ViewPoint Workshop Series
Over 10 years ago I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do with my career.
I’d worked in the tech industry for 10 years and I didn’t know what I really wanted to do and what my options were. Did I want to become a people manager, did I want to be a Program Manager, did I want to be an entrepreneur, as a career and leadership coach?
I started to research and talk to people, with the hope of answering, how do you figure out what you really want to do in your career? I wanted to figure it out for myself and then coach others to do the same.
After researching and experimenting with workshops, I’ve developed a workshop that works: Navigate Your Career with Clarity.
In this workshop, you get to create your vision, explore your career paths, identify what you really want, and start acting towards it.
Once you’ve defined your career path, you may need to boost your mindset, by building up your confidence and nurturing your inner critic, so I developed a workshop to do just that and to develop and practice your personal pitch when you network, interact with colleagues, or need to advocate for yourself.
Vision and mindset are critical, but to really make it happen, you need to take intentional action. In this final workshop, we identify your goals, your actions, and design your empowering habits for the next 1-year, so you can make huge strides in achieving your vision.
I invite you to join one or all of my in-person workshops in Fremont – Seattle, to either Navigate Your Career with Clarity, Boost your Mindset! or, Take Intentional Action!
I’ve been coaching for over 10 years now and truly enjoy helping people navigate their career, grow in their career, and grow as a leader. I also have 20+ years of experience in the tech industry in Chief of Staff, Business Manager, and Program Manager roles across Sales, Marketing, and Operations organizations that provides real-world experience. I’m an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation. Basically, sharing this to say, I’m qualified.
Please join for one or all of the 2 hour sessions on Saturday mornings, 9:00-11:00am, 11/9, 1/11, 2/1, or 3/1. Limited spaces available! Early bird pricing available now!
Learn more:
https://www.viewpointcoachingandconsulting.com/workshops
Coach Brieanne
Are you ready to take control of your career? Join Our In-Person Workshop November 9th!
Join Our In-Person Workshop, Navigate your Career with Clarity, on November 9th 9:00-11:00am in Fremont - Seattle!
Are you ready to take control of your career journey? Our 'Navigate Your Career with Clarity' workshop is designed to help you explore your career options, identify what you really want, and create a concrete action plan to achieve your goals.
Are you at a career decision point?
At different times in our lives, we come to a decision point: where do we want to go with our career? Do we want to stay and grow in our existing role? Do we want to work towards a promotion? Do we want to learn a new subject or function? Do we want to change professions? Do we want to start a new business? Do we want to retire? Do we want to go part-time? What do we really want to do?
Do you want a guide in this process?
It’s important to get grounded in our foundation, what’s important to us - our values, our purpose, and our vision of where we want to be in 5, 10, 20 years and which beliefs are helping or hindering us. During this workshop, we start that process. It’s also important to be aware of many career paths that will support our vision. During this workshop, we’ll map that out too, in the career development plan. To get momentum, we need a clear action plan. During this workshop, we’ll identify those first, next actions towards our more fulfilling career.
You’ll start the process of gaining clarity and momentum in these 2 hours and will need to take more time afterwards to reflect, refine, and take further action. Sometimes 15 minutes for an exercise isn’t enough, sometimes it is, and you’ll be able to determine what you need.
You’ll get to start the process of:
Identifying your top values, to align your actions for a thriving career
Developing your purpose, to motivate you daily
Creating your vision, to set direction for the next 5-10 years
Unearthing the beliefs that are holding you back from your vision
Building out your career development plan
Discovering habits that will empower you to reach your vision
Creating a personalized action plan to get momentum
You’ll walk away with a draft, maybe final plan, feeling inspired to move forward on your career path!
You’ll also walk away with the printed exercises to use any time you want at future career decision points.
Limited spaces available! Register today! Early-bird discounts through 10/20. Register by 11/1.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain clarity and confidence in your career path.
Learn more and register: https://www.viewpointcoachingandconsulting.com/workshops
Coach Brieanne
P.S. If you attend this workshop, you’ll receive 20% off your next three 55-minute coaching sessions.
Women sitting with her laptop, registering for the workshop
Imagine being able to navigate how you think, feel, learn, and relate to others, to thrive more in your career…
Have you ever thought about how the different ways you think, feel, learn, and relate to others impacts your career? How it impacts your career exploration, your career choices, how you land a job, how you transition careers, how you grow in your career, and how you grow as a leader?
It’s a lot to think about, but it’s insightful. The thought patterns that we have. The beliefs that we have. The cycles of emotions that we have. The way we process information. The way that we deal with ambiguity. The way we communicate. It all impacts our career. Some approaches help us, and some approaches hold us back. Understanding and navigating how we think, feel, learn, and relate to others, understanding our neurodiversity, can unlock new strategies, habits, and skills that help us thrive more in our careers, or at least have satisfying careers.
Imagine understanding how you approach new projects or new relationships, so you can move faster and make them stronger. Imagine understanding how you routinely react to ambiguous situations, so you can catch yourself and move to action faster next time. Imagine navigating your emotions so they don’t overwhelm you for days. Imagine being able to navigate your neurodiversity to thrive more in your career.
I’m pleased to announce four ways that I want to help you, your family and friends, colleagues or neighbors, and teams to navigate your neurodiversity to thrive more in your career or as a team:
Navigate your Neurodiversity: Wednesday Talks 9:00-9:45am online - this is for everyone! Understand how you think, feel, learn, and relate to others and new strategies, habits, and skills that will help you to thrive more! If you want to learn how to navigate your own neurodiversity or learn how to manage others who have their own ways of thinking, feeling, learning, and relating to others, come join the talk. Next talk: September 25th. Visit: Navigate your Neurodivergence — ViewPoint Coaching & Consulting (viewpointcoachingandconsulting.com)
Navigate your Neurodivergence to Thrive in Your Career: 10-Week Group Coaching Program - this if for people who have ADHD/ADHD like traits, Autism, Mood disorders, or Learning disabilities that want to thrive more in their career. We’ll cover everything from your vision and personal brand, to enhancing your communication skills, to learning to follow through every time. The next group starts October 14 - December 16th, meeting Monday evenings, 7:00-8:30pm PDT. Learn More: Navigate your Neurodivergence — ViewPoint Coaching & Consulting (viewpointcoachingandconsulting.com)
Navigate your Neurodivergence: 1:1 Coaching - this is available to anyone that would like to explore their career, land a job, manage a career transition, grow in their career, or grow as a leader. We set your desired outcomes and then focus each coaching session on getting clarity and momentum to reach your goals. We can meet weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly for 25-minutes or 55-minutes at a time. Schedule a call to share where you’re at and where you want to be and then get started. Schedule time: https://calendly.com/coachbrieanne/25-minute-1-1
Navigate your Team’s Neurodiversity to Thrive as a Team - this workshop is for your team to 1) uncover the unique strengths of each individual, in how they communicate, engage, believe, think, and behave, to understand the team’s strengths and opportunities. This includes the Emergenetics debrief and workshop, 2) increase transparency and trust across the team through safely sharing, 3) develop strategies to leverage strengths, reduce blind spots, and optimize the team’s collaboration, 4) build an inclusive culture that embraces neurodiversity. Learn more: Career Building Workshops — ViewPoint Coaching & Consulting (viewpointcoachingandconsulting.com)
Please join me for any or all of these offerings and share these opportunities with people you know who may be interested!
Thank you,
Coach Brieanne
Header: Navigate your Neurodivergence to Thrive in Your Career, 10-Week Coaching Program, October 14-December 16, Monday evenings, Online, 7:00-8:30pm PDT
Imagine feeling satisfied with your career
Imagine feeling satisfied with your career…
Imagine waking up each day feeling excited about the work you do.
You feel a deep sense of accomplishment and pride in your achievements.
Your tasks are engaging and align with your strengths, allowing you to excel in your role.
You are part of a supportive team that values your unique perspective and contributions, making collaboration feel natural and rewarding.
In this satisfying career, you feel productive, organized, and consistently deliver great results.
A satisfying career can be transformative.
So, what’s holding you back from having a satisfying career?
Is it clarity about what’s important to you, clarity about what you really want?
Is it clarity on the steps to get there?
Are there challenges that seem way too big to handle?
Take a few minutes to identify what’s holding you back.
Be honest with yourself.
Then, brainstorm steps to move towards your satisfying career.
Look at the steps and pick one step to move forward with - one intentional action at a time.
If you’d like to discuss where you’re at and where you want to be, schedule a call today.
Coaching can accelerate how quickly you have your satisfying career.
I provide career transition coaching, career growth coaching, and leadership coaching for mid-career professionals.
https://www.viewpointcoachingandconsulting.com
1:1 coaching to reach your next ViewPoint. Schedule a call today.
Strategies for exploring careers when you’re neurodivergent
What are your neurodivergent based strengths?
