Jennifer McClure`

Equipping people leaders to navigate change — and design the future — with boldness and purpose.

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My Best Career Advice to Position Yourself for the Job You Want [Replay]

A career change is a huge thing that many of people are dealing with right now, whether they feel stuck in their current job or they just want to do something different that they enjoy.

But how do you position yourself for the job that you want?

As an employee, you’ve got to figure out how to get noticed to move your career ahead and make sure that you’re getting the interactions and developing the relationships that you need. That being said, networking and relationship-building is a two-way street. Leaders also need to figure out how to provide a safe space and environment for their people to connect, even in remote and hybrid environments.

In episode 92 of the Impact Makers podcast, I’m sharing a conversation that I had with Chris Villanueva when he invited me to be a guest on the Career Warrior podcast to chat about networking, relationship building, and how the changing world of work impacts both job seekers and human resources leaders.

Chris is the CEO & Co-Founder of Let’s Eat, Grandma, an online resume service that helps professionals rebrand themselves to land interviews for their dream jobs. Recently ranked by The Balance as the best resume service of 2022, Let’s Eat Grandma helps people during one of the most stressful areas of life – the job hunt. They’ve assisted over 7,000+ paying clients with their resumes, and hundreds of thousands more through their blog and the Career Warrior Podcast.

Topics Discussed In Today’s Episode:

  • The future of work, and what both job seekers and HR leaders should be paying attention to.
  • The skills that will be most in demand in the workplace of the future.
  • Will working virtually affect your career negatively, versus being present in an office?
  • Should job seekers try to negotiate remote work, if it’s not part of the job offer?
  • How to properly build relationships and networks when many people are working remotely and networking less.
  • How to position yourself for new opportunities when you’re interested in making a career change.
  • The worst things job seekers do with their resumes that annoy HR and hiring managers.

LISTEN TO IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 92

Listen on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Let’s Eat Grandma Career Warrior Podcast

Career Warrior Podcast #274 – The Future of Work for Job Seekers with Jennifer McClure

Let’s Eat Grandma | Best Resume Writing Service

Chris Villanueva LinkedIn

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World by Gary Vaynerchuk

Julie Turney / HR@Heart Consulting Inc.

Personal Brand Workbook

Steve Browne

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Create High-Impact Presentations and Build a Profitable Speaking Business With Jennifer McClure and Dr. Daniel Crosby [Replay]

I’ve had the best job in the world for over 10 years now – where I have the privilege of speaking on stages and in training rooms to groups of leaders around the world about how to increase their influence, focus strategically, and make a positive impact at work and in life.

When I stepped out on my own in 2010 to start my speaking business, I had a little bit of experience, a healthy dose of confidence, and a whole lot of hope that I could build the relationships, and create impactful presentations that would result in a successful speaking business.

But like a lot of things in my life where I tend to jump off the cliff first, and then think about my parachute later, I wasn’t fully prepared for what it would take to find my lane, to determine how to set my speaking fees, or how to become a recognized expert.

So, queue admission into the school of hard knocks, where I’ve gained quite an education along the way, and as a result, have ultimately managed to build a business and life that I truly love.

Last year, my friend Dr. Daniel Crosby – who is a great public speaker himself, and was a also my guest on episode 14 of the Impact Makers Podcast, where he talked about understanding human behavior to do well, do good and do you – asked if I would join him on his Standard Deviations podcast to talk about what it takes to create great presentations — and if you’re into that kind of thing, how to actually get paid to speak, which is one of the most frequently asked questions we both receive.

Over a year later, the content of our conversation is still accurate and timely, and I continue to hear from people in Dr. Crosby’s audience who have found it helpful. So I asked him if I could share it with you today, and if you’re interested in crafting great presentations, and/or getting paid to speak, I think you’ll find it helpful.

Topics Discussed In Today’s Episode:

  • My path from HR executive to professional speaker, and why I felt like I needed at least 20 years of work experience before starting.
  • How giving away 10% of my time to help others helped me to get started as a speaker, and discover the work that I truly loved.
  • My personal recipe for crafting a great presentation.
  • What comedians and preachers can teach us about giving great presentations.
  • What adult learning theory tells us about what makes for a good speech.
  • Strategies for determining your speaking fee, what can happen if your price is too low, and how to get paid more.
  • Three books that I recommend for speakers to help with picking a lane, determining your pricing strategy, and building a memorable brand.
  • What Dr. Crosby did that 10x’d his speaking revenue.
  • 3 concrete steps to take to build a profitable speaking business.

LISTEN TO IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 91

Listen on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

FREE RESOURCE: 10 Tips To BUILD YOUR BRAND and LAND Gigs as a Speaker!

