9 Cool Jobs to Check Out

Cool Jobs

02/08/19

Randi Hill

We are back with 9 more cool jobs to inspire you! Whether or not you are actively job seeking, these may give you some interesting new career path ideas. Don’t forget to submit your jobs to us to publish if you are currently looking to hire for a cool job!  Our clients and community are looking for unique jobs in a fun environment. These jobs should reside within organizations which prioritize people and culture and provide exciting ways to make an impact beyond the mundane 9-5. We are particularly interested in positions which don’t neatly fit into an obvious career path box (e.g., doctor, lawyer, accountant). If you know of a job that you think would be great for us to share with our community of driven career-transitioners, you can submit it here for us to consider for a future post! Title: Bento Customer Success/Support Company: Bento For Business Location: Chicago, IL Why we like it: We know a customer success job might not seem like the coolest thing, but hear us out. Bento covers your lunch, a gym membership, unlimited PTO, office exchange programs, health and dental insurance and a stocked kitchen. They are committed to respecting their employees’ time and doing the right thing. (It’s sounding pretty cool now, huh?) Read more and apply here. Title: Design and Sales Associate Company: Interior Define Location: Los Angeles, CA Why we like it: Have you ever wanted to customize and build your own furniture? Well, thanks to Interior Define you can! Not only are they an innovative furniture company, but they believe work should be as comfortable as their sofas. They offer lots of potential for growth within the company, sponsored lunch on Fridays and flexible vacation plans. You get to build your own couch, your own career and your own life! What more could you ask for?! Read more and apply here. Title: In-Store Graphic Designer Company: Outdoor Voices Location: Austin, TX Why we like it: I don’t know about you but I love being active and doing things! Going for a run, a hike and sometimes even a climb. Outdoor vVoices is a company created by people who share the same passion for doing things. They call themselves “casual recreationalists.” It’s no surprise the benefits include free apparel and lots of recreation. Also – graphic design, talk about our childhood dreams come true! Read more and apply here. Title: Contract Curriculum Designer: ELL Company: eSpark Learning Location: Remote Why we like it: If you haven’t heard yet, remote working is what this world is coming to. ALV CEO, Nicole, talked about it in this post. Aside from the position being remote, you also get to create: content, videos and other resources to support their science curriculum. If you love science, have great attention to detail, have excellent time management skills and would consider yourself a self-directed learner this may be the holy grail of cool jobs. Read more and apply here. Title: Head of People Analytics Company: Gusto Location: Denver, CO Why we like it: Do you love data and love people? This role is perfect for you! With a high focus on using data to improve recruiting, development and talent management programs, you will spend your time working with the people leadership team including the Head of People. If you’re an agile team member with strong communication skills and focuses on client experience, inclusion and growth, this could be the job for you! Also – Denver, talk about a winter sports hub. Read more and apply here. Title: Community Manager Company: Stack Overflow Location: New York City, NY Why we like it: With company-wide focuses on servant leadership, collaboration, transparency and inclusion you’ll play an integral part in building and improving communities throughout the company. You’ll spend your time writing blog content, mediating Q&A’s, identifying ways to innovate the processes around your role, mentoring existing communities and so much more. The best part is you can do it either from home or from their private office in NYC. Read more and apply here. Title: Head Of UX Company: AppCast Location: Arlington, MA Why we like it: Design thinking in the workplace is a very up-and-coming trend. If you are ready to be a peer to the CTO and the Head of Product, they are looking for a candidate who can improve the usability of their current work while developing team members to reach their peak. While managing, developing and strategizing can seem like a lot you get to have a direct impact on the work they create. Read more and apply here. Title: Senior Product Manager Company: Calendly Location: Atlanta, GA Why we like it: Aside from the fact that we use Calendly to schedule all of our coaching sessions, we love it because you’ll geta large part in defining the vision and strategy for Calendly. You get to gather and prioritize feature requests from anywhere you choose. With flexible remote working options, commuter benefits, happy hours and so much more it feels like an overall win. Or maybe that’s just the beautiful weather talking? Read more and apply here. Title: Staff Accountant Company: Sittercity Location: Chicago, IL Why we like it: Sittercity is reshaping the way we think of childcare which is why we had to put them on the list! With support for remote working environment, to a stocked snack bar in the office, you get insurance, paid time off, industry leading maternity and paternity time off. Oh, and subsidized use of Chime for your own personal childcare services. Read more and apply here. If you’re excited about one of these roles, but you’ve been struggling to get the attention of employers, book a free consultation with us here. Our career coaches are standing by ready to help you land a very cool new job!

