Episode Summary: "Fit or Quit? Find the Job That is Right For You—Catalyze Your Career" (Episode 184)

Podcast: Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
Host: Matt Abrahams
Guest: Kathryn Fisher, Vice President of Global Consumer Communications at LinkedIn
Release Date: February 6, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 184 of Think Fast Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams hosts Kathryn Fisher, a seasoned career expert from LinkedIn. This episode marks the beginning of the "Catalyze Your Career" miniseries, developed in collaboration with LinkedIn, aiming to help listeners chart their career paths and find their ideal job matches. The conversation delves into recognizing when it's time for a career pivot, proactive strategies for career advancement, fostering a growth mindset, and crafting a personal brand.

Recognizing the Need for a Career Pivot

Signs It's Time to Change

Kathryn Fisher discusses key indicators that suggest it might be time to consider a career change:

• Decreased Motivation: Feeling less motivated than before.
• Lack of Interest in Learning: No longer interested in acquiring new skills.
• Increased Irritability: Minor annoyances become disproportionately frustrating.

“When you sit back and reflect and you realize, maybe I'm not as motivated as I used to be... Little things are annoying me more than they should be.”
— Kathryn Fisher (01:34)

Reflection Over Reaction

Before making drastic changes like switching companies, Kathryn advises:

• Self-Reflection: Identify whether the issue stems from relationships (e.g., with a manager) or internal factors like boredom.
• Incremental Adjustments: Implement small tweaks within the current role to improve satisfaction before deciding to leave.

“You really need to sit back and reflect and figure out is it the relationship with your manager?... before just jumping out of the frying pan to the fryer.”
— Kathryn Fisher (02:22)

Proactive Career Strategies

Networking as a Garden

Kathryn emphasizes the importance of maintaining and nurturing professional networks:

• Continuous Tending: Regularly engage with your network to keep relationships strong.
• Transferable Skills: A robust network can open doors across various industries.

“The network is almost like a garden... you actually have to go in there, you have to water it, you have to fertilize it.”
— Kathryn Fisher (02:52)

Continuous Learning

Given the dynamic nature of today's job landscape:

• Stay Updated: Regularly acquire new skills to remain relevant.
• Adaptability: Embrace change and be prepared to pivot as industries evolve.

“We see that the skills that are required to do the jobs today have changed dramatically... it is being prepared, tending to your network.”
— Kathryn Fisher (02:52)

Preparing for Opportunities

• Proactive Preparation: Seek opportunities before they're immediately needed.
• Skill Development: Engage in bite-sized learning, such as dedicating 10 minutes daily to online courses or new practices.

“You could do some little tweaks here and there to help change your work.”
— Kathryn Fisher (02:22)

Cultivating a Growth Mindset

Embracing Non-Linear Career Paths

Kathryn highlights the importance of viewing careers as evolving journeys:

• Non-Linear Progression: Accept that careers will have twists and turns.
• Bite-Sized Learning: Incorporate small, consistent learning habits to build new skills over time.

“It's understanding that your career is not going to be linear, that you are going to have twists and turns and you're going to have to learn new things.”
— Kathryn Fisher (04:41)

Overcoming Overwhelm

• Small Steps: Break down learning into manageable tasks to prevent feeling overwhelmed.
• Incremental Integration: Gradually incorporate new skills into daily routines, making them a natural part of your workflow.

“I incorporated it into my day to day life and next thing I know it's just become part of it.”
— Kathryn Fisher (05:26)

Maintaining Motivation

When motivation wanes, Kathryn suggests:

• Set Long-Term Goals: Look at the career paths of admired professionals to map out potential trajectories.
• Skill Mapping: Identify and plan to acquire necessary skills based on desired job descriptions.

“Mapping out what are the skills that you want to learn... even if it's just 10 minutes a day, you will start feeling like you're making that progression.”
— Kathryn Fisher (06:20)

Leveraging Job Descriptions for Career Development

Analyzing Job Matches

Kathryn recommends using job descriptions as tools for growth:

• Skill Gap Analysis: Compare your current qualifications against job requirements to identify areas for improvement.
• Strategic Learning Plans: Develop plans to acquire missing skills through courses, on-the-job training, or other methods.

