What if finding the right career isn't just about your skills, but about understanding yourself?

In this episode of Technically Human, Dr. Tracy Shroyer continues her Career Psychology series by exploring three of the foundational thinkers who shaped modern career development: Frank Parsons, John Holland, and Donald Super.

You'll learn how career thinking has evolved from simply matching people to jobs to understanding identity, personality, life stages, and the importance of finding work that aligns with who you are.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why Frank Parsons is considered the father of career counseling
• John Holland's RIASEC theory and the importance of person-environment fit
• Donald Super's Life-Span, Life-Space Theory and Career Rainbow
• Why careers are no longer linear, and what that means for your future
• The difference between job search advice, career coaching, and career psychology
• How self-awareness can lead to more meaningful career decisions

Whether you're considering a career change, feeling stuck, navigating a layoff, or simply curious about the psychology behind work, this episode provides practical insights grounded in decades of career development research.

The world of work has changed. Understanding yourself may be the most valuable career skill you can develop.

Subscribe to Technically Human so you don't miss the next episode, where we'll dive into modern career psychology theories and explore how they apply to today's rapidly changing world of work.

Connect with Dr. Tracy Shroyer at www.careercompassusa.com or via email at [email protected].
#CareerPsychology #CareerDevelopment #CareerCoaching #FutureOfWork #Leadership #CareerChange #SelfAwareness #CareerGrowth #TechnicallyHuman #ProfessionalDevelopment

Artificial intelligence is changing how we work, create, andmarket ourselves, but does that mean human expertise matters less?
Quite the opposite.

In this episode of Technically Human, Dr. Tracy Shroyer sits down with Wes Towers, founder of Upward 360, to discuss how AI is changing marketing while making trust, authenticity, and human connection even more valuable.

Topics include:
• Why conversations outperform prompts
• Authenticity as a competitive advantage
• Search Everywhere Optimization
• Human-centered branding
• Emotional intelligence
• Building trust in an AI era

Learn more about Wes at https://uplift360.com.au/

I've been down a lot of learning rabbit holes over the years, but this one feels different.

Lately, I've found myself becoming increasingly curious about the field of career psychology, the study of why we think, feel, and behave the way we do in relation to our work.

In this first episode of a new series, I share a framework I've been developing that explores three layers of career development:

• Job Search Advice• Career Coaching• Career Psychology

While most career conversations focus on resumes, LinkedIn profiles, interviewing, and networking, I've started to wonder whether the real challenges many professionals face run much deeper. Questions about identity, confidence, purpose, self-trust, meaning, and career decisions may be at the heart of what keeps people feeling stuck.

Join me as I begin exploring the foundational theories, ideas, and questions behind career psychology, not as an expert with all the answers, but as a lifelong learner inviting you along for the journey.

What happens when a life-changing event forces you to question everything?

In this episode of Technically Human, I sit down with Alan Lazaros, CEO and co-founder of Next Level University, to discuss the experiences that transformed his life and career.

Alan shares his journey from corporate success and financial achievement to a devastating car accident that became a turning point. We explore finding purpose after adversity, investing in personal growth, navigating uncertainty, building resilience, and why human connection matters more than ever in an AI-driven world.

If you're facing career uncertainty, questioning your next step, or searching for greater meaning in your work and life, this conversation offers practical wisdom and honest perspective.

We talk about:

• Turning adversity into opportunity
• Discovering your purpose
• Personal development versus empty motivation
• Investing in yourself wisely
• Career transitions and reinvention
• AI, technology, and human connection
• Leadership, growth, and accountability

Whether you're navigating a career transition, recovering from a setback, or trying to determine what's next, this conversation is packed with practical insights and powerful stories.

Learn more about Alan Lazaros and Next Level University at https://www.nextleveluniverse.com/

Subscribe for more conversations exploring the intersection of technology, careers, leadership, and what it means to remain Technically Human.

Feeling stuck in your career?

In this episode, Dr. Tracy Shroyer explores why career clarity, not more information, is often the missing piece. Drawing from her own experience navigating a layoff after 27 years in corporate America, Tracy shares the framework she now uses to help professionals gain direction, make better career decisions, and build meaningful momentum.

You'll learn:• Why so many professionals feel stuck• How clarity differs from information• The power of desires and deal breakers• The 4C Career Compass Framework• Four reflection questions to help identify your next step

Remember: waiting is not a career strategy.

Join us in the COMPASS community at www.careercompassusa.com

In this episode of Technically Human, I sit down with Leo Hoar, founder of the UXR Institute, to talk about what AI can and cannot do for students, professionals, business owners, and startup founders. Leo brings a unique perspective as a former academic, UX researcher, entrepreneur, and self-described “recovering academic” who has spent his career thinking deeply about how people learn, make decisions, and build better experiences.

Together, we explore why AI can accelerate your work, but cannot replace good thinking. Leo shares why critical thinking, communication, emotional intelligence, and learning how to learn may be more valuable than ever in an AI-driven world.