Read More

How to Get On Board with Working Remotely

Career Enrichment

02/06/19

Nicole Wood

Remote work is part of our future. Period. In this article, I talked about how 63% of employers now have remote employees and how you can still create a strong culture even if your team is spread out. But so many people I know are still trying to fight it. They want the butt in the chair. They want the false sense of security that accompanies keeping an eye on people. And I can tell you for certain that a physical presence does NOT mean an employee is working. It All Comes Down To a Lack of Trust If you don’t trust your people to get their work done no matter where they are then: You shouldn’t have hired them in the first place You as a leader have created an environment where people are motivated by the wrong things Change isn’t easy. But the best leaders are the ones who recognize its importance and force themselves to evolve their practices even when it’s uncomfortable. I’m a big fan of Jellyvision’s CEO, Amanda Lannert. I was listening to her speak once, and an audience member asked this question: “I can’t stand that my employees are always on their phones in my weekly team meeting. This new generation just can’t put them down. How do you get your team members to put the phone down and focus on what you’re saying to them?” Amanda said, “That’s a battle you won’t win. Can you make the meeting more engaging? Does it even need to be an hour-long meeting at all or can it be a 15-minute Slack frenzy?” The audience member looked stunned and somewhat disappointed. I think she was hoping for some shared moaning and groaning about these youngsters. But instead, she got innovation. A new way to even think about how to get the job done. In my head, I gave Amanda’s response a big ole “amen!” So we can all moan and groan about the way to the world is evolving. About people wanting to stay home and work in their sweatpants.  We Can Embrace Remote Work There are new ways to motivate and engage our teams. We can celebrate the positives of no commutes and flexible schedules. We can coach our team members and hold them accountable to their commitments whether they are in Baltimore or Buenos Aires. Hybrid schedules of some in-person days and some remote days can be created. We can tailor schedules to the times when people are most productive. There will always be business objectives to accomplish, and so I’m not saying it should be a complete free for all. We still need to find times to check in, to collaborate, to have meetings. I’m simply saying it’s time to open our minds. Consider new ways to get the job done. It’s time to evolve our thinking about remote work, or sooner or later, we will be the ones left at home. This week’s challenge Think about one thing you do each week that has just ‘always been done that way.’ Challenge yourself to think of a new way to approach it. Maybe the meeting can be accomplished in 20 minutes instead of 60. Perhaps a time-consuming process isn’t relevant anymore and should be tweaked or eliminated. Maybe a new technology can help you do something more efficiently. This week, really challenge yourself to evolve forward. We know you want to learn more. Here are some of our favorite additional resources: If you’re changing careers: 12 Companies that Let You Work Remotely Watch a TED Talk by Air BnB Exec Chip Conley: What Baby Boomers Can Learn from Millennials – And Vice Versa Start innovating: How to Train Your Brain to be More Innovative Get your own toolkit: Download a Digital Design Thinking Toolkit from IDEO

Read More

9 Ways to Fight Fear and Go After What You Want

Achieving Goals

02/04/19

Katie Bennett

Nelson Mandela once said that “courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” It’s reassuring to know that feeling fear doesn’t rob us of our ability to be courageous. All we have to do is conquer that fear. Which of course, leaves us asking “well how do we do that?” The good news is, you’re in the right place! Below are 9 powerful insights and tips about fear that will help you understand it, identify it, and most importantly, overcome it! Fear is one of the biggest obstacles holding us back If I were to ask you what is one thing that you would really love to do, but haven’t started, what would it be? Now, think about why you haven’t started it…what’s holding you back? Usually, when I ask people this question, the answer is either time or money. They don’t have enough time or they don’t have enough money. The thing about time and money is that they are very convincing excuses. We can attach the requirement of time and money to almost anything and justify why we don’t have enough of it. But what if I asked you to dig beyond your apparent lack of time or money (or whatever other excuses you’re holding up)? What if I challenged your lack of time, or debunked your requirement for money? What’s left? Fear is often the only thing left standing. Fear is natural It’s ok to feel fear. In fact, it’s very natural, and at times, even life-saving! After all, that is why we feel it! The emotion of fear has a very important purpose; it protects us. Imagine if you were swimming in the ocean and you saw a shark. Now imagine if you felt absolutely no fear! What would you do? I, for one, would go up and pet it. I would also probably get my head bitten off. So in some cases, fear is extremely important! However, in other cases, it shows up uninvited and crashes the party….which brings me to point three. There is validated fear and false fear Seeing a shark in the ocean = validated fear. But how about when we feel fear about something that isn’t going to kill us? Or even injure us? Our natural emotion of fear is one of survival. It is triggered when our brain senses a threat. The problem is that only sometimes that threat is real. When it’s not real, we still feel the fear – sometimes so much that it stops us from doing that thing – even though we are not at any risk of dangers. Public speaking is a perfect example. For many people, public speaking is one of the most intense triggers of fear. Is it going to kill you? No! Injure you? No! It is a false fear. The worst that can happen is that you might stumble on your words or forget what you were going to say, but you will still wake up the next morning and live your life mostly in exactly the same way. The key then is to identify valid fear from false fear. What is the worst possible thing that could happen? What is the best possible thing that could happen? If the best possible thing outweighs the worst possible thing, then you have some false fear on your hands!! Push that fear aside and go for it! But how? Chunk it out “Chunk it out” is about breaking your goal or dream into “chunks” and attacking just one chunk at a time. Often when we have a dream, a goal or a vision, the thought of accomplishing it is daunting and overwhelming. But what if you just think of one very small step you can take? And then when you’ve done that, think of another very small step. You don’t need to do everything at once, and we have found that one of the best ways to fight fear is to chunk it out, baby! You’re not alone This is something that might seem obvious, but that many of us forget at times. When we feel fear – no matter what it’s about – we often think that we are the only one feeling this way. We’re not! Everyone feels fear in one form or another, and as another of our guest speakers said: “everyone is going through something”. In the world of Facebook and Instagram, it’s easy to feel like we’re the only one. It’s easy to feel like everyone else is at the beach in the Bahamas while we sit alone struggling with a job we hate and not knowing what to do about it. But when you actually talk to people, when you let yourself be vulnerable and give them permission to be so too, you realize that everyone is fighting something. Everyone is human, just like you. Surround yourself with positivity and supporters While we can sometimes fight fear on our lonesome, often it’s stronger than we are. Alone that is. But is it stronger than we are when surrounded by positive and empowering peeps cheering us on? Hell no! We are so conscious of how the food we put in our body affects our physical health, but sometimes we forget how the food we put in our brain affects our mental health. Who are you surrounding yourself with? What are they telling you? What are you reading and watching? How is it affecting you? Is it helping you or hurting you? The key is to surround yourself with people and resources that lift you up! Listen to your energy. What is it saying when you’re lunching with a certain person or reading a certain book? How do you feel when you leave or finish? Are you inspired to go and change the world? Or do you want to curl into a ball in a dark corner? Sometimes

