Squiggly Careers
- Episodes
- 630
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 12, 2026
About the podcast
Squiggly Careers is a weekly podcast that will help you take control of your career development. Hosted by the founders of Squiggly Careers. (https://www.squigglycareers.com/), Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper, together they cover all things work: from how to manage stress and overcome your confidence gremlins to micro-aggressions and discovering your strengths. Each episode is full of ideas, actions, hints, and tips that you can put into practice straight away. Every so often they take a break from talking to each other to interview other people who are leading the way in making work better. Past guests include entrepreneur and philanthropist Dame Stephanie Shirley, author of The Joy of Work Bruce Daisley, and neuroscience expert Amy Brann. The Squiggly Careers podcast has been recommended by Harvard Business Review, Stylist, Marie Claire and Management Today. For more ideas, tools and inspiration every week, you can also sign up to their Squiggly Careers newsletter.
Episodes 630
#610 How to get rid of bad friction at work
We’re trying something new with our Squiggly Shortcuts. Every Thursday, we’ll share a short clip from a past Squiggly Careers episode with a practical idea you can try in your working week. This week’s clip …
Show notes
We’re trying something new with our Squiggly Shortcuts. Every Thursday, we’ll share a short clip from a past Squiggly Careers episode with a practical idea you can try in your working week.
This week’s clip comes from episode 599, where Helen and Sarah explored how friction can work for or against you. For this Shortcut, they focus on one part of that conversation: how to get rid of the friction that makes work harder than it needs to be.
They share how to get your team talking about what’s getting in the way, what you could take away to make work easier, and how to spot when a time-saver for you creates more work for someone else.
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#609 How to Learn More in Meetings
Meetings might not be everyone’s favourite part of the working week, but they can be a great opportunity to learn.In this episode, Helen and Sarah share five ways to learn more from the meetings already in your …
Show notes
Meetings might not be everyone’s favourite part of the working week, but they can be a great opportunity to learn.
In this episode, Helen and Sarah share five ways to learn more from the meetings already in your diary. From borrowing brilliance from your colleagues to trying a different question, these ideas help you add learning into your working day.
🎯 What You'll Learn
- How to spot and borrow brilliance from people in meetings
- How asking different questions can help you learn more
- What to listen out for beyond the words people say
- How two minutes of reflection can help your learning stick
- How to start meetings in a way that helps everyone learn
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
- Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
- Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
- Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
- Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#608 How to respond to feedback you don't agree with
How do you respond to feedback you don’t agree with? It can be hard to know what to say in the moment. You might feel you need to defend yourself or rush to work out what to do differently. In this Squiggly …
Show notes
How do you respond to feedback you don’t agree with? It can be hard to know what to say in the moment. You might feel you need to defend yourself or rush to work out what to do differently.
In this Squiggly Careers Shortcut, Helen shares the ‘multiplier effect’ from our book, Learn Like a Lobster. It’s a practical way to stay curious, explore different perspectives and work out what you can learn from feedback that’s hard to hear.
🎯 What you’ll learn
- How to stay curious and ask for examples
- How to give yourself time to reflect before responding
- How to use the ‘multiplier effect’ to explore feedback with people who know you and your work
- Questions to help you understand your impact
- How to share what you’ve learned and what you’ll do nextFor questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers newsletter for weekly ideas and tools to support your development: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Read Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#607: Accountability: How to Take Ownership at Work
What does it mean to take accountability at work, and how can you get better at it? In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore how taking ownership of your actions, decisions and outcomes builds trust and creates …
Show notes
What does it mean to take accountability at work, and how can you get better at it?
In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore how taking ownership of your actions, decisions and outcomes builds trust and creates more freedom in your career. They assess their own accountability across six everyday work moments, share feedback with each other and suggest practical actions to help you spot where you’re doing well and where you could improve.
🎯 What You’ll Learn
– Why accountability is something people choose
– How taking accountability builds trust and strengthens your reputation
– Six everyday moments where you can take more ownership
– How ‘mistake moments’, ‘metrics that matter’ and ‘I will’ statements can help
– Why comparing your self-assessment with someone else’s feedback is useful
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#606 How to find more focus
How often do notifications interrupt your working day? In this Squiggly Careers Shortcut, Sarah shares five practical ways to reduce notifications and find more focus. Learn how switching between tasks steals …
Show notes
How often do notifications interrupt your working day?
In this Squiggly Careers Shortcut, Sarah shares five practical ways to reduce notifications and find more focus. Learn how switching between tasks steals our attention, and how small changes can help us spend more time doing just one thing at once.
