Second Breaks

Topics Covered in Episode 46

• The four main reasons driving the change in the workplace
• The challenge AND the opportunity behind each of these change drivers
• How to spot these factors ahead of time so you don’t get caught off guard
• Why we need to be paying attention now more than ever
• What your new career strategy should include

The number of people working from home, either full-time or part-time, has been on the rise and this trend is only expected to continue. For telecommuters — or really any time we work outside the office — we need to pay attention to the kinds of tools we use, the ease of setting up, and how we access them wherever we are.

If you’re thinking about working from home, doing some kind of freelance project on the side (i.e., without the support of an IT department!), or just want to be more organized in your work and life, you’ll find this episode useful.

For this episode, I’m joined by Customer Research Consultant, Karyn Kelbaugh, who shared her career story in this previous episode.

Karyn works 100% from home. She’s got two sons under her charge, so whatever she uses to operate her business needs to have the trifecta: easy to set up, easy to use, and won’t break the bank.

She and I both share the tools we use and how we use them! We talk tools for:

• Data collection (think ‘not-your-father’s-database’)
• Automation
• Everyday planning and organization
• Meetings and interviews
• Note-taking

Key Takeaways from Episode 44:

• Take the time to discover your strengths and skills
• Pay attention to everyday clues that point to your key differentiator
• Identify the role or career path that can best leverage those skills and make you shine
• Look for external models to help you design your path, but don’t be pressured to fit the mold

Highlights of Episode 43

• Why Adda Birnir believes learning technical skills positions you for career growth in the new economy
• The only qualification you need to learn digital and technical skills
• Adda’s path to entrepreneurship
• Adda’s advice for aspiring freelancers and business owners based on her experience
• How Adda and her team ensured that Skillcrush met their client’s real needs