Peak Careers

Professional Development for Career Practitioners

Interviews

Interview: How Are Your 3-Words Guiding You?

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This is a follow up to an interview I did in January with (Sue) Soon-Lan Lee Switzer and Sheila Taylor who, like me, choose 3-words to guide them in 2022. I wanted to check in with them to see how their practice was going six months later. If you want to watch the interview from January to learn what our words are and how we choose them, check it out here. 

If you want to learn more about our 6-month check up, watch this interview now. If you choose 3-words for 2022, please let me know how your year is going.

Interview with 3 people
Watch / Listen Now

Bio’s

Sue. Her full name is Soon-Lan Lee Switzer was born and raised in Korea and moved to Canada in November 2007. Sue is a certified career development practitioner, human resources management, and essential skills training as working at a college on the west coast of Canada as an educator and research project facilitator. Sue is currently completing her own studies in the field of student-centered leadership in higher education. Sue serves as Vice President of the United Nations Association of Canada in the Vancouver region. Sue is highly dedicated in the community to achieve the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. [Her words are Hope, Presence, and Connection].

Sheila Taylor is a nationally certified career counselor. She works with high school and college students, and early career clients that are struggling to identify their vocation. By helping her clients move from frustration and confusion to become energized and hopeful, they are empowered to pursue careers that complement their strengths. For leisure, she and her husband enjoy traveling in a small RV in search of beautiful vistas and hiking trails. [Her words are Finish, Optimism, and Community].

Jim Peacock is the Principal at Peak-Careers Consulting and writes a weekly email for career practitioners. Peak-Careers offers discussion-based online seminars for career practitioners focused on meeting continuing education needs for CCSP, GCDF and BCC certified professionals as well as workshops for career practitioners and individual career coaching.

He is the author of A Field Guide for Career Practitioners: Helping Your Clients Create Their Next Move and The Adventure of Finding Me in New Zealand. He is also the recipient of the 2020 Kenneth C. Hoyt Award from the National Career Development Association and the Mid-Atlantic Career Counseling Association’s Professional Contribution’s Award in 2020.

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INTERVIEW:What brings you joy in your work?  

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My guests today are: Hannah Morgan also known as Career Sherpa and Edythe Richards career counselor and founder of A Top Career

Today I ask my guests;  What brings you joy in your work? and How do you help your clients find joy?

This interview made me think about the things
I love to do and how I might find ways to do
more of them in my daily life.

Here is the link to my article I refer to in the interview regarding helping clients change their mindset. (Read now)

Watch or Listen Now
https://youtu.be/8LVWEBIWwzw

Hannah Morgan, aka Career Sherpa, is a trainer and job search strategist. She has worked in outplacement services, a graduate school career center, a department of labor one-stop and as a recruiter/HR generalist. She is a nationally recognized author and speaker on job search trends and was previously a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers. She founded CareerSherpa.net to combine her career expertise with her love of writing, speaking and social media. Hannah is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Kiplinger, Forbes, and Money Magazine. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success. Hannah is active across social media including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Edythe Richards is a is a career counselor and trainer who has helped thousands of people locate and sustain meaningful employment. She is the founder of A Top Career, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm that empowers people to clarify values, resolve stressors, and balance personal priorities with professional pursuits. She is also the creator and host of several podcast series, including Myers-Briggs Question Corner, and EQ at Work. Edythe is a Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF), Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), Myers-Briggs Master Practitioner, certified Gallup Strengths Coach, and a certified Emotional Intelligence Practitioner and Trainer with a master’s in counseling. Connect with Edythe on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter.  ATopCareer.com 

Jim Peacock is the Principal at Peak-Careers Consulting and writes a weekly email for career practitioners. Peak-Careers offers discussion-based online seminars for career practitioners focused on meeting continuing education needs for CCSP, GCDF and BCC certified professionals as well as workshops for career practitioners and individual career coaching.

He is the author of A Field Guide for Career Practitioners: Helping Your Clients Create Their Next Move and The Adventure of Finding Me in New Zealand. He is also the recipient of the 2020 Kenneth C. Hoyt Award from the National Career Development Association and the Mid-Atlantic Career Counseling Association’s Professional Contribution’s Award in 2020.

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How can we help people “reshuffle” their work so they have a better work-life balance?

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The pandemic amplified something that was coming out in the workforce anyway…work-life balance issues. As many of you know, I am a huge card sort fan and Anush Hansen took my Facilitating Career Development (FCD) class a few years ago and she was introduced to Knowdells Skill Card Sort in my class. She was “hooked.”

Shortly after that, Anush began to see many of these work-life balance issues in her clients and decided to create her Balanced Card Sorts. I used a draft version with a client and he loved them! It helped him make a career decision he was struggling with for weeks.

My guests today are Anush Hansen, a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Career Counselor, and the owner of Balanced Card Sorts; and Laurie Stickels, a Career Specialist at Harvard University who using the card sorts in her practice.

Today I ask my guests

Question 1:   As career coaches dealing with the Great Reshuffle, many people are asking themselves questions about work-life balance…. How do the Balanced Card Sorts help people navigate this question?

Question 2: What do you think are the benefits to using an actual card sort vs just talking about this issue?

Question 3: What are some success stories you can share?

WATCH THE INTERVIEW NOW

Guest bios
Anush Hansen, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Career Counselor, and the owner of Kennebunk Career & Wellness Counseling. She is also the owner of Balanced Card Sorts, the creator of the Work-Life Balance Assessment, and the developer of the Career Counseling Connection online directory. Anush holds a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Learn more ab out her and the cards at www.balancedcardsorts.com

Laurie Stickels is a Career Specialist at Harvard University.  In this role she designs and delivers programming for staff to identify key strengths and set career goals. Laurie has a master’s Degree from Emerson College, a bachelor’s degree from Cornell, and graduate certificate in Executive Coaching from William James College.   She is experienced with a range of assessment tools including Myers Briggs Step I and Step II, CliftonStrengths, VIA Character Strengths and SkillScan.

Jim Peacock is the Principal at Peak-Careers Consulting and writes a weekly email for career practitioners. Peak-Careers offers discussion-based online seminars for career practitioners focused on meeting continuing education needs for CCSP, GCDF and BCC certified professionals as well as workshops for career practitioners and individual career coaching.

He is the author of A Field Guide for Career Practitioners: Helping Your Clients Create Their Next Move and The Adventure of Finding Me in New Zealand. He is also the recipient of the 2020 Kenneth C. Hoyt Award from the National Career Development Association and the Mid-Atlantic Career Counseling Association’s Professional Contribution’s Award in 2020.

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INTERVIEW: Our 3 Guiding Words for 2022

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Another Peak-Careers INTERVIEW  talking about what are our three words to guide us are in 2022? Why do this? and How do we do it?

In 2016 I heard about Chris Brogan’s annual activity he did choosing 3 words to guide him throughout the year. Ever since then I have been choosing my words, writing them down in my journal daily, posting them in front of me, and thinking about them every day. Since then, a number of people in my network have joined me in this yearly process.

Guests today are (Sue) Soon-Lan Lee Switzer, a certified career development practitioner in Canada and Sheila Taylor,  a nationally certified career counselor.

*Read my blog on my 3 words. (Read Now)

Watch / Listen Now

Bio’s

Sue. Her full name is Soon-Lan Lee Switzer was born and raised in Korea and moved to Canada in November 2007. Sue is a certified career development practitioner, human resources management, and essential skills training as working at a college on the west coast of Canada as an educator and research project facilitator. Sue is currently completing her own studies in the field of student-centered leadership in higher education. Sue serves as Vice President of the United Nations Association of Canada in the Vancouver region. Sue is highly dedicated in the community to achieve the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. [Her words are Hope, Presence, and Connection].

