Are You Stuck in Your Career? Develop These Skills to Break Free

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Episode Transcript

Stuart (00:00):
Are you stuck in a career wondering why you're not getting the

(00:02):
job offers or promotions you deserve?
It's frustrating.
Isn't it?
You work hard.
You're dedicated, but somehow others seemto get ahead while you're left behind.
This job market is competitive andthe reality is having the right
skills can make or break your career.
So here's a good news.
Developing a marketable and hire-ableskillset isn't as mysterious

(00:26):
or difficult as it might seem.
And in today's episode, we're going tobreak down exactly what you need to do
to stand out in any industry, attract theright opportunities and secure the career
advancements you've been aiming for.
Welcome to winning without college.
The podcast that helps you develop themindset, habits, and skills you need

(00:46):
to get ahead in business and in life.
And if you enjoy these episodesand you get value from them.
If you could just do me a hugefavor and give us a review and
hit that subscribe button, thatway you'll never miss an episode.
And it also tells the algorithmthat you're enjoying the
content that we're putting out.
My name is Stuart Takeharayour transformational career
coach and dedicated tohelping you unstuck your life.

(01:07):
Now, let me start out by tellingyou a story about my friend Lisa.
Lisa, she was a hard worker and shewas always going that extra mile.
She did everything that you think thatyou're supposed to do to get ahead,
but she felt invisible at her job.
She saw colleagues getting promoted,being put on other different projects
that were more exciting, that led tomore opportunities and they kept moving

(01:30):
up the ladder while she kind of justremained stuck in the same position.
And after a while, she started gettingfrustrated and angry and hopeless.
One day, she just decidedit was time for a change.
She realized she needed to developa skillset that made her stand out.
She knew she had to do somethingdifferent because what she
was doing just wasn't working.

(01:51):
And guess what?
Within a year, Lisa not only gotpromoted, but she also received
multiple job offers from othercompanies and her story isn't unique.
Many of us have felt that samefrustration, but the good news is you can
turn things around, just like she did.
So you're asking yourself,how did she do it?
Well, here we go.
I'm going to tell you firstoff, you need to identify the

(02:14):
skills that are in high demand.
So when you think about it, the job marketis like a battlefield and having the
right weapons can make all the difference.
So, one thing that you can do tomake sure that you have the right
weapons to make sure that you'rearmed with the right information is
getting to get the right information.
Reading industry reports, browsingthrough forums and threads on Reddit and
LinkedIn and social networks that arerelevant to your industry and your job.

(02:37):
Pay attention to what skillsare frequently mentioned.
For example, right now,Artificial intelligence.
AI is all the rage in tech and designmarketing, advertising law construction
in almost every industry, AI, chatGPT, Gemini, they're all changing the
way people get and use information.
And if you're not reading up on how AIis changing your industry, or even how

(03:00):
it might be jeopardizing your job, youare already behind the competition.
You need to know this and youneed to understand what the
trends are in your industry.
One way you can do this isto follow thought leaders on
your industry on social media.
These influencers often discussemerging trends and the future
and direction of the industry.
And if you're not on LinkedIndaily, you're really missing out.

(03:23):
And if you really be seen as a thoughtleader in your field, You should
participate in these discussions, provideyour input, ask probing questions.
Someone might be on there and like theway you think and want to get to know
you and develop a relationship with you.
And become part of your networkand more on that later, though.
Do you remember the excitement you feltwhen you learned something new that

(03:44):
you were able to apply in your job?
. That's the feeling thatwe're aiming for here.
Stay curious, stay informed,never stop exploring.
It's like discovering a new superpower.
Every time you pick up a new skull.
Now networking and being on theforefront of trends and topics
happening in your industry is.
It's something that you're absolutelygoing to need, but there's more than that.

(04:05):
Let's talk about your core competency.
These are the foundationalskills that you must perfect.
It's the basics, you know, thephrase we're going back to basics.
Yeah, we're talking about that here.
When they talk about fundamentals,if you don't have a good foundation,
You know, everything also justgonna start crumbling down.
Communication problemsolving time management.

(04:25):
These are all the buildingblocks of a successful career.
Imagine if you're a contractorand these are your skills without
them, your structure won't stand.
Think about the last timeyou tackled a tough project.
Do you remember that sense ofaccomplishment, that sense of pride
you felt when you completed it?
That warm and fuzzy feeling?
That, that right thereis what we're after.
Those victories, big or small, buildyour confidence and build your skillset.

