Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Applying for a job can be an overwhelming experience, given the sheer number of available positions. Since the average job search lasted 22 weeks in 2022, most job seekers try to save time by weeding out postings they don't meet all the requirements for rather than submitting a bonanza of applications. According to iHire's 2023 State of Online Recruiting, only 26.4% of candidates admitted to applying for jobs they didn't meet all the requirements for in the past year.

Even if you are underqualified for a job, you shouldn't necessarily forego applying, provided you meet most job requirements. You may have utilized the skills an employer needs through other means, such as volunteering, that you haven't listed on your resume.

On today's episode of Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast, host Lori Cole explains how to apply to a job you're underqualified for and how to evaluate whether you have enough of what an employer wants when submitting your application. She also explains the ways you can incorporate volunteering experience on your resume to make you a can't-miss candidate.

Subscribe to Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast for more career advice. You can also find additional content on our YouTube Channel.

Construction metaphors are a popular way to describe the process of building anything worthwhile, and creating a lucrative career is no different. You begin laying a solid foundation by choosing the career path you wish to take, acquiring the necessary credentials (education, skills, certification, etc.), and earning an entry-level position or internship. Once you start working, you gain a reputation that can help your growth potential through technical and soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Career growth typically follows as you get more experience and show aptitude in your profession.

Today’s guest on Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast, Grant Bucher, built his construction career through that foundational work. He earned an engineering degree at Purdue University and leveled up his credentials by picking up his MBA from Indiana. During that time, he worked his way up the ranks with Shambaugh and Son, beginning as a summer intern while he finished his bachelor’s degree and eventually becoming a project manager before moving on to Weigand Construction. He joins host Lori Cole to discuss:

• How to become a construction project manager

• What a typical day looks like in construction project management

• What qualities he looks for when hiring someone to join his team

• How he pivoted into launching a political campaign

Listen to the full episode for more information on construction careers, and subscribe to Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast for more career advice. You can also find additional content on our YouTube channel!

A certain amount of boldness comes with building your brand the right way. On today’s episode of Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast, career coach Lori Cole takes some inspiration from Star Trek, noting similarities between the way those crews step out of their comfort zones and build bridges with different people and cultures, along with how the principles of the Starship Federation (to boldly go where no one has gone before) apply to building your brand on the job market.  Cole discusses: 

• Examples of people (real and fictional) with strong brands 
• Building a personal brand with Star Trek principles 
• The power of networking 
• The importance of adaptability in? your branding efforts 

Additionally, Cole speaks with Ken Troupe, SportsBiz Builders co-founder, about: 

• What sets SportsBiz Builders apart from other career coaching services 
• Career advice he’s received that stuck with him 
• His suggestions for younger workers to get established in their field 

Enjoy the full episode and subscribe to Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast for more career advice. You can also find additional content on our YouTube Channel. 

On today’s episode of Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast, host Lori Cole examines these five limiting beliefs and how they impede career growth. She reveals actionable tips to overcome these saboteurs, such as: 

• Focusing on what you can learn and achieve instead of what you don’t know 
• Creating opportunities to gain experience 
• Practicing self-compassion 

Additionally, Cole is joined by Andre Riley, Chief Revenue Officer at iHire. The two discuss the Mamba mentality Riley brings to his work, inspired by Kobe Bryant, and how utilizing that mentality helps him be at his best every day. 

Enjoy the full episode to learn how to stop self-sabotaging, and subscribe for more career growth advice. You can also view additional content on our YouTube channel! 

Losing your passion for your job is easy as the to-do list gets longer. Lori Cole examines how to overcome burnout at work on the latest episode of Find Your Niche. 

Human beings are at their best when they have an independent sense of purpose and are able to find that purpose in their work. Unfortunately, burnout is increasingly common in the office, leading to less engaged employees and a loss passion for what they do. 

Spotting the signs of burnout can be hard, and overcoming it is even harder. On today’s episode of Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast, host Lori Cole looks at how to overcome burnout at work and find your passion again. The three things that Cole recommends for rekindling your enthusiasm at work are: 

• Challenge Yourself: Volunteering, taking a class, or leaning into a hobby can spark creativity and create a sense of passion that can bleed into your work. 
• Find Your Tribe: Joining professional organizations, attending networking events, or reaching out to colleagues you look up to are a few ways to rediscover your enthusiasm at work. 
• Embrace Failure: When you try new things and take calculated risks, you’ll discover unique strengths and passions, leading to greater fulfillment in your career. 

In this episode, Cole also explores the career path of event marketing with Live Nation Entertainment Venue Marketing Manager Laura Cross. The two discuss what drew Cross into marketing and how she landed her role with Live Nation. 

Enjoy the full episode for career advice from Cole on burnout and how to work in event marketing. Additional content is available on our YouTube channel! 

Employers are trying to retain their workers and combat the Great Resignation in numerous ways, from giving raises to investing in mental health programs. While that can certainly help with retention, there is an issue that persistently drives away talent: a bad boss. According to our 2022 Talent Retention Report, 43.7% of workers who changed jobs did so because they were unhappy with their manager, even more than unsatisfactory pay (41.2%).

