Career Can Do

In this episode of Career Can Do, Mary Ann Faremouth chats with Timothy Walker, experienced career advisor and Instructor of Computer Networking and Telecommunications at Houston Community College. Timothy’s experience in the higher education industry and strong community and social services skills equip him to help people navigate the unique challenges of the new work world. Timothy shares how Houston Community College is doing just that.

The tumultuous nature of recent years has left many struggling to keep their heads above water, especially in the global workspace. Almost every industry has undergone changes to their operations. With these changes come new demands - demands which may no longer be satisfied with traditional methods of education. Houston Community College offers a variety of programs to help students prepare for the new work world, including certificates, degrees, and virtual internships. Their professors are highly committed to their students, providing excellent and relevant training, as well as support. 

To nurture flexibility and the ability to adapt to future changes, Houston Community College keeps an eye on developments in various industries. This is where traditional education has always been lacking, Timothy comments. Traditional education has historically always lagged behind industry.

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In this episode of Career Can Do, Mary Ann Faremouth chats with Pamela McCown, keynote speaker and former International Director and Regional Advisor at Toastmasters. Pamela offers keynotes and training related to living life with purpose through goal setting, communication, and realizing your own influence and potential. Pamela shares how Toastmasters helps its members develop skills and advance their career.

Toastmasters is a great organization that can help people expand their skills and knowledge in the new work world. Joining Toastmasters can be beneficial for both the employee and the company, as it helps to run meetings better and improve performance. For instance, the club helps its members refine their speaking and listening skills. 

Listening is a huge part of communication that many people overlook when they go into public speaking. In the work world, you have to know your audience and listen to what they want. After you listen and understand, you must think about what value you can give based on the wants you’ve just heard.

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In this episode of Career Can Do, Mary Ann Faremouth chats with Susannah Porr, Executive Director of NASPD. This organization represents the steel pipe and tubular products distribution industry and its related businesses. Susannah shares how the NASPD is helping its members advance their careers.

Members of the National Association of Steel Pipe Distributors, or NASPD, enjoy a wide variety of benefits, such as professional services, conferences and conventions, seminars and workshops, and industry publications. They host three conferences a year across the US, bringing in experts from various industries with different perspectives. The main issues discussed are ones that members will face in their industries, so the purpose of each conference is preparation.

NASPD's education courses are essential for members who wish to gain a deeper understanding of their industry. NASPD also offers leadership development programs to help companies develop their employees.

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In this episode of Career Can Do, Mary Ann Faremouth chats with Chuck Gallagher, an entrepreneur, speaker, and author who specializes in digital marketing. He is the author of Second Chances and has been featured in media outlets, including Business Week, CBS, CNN, and. Chuck discusses the importance of video and shares tips on how to distinguish yourself in a competitive marketplace.

What problem are you going to solve? In a competitive marketplace, you have to be able to articulate what that problem is in a manner that catches people’s attention. A very effective way to do that is through video, but even that has its challenges. 

The average watch rate for any video is 31 seconds. This means that in 31 seconds, you must share something powerful or captivating enough that encourages people to continue watching. You should investigate what people are searching for in order to create content they want to see in the first place.

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In this episode of Career Can Do, Mary Ann Faremouth chats with Akili Atkinson, a neurodiversity trainer helping individuals and businesses understand workplace communication strategies. Akili discusses how to overcome the problem of finding employees in today’s economy, emphasizing the importance of communication in interviews. She also shares advice on alternative methods for hiring.

Neurodivergent people have unique ways of approaching situations, creating solutions that wouldn’t otherwise be found by traditional methods. Organizations should consider this in the hiring process, Akili believes, as these individuals bring new skills to the talent pool that haven’t been tapped into yet.

When hiring people, interviewers should ask candidates what they can contribute to the company. Oftentimes the best employees aren’t necessarily the most qualified, but the ones who have the dedication and desire to do the job. They bring their passion with them, and employers can easily put them in alignment with what needs to be done.

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In this episode of Career Can Do, Mary Ann Faremouth chats with Lee Chaix McDonough. Lee is the founder of Coach With Clarity, a training and educational company for life and business coaches. As an ICF-certified business coach, she is a firm believer in the importance of education and certification in coaching. Lee shares how to choose the right coaching program and tips for budgeting time.

