Career Stories

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The podcast that shares other people's career stories, to help you with yours. Career Stories is a podcast for people who want a better working life. Hosted by Dr Luella Forbes - consultant, researcher and founder of The Career Library. Each episode features an honest conversation with a leader, entrepreneur or expert about the real story behind their career: the transitions, the setbacks, the decisions that didn't go to plan, and the lessons that shaped where they ended up. Every month, Luella is joined by Associate Professor Michelle Gander (Murdoch Business School), an experienced leader and specialist in career development and organisational careers, to unpack the themes from that month's episodes and offer practical, evidence-based advice. Whether you're navigating a career crossroads, leading through change, or simply trying to build a working life that fits — Career Stories gives you the real picture, from people who've been there. Topics include: leadership, organisational change, career development, women at work, management, workplace culture, career transitions, and what it really takes to build a meaningful career.

  1. 1d ago

    The Traditional Career Isn’t Dead - Series 1 Wrap-Up

    “The traditional career is not dead after all.” Is the idea of building a long career inside one organisation outdated? After a first series of conversations with leaders across Australia, Luella and Michelle aren’t so sure. Again and again, guests described being given real opportunities to grow, from moving into a new department to stepping into roles they had no background in. So what can their stories teach the rest of us about where careers are really heading? In this final episode of Series 1, Dr Luella Forbes and Associate Professor Michelle Gander look back on the first series of Career Stories. They share the most popular episodes, their personal favourite guests and the stories that have stayed with them. Michelle reflects on what surprised her as a careers researcher. Both hosts talk about what making the podcast taught them about interviewing, open questions and finding the balance between theory and conversation. They also explain why the show is taking a break over the Australian summer, and how it might return in 2027. Luella closes the series with one last book recommendation. In this episode: 00:00:09 - Welcome to the final episode of Series 1 00:00:50 - This month’s guests: Mandy Khan, Glen Moloney and Bethan Winn 00:01:57 - Catching up: a research conference at QUT and the Ironman World Championships in Kona 00:04:15 - Two weeks of work in Darwin and near Litchfield National Park 00:07:00 - Nearly a year since recording began, and why the show is taking a summer break 00:08:00 - The most popular episodes of Series 1 00:09:03 - Michelle’s and Luella’s favourite guests and the stories that stuck 00:12:39 - Why everyone’s career story is interesting, and why the traditional career isn’t dead 00:14:24 - What the podcast taught them about interviewing and asking open questions 00:18:01 - How one coffee turned into a podcast partnership 00:19:35 - Turning the podcast into research, and what’s next 00:21:04 - Finding the balance between theory and natural conversation 00:22:35 - Book recommendation: Empathy by Roman Krznaric 00:24:30 - Thank you to guests, listeners and everyone who helped along the way Career Stories is taking a break over the Australian summer while Luella and Michelle plan what comes next. We’ll be back in 2027, possibly with a fresh format. In the meantime, catch up on every Series 1 episode, and let us know what you’d love to hear more of at stories@the-career-library.com. Join here Connect & Subscribe Subscribe to Career Stories wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow Career Stories on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Career Stories is brought to you by The Career Library.

  2. Oct 27

    10 Leadership Lessons From 20 Years in Charge - Michelle Gander

    “You learn the most from the things that didn’t go exactly according to plan.” Ever been promoted into a leadership role and quietly wondered if you’re doing it right? Or found yourself stuck between backing your team and backing a decision you didn’t agree with? Most leadership lessons aren’t taught in a course. They’re learned the hard way, through tough calls, awkward conversations and the jobs that scared us most. In this special episode, Dr Luella Forbes turns the tables on co-host Associate Professor Michelle Gander, who shares the 10 leadership lessons she’s gathered over a 20-odd year career, most of it in leadership roles across universities in the UK and Australia. From choosing the scary job over the logical next step, to why you can’t be friends with your direct reports, to always disagreeing behind closed doors, Michelle and Luella unpack what it really takes to lead well, with plenty of honest stories from their own careers along the way. In this episode: 01:43 - Lesson 1, self leadership: continued learning, taking the scary opportunities, and taking control of your future rather than waiting for change to happen to you. 07:42 - Lesson 2, trust your judgment: the time Michelle didn’t push her case, and why your “gut feel” is really years of experience at work. 14:37 - Lesson 3, get out of your team’s way: the cost of micromanaging, and what Luella learned leading a project where she had no technical expertise. 22:35 - Lesson 4, be empathetic: seeing the whole person, and why tough decisions are hard to make as well as hard to receive. 28:39 - Lesson 5, be authentic: authenticity as vulnerability plus boundaries, and why you should never say things you don’t mean. 33:25 - Lesson 6, you can’t be friends with your team: being friendly versus being friends, and how the role changes once you step into leadership. 39:15 - Lesson 7, always disagree behind closed doors: making your case in the room, then backing the decision once it’s made. 45:56 - Lesson 8, get people working across boundaries: breaking down silos and building your internal network. 49:38 - Lesson 9, know when you need help and ask for it: why asking for support shows confidence, not weakness. 52:42 - Lesson 10, be humble and surround yourself with people who can replace you: the difference between confidence and arrogance. 56:56 - Wrapping up, and a sneak peek at the final episode of the series. New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion episode at the end of the month. We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you would like Luella and Michelle to answer to stories@the-career-library.com. Support this podcast by becoming a member and get access to bonus episodes containing work related advice from Luella, Michelle and expert guests as well as a monthly newsletter with access to tools and guidance from this week's advice episode. Join here Connect & Subscribe Subscribe to Career Stories wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow Career Stories on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Career Stories is brought to you by The Career Library.

