Ep 46: How your faith can guide your career change
Are you feeling a stirring in your heart with your career? Don’t dismiss it! In this throwback episode, we revisit a conversation with author and life coach Nancy Gavilanes, who shares how your faith can guide you through a career change. Whether you’re feeling stuck, curious about a new field, or dealing with the ups and downs of a career switch, you can make spirituality part of your journey. And Nancy shows you three ways to do that. “You need faith to have patience, to persevere, and to not give up,” says Nancy. 

Ep 45: Avoid burnout with your career change
It takes time to change industries or professions, and depending on how you handle that time—and the feelings that come with it—it could lead to burnout. I speak with Dr. Kyle Elliott, a career coach and founder of CaffeinatedKyle.com. Kyle coaches career changers, so they avoid burnout as they work on their career switch. In this episode, Kyle shares how having clear targets, realistic goals and a good support system can keep you from burning out.  He offers techniques to apply for jobs strategically along with ways to take care of yourself while changing careers.

Ep 44: The power of networking for POC & First Gens
As a person of color (POC) and/or first-generation professional, your family’s culture and background likely influenced your beliefs, which can now impact your making a career change. Dani Tan is a leadership and career coach, who works with POC and First Gens who are often the first, few or only in their space. Dani reveals how the scarcity mindset from our parents can affect our career choices. And she shares how the power of networking can reset our thinking. Dani, who is Asian Latina and first generation, also teaches us how to let go of some career lessons we learned as kids. And, we tackle guilt, that overwhelming feeling that can keep POC and First Gens from making a career switch. 

Ep 43: Trying to change careers now
David Mock is trying to change careers now while he has a full-time job, a mortgage and two young kids. He opens up about the challenges he's facing, his immediate concerns (will it work out?, will it be worth it?), and how he's getting through it all. David shares how he's working on becoming a certified junior cybersecurity analyst, a new career that would provide personal growth, financial freedom and more flexibility.  It could also secure his future in a growing field.  Are you working on your career switch, too, like David? Here's hoping you can relate to any part of his story and that his experience and advice will motivate you to keep going. 

Ep 42: Is a creative career right for you?
Creative strategy coach Michelle Guo works with creatives, such as freelance web designers, copywriters and social media managers. As the founder of Magicave Media, Michelle empowers her clients to build a sustainable business around their desired lifestyle. Is a creative career right for you? Michelle helps you figure that out with all the things you should consider, including your personality, lifestyle and finances. She also reminds us that a creative career has a business side to it, which you should also keep in mind.  

Ep 41: Pursuing your passion at any age (Hispanic Heritage Month)
After she got laid off in her 50s, Argentine-born Mirta Rinaldi decided to follow her passion for cooking. Today, at age 75, Mirta teaches Argentine cuisine and owns her own business, Mendulcina, where she hosts cultural experiences and makes and sells delicacies from her home country. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Mirta shares how she made her career change and the rich ties her new career as a cooking instructor and entrepreneur has to her culture. It's more than just cooking for Mirta; it's about preserving her family's legacy and teaching others about Argentina. Check out Mirta's advice if you, too, are making your career switch after age 50! 

Ep 40: Going back to school for a career change
Did you know? 48% of U.S. employers offer undergraduate or graduate tuition assistance as a benefit? This means you can start making your career change NOW while you’re still at your current job! When Weavy Garcia’s company offered an MBA program to their employees, he went for it. It was an opportunity to learn about business, get his master’s, and switch from IT into sales, a more lucrative option for him. Weavy recalls what it was like to go back to school for 18 months while working full-time and how it affected his family life. Weavy shares how his MBA and IT experience have secured his future and how networking played a key role in making his career change. 

Ep 39: 3 keys to coping with a career change
Any career switch will have its ups and downs. Recovery coach Gerardo Matamoros reveals some potentially harmful behaviors you may start relying on to help you handle whatever is going on with your career change. Gerardo is the owner of consulting firm 7RM7 and a group facilitator for Smart Recovery, a nationwide nonprofit which offers free support groups to individuals who want independence from any type of addictive behavior. Gerardo explains what’s behind the behavior you may be using to cope, whether it’s too much eating, spending, drinking, smoking, sleeping, TV watching, video-game playing, pill taking—anything that can be harmful when done in excess. Gerardo explains how your thoughts affect your actions and offers 3 keys to better cope with making a career change.

Ep 38: How to transition from corporate to nonprofit
Nonprofit consultant and coach Niki Lomibao provides an HR perspective when making a career change from corporate to nonprofit. Niki has 10 years of HR experience in the nonprofit world and has hired plenty of career changers. We cover the common assumptions many of us make when we think about switching to nonprofit and what you should do NOW before you start applying for nonprofit jobs. Niki also reveals three interview questions you’ll likely be asked by HR managers to see if you’re a good fit for nonprofit.  

