Resources

The following books, online courses, webinars, podcasts and websites offer a Do-It-Yourself approach to career development and/or will supplement the work we do together.

Please excuse me for not putting myself in front of the camera or microphone to create my own content. There's so much excellent material online already and I'm happy to save you the time to cull through it. I update this list regularly. Trust me, this is the best information out there.

If you engage with these resources but still feel overwhelmed, don't be discouraged. Most people don't just need information. That's actually the easy part (although still challenging!) The hard part is understanding how to apply this information to your unique situation to create a strategy that gets the results you're looking for...and how to remain motivated through the self doubt, uncertainty, and fear that comes with job or career change. 

That's why I'm here.

NOTE: Please don't pay for video instruction about your resume, job search, Linkedin profile, career development etc. You can find expert content for FREE online through Linkedin Learning if you have Linkedin Premium or access to the platform with your local library card. There are 100's of career courses here - I suggest you choose ones taught by reputable leaders in career coaching and planning: Dawn Graham, Lindsey Pollack, and Sarah Johnson.

Use your money instead to enjoy small treats to renew your spirits through the inevitable ups and downs of your career and/or job search!

Self-Assessment/Career Choice

  • Designing Your New Work Life: How to Thrive and Change and Find Happiness – and a New Freedom – at Work, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. This brilliant book applies design thinking - brainstorming, prototyping, testing, deciding - to your life, helping you create a career that is meaningful and fulfilling. It combines self assessment and fact finding exercises with sensible advice. There's also a companion workbook - and you'll find the author's TED talk here. Career Direction
  • The Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World by Bruce Feiler. The world of work is drastically different than it was a generation ago, and our approach to career planning needs to change just as radically. Feiler shares a structure to help you conduct a “meaning audit” in your work so you can chart the path that’s right for you.
  • www.self-directed-search.com - a real classic. Brief assessment generates a "Holland Code" that suggests career families and choices that match your type and primary interests.
  • Clarity about your life values - more specifically, your personal definitions of success and life balance - is instrumental in making the best decisions about your career. Check out Richard Shell's simple but brilliant "Six Lives" exercise. 
  • Life's a Bitch and then you Change Careers, Andrea Kay. You may need to get around the title and the age of this book but it's one of the best out there for do-it-yourselfers. You'll find some down-to-earth information - as well as companion interest and values exercises - that provide welcome structure to the career seeker. The key is to do all the exercises. Your hard work and self-discipline will be rewarded!
  • www.16personalities.com - this temperament assessment is analogous to the Myers-Briggs Temperament Assessment (MBTI) but it's free. After you take the 15 minute assessment, you receive your temperament type and a host of valuable information about how your inclinations affect career choice, parenting, work style, and relational style. Very illuminating!
  • Our current cultural script implores us to find and build our careers on our "passion." But what if research indicates that only a small percentage of people can identify their passion and that people who end up loving their work didn't in fact build it on their passion? This Ted Talk by Cal Newport suggests an alternative and evidenced based approach to finding satisfying work. 

Interviewing

  • Riveter is a fabulous and free interview prep application that provides videos of "regular" people giving ideal answers to common interview questions in your field. But don't just watch - take advantage of the video recording feature that allows you to practice, learn and improve. Practicing your answers is critical since research consistently shows that candidates who formulate and rehearse their answers out loud in advance of their interviews are much more likely to rock them. The interview prep feature of Linkedin is also quite powerful since it provides role specific interview questions and suggested answers.
  • This video interview with my colleague Kathy Robinson is the smartest content out there about interviewing. It's long (an hour) but filled with equal amounts of wisdom and practical tips about researching your target company, connecting with the interviewer, and listening well for the employer's challenges in order to map your success stories onto their pain points.
  • Studies consistently show that interviewers form their opinion about you within their first 5 minutes of meeting you. So your response to the common initial question, "Tell me about yourself," is critical. Listen here (at 54:00) to learn the brilliant "P.E.T" approach and hear Jeremy Schifeling, tech career coach and former recruiter, guide a job seeker through it. 
  • This TED talk by Adam Grant is not specifically about interviewing but it's quite relevant because it implicitly (and rightly!) contradicts the advice to build credibility in an interview by hiding our limitations (our humanity, really). It's worth a listen because it's also great advice for building trust and creating influence in any relationship. 
  • Rambling (talking more than 60-90 seconds in response to an interview question) is a common issue that can limit job seekers' success. The antidote is preparation. Here's a quick video about how to do just that. 