🎯 What You'll Learn
- Choose which notifications you need and which you just want
- Use Do Not Disturb to create time to focus
- Build your “sticking power”: how long you stay with one task before getting distracted
- Plan phone breaks to make changing your habits more manageable
- Find a productivity partner and work towards a shared goal
📚 Resources mentioned
- How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price: https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-break-up-with-your-phone-revised-edition-the-30-day-digital-detox-plan-catherine-price/8172bbbd596d2fb0
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#605 Career magnetism: how to attract what you want at work
What if you could pull the right career opportunities toward you while pushing away the work that drains you? In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore how the physics of magnets can help you shape a more …
Show notes
What if you could pull the right career opportunities toward you while pushing away the work that drains you? In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore how the physics of magnets can help you shape a more intentional squiggly career.
Through three questions, they share practical ways to make new connections, rethink what’s in your diary and move from ‘either/or’ to ‘and’ thinking.
🎯 What You'll Learn
– How to attract more people, possibilities, and projects using weak ties and sponsorship
– Why asking "Do you know anyone who...?" speeds up your network growth
– How to use the "repel and replace" strategy to protect your time and energy
– Can you balance your day job and your development without burning out?
– How to navigate the tension between being clear and being kind in your communication
– How to hold flexibility and career progression together without trade-offs
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#604 5 ways to have a more confident day at work
Building self-belief into your working day can help you feel more confident. In this Shortcut, Sarah shares five ways to have a more confident day at work, practical ideas to try if something feels missing, and …
Show notes
Building self-belief into your working day can help you feel more confident. In this Shortcut, Sarah shares five ways to have a more confident day at work, practical ideas to try if something feels missing, and two watch-outs that can get in your way.
🎯 What You'll Learn
- Spot and use your strengths to help your team
- Find five-minute favours to experience the helper's high
- Zoom in and zoom out to recognise how you're being useful
- Capture very small successes to cage your confidence gremlins
– Navigate daily difficulties to recognise and build your resilience
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#603 Ask the Expert: Vibe and Building Better Connections with Adam Grant
What helps us connect with the people we work with, and what happens when that connection is missing? In this episode, Sarah is joined by organisational psychologist and bestselling author Adam Grant to explore …
Show notes
What helps us connect with the people we work with, and what happens when that connection is missing?
In this episode, Sarah is joined by organisational psychologist and bestselling author Adam Grant to explore his new book, Vibe, and what the science of connection can teach us about our Squiggly Careers.
From seeing someone else’s ‘snow globe’ to sharing what brings out your worst, Adam shares practical ways to understand each other and work better together. He also answers questions from the Squiggly community about difficult feedback and feeling disconnected when working remotely.
🎯 What You’ll Learn
– How curiosity about someone else’s world helps you build connection
– Why sharing what brings out your worst can reduce misunderstandings
– The difference between social and task cohesion, and why shared goals matter for teams
– How to use a reciprocity ring to ask for help and share your knowledge or connections
– How to respond when your boss says “your vibe is all wrong”
– Practical ways to connect and learn from others when working remotely
📚 Resources Mentioned
Vibe - Adam Grant: https://bit.ly/3WsyYXO
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#602 High performance habits for your Squiggly career
What’s one small thing you could do today that your future self would thank you for? In this squiggly shortcut, Helen shares four high performance habits that compound over time to build a resilient and …
Show notes
What’s one small thing you could do today that your future self would thank you for? In this squiggly shortcut, Helen shares four high performance habits that compound over time to build a resilient and successful career.
Drawing on the time-tracking insights of Laura Vanderkam, Adam Grant's research on the power of giving, and Helen and Sarah's own 'Learn Like a Lobster' framework, learn how small, intentional behaviours in learning, tracking, reflecting, and giving can transform your day-to-day work and build long-term career resilience.
🎯 What You'll Learn
– Why little and often learning is the secret to keeping your skills relevant
– How tracking your time and energy provides vital data for your development
– What your default response to reflection reveals about your working pace
– How to use the 'What Worked Well, Even Better If' framework for quick daily reflection
– Why giving and 'career karma' can generate 50% more success and reciprocity
– How to choose and build just one high performance habit at a time
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#601 How to use profilers for your career development
Profilers can help you understand yourself, find words for your strengths and choose where to focus your development. But your results are clues to explore, rather than labels that limit you.In this episode …
Show notes
Profilers can help you understand yourself, find words for your strengths and choose where to focus your development. But your results are clues to explore, rather than labels that limit you.
