Forget the LinkedIn highlight reels—today we’re getting real about working in Learning & Development.

You’ve probably seen posts like:

👉 “Launched a leadership program!”

👉 “Facilitated onboarding for 80 new hires!”

👉 “So grateful to be in this role!”

But what about the real moments?

Like being asked to whip up a training by Friday.

Or being mistaken for the compliance person.

Or constantly explaining that, no, you don’t just make slides.

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what a career in L&D actually involves—the highs, the lows, and the everything-in-between.

We’ll cover:

✅ The fantasy vs. the reality of L&D work

✅ Why this field is so misunderstood (hint: most of us fell into it)

✅ What L&D roles actually do—from strategy and stakeholder wrangling to change enablement and capability building

✅ The impact strategic L&D can have on retention, performance, and business results

✅ How to grow your influence in the field—and stop being seen as “just the training person”

If you’re an L&D pro, thinking of switching careers, or want to understand what this role is really about, this is the video for you.

💡 Grab the free L&D Impact Toolkit mentioned in the episode

🎓 Explore the Talent Development Academy if you're ready to become a strategic L&D leader

💬 Message me anytime for a real, no-pressure convo

👉 Watch now and finally feel seen in your L&D journey.

And hey, there’s no other way to say this… we’re friends now. 💛

Meet your host, Candice Mitchell

Candice Mitchell is a Talent Development Strategist, CEO of Talent Collective, and USA Today bestselling author of Choose You: For the People Who Refuse to Disappear. With nearly two decades of experience building and leading capability functions inside global and Fortune 500 organizations, she founded Talent Collective, a premium capability-building firm for L&D, HR, Change, and People leaders in high-growth companies.

Your host, Candice Mitchell, can be found online at:

Website: https://talentcollective.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicemitchelltc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candice_mitchell_msc/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@candice_mitchell_msc

Talent Development Academy: https://courses.talentcollective.org/bundles/talent-development-academy

Choose You book: https://chooseyoubook.com/

Original music composed by: Paul DeHaven

pauldehavenmusic.com