(04:50):
They're stepping stones toyour next career milestone.
The next thing that you should dois commit to lifelong learning.
The world is changing fast.
So fast.
And so must we.
We must go along with it.
There are countless resources availableto be able to keep up with what's
happening in the road and keeping upwith what's happening in your industry.
It was online courses,webinars, workshops, many of

(05:13):
them are free or low cost.
They just require yourtime and your focus.
So dedicate time each week to learningsomething new, even just 30 minutes
a day, can have a huge differenceon the impact of your career.
Think of it as investing inyour future, the more you learn,
the more valuable you become.
And you can even considercreating a learning plan.

(05:35):
This is when you identify theskills you need to develop
and set goals for yourself.
For example.
If you wanted to learn a newprogramming language, you can break
it down into manageable steps.
You can complete an onlinecourse, work on a small project.
Then tackle the larger one.
This organized small stepapproach will keep you focused and
motivated with small regular wins.

(05:58):
And if you want to learn more aboutAI learning, start with YouTube
and watch videos from expertsthat take concepts of AI and break
them down into smaller pieces.
But the best way to learn AI, to justdo it, hop onto the Gemini, hop onto
a chat GPT, hop on and just type andplay and see what it's capable of.
See what its strengths are, see what itsweaknesses are and learn how to be able
to captivate and cultivate that technologybecause it's not going away anytime soon.

(06:22):
As a matter of fact, it's onlygoing to take more and more of
a prevalent place in our life.
Talking about ongoinglearning, believe it or not.
I learned how to ride amotorcycle by watching YouTube.
I learned the controls,balanced riding strategies.
Do's and don'ts pretty much allof the textbook and practical
knowledge by watching YouTube.
And then when it was time to ride, Ihad the learning fundamentals down.

(06:42):
So it was just time to apply them.
Just like when you do AI,you learn about the AI.
You learn how it works, you learn allthis, and then you'd get in there and you
start typing or you start programming.
It's about putting those skills to use.
It's a great feeling of accomplishment.
When I went to go take my M1 license,since I already knew all the answers,
not because I read them in the book, it'sbecause I watched YouTube and I learned

(07:03):
from people who've done it themselves.
They were my mentor inthis particular situation.
YouTube was my mentor.
When I typed in the thing, how to ridea motorcycle one-on-one or whatever it
is I put in there was a long time ago.
So, let me ask you a question.
When was the last time you taughtyourself something and applied it?
It doesn't matter if it's in yourwork life or your business life, maybe

(07:24):
you're a gardener and you want to tryand you, and you don't have a green
thumb and you can't keep plants alive.
Figure out what to do and then celebratewhen you're able to say, Hey, this is,
you know, I kept this panel live forthree weeks, three months, three years.
I've never done anything like this before.
I've got it.
Celebrate those wins.
And remember that feeling thatyou have, you're accomplished.
You're proud.
You feel worthy.

(07:44):
We want to chase that feeling.
It's your ticket to growth and success.
And don't forget learning isn'tjust about formal education.
As a matter of fact, formal educationis the smallest part of learning.
Learning is an ongoing process.
It never stops.
Read industry blogs, listen topodcasts, read books, attend webinars.
All of these things can contributeto your ongoing knowledge base,

(08:06):
but it's not enough for youjust to have the right skills.
Now it's time for you totake them and showcase them.
Your resume and your LinkedIn profileshould reflect your abilities.
You gotta use action verbs and realachievements instead of saying on
your resume or on your LinkedIn quote,responsible for social media management.
Say quote increased socialmedia engagement by 50%

(08:29):
through targeted campaigns.
This not only shows what you did,but also the impact that you made.
And here, it goes evendeeper now, ready for this.
If you've been watching the social mediatrends, like I was just saying that you
need to watch the trends in your industry.
You're going to know that engagementis what everyone is talking about now.
Not subscribers and not followers.

(08:50):
So in your line saying increased socialmedia engagement by 50%, that's talking
current trend language that shows thatyou know, that you're doing this right
now, as opposed to maybe five yearsago when there were different metrics
being used to determine success.
And because it's so important, let'sdive a bit deeper into your resume.
Your resume should be dynamic.

