our conversation focuses on defining transferrable skills, sharing strategies for discovering transferrable skills. and exploring how to use them to make a career pivot. We explain the term "career pivot" and illustrate the concept through a couple of examples. Finally, we get specific about tactics for making that career pivot. By focusing on your transferrable skills it is possible to position yourself as a strong candidate for a job you have never done. Andrea shares her formula for creating a branded resume, write impactful bullets to describe your experience, and refine an elevator pitch to highlight your unique strengths and the value you bring.

Andrea is an experienced career consultant with a passion for empowering people to find their dream jobs. She is the founder of Career Consulting by Andrea as well as a presenter and coach for the University of Delaware Professional and Continuing Studies career services department. Most recently she has been a Pathway Program Director for TechElevator, which is an intensive in-person and online education provider helping individuals and companies acquire in-demand technology skills for the modern workforce. Connect with Andrea on Linkedin.

In this episode Jaime Diglio and I discuss the steps that you can take to position yourself well when you have lost your job. We encourage you to move fast, get focused, and stay flexible as a mantra to guide your actions. The topic is as relevant today as in December of 2020 when Nick Wagner produced an entire "Day of Helping" and asked us to share advice in a live session on that day. Now more than two years later, we decided to revisit the actions we recommended in 2020, and update our advice for 2023.

We recommend that you:
- Update your resume, but also be certain your Linkedin profile is updated and accurately reflects the entirety of who you are. People often forget to highlight the most important and interesting things about themselves
- Activate your network, by first engaging with people who have experience working with you to provide the ability to understand your strengths and what you are known for
- Identify what you want to do next, without limiting yourself to your past experiences, industries, or locations
- Expand your network with connections at your employer, schools/ universities, volunteering and all other aspects of your life
- Invest time in your network, knowing that not every interaction will result in a job opportunity and even if you are employed, this investment is important to ensure you can hit the ground running if a job loss situation comes up for you

Being laid off is, for better or for worse, becoming more "normalized" than it has been in the past. It is important to remember that you are not alone, you have experiences and skills that are valuable, and there are resources available to give you the ability to move forward from here. Do not make the mistake of suffering in silence. There are resources available out there, coaches who specialize in helping professionals through career transitions. There are also people within your network who are willing to help. Use the tips highlighted in this podcast to find your advocates and build your "WIN" team.

Jaime Diglio is the Founder of inFirst Coaching where she trains leaders and ambitious professionals on how to WIN at work and in life. With a master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology combined with 20+ years in sales leadership roles at Gartner, Microsoft, Slalom, and various high-growth startups, her proven coaching techniques have become a secret weapon for her clients’ success. As a TEDx speaker, mom and skilled performance coach, her highly sought after WIN Room Program is a game changer for anyone who wants to take their career to the next level.

In this episode, my guest is Brittany Onufrak, a healthcare client operations professional with a passion for helping others. Our conversation focuses on ways to maintain a positive mindset and push through rejection to build resiliency within your job search. Whether you are a student trying to land your first job or a seasoned professional looking for your next opportunity hearing "no" or hearing nothing at all over and over again can be incredibly discouraging.

Brittany is an advocate for career development and is passionate about helping others reach places where they can thrive. But she has also encountered rejection and experienced feelings of self-doubt along her career path. During our conversation, she shared the practices that she uses to maintain a positive mindset, not take rejection personally, and create opportunities for action. Start with focusing on the things that are within your control. Your mindset has a strong influence on how you feel and also how you show up in the process. Seek and use feedback to reframe how you are interpreting the rejection. Use the challenge to build your resilience.

If you are feeling defeated by the current job search environment, know that you are not alone. Keep going, keep shining. Thanks for listening.