Conversations with Blossom Career

October is the month of scary stuff — ghosts, vampires, zombies, oh my!

So which of these is scarier: quitting a job that makes you miserable? Or NOT quitting?

In this episode, Career Coach Katherine Bouglai talks with Scott MacDonald, former math instructor now software engineer, who made the move, despite his deeply ingrained fear of change.

What makes us so afraid to jump? Katherine and Scott break it down for us.

Find Katherine and schedule an appointment to face your own job-change fears at Blossom Career.

The DISC assessment is becoming more and more popular in the workplace. Many employers use assessments of employees to build a well-functioning team.

But did you know that as you consider making a career shift, you could also benefit from it tremendously?

The DISC assessment can help you understand your patterns at work and in life, help you improve your relationships and communication with others, make you more productive at work, and even help you choose the right career path.  

In this episode, Katherine talks with Jane Roqueplot, behavioral consultant and founder of JaneCo's Sensible Solutions, about how the DISC can empower career changers to find the career that suits them best.

The "Part II" to our previous episode "What hiring managers are really looking for," this week, Katherine is talking with Elizabeth Shaddy about how recruiters decide who makes the cut.

Senior Recruiter Elizabeth gives us the inside scoop on what recruiters are looking for on your LinkedIn profile and in your resume — do you have the skills and requirements listed in the job description? Has your career progressed over the years? Have you kept yourself relevant with your skills and technology? Did your work positively impact the business you were working at previously? 

There's so much valuable information in this episode, so listen closely, then visit BlossomCareer.com to schedule your free consultation with Katherine Bouglai. 

Let’s talk about job interviews. Do you typically get nervous before an interview? Would you like to hear some helpful tips on how to prepare for your next hot job interview?

If so, tune in to the Conversations with Blossom Career podcast episode called “What Hiring Managers Are Really Looking For.”

In this episode, host Katherine Bouglai has a discussion with hiring manager Jonathan Hyatt who has extensive experience  hiring and interviewing team members for project management roles.

So stop rehearsing your scripts and discover what’s really important to focus on during your next hot interview. Also, learn how you can ease your anxiety before the interview and position yourself as the best candidate for the role.

Does the idea of offer negotiations make you uncomfortable? You're not alone. We all want better salaries, more vacation time, sign-in bonuses, etc. However, in order to get what we want, we first need to ask for it. And that’s not always easy.

In this podcast, host Katherine Bouglai of Blossom Career interviews salary negotiation expert Ezra Singer on best negotiation practices.

You will hear the most common myths about negotiations, best approaches, and tons of other great tips and advice that will help you negotiate you next job offer like a pro. Not only will you be making more money, you will also gain more confidence and feel good about asking for what you want and deserve.

If you're looking for a new job or seeking a career change, chances are your resume needs an update.

Things that used to be common practice aren't, and with the growing use of automated applicant tracking systems, it's easy to create a resume that gets binned before it ever sees the sun.

Graphic resumes? Graduation dates? Buzzwords, yes or no? In this podcast, host Katherine Bouglai of Blossom Career talks with resume expert Cathy Lanzalaco of Inspire Careers about the dos and don'ts of modern resumes.

Don't just "update" your resume, transform it into a document that truly reflects the skills, experience, wisdom, and glory of you! 

Can having scientifically based insights into your personality help you make better career choices?

Well, yes, actually. If you can determine what's most important to you in your work life, the kind of environment that's healthiest for you, and the role you're most comfortable in, you can probably save yourself a lot of wrong turns and dead ends.

In this episode, host Katherine Bouglai of Blossom Career talks with Kathy Clayton of Kathy Clayton Coaching. What are personality tests enneagram and DISC, and do how these tests, combined with instruction from experts, help you stay on track to meet your goals?

Each test is a powerful tool on its own, but when combined, you can get an ever fuller picture of yourself, how you react in situations, what you do when under stress or at your healthiest, and what you need to be truly satisfied at work and in life.

Have a listen, then follow up with with Katherine at Blossom Career and Kathy at Kathy Clayton Coaching to learn more.

The 9 types of the enneagram:

How do you feel about your job? If Mondays have you waking up unhappy, ready to pull the covers over your head and not come out until Friday, it may be time to consider another job or career.

Katherine Bouglai details for us the six pillars of a thriving career: passion, value, growth, environment, compensation, and work/life balance. They're all important to us, to different extents, and knowing what they are and why they matter is key to true satisfaction at work. 

But what if some of these pillars have crumbled or were never there in the first place? Should you stay for the paycheck? Or search for greater fulfillment?

In "Conversations with Blossom Career," Katherine helps us understand why we're not content and how to put our best foot forward if we decide it's time to move on.

Have a listen, and if you want to learn more about Katherine and the 6 pillars, subscribe to the podcast wherever you hear your podcasts; check out her website at blossomcareer.com; or take advantage of a free discovery call with Katherine. 

"Conversations with Blossom Career" is all about developing the skills you need to decide what your dream job actually looks like, find the job that matches your criteria, and ace the interview process. Learn how to make choices that will satisfy your soul AND pay your bills.

Tune in on the second Tuesday of every month for more tips, ideas, and strategies, plus interviews with the kind of people you may be facing across the interview table. For more information, check out my website, BlossomCareer.com and subscribe to "Conversations with Blossom Career" wherever you listen to podcasts.