We often feel that the career choice we made years ago is permanent, that we are hostages of a degree we earned or a couple of decades of experience that we accumulated. But that isn’t true.

In this episode of the Align podcast, Ashley Stahl and I discuss the 9 core skill sets that you should develop if you are contemplating switching careers. Plus, Ashley explains how the skills that you naturally have are more important than the interests you have.

Lastly, we get to hear all about how Ashley’s impressive background in counterterrorism helped her develop soft skills that are essential for the career choice she made after leaving the Pentagon.

Ashley is an angel investor, writer, career coach, podcast host, and an ex-counterterrorism professional for the Pentagon. Her leadership firm, Ashley International Inc., offers private coaching and unparalleled online programs to empower Millennials to find their purpose, land more job offers, and increase their income.

What we discuss:

04:26: Ashley's creative process for writing her new book

08:36: Expanding options vs going unidirectionally in a career

12:56: Making core skill sets relevant

16:22: Ashley's background in counter-terrorism

22:39: How Ashley incurred a loss in her business

24:41: What brought Ashley to her current formula?

29:25: Why did the Senate get raided?

32:22: Ashley's day to day working in counter-terrorism and international development

35:57: How are skill sets becoming obsolete in the workforce

40:01: What was Ashley's relation to Al-Qaeda in her professional role?

41:51: Ashley's experience as a female in her previous field

44:42: Developing self-awareness to determine our own hardness

47:00: Making career choices based on past wounds

48:46: What are the required skills of a good spy?

52:37: The power of being good with words

55:16: How did Ashley's perception of death evolve throughout time

01:03:05: The value and disadvantages of the current educational system

01:05:42: Changing careers at a mature age

To learn more about Ashley:

Website: ashleystahl.com

Instagram: @ashleystahl

Podcast:  Your Turn Podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices