the talent liberation company

What is career agility?

December 2, 2020 By // by Rachel Brushfield

This image is one of our career coaching clients, Olivia Streater, who has a portfolio career.

http://linkedin.com/in/oliviastreaterlavizzari

What does agility mean?

The dictionary definition of agility is:

“the ability to move quickly and easily”
“the ability to think and understand quickly”
“the skills of pivoting quickly”

Until I looked up the definition of agility, I had always associated the word just with the physical, not the brain and thinking.

Impact of Covid-19 on accelerating change

Covid-19 and its impact on businesses has been a great example of agility at work!

Things that would have taken a long time to change, possibly 100 years, have happened in a matter of just months through necessity.

Pain is often a catalyst for rapid change.

“It is not the most intelligent of the species that is the most likely to survive, it is the ones most adaptable to change.” Charles Darwin.

We have all been thrown ‘in the deep end’ at work by Covid-19!!

We have had to adapt very quickly to on-line meetings on Zoom and Team, on-line webinars instead of face to face and much more!

Working parents have been forced to combine work and home-schooling. Something I have huge admiration for.

Covid-19 has forced people to be agile.

This is one of the positive aspects of Covid-19.

Times are changing. At last.

Working from home has opened up many people’s eyes to how things could be different.

How career agile are you?

Career agility is a form of intelligence. It is also a skill that can be learnt.

A very apt quote for our times is: “When the winds of change blow, some people build windmills, others walls.” Chinese proverb.

Lockdown = time to think

Lockdown in 2020 has given many people unexpected time to really think.

About what they want.

Are you ready to make a change?

Get in touch to arrange your free no-obligation meeting. https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/contact-us/

More

4 reasons career agility is a must and how to get there:

https://www.womenonbusiness.com/4-reasons-career-agility-is-a-must-and-how-to-get-there/

What is your career agility quotient?https://www.atalent.com/define-improve-career-agility/

How to create career agility post-Covid: What it takes to be most competitive. Forbes article May 2020.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheilacallaham/2020/05/03/how-to-create-career-agility-post-covid-what-it-takes-to-be-most-competitive/?sh=62fc187b7c13

Common Career Conundrums

October 28, 2020 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Furlough ends on the 31 October.

This is a MASSIVE SCARY career crossroads for many people.

What next?

How do you know what the right decision is for your career?

Common career conundrums are:

Should I:

• Retrain?

• Become self-employed?

• Go freelance?

• Set up my own business?

• Create a portfolio career?

• Study for a new qualification?

• Do contracting?

• Change career direction?

• Take a career sabbatical?

• Take early retirement?

Making the right decision is always important at a career crossroads.

It is especially important with Covid-19 because the stakes are high.

And there is a lot of competition.

It is a buyer’s market.

Making a robust career decision needs 5 things:

Internal analysis – you

2) External analysis – the market

3) A strategy for screening your career options and making a robust decision.

4) A career plan A, B and C for uncertain times.

5) A marketing strategy and plan.

Get in touch, for your free career consultation, no-obligation: https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/contact-us/

The brand called You – why you need a personal brand

May 19, 2017 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Personal branding is becoming not just more important, but essential. Increasingly employees and consultants for projects will be resourced online via ‘Trip Advisor style’ sites. Just as videos and infographics have grown in importance to provide communication cut-through online, so defining your personal brand is a modern way to stand out.

Picture a sea of faces on a resourcing or recruitment web site. An avatar (headshot of you), and a couple of sentences maximum to get the message across, plus ratings about you from previous clients, employers and peers.

A busy executive looks at the site to find someone for an exciting career enhancing project or contract. How will you stand out and be chosen from the hundreds of choices? What will make the browser notice you in a good way so you are on their initial resourcing or recruitment list? Or will you be invisible – your online profile showcasing your high-quality experience not even read, because you didn’t get past the first hurdle.

So what is a personal brand and why is it so important for the future of work?

A personal brand is the territory you occupy in the minds and hearts of your target audience. It gets you noticed in a good way and positions you as the ‘go-to person’ for your specialism or niche.

The wording of your personal brand is crucial. The best personal brands are memorable, relevant and emotive. Articulating your personal brand in just three words follows in-depth analysis of yourself and the needs of your target audience, plus emerging trends, takes time and thought.

Articulate your brand in just three words.

Many people find it hard to create their own personal brand because they are so close to themselves that they can’t see their own unique talents. Synthesising, distilling and articulating the essence of you and the gift you bring to others in just a few words is a skill in itself.

Here are some pertinent quotes about personal branding.

“All of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.” Tom Peters in Fast Company.

“Building a profitable personal brand online is not a sprint, and something that happens overnight. Don’t aim for perfection early on. Instead allow your brand to evolve naturally over time and focus on providing massive value and over deliver to your target audience. Then you will get more clear over your message and brand as well.“ Navid Moazzez.

