Happen To Your Career - Meaningful Work, Career Change, Career Design, & Job Search

Happen To Your Career
Happen To Your Career
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You're not totally happy with your career (obviously!) You also know that there "has to be something out there that's better." That hope that you can find meaningful and fulfilling work, that also pays you well, has led you here! This is the show that provides the inspiration, tools, and roadmaps to move from where you are to work that matters to you and uniquely fits your strengths and talents.

  1. 1d ago

    What Got You Here Won't Make You Happy: How to Recognize When Success Is Taking You in the Wrong Direction

    Most career change advice assumes something went wrong, but what if success itself is the problem? Dan spent 27 years being promoted away from meaningful work, earning a six-figure salary in a role that looked perfect on paper and felt completely wrong on the inside. If you're a high performer stuck in a successful career that doesn't fit, this episode breaks down the exact framework that helped Dan find fulfilling, well-paid work without starting over and how you can do the same.   What You'll Learn: Why high performers are the most likely to end up in roles that don't fit and why being rewarded for the wrong work is the hidden obstacle nobody warns you about The difference between being good at something and it being a Signature Strength and why confusing the two is what keeps most successful people stuck How the Ideal Career Profile works as a decision-making filter not just for finding a new role, but for knowing exactly which offer to say yes to Why Dan took a title that looked like a step down on paper and ended up making nearly three times his previous salary doing work he loves The one question to ask yourself that cuts through the noise when you're weighing whether to stay or go   Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit  happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here! Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation   Free Resources What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out! Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.   Related Episodes An Overthinker's Guide To Making Better Career Decisions (Spotify /Apple Podcasts) Stuck in a Career You're Unhappy With? Fear Of Taking Risks Could Be Keeping You There (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)

    What Got You Here Won't Make You Happy: How to Recognize When Success Is Taking You in the Wrong Direction

  2. 5d ago

    What 1.7 Million Job Applications Reveal About Resumes: The ATS Myth, One-Page Rule, Keywords, and Tailoring Debunked with Sam Wright, Huntr

    If you're job searching in 2026 and following every resume rule you've been told, one page only, match every keyword, avoid two-column layouts, optimize for the ATS, this episode is going to change how you think about your resume and your entire job search strategy. Sam Wright runs the data side at Huntr, and he's analyzed over 1.7 million job applications, more than 240,000 resumes, and over a million job postings to find out which resume rules actually get people hired, and which ones are just guesses everyone kept repeating. The results are surprising. Two-page resumes outperform one-page resumes across the board. Resume tailoring is 2X more effective at driving interviews. Referrals convert at a massively higher rate than cold applications. And most of what you've been told about the ATS is a myth. Scott and Sam break down the resume myths costing you interviews, the tailoring strategy that actually works, why your target job title matters more than your resume format, and the data-backed job search moves that separate the top 10% of applicants from everyone else. What you'll learn: Why the one-page resume rule was never actually tested (and what the data shows about two-page resumes) The 5-step resume tailoring process that doubles your interview rate Why "optimizing for the ATS" is a myth (and what actually gets your resume seen) How to write a resume summary that stands out (without sounding AI-generated) Why referrals convert at a massively higher rate than cold applications, and how to build them The exact application strategy Sam recommends: how many jobs per week, how fast to apply, and how to target the right roles Connect with Sam Wright: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-b-wright/ Try Huntr: https://huntr.co   Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit  happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here! Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation   Free Resources What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out! Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.   Related Episodes Changing Careers (When You Don't Know Your Next Job Title) (Spotify / Apple Podcasts) Discover Your Strengths to Find Your Ideal Career (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)

    What 1.7 Million Job Applications Reveal About Resumes: The ATS Myth, One-Page Rule, Keywords, and Tailoring Debunked with Sam Wright, Huntr