The journey of career exploration can be uniquely complex for individuals with neurodivergence like ADHD, autism, mood disorders, and more, yet these neurodiverse traits also offer extraordinary strengths and perspectives.
What are your strengths and perspectives?
Do you have strong attention to detail?
Do you have the ability to focus deeply?
Are you creative?
Do you have a lot of energy to put towards initiatives?
Are you able to solve complex problems easily?
What are your strengths and perspectives?
Self-awareness is a key strategy for exploring your next role, along with a few other strategies:
1. Self-Awareness: Know your strengths and the environments in which you thrive. Know your challenges and where you may need extra support.
2. Seek Guidance: Utilize career coaching, counseling and mentorship opportunities to build your skills, identify roles, and develop your network.
3. Research: Find careers that align with your strengths. Keep up on industry insights and trends.
4. Target Inclusive Employers: Research companies that support neurodiversity.
5. Showcase Your Unique Skills: Clearly communicate how your abilities can contribute to potential employers.
6. Networking: Join professional networks and groups where you can connect with colleagues and potential employers.
7. Develop Skills: Identify skills that will benefit you in current and future roles and enroll in classes, online training, or target developmental experiences. This may include skills like communication, time management, and organizational skills.
8. Use Technology and Tools: Use tools that are designed to help neurodivergent professionals in the workplace, including assistive technology and productivity apps.
9. Advocacy: Know the rights that you are entitled to under the law and make a decision on what you want to disclose and request from your employer so you can do your best work.
10. Thriving Work Environment: Reflect on what type of work environment will enable you to do your best work, i.e. in-person, hybrid, remote, team size, daily structure, etc.
11. Mindset and Resilience: Focus on the positive, what you have to contribute, and how you’re an asset to any future employer. Recognize that the job search process can be long and rejection never feels good, so develop coping strategies to manage any setbacks. Develop a positive relationship with your inner critic, by noticing and naming it, then assess it and question it, then reframe or take positive action.
Utilize these strategies as you explore your career paths; neurodiversity is a powerful asset in your career journey. Understand it. Embrace It. Align to your Strengths. Visualize. Strategize. Make it Happen.
If you’d like to explore career and leadership coaching, book a free call today to learn more: https://calendly.com/coachbrieanne/25-minute-1-1?month=2024-05
Coach Brieanne
What's your career ViewPoint today?
What’s your career ViewPoint? This past weekend, we stayed at a local campground and surfed at the beach. At the campground, there was a trail lining the beach that had different ViewPoints of the beach and this island protruding from it, when the tide was in. Each ViewPoint revealed a different angle of the beach and the island, which reminded me of how we have so many different ViewPoints of our career leading me to ask you, what’s your career ViewPoint today?
One ViewPoint showed the vast sea, distant lands, waves crashing, which to me, represents endless possibilities ahead. Our careers can go in so many different directions, guided by the wind and the waves, or our experiences and influencers. Our careers can be abundant. Our careers can thrive.
Water and Rocks
One ViewPoint was blocked by trees; I couldn’t see the island at all. Isn’t that the truth sometimes? We feel like we have no idea where our career is headed. We’re blocked by immediate issues in front of us. We may not see the path. We may feel like we’re fighting each day.
Trees
Another ViewPoint showed a clear view of the island, like a picture of the career we truly want. Yet, when I looked at it more closely, I couldn’t see a path to get on the island.
A beach with the tide out and an island of trees
Then, another ViewPoint, on the other side of the beach, showed a risky path to climb the island. This represents all that is risky in pursuing our careers sometimes. Facing our fears, overcoming imposter syndrome, building the muscles to climb and reach our goals. We can see the path and have to make a decision to pursue it, doing whatever it takes to get there. Following this ViewPoint and the path can lead us to a new set of ViewPoints.
A beach with water, trees, and an island with trees on it
What ViewPoint do you have of your career today? Do you see abundance, are you blocked, do you have a clear path? Do you like the view, or do you want to shift it? Through career coaching, we can get you to the spectacular ViewPoints and thriving feelings. Set up a free call today, via ViewPoint Coaching & Consulting.
Coach Brieanne
Island at sunset
Feeling Overwhelmed?
Feeling overwhelmed? Here are 16 strategies that will help.
Do you feel overwhelmed right now? It’s easy with our careers and personal obligations, to feel overwhelmed, like everything is unmanageable and never going to get done. We can feel inundated with tasks, thoughts, or emotions to the point where it feels impossible to cope. It can feel debilitating. As a professional, it’s important to learn how to manage overwhelm so you can grow in your career and as a leader. Typically, responsibilities grow in your career, rather than lessen. Fortunately, there are several strategies that you can use to reduce overwhelm. Start with one action at a time.
1. Refresh your mindset: you can control your thoughts, emotions, and actions with practice. You control what you say yes and no to. You control, it may not feel like it sometimes, how you manage your day. There are beliefs that may get in the way. You may believe that you can’t ask for a later deadline. You may believe that you can’t ask for help. You may believe that you’re not capable of getting it all done. Yet, if you believe the opposite, that everything is possible, with prioritization, resources, flexibility, and a little creativity, you can shift your mindset to “I’ve got this!”
2. Change the habit: you may not want to hear this, but feelings of overwhelm can become a habit. When a cue/trigger happens we instantly think “I’m overwhelmed” and then our behaviors and consequence follow. If we can change the thought to, “wow, one more request. Let me see if it fits in my calendar” or something slightly different than overwhelm, we can gradually shift our reactions and our behaviors. How would you like to reconstruct the habit? Here’s the design: Cue/trigger + thought/belief + behavior + reward/consequence.
3. Prioritize self-care: get your sleep, exercise regularly, drink water, eat healthy, connect with people, and enjoy your hobbies. Self-care provides the foundation by which everything else builds upon. It may be easy for me to say, “do this,” but when feeling overwhelmed it may feel impossible to do all of this. Start with one thing. What’s one thing you can do to shift in a more positive direction?
4. Self-awareness: be aware of your emotions. How are you feeling? Name it. What triggers you to feel overwhelmed? What do you want to be feeling instead? It can be boiled down to what’s your mindset, what’s your vision, and what’s the intentional action you want to take to get there? By being aware of your feelings, you can choose how you act. For example, you can have the feeling (i.e. overwhelm), become aware (i.e. when my manager asks for presentations due in one day it overwhelms me), pause, take a breath, and choose how you want to act (i.e. assess how much time the effort will take and express the impact to other work, if applicable, re-prioritize if needed, etc.). With practice, the self-awareness will lead to more choices.
5. Practice mindfulness: whether it’s deep breathing, meditation, or “resetting” to be in the present moment, mindfulness can help to stay centered.
6. Scope it out: write down all the big things on your mind like projects, initiatives, parties, carpools, etc. Get it all down on paper or digitally. A total brain dump; it helps to unload.
7. Understand your why and prioritize: why are each of these things important to you? What’s their importance to others? If they’re not important, do you need to be doing them? You can stop doing them or delegate, where appropriate. For those items that are important, what’s the priority? Knowing your why and the relative priority can keep you grounded, keep you motivated, and help with decision making.
8. Map out the key milestones: what are the key milestones for each item? Put them on the calendar and block time to complete the supporting steps to achieve the milestones. Block time for any key tasks supporting the milestones. Seeing it on the calendar brings reality to whether there is or is not time to do it all. If there’s not enough time, consider re-prioritizing.
9. Create a master to-do list: list out your key tasks/actions, likely the next task for each key item, in one central location so you can refer to the master list daily. Each day, choose 3-5 actions to focus on; write them in a separate, visible place. A post-it note, on a whiteboard, or some other visible format. If you complete those, re-visit your master list. Having your tasks out of your head and written down lessens the anxiety over needing to remember everything.
10. Set micro-goals: what goals are important to you personally and professionally to achieve in the short term? Write these down, make them SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) and block any milestones on your calendar. Being clear on what your goals are, for you, helps to stay engaged and not feel like you’re doing things for everyone but yourself.
11. Institute weekly reviews: reflect on the week, how did you do against your to-do list, progress against micro-goals, and key milestones - keep a positive lens. Plan for the upcoming week by adjusting your calendar to align to your priority work. Prioritize and refresh your master to-do list. Create a view of the upcoming week and cultivate a belief that it’s possible to get it all done.
12. Establish routines: set aside time for work, family, friends, health, hobbies, relaxation to help maintain balance. You can also create a habit/routine for handling new requests to see if they fit within your allocated times, establishing boundaries for yourself. Create routines for certain tasks throughout the day that will serve you. Examples: when you first sit down at your desk, write your 3-5 actions down. End every meeting 5 minutes early so you can stand, get a glass of water. Listen to your favorite book or podcast while in the car. At the end of each day, write down all tasks on your master to-do list, look at your calendar for the next day, and slot in time to get high priority work done. Build routines that work for you.