“Personal branding is about managing your name — even if you don’t own a business — in a world of misinformation, disinformation, and semi-permanent Google records. Going on a date? Chances are that your ‘blind’ date has Googled your name. Going to a job interview?” Tim Ferriss.

“If you don’t give the market the story to talk about, they’ll define your brand’s story for you.” David Brier.

“Branding demands commitment; commitment to continual re-invention; striking chords with people to stir their emotions; and commitment to imagination. It is easy to be cynical about such things, much harder to be successful.” Sir Richard Branson.

My personal brand is ‘Talent Liberator’. I do what it says on the tin. Originally at the beginning of my business 20 years ago, my personal brand was ‘Energising Connector’ which was an accurate summary of what I do, but it lacks the emotive quality which makes a better personal brand.

Here are some examples of personal brands:

‘Network Navigator’ – a networking specialist

‘The Body Coach’ – a personal trainer

‘The Clean Food Coach’ – an expert in natural food to stay healthy

‘Mr Loophole’ – a lawyer who specialises in getting celebrities out of driving bans.

‘The Book Midwife’ – a writing coach who helps her clients to self-publish a book

‘Insight Integrator’ – A strategist specialising in insight to inform an integrated strategy

‘Career Sherpa’ – a job search coach for the digital age

‘Miss Masala’ – an Indian cook and food writer

Make time to think about and create your personal brand. It takes time, but is one of the best investments you will ever make to attract the work you really want.

If you would like to receive information about Energise Personal Branding individual mentoring service, please e mail me using the link below. Thanks!

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/

Guest blog Barrie Hopson part 1

August 16, 2016 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Barrie Hopson

This is a 2 part guest blog by Barrie Hopson. This is Part 1.

Barrie is a psychologist specialising in career development and lifelong learning and is a serial entrepreneur. His life mission is helping people to become architects of their own future. His latest project is writing and developing an online learning programme to help people design a retirement that they will love. Sponsored by Aviva and free to use. www.livehappier.co.uk

He is a Non Exec Director of the Aspire-Igen Group and of Disability Sport Yorkshire. He chairs the national Quality in Career Standard Consortium Board. He was Chairman of Axia Interactive Media 2007-2013. He is a writer, presenter, consultant and was chair of his local community association for 8 years. He is on the advisory board of The Open Retirement Club. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and of the Royal Society of Arts. He has written 39 books – the latest being ‘And What Do You Do? 10 Steps to Creating a Portfolio Career’, written with Katie Ledger. He gives presentations on the future of work, portfolio careers, and how to ‘design a retirement you’ll love’. He established the Counselling and Career Development Unit at Leeds University in 1976 and went on to found Lifeskills International in 1983. The company formed a joint venture – Hay-Lifeskills Ltd. – with Hay Group International of which he was co-chair for its first 3 years. His books include the bestselling 12 Steps to Success through Service, The Lifeskills Teaching Programmes and Build Your Own Rainbow. In 2008 he wrote The Rainbow Years: the Pluses of Being 50+ and an accompanying website for Learndirect www.fiftyforward.co.uk. The latter were all co-authored with Mike Scally. Barrie has worked widely as a consultant to commercial and educational organisations in the UK, USA, Asia, Canada and Europe. He sees one of the payoffs of his Portfolio Career as being able to follow Yorkshire County Cricket Club. He adores running and runs 10k, 10 mile and half marathons for the Stroke Association as he is now a carer for his stroke survivor wife.

The rest of this blog are in Barrie’s own words.

What are the components of your portfolio career e.g. study, paid freelance work, part time job, volunteering etc.)

Psychologist, writer, presenter, NED of 2 companies, mentor, trustee of Disability Sports Yorkshire. I have just finished writing a free to use online learning programme to help people design a retirement that they love. I am currently helping to set up a social media business with the objective of eliminating childhood obesity.

How did your portfolio career come about?

I had never heard of the concept until Charles Handy ‘invented’ the term in 1993. In retrospect, I realise that from the point in my career when I got a lectureship at Leeds University in 1969, I have almost always had at least one other job or venture at the same time.

How has your portfolio career changed over time?

The biggest change was after I sold my business Lifeskills International in 1999. Since then I have really been able to indulge myself in a portfolio career. Accepting invitations to be NED in a number of companies, still continuing to write books, workbooks and online learning programmes and accepting invitations to present all over the world. I have always enjoyed helping others to develop their careers and achieve their dreams. I now have much more time to do that and I love it. I was influenced by Charles in a number of ways, not least in ensuring that I always tried to spend around 20% of my time doing unpaid work. That has now increased to around 30% including free mentoring and being a trustee for Disability Sports Yorkshire.

When people ask you ‘what do you do?’ – what do you reply?

I help people to become architects of their own future – through the companies I have run, the projects I set up, the books and learning programmes I have created, and by mentoring people to create their own dreams.

To what extent did your portfolio career happen by chance/luck and to what extent was it planned?

