The Uncommon Career Podcast: Transformative Career Coaching & Job Search Strategies

35. Create Your Own Career Opportunities with DeeDee Lake

Regardless of technical and mechanical skills, DeeDee Lake's superpower of connecting with anyone, anywhere, and anytime launches her into a career as an Author Relations Coordinator, highlighting the importance of knowing oneself and working in strengths rather than weaknesses.
 
In this episode, you will be able to:
Recognize your strengths for career triumph
Build connections and seize career opportunities
Realize your strengths are more important than your weaknesses
Focus on staying genuine during your job search
 
My special guest is DeeDee Lake
 
Get to know DeeDee Lake, an inspiring individual who has built a successful career on her innate ability to connect with others. DeeDee has experienced a multitude of professional roles, including being a homeschool mom, a connection specialist at a church, and an Author Relations Coordinator at a Christian publishing house. Her passion for communication and relationship-building has remained a constant throughout her varied career. Being a Navy brat and Army wife has given DeeDee a unique perspective on change, adaptability, and the importance of making connections wherever life may lead. Her enthusiasm for helping others find their path in life is infectious, making her the perfect guest to discuss the power of networking and the importance of taking chances when seeking new job opportunities.
 
The key moments in this episode are:
 
00:00:00 - Introduction,
00:05:00 - Advocating for Your Strengths,
00:07:12 - Taking Chances to Create Your Own Role,
00:12:24 - Importance of Willingness and Teachability,
00:13:35 - DeeDee's Career Journey,
00:19:11 - Finding Your Red Thread,
00:24:29 - Immerse Yourself in the Industry,
00:26:05 - Flexibility is Key,
00:29:05 - Being Purposeful,
00:30:04 - Building Relationships,
00:31:18 - Rules of Engagement
 
The resources mentioned in this episode are:
DeeDee Lake's books:
Operation: Christmas Camouflage
Operation: Allegiance
Check out her website here: https://deedeelake.com
and Cross River Media here: https://crossrivermedia.com
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Thanks for Joining!
Start your career move here:
Download The Career Transition Checklist
 
Connect with me on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/linkedin.com/in/pmortega 
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34. Laid off? It’s not your fault. Here are your next steps.

Have you been laid off? Whether your company decided to downsize, restructure, or decided your position was redundant, being laid off is not your fault. Loosing a job can be devastating, and is often a traumatic loss experience for many professionals. 
In today's episode, I cover the three phases you need to go through to get back into the market without jumping into a bad-fit position too soon. Learn:
How to navigate and move past the rollercoaster of emotion 
What to think and reflect on to avoid bad career decisions
Bite-sized steps to take as you get back into the career search
Before you hop back into resumes, job search, networking conversations and interview prep, let's chat for 30 minutes and get you on the right track. 
I created a fillable PDF based on this episode, it's yours to download below:
https://theuncommoncareer.com/layoff-guide
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Get started:
Download the Career Transition Checklist here
 
Connect with me on LinkedIn!
https://linkedin.com/in/pmortega 
 
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Click here for Apple Podcasts show page and scroll down to rate/review.

33. Harsh Garg: Unlock an Technical Career - No Experience Needed

Have you ever faced challenges while transitioning to a tech career?
Harsh Garg and I chat about  the role of certificates and coaching to making career transition smoother.
"If you spend half an hour every day learning a skill in the next five years, you will become a national expert in that area." - Harsh Garg  
Harsh shares:
• How to make a career change into technology
• How outcome-based resumes help you land positions in a skills-based economy
• How to find a good certification course (and which he recommends)
• How coaching helps clarify and accelerate the process
 
Harsh Garg is a career coach with a mission to help individuals without prior experience break into the tech industry. With over two decades of IT experience, Harsh specializes in software testing and is passionate about driving testing transformation.
Harsh guides aspiring professionals through a personalized 16-week journey to find their desired career path in technology through short-term certificates. His unique approach focuses on understanding the 'why' behind each individual's goals, providing tailored resources and training, and equipping them with the necessary skills and certifications to land their dream job.  
Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:12 - How Harsh Became a Career Coach
00:09:06 - The Coaching Process
00:13:03 - Freelance Work and LinkedIn
00:16:44 - Preparing With Certifications
00:19:05 - Skill-building
00:23:30 - Success Stories
00:27:12 - Criteria for Choosing a Career Track
00:31:07 - Harsh's Services  
 