13. Take breaks: it’s important to get regular breaks throughout the day to pause, refresh, and reset. Take 5 minutes to walk around, breathe in some fresh air or to stretch. Take 5 minutes to get a glass of water and do some push-ups.
14. Gratitude practice: take a moment each day to reflect on what you’re grateful for or write it down in your journal. This can shift your perspective and help to reduce the feelings of overwhelm. I personally like to reflect on what I'm grateful for as I fall asleep, thinking I'm grateful for x, y, z.... and doze off to sweet dreams.
15. Seek support: reach out to friends, family, therapists, coaches, colleagues and share what you’re feeling. Ask for specific help when appropriate, such as helping with work projects or with personal obligations.
16. Celebrate the wins: as you complete different tasks or projects, or achieve a milestone, celebrate in a way that’s meaningful to you. Acknowledge the team members that helped you. Treat yourself to a walk outside, listen to a new album, or something that you’d appreciate. Just celebrate!
By providing 16 strategies, that may add to overwhelm, so I want to re-emphasize that starting with one action at a time and then building will help you gradually shift your overwhelm to “I’ve got this” with prioritization, resources, flexibility, and a little creativity.
If you’d like to dive deeper, join me for one of my career coaching workshops: https://www.viewpointcoachingandconsulting.com/new-workshops
Coach Brieanne
#careercoaching #neurodivergentcoaching #overwhelm #adhdcoaching
10 steps to landing a job so you can thrive!
10 steps to land a job so you can thrive; all steps listed in text below
Finding a job takes multiple steps that all at once can seem overwhelming, but once they’re broken down, they can be taken one at a time and become very manageable.
Over the past few months, I wrote about each of these steps below on how to land a job so you can thrive, asking reflective questions, sharing insights, and providing tips for neurodivergent and neurotypical professionals that are on this journey. In this post, I’ve pulled all of the posts together into one long article. Enjoy!
Steps to landing a new job so you can thrive:
1. Self-reflection: values, purpose, vision, beliefs, mindset, career development plan
2. Assessment: skills, knowledge, experiences, network
3. Research: organizations, roles
4. Network: connect, connect, connect
5. Apply: resume, cover letter, LinkedIn
6. Interview: prep, practice, follow up
7. Job Offer: negotiation, acceptance, rejection
8. Resignation & transition: build relationships
9. Onboarding: intentional growth
10. Feedback: performance reviews, ad-hoc… later modified to Growth & Feedback
Follow along as we dig deeper into each topic, and you can take intentional action to land the job that aligns with your career vision and development plan.
I hope this helps you thrive in the workplace!
crossword puzzle with books in front, title: reflect on your core values
Step 1: Self-Reflection Part 1: values
The first step to landing a job is self-reflection; figuring out what you want to do in your next job. To figure out what you want, you can look at your values, your life purpose, your life and career vision, your beliefs, your mindset, and your career development plan. In this post, I’ll focus on values.
What do you value? Do you value integrity, adventure, and family? Do you value achievement, balance, and health? What are your values?
If you sit back and reflect, what does your intuition say? Let go of what you think you “should” value. Let go of what you’ve heard from friends and family of what you “should” value. Dig deep, what does your intuition say?
Our values influence our decisions, our behaviors, and even our happiness.
We use values, consciously and subconsciously, to prioritize our day, react to situations, and to sway our decision making.
When our values conflict with other people’s values, conflict may arise.
When we’re not living in alignment with our values, we may not be happy.
So, what are your values?
How do your values show up in your life and in your career?
What do you want to do to be more in alignment with your values?
And, relating back to landing a job, how do your values align with the jobs you’re interested in? Is the targeted role in alignment with your values?
Are the organization’s values in alignment with yours?
These are all insights that can help you figure out what you really want for your next job.
a desk in the jungle with the title: develop your purpose
Step 1: Self-Reflection, Part 2: life purpose
The first step to landing a job is self-reflection; figuring out what you want to do in your next job. To figure out what you want, you can look at your values, your life purpose, your life and career vision, your beliefs, your mindset, and your career development plan. The post on Part 1 focused on your values. This post, Part 2, focuses on your life purpose.
Developing your life purpose can sound daunting – “What? You want me to come up with the one reason I exist on this planet? No way!” Yes, I do. Do you have 20 minutes?
Having a purpose gives us direction. It gives us meaning. It gives us a reason to get out of bed.
Our purpose is unique to each of us; we all have a different purpose.
It will also change over time. From school age, to early in career, to mid-career, to retirement, it will shift.
One thing remains the same though, if you know your life purpose, you can live it, and thrive.
To identify your life purpose, you can reflect and get support by reading books, searching online, attending trainings, or working with a coach.
I approach it by thinking about your interests, what’s common across them, and then thinking about your future self and what that self wants to be proud of in this given time period. From that, you can develop a life purpose statement.
Mine is short: to drive impactful growth. On a daily basis, I strive to drive growth personally and for others in the actions that I take... including this post.
Having your purpose statement can help you reflect on the jobs that you’re most interested in and help you figure out what you want to do.
Caution: when doing these exercises, be aware of beliefs that enter your mind that question your ability to do any of your ideas. These are limiting beliefs that you can be aware of and make a choice about how you want to address them.
Take 20 minutes to reflect and come up with your purpose statement, and let it guide you in finding your next job.
a man reflecting, looking at the horizon with the title: create your vision
Step 1: Self-Reflection, Part 3: vision
The first step to landing a job is self-reflection; figuring out what you want to do in your next job. To figure out what you want, you can look at your values, your life purpose, your life and career vision, your beliefs, your mindset, and your career development plan. Previous posts focused on values and purpose, this article focuses on life and career vision.
Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? It took me forever to figure it out. I had lots of ideas, so I dabbled in a few different areas, but there was always an underlying theme of two roles: Chief of Staff and Coach. So, I pursued both. Having a vision was critical to feeling fulfilled. These paths aligned with my values, my purpose, and how I want to contribute to the world.
Having a vision for yourself sets the direction, sets your intention, so both your conscious and subconscious can take actions to work towards it.
Creating a vision may take 20 minutes, two months, or longer depending on how self-reflective and decisive you are.
Here are 4 things you can do to create your vision:
🌟 1. Visualize: find a cozy place to sit or lay down, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Picture yourself in the future, 5 years from now. Visualize where you’re waking up, what you’re doing in the morning, what you’re doing during the day, what you’re doing at night, how you feel, what you’re proud of in that moment about your life. Open your eyes and write down your notes --- what did you visualize and what does that tell you about where you want to be?
🌟 2. Map it out: answer the questions, what do you want to learn, what do you want to experience, what impact do you want to have, and ask yourself what career aligns with that? (I also have a worksheet for this)
🌟 3. Create a vision board: get some old magazines and cut out images and words that speak to you. Create a collage on a piece of paper of these clippings and see what it tells you about your future. Post where you can see it.
🌟 4. Journal: reflect and answer these prompts. Write for 3 minutes on: “what do I want to be doing before I retire?” Write for 3 minutes on: “what are the experiences and the impact that I want to have leading up to that?” Write for 3 minutes on: “what do I need to do now to lead to that?” After 9 minutes of journaling, see what insights you get.
There are several ways to come up with your vision; the key is to make sure it’s your vision. Let go of any “shoulds". Listen to your intuition. Reflect, visualize, create, or write… do what you need to do. This is your future we’re trying to create. It’s important.
Having your vision enables you to land a job that aligns with your longer-term goals, so you can thrive. Otherwise, you’re taking a job that sounds interesting in the moment. It has perks, but it may not align to your long-term picture.
Take your time, come up with your vision starting today.
question marks and a light bulb with the title: be aware of your beliefs and mindset
Step 1: Self-Reflection, Part 4: Beliefs and Mindset
The first step to landing a job is self-reflection; figuring out what you want to do in your next job. To figure out what you want, you can look at your values, your life purpose, your life and career vision, your beliefs, your mindset, and your career development plan. Previous posts focused on values, purpose, and vision; this post focuses on beliefs and mindset.
In order to know what you want to do in your next job, it’s important to be aware of your beliefs and your mindset. They may be helping you or they may be holding you back.
Do you listen to your inner critic when it says you’re not good enough for a role?
Do you believe that there are roles out there for you?
Do you believe that you can land the job that you want?
Do you believe that even though you don’t have all of the qualifications, you can learn the rest?
Do you believe that you can share your story, confidently?
Do you believe that you can identify and convey enough impactful experiences through your interview?
If you’re neurodivergent, what beliefs and mindset are there for you?
You have to be aware of your beliefs and your mindset.
Look what’s helping you and what’s getting in your way.
Identify what you want to believe and how you want to think.
Figure out how to shift your beliefs and mindset through reframing and creating new thought habits.
Being aware of your beliefs and mindset can help you distinguish what job you want, what job you think you can get, and what to pursue.