In this episode, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from three profilers: Lynda Gratton’s Living the 100-Year Life diagnostic, 16Personalities and the Squiggly Skills Profiler. They share their own results, what they found useful and what they questioned, with practical ideas to turn what you learn about yourself into action.
🎯 What You'll Learn
– Understand the benefits and common pitfalls of using career profilers
– Discover Lynda Gratton's 100-year life diagnostic to assess your life threads
– Learn how to use 16Personalities to identify your strengths and blind spots
– Find out how to use profiling data to communicate your value on LinkedIn
– Explore how to map team profiles to identify gaps in diversity of thought
– Try the new Squiggly Careers Skills Profiler to identify your super skill and gap for growth📚 Resources mentioned:
-100-Year Life diagnostic: https://www.livingthe100yearlife.com/assessment
-16Personalities: https://www.16personalities.com/
-Squiggly Careers Skills Profiler: www.squigglyskills.comFor questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#600 Everyday actions for everyday resilience
When your week gets busy, do you find yourself dropping the things that help you feel good? It can be easy to put rest, support and time outside work on hold just when you need them most. In this Squiggly …
Show notes
When your week gets busy, do you find yourself dropping the things that help you feel good? It can be easy to put rest, support and time outside work on hold just when you need them most.
In this Squiggly Career Shortcut, Helen shares six small actions you can build into your week to support your resilience. Pick one or two that feel useful to you and try doing them regularly, before things start to feel difficult.
🎯 In this episode, you’ll learn how to:
– Find something to look forward to, even in a hard week
– Work out what help you need and ask for it
– Notice and celebrate your wins
– Find someone you can talk to when things feel difficult
– Protect the rest and recovery that works for you
– Make time for your world outside work
For more free tools and ideas to support your Squiggly Career, visit https://squiggly.me and sign up for our weekly newsletter.
For questions or feedback, email [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#599 Friction: Why making things harder can make you better
Is something at work feeling harder than it needs to be? It could be a meeting that takes too long, a decision that goes back and forth, or a process with more steps than it needs. This week, Helen and Sarah …
Show notes
Is something at work feeling harder than it needs to be? It could be a meeting that takes too long, a decision that goes back and forth, or a process with more steps than it needs.
This week, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from The Friction Project by Robert Sutton and Huggy Rao. They explore how to spot the friction that slows you down, what you could subtract to make work easier, and why some friction is worth keeping.
🎯 In this episode, you’ll learn how to:
– Spot where friction is showing up in your work
– Ask your team what’s making their work harder
– Subtract steps, meetings or handoffs that aren’t helping
– Add useful friction through better questions and saying the hard thing
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, email [email protected].
More Squiggly Career support:
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.squigglycareers.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.squigglycareers.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our weekly Squiggly Careers newsletter: www.squiggly.me
4. Order Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.squigglycareers.com/books/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#598 How to understand and take action with your ambition
In this shortcut, Helen, talks about a matrix that can help you to understand where your ambition is right now and what is the most effective action to take to support your development. 🎯 What You'll Learn …
Show notes
In this shortcut, Helen, talks about a matrix that can help you to understand where your ambition is right now and what is the most effective action to take to support your development. 🎯 What You'll Learn - that ambition is individual - where your ambition in today - what action to take to activate your ambition For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected] Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#597 How thinking inside the box will lead to more opportunities for your squiggly career.