Read More

Networking 101 + Best Networking Groups For Women: Chicago Edition

Career Enrichment

02/01/19

Randi Hill

If you don’t know much about me, my name is Randalyn and I just moved to Chicago a few months ago to work at Ama La Vida. I don’t know about you, but networking in a place you’re familiar with always feels more comfortable than networking when in a new city. So here are few of my favorite networking tips to help you restart your network when you move. 1. Have realistic expectations. If we’re being honest, you can meet a lot of great people at networking events, but you probably won’t meet the CEO of a huge company just by chance. Most people that you really want to meet are too busy to attend most networking events or are invited speakers who don’t stick around to mingle. Which brings me to #2. 2. Get connected in other ways. Join meetup, slack channels, facebook groups, attend community events and make it a point to make one new friend at every event. The beauty of making friends is that everyone you meet has friends; you can easily go from no friends to having a full-blown community without much time in between. 3. Identify your interests! When it comes to networking most people get overwhelmed because they have nothing in common with the people they are trying to get to know. The easiest way to avoid not having something in common with people is to attend groups focused around your interests. Find groups that were created for photographers, hikers, yogis, etc. Also – reach out to the Alumni network of your school. Chances are you know one or two people in the city! 4. Leverage your background. Every person is different, and because of that, you have interesting stories to tell. Spend some time picking through the memories and find a few key stories that reveal something interesting about the way you were raised, how you got to where you are, or how you used to have an irrational fear of revolving doors. (Or maybe that’s just me.) Now identifying these memories can be hard so I recommend asking yourself questions like: 5. Ask good questions. I recently read a book, Don’t Do Stuff You Hate; the premise is quite obvious but the concept is a little wider. Basically, it talks about learning to identify and reframe the things you inherently hate. I used to hate networking because of the shallow small talk that ensued. Now, I think it’s great because I learned to ask questions that matter. Don’t be afraid to ask people different questions. Here are a few of my favorites: Looking for more networking tips? Check out this video by ALV Coach Danielle on how to networking best practices! So, now that you have all the networking tips, let’s talk about networking groups in Chicago. I love groups that cultivate community outside of the work world. Most of these groups have professional events along with personal events to help you achieve success in the areas you choose. These groups leave me feeling productive, inspired, and most of all ready to come back! Networking Groups Group Name: EvolveHer Group Name: General Assembly Group Name: Ms. Tech Group Name: 1871 Group Name: She Says Group Name: Built In Chicago Group Name: Creative Women’s Co

Read More

3 Books I Can’t Put Down!

Self Awareness

01/30/19

Teague

I’m not ashamed to point out my flaws – I don’t exercise regularly enough, I take on way too many projects and then get cranky, and I’m always a consistent 5 minutes late to meetings. However, I never hesitate to pat myself on the back when it comes to my reading habits. Books have always been friends to me – I love transporting myself into new worlds, learning new concepts, and living the world through someone else’s eyes. I love spending a few quiet moments each morning with a hot cup of coffee and a chapter of a book, and wake up hours before the sun rises in order to make this happen. Creating that space for myself is a non-negotiable. In no particular order, here are three books that were worth waking up for as I made my way through them over the last few weeks. Refinery29 Money Diaries: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Your Finances… And Everyone Else’s by Lindsey Stanberry. I’m an avid reader of the Refinery29 Money Diaries series, probably because it satisfies my need to be nosy into other people’s lives. However, I loved the book version of this project as it weaved in important financial lessons along with comprehensive records of how people spend their money. I particularly appreciate the focus on women’s financial success as Stanberry walks you step-by-step through the process of getting your money (and life) together. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. To be honest, I’m not even sure where to begin with telling you about this book. My appetite for this novel was absolutely insatiable and I found myself creating pockets of time to get through just a few more pages. However, when I realized I was approaching the final chapter, I closed the book and it sat on my coffee table for almost a week – because I just wasn’t ready for it to end. This novel is devastating and raw, and I highly recommend it (so does Oprah, as it was one of her 2018 Book Club selections). Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. If you’re a client of mine, or – let’s be real – if we’ve ever even had a brief conversation, you know how much of an influence Brené Brown has had on me. When I learned she was writing a book focused on leadership, I was embarrassingly excited. Her data-driven and heart-led work asks us to be courageously vulnerable role models at work and to be willing to dig in and do this difficult exploration alongside each and everyone one of your team members. In particular, I truly appreciate her Engaged Feedback Checklist and have utilized this powerful tool when I know I need to check myself. If you’re not convinced, let me share this last tidbit – each of my family members got a book by Brown for the holidays and were conveniently subjected to a mini-lecture about how much I love her and how they need to as well. This week’s challenge Books are the way I learn new things and explore concepts unknown to me. They align with my commitment to ongoing personal growth and development. How about you – how do you learn and grow and experiment with fresh ideas? This week, engage in whatever helps you progress. If it’s a walk in the woods with a good podcast, a silly chat with your toddler by which you can see the magic of the world through their eyes, or a phone call to a wise older relative, make that happen this week. Keep learning, growing, and receiving new knowledge that takes you outside of your comfort zone. We know you want to learn more. Here are some of our favorite additional resources: When you realize it’s time for a bold move: How I Used a Cold Email to Find My Dream Career Mentor We loved this no-nonsense interview: “A lot of businesses, though, however, typically they hold things close to their chest. They think everything’s proprietary and important, and it’s not. So we just share.” If you’re ready for creative growth: Morning Pages by Julie Cameron Shoutout to CEO Nicole’s alma mater: “Research suggests that about 40 percent of our well-being and happiness is within our control, something we can adapt through our actions and the way we behave.”