  3. Oct 20

    Critical Thinking, Biases & AI Cognitive Offloading - Bethan Winn

    "Hold your values tightly - but hold your beliefs lightly." - Bethan Winn We're drowning in information and starving for judgment. Every scroll, every AI-generated answer, every "trust me" from an institution that used to earn it - it's all pulling us toward outsourcing our thinking to someone, or something, else. Bethan Winn, critical thinking specialist and author of The Human Edge: Critical Thinking in the Age of AI, joins Dr Luella Forbes for this bonus edition to make the case that the antidote isn't more information. It's a skill we can actually build. In this episode, Bethan breaks down what critical thinking really means (hint: it's not criticizing), why courage - not intelligence - is the piece most people miss, and how to tell what's true when Google itself can't be trusted to tell you anymore. Along the way: the "frog in boiling water" trap at work, why confirmation bias is the enemy of good decisions, and a simple model you can use to think more clearly under pressure. In this episode: 00:00:00 - Welcome & Introduction: Luella introduces this bonus edition with critical thinking specialist Bethan Winn. 00:01:00 - What Critical Thinking Actually Means: Bethan breaks it down into skills, knowledge, and attitude - and why courage is the one we forget. 00:02:05 - What Should You Actually Think Critically About?: Why it depends on your values, and why there's no judgment in what you choose to care about. 00:03:12 - The Frog in Boiling Water: How we normalise bad job situations simply because we're already in them. 00:05:00 - Why Critical Thinking Is Getting Harder: Noise, busyness, and the quiet influence of AI-driven recommendation engines on our "free will." 00:07:21 - Comfortable vs. True: Bethan's Venn diagram for the real question behind every hard decision. 00:09:38 - Overthinking & the Education System: Why young people struggle with ambiguity - and who's really to blame. 00:10:17 - Fact-Checking in the Age of AI: Fabricated references, mangled sources, and what happens as Google shifts to AI-chat search. 00:14:31 - Confirmation Bias & Holding Beliefs Lightly: Why changing your mind shouldn't feel like losing. 00:15:16 - Brené Brown, Adam Grant & The Courage to Be Wrong: What it looks like when experts model intellectual humility in public. 00:18:26 - How to Actually Check What's True: Credibility, source, and asking what the writer wants you to think. 00:21:41 - Where to Start Building the Skill: Curiosity, rigor, and Bethan's PZZNT decision model. We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you would like Luella and Michelle to answer to stories@the-career-library.com. Connect & Subscribe Subscribe to Career Stories wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow Career Stories on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Career Stories is brought to you by The Career Library.

