Shine at Work®

The Shine at Work Podcast has hit 100 episodes!! As a part of our 100th episode special, we are sharing all the things we wish we had known earlier in our careers. Whether there is something you’re struggling with in your career, or you just need a pick-me-up this week, there is some inspiration in this episode for everyone. Plus, we are joined throughout the episode by some of our previous guests and their own words of wisdom that you can implement in your career today! Thank you so much for being a part of the show by tuning in, and we’ll see you in season seven!

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• Nobody has all the answers, and everybody is figuring it out as they go! Don’t pretend you know everything. Instead, create trust by being honest about what you do and don’t know, and show tenacity by doing what you can to figure it out.
• There is no “wrong” career choice, and choosing not to make a career change is still a decision even if it feels passive. Even if you end up in a role that’s totally wrong for you, you will learn valuable things about yourself and what you want.
• Be the most authentic version of yourself at work. If you portray yourself as an inauthentic version of yourself in a job interview, you will be exhausted trying to keep up with that image instead of just being yourself.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

• Website
• Instagram
• Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
• Dan Carr on LinkedIn

If you’re about to start looking for a new job, this episode is for you! Karen and Dan are sharing their five steps for starting your job search so you feel clear, ready, and even excited to get started looking for your next big role. We’re confident that if you follow these steps and take decisive action, you could land a new job by the new year - keep us posted over on IG!

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• Identify the companies you want to target and why. If you can point to something about the company that makes you genuinely excited to apply there, it’s going to come through in your cover letter and make the process more enjoyable overall.
• In order to effectively update your resume and LinkedIn profile, you have to be super clear about the types of companies and roles you’re looking for. The more specific you can be, the more you’ll stand out to recruiters.
• Start networking early. Use the first four steps to craft your story and what you’re looking for, then start meeting people and building relationships. You never know who could lead you to your next big role.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

• Website
• Instagram
• Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
• Dan Carr on LinkedIn

Your ability to learn new skills quickly is a great asset to employers, but what if you took it a step further and pursued learning the skills you need on your own before you apply for the job? That’s called upskilling, and it’s an amazing way to build your skillset, confidence, and industry knowledge to secure your next big role. In this episode, we’re sharing our experience with upskilling in our careers, and the spectrum of learning opportunities from webinars to certifications to online courses.

Links mentioned:

• Udemy
• Skillshare

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• While you don’t need to check every single box in a job description to apply, the knowledge gaps you have might make you nervous for an interview. By taking a class or getting a certification in that area, you’ll show up confidently for your interview… and hopefully the role!
• When you’re deciding which skill or tool you should learn more about, scan through the job descriptions you’ve been looking at and pick the ones that have shown up consistently in 10-15 of those job descriptions.
• Sometimes there’s a big payoff for upskilling, but it can also come down to applied experience. Remember that upskilling is an opportunity to learn new things, find new passions or things you’re great at, and shouldn’t only be tied to your job search.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

• Website
• Instagram
• Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
• Dan Carr on LinkedIn

If you’re struggling to find a full-time role, or you’re not yet sure what you want to commit to full-time position, a contract role might be a great fit for you. In this episode, we’re sharing some of the benefits of taking on a contractor position, how to negotiate as a contractor, and key things to know about contract roles from an HR perspective.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• Taking a contractor role can have a few benefits. You can expose yourself to different types of companies, leaders, and roles to get a feel for what you will eventually want in a full time role while building your skills and your resume.
• If you sign a contract with the understanding that a contract role will turn into a full-time role down the line, try to get a timeline in writing for when you’ll have a follow-up conversation with your manager about it.
• As for what to charge, remember that you’re responsible for paying your income taxes yourself as a contractor. A good rule of thumb is to add about 20-30% to your standard hourly rate, factoring in the industry standard and your experience.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

• Website
• Instagram
• Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
• Dan Carr on LinkedIn

If you’re currently in a full time role while you’re job searching, you’re in a great position! However, it can still be tough to find time to research, apply, and interview for a new job while balancing your full-time job. In this episode, we’re sharing the routines you can adopt to make time for job hunting without burning yourself out or alerting your current company to your search.

