Career Reflection Practices

Your biggest regret could be your greatest teacher. Most of us have regrets, where we wish we’d done something differently. They can eat us up inside and fill us with resentment. Or, we can choose to see them as powerful lessons. Most often, your deepest regrets offer you a window into your core values & what matters most to you. For example: 1. Turning down a dream job because it felt too risky ↳Value: Courage + Growth ↳Lesson: Embrace calculated risks to pursue your passions + career goals. 2. Not standing up for your ideas in a meeting: ↳Value: Self-respect + Authenticity ↳Lesson: Value your voice and advocate for your ideas confidently. 3. Staying in a job that didn't align with your values for too long: ↳Value: Integrity + Fulfilment ↳Lesson: Align your career with your personal values + seek fulfilling work. Instead of getting stuck in the past, Turn each regret into a lesson. Choose to make it count. P.S. Have you ever turned a regret into a lesson that shaped your future decisions? #regrets #seekthelesson

Don’t Just List Tasks—Showcase Your Value on Your CV Your CV should not be a list of the jobs you’ve held—it should demonstrate the unique impact you’ve made throughout your career. Yet, so many CVs end up being little more than task lists. Take a look at this. 👉 Instead of saying, “Managed social media accounts,” Say, “Increased social media engagement by 45% in six months through targeted campaigns.” See how one focuses on tasks and the other highlights results? Employers want to see the value you bring, not just what you were told to do. A Client’s Success Story: I recently worked with a client who was in marketing. Her CV initially read like a job description: “Created email campaigns” and “Collaborated with sales teams.” While this is great for using key works and incorporating the job description, it just doesn't have any impact. We reframed her experience to focus on results: ✅ “Launched email campaigns that boosted open rates by 25%, contributing to a 15% increase in sales leads.” ✅ “Developed cross-departmental strategies with sales, resulting in a streamlined funnel and increased conversion rates by 10%.” The result? Not only did her CV stand out, but it led to interviews where she could discuss her real contributions. Here are some ways you can showcase value on your CV: 1️⃣ Use numbers, percentages, or metrics to quantify your achievements. 2️⃣ Highlight the outcomes and benefits of your work, not just the actions. 3️⃣ Start bullet points with strong action verbs like boosted, increased, reduced, streamlined, or led. Make it clear why you’re the one who can deliver results. www.joanneleecoaching.com 👉🏻Employers - let us know in the comments what you are looking for on a CV in 2025. #cvwriting #careercoaching #careerdevelopment #jobsearchtips

My best salesperson was struggling because she was selling so much and could not keep up with the paperwork. She sucks at the latter, but paperwork made sure there was follow-through for customers and payments are collected. Conventional wisdom suggests weaknesses offer growth opportunities. But instead of coaching her to eliminate the weakness, I hired an administrator to do the admin stuff. Why? Don’t ask a monkey to swim when they are at their best, swinging in the trees. For her, admin work is demotivating. She dislikes it, and it distracts her from perfecting what she likes best- sell! When we leverage our strengths, it feels natural. Marcus Buckingham advises employees to identify and cultivate their natural skills and advantages. “If you want to win, if you want to excel, if you want to stand out, you’re going to have to take the few unique things about you that are beautiful and powerful, and take them seriously, and turn them into contributions.” Here are some ways to operationalise Buckingham's advice. 1. Use self-reflection and feedback to identify your strengths. Then name them, and find ways to leverage these optimally for others and for yourself. 2. Learn from people who are great at leveraging their strengths. 3. Find ways of applying and adapting your strengths to new situations and in different circumstances. 4. Manage your weaknesses by eliminating them, and if not possible, minimising their impact so they are not derailers. # 4 resonates with me. A LinkedIn friend, Andy, messaged me about an error on my LinkedIn profile. It was a highly visible mistake, but I missed it! I told Andy my carelessness was what got me into trouble early in my career. In my first job, many were vying to join the Planning Division. I got it. But I did not realise my weakness would show up big time as the work involved writing policy papers that are discussed at the Board level. Every letter, word and punctuation mark must be in order. Not getting every fact on point is a career breaker. I can’t ignore my weakness. I must manage it. I tried many ways to overcome it, but nothing worked. My manager coached, but I was beyond help. I am surprised I did not have a breakdown! Finally, I realise I could not change myself. So I changed jobs. Instantly, because of different job requirements, my weakness was not a derailer, just an irritant. I leverage my strengths, gain confidence, and eventually, recognition. Back to the salesperson who dislikes admin work. She still dislikes it. She also got promoted and is leading a team, helping them sell, sell, sell. And she is still getting bonuses for doing something she loves - selling. And how is the admin staff doing? Very well! Every salesperson appreciates that he helps them shine. And he gets a share of the team's bonus. When people leverage their strengths, they look forward to work instead of worrying about mistakes they will make. Agree?