  3. Jul 13

    From Application to Offer: How Long a Job Search Actually Takes in 2026

    The median job search time in 2026 is now 108 days — a 30% jump from just one quarter ago. But if you're trying to make an intentional career transition into meaningful, well-paid work, that number is only half the story. Here's what the data doesn't tell you, and what actually determines how long your career change will take. What You'll Learn: The critical difference between a conventional job search and an intentional career transition — and why confusing the two is what keeps most people stuck The two variables that determine your career change timeline more than anything else: clarity and validation How Linnea used an Ideal Career Profile to land a role four levels above where she started — without applying to hundreds of postings How Kara went from a 13-year federal career with a 5-month runway to a Chief of Staff role she loves — in exactly 5 months What the first four months of an intentional career transition actually look like, month by month, before you ever send a single application   Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit  happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here! Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation   Free Resources What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out! Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.   Related Episodes Figuring Out Your Perfect Career Match (Spotify / Apple Podcasts) Designing Career Experiments and Testing New Careers (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)   Mentioned Episode Six different types of Career Experiments (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)

    From Application to Offer: How Long a Job Search Actually Takes in 2026

  4. Jul 9

    The Right Way to Talk About Being Fired in an Interview: Specific Language That Actually Works

    Most people who've been fired walk into their next interview dreading one question above all others: "So why did you leave your last position?" I've been on both sides of that question. As a former HR leader, where I've fired hundreds of people, and also as an employee who was fired during my career. I even made the mistake of telling interviewers I was laid off instead and it almost cost me everything. In this episode, we break down exactly how to answer the fired question honestly, without setting off alarm bells or tanking your chances. We'll cover the specific language to use, the psychology behind why it works, a simple three-part story framework that turns a potential disaster into a demonstration of self-awareness, and when to bring in expert help before it costs you an offer. If you've been fired and have interviews coming up, this episode is the prep you actually need.   What you'll learn Why lying about being fired (even just saying "laid off") is a risk that can end a job offer after it's already been made The three-part story framework I used after being fired that led to multiple job offers without misleading anyone How to present the circumstances of being fired so the interviewer draws their own logical conclusion without you having to over-explain or assign blame   Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit  happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here! Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation   Free Resources What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out! Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.   Related Episodes An Overthinker's Guide To Making Better Career Decisions (Spotify /Apple Podcasts) Figuring Out Your Perfect Career Match (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)

    The Right Way to Talk About Being Fired in an Interview: Specific Language That Actually Works

  5. Jul 6

    Career Change After a Toxic Job: How to Rebuild Your Confidence Before You Job Search

    Leaving a toxic workplace should feel like relief, but for most high performers, it doesn't. It leaves behind a residue of self-doubt, distorted confidence, and a voice in your head that sounds exactly like the environment you just escaped, and if you don't address it before your next job search, it follows you into every interview, every conversation, and every opportunity that matters. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why leaving a toxic workplace doesn't automatically fix the damage it caused, and what confidence distortion actually looks like in a job search for high performers How to use the signature strengths framework to reclaim the qualities a toxic environment convinced you were liabilities, and why this reset has to happen before you start your career change The Ideal Career Profile method for building toward something real after a toxic job, and why launching straight into a job search without it almost always leads back to the same kind of environment How to answer "why did you leave?" in an interview after a toxic work environment, using a 3-part framework that's honest and forward-looking without badmouthing anyone Emily's story: how a 15-year professional who hesitated to apply for roles two levels below her own rebuilt her confidence, returned to the field she swore she'd never go back to, and got promoted in her new role   Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit  happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here! Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation   Free Resources What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out! Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.   Related Episodes Executive Burnout: Making A Midlife Career Change (Spotify / Apple Podcasts) Should I Quit My Job? How to Know It's Time (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)   Mentioned Resource: Happen To Your Career Audiobook

    Career Change After a Toxic Job: How to Rebuild Your Confidence Before You Job Search

  6. Jul 2

    How One Conversation Can Change Your Career (Even When You Don't Know What You Want)