We also discuss the impact of AI on entry-level roles, education, career transitions, startups, solopreneurship, and the growing importance of human judgment.If you have ever wondered whether AI is replacing people, how to use AI without outsourcing your own thinking, or whether now is the right time to start building your own business, this conversation offers practical insight, encouragement, and a thoughtful reminder that technology is most powerful when it supports, not replaces, human intelligence.

Want to learn more about Leo or the UXR Institute?

• Connect with Leo Hoar on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-hoar-phd/
• Learn more about what Leo and his team does at https://www.uxrinstitute.com/

Want to learn more about Dr. Tracy Shroyer or Career Compass?

• Connect with Tracy on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyshroyerphd
• Leanr more about what Career Compass offers at https://www.careercompassusa.com

In this solo episode of the Technically Human Podcast, Dr. Tracy Shroyer breaks down five pieces of career advice that simply do not work the same way anymore in 2026. From blindly applying to hundreds of jobs to treating LinkedIn like an online resume, the rules of career growth and job searching have shifted dramatically.

Dr. Tracy explores:

• Why applying everywhere leads to burnout
• What recruiters actually look for on resumes
• Why LinkedIn visibility matters more than ever
• How AI is reshaping the workforce (without replacing human value)
• Why loyalty alone no longer protects your career

This episode is designed to help professionals navigate career change more strategically while staying grounded in who they are.

Whether you’re job searching, rethinking your direction, recovering from a layoff, or simply trying to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world of work, this conversation will help you rethink what actually matters now.

Listen in and remember: you do not have to lose yourself to adapt.

In this episode of Technically Human, I sit down with Kristin Zhivago to explore the gap between what businesses think customers want and what buyers are actually looking for. We unpack assumptions vs. buyer truth, why so many organizations unintentionally create friction in the buying process, and how companies can better understand customer desires, concerns, and questions before a purchase ever happens.

Kristin shares insights from interviewing thousands of customers across industries, explains the hidden “sales stoppers” that quietly hurt revenue, and discusses why trust, listening, and genuine human understanding still matter deeply — even in an AI-driven world.

We also explore:

• Why most companies misunderstand their customers

• The difference between assumptions and real buyer insight

• Desires, concerns, and questions in the buying process

• Common sales stoppers hurting businesses behind the scenes

• Why Amazon succeeds at reducing buyer friction

• AI, automation, and the future of customer communication

• The importance of trust and human connection in business

• What it means to stay “technically human” in today’s world

Time Stamps:

00:00 – Introduction to the episode
01:00 – Kristin’s background and early sales experience
03:45 – Assumptions vs. buyer truth
07:30 – Why businesses waste money on marketing
08:00 – Loyalty cards, customer data, and personalization
10:00 – Relationship marketing vs. truly serving customers
11:45 – AI and the limits of customer insight automation
14:00 – How many customer interviews companies actually need
16:00 – Why messaging often fails to connect
20:30 – The biggest disconnect businesses face
22:30 – Desires, concerns, and questions in the buying process
27:30 – Reviews, Amazon, and reducing buyer friction
29:20 – Internal systems, processes, and hidden sales stoppers
35:00 – AI adoption in business: opportunities and risks
39:00 – AI in education and critical thinking
40:45 – What “Technically Human” means to Kristin

Want to learn more about Kristin Zhivago and her work? Visit www.ZhivagoPartners.com.

Connect with Dr. Tracy Shroyer and Career Compass for career strategy, professional growth, and resources designed to help you navigate change in an evolving world of work at www.careercompassusa.com .

There’s a difference between being responsible… and actually advocating for yourself.

In this episode of Technically Human, I explore why so many capable people struggle to speak up, ask for what they need, acknowledge their accomplishments, or put themselves forward for opportunities, even when they’ve earned them.

We talk about:

• the connection between confidence and self-advocacy
• imposter syndrome and self-doubt
• why many people minimize themselves without realizing it
• how language shapes confidence
• the idea of self-efficacy and trusting yourself to handle difficult situations
• why confidence usually comes after action, not before it

This conversation is for anyone who has ever questioned whether they were “too much,” waited for permission, or struggled to recognize their own value.

You can be humble and still speak clearly.

You can be kind and still advocate for yourself.

And you can feel nervous and still take action.

What if the problem isn’t you… but the system you’re working in?

In this episode of Technically Human, I sit down with Simon Copsey to explore how the way organizations are structured, and the beliefs leaders hold, shape everything from productivity and burnout to team performance and decision-making.

We unpack the difference between “firefighting” and actually solving problems at their root, and why so many teams stay stuck reacting instead of preventing issues in the first place. Simon shares how systems thinking and cause-and-effect thinking can help leaders and teams move beyond surface-level fixes and start addressing what’s really driving challenges inside organizations.

We also talk about:

• Why common leadership beliefs (like keeping everyone busy or adding more people to speed things up) can actually make things worse
• The gap between leadership decisions and team realities, and how misalignment happens
• Why most organizational problems aren’t about “bad employees,” but about the conditions people are working in
• How shifting beliefs, not just behaviors, is key to meaningful, lasting change

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stuck in constant reaction mode, or frustrated by decisions that don’t seem to make sense, this conversation will help you step back, see the bigger picture, and think differently about the systems around you.