I’ve been wanting to experiment with ChatGPT for a while now, but family, business, life…all the things have been going on and taking up a lot of my time.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, while I was procrastinating from reviewing my taxes, I thought – right now is my moment. Let’s play!
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I decided to start with one of my clients’ biggest questions in the career pivot.

How do I translate my strengths into potential paths outside of what I’ve always done?

This question stops people in their tracks because they don’t know what they don’t know.

I typically fuel them with answers from their network, online research and my own knowledge of which skills typically go with which roles.

Yet, what if we had a tool that could fast track clients with answers that they then could experiment with to see if they resonate and feel sparky?

So, I jumped in with two of my favorite hobbies: the Clifton Strengths and learning more about me.

I asked ChatGPT, “What careers are best for people with the top 5 Clifton Strengths: connectedness, activator, maximizer, communication and individualization?”

And oof, freaky.

Number one response…

Life Coach or Mentor:

This role allows individuals to leverage their connectedness to help others see the bigger picture and find meaning in their lives. The activator strength enables them to take action and initiate positive change, while maximizer helps them focus on optimizing their clients' potential. Effective communication skills are essential for guiding and motivating clients, while individualization helps tailor coaching strategies to each person's unique needs and goals.

Interestingly, Marketing Manager was also in the top five paths mentioned – so according to ChatGPT, I was on track with my previous career, as well.

I continued my experiment by asking about my clients’ strengths. Then adding in salary parameters and other variables from their non-negotiables list.

I wouldn’t say we were on-target all the time, but like anything generated with AI right now – it gave us some new ideas to think about, to ponder, to expand our thinking beyond what we know and what our circle of other humans know.

All to say – if this is the point you’re at, where you’re clear on your strengths, but you have no idea how to translate them into a new career path – give it a shot! You have nothing to lose and only new possibilities to gain.

Lastly, because I couldn’t help myself, I did ask ChatGPT: Write a blog post about how to use ChatGPT in a career pivot in the style of Rachel B Garrett.

And…it was complete shit.

So fellow humans who enjoy writing – there’s still a place for us. For now.

Did your first quarter fly by like mine?

Between kicking off my 2024 cohort of Career Command Four-Month Shift, helping all of my news clients remind themselves of who they are and matching up the right roles to their gifts, and starting my new community – Career Connections – it’s been a bit of a whirlwind.

Full transparency – I’m behind on solidifying my Q2 goals. And writing this note is helping me to get back on track – so thanks for the space to share and also – I mention this because it’s part of a process I use for goal-setting and planning that fits with my style and my strengths.

I begin all of my goal-setting with free writing or sparky conversations with colleagues and friends.

I must start from a creative, exploratory place before I can buy in and attach my name to tasks and due dates.

My (almost) thirteen year old daughter and I have been discussing this recently. We share a personality quirk that we can easily follow rules, jump into projects and go above and beyond – when we buy into that thing – whatever it is. And when we don’t – there’s struggle, often an impasse.

If you’re aware of Gretchen Rubin’s framework of The Four Tendencies, we’re the Questioners and we’re learning how to navigate being who we are with some self-awareness, self-honoring gifts of doing the things that energize us and the tough love of – sometimes there’s just shit you have to do.

After I let my ideas percolate for a short period of time, I like to make sure they’re aligned with my values and my overarching goals for the year.

You may remember, I am prone to epiphanies and I can create new things quickly. So, I’ve built in ways to validate whether or not these new ideas fit with my overarching goals for the year that I set in December of 2023.

In addition to my revenue goals, I have Career Self Care Goals in categories like: Energy, Relationships, Growth and Positioning. These are the domains where I can get intentional about how I want my business and career to look and feel – beyond the numbers.

Sample goals in these areas:

• Energy: Don’t send emails on the weekends. (I may write them, but I won’t send them)

• Relationships: Continue to set two networking conversations a month with people from my career advocates list. Hint: if you don’t have a list like this, I recommend making one asap.

• Growth: Research Embodiment Coaching Certification (I love thinking about all the new tools I can bring to my work!)