Read More

How To Be a Culture Shifting Leader

Career Enrichment

01/28/19

Foram Sheth

Culture – the heart and soul of an organization. Culture is the anchor that keeps the organization from drifting. It’s the unifying thread that holds a company together – the people, processes, and strategies. As the saying goes, at the end of the day, “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” In fact, it permeates every aspect of an organization. Therefore, we must protect and evolve our culture after we nurture it and intentionally develop it into what we want it to be. Without a strong culture, an organization has no meaning. People don’t know why they do what they do, how they should act, feel or think about their work. The organization is lifeless. Even worse, the kiss of death is an organization with a toxic culture. Imagine an environment where people gossip, don’t care about what they are doing and you’re treated like a number. No one wants that, and companies won’t survive that. When you don’t pay attention to your culture, it can easily become a toxic environment. You are responsible for shaping your culture and leading the charge.   As a coaching company, we work with career transitioners and leaders from organizations of all sizes. The top reason we have found for individuals looking to switch jobs is because the company isn’t a right fit culturally. The roles and responsibilities were fine, but the culture wasn’t aligned with what they wanted, so they leave a stable, well-paying job to go someplace else. When coaching leaders, a common theme is leaders wanting to build a good company culture. This is a broad statement and means different things to each individual. So a good starting point is, how do you shift a culture – whether that’s large scale for the whole organization or the culture within your team? And let me point out that you don’t need a grand title to influence the culture. Everyone influences and contributes to the culture. Let’s talk about how to cultivate a culture you want. How to be a culture shifting leader 1. Know where you are today and where you want to go Ask yourself, what type of culture do you have today? How would you describe how your company operates? This is the unwritten rule book of how you function as an organization. I suggest asking others from different roles and levels how they would describe the culture with questions like: When you think of <company name> what is the first word that comes to mind? What does working here feel like? What do you think this company truly values? Which types of people tend to succeed here? Listen carefully to the words they say look for common themes. Once you’ve defined your current state culture, then ask yourself, what do I want people to say about working at this organization? Ask the same questions as above but in an aspirational sense. (e.g., What do you want it to feel like to work here?) There must be a shared language and vision for what the culture should be. This is your goal post. Keep it top of mind. 2. Gap Analysis My consulting brain can’t help itself. Now that you’ve defined where you are and where you want to go, it’s time to see what aspects of the culture already exist and what needs to be created. For the elements of the culture that are already there, write down how you’ll continue to preserve build on them. Be specific and describe the actions that you want to continue to see. For the missing components, write down a detailed action plan on how you’ll get to the desired state. Again, be specific and describe the exact behaviors. For example, if you want a culture that empowers people, perhaps you want to see people speaking up more for what they want. Be sure to include a timeframe and the specific next steps you’ll take to encourage the behaviors. 3. Celebrate success You have to reinforce the behaviors you want. Celebrate behaviors that support the culture you want. Positive reinforcement will help people know what good looks like and to continue building on those actions. And this also builds positive energy and confidence. It’s a win-win.   4. Take action This is specifically for you. You have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Don’t expect people to change their behaviors if you aren’t doing it yourself. Demonstrate how you want others to behave, and lead by example. People are looking for someone to follow, and it only takes one person to lead the pack. 5. Check in frequently You have already defined the ideal culture and the steps on how you’ll get there. As time goes, check in on how the culture is shifting. Go back to bullet #1 – look at where you now and how far you’ve come from the starting point and how much further you need to go. Do your gap analysis again, and make sure you’re on the right path. Culture is a giant beast and it’s easy to get lost in the movement. Keep a pulse on your progress, keep getting feedback from your peers and re-work your plan to achieve your end goal. 6. Be consistent Culture happens with consistency. It’s not a one-time town hall meeting or a one-time behavior change. The same behaviors and actions have to be repeated over and over again. It only takes one misstep for everything to wash away; it’s easy to break culture. And it takes years to build it up and forever to maintain it. So be consistent in the desired behaviors and actions and reinforce it throughout the organization. 7. Sync up processes Culture sits at the center of the organization. Surrounding culture is people, process, products, strategy, etc. For example, let’s say you want to build a coaching culture – a culture that focuses on people development – then you might align your onboarding process to make sure the people you hire are people-focused.

Read More

Download our comprehensive step-by-step guide to design and land a job you love!

Images from The ALV Career Method Guide
ALV Method Downloadable Guide

Are You Waiting For The Dust To Settle?

