Job Search, Promotion, and Career Clarity: The Mid-Career GPS Podcast
Get Clarity. Get Promoted. Get Hired. Are you feeling stuck, undervalued, or underutilized in your current role? Wondering how to position yourself for a promotion, raise, or leadership opportunity? Are you trying to figure out what’s next for your career, but not sure where to start? You're not alone, and you're in the right place. Hosted by executive and career transition coach John Neral, The Mid-Career GPS Podcast is your go-to resource to help you confidently navigate your job search, career advancement, and workplace challenges. Whether you want to find a new job, get promoted, or simply feel more fulfilled at work, this show will help you build the clarity and strategy you need to take your next step. Each episode features actionable advice, insightful interviews, and real-world strategies to help mid-career professionals, typically managers to senior directors, design a career they love or love the career they have. You’ve built a solid career. Now it’s time to build Your Mid-Career GPS to figure out what's next and how to get there. New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe today and let's start figuring out whatever is next for you and your career, together.
Episodes
If you're working hard, delivering results, and still not advancing in your career, you may be facing more than just bad luck—you could be blocked.
In this powerful episode of The Mid-Career GPS Podcast, career coach John Neral breaks down 10 unmistakable signs that your professional growth is being stifled by internal organizational barriers.
Whether you're being told you're "too valuable ...
One of the best ways to reclaim your confidence in this job market is by learning how to effectively negotiate your next job offer.
In this episode, salary negotiation expert and compensation consultant Kate Dixon shares powerful, real-world strategies to help you advocate for your worth without sounding pushy or confrontational.
Kate is the author of Pay Up: Unlocking Insider Secrets of Salary Negotiation an...
Welcome to a major milestone—Episode 300 of The Mid-Career GPS Podcast! Only 2.6% of podcasts make it this far, and it’s all thanks to YOU—our dedicated listeners navigating the ups and downs of mid-career life.
In this special episode, host John Neral reflects on the journey that began during the pandemic and has grown into a go-to resource for mid-career professionals who feel stuck, undervalued, or uncertain ab...
Feeling overwhelmed, underappreciated, and stuck in a job that drains you? You're not alone. In 2025, mid-career professionals are navigating a volatile job market marked by return-to-office mandates, fear-based management, and increasing workplace toxicity. If you’ve been quietly questioning your career path or struggling to stay sane at work, this episode is for you.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
✅ How to manage...
Feeling stuck in a toxic workplace or misaligned in your career? You're not alone—and you're not powerless. In this powerful episode, Dahlia Shaewitz, founder of Third Sight LLC, joins host John Neral to share career-shifting insights for mid-career professionals seeking clarity, better leadership paths, and more authentic connections at work.
Whether you're looking to leave a job that no longer fits or ...
Feeling stuck, undervalued, or underutilized in your career?
You’re not alone and you’re not lost.
In this episode, I unpack how to navigate a meaningful career pivot with clarity, strategy, and confidence.
Whether you're reassessing your priorities, reevaluating your strengths, or questioning your current path, this episode will help you move from confusion to clarity without taking a blind leap.
<...
What’s Really Holding You Back in Your Career?
Ever feel like you’re doing all the right things in your career, but still not moving forward? While it's easy to blame external forces, leadership expert and former Chief People Officer Erica Rooney believes the real barriers may lie much closer to home.
In this powerful episode, Erica introduces the concept of “sticky floors,” which are the internalized be...
Navigating a job loss or corporate shakeup? In this must-listen episode, career expert John Neral explains the real differences between restructuring, reorganization, layoffs, and RIFs, and how mid-career professionals can stay grounded through uncertain times.
Whether you're affected by government DOGE initiatives, private-sector downsizing, or just sensing change ahead, you'll learn how to:
- Recogniz...
The career landscape has changed—and mid-career professionals are feeling the pressure. In this candid and insightful episode, John Neral shares how he’s evolving his coaching business to better serve professionals navigating job searches, career transitions, and workplace uncertainty.