Links mentioned:

• Listen to Episode 91: Navigating Layoffs

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• If you have a pretty demanding job, carve out a few hours on the weekend for your search. You can also repurpose your personal time, such as lunch breaks or the hour you’re usually decompressing on social media at the end of the day.
• When it comes to interviews, let the recruiter or hiring manager know you’re still working full time. Try to schedule a time in the morning hours before work, on a lunch break at a quiet coffee shop, or later in the work day when meetings aren’t really happening.
• Updating your LinkedIn profile can be nerve-wrecking because you don’t want to alert your employer that you’re possibly looking for a job. In your LinkedIn settings, you can actually turn off the public notifications that let your connections know you’ve updated your profile.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

• Website
• Instagram
• Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
• Dan Carr on LinkedIn

If you’re several years into your career, you might be feeling an itch to make a huge change - but where might that desire be coming from? In this episode, we’re posing some questions to you about what you feel you’re lacking in your career, what some new opportunities might look like, and what’s truly important to you in your career at this time in your life. And of course, we’ve got the actionable steps for you to take towards this change.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• The first step is to identify why you’re feeling stuck, or what’s happening in your life right now. Are you wanting to shift career paths, prioritize working for a company that’s making an impact, or build a program from scratch? 
• Next, figure out what you want (what you really really want), now that you know that a shift is possible. Identify your transferable skills, and identify what you’re willing to give up to start fresh. 
• Leverage your HR partner or HR manager. The HR team at your company wants you to be happy, so they would likely be willing to work with you to find a role at your organization that fits your ultimate goals and values.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

• Website
• Instagram
• Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
• Dan Carr on LinkedIn

One of the trendiest places to work is a startup, but how do you know if a startup is actually the right fit for you? In this episode, we’re covering everything you need to know about working at a startup. From the types of experience recruiters expect, to how the pay structure might differ from a traditional company, this episode is packed with the actionable tips you need to land your next job at a startup.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• What matters to you most, and how do you want that represented in the culture of the startup you’re joining? You might value the positive impact of the work you’re doing, or a flexible schedule, or a social working environment, and all those inform the type of startup you might be interested in joining.
• One of the top skills you need to thrive at a startup is flexibility and adaptability. The priorities at a startup can change on a dime, and recruiters are looking for candidates who are resourceful and solution-oriented to accommodate this.
• If you’re looking to jump from a larger, more established company to a startup, it’s important to present yourself as someone who is looking for innovation and coming up with fresh ideas, or sharing your experience with starting new teams, initiatives, or departments within a larger organization.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

• Website
• Instagram
• Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
• Dan Carr on LinkedIn

Job searching can be a long and tedious process, and if it’s taking longer than you expected, you are probably not doing anything wrong. In this episode, we’re sharing the timelines to expect when you’re looking for a job, what to expect from a recruiter’s perspective, and what to do if you feel like your job search is never ending.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• There are a lot of factors that can influence how long a job search might take. Three to six months is pretty standard, but your industry, season of life, and companies you’re applying to can all impact how long it takes.
• Summer months, holidays, and vacations can slow down the hiring process on the employer’s side. September through mid-November is peak interview season to get roles filled before the holidays.
• This season of applying to jobs is a good time to reconnect with your network and build relationships with professionals in your industry. Additionally, make sure you’re practicing self-care and doing things that make you feel confident and grounded.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

• Website
• Instagram
• Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
• Dan Carr on LinkedIn

It’s impossible to avoid the prevalence of ChatGPT and Open AI programs in today’s world, especially while it’s relatively new and trendy. No matter how you feel about it, ChatGPT is a tool that - just like any other - has its pros, cons, and best practices. In this episode, we’re talking about how our clients are using it for their cover letters and resumes, where it can get you into trouble, and how recruiters and HR teams are utilizing it.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• ChatGPT can be a good way to get some ideas down on paper for your cover letter, resume, or interview questions to prep for so the process feels less daunting as you get started.
• Just like with individual opinions and perspectives you get from humans, you should carefully and strategically consider the advice or suggestions you get from ChatGPT based on what’s important to you and your unique job search. Don’t treat it as the end-all be-all.
• One great way to utilize ChatGPT is to ask it about various job titles in your industry related to your target role. You can use that list to search on LinkedIn or in local meetup groups for people to connect and network with.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

• Website
• Instagram
• Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
• Dan Carr on LinkedIn

If you’ve been laid off, or you’re worried about upcoming layoffs at your company, you are not alone. Being a part of layoffs can make us feel like we did something wrong or weren’t performing well, but that’s probably not the case at all. In this episode, Karen and Dan share their tips for bouncing back after being laid off, how to communicate it to potential employers, and what to look for in your next company to feel safe accepting an offer.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• In most cases, getting laid off is not a reflection on you or your performance at work. It doesn’t make it feel better, and it can still be hard not to take it personally, but it shouldn’t impact your ability to get hired for your next role.
• If you’ve been impacted multiple times by layoffs at companies you’ve worked for, it can be helpful to recruiters and HR teams for you to indicate that on your resume or LinkedIn. Own your story instead of letting others write it for you.
• It’s normal to feel a little traumatized after being laid off, and to want to find a “safe” company to work for next. Make sure you’re asking potential employers about the financial health of the company, their growth trajectory, and why the role you’re interviewing for is open to begin with.

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

Connect with Us!

• Website
• Instagram
• Karen Weeks on LinkedIn
• Dan Carr on LinkedIn