“Look at the job descriptions that are of interest to you and you can see if you're a job match or not... plot out a plan to acquire those skills.”
— Kathryn Fisher (08:34)

Holistic Skill Development

Beyond technical skills, Kathryn emphasizes the importance of soft skills:

• People Skills: Communication, leadership, and teamwork are highly valued.
• Integrated Learning: Combine hard and soft skills to enhance overall professional competence.

“It can also be those more people skills like communication and leadership... think about it more holistically than just line by line of different skills.”
— Kathryn Fisher (10:59)

Crafting Your Personal Brand

Identifying Unique Strengths

Kathryn advises:

• Self-Perception: Determine how you want to be perceived professionally.
• Consistency: Maintain consistent behavior and communication that align with your desired personal brand.

“Understanding how I want to be perceived... consistency over time and really making sure that you're also not just getting stuck in what you thought would be your personal brand.”
— Kathryn Fisher (13:07)

Flexibility in Branding

• Adaptation: Allow your personal brand to evolve as your career progresses.
• Core Strengths: Maintain a core set of strengths while expanding into new areas.

“There's always been that kind of core strength, which is communications, and then it splinters out in terms of how I deploy that.”
— Kathryn Fisher (14:01)

Job Crafting and Career Management

Proactive Career Shaping

Kathryn emphasizes the importance of:

• Asking for Opportunities: Communicate your career aspirations and request specific roles or projects.
• Resilience: Be prepared for rejections and persistently pursue your career goals.

“Your manager is not there to manage your career... you have to know what it is that you want to be asking for and being comfortable asking it.”
— Kathryn Fisher (14:52)

Strategic Communication

• Demonstrate Value: Showcase accomplishments to position yourself for desired roles.
• Long-Term Thinking: Understand that career growth may not be immediate but can materialize over time through consistent effort.

“It's not saying, I want this, it's showing. Hey, recently I was able to accomplish this, and I think I can do even more moving forward.”
— Matt Abrahams (16:11)

Personal Reflections and Advice

Best Career Advice Received

Kathryn shares a pivotal piece of advice:

“As you get more senior, you can control your schedule and when you're available and when you're not... your career is going to evolve and you can shape it in ways that will meet what you need.”
— Kathryn Fisher (16:58)

Career Management Regrets

Kathryn reflects on her own career:

“I wish I had just talked to people. I did not ask for one piece of advice and I wish I had. And I didn't understand the importance of the network and the importance of just asking those questions...”
— Kathryn Fisher (18:15)

Conclusion

Matt Abrahams wraps up the episode by reiterating the importance of reflection, maintaining a growth mindset, and actively managing one's career. He encourages listeners to engage with Kathryn's insights and to leverage tools like LinkedIn for career advancement. The episode underscores that effective career development requires continuous learning, strategic networking, and proactive communication.

Notable Quotes

• “When you sit back and reflect and you realize, maybe I'm not as motivated as I used to be... Little things are annoying me more than they should be.”
  — Kathryn Fisher (01:34)

• “The network is almost like a garden... you actually have to go in there, you have to water it, you have to fertilize it.”
  — Kathryn Fisher (02:52)

• “It's understanding that your career is not going to be linear, that you are going to have twists and turns and you're going to have to learn new things.”
  — Kathryn Fisher (04:41)

• “Look at the job descriptions that are of interest to you and you can see if you're a job match or not... plot out a plan to acquire those skills.”
  — Kathryn Fisher (08:34)

• “Your manager is not there to manage your career... you have to know what it is that you want to be asking for and being comfortable asking it.”
  — Kathryn Fisher (14:52)

Additional Resources

• Kathryn Fisher's Career Companion Newsletter: Accessible via LinkedIn.
• LinkedIn Learning Courses: For developing targeted skills.
• "Catalyze Your Career" Miniseries: Upcoming episodes to further explore career development strategies.

This episode equips listeners with actionable strategies to assess their career satisfaction, proactively prepare for future opportunities, and effectively communicate their aspirations to shape their professional journeys.