Women Empowerment

01/25/19

Teague

Buckle up and get ready to take some notes, today we hear all about my interview with ALV Co-Founder, Foram.  Foram and her family moved to the United States from India when she was 9 years old, and she had the impactful experience of watching her parents make incredible sacrifices in order to create a full and happy life for her and her brother. Foram’s drive to do things well for others led her to a career in healthcare consulting, and she ultimately knew coaching was her best next step when she worked with a leadership coach during her master’s program. She states, “Change was always hard for me, and I hadn’t made any significant improvements in myself personally even though I’d read books and articles and attended workshops. I experienced the power of coaching and its impact when I was being coached. I immediately began making behavior changes and I fell in love with the impact that coaching can have. I knew I needed to go into coaching to be a catalyst for individuals in their development.” I love that Foram’s career path wasn’t crystal clear when she started out. It was a big leap to go from healthcare consulting to business and leadership coaching – and an even bigger leap to co-found her own company. Fortune certainly favors the bold! When I asked her about what wisdom she would share with her younger self (one who I bet looked a lot like her absolutely precious six-month-old daughter), she had a lot to say. “You have a gift for paving your own unique path – so own it, and don’t doubt it, and remember that everything happens for a reason. And for the love of God, calm the F down and enjoy life a bit more!” If I was planning on a new tattoo, those might be the very words I’d get on my body. But I digress. Foram also notes, “Enjoy the journey when you’re on your way to achieving something and take pride in being a learner.” What really struck me during my interview with Foram is that she continually lives out Ama La Vida’s culture commandment #7 – if you’re waiting for the dust to settle, you’ll be waiting forever. Her plans didn’t always guarantee success, and in both business and in life, she takes big leaps without always knowing where she’ll land. Foram’s courage is a driving force in our company, and we are so glad to have her. I hope this glimpse into her world and her wisdom serves as inspiration for you in your next great adventure.   This week’s challenge We’d love for you to experience the power of our Ama La Vida culture commandments. This week, we challenge you to live out #7 that Foram does so well with. In what area of your life are you waiting for the dust to settle before taking your next leap? Maybe it’s your job, or your relationship, or your home environment – this week, we want you to get crystal clear on where you’re dragging your feet. What can you do to kick the dust up and keep making progress?   We know you want to learn more. Here are some of our favorite additional resources: Watch: “Do you know why you get out of bed every morning?” Read: 13 Ways to Encourage Employee Development (and Strengthen Your Team) Read: “I realized I had allowed small moments, hurtful words, and painful memories from my childhood to create the soundtrack by which I would live my most sacred relationships.” Listen: Gimlet’s The Pitch podcast (because Foram is no stranger to making her start-up dreams a reality)

Read More

It’s Time that You Come First

Confidence

01/23/19

Nicole Wood

I don’t pee on planes. Usually. Not because I hate the bathrooms or anything like that. Well, I don’t love them, but that’s not why. I feel bad making the people next to me get up. Yet, for some reason, I always book a window seat. Probably because I optimistically think I might be able to sneak a nap in, which almost never happens. But what almost always happens is I end up spending 3 hours squirming and trying to will the people next to me to have to go too so I can get up. Weird… I know. I don’t send back food. I feel bad. I also don’t care for spit sandwiches. I don’t have any food allergies so anything I’d send back would be just a preference thing, and luckily I’ve never been served anything unsafe like raw chicken. It’s not that big of a deal to me to eat something not made exactly to my liking versus inconveniencing the staff to fix it or make me a new one. I’m sure there are more examples, but I think you get the point. Judging by many of my daily actions, I’m a pushover and probably a wuss. I’m willing to eat a steak not cooked exactly to my liking. I’m willing to torture my bladder (though I should probably stop doing this – it definitely isn’t good for you). I’m willing to make small concessions throughout my day so as not to inconvenience others or be a nag. But when it comes to my career, my family, my hard earned cash – I’m not willing to concede. I know my worth, and it’s enough to inconvenience someone for when it’s not being properly represented. I’m not willing to risk losing out on a great opportunity. I’m not willing to stay in a place where I’m unhappy because I feel bad. I’m not willing to accept less than I deserve because I don’t want to rock the boat. And neither should you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spoken with someone who is receiving a lower compensation package than they’re worth because they don’t want to come across cocky or ungrateful or make someone jump through hoops. Or how many times people tell me they are staying in a job they dislike and where they feel unappreciated because they feel guilty leaving their team. I completely understand and empathize with the twinge of guilt. But I also know there are certain times when you have to look out for yourself, your pocketbook, your career, your life. I’m not advising anyone to eat an undercooked food or hold their pee for 2,500 miles. I am, however, advising you to also stand up for yourself when it really truly matters. The small stuff I leave to your discretion. As for the big stuff, it’s time that you come first.   This week’s challenge Think of an aspect of your life where you haven’t been putting yourself first but think maybe it’s time to. Take one step forward toward doing so. Maybe it’s telling your team that you will be unreachable during certain hours. Maybe it’s asking your partner to help out with a certain household chore. Maybe it’s doing some research to prepare for a compensation discussion. Whatever it is, commit to it this week. You can do this! Struggling to work up the courage or want some support helping you plan the conversation?   We know you want to learn more. Here are some of our favorite additional resources: Go along and order: You are a Badass: How to stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life All about the Benjamins: How to ask for the raise you deserve If you’re changing careers: Download our comprehensive career transition guide complete with tips for negotiating your offer