    Every year, millions of professionals send out hundreds of applications, get almost nowhere, and decide the problem is their resume. It's not. Referrals make up just 7% of applicants but account for 40% of hires, and the gap between those two numbers comes down to one thing: conversations. In this episode, two professionals who had no plan, no clear direction, and no obvious path forward used test drive conversations to find meaningful work and career change success when nothing else was moving.   What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why test drive conversations work when job applications don't, and the data behind why referrals account for 40% of hires while most people trying to change careers never tap into them How Shreya used informational interviews to go from stuck in the wrong career to landing a role she loves, and what her career change success story teaches anyone who doesn't know what they want yet The Social Goldilocks Method for career networking that Travis used to break into the toys and games industry from a completely unrelated background, and how to use the same approach to find meaningful work in any field What test drive conversations are actually teaching you about yourself, the career clarity and signature strengths you can only uncover by talking to real people, and why no amount of job searching online can replicate it   Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit  happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here! Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation   Free Resources What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out! Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.   Related Episodes Designing Career Experiments and Testing New Careers (Spotify / Apple Podcasts) Six Career Experiments To Help You Discover Your Ideal New Role (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)

    How One Conversation Can Change Your Career (Even When You Don't Know What You Want)

  7. Jun 29

    5 Myths About Career Change After 50 That Are Costing You Years

    Scott Ingham spent 18 years in pharmaceutical sales before deciding to make a career change after 50. When he told people, the response was almost uniform: "You're crazy." That pushback wasn't useful advice. It was projection of other people's fears dressed up as concern. It's also one of five beliefs that keep professionals over 50 stuck in roles they've already outgrown. According to data, 85% of employers now hire based on skills, not credentials. 53% have dropped degree requirements entirely. The average new hire today is 42 years old. And 80% of career changers report they're glad they made the move with the most common regret being how long they waited. If one of these five beliefs has been running quietly in the background of a decision you haven't made yet, this episode is worth your time.   What you'll learn Why the pushback you get from people around you when considering a career change after 50 isn't advice — and what it actually is What skills-based hiring really means for professionals with 20+ years of experience and why the market timing right now may be better than it's ever been The hidden cost of staying in a role that no longer fits and why the financial math of not changing rarely holds up   Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit  happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here! Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation   Free Resources What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out! Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.   Related Episodes Six Career Experiments To Help You Discover Your Ideal New Role (Spotify / Apple Podcasts) An Overthinker's Guide To Making Better Career Decisions (Spotify /Apple Podcasts)

    5 Myths About Career Change After 50 That Are Costing You Years

  8. Jun 26

    How to Create a Role That Doesn't Exist Yet: One Senior Leader's Career Change After Burnout

    Hayley Lowe had a textbook career pivot from her communications degree and agency life to a senior leadership role at a company like Expedia. Everything was going according to plan until burnout, infertility, a pandemic, and one very wrong Fortune 500 job forced her to rebuild from scratch. What she found on the other side wasn't a posted role. It was one she designed herself. Through coaching, she built an Ideal Career Profile that made it obvious why her last job had been wrong and exactly what right would look like. In this episode, Hayley shares what it took to trust her gut sooner, how she negotiated a role that didn't exist yet, and what work finally feels like when it's built around who you actually are.   What you'll learn What happens when you take a job that looks right on paper and know it's wrong on Day 1 and what to do about it fast How Hayley used her Ideal Career Profile to reverse-engineer a Chief of Staff role at a company she already trusted Why the best career opportunities are rarely posted — and how to position yourself to co-create the role you actually want   Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit  happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here! Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation   Free Resources What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out! Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.   Related Episodes Executive Burnout: Making A Midlife Career Change (Spotify / Apple Podcasts) Stuck in a Career You're Unhappy With? Fear Of Taking Risks Could Be Keeping You There (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)

    How to Create a Role That Doesn't Exist Yet: One Senior Leader's Career Change After Burnout
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You're not totally happy with your career (obviously!) You also know that there "has to be something out there that's better." That hope that you can find meaningful and fulfilling work, that also pays you well, has led you here! This is the show that provides the inspiration, tools, and roadmaps to move from where you are to work that matters to you and uniquely fits your strengths and talents.

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