Career Exploration

  • www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit – The U.S. Department of Labor provides skill, interest and personal values assessments, wage and occupational trend reports, and a directory of career fields and requirements.
  • www.bls.gov/ooh/ (Occupational Outlook Handbook) - This web site, also published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, provides accurate sketches of hundreds of job titles as well as a wealth of location specific, job-related and economic information from around the country. Also included are updated state unemployment rates, salary information, and anticipated job growth rates for industries and career fields.
  • www.glassdoor.com employee reviews of local, national and global employers. crowd sources the good, bad and ugly. Reviews often include salary and interviewing intel. You have to create an account before you can access info.
  • www.careeronestop.org/Videos/CareerandClusterVideos/career-and-cluster-videos.aspx – Watch video overviews of more than 550 careers. It’s worth a look since most of the videos offer footage of professionals on the job.
  • Looking for another way to get the inside scoop on a profession you're considering? Check out these Vault Guides that provide rich and current information about popular career fields. They're not free but they're awesome.
  • OwlGuru is a highly graphic catalog of career options sorted by interests, priorities, temperament, and degree. The comprehensive website includes "day in the life" descriptions, videos of people on the job, pros and cons, lists of related careers and a quiz for each career to help you decide if it's for you.
  • Okay, I can't resist adding one more resource: career explorer on Linkedin. Insert your current role and get several career options that use your current skillset. You'll also learn about roles that are a little "further afield" and what skills you'd need to get there.

Job Boards

  • www.indeed.com - A job aggregator that collects job postings from all general and niche job boards as well as newspapers, professional association websites, and employer websites. It's a fabulous opportunity for one-stop job shopping on the Web. You can use handy features like job search agents or RSS feeds to avoid having to search every day for the latest relevant postings. In fact, setting up a circumscribed job search agent to send relevant postings your way is key to your efficiency. Here's how to do it.

Moving from Individual Contributor to Manager

  • This HBR video from Harvard researcher and management consultant Herminia Ibarra provides great advice for this challenging transition. Tips include how to build internal networks, adopt a strategic perspective, balance authenticity with effectiveness, and coach direct reports who used to be your colleague

Linkedin

  • Linkedin's help section offers solid, basic advice for setting up your profile. They also offer some terrific suggestions for using Linkedin to find a job here.  
  • Linked: Conquer LinkedIn, Get Your Dream Job, Own Your Future by Omar Garriott and Jeremy Schifeling. Written by two former LinkedIn employees, this book shares great insights on how to optimize your profile and use LinkedIn as a key tool in your career and job search strategy. 
  • When we meet, we'll talk about the importance of being active and posting regularly on Linkedin. This article contains solid ideas for doing so.

General Job Search Strategy

  • The New Rules of Work: The Modern Playbook for Navigating Your Career - Highly read-able, do-able and up to date advice on choosing a job target, employing a multi-faceted job search, and landing and advancing in a job that lies at the intersection of your aptitudes and appetite. Great planning tools and worksheets to keep you focused and moving forward in a world of work that is changing rapidly. 
  • www.workitdaily.com- Free webinars, blog posts, articles and resources for the job seeker compiled by local career expert, J.T. O'Donnell, a generous, energetic, and intelligent colleague. You can also check out her subscription-based online job search program and community through this same website. It’s a great value.
  • Here's a fabulous conversation with Dawn Graham, author of one of the smartest career change books out there, Switchers, on how to create a job search strategy when you're looking to change either your functional role or industry. In these circumstances, the job boards won't work very well for you. Take her advice instead. 
  • Jenny Foss's course on Linkedin learning, The Career Strategist's Guide to Getting a Job, gives you all the information you need to execute an effective job search - with some humor built in (always appreciated!). If you follow all her advice, you probably won't need me. Get access to Linkedin Learning (previously Lynda) through signing up for a free one month trial, logging in for free through your public library, or purchasing Linkedin Premium.

Cover Letters

      I know- such a pain. This video will help you maintain your sanity and sense of humor while learning a simple formula for            success.

Using ChatGPT to Accelerate Your Job Search

AI is the career changer and job seeker's new best friend. There are so many ways to use this app to make your life easier and gain confidence. For the best set of prompts, check out my colleague Jeremy Schifeling's Career Coach GPT: The Complete Guide to ChatGPT Resume, Cover Letter, Interview and Job Search Success which you can read for free on Kindle!

Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome - over functioning to manage feeling fraudulent or inadequate - affects up to 70% of workers and job seekers. Most of whom are senior professionals and top performers! Here's a great podcast to support a growth mindset rather than fear and perfectionism.  

Resume 

  • There's a lot of conflicting advice on the internet about writing a resume, making this task even more gruesome. You can trust Jenny Foss's course on Linkedin learning, How to Write a Resume. Get access to Linkedin Learning (previously Lynda) through signing up for a free one month trial, logging in for free through your public library, or purchasing Linkedin Premium.
  • Listen to podcasts during your commute for some solid job search advice on CareerCloud Radio. Start with the episodes that are highly rated.
  • Even though most people get their jobs through networking, you can't neglect online job postings you're at least 80% qualified for. If you don't know anyone at the company who can advocate for you, don't worry! Just take the time to tailor your resume to closely match the requirements spelled out in the job posting. This strategy works!
  • www.jobhero.com - Before you write your resume, check out this terrific catalog of resumes and resume bullet points for over 1000 jobs. No need to invent the mousetrap, as they say! This website is a prolific idea generator and source of industry specific resume language.

 Salary Negotiation

  • www.salary.com - This site is dedicated to helping you evaluate your total compensation in light of analogous jobs in your field and geography. Keep in mind that it tends to run about 10% high so take the information with a grain of salt.
  • www.payscale.com - I love this site! It provides salary information on hundreds of professions in addition to up to date information on career trajectories. A great resource if you're trying to figure out the next step in your career. You have to share your information to create an account.
  • Salary Tutor: Learn the Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You, Jim Hopkinson. The book provides the tools and words you need to craft the most advantageous response to the job offer. Don't be discouraged that it's from 2011; these principles are timeless and this author does a fabulous job explaining them. The case studies are particularly helpful.

Networking

  • If you're a job seeker and only have time to use one resource on this page, listen to this TED Talk. Job seeking is a social activity because people hire people they know, like and trust or who are recommended by people they know, like and trust. Networking is often as simple as having a different (but very normal) conversation with people you already know. The data doesn't lie (see below). This is how you're likely to land your next job. And you can do it without feeling weird.
  • Most people know the old axiom "It's not what you know, it's who you know," and that they increase their chances of getting an interview dramatically by being referred. In fact, you're 66% more likely to land an interview if you're referred and 40% more likely to land the job. The only way to get referred is to network. Here's how to find and reach out to people who can help you through Linkedin (content is at 34:09)
  • You may not think about this much, but all jobs exist long before they're posted on the job boards (and many jobs are never advertised). This is called the "hidden job market." The comprehensive (but short, I promise!) LinkedIn learning course Find a Job in the Hidden Job Market will take you step by step through the process of finding these opportunities. You can access Linkedin learning free by signing up for a trial of Linkedin premium or getting access through your local public library.
  • Wouldn't it be great if you could land your next job using only a Two Hour Job Search? This book provides a systematic way to leverage your network without being a jerk to get interviews. It works. Warning: even if you follow the instructions perfectly, your job search will probably take more than two hours. Sorry. But it does offer an effective structure and strategy!

New Grads/Millennials

  • "Getting From College to Career: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World" is the best career advice book out there for folks entering the job market. It’s chock full of great stories, inspiration, and ideas for manageable things to do to help you choose a career and get your first job.
  • Including this video may not make me popular, but if you want to know the secret to career success, watch this.
  • Here's the classic conundrum: how to get a job when you have little or no experience doing the job you want. This video gives you sound options to consider and suggestions for creating the value employers are looking for that are spot on.  
  • Discouraged and overwhelmed because you can't find your passion? That's a lot of pressure. This TED talk suggests a different approach to finding career direction, such as asking yourself what problems you care about or how you can be useful.  

Self Employment

Retirement

  • What Color is Your Parachute For Retirement, Richard Bolles and John Nelson. I love this book because it's full of stories and valuable exercises to help you think through the most important questions concerning your retirement – many of which may be surprising. Much less ambitious than the original Parachute book so, in many ways, it's more practical.
  • How to Love your Retirement, Barbara Waxman. Advice from hundreds of active retirees of all ages and stages inspires new thinking about what you want in the second half of life.
  • MAXIFI - an online personal finance resource that which compares your assets against your fixed expenses to calculate how much you can safely spend annually for the rest of your life. The program, which costs $99 for the first year and $79 for renewals, takes about 45 minutes to complete.
  • www.aarp.com - great resources and videos regarding obtaining part-time work in retirement.