Read More

7 Foolproof Ways to Prepare for an Interview

Get That Job

01/21/19

Ann Vu

Ever get excited about an interview and then slip into a wave of nervousness about how you will do? You are not the only one. There is a lot of pressure knowing that you are a few interviews away from the job that you’re after. Here are 6 foolproof ways to prepare for an interview. Follow these steps to prepare and you will notice an increase in your confidence and improvement in execution! You will surely stand out, and for the right reasons. Location Location Location Expect the unexpected! You’ve done a major amount of prep, practiced your handshake, picked out your confident outfit, etc. Do NOT let being late create a bad impression first thing at your interview. This is the easiest thing you can do to have a foolproof interview. Know exactly how long it takes to get to your interview site and ADD 15 minutes to the commute to make time to park your car and walk to the correct part of the building without needing a sweat towel when you get there! Research the Company and Position In a sea of many companies, why did you choose them? They might be curious to know your why for pursuing this job with this company. Pour into the company website and read into more than just their mission and values. How are they involved with the community, what are they proud of? Are you new to the industry? Be able to study and grasp as much as you can to show your commitment to the new industry. Were you given the name of your interviewer? Search them on Linkedin, learn of their background and note if you have anything in common with your interviewer. Be ready with questions either about their background or role in the company. Create a connection with the person who’s getting to know you! Show your investment into getting this position by knowing the position, learning the ins and outs of what the company is about and looking for so you’re able to emphasize the value you add.   Know Yourself It’s easy to take for granted that you’ll need to study YOU before answering interview questions. I mean, how hard could it be? It’s you, you must know all the answers! Well, in an interview dynamic, the pressure to speak well, and nervousness could have you tripping over the simplest things, like what you’re good at and areas you are working to grow. Reflect on why you want this job, what you’ll be able to bring to the position and what experiences ensure that you’ll be able to meet the responsibilities best. Write out which strengths and weaknesses you want to talk about if that question comes up in an interview. Write out an answer to “tell me about yourself” so you can see if you’ve included all the relevant* information you want in that introduction.   Prep Your Stories Ahead of Time Behavior-based interview questions are always a part of the process. You know them, it starts with “Tell me about a time when _____.” These questions challenge you to share an experience you had to help them understand how you think and might behave in a situation you’d face in your position. For instance, “Tell me about a time when you failed to make a deadline, what did you do?” These are the hardest questions to be able to answer on the fly. Avoid having to rack your brain of a good story from 3 years ago that exemplifies leadership, in real time, with pressure and nerves of saying it all right. You have a lot of experiences to sort through and in a rush to answer timely, you might start telling a story that wasn’t the best one to talk about. Think of various memories: a time when you went the extra mile, resolved a conflict, were under a lot of pressure, had to prioritize, worked on a team, lead a project just to name a few. You don’t necessarily know which ones will be asked, but thinking about them ahead of time will have it in the forefront of your brain, ready to be pulled in case a question creates the opportunity. Check out this blog that digs into how to hit curveball questions! Practice! Now that you’ve thought of what you want to say, try it out! Written answers don’t tend to sound natural when you say them, practice with a friend, career counselor, or the mirror. Get through the story you want to tell sans Umms, Ahhs, and stutters. It might take a few tries, but doing this ensures a smoother answer during showtime and will allow you to have a foolproof interview! Come Ready With Questions Your turn to flip the interview! What makes you curious about the company or position says a lot about what is important to you as you decide whether or not to accept an offer. Take this opportunity to get the information you can’t find online. If you’re looking for some good questions, here are some of my favorite: Job description not totally clear about their expectations? Not asking questions shows a lack of curiosity and might imply that you feel like you know all there is to know about the job or company. Now, Go Get’em! More preparation is bound to increase your confidence in how you will do in your interview. Still overcome with nerves? Change your state. Life coach Tony Robbins, says the key to overcoming stress is to move your body to shift your state from stress/nervousness to one of confidence. Stop, and breathe deeply. Think of how you stand when you’re confident. Are your hands on your hips? Shoulders back? Are you looking up? Figure out what makes you the most confident and do it right before the interview. This will help your nerves will shift and help you have a foolproof interview! Following all of these tips ensure that you’ll have a foolproof interview and can