Could putting more constraints on your career actually create more possibilities? In this episode, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from David Epstein's book (Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better) to …
Show notes
Could putting more constraints on your career actually create more possibilities? In this episode, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from David Epstein's book (Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better) to explore how choosing your own constraints can help you think differently and more creatively about your career. They experiment with constraints across six areas of career development, from learning and strengths to confidence and future possibilities. 🎯 What You'll Learn – Why constraints can help you think more creatively – How to experiment with constraints in your career – How to focus your learning, strengths and values – How constraints can help with confidence and networking – How to explore your future possibilities differently 📚Resources mentioned David Epstein – Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better https://davidepstein.com/inside-the-box/ Adam Morgan & Mark Barden – A Beautiful Constraint https://www.eatbigfish.com/thinking/a-beautiful-constraint Squiggly Careers podcast episode #256 – You Coach You: Overcoming Constraints https://www.amazingif.com/listen/you-coach-you-overcoming-constraints/ Squiggly Careers podcast episode #220 – How to Explore Your Progression Possibilities For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#596 3 ways teams can learn when they are not together
The people you work with make a significant difference to your development. In this shortcut, Sarah shares 3 ways to learn more from the people around you. 🎯 What You'll Learn - the importance of showing how …
Show notes
The people you work with make a significant difference to your development. In this shortcut, Sarah shares 3 ways to learn more from the people around you. 🎯 What You'll Learn - the importance of showing how you work - why volunteering to support somone outside of your day job helps you grow - how next level noticing will support you to succeed in your team For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected] Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/"
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#595 How to Answer AI Questions in Job Interviews
Getting ready for a job interview can feel daunting, but what happens when you have to face an AI interviewer or answer tough questions about how you use artificial intelligence? In this episode, Helen puts …
Show notes
Getting ready for a job interview can feel daunting, but what happens when you have to face an AI interviewer or answer tough questions about how you use artificial intelligence? In this episode, Helen puts Sarah on the spot with real AI interview questions shared by the Squiggly Careers community. Together, they explore how AI is changing the interview experience, what interviewers might be looking for in your answers, and how you can prepare to talk confidently about how you're using and learning about AI at work. 🎯 What You'll Learn– How AI is changing the interview experience– The AI questions you could be asked in an interview– What interviewers might be looking for in your answers– How to talk about where AI adds value and its limits– The AI questions you could ask an interviewer 📚Resources mentioned - Claudia Harris on the future of AI and work: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-harris-obe-71793374/ - We Are Not Machines by Sarah O’Connor: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/462159/we-are-not-machines-by-oconnor-sarah/9780241704226 - Hannah Fry’s AI agent experiment with Cass/Cassandra: https://microblog.christhomas.co.uk/blog/hannah-fry-cass-why-ai-agents For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected] Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#594 How to increase your autonomy
Increasing your autonomy has a proven impact of work wellbeing and fulfilment and in this shortcut, Helen talks through 3 practical actions to help you to earn more autonomy at work. 🎯 What You'll Learn - how …
Show notes
Increasing your autonomy has a proven impact of work wellbeing and fulfilment and in this shortcut, Helen talks through 3 practical actions to help you to earn more autonomy at work. 🎯 What You'll Learn - how to build trust - why working autonomously doesn't mean going it alone - the importance of owning your outcomes For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected] Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#593 No Regret Skills: How to Get Better at Adaptability
When things change at work, how good are you at changing how you think or act in response? In the second part of our No Regret Skills mini-series, Helen and Sarah turn their attention to adaptability. Sarah …
Show notes
When things change at work, how good are you at changing how you think or act in response? In the second part of our No Regret Skills mini-series, Helen and Sarah turn their attention to adaptability. Sarah breaks this skill down into eight different dimensions and puts Helen through a real-life scenario to explore where her adaptability strengths are and where she could get better. 🎯 What You'll Learn – The difference between flexibility and adaptability – The eight different dimensions of adaptability – How to spot your own adaptability strengths – Where you could get better at adapting to change – How to explore adaptability as a team For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#592 How to look for leaders you can learn from
The leaders you surround yourself with make a significant difference to your squiggly career. In this shortcut Sarah shares 3 ways to look for leaders to learn from and what you don't need to worry about. 🎯 …
Show notes