Ep 37: Starting and running a multi-million dollar business
Before she burnt out on the long hours and commute, Helene Godin was a lawyer for 22 years. She quit in 2010 with no plan. Today, Helene has five By the Way Bakery locations and her gluten-free, dairy-free and kosher products are sold at Whole Foods and Stew Leonard’s grocery chains. Helene shares the ups and downs she went through to open her store and how she continues to grow her multi-million dollar business.

Ep 36: How to be more confident with your career change
Public speaking and confidence coach Sammie Walker Herrera  shares how you can be more confident with job interviewing, networking and negotiating. We cover how to look and sound confident when answering some common interview questions in-person or virtually, how to ask people for their salary range without cringing, and how to use silence to get the upper hand when negotiating a job offer.  

Ep 35: Leaving media: Career change for editors
If you're an editor who's been affected by the layoffs in journalism and media, this episode is for you! I chat with editorial recruiter Chandra Turner, founder of The Talent Fairy, a recruiting agency that specializes in placing editorial talent. We talk about how media is changing and how editors can switch to other industries that need their editorial skills. We also cover the biggest challenges many editors face when leaving media and how to handle them.  

Ep 34: 3 signs it's time for a career change
Are you thinking about making a career change, but aren't sure? I speak with certified life and career coach Deirdre Taylor about three big signs you should watch out for that are telling you it’s time for a career switch. We also cover how to begin taking those first steps with your career change.

Ep 33: Leaving corporate to lead a non-profit (Hispanic Heritage Month)
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I speak with Charlotte Castillo, managing director of Poderistas, a non-profit founded by Latinas that focuses on building a digital community that inspires civic engagement among Latinas. Charlotte tells us how she first got involved with Poderistas as a volunteer and how she used her marketing and brand strategy expertise to help launch the organization in 2020. She shares the initial hesitation she had about leaving behind her corporate career when she was offered the opportunity to run Poderistas, how she worked through her doubts, and how she’s adjusting to her new non-profit world.

Ep 32: Advice for an over-50 career switch
Some of the most listened to episodes of Career Switch Podcast are those that feature guests who’ve switched industries or professions after age 50. So this episode is dedicated to making a career switch when you’re over 50. Penny Kastaris is an executive coach and a senior consultant with Right Management Talent Solutions, a company that offers career transition services. Penny is a young Boomer, who helps over-50 clients—both those who know what they want to do next and those who are lost—with their career change. She addresses the most frequent concerns she hears from her clients and offers her best advice for making an over-50 career switch.

Ep 31: When you need to leave your industry
Chances are you need to make a career switch if your industry is in trouble. Maria Azua was just starting her career to become a magazine editor in 2016 when she realized print publishing was unstable. She tells us how she made the tough decision to leave her rocky industry and switched to search engine optimization, or SEO, in digital marketing.  She offers advice if you need to leave your industry, too.

Ep 30: Ladies, avoid these major mistakes with your career switch!
Career mindset coach Ellen Torreyson helps women challenge their beliefs and get real about why they want to make a career change and how they go about it. Tune in for the major mistakes Ellen sees with her clients before and after they decide to make a career switch and how you can avoid them. 

Ep 29: A life-changing experience inspires a career switch
After working in finance for almost 10 years, Teddy Levarda was looking to make a career change. Having to sit all day at work and the constant stress of his investment job had given him chronic hip and back pain. Teddy tells us how acupuncture changed his life and how it inspired him to become a licensed acupuncturist. He shares his initial doubts about giving up a six-figure salary when he went back to school for his Master's in 2016, and he opens up about the anxiety he felt while starting and building his practice, Morningside Acupuncture, in NYC. Today, he specializes in treating pain and stress using acupuncture, dry needling, and Chinese medicine.

Ep 28: In your 20s and feeling guilty about wanting to make a career switch?
If you’re in your 20s and you feel stuck in your career, this episode is for you. I speak with Delicia Alarcón, an academic and career coach who helps recent graduates and young professionals with their career transitions. As the CEO of the coaching company Delilingo Academy, Delicia shares the three biggest challenges many 20-somethings face when making a career switch and how to work through them.

Ep 27: A teacher transitions into corporate
Former high school teacher Tyler Banh certainly understands why so many teachers are leaving their profession these days. In this episode, Tyler shares why he quit teaching in 2018 and the transferable skills he used to become a senior specialist in digital learning for a management consulting firm. He talks about the techniques he utilized to address his knowledge gaps, how he purposely took care of his physical and mental health while making his career switch, and how he’s giving back by helping other educators transition into corporate.

Ep 26: Tell a good story and make your transferable skills stand out!
One of the trickiest parts about making a career switch is having to show someone that you’ve done A, B, and C in one industry or profession and that you’ll be able to do X, Y, and Z in a new one. You basically have to convince somebody to take a chance on you. Career coach Win Sheffield walks us through how to use storytelling to make your transferable skills stand out—no convincing required. We cover how to find stories throughout your career, what to include, and how to best use stories when you’re networking, interviewing, and writing your resume. 