Most professionals believe the safest career path looks like this: One company, one industry, a straight line upward. But after years of working in executive search, I’ve seen something very different. Corporate job security is largely a myth. Restructuring, automation, and market shifts often happen long before employees see them coming, and the professionals who navigate those shifts best usually have one thing in common: Their careers don’t look predictable. I like to think of careers the same way investors think about assets; there are two types. 1️⃣ Liquid career paths These are straight-line resumes, same company, function, and industry. They’re easy for companies to benchmark, compare, and replace. And because they follow predictable patterns… they’re also easier for AI and automation to replicate. 2️⃣ Illiquid career paths These are the zigzag career, different industries, unexpected pivots, and nonlinear growth. At first, they often look messy. But they create something powerful: Uniqueness. Markets struggle to price them, organizations struggle to replace them, and AI struggles to automate them. Because AI excels at repeating patterns. It struggles with synthesis. Here’s the irony: The career path that feels “safe” is often the most replaceable one. The unconventional path, the one that looks risky early on, often becomes the most valuable over time. Because illiquid assets tend to outperform precisely because they were mispriced in the beginning. In the next five years, most ambitious professionals will experience nonlinear careers, and that’s not a problem. It’s leverage. Comment ELITE to get my newsletter where I break down market shifts before they become obvious 📩 #careeradvice #futureofwork #careers #careerstrategy #aiandwork

If you're struggling to identify your strengths, here are 5 questions to fix that: (1) What doesn't feel like work to you? (What feels effortless to you but difficult to others often reveals your deepest strengths.) (2) What energizes you? Look at your calendar from the past 2 weeks. For each meeting, task, and project, did it energize you or drain you? (3) What could you imagine working on for 5+ years, even without seeing much success? Where would you persist through setbacks? (4) Ask 3 people: "When do I seem most energized and in my element? What do you see me doing when I'm at my best?" (5)  What unusual combinations of skills do I have? (It's easier to become world-class at the intersection of 2-3 unusual skills than to become the best at any single skill.) Answering these 5 questions is important because research on career planning reveals we're often blind to our own strengths. What we're good at feels easy and natural, while our weaknesses create headaches that demand attention. So negativity bias keeps us focused on where we fall short. We also compare ourselves incorrectly, measuring against experts with 10,000+ hours instead of comparing our rate of improvement to others with similar experience. And we limit ourselves prematurely, ruling out entire paths based on current abilities rather than asking: "Which strengths are worth building?" What are your answers to these 5 questions? -- If you found this useful: ♻️ Repost to help your network too 🛎️ Follow me for more science-backed strategies

If looking like 40 million other job seekers is not the impression you want to make on hiring managers then it may be time to rethink your resume's career summary. It's not that career summaries are bad, it's more that they've become so generalized that they all blend in together. Let's consider a switch to a career snapshot. So what's the difference? Here's the intro to a summary: "Successful sales professional with 30 years' experience in retail..." This generic approach: - Does not answer the big 3 questions hiring managers ask in their initial scan - Focuses on generalities and years of experience that don't differentiate you - Blends in with every other qualified applicant - Wastes your 15-20 second window to grab attention Here's a career snapshot: "Award-winning chief financial officer overseeing $500M global operations expansion, saving $50M in YTD costs while increasing market share by 40%. Analyzes financial strengths and weaknesses of Fortune 500 companies and implements corrective actions to raise cash flow a minimum of 30%/year." This modern approach: - Engages readers with quantifiable achievements - Differentiates you from competitors with specific accomplishments - Highlights skills valuable to the position and company - Proves/validates what you've accomplished Here are my top 3 tips to help you write a compelling career snapshot: 1. Brainstorm Your Unique Selling Points Don't just list generic skills everyone in your field has. Identify your specific strengths, skills, and qualifications that make you different. 2. Showcase Accomplishments, Not Capabilities Instead of "Skilled in managing capital expansions," try "Managed $45M in capital expansions, raising Amelia Urgent Care from a level 2 to a level 3 trauma center in four years." The difference is dramatic—one is vague and forgettable, while the other communicates concrete value and achievement. 3. Add Power With Metrics and Results Quantify your achievements whenever possible. Numbers provide credibility and immediate visual impact: "Expanded market share 200% for more than 75 services in 15 states" "Increased year-over-year revenues 22% and reduced staff turnover rates 34%" These statistics transform you from a potential asset to a proven one. Read this article for two more tips (with examples) for how to write an impactful career snapshot: https://lnkd.in/ewHdvvzK 📌 Save this post for your next resume update. #Careers #Resumes #JobSearch