  4. Oct 13

    From Teacher Dreams to Running HR at Mission Australia - Mandy Cann

    “On average, people have three to five careers in their life. And I’m certainly one of those people.” What does HR actually do, and why does it matter so much in organisations that change lives? Mandy Cann is General Manager of Partnering and Employee Relations at Mission Australia. She leads HR partnering, employee relations, remuneration and organisational design for a national charity of around 2,700 employees and 1,500 volunteers. Mandy’s path to the top of HR wasn’t a straight line. She dreamed of being a teacher, then worked through finance, marketing, local government, her own consultancy, a criminology degree and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, before returning to Mission Australia in a bigger role. If you’ve ever wondered whether a winding career can still lead somewhere you love, this one’s for you. In this episode Mandy and Luella talk about what HR business partners actually do day to day, and how HR supports frontline teams working in homelessness, mental health, aged care and youth detox services. Mandy explains how she approaches employee relations as a collaborative relationship with unions rather than a battle, and why Mission Australia hires people with lived experience of addiction, knowing the risks that come with it. She also shares the hardest moment of her career, what being a middle child taught her about ambition, and why she went back to an organisation she’d already left. Episode highlights 00:34 - Who Mission Australia is and the communities it serves 07:02 - Do you need to be Christian to work at a Christian charity? 08:05 - What a General Manager of Partnering and Employee Relations does day to day 09:46 - What HR is really there for: walking alongside managers 13:31 - HR in high-risk frontline services, from aged care to youth detox 16:38 - Why Mandy’s role is all about managing risk and giving leaders options 18:45 - A childhood dream of teaching (and a blackboard from Santa) 20:12 - From finance and hotel reception to HR at Brisbane City Council 21:29 - Finishing a Master’s in Employment Law with a six-month-old 23:55 - Employee relations, enterprise bargaining and working with unions 30:02 - Building a lived expertise workforce 31:29 - The hardest time: leaving government and starting a consultancy 33:00 - A criminology degree and a career crossroads 33:54 - Working at the Royal Flying Doctor Service during COVID 38:08 - The strengths behind her success: strong women and middle child drive 42:56 - The best career advice she’s ever received Resources Mission Australia: missionaustralia.com.au Mandy Cann LinkedIn New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion episode at the end of the month. We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you would like Luella and Michelle to answer to stories@the-career-library.com. Support this podcast by becoming a member and get access to bonus episodes containing work related advice from Luella, Michelle and expert guests as well as a monthly newsletter with access to tools and guidance from this week's advice episode. Join here Connect & Subscribe Subscribe to Career Stories wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow Career Stories on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Career Stories is brought to you by The Career Library.

  5. Oct 6

    The Career Nobody Grows Up Wanting - Glen Moloney

    "You make your luck, take some risks, have a go." Did you know what you wanted to be when you left school? Most of us didn't, and plenty of the most interesting careers are ones nobody ever told us existed. Procurement is one of them. It's the work behind the poles, wires and contracts that keep the lights on, yet almost nobody grows up dreaming of doing it. In this episode, Dr Luella Forbes reconnects with Glen Moloney, General Manager of Procurement and Supply at one of Queensland's largest energy providers, who she met during their MBA. Glen unpacks what procurement actually involves, from sourcing and negotiating contracts to managing the supply of everything a big energy network needs, and why commercial acumen and storytelling are so important in the role. He shares a career built by saying yes: a TNT scholarship that took him to the UK, a visa mix-up in Amsterdam he calls "a comedy of errors", helping set up the procurement arm for the Ford Mazda joint venture in Nanjing, China, and building a centralised procurement function at Virgin Australia before running Virgin Cargo. Along the way he reflects on transferable skills, why the right environment changes everything, leading people through change, and the values that have guided every big decision. In this episode: 00:00:40 - What a general manager of procurement and supply actually does00:03:57 - Supplying infrastructure across a state the size of Queensland, from poles and wires to vegetation clearing00:08:23 - The skills procurement needs: commercial acumen, contract know-how and storytelling00:16:47 - How AI is reshaping procurement and where humans stay in the loop00:19:12 - "Nobody grows up wanting to be a chief procurement officer" and how Glen picked his degree00:21:37 - A TNT scholarship and six months studying in the UK00:26:07 - Moving to Amsterdam and an unexpected visa story00:28:02 - Helping set up procurement for the Ford Mazda joint venture in Nanjing, China, and what it taught him about culture00:33:44 - Moving to Brisbane and taking transferable skills into financial services at Suncorp00:37:15 - Joining Virgin Australia to build a centralised procurement function00:41:15 - Same skills, different environment: why support and mandate change everything00:43:04 - Leading people through change with honesty and time to decide00:47:09 - Airport negotiations and running Virgin Cargo, a full-circle moment00:49:12 - COVID, stepping away and knowing when you've given all you can00:50:28 - Looking after himself: the gym, Pilates and learning to meditate00:57:39 - The best career advice Glen ever received00:58:35 - What Glen is proudest of, and why it isn't about his career Resources mentioned: Melbourne Meditation Centre - https://melbournemeditationcentre.com.au/Connect with Glen on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-moloney-bb95a89/?isSelfProfile=false New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion episode at the end of the month. We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you would like Luella and Michelle to answer to stories@the-career-library.com. Support this podcast by becoming a member and get access to bonus episodes containing work related advice from Luella, Michelle and expert guests as well as a monthly newsletter with access to tools and guidance from this week's advice episode. Join here Connect & Subscribe Subscribe to Career Stories wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow Career Stories on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Career Stories is brought to you by The Career Library.