🌟 Take 20 minutes to reflect on your beliefs and mindset and determine if you need to make any shifts... then start making the shifts! 🌟
A coffee cup, computer, and notebook on a desk with the text: Refresh your Career Development Plan.
Step 1: Self-Reflection, Part 5: Career Development Plan
Do you know what you want to do in 5 years and how to get there?
The first step to landing a job is self-reflection; figuring out what you want to do in your next job. To figure out what you want, you can look at your values, your life purpose, your life and career vision, your beliefs, your mindset, and your career development plan. Previous posts focused on values, purpose, vision, beliefs and mindset; this post focuses on reflecting on your career development plan.
It's time to dust off your career development plan and see where you’re at.
If you don’t have a career development plan, create one.
Every career development plan should have six sections: Vision, Values, Assets, Career Path(s), Development Plan, and Actions. Let me break it down.
1. 3-5 Year Career Vision: set the stage for what you want to do in the future. A brief statement.
2. Values: what are your top 3 values as the basis for your career decisions.
3. Your Assets: what are your current strengths, skills, experiences, knowledge, and network that you want to utilize in your future career.
4. Career Path(s): list three potential career paths and the potential roles over the next 5 years.
5. Development Plan: list the skills, experiences, knowledge, and network needed to achieve each of the career path options and an action that can help achieve it.
6. Actions: of the development plan options, what actions do you want to take over the next 1, 3, and 6 months.
Take some time to reflect and refresh your career development plan, thinking about the roles that are of interest to you now and how they align to your plan or not. What do you think about that?
Looking at this full picture will give you insights into what role you really want to take next.
Take 30 minutes to write or refresh your career development plan and see what roles align to your plan.
question marks with the title: are you ready? Step 2: Assessment
Step 2: Assessment
Now that you’ve reflected and figured out what you want to do, it’s time to assess where you’re at in terms of skills, knowledge, experiences, and network for the roles that you’re interested in and assess against the work environment, how you work, and reassess if it’s a part of your career development plan.
Search online for roles that are aligned with what you want to do, both the role and the organization.
Review the skills, knowledge, and experiences required and beneficial for the role.
Then, assess, on a scale of 0-5, do you have each one? 0 = not at all, 5 = perfect match. Assess skill by skill, knowledge area by knowledge area, experience by experience.
Take a step back and look at where you’re strong and where there are gaps. For the gaps, to you, do they seem critical to the role? Are these areas that you’re interested in growing? If yes, do you want to put together a plan to develop in these areas? If these areas do not appear to be critical, you may still be able to pursue the role.
Overall, do your skills, knowledge, and experiences align?
Next, assess the work environment and how you work best compared to what you know about the role and the organization. Think about everything from work hours, to work setting, remote, in-person, individual worktime, collaboration, flexibility, structure, and other factors that are important to you. Do these align?
Next, reassess against your career development plan. Does this role move you in the direction of your 5–10-year plan?
If yes, GO FOR IT! If not, do you need a development plan to grow into the role? If yes, put the plan together and GO FOR IT! If not, what does that tell you about the roles that you’re interested in? Reflect and decide what you want to do and GO FOR IT!
Next, assess your network.
· Who do you know that you can ask about the role to gather more information about what they do?
· Who do you know that may be connected to someone hiring for the role?
· Who do you know that could become a sponsor for you to help connect you to the role?
· Who could be a mentor to help develop you into the role?
Think about your network inside your organization and in others.
🌟 Take 30-45 minutes to assess your skills, knowledge, experiences and network, the work environment, how you work best, and your career development plan, against the role you’re interested in and decide if it’s right for you 🌟
A computer and two stacks of books with the title: landing a job so you can thrive! Step 3: Research.
Step 3: Research
You’ve figured out the role you want, and you’ve assessed your situation; now it’s time to research and find the job postings to apply for!
This is where you get to do the hard work, digging into the job postings to see what’s actually available.
At a high level, there are 6 steps to researching.
1. Create a tracking file for your research. Copy company websites and job posting links to your file, when the jobs were posted and if there’s an application due date. Once you apply, you can track your application date, status, and relevant comments.
2. Find organizations that align to your values and where you’d like to work. What’s their vision/mission? What are their values? What’s their work culture? How important is the role you want to the core of the company? Look at what interests you.
3. Find roles that align with the roles you’re interested in. Look for the various job titles that represent the role you want. Create a library of keywords that match your role.
4. Check the organizations you want to work for website for job postings. What’s available?
5. Check the job sites (i.e. LinkedIn) for job postings using your keyword library and maybe you’ll uncover new organizations that you weren’t aware of.
When searching, type in the role you’re interested in, location, and if it’s important to you, filter on remote, hybrid, or on-site and any other filters that help you narrow your search. I suggest starting broader, then narrow.
6. Set up alerts to be notified of new job postings.
🌟 Set aside time every day to search for new job listings; make it a part of your daily routine🌟
Two professionals sitting, talking, with the title: landing a job so you can thrive! Step 4: Network
Step 4: Network
You’ve found job postings that you’re interested in and you’re getting ready to apply. In parallel, it’s time to network.
Having a connection that knows you, even a little bit, can help get you in front of the hiring manager, get your resume looked at or even get you an interview. The rest is up to you.
Who do you know in similar roles, that you can learn from? Get more information about the role, the skillsets, the desired experiences for the role?
Who do you know in that organization? Do they know the hiring manager? Can they give a warm introduction? Or, if they don’t, can they tell you about the team culture?
Who are you connected to on LinkedIn that knows someone in that organization? Don’t be afraid of doing research and reaching out. I’ve heard that people are tired of being reached out to. It may be true, so don’t be afraid of being ignored. It’s better than never reaching out.
When networking, there are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Giver, Taker, Matcher: Adam Grant outlines the different reciprocity types: givers, takers, and matchers. When networking, be aware of your approach. What are you giving to the connection? What are you taking from the connection? Don’t just take, take, take. See what you can offer. Do some research on the connection, share some insights.
2. Be respectful of time: only ask for 15 minutes to connect for people you don’t know very well. Keep your exchanges brief. No offense, but the connection likely doesn’t want a dissertation on your previous work experiences. They want to hear what help you're looking for.
3. Have your professional pitch ready: be ready at any time to state what role you’re interested in, why you think you’re a good fit, and a brief statement of your request from the connection. Can they share information about the team or the role? Can they give a warm introduction to the hiring manager? And, how can you help them in return?
4. Be professional and be you: it’s important to be yourself throughout the process, so your true gifts shine.
🌟Set aside time every day to network; make it a part of your daily routine
A tops down view of a desk with a computer, resume, phone, coffee, and notebook with two hands, one holding a pen
Step 5: Applying
It’s finally here, it’s time to apply to jobs that you’ve found. Use these tips when customizing your resume, writing your cover letter, and optimizing your LinkedIn profile. These tips work!
**Craft a Stellar Resume**
📝 Tailor your resume to the job description, where applicable.
📊 Highlight quantifiable achievements and results; use the frame of results and impact, then how.
🌟 Showcase relevant skills and experience.
💼 Keep it concise – one page for early career, two pages for seasoned professionals.
**Create a Compelling Cover Letter**
📄 Address it to the hiring manager if possible.
🤝 Make a personal connection – explain why you're passionate about the role.
📈 Showcase how your skills align with the company's needs.
📝 Keep it concise and error-free.
**Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile**
🔍 Use a professional photo and a catchy headline.
📖 Craft a compelling summary highlighting your expertise and career goals.
📊 Showcase your accomplishments through rich media (projects, articles, etc.).
**Keywords Matter:**
📌 Use relevant keywords in your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile.
🧠 Think like a recruiter – anticipate the words they'll be searching for.
🚀 Boost your chances of getting noticed by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
Remember, the job application process is about showcasing your unique value proposition. Stand out, be authentic, and let your passion shine through!
Confession: ChatGPT was used to develop these tips on applying. It validated what I would have written.
Two women interviewing with the title: step 6: interviewing, landing a job so you can thrive!
Step 6: Interviewing
We’ve made it through 5 steps in previous posts, 1: Self-reflection to figure out the job you want, 2: Assessment around skills, knowledge, experiences, and network, 3: Research on the organization and roles, 4: Networking, 5: Applying by customizing your resume, writing your cover letter, and optimizing your LinkedIn profile, and now we’re on step 6: Interviewing. Follow these steps to prepare and land your interview. It’s all about mindset, vision, and intentional action…get in the right mindset, envision what you want to say and convey, and take the intentional action to prepare, practice, and perform to get there!
Step 1: Research & Review
Review the company website for vision, mission, priorities, strategies, brand, offers, and culture.
Search for news articles regarding the organization to see the latest headlines (or check the company's site for news).
Review the job description in detail, understanding the responsibilities and requirements for the job.
Review any notes from conversations you had with people about the role.
If you know the interviewer’s names, look at their LinkedIn profiles to learn about them. What interests do you they have? Where have they worked? What roles have they had? What types of questions do you think they’ll ask – high level, detailed, functional, people oriented.… it may help.