After eight years of full-time coaching, John reflects on the lessons learned about offering true value in a marketplace flooded w...
What do you do when a dream job ends in heartbreak?
In this eye-opening episode of The Mid-Career GPS Podcast, host John Neral sits down with Laverne McKinnon, former Senior VP of Drama Development at CBS, to talk about a rarely acknowledged experience: career grief.
After leading CBS from last place to first with mega-hits like CSI and Criminal Minds, Laverne was unexpectedly fired at the height of her career. Wha...
If your career is stuck in neutral, maybe it’s not your résumé—it’s your relationships.
In this powerful episode, I sit down with Dominic Imwali, Senior Consultant at Deloitte and founder of DX Consulting, to unpack why genuine, face-to-face connections are the real catalyst for career growth—especially in mid-career transitions.
Dominic takes us behind the scenes of his unconventional rise, from a frustrating pandemic ...
How can mid-career professionals engage in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) conversations without fear of saying the wrong thing? Bernadette Smith, CEO of the Equality Institute, shares her ARC Method—Ask, Respect, Connect—a simple yet powerful approach to fostering authentic connections while ensuring psychological safety at work.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
✅ How to navigate DEI discussions with con...
Have you ever faced an interview so awkward that it left you questioning everything? In this episode, I share a hilariously uncomfortable yet eye-opening moment from my mid-career transition—when I found myself in a final-round interview, staring at a superintendent’s exposed belly button.
What started as a bizarre wardrobe malfunction became a defining lesson about workplace culture, authenticity, and the power o...
Feeling trapped in a toxic workplace and fantasizing about a dramatic exit?
Before you burn bridges, this episode dives into the psychology of revenge quitting and why it’s often more damaging than liberating. While the impulse to quit in protest is understandable, the long-term consequences—especially in today’s uncertain job market—can be severe.
In this episode, you'll learn:
✔ The psychology behind revenge qui...
In this insightful episode, Melissa Mawai shares her inspiring journey from corporate project management to becoming a published children's author and illustrator. After the passing of her father and the global pandemic, Melissa found herself at a crossroads—one that led her to pursue her true passion for storytelling. Now, with five published books under her belt with major publishers like National Geographic Ki...
This episode explores how mid-career professionals unknowingly sabotage their job search by "playing small." With over 172,000 layoffs announced in February 2023—a staggering 245% increase from January—accelerating your job search is more critical than ever.
Common pitfalls that hinder success include:
- Searching for the "perfect" strategy instead of focusing on consistent efforts that yield resul...
Feeling anxious about job security in today’s unpredictable market? You’re not alone. In this episode of The Mid-Career GPS Podcast, host John Neral breaks down the most pressing concerns facing mid-career professionals in 2025. Drawing from a recent webinar, John shares expert insights and actionable strategies to help you take charge of your career, stay resilient, and proactively prepare for industry shifts.
Discove...
Do You Love Your Job or Just Like It? Your Career Narrative Shapes Your Satisfaction
Have you ever stopped to ask yourself: Do I truly love my job, or do I just like the people I work with? In this insightful episode, we explore what it really means to feel fulfilled in your career—and why the stories you tell yourself about your job matter more than you think.
Inspired by a powerful lesson from Simon Sinek, we break do...
Are you ready to elevate your leadership skills and navigate mid-career transitions with confidence?
In this episode of The Mid-Career GPS Podcast, I sit down with leadership and talent expert Jordana Cole to uncover the essential leadership qualities that drive success in 2025 and beyond.
Jordana shares her transformational journey—from managing client services teams to leading organizational learning and development—...
Are you ready to tackle the evolving job market of 2025? With economic uncertainty, political shifts, and corporate restructuring, mid-career professionals face unique challenges—especially as the "white-collar recession" unfolds. In this episode, we dive deep into the latest job market trends, the future of DEI initiatives, and essential strategies to help you stay competitive.
Key Topics Covered:
✔️ Wh...
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