Of non-linear career trajectories and paths...... I started my career as a full-time clinician (Paediatrician) and moved to become a clinician who worked in research. These days I see myself as a researcher who works as a clinician... 😊 I think non-linear career paths are a double-edged sword, they can be exciting, engaging, and many times fulfilling. They also can be froth with fear and anxiety because the pathways are usually nebulous and there are no manuals for progression or pre-defined steps to take for a successful career. Over the years, I have applied a few principles to my path and I thought to share- 👉 Learning from others Never underestimate the power of learning from those who are a few steps ahead of you. A 30-minute conversation with someone ahead of you can provide insights that can take you the next few years to learn on your own. I think knowledge is power and knowing how things work is always an advantage and brings clarity. There is a popular saying - "There is no favorable wind for a sailor who does not know where they are heading". I think clarity comes from knowing. Many times, you do not need to ask to know, at times just observing tells you a lot. People are also willing to help others who can show they have made an effort for themselves. 👉 Avoid building career silos Silos by nature are isolated from each other. I think when there is no linkage between career decisions, progress is minimal and career decisions can feel like we are starting all over (In some instances, this might be necessary). I think this can bring with it negative feelings of sadness, doubt, or feeling insufficient. I think one guiding principle for me has been to build on past experience and link the next experience to a previous one. At times it feels like weaving tapestry but it gives you a sense of fulfilment and a feeling of progress. 👉 Make career decisions that resonate with your values. I think one side effect of a non-linear career path is the multitude of possible career pathways that open up to you. Someone once said it brings with it the problem of many choices. The more I go down this part, the more I recognise it is important to mute the 'noise' around. Listen to yourself. What do you value, and what gives you fulfillment? 👉 Have a growth mindset I think I have always been guided by opportunities that make me grow and develop in a multitude of ways and those that drive me to bring more value to myself and my chosen field. I think growth brings a sense of fulfillment and calm when you navigate a non-linear career path If you see yourself as someone who has navigated the non-linear career pathway, please comment below on strategies you have used successfully throughout your career and join the conversation. Perhaps someone might find value in this 😊 #phdjourney #careerdevelopment #careertalk #career

📣Annual review season is here—and if you don’t advocate for yourself, who will? Your achievements deserve the spotlight, and the best way to get ahead is to come prepared. Here’s my tried-and-true framework for making your annual review rock: 1️⃣ Collect Your Kudos: Keep a file of positive feedback—emails, notes, or messages from colleagues and clients. These stories showcase your impact on others and your ability to collaborate. 2️⃣ Quantify Your Value: Track your contributions with clear, data-driven results. What projects did you move forward? Where did you save time, money, or resources? Bring specifics. 3️⃣ Highlight Your Growth: Document ways you’ve stretched beyond your comfort zone. What new skills have you learned? How have you contributed to the bigger picture? 🙌 Pro tip: Tie everything together with a clear theme. For example: - “This year, I thrived in ambiguous situations by…” - “I expanded my skill set by…” Let AI help you organize your bullet points and craft a compelling narrative. Do your homework, and don’t be afraid to promote yourself! #CareerDevelopment #PerformanceReview #PersonalBranding

"'I Want to Make 5X More' – Why This Goal Won't Get You There One of the common challenge my ambitious clients face is the desire to significantly increase their income—whether it's 2X, 3X, 5X, or even 10X their current income. The key to unlocking these BIG goals lies in how we frame them right from the start. Your goals must be under YOUR control. Setting goals that others control leads to: 🛑 Powerlessness: You rely on others, not yourself. 🛑 Low Motivation: Obstacles easily derail you. 🛑 Blame Game: You don't own your results. 🛑 Stress & Anxiety: Uncertainty takes over. 🛑 Wasted Effort: You focus on influencing others, not yourself. So, how do we transform the desire for a 'multiple-X income' into a goal YOU can control and achieve? Here are a few examples of how to reframe your goals: 👉 Upskill: "I will master [specific, in-demand skill] to command top salaries in the industry." 👉Network Strategically: "I will connect with [number] influential people in my industry each month to expand my horizons and discover new strategies and opportunities." 👉Exceed Expectations: "I will consistently go above and beyond at work and seek new challenges to be considered for the next promotion." 👉Build a Side Hustle: "I will create a side business to generate [amount] of additional income." 👉Become Financially Savvy: "I will educate myself on personal finance and investment strategies to grow my wealth." By focusing on actions you can take, not on what others might do for you, you take control of your career journey and boost your chances of success. How much control do you have over the outcome of your current career goals? #careercoaching #goalsetting

One of the most insightful exercises I've done in my workshops is to ask people about their distinctive strengths. What do you do well that others in your sphere don't? As a leader, employee, or simply a human being - identifying this strength and pairing it with a problem that needs solving allows you to achieve hypergrowth. Your distinctive strength could be anything you feel is unique to you. To Steve Jobs - it was creating aesthetically pleasing products and combining them with the latest tech. To me, it was maximizing, communicating, and continuous learning , which led me to pursue a Gallup Strengths Coach certification before becoming a leadership coach. I was able to absorb and apply new knowledge, strategically communicate high standards, and foster a culture of continuous improvement, helping me streamline into my new role. Consider jobs where you'd be the wild-card candidate - problems you can solve at an organization. The right problems are those you feel called to solve and can solve because of your experience. This is one thing I always recommend to people who are stuck on their path forward. The concept of distinctive strengths provides a sure-shot way of identifying who you truly are. What is your distinctive strength? #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #growthmindset