Review your notes from previous interviews; what did you want to repeat and what did you want to improve?
Step 2: Brainstorm or source interview questions
Many recruiters will provide sample interview questions; pull these out and review.
Otherwise, brainstorm questions, or ask ChatGPT for interview questions for your specific role.
Sample questions:
o Tell me about yourself?
o What are your strengths? Opportunities for growth?
o Technical/specific questions to the role (pull from the job description)
o People oriented questions for the role (pull from qualifications)
o Questions around times that were challenging? Where you had conflict?
o What questions do you have for me?
Step 3: Prepare your pitch & key messages
What’s your 2-3 minute story? What’s your narrative? Not a regurgitation of your resume, but what’s your story? I've been in the tech industry for 20+ years, passionate about x, y, z. In my role as x, I discovered my passion for z. Use data points too, I've worked for 2 large corporations, in 13 roles, driving $x.x in revenue.
What are the key messages that you want to land with the interviewers? i.e. skilled in x, y, z, or approaches challenges with integrity and drive... Keep these top of mind as you prepare your stories.
Step 4: Prepare your stories & examples
Recall 5-10 stories/examples that you can use to respond to the questions above.
Frame your answer with the context (what was the situation), what was at stake (why important), the actions you took (specifically you), the results you got, and the lesson you learned.
One story can be used for multiple questions, just using a different viewpoint.
Step 5: Practice
Practice answering the questions by yourself, with a friend, or with a coach.
It’s important to talk through answers out loud, so you get the flow and output that you want; keep your key messages in mind.
You don’t need to memorize the answers; memorize the high-level story and the points that you want to land. The rest of it will come if you practice.
Step 6: Prep
Mental: what do you need to do to get into the right mindset for the interview? Are there any beliefs that are getting in your way? i.e. there’s no way I’m getting this job. If you have beliefs holding you back, reframe them. i.e. this job is a stretch, but I have the qualifications and I’m up for the challenge, so I’m going to give it my best shot. Also, reflect on what tends to make you stumble in interviews and think through a strategy that will help, such as breathing, pausing, or a go-to phrase that can help.
Physical: what do you need to feel physically ready for the interview? Dress a certain way? Exercise in the morning? Meditate? Breathe?
Environment: is the interview in person or virtual? If virtual, do your surroundings, what will be on camera, look tidy, don’t have anything controversial showing, etc.
Logistics: what time do you need to leave your home, or get on the computer to be ready for the interview? Do you need water with you? Do you need to bring a snack? Do you need paper to take notes? Do you need a copy of your resume to hand out?
Step 7: Interview – It’s Go Time!
Right before: do you your prep routine – breathing, listening to a kick-ass song, reviewing notes, whatever you need to do to get into the right head space, take a few minutes to do so.
Be early: arrive in-person or online, early. 15 minutes for in-person, 2-5 minutes for online. You want to be waiting for the interviewers, not the other way around.
Be you: you’ve prepared. You’ve practiced. Be present. Listen for the questions, pause, and answer the questions with your stories in the framework (context, stakes, action, results, lesson). Ask clarifying questions if you need to.
Breathe: take deep breaths throughout the interview, not noticeably, but remember to breathe.
Notes: write down notes that help you answer the questions; key words to trigger your answers.
Smile: this is a conversation between humans.
Be curious: if you want to know more about the organization to figure out if you want to work there, or if you want to know something that will inform your decision, ask! This is a chance to see if you want to work for this organization. You want to thrive too!
Interviewer connection: recall what you saw on the interviewer’s LinkedIn profile, if there are topics of interest. Do not say “I saw this on your profile,” but casually weave it into the conversation.
Step 8: Follow-up
Send a follow up email (or their method of communication) to each interviewer, thanking them for their time and noting something specific about the interview, and how you look forward to hearing from them in the future.
Step 9: Reflect & Learn
After each interview, write/type down notes of went well and what you want to improve on for the next interview.
It’s a growth experience; learn as you go.
Capture these notes for the next interview.
Step 10: Celebrate & Repeat
Congratulate yourself for making it to this stage and giving it your best shot!
Now, it’s a waiting game to hear back, so don’t stop now, keep researching jobs, applying, and repeating the process until you land a job where you can thrive!
A man standing with his arms raised in the air, celebrating. Text: Landing a job so you can thrive. Step 7: Handing a job offer. Prepare, Negotiate, Accept, Handle Rejection.
Step 7: Handling the Job Offer
Do you say “yes!” to the job offer? Or, do you negotiate?
Congratulations, you’ve completed the interviews and now it’s time for either the job offer or the rejection. Here are tips on how to handle both.
🌟 Prepare: Be prepared to receive a job offer and on what conditions you’ll accept it or what you may want to negotiate.
· Know your worth: Do your research on the range of compensation for the role, the company, and the industry, as well as your experience and skills. What $ range would be acceptable?
· Look at the whole picture: What is the benefits package, the bonus structure, work arrangements, and growth opportunities, including, how does it fit into your career development plan?
🌟 Negotiate: If you want to negotiate terms, practice presenting your case, your value proposition, with specific examples. Stay professional with a positive and respectful attitude; this is a collaborative process. Know your bottom line and be prepared to respectfully decline the offer, leaving the door open for future opportunities.
🌟 Accept: If you want to accept the offer, express appreciation, and enthusiasm. Review the offer letter carefully and seek clarification on any points that are unclear. Confirm the start date and onboarding process, including necessary paperwork and channels of communication.
🌟 Rejection: If you receive a rejection, respond professionally and graciously, thanking them for the opportunity and expressing your continued interest in future opportunities. Request feedback to help with future applications and interviews. And, most importantly, stay positive. We typically have to hear a lot of “no’s” before we hear the one “yes”. This is normal and a part of the process; keep going after it.
The key in all three scenarios is to be professional, show appreciation, and keep the door open for either a great onboarding experience or future employment opportunities.
Keep at it!
A dark setting, with one professional holding two briefcases and one person sitting at a desk with a clock. Text: Step 8: Resignation & Transition.
Step 8: Resignation & Transition
How do you build relationships while transitioning out of your old role? Follow these tips to thrive!
Now that you’ve accepted a job offer, it’s time to resign from your position and transition your work, if applicable. There are four typical stages: notify, plan & document, transition, and build. Let’s dive in!
🌟 Notify: schedule a meeting with your manager to discuss your resignation decision, show appreciation, and discuss timelines and transition. Keep the conversation positive to build the relationship. Provide at least two weeks of notice or longer, to allow time to transition work and prevent gaps. Follow up with a written notice outlining your resignation, last day, and appreciation.
🌟 Plan & Document: discuss with your manager how and when the work will transition and to whom. Then, create a transition resource that answers:
· What are the role priorities and measures of success?
· What are the initiatives or projects they are leading or participating in?
· What are the deliverables they are responsible for and by when?
· For each action, what’s the status, who is involved, what are the next steps, and what are the available resources or reference materials, websites, channels?
· Who are the stakeholders and suggested frequency of meeting?
· What are the meetings that they need to attend, their purpose, their role, and the frequency, and meeting owner?
· What are the topics they need to learn and how to ramp up?
· What are the policies or procedures specific to the role or team that they need to know?
· What are the aliases, distribution groups, websites, channels, or other communication formats the new person needs to know about or join?
· What’s the rhythm of the role? Every week, month, quarter, half, annually – key milestones, events, or deliverables due?
· And, anything else you can think of that would help with the transition.
Provide the information in an Excel file, Word document, OneNote, or other consolidated format with appropriate sections for ease of use.
🌟 Transition: determine if you’ll be able to hand over your work in-person or if it will be written documentation with no formal hand-off.
· Formal hand-off: if you know who is taking over your position, set up time to meet with them and review the transition content you’ve developed over a couple of sessions.
· No formal hand-off: if you do not know who is taking over your role, ask your manager who the work is transitioning to temporarily and review the content with them. Or, if no one, ensure the transition content is clear and easy for someone to pick up and do the job. Share the transition content with your manager ahead of time, giving them an opportunity to ask questions.
🌟 Build: build the relationships with your colleagues and manager by connecting, completing tasks, tying up loose ends, communicating proposed next steps, and including them on relevant communications. Always maintain professionalism and keep commitment to completing your deliverables. Connect with colleagues via LinkedIn and provide your contact information to colleagues you’d like to connect with going forward. Express appreciation for your partnership.
Now, you’re ready to start your new role! Next up in the series are tips on onboarding.
A person tying their red sneaker with the text: step up your onboarding game.
Step 9: Onboarding
Do you want to be mediocre in your new role? Or, do you want to kick-@$$? (yeah, I said it). It’s time to step up your onboarding game.