Lee’s #1 best-selling book, ACT on Your Business, provides a deep dive into the three M’s: meaning, mindset, and mindfulness. They involve getting clear on your values, understanding how you relate to your thoughts and emotions, and grounding yourself in the present moment so you can fully experience what's going on in your life. She selected these elements from a therapeutic approach called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and created a framework to use in coaching.

Lee recommends that coaches budget around six months of their time to work on certification. The financial investment to get a certification depends on the program you choose. 

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In this episode of Career Can Do, Mary Ann Faremouth chats with Dr. Donald McNeeley, who is president and CEO of Chicago Tube and Iron Co., as well as a Professor of Engineering at Northwestern University. As a leader responsible for making a significant contribution in the new work world, Dr. McNeeley discusses the importance of networking and education, and, in the spirit of irony, how having a prestigious degree does not guarantee success in an industry.

According to social scientists, everyone experiences an average of 3 SEEs, or significant emotional events, over the course of their life. A common SEE is the unexpected death of a spouse or when a child precedes their parent in death. From the time of experiencing such events, life changes irrevocably. The organizational equivalent of a SEE is called a point of inflection, Dr. McNeeley shares. 

As a company progresses through time, it will periodically encounter these points of inflection where the leaders will need to rethink their historical business model, irrespective of how successful it's been. Leaders must be prepared to deliver on those points, he adds. Later, he advises students to go to school with the intention to learn, not get good grades. If you go to school to learn, the grades will come automatically.

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In this episode of Career Can Do, Mary Ann Faremouth chats with Molly Rose Speed, owner and Director of Operations at CoPilot Consulting. Molly Rose is a talented strategic thinker with cultivated skills in online tech solutions, systems, and processes that improve company efficiencies. She went from a “corporate cubicle dweller” to becoming an entrepreneur and creator of the Virtual Assistant Academy. Molly Rose shares her story and gives insight into the virtual assistance industry.

Ten years ago, Molly Rose quit her corporate job cold-turkey when she realized that it was not how she wanted to live her life. She delved into virtual assistance, despite not quite knowing everything it entailed - but she quickly learned. Virtual assistants provide the professional support online business owners need to stay in their zone of genius.

The Virtual Assistant Academy founded by Molly Rose trains and certifies people to start virtual businesses. It’s a very flexible career path, especially for mothers. On the flip side, the Academy also provides virtual services for business owners or even stay-at-home mothers looking to outsource certain tasks. 

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In this episode of Career Can Do, Mary Ann Faremouth chats with Ron Carucci, owner and Managing Partner of Navalent. A 2-time TEDx speaker, Ron works with CEOs and executives pursuing transformational change for their organizations. He is the bestselling author of nine books, the most recent one being selected by Bloomberg Businessweek as one of 2021's Best Books. Ron explores how leaders can build purpose-driven companies of honesty and justice, and shares the importance of belonging.

To Be Honest: Lead with the Power of Truth, Justice and Purpose is the result of 15 years of research, Ron shares. The initial idea wasn’t a book, but a study on honesty and investigating the conditions under which people would act fairly, decently, and serve a greater purpose. The statistical models that came out of the research were so compelling, he wanted to share it.

The problem with generational differences is that we don’t see the conflict for what it is. Older and younger generations are fighting to be relevant and leave a legacy behind, and in that clash they misunderstand each other. They see each other as threats, when at the end of the day, we all want the same thing - to belong and to be respected. 

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In this episode of Career Can Do, Mary Ann Faremouth chats with Susan Meier, who has been helping Fortune 500 companies create distinctive messaging for over 20 years. Susan is a brand expert and career coach, and she’s on a mission to empower professional women and companies to maximize their contribution to the new work world. Susan discusses how to craft your story, and shares tips for women in a transitional position.

Rather than a straight line, many of us have had more of a zigzag path in the careers we’ve had - especially those of us who are very curious and accomplished. This makes our stories harder to tell when we’re trying to put together a resume, LinkedIn page, or even trying to introduce ourselves at a networking event. Susan helps people and companies untangle their stories and find the clear shiny thread. 

In the process of crafting your story and making sense of where you’ve been, it also helps you make sense of where you want to go. Some people have an idea of the paths they want to take, but others are still unsure, toying with so many options but no framework to figure out which ones work for them. Susan provides that framework to help them figure it out.

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Susan on the web | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

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