Sheila Taylor is a nationally certified career counselor. She works with high school and college students, and early career clients that are struggling to identify their vocation. By helping her clients move from frustration and confusion to become energized and hopeful, they are empowered to pursue careers that complement their strengths. For leisure, she and her husband enjoy traveling in a small RV in search of beautiful vistas and hiking trails. [Her words are Finish, Optimism, and Community].

Jim Peacock is the Principal at Peak-Careers Consulting and writes a weekly email for career practitioners. Peak-Careers offers discussion-based online seminars for career practitioners focused on meeting continuing education needs for CCSP, GCDF and BCC certified professionals as well as workshops for career practitioners and individual career coaching.

He is the author of A Field Guide for Career Practitioners: Helping Your Clients Create Their Next Move and The Adventure of Finding Me in New Zealand. He is also the recipient of the 2020 Kenneth C. Hoyt Award from the National Career Development Association and the Mid-Atlantic Career Counseling Association’s Professional Contribution’s Award in 2020.

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INTERVIEW: Books, Books, and More Books

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What are the benefits of reading for career service providers?

This is my annual December interview where I invite fellow book-lovers to talk about books we have read in 2021 and also discuss why we think it is so important for career service providers to read books in our field.

My guests today are Margie Cherry, (Associate Director of Alumni Career Services at Lafayette College), Elizabeth Craig, (Certified Master Career Strategist), and David Lee, (Career Coach).

Here are my questions:

– As a career coach, what is the best book you read in 2021?

– Do you have any other favorites this year that might be more recreational?

– What do you see as the benefits of reading as a career coach?

Note: Below the Bio’s is a list of all the books mentioned in this interview

Watch / Listen to the interview now

https://youtu.be/3ddL74Ehn9s

BIO: Elizabeth Craig, MBA, Master Career Change & Job Landing Specialist is the Founder and CEO of ELC Global, LLC (https://www.elcglobal.com)  Elizabeth is a multi-certified National Career Development Association (NCDA) Certified Master Career Strategist-CMCS as well as FCD-Instructor. She has received multiple awards for her work in the field including the * Jules Kerlan Lifetime Outstanding Achievement Award – Minnesota Career Development Association * Distinguished Alumni Award – University of Minnesota College of Education & Human Development * Outstanding Career Practitioner Award – National Career Development Association. For more than 25 years her private practice has helped hundreds of career clients with career change, job landing strategies and career advancement. 

Margie Cherry, has been a happy career professional for over 20 years. Her multiple identities include being the current Associate Director of Alumni Career Services at Lafayette College, speaker, reinvention guide, former long-running cartoonist, and short-lived stand-up comic. She adores empowering people to discover and manifest their best selves for life and work. Margie holds an MA in Counseling Psychology and is the author/illustrator of “Mom’s Comedy Coloring Book“. She brings her humor how-to “The Comedy Cure” to organizations in need of stress relief and a good laugh!

David Lee,  is the founder of HumanNature@Work and  a career coach with Heart At Work Associates. Much of his work  focuses on career changers and young professionals trying to decide on a career direction. His approach is influenced by his previous career in the trauma and mind/body medicine fields as a hypnotherapist, as well as his interest in health, wellness, and resilience. A lifelong lover of reading, he grew up in a family that would bring home a large box of books from their monthly pilgrimage to the library. You can connect with him on Linkedin here.

Jim Peacock is the Principal at Peak-Careers Consulting and writes a weekly email for career practitioners. Peak-Careers offers discussion-based online seminars for career practitioners focused on meeting continuing education needs for CCSP, GCDF and BCC certified professionals as well as workshops for career practitioners and individual career coaching.

He is the author of A Field Guide for Career Practitioners: Helping Your Clients Create Their Next Move and The Adventure of Finding Me in New Zealand. He is also the recipient of the 2020 Kenneth C. Hoyt Award from the National Career Development Association and the Mid-Atlantic Career Counseling Association’s Professional Contribution’s Award in 2020.