Do you really ever want to be just average at something, just passing? Maybe at average things, like tying shoelaces or feeding the pet, but for your job, where you spend most of your time during the week, don’t you want to kick-@$$? Be proud? If you do, read on about how you can step up your onboarding game to ramp up in your new role quickly; please also share your tips with onboarding.
Go in with a plan and be ready to modify it.
Be proactive by having a solid framework for your first 30, 60, 90 days so you can adapt it as you gather more information about your role and your team. Include what you want to learn, who you want to meet, what you want to deliver, and systems you want to put in place. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Before you start, think about:
Your mindset: prepare yourself to be positive and have a growth mindset. You’re about to jump on a steep learning curve (usually). Be ready to ask questions, hear feedback, and learn, learn, learn.
Brainstorm all of your initial questions. Get all of the “dumb” and “smart” questions written down. If you're curious, capture it, and get the answer.
Decide how you’ll organize your actions, notes and resources. OneNote, Excel, Document, other? It helps to be organized from the beginning.
Identify people or types of people you know you need to meet with (i.e. different functions).
Identify the buckets of knowledge you know you need to know (and be ready for those you don’t) and how you want to start building in those areas.
Define habits that you want to institute with the new role – this is a fresh start! Do you want to start weekly reviews? Exercise more? Eat healthier? Sleep more? Adjust your work hours? Learn more? Refine how you organize and prioritize? Other?
Week 1-2: Meet with people and define scope & success.
Meet with your manager and agree on key focus areas.
Ask for an onboarding buddy if one is not assigned. You need a go-to person for questions.
Set up meetings with colleagues and stakeholders for initial introductions.
Assess the culture, the vision, mission, values, and workstyles.
Start answering these questions (these are the same I asked you to document in your transition for your old role in a previous post):
What are the role’s priorities and measures of success?
What are the initiatives or projects you are leading or participating in?
What are the deliverables you are responsible for and by when?
For each action, what’s the status, who is involved, what are the next steps, and what are the available resources or reference materials, websites, channels?
Who are the stakeholders and suggested frequency of meeting?
What are the meetings that you need to attend, their purpose, your role, and the frequency, and meeting owner?
What are the topics you need to learn and how to ramp up?
What are the policies or procedures specific to the role or team that you need to know?
What are the aliases, distribution groups, websites, channels, or other communication formats you need to know about or join?
What was the rhythm of the role previously? Every week, month, quarter, half, annually – key milestones, events, or deliverables due?
Week 3-4: Reflect, define your plan, and connect.
Confirm your priorities and your approach with your manager. Establish regular check-ins.
Based on what you’ve learned, develop your draft plan. Map out your deliverables and timelines and how best to achieve them. Refine your 30, 60, 90-day goals - what are the milestones that are important for you, and/or for your manager? For your first performance review, what do you want to be able to say that you’ve accomplished? Incorporate those “how” and “what” into your plan. Start collaborating, taking action, and delivering on your plan.
What rhythm do you need to create and at what frequency? Establish all stakeholder meetings. Block your calendar for routine deliverables.
Meet with people on your team, stakeholders, project team members, etc. to learn about them, their role, and how you will partner together.
Define how you work best. In-person, remote, hybrid? Office or open space? Headphones or not? Hours of day? Breaks? Type of communication for different scenarios, i.e. detailed asks are written in e-mail, etc.? What will work with what you know about the role. Have a discussion with your manager.
Institute a weekly review & prep. At the end of the week, review what you accomplished, measure any key performance indicators (KPIs), what worked and what to do differently next week. Then, prep for the next week. Look at the deliverables due, decisions needed, meetings scheduled, etc. and see how the week will flow? Will the information needed for specific meetings be available in time? What do you need to prepare? Block the time. Strategize and think through the week.
Week 5+: Refine your Plan, Deliver, & Build Relationships.
Track to your plan and continuously update it.
Connect: share information, provide status updates, and share insights with colleagues. Get to know your colleagues and dare I say, "have fun!"
Strategize: what ideas are brewing for you and your team? What can you improve?
Deliver: nail your deliverables - be on-time and high quality. Collaborate along the way. Ask for support when you need it. You don't need to do it alone.
Reflect: listen to feedback and use your intuition to make improvements.
Plan: keep up with the weekly reviews and extend your horizon. Plan for 3-6 months and eventually a year or more out.
Network: set up 1-2 coffee/virtual chats with colleagues, new and old, each week to stay connected and share learnings.
Read/learn: stay current on industry trends and insights through news, associations, etc. Learn new insights, skills, or information relevant to your role.
This is just to get you started. Keep building, keep strategizing, keep connecting, and keep delivering!
A plant growing with two leaves. Text: Step 10: Growth & Feedback. Landing a job so you can thrive!
Step 10: Growth & Feedback
We grow over time, by building our skills, increasing our knowledge, developing our network, adding new and improved experiences, and listening to feedback from ourselves, our colleagues, our manager, mentor, sponsor, customers, partners, friends, and family. This can be summarized in three key approaches, 1) managing to your career development plan, 2) asking for feedback, and 3) strategic performance reviews.
🌟 Approach #1: Managing to Your Career Development Plan
We can be intentional with our growth by having a career development plan. Every career development plan should have six sections: Vision, Values, Assets, Career Path(s), Development Plan, and Actions. Let me break it down and let me know if you'd like the template.
1. 3-5 Year Career Vision: set the stage for what you want to do in the future. A brief statement.
2. Values: what are your top 3 values as the basis for your career decisions.
3. Your Assets: what are your current strengths, skills, experiences, knowledge, and network that you want to utilize in your future career.
4. Career Path(s): list three potential career paths and the potential roles over the next 5 years.
5. Development Plan: list the skills, experiences, knowledge, and network needed to achieve each of the career path options and an action that can help achieve it.
6. Actions: of the development plan options, what actions do you want to take over the next 1, 3, and 6 months.
It takes some time to build out your career development plan, but once you have it, you can refine it as you grow. Then, it's time to manage to it. Block time on your calendar each quarter to review your plan, identify new actions, and put them in motion. If your aspirations change, change your plan. Have a mindset that you can achieve your career aspirations, set a clear vision, and take intentional action towards it.
🌟 Approach #2: Ask for Feedback
We can also be intentional with our growth by asking for feedback. But not any feedback. Specific feedback. If you blankly ask someone for feedback, they are going to reflect on what’s important to them and give you related feedback. That may or may not be useful to you; think of specific questions to ask, “did I articulate my points clearly in the presentation?” “Did I listen to the partner feedback with empathy?” You’ll then get specific results.
Look at your career development plan and your targeted growth areas, then think of people that can observe you and provide specific feedback. This can be a manager, colleague, mentor, sponsor, friend, or family member. Ask them if they’ll help you grow in that area and give them specific points to give you feedback on and ask if you can return the favor.
🌟 Approach #3: Strategic Performance Reviews
Another opportunity for growth and feedback is your performance review. Be proactive and strategic in your new role, by thinking ahead of time about what you want to say/write and what you want to hear from your manager in your performance review in 3 or 6 months, or whatever time period ahead. Envision the key deliverables, the what and the how. Envision the impact you’re having. Envision your colleagues’ glowing reviews. Envision bringing your career development plan to life with what you're learning and experiencing. Does what you’re planning to do already meet or exceed expectations? What are you going for, meet or exceed? Adjust your plans to match your desired outcomes. Share your plans with your manager. Then, during your actual performance review ask for specific feedback on if you achieved what you were trying to. Listen. Reflect. Plan. Grow again.
And, continue the cycle as you grow in your role. Have your career development plan for your career growth and career path, have your work plan with your deliverables specific to your current role, be strategic with your performance reviews, and have ongoing feedback mechanisms. Reflect on your progress, incorporate feedback, adjust your plans, keep strategizing, keep connecting, keep delivering, keep learning, and keep thriving!
This wraps up our series on the 10 steps you need to land a job so you can thrive!
For a coach and unbiased partner in this process, set up an initial free call: https://calendly.com/coachbrieanne/25-minute-1-1?month=2024-01&date=2024-01-10
Coach Brieanne
https://www.viewpointcoachingandconsulting.com
Join a discussion to thrive more in the workplace!
Do you want to thrive more in the workplace? Here’s your opportunity to focus on thriving, for you and for your team.
I’m kicking off a new, free discussion series: 🌟 thrive in the workplace 🌟, meeting virtually, Thursday’s 12-12:45pm PST starting February 1st through April 4th.
It’s 45-minutes of focusing on your development so you and your team can thrive.
I invite you to join, discuss insights around the specific topic, share lessons, and learn from others so you can thrive even more in the workplace!
Each week we’ll focus on a new topic:
· February 1st: How to increase your job satisfaction?
· February 8th: How to improve your work-life balance?
· February 15th: How to be a better colleague?
· February 22nd: How to be a better leader?
· February 29th: How to create a more positive work environment?
· March 7th: How to improve your mindset?
· March 14th: How to create your career development plan?
· March 21st: How to create more stability in your organization?