Ep 25: A hobby turns into a career switch
When people offer to pay you for something you do well, take note. It could lead to a career switch. It did for Anthony Randazzo. As a straight-A student, Anthony grew up with two career options—doctor or lawyer. He became a corporate lawyer and worked on Wall Street before he quit at age 29 after he realized the profession was not for him. Anthony tells us how his photography hobby led to his next career when his friends started offering to pay him for taking pictures. He shares how he got his small business, 1028 Photography, off the ground and offers advice if you, too, want to start your own business.

Ep 24: Using your quiet strengths as an introvert
Career advancement coach Nancy Ancowitz, a self-proclaimed introvert and author of the book, Self-Promotion for Introverts®: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead, walks us through why introverts can struggle with networking, interviewing, thinking on the spot, and impostor syndrome when making a career switch. Nancy points out the quiet strengths you likely already have as an introvert to help you work through these challenges. She also shares techniques and her three-part formula for introverts.

Ep 23: An unexpected career switch
When Julia Abrantes moved from NYC to Atlanta, she assumed she’d have no problem finding another job as a legal secretary with her 30 years experience. To her surprise, she had a hard time landing a job in her new city and ultimately, she had to make an unexpected career switch in her 50s. Julia shares how she eventually became a licensed insurance agent, a new career she was willing to try for six months. Today, Julia helps State Farm clients with their home, auto, and renters insurance needs—in English and Spanish— and truly enjoys it.

Ep 22: The many ways volunteering benefits your career switch
One of the best things you can do for your career switch is volunteer. Career transition coach Bonnie Diamond, a senior executive coach at Right Management, tells us about the professional and personal benefits of volunteering when switching industries or professions. Get motivated to volunteer today!

Ep 21: A side hustle results in a career switch
Mike Lenz is a voiceover actor who has narrated about 170 titles over the past 15 years. When Mike started doing voiceover in 2006, he was working as a pharmacist and running his own business. For some 10 years, he narrated books and voiced other projects on the side until he went full-time.  Mike shares how he learned his craft, the mental challenges he had about making his career switch, and the decade he remained, as he calls it, “persistently consistent” with his side hustle to make voice over acting his new career. 

Ep 20: A holistic approach to making a career switch
I speak with career coach Vilma Usaite, who believes in taking a holistic approach to making a career switch. In this episode, Vilma breaks down her signature program for finding a fulfilling career into three stages. Her goal? For each person to have a career where it feels like you’re, essentially, getting paid for being yourself. 

Ep 19: Here's why you're procrastinating about your career switch
If you know that you need to make a career change, but you keep procrastinating, this episode is for you! I speak with career coach Jeanne Lyons, founder of Accelerated Synergies, who sheds light on why we hold off on starting the process of a career switch, and how our mindset is key to taking those first steps.

Ep 18: The pros and cons of being a full-time author
How many of us have dreamed of ditching our 9 to 5 job to become a full-time author? In 2020, Jody Leber-Pay quit her job in financial services to write books. Under the pen name, Bradley Pay, Jody has written two novels so far in The Spectrum Series with her co-author Robin Bradley. Jody shares how she prepared to make her career switch, the pros and cons of being a self-published author, and how she handles both the creative and business sides of her new career. She also offers advice if you're thinking about writing full-time.

Ep 17: What role can faith play in making a career switch?
Does making a career switch require faith—in ourselves, in the steps we’re taking, in the future, and even in something bigger than us? Christian author and speaker Nancy Gavilanes shares how your faith (whatever it may be) can definitely play an important role in making a career switch, and she offers 3 ways to make it part of your journey.

Ep 16: A career switch 15 years in the making
After climbing the ladder, project manager Andrew Grossi missed the creative part of being an architect—designing. In 2002, he decided to make a career switch to become a boat designer. He set up a plan and started taking courses in boat design. Unfortunately, the 2009 recession threw a wrench in Andy’s plan, and eventually, it took him two tries and some 15 years to make his career switch. Andy tells us what kept him motivated, how he broke into a new industry in his 50s, and how he is back to learning and growing as a novice boat designer—and loving it. 

Ep 15: Switching from the military to a civilian career
U.S. Army veteran Regina Ross is a professional certified coach, who helps military service men and women transition into the civilian sector. As the founder of Walk on Purpose, Regina explains the common pitfalls military vets should avoid when making their career switch, their unique military skills to highlight, and the resources available for vets who are looking for a new career AND for companies that are hiring.