On today's episode of Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast, host Lori Cole addresses the harmful effects of a bad boss and how one causes a toxic work environment. If you’ve already approached HR and quitting your job isn't an option, there are ways to improve or maintain your mental health in the workplace, such as:

• Make time for self-care activities (exercise, meditation, or hobbies)

• Set boundaries with your boss to improve your relationship with them

• Seek out support, either from friends, family, or a mental health professional

Licensed therapist Hannah Rose also joins Cole to discuss mental health in the workplace. Rose is the founder and clinical supervisor for Rose Wellness. The two talk about:

• Rose's advice for working in mental health therapy

• The challenges of beginning her private practice

• How mental health therapy helps people with their workplace stressors

Subscribe to Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast for more career advice. Also, check out additional content on our YouTube Channel!

Layoffs have come hard and fast in the first two months of 2023, with several high-profile companies taking part, such as:

• Google (6% of its workforce)

• Disney (3%)

• Salesforce (10%)

• Yankee Candle (13%)

• Goldman Sachs (8%)

Being suddenly thrust onto the job market without a regular paycheck is scary, and the prospect of a long job search can be overwhelming. Beyond the stress of finding a new job, getting laid off frequently creates enormous grief as your world is upended. While you may not have much time to grieve your old position as you pursue your next one, taking the time to process what happened is one of many helpful actions you should take if you get laid off.

On today’s episode of Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast, host Lori Cole offers advice on how to handle a layoff. When processing the bad news, Cole reiterates that you need to work through the understandable negative emotions that layoffs cause before diving into a job search. Some of her suggestions include:

• Finding something you enjoy doing that can help you process the layoff

• Writing down your accomplishments to highlight them in your search

• Figure out what type of company you want to work for

• Define your definition of success at work

• Ask for help from your inner circle

In addition to these suggestions, Cole is joined by Dr. Jeffery Sassmannshausen, a board-certified Dermatologist, to discuss finding a work-life balance in a busy profession.

Enjoy the full episode for career advice on navigating a layoff, and subscribe to Find Your Niche: a Career Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Additional content is available on our YouTube Channel!

Performance reviews can be an arduous experience, but they are also an opportunity for both employees and supervisors to clear the air, address achievements, and map out future goals and expectations. Viewing these meetings as strictly for the employer’s benefit to document conversations about shortcomings and job expectations can be tempting, but they can also move your career forward.

Career coach Lori Cole shares tips on how to do a performance review in today’s episode of Find Your Niche: a Career Podcast — especially the built-in benefit of a meeting designed specifically to discuss all aspects of your job with a supervisor. That includes topics employees may be uncomfortable bringing up, such as promotions or raises. Before you come out of the gate asking about a raise or promotion, however, you must be prepared to get the most out of your review. Once you feel confident in your preparation, you can move on to addressing your compensation and role with the organization. In addition to avoiding certain areas when asking for a raise, here are a few things you should do to help your case:

• Cite work accomplishments to show your value to the company’s bottom line

• Research the market rate for your skills and job duties

• Have a specific figure or range that is fair

• Be ready to negotiate if things don’t go as planned and you don’t get the raise you want

Beyond maximizing your performance reviews, Cole chats with Trine University Rinker-Ross School of Health Sciences VP and Dean Shane Steele. The two discuss:

• Exploring different options with your degree

• Leveling up your skills

• Getting a read on the job market

Enjoy the full episode and subscribe to Find Your Niche, a Career Podcast, wherever you listen for more career advice. Additional content is also available on our YouTube channel!

Compensation was a primary catalyst of the Great Resignation as the economic prospects of workers rebounded following the COVID-19 pandemic. In our 2022 Talent Retention Report, 43.4% of employees who left their job did so because they were unhappy with their compensation. However, as inflation stresses household finances, employees are still looking for ways to improve their salaries.

While salary is a primary motivation for workers, many don’t know how to ask for a raise and avoid it altogether. A survey by PayScale revealed that only 37% of workers have ever asked for a raise from their current employer.

On today’s episode of Find Your Niche, a Career Podcast, host Lori Cole breaks down the behaviors that prevent you from earning a pay raise at your current job. Some of those behaviors include:

• Not asking for a raise: You can’t get what you don’t ask for

• Not preparing for a salary conversation: You need to research the market and explain why you should earn more

• Not showing your value: You have to share what you’ve been doing that warrants the raise

Enjoy the full episode to learn more about the steps to avoid when asking for a raise. Also, subscribe to Find Your Niche, a Career Podcast, for more career advice!

Getting a new job requires planning, intention, and patience over a long process. While applying immediately (and as often as possible) with a generic resume is tempting, that’s not the most effective way to go about your search. On today’s episode of Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast, host Lori Cole explains how to find a job effectively with a few tips before you start applying:

1. Define your career objectives and research job postings to figure out what you want
2. Set up a dedicated work area in your home for job searching without any distractions
3. Create a professional email account specifically for finding a job
4. Don’t mass apply with a generic resume, tailor it for each job posting
5. Utilize a password manager to keep track of the accounts you create when applying
6. Record a professional-sounding voicemail greeting and make sure your voicemail box doesn’t get full
7. Establish your salary expectations

Cole also gathers more job searching tips from Andres Lares, co-author of Persuade and Managing Partner for Shapiro Negotiations Institute. Lares outlines four steps that will help you be more persuasive in any negotiation (or job interview).

Subscribe to Find Your Niche for more career advice from Lori Cole.