I have never planned anything in my life! I love the unpredictability of life and am always open to opportunities. I rely largely on gut reaction as to whether or not to do something. Occasionally that backfires, but mostly it has delivered joy, intellectual and emotional stimulation – and sufficient money!

What do you most love about having a portfolio career?

I always have to look at my calendar to see what I am doing the next day. This is not just a component of cognitive ageing!

What are the challenges of having a portfolio career?

One thing I miss dreadfully from not having a workplace to go to is the constant learning from simply sharing a space with people. This is especially so with IT. I was largely taught about computers by my PA in my company and I now realise that I miss having colleagues to turn to and ask, “how do I do this?”

Watch out for part 2 of Barrie Hopson’s guest blog, out soon.

More

For more information about portfolio careers, click on this link:

http://portfoliocareers.net/

To find out more about ‘Live Happier’, click on this link:

https://livehappier.aviva.co.uk/

To find out more about Barrie’s book about portfolio careers, click on this link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Do-You-Creating-Portfolio/dp/1408116308

Want to create your own portfolio career? Click on this link:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/

Download your free report ‘Discover portfolio careers’:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/who-has-portfolio-careers/

Download your free report ‘Pain free career change’:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/testimonials/

Unsure what your transferable skills are, download your free report ‘Skills’ from this web page:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/what-is-a-portfolio-career/

Read more guest bloggers accounts of their portfolio career:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/blog/

Alex Wade’s portfolio career – guest blog part 1

July 27, 2016 By // by Rachel Brushfield

This is a two part guest blog by Alex Wade. This is part one.

Alex is a writer and his principal interests are law, sport (especially football, surfing and boxing), literature and travel, as well as general features, football and poker match reports and book reviews. Many years ago, when he was a media lawyer, Alex worked for leading libel firm Carter-Ruck before becoming now-Express Group proprietor Richard Desmond’s first Head of Legal Affairs. Subsequently Alex’s unreconstructed tendencies got the better of him. His life went off the rails but boxing played a large part in his rehabilitation. This story is chronicled in Wrecking Machine, a Sunday Times sports book of the week. Alex has travelled extensively and written about New York, Albania and Kazakhstan; Barbados, Ireland and Andalucía; Captain Cook country, Mexico and Francis Ford Coppola’s retreats in Belize and Guatemala. He lives in west Cornwall with his partner Caroline and his two sons.

The rest of this blog is in Alex’s own words.

What are the components of your portfolio career e.g. study, paid freelance work, part time job, volunteering etc.)

It’s pretty much all paid freelance work, with a bit of volunteering. I work as a lawyer, freelance journalist, writer, occasional guest lecturer – and try and find time to be one of the trustees of environmental action charity Surfers Against Sewage.

How did your portfolio career come about?

By accident! I’m 50 now but back in my early 30s went off the rails for a year or so. Let’s just say that the conventional practice of law wasn’t for me. I also had a few demons to exorcise. Fortunately, they leave me alone these days.

How has your portfolio career changed over time?

Back in my early 30s, I made a decision to do what I’d always wanted to do – write for a living. I kept my hand in with the law, working as a night lawyer for the UK broadsheets, and banged on editors’ doors – luckily loud enough for a few of them to give me work. Back then I also wrote law reports – difficult, complex and not well paid – and wrote a lot for the legal trade press (more fun and better paid). I don’t do either of these things anymore. I’m also no longer involved in selling sports TV rights. I used to do this on behalf of someone in the industry, very much on a wing and a prayer. I’d travel to Eastern Europe and Central Asia, find the main broadcaster and try and sell in the rights to the FA Premier League, F1, boxing matches etc. Sometimes I’d be successful. Whether I was or not, I’d also go and travel wherever I was. This enabled me to get travel pieces away in the nationals, about places few people were visiting. It was a great way of building up by-line visibility. I don’t work in sports rights anymore, and don’t do so much travel writing these days either – it’s a loss leader.

When people ask you ‘what do you do?’ – what do you reply?

Good question! Depends who’s asking. Usually I say ‘writer’ first – that’s what means the most to me.

To what extent did your portfolio career happen by chance/luck and to what extent was it planned?

By accident/chance!

More about Alex Wade

Personal web site:

www.alexwade.com

Alex Wade’s first novel, Flack’s Last Shift, is published by Blue Mark Books (£14.99).

www.flackslastshift.com

Alex’s Editorial Services business:

www.frugalspeech.com

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-wade-5322724

Follow Alex Wade on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/surfnation1

More about portfolio careers:

Download our free report Discover Portfolio Careers

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/who-has-portfolio-careers/

Webinar about portfolio careers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF29AGuRIVw&app=desktop

Find out what your transferable skills are, download our free Skills report:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/what-is-a-portfolio-career/

Download our free report Pain Free Career change from this page:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/testimonials/

Check out our web site Inspiring Portfolio Careers:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/

https://twitter.com/talentliberator