Resources mentioned:
- Udemy
- Google Cloud Certificate
- Microsoft Cloud Certificate
- Scaled Agile Academy
- Scrum Alliance
- DataCamp
- The Mom Project
 
Connect with Harsh:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harshgarg78/   
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harsh.garg.5059    ==============================================
 
Connect with Patricia:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmortega/     
 
Get started with your career change:
• Download The Career Transition Checklist
• The 10 Easy Ways to Stand Out in a Crowded Market

32. Transform Your Life with Goal Setting Secrets from Kylee Robinson

"If you're feeling like your hard work and dedication towards your career goals isn't paying, then you are not alone!"
Today's guest, Kylee Robinson, paid off $44,000 in student loan debt in just 26 months and published a book within a year.
Today, she'll show you how you can reach goals like these too. In this episode, Kylee Robinson helps us formulate attainable goals that align with our core beliefs and future vision.
 
She shares how to:
• Focus on the most influential goals to stay motivated.
• Build a growth mindset and trust in your abilities.
• Break your objectives into smaller milestones.
• Remove mental and material distractions to optimize your progress.
 
Kylee Robinson is the founder of Compass Living and an expert in goal-setting. With years of experience in sales and executive coaching, she has worked with entrepreneurs and leaders in Fortune 500 companies to set and achieve their goals. Kylee's unique approach to goal-setting is based on personal values and vision, which she honed through her own life experiences, including being homeschooled. She has created a seven-week course to help others develop realistic, achievable goals that align with their priorities. Her expertise and personal achievements make her an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to set and accomplish meaningful goals! Key moments/timestamps: 
 
00:00:00 - Introduction •
00:01:00 - Setting Effective Goals •
00:07:00 - The Power of Goal Setting •
00:09:00 - Overcoming Failure •
00:13:10 - Controllable Factors •
00:14:16 - Overcoming Barriers to Career Outcomes •
00:18:40 - Kylee's Course Overview and Key Concepts •
00:20:40 - Identifying Key Areas of Focus •
00:26:32 - What to do when goals don't align •
00:27:05 - The key to Achieve Greatness •
00:30:11 - Creating Space for Goals •
00:35:35 - Kylee's Business Ventures
 
 
Follow or connect with me on LinkedIn:
https://linkedin.com/in/pmortega  
 
Get started:
• Download the Career Transition Checklist here
• 10 Easy Ways to Stand Out in a Crowded Market  
 
 

31. Create resume with Chat GPT - How artificial intelligence (AI) is making your career search faster -and what to watch out for!

ChatGPT is a great tool. Many are using this artificial intelligence in their job search and some are able to add keywords to their resume, beat the applicant tracking system (ATS), and secure the interview.
In today's episode, I cover a few theories about the future of using this not-so-secret weapon, pros and cons of Chat GPT, and a process you can use to make your resume faster while not loosing your professional brand in the process.   
Learn:
Why Chat GPT may not be the answer we all think it is...yet
The step you CAN'T SKIP when creating your resume with ChatGPT
How to stand out for your future position - even if you have no experience in that field. 
ChatGPT is pretty amazing! But it's still just a tool. 
Let's learn how to use it together. 
 
ChaT GPT: https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt 
 
*This episode was published in April 2023. ChatGPT, artificial intelligence, and the response from the ATS and hiring entities can change at any time. All content in today's episode is based on information through April 2023.  
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Get started:
The Career Transition Checklist 
10 Easy Ways to Stand Out in a Crowded Market
 

