Career Switch Podcast: Expert advice for your career change

We all know networking is a big part of making a career change. But does it feel like work to you? My guest today can help make it easier.

Karen Wickre is the author of Taking the Work Out of Networking. Karen has spent 30 years in tech as a writer, editor, and communications professional, and has been called “the best-connected Silicon Valley figure you’ve never heard of" because of her superpower—connecting people. 

If you’re ...

Zayda Rivera is a Reiki Master who made her career change her own—by bringing together her teachings with her Puerto Rican heritage. 

In this episode celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, Zayda shares the calling she felt to take her career in a new direction after years of covering entertainment, politics, and breaking news as a professional writer. She opens up about the self-doubt she had about launching her spiritual business, Mi...

When friends began offering to pay him for taking photos, Anthony Randazzo started thinking his hobby could become more than just a creative outlet. 

In 2012, Anthony made the bold decision to leave behind his Wall Street law career after he realized it wasn't for him. Eventually, he made the switch from corporate attorney to professional photographer. 

In this throwback episode, Anthony shares how he turned a hobby into a caree...

When her longtime boss passed away in 2022, Lisa Pollione found herself at a crossroads with her career—in her 60s. 

In this episode, Lisa shares how she reinvented her professional life after two decades as a trusted chief of staff and executive assistant to a pharmaceutical advertising executive.

Lisa recalls the actions she took: signing up with temp agencies, exploring new paths, and staying open to opportunities. After trying ou...

Do you want to make a career change, but you feel stuck? Do you keep procrastinating, thinking you’ll get started next week, month, or year? 

Here to get you going is executive coach and leadership consultant Ellen Whitlock Baker. As the founder and CEO of EWB Coaching, Ellen helps midlife professionals reclaim who they are and what they want to do next in their careers.

In this episode, Ellen shares why it’s so hard to get started e...

Jim Fina made his career switch in the late 90s when new media was becoming more mainstream and integrating itself into our daily lives. Jim, a textbook editor at Scholastic, gradually transitioned into project management at a time when it was relatively new in tech. 

Jim's experience from 20-plus years ago mirrors where we are today with artificial intelligence. Just like the web in the 90s, AI is quickly going mains...

If you need a pep talk today, this episode is for you! Wherever you are in your career change journey, my guest has you covered with practical tools and soulful guidance.

Robyn Moreno is a spiritual coach and author of Get Rooted. In this episode, Robyn shares how you can manage those fears and doubts that often come up with making a career switch—by tapping into your intuition and staying in the present. 

Robyn also reveals the four...

Any career change has its risks. That’s why a major goal of this podcast is to encourage you to TAKE ACTION. Nayan Patel exemplifies this mission perfectly. 

Recently, Nayan went from working as a banking executive to managing a horse farm. As the new owner of Horse Shadow Run, he now oversees a 16-acre horse farm that offers boarding, riding lessons, and summer camps in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In this episode, Nayan wal...

Let's face it, career changers aren't typical job candidates. You've got the extra hurdle of having to convince a hiring manager that you can do the job you're applying for in a new field.

To better understand what a hiring manager is thinking—and feeling—I’m speaking with Dawn Graham, PhD, a licensed psychologist and author of Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers and Seize Success.
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Sometimes you don’t have to go far to make a career switch. My guest today is a great example of how to change careers without changing companies. 

Mia Villarreal went from social media strategist to product marketing manager—within the same organization—in only a couple of years. 

In this episode, Mia shares how she first got into VMware, a global software developer, in 2020 as a contractor—a move that gave her access to the company...

Madeline Miller, a Gen Z and Millennial career and leadership coach, shares her A.I.R. Formula—Alignment, Influence, and Resilience—to help professionals connect with a more fulfilling career. 

Drawing from her own career switch as an entertainment attorney turned entrepreneur, Madeline breaks down the mindset shifts needed to:

• Align your work with your values 

• Build influence

• Develop the resilience to keep moving forward

"If...

Barbara Brandon-Croft is recognized as the first Black woman cartoonist in the U.S. to break into the mainstream press with Where I’m Coming From, her cartoon feature centering on Black female voices.

As we celebrate Women's History Month, Barbara looks back at her various careers—from her early days as a fashion and beauty writer to her time as a cartoonist at the Detroit Free Press in the 90s, and later, as the research direc...

Former newspaper reporter Jonathan McFadden opens up about the identity crisis he battled with his career change. He recalls everything he was afraid to lose if he left journalism—would it be worth it? 

“I, like many of us do, conflated my value as a human with my value as an employee,” says Jonathan.

In this episode, Jonathan shares how he tried a couple of different jobs and industries before landing on user exp...

Whether you’re feeling stuck, curious about a new field, or dealing with the ups and downs of a career switch, you can make spirituality part of your journey. 

We revisit a chat with author and life coach Nancy Gavilanes, who shares how your faith can guide you through a career change.  

“You need faith to have patience, persevere, and not give up,” says Nancy. 

Episode Highlights

• The spiritual component of...

It takes time to change industries or professions, and depending on how you handle that time—and the feelings that come with it—it could lead to burnout. 

I speak with Dr. Kyle Elliott, a career coach and founder of CaffeinatedKyle.com. Kyle coaches career changers, so they avoid burnout as they work on their career switch. 

In this episode, Kyle shares how having clear targets, realistic goals and a good support ...

As a person of color (POC) and/or first-generation professional, your family’s culture and background likely influenced your beliefs, which can now impact your making a career change.

Dani Tan is a leadership and career coach, who works with POC and First Gens who are often the first, few or only in their space. Dani reveals how the scarcity mindset from our parents can affect our career choices. And she shares how the power of netw...

My guest today is trying to change careers now while he has a full-time job, a mortgage and two young kids. David Mock opens up about the challenges he's facing, his immediate concerns (will it work out?, will it be worth it?), and how he's getting through it all. 

Currently, David feels stuck and he shares how he's working on becoming a certified junior cybersecurity analyst, a new career that would provide...

If you’re dreaming about breaking out on your own to do something creative, this episode is for you! Creative strategy coach Michelle Guo works with creatives, such as freelance web designers, copywriters and social media managers. As the founder of Magicave Media, Michelle empowers her clients to build a sustainable business around their desired lifestyle.  

Is a creative career right for you? Michelle helps you figure th...

After she was laid off in her 50s, Argentine-born Mirta Rinaldi decided to follow her passion for cooking. Today, Mirta is in her 70s and teaches Argentine cuisine. She also owns her own business, Mendulcina, where she hosts cultural experiences and makes and sells delicacies from her home country. 

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Mirta shares how she made her career change and the rich ties her new career as a cookin...