• Positioning: Rework my LinkedIn to reflect my current offerings and messaging.

This all feels doable for me in addition to all I have on my plate already. I like to make my goals realistic and even inviting and fun. Because – we all know what happens when they’re not. Not only are you unlikely to achieve them – but you may not even set goals for the next quarter/year/ever again.

I’m curious to hear more about how you’re thinking of goal setting. What has worked for you in the past? How do you continue to tweak your process? How can you make it fit with your personality, your style and your strengths?

Whether you're...

feeling stuck in your current job,
having trouble setting boundaries with your boss or your colleagues,
or like you only know people and perspectives from the industry or company you’ve worked within your entire career...

I promise you – you are not alone.

There are so many other thoughtful, kind and generous humans who have been where you are.

I know, because – I meet them all the time.

And the wild thing is – something magical happens when you all come together.

Nothing in your life has changed. But something has.

You can release the shame, the guilt, the judgment of the current moment.

Because you know…you’re not the only one. You’re not alone.

That’s why I created Career Connections.

In my work with my group coaching program, my monthly office hours, and in the  one-off matchmaking I do for my clients – I find the answers, the calm, the grounding, the meaning comes through seeing yourself through someone else’s eyes, finding commonalities and feeling like you belong somewhere.

If you join Career Connections by 10pm ET on April 3rd, you will be included in our first conversation on April 4th at 4pm ET.

And we’re talking all about – Asking For Help. The how, the who and most importantly – the why.

Enroll now at rachelbgarrett.com/connections.

I spoke at a networking event last week and I mentioned a concept I didn't realize was so controversial…

People want to help you.

Wait, what?

In response, I heard a lot of…

I don’t want to be a burden.

I don’t want to sound weak.

I don’t even know how to ask!

That’s why I’m kicking off my new community, Career Connections, with a conversation about…

Building career relationships by asking for help.

We’ll be discussing how “the ask” actually builds trust, makes the other person feel honored to be asked – and the very tactical strategies of how to do the actual asking.

This 90-minute Career Connections Conversation will take place via Zoom on Thursday, April 4th from 4pm ET - 5:30pm ET.

I would LOVE for you to be a part of this crucial career chat and meet some new incredible humans by joining the community!

A reminder, in Career Connections we’ll be diving into…

Monthly conversations at the intersection of relationships and career (Think…asking for help, setting boundaries, combating loneliness in virtual work, networking according to your strengths, etc.)

Quarterly virtual networking events where you can get to know your community in an easy and informal way – and still intentionally grow your career network–or as I see it–the bridge toward meaning and joy in your career.

An online community tool (that’s not Facebook or Slack – you’re welcome!) where you can celebrate your wins, ask each other questions and share a good podcast, book or movie that’s helping you think differently about relationships.

And, if there’s interest, NYC in-person networking events.

Join now, as one of the founding members and help shape the community into one that helps you find the meaning and humanity you’re seeking in your career.

Learn more and enroll at rachelbgarrett.com/connections.

Sign up by Wednesday, April 3rd to receive access to our April 4th gathering.

A few weeks ago, I reconnected with a former colleague from one of my first jobs. Actually, he hired me into an ad agency digital producer role in the height of the dot com days – and it changed the course of my career.

I hadn’t seen him in nearly two decades and we were transported back to that –anything was possible– time of our lives.

Not only was I energized by spending a couple of hours with my old friend, but I was also brimming with a visceral delight to revisit someone else…

24 year old me.

It’s not like I haven’t thought about her much – but it’s typically in the realm of my personal life woes and the 20’something struggle to learn adulting on the quick.

Yet – when I think about the fierce, driven, risk-taker I was at that age in my professional life – I’m not only confounded by her, I want to take her to dinner and pepper her with questions.

According to cultural box-checking...the reasons I was finding success and momentum in my career were not obvious.

I didn’t ace college. I had zero connections. I didn’t have a one year plan, let alone a 5 year. In fact, I had no clue what I wanted to do short or long term. Some of you may remember I changed my major 5 times!

And while I may have been scared shitless often in my personal life, somehow in my early professional life…

I advocated for myself like a boss – even with colleagues and managers twice my age.