30. Erin Harrigan - Career pivots and getting into & out of corporate

Need to make a career change? Thinking of going into corporate or getting out of corporate? How do you know when it's time to move on? 
In this episode, Erin Harrigan shares her personal journey of getting into corporate with a sociology major, moving up and succeeding in corporate, and transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship.
She discusses:
The importance of recognizing when it's time to make a career change
Practical tips for avoiding burnout and achieving work-life balance. 
Signs to watch out for to avoid getting into unfulfilling work
Advice for getting into corporate from education, non-profit work or small businesses.
Whether you're looking to pivot your career, start your own business, or take your existing business to the next level, this episode has something for everyone.
Erin covers a wide range of topics, including job satisfaction, self-care, goal-setting, time management, and skill-building. You'll leave this episode feeling inspired and empowered to pursue success on your own terms, without compromising your faith.
Mentioned in this episode:
Erin's website at https://erinharrigan.com
Redefining Hustle - Pursuing Success as a Christian Woman Podcast: https://womenschristianpodcast.com.
Special Bonus - Erin's 4 Keys to Redefine Hustle and Escape Overwhelm in Your Business: https://erinharrigan.com/4Keys.
About Erin Harrigan
Erin Harrigan is a Christian wife, empty nest mom, speaker, author, and business coach on a mission to help high-achieving Christian women level up their businesses without compromising their faith. With over 30 years of corporate work and 10+ years of network marketing experience, Erin brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her customized business coaching, speaking engagements, and award-winning podcast, Redefining Hustle: Pursuing Success as a Christian Woman.

29. Quiet-quitting - Why I’m glad you did and what to do next

Quiet quitting is/was a popular term coming out of the pandemic. Burnout was a real thing, but no one seemed to acknowledge it. Professionals were stressed, overworked, and underpaid. 
What's worse, the trend has always been to add more work to professionals who are sometimes absorbing the work of one or more other positions already, and to expect unrealistic, unhealthy work habits...all for tiny to non-existent raises. 
Tune in today to learn:
Why you should not feel guilty about "quiet quitting"
How to assess the root of the issue
How to get clarity on your next move
You'll walk away with a sense of balance, knowing you were right all along...
 
A thank you gift to make your career search easier:
Career Transition Checklist
10 Easy Ways to Stand Out in a Crowded Job Market
  

28. Career momentum + dealing with the highs and lows

Want to get motivated, get yourself out there, and find your new career?
This episode might just help inspire you, build your self confidence, and help you overcome self doubt, whether in your job search or in your career development. 
I share Brandon's first career search experience and his commitment to action.
I also share some recent lows in my life, and what I learned from my counselor that helped me get back up and move forward. I hope it helps you too. 
Listen in to learn about:
Brandon's first job search experience
How taking the right action always leads to success
What we can all do to get back up after a bad hour, day, or week. 
This will be helpful for anyone who wants to stay motivated for their career search, wants to overcome feelings of failure, wants to build resilience in their career, or needs a coping strategy for work- (or non-work) related stress. Your mindset is everything, and this episode is a good blend of inspiration and encouragement to keep you going. 
 
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Career Search Checklist
10 Ways to Stand Out On LinkedIn - Even in a Crowded Job Market 
 
Want to support me and The Uncommon Career?
Click and scroll down to Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts.
 

27. How Kate Speer’s marketing skills are leading to amazing career opportunities

Today we talk to Kate Speer, a marketing professional who took her career branding to another level. 
 
She developed a professional marketing campaign including a website, podcast, video, and a wildly successful LinkedIn profile. 
In the episode, we cover:
The power of an eclectic career
The reality of grieving the loss of your job
The opportunities that come with putting your name out there 
Tips to instantly increase the value of your professional experience
Kate is an entrepreneurially-minded business and marketing executive with expertise in building brand identity, campaigns, and customer loyalty-building experiences among so, so much more!
Check out Kate's marketing materials to learn more about her work:
Kate's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-speer-sms-047b4656/ 
Kate's Website (watch the video!): https://www.katespeerconnect.com/ 
Kate's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kate-speer-connect/id1671667013 
Open to Amazing: https://www.katespeerconnect.com/green-banner/ 
 
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Grab your resource from today's episode here:
10 Easy Ways to Stand Out in a Crowded Job Market
 
Let's connect:
Download the Career Transition Checklist here
Learn about 1:1 coaching here
 
 

26. Get Noticed and Get Hired on LinkedIn

What if instead of applying to 100 jobs with no answer, a recruiter would reach out to you?
Or
What if instead of being ignored by recruiters when you do apply, you actually get a call-back?
Today, I give you straight-to-the-point tips to get noticed and get selected by recruiters on LinkedIn. 
You'll learn:
What the MOST important section of your LinkedIn profile is
How to come up on the recruiter's search engine
What to stop wasting your time on (and what to do instead)
Tune in to make your LinkedIn better in under 30 minutes!
 
Get started:
Download the Career Transition Checklist here