  6. Sep 29

    Pigeonholed at Work? How to Get Work Famous - Leanne Hughes

    "It's about being famous for your ideas and for your contribution." Ever felt like you're doing great work but nobody's noticing? Or that people only see you as "the IT person" or "the change person" when you know you can do so much more? You're not alone, and the good news is you don't have to wait for someone to tap you on the shoulder. In this bonus episode, Luella sits down with Leanne Hughes to get practical about her new book, Work Fame. Forget paparazzi and red carpets. This is about building a reputation that attracts the good stuff: cool projects, great people, promotions and more money, all without the ego or the cringe of self-promotion. In this episode Following on from Leanne's main episode, this conversation is all about the how. Leanne shares her three spotlights for getting work famous, why a CV is really a list of things you don't want to do anymore, and how to break out of being typecast. Luella and Leanne dig into why times of change are the best moment to step up, how to stay visible when you work remotely, how leaders can help their teams shine, and the simple "walk of fame" practice you can try tomorrow. Timestamps 00:39 What work fame really means (and what it doesn't) 01:47 Deciding what you want to be famous for 03:47 Breaking out of being pigeonholed 07:03 Why no one cares about your career as much as you do 08:19 Seeing a gap and filling it: tell people, then do it 10:21 Why change is the best time to step up 17:16 The three spotlights: contribution, conversations and coverage 18:54 Talking about your wins without feeling boastful 22:13 When the most dependable people get loaded up with more work 25:59 Building visibility when you work remotely 29:52 How leaders can help their team get work famous 31:29 One thing to try tomorrow: the walk of fame 36:04 The hierarchy in your own head 37:44 The story you tell yourself about who you want to be Resources Work Fame by Leanne Hughes, out now wherever you get your books here Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn here New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion episode at the end of the month. We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you would like Luella and Michelle to answer to stories@the-career-library.com. Support this podcast by becoming a member and get access to bonus episodes containing work related advice from Luella, Michelle and expert guests as well as a monthly newsletter with access to tools and guidance from this week's advice episode. Join here Connect & Subscribe Subscribe to Career Stories wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow Career Stories on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Career Stories is brought to you by The Career Library.

  7. Sep 22

    Privilege in the Workplace and Comparing Yourself to Others

    What does privilege in the workplace really look like? In this September Career Advice episode, Dr Luella Forbes and Associate Professor Michelle Gander unpack networks, money, time and access, why privilege is so hard to talk about, what you can do with it whether you have a lot of it or a little, and why comparing yourself to others rarely tells the full story. Ever scroll past someone who seems miles ahead of you and wonder what you're doing wrong? This month, Luella and Michelle unpack why the answer is often about starting points, not effort. "You actually can't compare yourself either way, right? Good or bad. Because you actually have no idea about where people have started from." Michelle Gander Episode highlights: 00:00 - Introduction 01:30 - What Luella and Michelle have been up to, from a career workshop at Flinders University to a Brisbane trip 06:09 - Luella's storytelling for change talk and how you can join 07:34 - Recapping Angela Bliss, Sally Richardson and Leanne Hughes 10:17 - Why privilege? What sparked the topic 11:21 - What privilege means, from nepotism to meritocracy 13:20 - Networks, money and time: the hidden advantages in careers 16:34 - Class, schooling and the idea of "inheritocracy" 20:26 - The equity picture: why the right help looks different for everyone 22:01 - Layers of privilege and intersectionality 24:25 - Why representation matters and "you can't be what you can't see" 27:32 - Looking at inputs as well as outputs, and the privilege walk exercise 32:08 - Networking in smaller cities and what it means for new graduates 33:53 - Working with what you've got, and borrowing influence 36:29 - Building inclusive workplaces and giving everyone the same chance to plan for change 41:25 - Comparison and starting points: why it's not worth measuring yourself against others 43:44 - Finding a role model instead 44:31 - Book of the month: Work Fame by Leanne Hughes Resources and links Episodes mentioned: Angela Bliss: youtu.be/SqOnFnxltww Sally Richardson: youtu.be/REvc2Toutps Leanne Hughes: youtu.be/EHJzjVbxhRc Elizabeth Shaw on diversity and inclusion: youtu.be/cZ34gflZiYY Fadzi Whande on diversity and inclusion at the UN: youtu.be/m0M4m1CIr0Q Books mentioned: Work Fame by Leanne Hughes Inheritocracy by Eliza Filby Luella's Storytelling for Change webinar, 7 October: luellaforbes.com/webinar-storytelling All opinions are the guest's own. New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion on what we've heard in the last week of the month. We'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you'd like Luella and Michelle to answer at stories@luellaforbes.com. Career Stories is hosted by Dr Luella Forbes, who works with organisations on leadership, change and storytelling. To find out how she can support your leaders and teams, visit luellaforbes.com/services More about the podcast: luellaforbes.com/career-stories Watch Career Stories on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Help other people find this podcast by subscribing in your podcast app and leaving a review.