I built deep and meaningful relationships with people who spoke my names in rooms I wasn’t in.

I ran towards change when others ran from it.

I jumped into new exciting challenges, even when I had no idea where they would take me.

I brought joy and jokes that landed at least 70% of the time.

And in revisiting early career me, I see so many clues that could have led me to where I am right now in my career.

Not just in the work I enjoyed, but in the person I showed up to be.

In the qualities that have always driven my momentum.

I invite you to do the same with your early career self.

Take 24 year old you to dinner and bring your curiosity.

What do you have to learn from this person who may not yet be fully immersed in the high stakes of adult responsibilities that are currently on your plate?

And what can you do to embody that version of you – even for an hour this week?

I can’t wait to hear what 24 year old you made you do that you thought you would regret!

Last week I opened up my Monthly Office Hour – beyond my former and current clients – to folks who were career pivoting and looking for support.

With forty people in a Zoom – at every stage of the career transition process – it’s tough to feel like you’re in this alone.

We talked rejection.

Getting to the last round multiple times and not landing the job.

Reclaiming confidence by doing energizing and meaningful project work while you’re searching.

And the best ways to network with close contacts and even those you haven’t seen in decades.

Hard career moments were shared.

LinkedIn profiles were exchanged.

New connections were built.

Facilitating this vulnerable conversation, helping others learn more about themselves by listening to the stories of their peers – it all made me even more excited to be stepping more deeply into this work with my new membership…

Career Connections

In Career Connections we’ll be diving into…

Conversations at the intersection of relationships and career (Think…setting boundaries, combating loneliness in virtual work, networking according to your strengths, etc.)

Networking events quarterly where you can get to know your community in an easy and informal way – and still intentionally grow your career network or, as I see it, the bridge toward meaning and joy in your career.

And an online community tool (that’s not Facebook or Slack – you’re welcome!) where you can celebrate your wins, ask each other questions and share a good podcast, book or movie that’s helping you think differently about relationships.

It’s my first group program that’s open to all genders and you can either try it out for a quarter or join for the year.

Here’s the link to learn more: rachelbgarrett.com/connections

Our first session is on April 4th so I hope to see you in the community and contributing to our first conversation!

I review a lot of resumes.

As part of my 1:1 and Group Coaching Programs, I provide a resume audit after my clients have used the best practices shared in my online modules to tweak and optimize the most recent version of their resumes.

Often, I ask clients to show more quantifiable results in their bullets. Growth in the business. Operational cost savings. Engagement with the product. And yes – your awards!

Yet – lately I’ve been noticing that my director and VP level clients are over-indexing on business results content – and they’re missing something critical.

Bullets that demonstrate your leadership expertise.

If you’re targeting roles in which you’ll be leading a team, DO NOT FORGET to talk about your leadership skills and results.

Did you grow a team? If so, by what percentage or to how many employees?
Did you receive excellent results for your leadership in your employee satisfaction survey?
Did you recruit, mentor, develop, redistribute your team so that they improved efficiency and engagement in their work?
Did you inherit a team and transform the culture and effectiveness?
Did you implement training, coaching and a culture of feedback and growth on your team?

All of these results will build a bridge to what is possible for you in your next leadership role.

These are not in any way soft skills. Don’t even get me started on my soft skills soap box. Not a thing, people.

These are relationship building skills.

These are communication skills.

These are leadership skills.

So, make sure they are well-represented and clear. Shine them up and show them off.

You’ve nearly made it through the shortest month that feels like the longest month. Go you!

I have a treat for you to celebrate the beginning of March. It’s coming. Promise, promise.

As you may remember, I hold Monthly Office Hours for current and former clients and quarterly, I like to invite – everyone else! Oh yeah – and it’s free.

On Monday, March 4th at 12pm ET – I will be holding our March session and I would love for you to join us.

If you have questions about a potential career change, job search, consulting business you want to launch or asshole boss you want to learn how to deal with (we’ve got strategies!) – come on in and chat with us.

We’re honest, we have lots of opinions and we like to have fun.

I hope to see you there!