Read More

9 Cool Jobs to Check Out

Cool Jobs

01/18/19

Nicole Wood

We are back with 9 more cool jobs for you to take a peek at. Whether or not you are actively job seeking, these may give you some interesting new career path ideas. Don’t forget to submit your jobs to us to publish if you are currently looking to hire for a cool job!  Our clients and community are looking for unique jobs in a fun environment. These jobs should reside within organizations which prioritize people and culture and provide exciting ways to make an impact beyond the mundane 9-5. We are particularly interested in positions which don’t neatly fit into an obvious career path box (e.g., doctor, lawyer, accountant). If you know of a job that you think would be great for us to share with our community of driven career-transitioners, you can submit it here for us to consider for a future post! Title: TBD – Potentially “project management, team leadership, student engagement, digital analytics, business development, special events, facility with tech and web tools, and most especially, etc. We do a lot of etcetera.” Company: Seth Godin’s Studio Location: Hastings on Hudson, NY Why we like it: Seth Godin is our hero. Let’s start there! This is a unique opportunity to join his team to support the suite of services and experiences he curates. No need for me to sell this one anymore. I’ll let Seth do it for himself, “I can’t tell you a specific job title or even a salary. All of our jobs pay significantly higher than industry standards, with excellent benefits (including lunch every day), flex time and most of all, an environment that’s based on mutual respect, responsibility and alacrity. We eagerly seek diversity of background and skill set, and are also focused on alignment of attitude and energy.” So if you’re up for a challenging, ambiguous but also creative and exciting environment, then do as Seth says, and apply below so you can “make a ruckus.” Read more and apply here. Title: Sr. Account Manager Company: Sitewire Location: Phoenix, AZ Why we like it: This role is shaping the modern marketing landscape, helping CPG (consumer packaged good) brands authentically connect with Millennials on emerging platforms. As a senior account manager, you get to play to your left and right brain – one part number crunching and one part creative strategy and direction. It’s truly a T-shaped role at a growing independent digital agency in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona packed with great perks like unlimited PTO, all-year “summer” Fridays and quarterly culture club events like team curling and a night on the ranch in the Arizona desert. Read more and apply here. Title: Web Development Immersive Instructor Company: General Assembly Location:  Seattle, WA Why we like it: If you are passionate about technology and enabling others, this job is right up your alley. Join General Assembly’s growing team as you help your students learn the ins and outs of website development. GA has been a phenomenal partner to Ama La Vida, and we can vouch for the caliber of talent they hire. What a fun and exciting way to combine your tech and people passions! Read more and apply here. Title: VP Supply Chain Company: Backcountry Location: Park City, UT Why we like it: In this role, you will be responsible for 3 warehouses globally, lead 400+ employees and work with 1,500 suppliers. You will be a key member of Backcountry’s leadership team and will report directly to Backcountry’s CFO. Backcountry has become known for its excellent supply chain, so if you’re geeking out at the thought of checking out its distribution facilities, this could be your new home. Also, did we mention it’s in Park City? Hello, ski season. Read more and apply here. Title: Portfolio Strategy & Operations Intern Company: Carbon Black Location: Waltham, MA Why we like it: It’s internship recruiting season, and this is a great one! Carbon Black is a leading provider of next-generation endpoint security, leveraging breakthrough prevention technology to instantly see and stop cyber attacks before they execute. This is certainly an industry on the rise, and you can rise with it in this role as you work on a diverse set of projects and collaborate with many different stakeholders. Read more and apply here. Title: Agile Project Manager Company: Table XI Location: Chicago, IL Why we like it: We love Table XI because they are one of the fastest growing design thinking company we know. They have a unique office vibe complete with a Tiki hut and an in house chef to provide fresh lunches every day! With an intense focus on people development, they heavily invest in sending their people to conferences, workshops, and allowing them to donate their time to organizations they care about. Read more and apply here. Title: Partner Success Strategist Company: AdmitHub Location: Boston, MS Why we like it: AdmitHub is the latest in chatbot technology allowing colleges to stay on top of the questions their potential students, applicants, and current students are asking. With this tech-focused culture, they are a forward-thinking company that’s growing fast! Complete with good insurance and flexible vacation time, this job is cool no matter how you frame it! Plus, it’s got a home base in Boston, so your weekends are wide open with amazing outdoor experiences no matter the season! Read more and apply here. Title: Growth Marketer Company: GoHealth Location: Chicago, IL Why we like it: This opportunity puts you right in the middle of changing the health insurance industry. You’ll be helping GoHealth grow and reach new customers while collaborating closely with other functional groups. GoHealth has a fun office with a startup vibe, a unique gem in the healthcare industry. If you love marketing and data, this could be the job for you. Read more and apply here. Title: Senior Product Designer Company: Seismic Location: San Diego, CA Why we like it: If you are passionate about product development and design, this could be a great role for you in sunny San Diego. The Seismic platform helps sales and marketing drive revenue together, and in this role you’ll be creating the future vision of that platform. The company is growing quickly, offering lots of opportunity to move

Read More

Team Interview – Coach Eden

Career Enrichment

01/16/19

Teague

I said it in last week’s newsletter, but it bears repeating – January is a month for growth and for determining how you want your year to look. This month’s coaching interview truly speaks to that need to look inward and uncover your “why,” while coupling those big dreams with thoughtful action steps to make them happen. We’re featuring Career Specialist Eden, an incredible member of our team who has a knack for helping her clients to address what they truly want out of life and work while equipping them with tangible skills to achieve epic career success. Let’s get started! First of all, let’s start this interview by saying that when we asked Eden what her signature party trick is, she responded, “I love to meditate, and will guide anyone who wants to give it a shot – any place, any time – through a guided visualization.” Eden, can you please invite all of us to whatever parties you’re going to? That quote truly sums up who Eden is; she is a coach who makes meaningful growth easy and accessible, and has some fun along the way. Eden made it clear that all of the buzzwords around purpose, doing what you love, and finding your purpose are truly meaningful as you think about your long-term career path. She notes, “Passion ignites us and drives us forward. It can keep us motivated in times when things may be uncertain.” Picture the moments when you’re the last one at the office or are feeling overwhelmed by everything on your plate. One driving factor that can keep you going is the reason you started this journey in the first place. Calling upon your “why” can be a powerful tool when it seems easier to simply give up. True to form, Eden didn’t only want to touch on purpose and passion in her interview. She also has some key interview tips to share with the ALV community. Key takeaways from our time together include: Prepare by practicing developed answers that you plan ahead of time. Review behavioral-based questions, as this is how employers learn about you from your past experiences, based on the behavior and the why behind your actions in your previous roles When providing examples, don’t forget to focus on your strengths and link your past experiences to the current role you are interviewing for. If you can bridge that connection, you make it easy for the employers to see why you are the right candidate for the position. Let them picture you in the role and understand exactly what you’ve done to prepare you for this new role. Know that interviewing is an investment on the employer’s side of things. The company spends valuable time and resources to interview potential new hires. Therefore, they’re likely not wasting their time in bringing you to their office to invest in potentially bringing you on board.  Interviewees make their first impression within the first couple of minutes. Look polished and professional, and engage with enthusiasm. A good handshake helps! Do not forget to follow-up by sending a professional thank you note after your interview (email is just fine) I truly loved this interview because it encompassed the purpose-driven work that we do here at Ama La Vida, as well as included actionable steps for our community to improve their job search skills. That’s where we find our sweet spot – developing people and equipping them with what they need to go after what they want. Thanks again, Eden, for sharing your wisdom and spirit. We’ll see the rest of you back here next week! This week’s challenge We’re mixing it up this week and incorporating a challenge that anyone in our community can take on. Feeling bummed that you won’t be at a party with Eden so you can practice her party trick? Have no fear! Guided meditation is free, easy, and convenient – and as an added bonus, science tells us it’s helpful for a variety of reasons. Some of our favorite resources for practicing are Simple Habit, Calm, and Yoga with Adriene. Your challenge this week is to give it a try. We can’t wait to hear what you think.   We know you want to learn more. Here are some of our favorite additional resources: Support your favorite local bookstore: Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work by Dave Isay Give it a try: “In my journey, I have given myself permission slips to be imperfect and to make mistakes throughout the day.” If you’re on the job hunt: 7 Trends Job Seekers Can Expect in 2019 We’re loving this week: “We talk to various moms from across the US in various walks of life about their childcare, work-life balance, mom hacks, and more.”