  8. Sep 15

    How to Get Noticed at Work: Leanne Hughes on Work Fame

    How do you get noticed at work without waiting for luck? Speaker and author Leanne Hughes shares the mindset behind her new book, Work Fame, and the career that took her from Wicked Campers to running her own consulting business. Everyone tells you their big break was luck. It wasn't. It was a habit of showing up with your head up instead of your AirPods in. This week Luella sits down with thought leader, speaker and author Leanne Hughes to unpack the real story behind her new book, Work Fame - out 30 September. Forget the highlight reel of stages and airports. Leanne breaks down what actually got her noticed in a big organisation, and why the same mindset now powers her solo consulting business. From a childhood dream of playing netball for Australia to a corporate role that inspired an entire book, Leanne's career story is a masterclass in creating your own momentum instead of waiting for a conveyor belt to move you. She and Luella talk through the reality of solopreneurship, the "walk of fame vs walk of tame" concept at the heart of her book, why being hard to explain might be your biggest asset in the age of AI, and the Canada workshop disaster that accidentally launched her first podcast. "I think the world doesn't reward intent, you know? It rewards action." Leanne Hughes Episode highlights: 00:00 - Introduction 00:36 - The reality of being a "thought leader" - what Leanne's week actually looks like behind the Instagram highlights 05:01 - Why being "unexplainable" is a strength, not a weakness, in the age of AI 10:38 - The idea behind Work Fame and how one piece of blunt career advice sparked it 13:36 - The "walk of fame vs walk of tame" - the mindset shift behind getting noticed 18:20 - Her formative years at Wicked Campers and the "seek forgiveness, not permission" lesson 24:38 - The workshop that went wrong in Canada - and accidentally launched her first podcast 34:03 - What success actually looks like to Leanne (and why she talks openly about money) 37:59 - Quickfire round - coffee order, WFH vs office, and the best career advice she's ever received Resources: Leanne Hughes Linked In - linkedin.com/in/leannehughes Work Fame by Leanne Hughes: getworkfame.com Leanne's Work Fame newsletter on Substack: workfa.me Tim Ferriss's fear-setting exercise Jim Rohn's advice: work harder on yourself than you do on your job Episodes mentioned: Bethan Winn on critical thinking in the age of AI: youtu.be/lEr0Onb4qQw Dr Mia Carbon: youtu.be/0cEmeCbQpXk Elizabeth Shaw on sponsorship: youtu.be/cZ34gflZiYY All Career Advice and guest episodes: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ2uiJbm7wluvT39bLBd7ZKMU1US0Qonf All opinions are the guest's own. New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion on what we've heard in the last week of the month. We'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you'd like Luella and Michelle to answer at stories@luellaforbes.com. Career Stories is hosted by Dr Luella Forbes, who works with organisations on leadership, change and storytelling. To find out how she can support your leaders and teams, visit luellaforbes.com/services More about the podcast: luellaforbes.com/career-stories Watch Career Stories on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Help other people find this podcast by subscribing in your podcast app and leaving a review.

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About

The podcast that shares other people's career stories, to help you with yours. Career Stories is a podcast for people who want a better working life. Hosted by Dr Luella Forbes - consultant, researcher and founder of The Career Library. Each episode features an honest conversation with a leader, entrepreneur or expert about the real story behind their career: the transitions, the setbacks, the decisions that didn't go to plan, and the lessons that shaped where they ended up. Every month, Luella is joined by Associate Professor Michelle Gander (Murdoch Business School), an experienced leader and specialist in career development and organisational careers, to unpack the themes from that month's episodes and offer practical, evidence-based advice. Whether you're navigating a career crossroads, leading through change, or simply trying to build a working life that fits — Career Stories gives you the real picture, from people who've been there. Topics include: leadership, organisational change, career development, women at work, management, workplace culture, career transitions, and what it really takes to build a meaningful career.

Information

  • Creator
    The Career Library
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©The Career Library, 2026
  • Show Website
    Career Stories

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