(09:10):
It should be always changing.
It should evolve with your career.
It should evolve with all of your newskills that you get your new projects that
you've been working on, and it should showyour accomplishments, which are vital.
Use bullet points to highlight keyachievement and make sure your LinkedIn
profile mirrors your resumes becauserecruiters will often, cross-check both.
It's okay to have more detailin your LinkedIn profile.

(09:33):
As a matter of fact, I think thatthat's what you should have it.
But your.
, but your paper resume, the onethat you're, you're emailing out.
I should have some reallystrong context in that as well.
You should also consider creatinga portfolio or custom website
about your accomplishments.
And this could be a collection of yourwork case studies or in projects at
demonstrating your skills and action.

(09:54):
A well-organized portfolio orpersonal website can set you apart
from the other candidates and providetangible proof of your abilities.
Your resume can only be so long, but whenyou create your own website, when you
create your own LinkedIn profile, youcan, front-load all of that information
with actionable, real life stepsthat you can prove that you did that.

(10:15):
You're responsible for peopleare looking for action.
Now's the time to show themwhat action you can take.
Finally next, let's talk about networking.
Because networking.
Isn't just about collecting businesscards or adding connections on LinkedIn.
It's about building genuine relationships.
Take the time to engage with yournetwork, share valuable content
and offer help when you can.

(10:36):
See these relationships can lead tomentorship opportunities, collaborations,
and what you want most, job referrals.
Learn about the jobs beforethey get posted a job boards.
That's what a relationship, that's what agood mentor, that's what good networking
will be able to allow you to do.
By building a strong professional networkit will open new doors to opportunities.

(10:58):
And attending networking conferences,professional organizations and networking
events, all of this will help out andbuilding your professional network.
The other thing, reach out to peopleon LinkedIn and ask for interviews.
Don't be afraid to askfor advice or guidance.
A good mentor can provideinvaluable support and insight.
They've been where you're atand they can help you navigate

(11:18):
the challenges that you face.
So just go on there, find someone youadmire someone you respect and don't
hesitate to ask them to be your mentor.
Don't ask hesitate to ask them for advice.
Most people who are uberly successfulare always happy to mentor and train
somebody who's interested in learning.
And it's funny that I say that becauseI wish I can tell you that I had a great

(11:41):
and strong mentor growing up or comingthrough my career, but I really didn't.
The best I can come up withsome of the people I worked
with when I was in high school.
So I started working when I was 15and maybe because I was young and
impressionable and just entering theworkforce, and maybe it was because they
knew how to win and they instilled thatto me from the very beginning, or maybe
because I just didn't know any better.

(12:01):
But I do know as good to learnfrom other people's mistakes.
It's good to have someone to askquestions to and to get guidance from.
And it's good to have someonerooting for you and cheering you on.
So let's recap.
So you can start developing yourmarketable and hire-able skillset.
Remember, stay informed.
Read industry news and reportsto keep up with trends.

(12:21):
Set learning goals, create a planand learn new skills and stick to it.
Build a portfolio.
Showcase your skills orprojects in a professional
portfolio or a personal website.
Seek feedback, ask for feedback frompeers and mentors to improve your skills.
Network.
Engage with your professionalnetwork and seek out mentorships.

(12:43):
I know it can be tough.
The road to developing a marketableand hire-able skillset is filled
with challenges, twists, andturns and the unknown, and
everyone is afraid of the unknown.
But remember, every step you takeis a step closer to your goal.
You have the power to transform yourcareer, and if you embrace the journey
and you stay resilient, and never stopbelieving in yourself, you will make it.

(13:07):
Think back to all the challengesyou've overcome so far.
Each one has made you stronger,more resilient and better
equipped for the future.
So keep that momentum going.
You're not just building your career.
You're building your legacy.
So that's what I gotfor you in this episode.
Thank you for tuning intowinning without college.
If you found this episode, helpful,make sure you subscribe for more

(13:29):
insights and strategies to helpyou win in business and in life.
And don't forget to leave us review yourfeedback helps us create content that is
valuable to you .Until next time, rememberyour success doesn't come with a syllabus.
Keep pushing ahead and keepwinning without college.
Thanks for listening.
We'll see you in the next episode.