​Ep 14: A passion project leads to a career switch
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I speak with Isabel Gonzalez Whitaker, founder of the Sara J. Gonzalez Memorial Park in Atlanta—the first park named for a Latinx person in the state of Georgia. Isabel shares how her passion project led to a career switch from celebrity journalist to social entrepreneur. She is now a principal advisor for a children's healthcare non-profit. ​

​Ep 13: How to market yourself as a career changer
It's no secret (or is it?) that career changers need to market themselves differently than regular job seekers. Certified resume writer and professional career coach Timothy Lo, founder of Your Next Jump, uses a real-life client example to walk us through how to put together a resume that'll stand out, how to best use LinkedIn, and how to talk about your experience in one industry or profession when you're interviewing for a job in a different one. ​

Ep 12: Using the Tombstone Test to follow her calling
What 3 things would you want written on your tombstone? What would you want people to remember about you after you're gone? These questions make up the Tombstone Test, and it's what spurred 27-year-old Allison Fedele to make her career switch and become an elementary school teacher.

Ep 11: Imposter Syndrome and other roadblocks
We tackle 3 roadblocks—impostor syndrome, low self-worth, and lack of self-care—that can creep up while making a career switch and take you on a mental detour. Certified executive coach Natalie Archibald shares how to handle these obstacles to move forward.

Ep 10: Getting an MBA through his employer for a career switch
If your company offers tuition assistance to pursue a degree, you can start making a career switch NOW while you're still at your current job. This is what Weavy Garcia did when he decided to diversify from IT. He tells us how earning his MBA helped him secure the flexibility and diversification he was looking for. He also shares how he had to move on from his employers after he got his MBA and how networking was key to making his career switch.

Ep 9: The 3 biggest mistakes women make with salary negotiation when making a career switch
I speak with Anna McDonnell Dowling, co-founder of the f school, an online platform that teaches women the life skills that are not taught in school, about the 3 biggest mistakes women tend to make when negotiating a starting salary as part of a career switch. She teaches us how to prepare both verbally and physically for the negotiation, how to counteroffer with confidence, and how to handle common roadblocks, such as "It's not in the budget."

Ep 8: Working with a career coach
Are you thinking about working with a career coach to help with your career change? Bella Holzkenner worked with two career coaches to decide on her next career after being in asset management for more than 20 years.  She tells us about the work she did with her coaches and how one of her coach's support helped her make the decision to become a mental health counselor—something she resisted at first. She also explains how volunteering and taking on a neutral perspective, which she learned from her coach, played an important role in making her career switch.

Ep 7: Lost with what career switch to make?
Do you want to make a career change, but don’t know what to pursue? You’re not alone. So many people are struggling to figure out their career switch. Here to the rescue is certified life and career coach Deirdre Taylor. Deirdre helps her clients discover their passion and purpose, and prepare for success in their careers. In this episode, she offers some direction on how to look past simply what you do (or did) on the job to figure out what career switch to make when you’re lost.

Ep 6: Jumpstarting her career with a career switch
After almost 20 years as a structural engineer, Patricia Rodriguez reached a point where her career had gotten somewhat stagnant. She jumpstarted her career by starting her own firm and teaching—the dream combo she had imagined in graduate school. Patricia shares how she opened new doors for herself as a woman-and-minority-owned small business and recalls the ups and downs of starting her own business, which included learning new skills to run her firm, PAR Engineering, in New York City.

Ep 5: How to handle uncertainty while making a career switch
Making a career change can take time. And not knowing if it'll turn out the way you want and when it’ll actually happen, can be very stressful. Are you working on your career switch and constantly worried? Are you feeling discouraged as the weeks or months go by? Life coach Allison Carmen, author of The Gift of Maybe: Finding Hope and Possibility in Uncertain Times, offers 3 tools to handle uncertainty while making a career switch.

Ep 4: Aged out and making a career switch at over 50
Errol Griffiths spent decades in ad sales until he was aged out. Unsure of what to pursue next, he explored a few options that didn’t work out. He shares how he figured out his career switch at over age 50, and made his way into financial advising, where his age is now an asset with his clients and he can work for as many more years as he wants.

Ep 3: 6 key features to update on your LinkedIn profile NOW for your career switch.
Which key features on your LinkedIn profile should you update NOW? And which ones can get you noticed by your target companies?  Here to tell us is LinkedIn expert Louise Brogan, host of the weekly podcast, “LinkedIn with Louise”, where she shares her best tips and advice for using LinkedIn. Louise runs a consulting and training company that helps entrepreneurs and businesses to raise their profile (and profits) through LinkedIn.

Ep 2: Starting a non-profit during the pandemic.
Education consultant Christina Martin Pendleton shares how she overcame her fear of failure to start her non-profit, LiKen, in spring 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, which turned out to be mostly a positive force for her.

Ep 1: Can I make a career switch during the pandemic?
Career coach Win Sheffield tells us how the pandemic has changed the job market and the possible advantages to making a career switch now.