I couldn’t resist doing something a little different for episode 100. So I’m going to keep it short and sweet and do some reflecting with you.  In this episode I‘m sharing:  What reaching 100 episodes feels like and means to me What to expect over the next few months on the podcast You can find full show notes and a transcript here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/100 ..read more

As my baby’s due date is quickly approaching and I’m about to enter the world of motherhood, I couldn’t think of a better guest to have on the Career Foresight podcast than Diana Cregan.  Diana is a career coach who specializes in helping women reconnect with their professional identities and navigate the job market after taking time away from the workforce to focus on raising their children.  Her coaching business is Back to Work Roadmap for Mothers and she was kind enough to share her expertise and wisdom on this topic with us in today’s conversation.  In this episode we discu ..read more

Anyone who’s had either a great boss, or a bad boss, knows how important workplace relationships are for feeling happy at work. But it can be really challenging to assess what a workplace is like, and how people interact with each other from the outside looking in when you’re career changing.  With the people I coach, those who have experienced negative work environments in the past have a lot of trepidation about starting over at a new company. “What if I end up in the same situation I just left?” “How can I know if my boss will really have my back?” “The company culture sounds great on ..read more

I’m pretty sure that peace is one of those things that you could never have too much of! We could all use more peace in our lives, right? Especially now as we’re going on month 9 of the Covid pandemic and quarantine, and things are looking worse for the next few weeks.  Prioritization may seem like a funny thing to talk about when so many of the things we enjoy in life are no longer possible or guaranteed. However, the skill of prioritization can be applied to mindset, thoughts and goals in the same way it can be applied to our time or activities. And by doing that, we can experience grea ..read more

Helping people uncover and articulate their strengths is one of my favorite parts of coaching! It’s such an empowering experience when people learn how to articulate what it is they are great at and why. Exploring strengths is where I usually start with my career coaching clients, so I thought it would be a great topic to share more about on the podcast, too! In this episode I’ll share: What strengths are and how to find yours How working in your strengths helps you to thrive at work Why people who know their strengths and leverage them are happier and earn more Find show notes, including a ..read more

I hear push back from clients all the time about if spending their time writing customized resumes and cover letters is really worth it. Their past experiences tell them it isn’t, and I have to ask them to trust me.  What they find is, learning to position themselves on paper is actually very rewarding, genuine and gets results. Compared to the average job searcher who sends out dozens of job applications, my clients, on average, only need to apply to two jobs before being offered an interview.  And, maybe the best part is, when they get that interview offer they feel ready. The effo ..read more

I work with a lot of clients whose goal is to pivot into a tech role or join a tech company.  They want to be on the forefront of innovation, and benefit from the salaries, flexibility and growth tech jobs can offer. Since you chose to listen to this episode, I’m guessing that you identify with these desires, too.  Whether you see yourself as “techy” or not--if you’re driven, think outside the box and are motivated to make a positive change in your career and life, this episode will help you learn how to position yourself for your next role in tech.  In this episode I’ll share ..read more

I am loving today’s topic because it’s diving into a question that takes a lot of foresight to answer correctly for yourself. It’s the question of whether a job change, or a career change would best resolve the tension you may be experiencing in your work life. So without further ado, let’s get into it.  In this episode I’ll share: How to know you’re ready for some sort of career transition What questions to ask yourself to decide if changing jobs, or careers is the best route for you Why career changing isn’t as daunting as it sounds Find full show notes + a transcript here: https://ww ..read more

Over the past two weeks I’ve hosted a series of free calls for people who were struggling to get traction in their job search.  I decided to offer these free calls after seeing post after post on LinkedIn from people sharing similar experiences. They had been applying to dozens of jobs without hearing back from employers or being offered an interview. I wanted to talk to people who were experiencing this to learn more about what they were doing and to see how I could help.  Everyone I spoke with had a unique situation, background and specific areas that needed the most attention in t ..read more

I decided to tackle this topic after receiving a great suggestion from my friend Kirsten. To help frame today’s discussion, I’m going read what Kirsten shared she feels is missing in the conversations and advice regarding careers:  I've been loving this idea of figuring out the skills and expertise you have, not just in your career but in your life, and how you can combine those and transfer into other jobs or careers you might not have known were a good fit for you. I think we grew up focusing on going after a specific career or job, but with as quickly as some types of jobs go away and ..read more