7. On Powerfully Managing your Career & Talent Mobility with Amber Beam
Overview
Joining me on this episode of the Sustainable Ambition Podcast is Amber Beam, a collaborator and fellow career coach who brings wisdom around managing your career over time, especially for mid-career changers.
Amber tells us about the importance of continual learning in today’s market environment, advocates burning the proverbial career ladder, and instead champions managing one’s career through lateral moves and creating a portfolio of experiences or gigs to progress you forward towards your goals. She shares her concept around talent mobility, The Growth Effect, and is an advocate for employees and employers to get past old structures and norms to create more growth for both parties. Amber drops many wisdom bombs in this episode, including great advice on how to manage your career in your 20’s, 30’s and 40’s.
It's hard not to have a good time being in conversation with Amber, so I hope you appreciate her enthusiasm and encouragement to build a career with more flexibility and growth no matter your stage and age. Really, Amber’s energy is quite infectious!
Thank you for sharing so many great insights, Amber! I loved being in conversation with you!
More about Our Guest
With 15 years of experience as an Industrial & Organizational Psychologist in HR, Amber Beam’s goal is to show women over 40 exactly how to cash-in on decades of experience and expertise to launch their soul-mate career.
Amber specializes in translating client’s superpowers into marketable skills to score five-figure raises and “Summer Fridays” year-round. Her proven coaching system teaches you how to reach the height of your professional potential by silencing the mind drama and shifting your mindset to craft a happy, rewarding, and successful career that makes a difference and pays the bills.
Amber lives and works in Washington, DC. When not connecting women to energizing and exciting work, she loves spoiling her niece and nephew, gawking at masterpieces in the Smithsonian, and sipping fruity umbrella drinks on the beach.
Topics Covered
How to manage your career over time, from decade to decade
Why the concept of a career ladder needs to be burned, and that instead we should be thinking about career progression as more like going through a jungle gym, perhaps moving laterally but progressing forward
The idea of talent mobility and how individuals and companies need to think differently about utilizing talent to help grow the person AND meet the company's needs around growth
The importance of what Amber calls "power skills" (i.e., soft skills like influence, negotiation, and emotional intelligence) that are vitally important to be successful in a work environment that requires talent mobility
When managing your own career, pay attention to opportunities for expanding your skill sets and experiences for growth
If your company doesn't support talent mobility, ask to pilot a project and find an advocate in HR. Also, don't forget to enroll your boss in such an adventure; you can make him or her look good, too!
If you are a mid-career changer, start with creating a unique selling proposition (USP) and create a story around it. Stories are more memorable and will help others remember and advocate for you
Amber introduces us to her model, The Growth Effect, with 3 stages: Discover, Design, and Deliver
The importance of addressing your mind chatter and drama when taking lateral moves or managing your career mid-way
Advice on how to manage your career in your 20's (seek mentorship at all levels and create a peer group), 30's (be kind to yourself during a time when you'll likely experience friction between your personal and professional lives), and 40's (it's never too late). At any time throughout your career, consistently build relationships and build value in everything you do
In our rapid fire questions, Amber offers this wonderful way of defining success, “What makes me the luckiest girl in the world today?” Best career advice: “Don’t take it too seriously.” And other helpful advice: the Pomodoro method and the power of doodling!
Resources Mentioned
Amber's website: http://www.amberbeam.com
Amber's Free Resource, a Roadmap for Career Changers: www.amberbeam.com/results
The Pomodoro Technique: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique
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7. On Powerfully Managing your Career & Talent Mobility with Amber Beam
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