· March 28th: How to improve rewards and recognition?
· April 4th: How to adapt to the external factors impacting you?
All you have to do is reserve time on your calendar and visit this page to join the Microsoft Teams video call:
Coaching through the 5 Stages to Thriving with Neurodivergence
Any neurodivergent professional can thrive in life, career, and leadership by coaching through the 5 stages to thriving because it’s customizable to you.
You don’t need to go through life thinking that your goals are not possible, that you can’t be happy, that you can’t have that next job or promotion, that you can’t be a better leader because of your neurodivergence. It may take hard work, self-awareness, assessing options, taking intentional action, mindset shifts, and re-designing habits, but with continued emphasis, you can achieve what you never thought possible.
In my life as a neurodivergent professional, I have gone through the 5 stages of thriving and would like to be your unbiased, encouraging partner, your neurodivergent coach, helping you to thrive in life, career, and leadership too.
You define what thriving means to you and then we get to work.
The 5 Stages to Thriving are:
Acceptance + Understanding
Establishing the Foundation: Values, Purpose, Vision, Beliefs
Implementing Strategies + Habits
Building Confidence + Self-trust
Continuous Action + Feedback + Refinement
One stage may be quick, and another may take longer. We go at your pace.
How long have you been trying to thrive? 2 months? 2 years? 20 years? What’s the cost of staying the same? Less income? Less satisfaction? Multiplied by how many years of not taking action? Putting numbers to it, say if you took action this year, and you thought you could get a job paying $10,000 more next year. If you didn’t take action over the next 5 years, that’s a $50,000 decision. What’s the cost of staying the same? Take a moment to make the calculation.
If you’ve tried repeatedly to thrive in life, career, and leadership, but haven’t quite gotten there, neurodivergent coaching gives you that nudge, that encouragement, that viewpoint, that you need to get there. We can approach with a focus of neurodivergent life coaching, neurodivergent career coaching, neurodivergent leadership coaching, or just overall neurodivergent coaching. If you have ADHD tendencies, we’ll pull in ADHD coaching strategies. If you have anxiety, we’ll pull in anxiety coaching strategies. If you have bipolar, we’ll pull in bipolar coaching strategies. We’ll pull in the strategies that are right for you, to move through these stages.
Note: It’s important to recognize if you need to meet with a therapist at the same time to work through trauma or deep topics. Coaching is focused on forward thinking and taking action.
Personally, I decided that thriving was being an entrepreneur, serving others through coaching. I accepted my neurodivergence and understood how it was impacting my career. I implemented strategies, such as weekly planning sessions, vision exercises, and regular reminders of long-term goals to set myself up for success. I developed habits such as meditating, journaling, and exercising daily and work habits with a daily structure, to reinforce my vision. I decided to be confident and listened to podcasts and books that boosted my confidence and self-trust. And, I took continuous action, gathered feedback, and continue to refine my life, career, and leadership so I can continually thrive.
I want to help you transform your life by guiding you through these 5 stages as your neurodivergent coach.
Through the journey, you’ll feel motivated, sometimes frustrated, but gradually you’ll start to thrive.
If you want to thrive, book a free call today. Don’t wait. Grasp the feeling to make change in your life and book it.
Join the Career Boost Coaching Program
Do you need a career boost?
A renewed outlook on your career?
A fresh mindset to motivate you through the year?
A plan to build your skills and network?
Re-designed habits to empower you?
Join the ViewPoint: Career Boost, a 3-week Coaching Program designed to renew your mindset, develop your career plan, re-design your habits, and institute an action plan for the year.
Desired Outcomes:
Renewed mindset
Clear career development plan
Re-designed habits
Action plan for the year
Details:
Tuesday’s 12:00pm-1:30pm PST, 1/16, 1/23, and 1/30 via Microsoft Teams
Coaching style workshop where concepts are introduced, you reflect, build your self-awareness, identify your choices, and move forward with intentional action.
Take the next step to boost your career. Set up a free call with Brieanne to learn more and to sign up. 15% discount if you sign up by January 5th. Twelve spots available; sign up by January 12th.
Transform as a Leader and Thrive in 2024
Do you want to transform as a leader and thrive in 2024?
Do you want to unlock your potential and become the leader you know you can be?
Do you want to be a great leader for your team?
Do you want to be a great leader for you?
Do you want to achieve the challenges in front of you?
Do you know what’s holding you back?
Are there strategies that can help you?
Are there skills that you can improve?
What do you envision is possible?
2024 can be a year of transformation for you… the way you define it.
Join the ViewPoint: Leadership Program in 2024 to become the leader you know you can be. This is a coaching program designed to build awareness and set intentional actions, so you can transform your leadership and thrive.
DESIRED OUTCOMES:
Transform as a leader and thrive
Clear leadership vision
Refined mindset to unlock your potential
Improved leadership strategies and skills
Relationships with other leaders
New habits that empower you to lead
Accountability to transform
DETAILS:
Meet the 3rd Thursday of the month, 11am-1pm PST, via Microsoft Teams. 1/18, 2/15, 3/21, 4/18, 5/16, 6/20, 7/18, 8/15, 9/19, 10/17, 11/21, 12/19
One small discussion group per month; based on participant schedules.
One-hour, optional leadership coaching session per month with Brieanne based on participant/coach schedule.
MONTHLY TOPICS:
Month 1: Introductions, goal setting, beliefs
Month 2: Mindset & what shapes your leadership style?
Month 3: Values, Life Purpose, & Personal and/or team vision
Month 4: Thinking styles and preferences
Month 5: Strengths & Opportunities & Empowering Habits
Month 6: Leadership strategies current & future
Month 7: Goal Setting & Action Planning
Month 8: Org structure, rhythm, prioritization & decision making process
Month 9: Team building, culture, & empowerment
Month 10: Communication & Recognition
Month 11: Develop your long-term action plan
Month 12: Special Report Out
Take the next step to transform your leadership and thrive. Set up a free call with Brieanne to learn more. 15% discount if you sign up by January 5th. Eight spots available; sign up by January 15th.
https://calendly.com/coachbrieanne/25-minute-1-1?month=2024-01&date=2024-01-01
Neurodivergent coaching - life, career, and leadership coaching
What is neurodivergence? To me, it’s the variation in the human brain that impacts how we think and behave… sometimes it’s a little bit of a difference and sometimes it’s a huge difference.
The number of conditions that impact neurodivergence are broad, it ranges from autism, ADHD, dyslexia, to mood disorders, like bipolar… and everything in between. There are many and it’s complicated. But, we can all be neurodivergent at times.
With neurodivergent coaching, I’m aware of these differences, and learning more each day, and bring it into our coaching sessions to understand how your neurodivergence influences your life, career, and leadership, and how we can leverage your strengths to realize the vision that you have for your life, career, or leadership.
When I started this coaching journey, I focused on general career coaching and leadership coaching and when I dedicated my full career to coaching 5 months ago, I thought I’d focus on just helping professionals with ADHD or ADHD-like tendencies. Through further reflection, I want to help all neurodivergent leaders to thrive in life, career, and leadership!
As a neurodivergent leader, I have experience with bipolar, anxiety, and ADHD tendencies and will leverage this experience to help my clients.
We each have the ability to thrive, to thrive in life, to thrive as a leader, and to thrive in the workplace. Through 1:1 and group coaching, I’d love to help you on that journey!
Navigating the Holiday Hustle with ADHD
It may be hard to navigate the holiday hustle with ADHD; here are 8 reminders to help you.
1. Mindset: embrace your strengths, use your skills daily, be curious and learn, and let go of the things that don’t really matter. If you find yourself feeling down, look at how you can change your mindset.
2. Vision: visualize what you really want to have happen over the holidays, then plan for it, break it down into small tasks, and make it happen. There is power in visualization; we tend to make decisions and take actions that bring our vision to life.
3. Calendar: use time-blocking to reserve time for work, relaxation, play, or other things you’d like to do. This guides how you end up using your time.
4. Organization: have one master to-do list that you review daily and pick 5 key actions to do each day. Pick more actions as you complete the set of 5. With one list, it’s easy to keep track of it.
5. Accountability: have one or two people that you can text or talk to daily, sharing the 5 key actions you’re planning to complete that day. Telling someone you’re going to do something is a great motivator to do it.
6. Creativity: use your creativity and innovation in both your personal and professional life. Caveat, if you get an inspirational idea to start a project ensure you have enough time to finish it.
7. Mindfulness: take periodic breaks for deep breathing, taking walks, or meditation. These breaks can help bring the clarity needed to manage the holiday hustle.
8. Seek support: reach out for support when you need it, from colleagues, from professionals, or from family and friends. Ask for what you need to thrive and hopefully, you'll be surprised.
What other reminders do you have for navigating the holiday hustle and thriving in the workplace?