The leaders you surround yourself with make a significant difference to your squiggly career. In this shortcut Sarah shares 3 ways to look for leaders to learn from and what you don't need to worry about. 🎯 What You'll Learn - how to look for leaders who get stuff done - why spotting leaders who say I don't know is a good source of learning - the most curious leaders will help you to stay curious For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected] Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/"
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#591 No Regret Skills: How to Make Better Decisions
With so many skills competing for our attention, how do you decide which ones are worth investing in? In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore the idea of 'no regret skills' – skills that will stay useful …
Show notes
With so many skills competing for our attention, how do you decide which ones are worth investing in? In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore the idea of 'no regret skills' – skills that will stay useful whatever the future of work looks like. In the first of this two-part series, Helen borrows brilliance from poker player and author Annie Duke to explore decision-making and shares four practical ways to get better at it. 🎯 What You'll Learn – How confidence scoring can improve your decisions – How a truth group can challenge your thinking – How to decide which decisions deserve more of your time – How back-casting can help you make better decisions – Why a good decision doesn't always lead to a good outcome Next week, Helen and Sarah explore another no regret skill: adaptability. For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#590 How to increase your impact in every meeting
We spend a lot of our working week in meetings, but how much impact are you having when you're in them? In this Shortcut, Helen shares three simple ways to increase your impact in every meeting: asking a …
Show notes
We spend a lot of our working week in meetings, but how much impact are you having when you're in them? In this Shortcut, Helen shares three simple ways to increase your impact in every meeting: asking a question, making a suggestion and offering a reflection. Whether you tend to stay quiet or want to make your contributions more useful, these small actions can help you show your strengths, add more value and make your presence count. 🎯 What You'll Learn – How to ask better questions in meetings – How suggestions can move conversations forward – How reflections can help people think differently – How to make more impact in every meeting For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#589 How to use the next 88 days at work wisely
With 88 working days left until the end of the year, how will you choose to spend your time? September can bring a 'new pencil case' feeling – a useful opportunity to reset and refocus on what matters most. In …
Show notes
With 88 working days left until the end of the year, how will you choose to spend your time? September can bring a 'new pencil case' feeling – a useful opportunity to reset and refocus on what matters most. In this episode, Helen and Sarah share eight questions to help you use the rest of your working year well and wisely. Exploring priorities, time, people and skills, they reflect on their own answers and the actions they're going to take as a result. 🎯 What You'll Learn – Identify your number one priority for the rest of the year and whether your diary reflects it – Map out the key people who will influence and support your success – Decide what to start or continue saying no to – Identify the boundaries you want to protect so you can be at your best – Explore five-minute favours and ways to borrow brilliance from other people – Choose one skill you want to get 10% better at – Decide what role you want AI to play in your work For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected] Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#588 How to Decide Which Goals to Give Up
Setting goals is one thing. Knowing when to let go of them is another. In this Shortcut, Helen explores the idea of productive quitting and why trying to hold on to too many goals can get in the way of making …
Show notes
Setting goals is one thing. Knowing when to let go of them is another. In this Shortcut, Helen explores the idea of productive quitting and why trying to hold on to too many goals can get in the way of making progress. Drawing on research from the Goal Adjustment Scale and a New Scientist article on goal adjustment, she shares a practical way to review your goals so you can focus your time and energy where it matters most. 🎯 What you'll learn -How to use the Goal Adjustment Scale to understand your starting point -How to identify the goals that deserve your time and attention -The difference between goal shielding, goal shifting and goal shelving -How to review your personal and professional goals -Why letting go of the right goals can improve both your progress and your wellbeing Resource mentioned: Why giving up on goals is good for you, and how to know which to ditch by New Scientist: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2501420-why-giving-up-on-goals-is-good-for-you-and-how-to-know-which-to-ditch/ For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected] Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#587 80,000 hours with Benjamin Todd (A Career Well Spent Series)
How can you make sure the 80,000 hours you spend at work are truly well spent? In this episode, we challenge the traditional advice to "follow your passion" and look at how to build a career that makes a …
Show notes
How can you make sure the 80,000 hours you spend at work are truly well spent? In this episode, we challenge the traditional advice to "follow your passion" and look at how to build a career that makes a meaningful difference. This episode of part 4 of 4 in the 'Career Well Spent Series'
Drawing on Benjamin Todd's book, 80,000 Hours, and his research on effective altruism and career impact, they explore what it really means to find long-term career satisfaction and how to apply your skills to the world's most pressing problems.