Read More

What to Look for in a Career Coach

Career Enrichment

01/14/19

Nicole Wood

I often describe the coaching industry as the Wild West. No, we aren’t riding around on horses and hanging out in saloons, but it is unregulated, confusing and messy. Regardless of whether or not a person has been formally trained, they can call themselves a career coach. This means that as a consumer, a lot of responsibility falls on you to do your research. You want to ensure you’re investing your dollars in someone qualified who can actually support you. You’re probably wondering what to look for in a career coach? So, when you decide to invest in yourself and hire a career coach, I want to make sure you know exactly what to look for. I will break it all down for you to ensure that you are hiring someone who is not only qualified, but also is the right fit for you and your goals. 1. Make sure a career coach is actually what you want and need.  A career coach can be a great ally to support you in many ways throughout your career. Whether you are navigating a career transition, developing as a leader, or working on collaboration, a career coach can help. Your coach will help you gain clarity, set and achieve goals, make decisions and stay accountable. However, your coach is not there to give you advice or tell you what to do. Coaching is often confused with mentorship and other related disciplines like mentorship or therapy. This graphic pinpoints some of the key differences between career coaching, mentorship and therapy so you can determine if a coach is actually the type of support you are seeking. Therapy is oriented toward the past, helping you understand why you are the way you are. Coaching is future-oriented. Your career coach won’t spend much time digging into your past experiences. There is still certainly a self-awareness component. They want you understand who you are and why, but all with the intention of using that self-awareness for the future.  “Okay, I know these things about myself. How can I create strategies and habits to help me progress toward my career goals given all I’ve learned?” Unlike a mentor, a career coach is not there to offer guidance and advice based on his/her own experiences. Sure, they might occasionally offer a suggestion or two. For the most part, your career coach will ask powerful questions to help you find the right solutions for you. It’s important to note that none of these disciplines are any better or any worse than the others. You simply need to understand the differences and have appropriate expectations for what will be accomplished with each provider. 2. Assess their training, certification and experience. Coaching is based on scientific research, and well-trained coaches utilize evidence-based coaching models with their clients. In order to learn this research and practice these techniques, coaches need to go through an in-depth training program. Unlike therapy, there is very little regulation of the coaching industry. For example, to call yourself a therapist, you legally need to have certain training and hold an official credential. There is no equivalent regulation for coaches. However, there is an organization called the International Coach Federation (ICF). They accredit coach training programs and ensure they meet a certain standard. When you begin meeting with career coaches, ask them which training program they completed and if it is ICF accredited. At Ama La Vida, we only hire coaches who have been through an intensive coach training program; once they join our team, they undergo an additional 3-months of training on our proprietary methodologies and programs. Because coaching is about finding the right solution for each individual and not about giving advice, it is not necessarily important for your career coach to have experience working in your particular industry. It is more important that they have experience coaching people in situations like yours, so it can be helpful to ask about their prior coaching work. For example, we have coaches on our team who coach people through career transitions every day. They know where the challenges usually lie, and they are experts in the job search process. This experience is typically way more valuable than deep knowledge of a particular industry. 3. Evaluate their coaching style. Each career coach coaches differently based on their personality and training. While all well-trained coaches provide structure and accountability, some coaches’ sessions are very organized and agenda-based while others are more open and free flowing. Some coaches tend to be more warm, energetic and supportive while others can be more confronting and really challenge you. Ask your prospective coach how they would describe their style and then think about if that is the type of support you need at this point in your life to achieve your current goals. Think about how you like to receive feedback and collaborate with others and assess if your coach can provide this style of support. Many coaches will provide this information up front somewhere on their website. You can see in our coaches’ bios a section called, “This Is My Coaching Approach.” 4. Ask about their coaching methodologies and tools.  You want your coach to utilize proven coaching methodologies and techniques to ensure your sessions will be effective in helping you achieve your goals. Additionally, you want to ensure their approach resonates with you and fits what you are looking for. Our coaches utilize a variety of tools and techniques based on the coach and the client’s needs. That being said, we have an overarching methodology which we always follow called the ADIT model: Assess, Discover, Implement, Transition. Following this model ensures a consistent customer experience for our clients and provides a framework for our engagements to make them most effective. We also have a specific framework and approach for coaching people through career transitions (which is a particular specialty for us). We take our career transition clients through an approach to help them identify and land the right job for them: When

Read More