Coach Brieanne
Unlocking Your Professional Potential: ADHD Career Coaching for Success
Individuals with ADHD or ADHD-like symptoms often find themselves facing unique challenges in their careers, be it difficulty with executive functioning, lack of stimulation, or ability to focus on the long-term vision. The good news is that with the right guidance and support, navigating the professional landscape becomes not only manageable but empowering. Welcome to the world of ADHD career coaching—a transformative journey designed to help professionals harness their strengths, overcome obstacles, and thrive in their chosen fields.
I follow five key phases through the career coaching process:
1. Understanding the impact ADHD currently has on your career
2. Developing your career mindset
3. Clarifying your career vision
4. Exploring your career paths & developing plans
5. Building habits that empower you
Let me expand on each of these.
Understanding the Impact:
ADHD can manifest in various ways, affecting focus, organization, and time management. In the context of a career, these challenges can sometimes feel like insurmountable hurdles. However, ADHD career coaching takes a holistic approach, recognizing that individuals with ADHD or ADHD-like symptoms possess a multitude of strengths, including creativity, resilience, and adaptability. The purpose of this phase is to develop awareness of your current situation, to guide the choices you make in the future steps.
Developing Your Career Mindset:
The foundation of a successful career for individuals with ADHD lies in cultivating a resilient and positive mindset. Career coaching provides a supportive space to explore and reshape limiting beliefs, allowing individuals to build confidence and approach challenges with a newfound sense of purpose.
Clarifying Your Career Vision:
One of the key components of ADHD career coaching is helping professionals envision their ideal career path. By defining a clear and compelling career vision, individuals gain clarity on their goals and aspirations. A well-defined vision serves as a north star, helping professionals make informed decisions aligned with their long-term objectives.
Exploring Career Paths and Developing Plans:
ADHD career coaching is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It involves a personalized approach to career exploration, considering multiple career paths. I work collaboratively with clients to identify viable career paths, develop strategic plans, and set achievable milestones. This tailored approach ensures that professionals with ADHD can navigate their unique career journeys with confidence.
Building Habits that Empower:
Success in any career is often built on consistent, positive habits. ADHD career coaching places a strong emphasis on developing effective habits that cater to individual strengths and mitigate challenges associated with ADHD. From time management strategies to organization techniques, professionals learn to build habits that empower rather than hinder their progress.
Take Action: Book a Call Today!
If you're ready to thrive in your career and harness the power of ADHD career coaching, now is the time to take action. Book a call with me to explore how personalized coaching can transform your professional life.
ADHD career coaching is a dynamic and empowering journey that goes beyond traditional career guidance. It's about embracing your uniqueness, leveraging your strengths, and clarifying a career that aligns with your vision. If you're ready to embark on a transformative professional journey, book a call today and let the power of ADHD career coaching propel you towards success.
Mental Mastery for Weekly Success
I dork out when it comes to mental prep and building schedules and routines– there’s something about consistency, predictability, working towards desired outcomes that helps with peace of mind and desired results. So, today, I’d like to share an approach for prepping for the week, for your career (paid or volunteer) that can encourage your desired mental state and set you up for success. I’d love to hear if it works for you, or if you have other methods that work – please share! Let’s get started -
What you’ll need: 30 minutes, your calendar, pad of paper, and limited distractions.
Read through this note one time, then come back and reflect on each question, one by one.
Now, sit somewhere quiet and start to reflect on -
1. Vision & Goals: What do you want to focus on this week that will move you closer to your career vision or to achieving your career goals? There are always many things, so pick just a couple. Write them down.
2. Mental Prep: How do you want to feel this week? What can help you feel that way (i.e. prep, breathing)? What do you want to be proud of this week? How do you want to show up this week with your colleagues? Write it down.
3. Scope: What do you need to do this week? What do you want to do this week? What obligations do you have this week? Get a sense of what’s all on your plate. Breathe if you get overwhelmed. Create your to-do list; either write it down or type a digital version.
4. Plan: Look at your calendar for the week and block the time to do each key action. Look at where things are too packed and identify if there are ways to make it easier. Can you coordinate with someone else? Does the “thing” have to happen at that specific time? What actions can you double up? If you know you’re going to be waiting at an appointment for 15 minutes, what other 15-minute task can you do from that location? Map out the week; look at each day and look at the big picture. Have you scheduled some time for yourself? How can you fit that in? Does the week 1) allow time to achieve your goals? 2) allow time to complete your key actions? 3) create the space for your desired mental state? Use your puzzle making skills and move things around. This will take some practice to figure out.
5. Act: Next, start taking action according to your calendar and to-do list. As you complete each action, cross it off, put a big fat line through it, and feel the satisfaction of the completion and what you achieved.
At the end of the week, reflect on how the week went; what were you proud of? How did you feel? What did you achieve? What do you want to do again the next week and what do you want to change?
We each have our routines and we need to make them our own; take what works for you. I wish you the best on the journey for mental mastery when it comes to weekly success!
ViewPoint Coaching and Consulting News:
This section shares highlights of offers or upcoming events that you may be interested in signing up for, as well as updates of what I’m working on. It may spark an idea for something you’d like to do or offer to your organization!
· We have a rolling ViewPoint Thrive Program: 8-weeks to a fulfilling career. Focuses on career mindset, vision, path, plan, and habits with 1:1 coaching, weekly group sessions, and optional yoga classes. Set up a consultation to learn more.
· We have a Thrive Week coming up October 16-20th; lunchtime virtual sessions focusing on career mindset, vision, plan, paths, and habits. 12-1pst daily. Walk away feeling refreshed and focused!
· I’m developing a Leadership mindset workshop for a women skills program, a “What’s Possible - Be Bold You” workshop for Be Bold Girls, and a Neurodiversity workshop for a local company; these can be leveraged for other organizations.
· I’m attending the Annual International Conference on ADHD in Nov/Dec; the knowledge gained should bring a ton of insights into my coaching. Let me know if there’s a topic you’re interested in.
· We have our 2nd Yoga Retreat! Relax. Reflect. Reignite your Career. A Women’s Yoga + Coaching Retreat March 21-24, 2024 on Orcas Island at Doe Bay Resort & Retreat. Sign up by December 15th for the discount! We have 8 spots total!
Until the next update, I wish you focus, intentionality, and a stimulating career!
5 Back to Work Tips to keep you sane and focused
Fall is a time where many of us re-kick off work, whether paid or volunteer, and institute routines again now that summer vacations have ended. Here are 5 tips to help get you kick started.
1. Preparation: each night, take 10-15 minutes to map out the next day and the 5 actions you want to get done. As an extra bonus, text the 5 actions to an accountability partner (it really works!)
2. Morning Routine: set aside time for yourself in the morning before any distractions (no email or social media or people) to meditate, or sip coffee/tea, or to exercise… make it your time.
3. Mindset: where’s your confidence level at? What limiting beliefs are holding you back? Do some journaling on gratitude, accomplishments, fears, beliefs, and spend time visualizing, saying affirmations, or jedi mind tricks to level up. 5 minutes can make a huge difference!
4. Career (paid or volunteer): it’s ideal to have a career vision, path, and plan. To start, visualize your ideal workday (include what, who, how, feelings and the skills, knowledge, experiences, and network you’re utilizing) and where you want to be in 3 years. What can you do today to create that ideal workday and get one step closer to your future? This will keep you focused.
5. Habits: assess the habits you want to start, stop, continue, and do the work to understand each part of the habit, the cue + thought + action + consequence, and re-design your habits. Choose 1 to start with this week.
Each of these tips can take as little as 15 minutes or as much time as you have to give them. Have fun experimenting to see what works for you!
If you’d like to go deeper and get better results, set up time to chat:
Contact — ViewPoint Coaching & Consulting (viewpointcoachingandconsulting.com)
ViewPoint Coaching and Consulting News:
This section will share highlights of offers or upcoming events that you may be interested in signing up for, as well as updates of what I’m working on. It may spark an idea for something you’d like to do or offer to your organization!
· We have a rolling ViewPoint Thrive Program: 8-weeks to a fulfilling career. Focuses on career mindset, vision, path, plan, and habits.
· I’m being trained as a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Peer to Peer Trainer; these skills will help with facilitation
· I’m developing a Leadership mindset workshop for a women skills program; this can be leveraged for other organizations
· I’m developing a “What’s Possible - Be Bold You” workshop for Be Bold Girls; this can also be leveraged for other youth organizations
· I’m developing a Neurodiversity workshop for a local company; this can also be leveraged for other organizations
· I’m attending the Annual International Conference on ADHD in Nov/Dec; the knowledge gained should bring a ton of insights into my coaching. Let me know if there’s a topic you’re interested in.
· We have our 2nd Yoga Retreat! Relax. Reflect. Reignite your Career. A Women’s Yoga + Coaching Retreat March 21-24, 2024 on Orcas Island at Doe Bay Resort & Retreat. Sign up by December 15th for the discount! We have 8 spots total!