🎯 What You'll Learn
– Why "follow your passion" might lead you down the wrong path
– The four essential ingredients for long-term career satisfaction
– How to identify and evaluate the world's most pressing problems
– Why your personal fit matters more than a prestigious job title
– How to use a "ladder of tests" to experiment with new career directions
– Practical ways to make a difference in your current role or pivot
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#586 Questions to ask in an interview
Most of us focus on preparing for the questions we'll be asked in an interview, but what we ask at the end is just as important. It is your ultimate opportunity to take control of the conversation and leave a …
Show notes
Most of us focus on preparing for the questions we'll be asked in an interview, but what we ask at the end is just as important. It is your ultimate opportunity to take control of the conversation and leave a brilliant lasting impression. In this Squiggly Shortcut, Sarah explores how to ask powerful culture and commercial questions, and what the answers reveal about whether a company is the right fit for you. 🎯 What You'll Learn – Why the questions you ask are your best opportunity to take control of an interview – How to use culture questions to find out what it is really like to work somewhere – What a company's response to culture questions reveals about their team dynamics – How to stress-test a business's performance with smart commercial questions – What we can learn from competitors and collaborators to stand out – How to end your interview with high energy and make a lasting impression For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected] Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#585 What to make of a life with Jim Collins (A Career Well Spent Series)
Are you feeling lost in a career fog or facing a major transition? In this special episode, Sarah is joined by legendary author and researcher Jim Collins to explore what it really takes to build a fulfilling …
Show notes
Are you feeling lost in a career fog or facing a major transition? In this special episode, Sarah is joined by legendary author and researcher Jim Collins to explore what it really takes to build a fulfilling life and career. This episode of part 3 of 4 in the 'Career Well Spent Series' Drawing on Jim's new book 'What to Make of a Life', they explore what it really means to navigate life's 'cliffs' and 'fog'. 🎯 What You'll Learn – Discover 'simplex stepping' to make progress when you are lost in a career fog – Identify your unique 'encodings' and how to develop them into super strengths – Flip the arrow of money to align your work with your inner fire – Explore why your biggest and most creative years can happen later in life For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected] Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#584 How to Create Your AI Learning Plan
AI is changing quickly, which can make it hard to know where to start. If you're feeling overwhelmed by everything there is to learn, you're definitely not alone. In this Shortcut, Sarah shares how to use the …
Show notes
AI is changing quickly, which can make it hard to know where to start. If you're feeling overwhelmed by everything there is to learn, you're definitely not alone. In this Shortcut, Sarah shares how to use the Squiggly Careers Learning Navigator to turn AI into something practical and personal. Instead of trying to learn everything, you'll identify what matters most for your role, connect learning to your day-to-day work, and create a simple plan you can build on over time. 🎯 What you'll learn - How to decide what's most useful for you to learn about AI right now - How to use the Learning Navigator to prioritise your learning - How to connect AI experiments to your everyday work so learning sticks - How to create a simple, practical plan for building your AI skills over time Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#583 Big Time with Laura Vanderkam (A Career Well Spent Series)
Do you feel constantly defeated by a packed calendar and rushed for time? Reclaiming control of your schedule starts with changing how you view your 168 hours. This episode of part 2 of 4 in the 'Career Well …
Show notes
Do you feel constantly defeated by a packed calendar and rushed for time? Reclaiming control of your schedule starts with changing how you view your 168 hours.
This episode of part 2 of 4 in the 'Career Well Spent Series'
Drawing on Laura’s bestselling books '168 Hours' and 'Big Time', Helen explores what it means to achieve true time abundance, and what your default response to a busy calendar reveals about you.
🎯 What You'll Learn
– Understand the difference between time abundance and time scarcity
– Apply the 'Would I do this tomorrow?' test to new commitments
– Track your time to separate feelings from facts
– Establish a weekly planning routine to reduce panic
– Build your career capital with four simple actions a week
– Reclaim control and autonomy over your daily diary
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#582 How to use AI as your thought partner
Outsourcing your thinking to AI erodes the value of your contribution and means you are less likely to make a distinctive difference. Using AI as a thought-partner is a skill which can help you to refine your …
Show notes
Outsourcing your thinking to AI erodes the value of your contribution and means you are less likely to make a distinctive difference. Using AI as a thought-partner is a skill which can help you to refine your thinking, communicate more clearly and spot gaps before you share your perspective with other people. In this shortcut, Helen talks through how you can use AI as a thought-partner for your career, your weekly work and the relationships you build to help you to be at your best. 🎯 What You'll Learn - how to use AI as a squiggly career coach - how to use AI to help you reduce overwhelm and find focus - how to use AI to better understand your stakeholders and adapt your approach For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected] Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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#581 The 100 year life with Lynda Gratton (A Career Well Spent Series)
How do we design a career that lasts a lifetime without running out of energy? In this episode, Sarah talks to world-renowned expert Lynda Gratton about how to navigate a multi-stage, 100-year life. This …
Show notes
How do we design a career that lasts a lifetime without running out of energy? In this episode, Sarah talks to world-renowned expert Lynda Gratton about how to navigate a multi-stage, 100-year life. This episode of part 1 of 4 in the 'Career Well Spent Series'
Drawing on Lynda Gratton's groundbreaking research and her new book 'Living the Hundred-Year Life', Sarah and Lynda discuss what it really means to design a multi-stage career, and what your balance of productivity and nurture threads reveals about your current career design.
🎯 What You'll Learn
– How to manage the tension between productivity and nurture
– Why 'calm' is often our weakest thread and how to rebuild it
– What the pivotal 40s mean for the future of your career
– How to use AI to amplify your human strengths
– Why curiosity is your most important career skill
– How to run small experiments to test new career paths
For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: [email protected]
Need some more squiggly career support?
1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/
2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/
3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod
4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
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