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Books we discussed

  • Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Cope with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search by Karen Litzinger. (Jim)
  • Designing Your Life: Burnett & Evans (Margie and Jim, and probably David too- I think he nodded in affirmation. haha)
  • The Poacher’s Son by Paul Doiron (Jim)
  • John C. Maxwell’s, 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them & Reach Your Potential. (Elizabeth)
  • Lean In – Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg (Elizabeth)
  • Don’t Slurp Your Soup:A Basic Guide to Business Etiquette by Elizabeth Craig is available at https://www.elcglobal.com
  • “Live Smart After 50! The Experts’ Guide to Life Planning for Uncertain Times by the Life Planning Network (Elizabeth is a contributing author)
  • Think Again: Adam Grant (Margie)
  • Recalculating: Pollak (Margie)
  • How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Michael J. Gelb (Margie)
  • Life Launch: Hudson & McLean (Margie)
  • Is Your Genius at Work? Dick Richards (Margie)
  • Tales of a Female Nomad: Rita Golden Gelman (Margie)
  • Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers — and Seize Success by Dawn Graham (David)
  • You Turn: Get Unstuck, Discover Your Direction, and Design Your Dream Career by Ashley Stahl (David)
  • SuperBetter: A Revolutionary Approach to Getting Stronger, Happier, Braver and More Resilient–Powered by the Science of Games by Jane McGonigal (David)
  • The Right Questions: Ten Essential Questions To Guide You To An Extraordinary Life by Debbie Ford (David)

Interview: How does mindfulness help our clients?

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This is one of my favorite topics and I am excited to have my good friend Sabrina here today with Roberta Rolfe to talk about why mindfulness can be helpful to our clients. Previous interviews focused on why mindfulness is good for us as career service providers. (Here is one of my blogs on this topic if you are interested. Watch now.)

Today I ask our experts
—How do you use mindfulness practices during your coaching or therapy sessions?
–What would you like career coaches to keep in mind as they do their coaching work regarding mindfulness?

If you enjoy(ed) this interview, you may want to check out another interview on this topic where Bob McIntosh interviewed Sabrina Woods and me (Jim Peacock) about mindfulness. (Watch now)

Guests today

Sabrina Woods is a Holistic Career/Life Coach & Consultant with close to 20 years’ in the career services field at universities including Harvard, Northeastern and the University of London. She is also the President of the Career Counselors Consortium based in Boston. In her private practice, her joy comes from tapping holistic and mindfulness-based practices while helping people with major career transitions. Sabrina also facilitates workshops and train-the-trainer sessions ranging from the Myers Briggs to Mindfulness to Linkedin. Her workshops combine her insights, enthusiasm and infectious energy. Sessions have been taught in the US, UK and Middle East. For more info: www.sabrina-woods.com or www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinawoods.

—————

Roberta Rolfe. Since 2008 Roberta Rolfe has worked as a limited licensed psychologist in private practice. Her clientele is primarily women with childhood trauma. Roberta has extensive training in treating trauma and has many tools to help her clients lead fulfilling lives. Mindfulness practice is at the center of her work with recovering clients. 

Prior to Roberta’s work as a psychologist, she helped to found organizations and projects that focused on healing, both individuals and groups.

Roberta‘s most important and satisfying career was being a mother. Today Roberta lives in a retirement community in Kalamazoo Michigan. She and her husband travel to Europe and Mexico and relish time with their children and grandchildren.

Jim Peacock is the Principal at Peak-Careers Consulting and writes a weekly email for career practitioners. Peak-Careers offers discussion-based online seminars for career practitioners focused on meeting continuing education needs for CCSP, GCDF and BCC certified professionals as well as workshops for career practitioners and individual career coaching.

He is the author of A Field Guide for Career Practitioners: Helping Your Clients Create Their Next Move and The Adventure of Finding Me in New Zealand. He is also the recipient of the 2020 Kenneth C. Hoyt Award from the National Career Development Association and the Mid-Atlantic Career Counseling Association’s Professional Contribution’s Award in 2020.

Sign up here to receive my  TOP 10 TIPS WHEN WORKING WITH AN UNDECIDED PERSON.  You will also receive the career practitioner’s weekly email on a variety of career topics, industry news, interesting events, and more.