Dr. Daniel Crosby LinkedIn

Dr. Daniel Crosby Twitter

Standard Deviations Podcast

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 014: Understanding Human Behavior to Do Well, Do Good and Do You with Dr. Daniel Crosby

Standard Deviations Podcast Episode 14: Jennifer McClure – On Becoming a Public Speaker

Centennial, Inc.

Mike Sipple, Sr.

Michelle Cushatt

Million Dollar Speaking: The Professional’s Guide to Building Your Platform by Alan Weiss

Million Dollar Consulting: The Professional’s Guide to Growing a Practice by Alan Weiss

Ryan Estis

Jane Atkinson

The Wealthy Speaker 2.0: The Proven Formula for Building Your Successful Speaking Business by Jane Atkinson

Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt

Laurie Ruettimann

Jon Acuff

Toastmasters International

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Simplify Creative Problem-Solving and Innovation Using Light Bulb Thinking™ With Innovation Coach Ellia Harris

Discover the power of creative problem-solving!

On episode 90 of the Impact Makers podcast, I’m chatting with Innovation Coach Ellia Harris – an expert in creative problem-solving and creating cultures of innovation. Ellia works with managers, business owners, and their teams to get them out of habitual thinking, so they can find creative solutions that they couldn’t see before.

The creator of Light Bulb Thinking™, Ellia has over a decade of experience as an organizational trainer and coach, and her own experience as a manager seeking a creative approach to leadership led to her expertise in using creative thinking as the fastest route to becoming an effective leader of a high-performing team – which, in a time when we all need to be at the top of our game, is more crucial than ever.

I think you’ll enjoy my conversation with Ellia, because she reminds us that everyone has the capacity for creative thinking and creative problem solving — and thinking differently about some of the challenges that you’re facing may be the best way to identify the solution that you need to move forward.

Topics Discussed In Today’s Episode:

  • What is creative problem-solving?
  • Ellia’s Light Bulb Thinking™ framework for creative problem solving: planning, ideating, choosing, and then implementing or innovating.
  • The four categories of creative thinking tools for when you’re ideating: Re-expression, Revolution, Random Links, and Related Words.
  • Why many of us struggle with being creative, and how we can overcome how our brains are naturally designed to work.
  • How AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard can be used to fuel creativity — and how they should not be used.
  • Ellia’s passion for helping young people to develop leadership and creative problem-solving skills.

LISTEN TO IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 90

Listen on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Ellia Harris – LinkedIn

Contact Ellia – Hello@ThePotentialCenter.com

The Potential Center – Website, Facebook, YouTube

Light Bulb Moments™ online course

Book: Winner’s Mindset: Peak Performance Strategies for Success (contributor)

Impact Makers podcast episode 067: How to Make Work Suck Less By Making It Fun with Jeff Harry

Impact Makers podcast episode 084: Poetry, Hip Hop, and HR: Creativity and Leading in the Future of Work With Arend Boersema

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You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Lead With Impact: 5 Ways to Make a Difference

When you think about people who have changed the world in positive and meaningful ways, who comes to mind?

Maybe you think of people like Martin Luther King Jr., who dedicated his life to the nonviolent struggle for civil rights in the United States, or Steve Jobs who brought products into play that transformed our lives and redefined entire industries, or Mother Theresa, whose higher purpose was to care for the poor, the sick, and the disadvantaged around the world.

It makes sense that these individuals are thought of as world-changers. They’ve invented products, or started movements that have had a lasting impact on us all.

Now, I want you to think about who has changed YOUR world.

On your list, you might include a parent, a religious leader, a boss, or even a teacher. These types of people hold places in our lives that position them for great opportunities to influence.

But what about you?

Would anyone name you as someone who has influenced his or her life?

If not, why not?

5 Reasons You May Think You Can’t Change the World

1. I’ve got nothing to offer.

If you’re a human, the truth is that there are many good things – and maybe a few not so good things – that make up who you are.

So, even without much effort, you’ve got something – and you can use your life experiences to help someone else.

2. I’m really not that interesting.

The good news is that influencing others is not about you. It’s about them.

You influence others by focusing on their story – not yours.

3. I’m not super successful.

Your level of success in being of value to others has less to do with your own accomplishments, than your ability to listen.

Many people are seeking mentors who they can simply talk to, who will listen, and then share their perspective.

4. I’ve got some skeletons in my closet.

We all do. Failure makes us human.

It also means that there’s someone out there who can relate to – and learn from your failures.

(So can you.)

5. Nobody has ever asked me to be a mentor or influencer in their life.

Then your first opportunity is waiting for you!

Don’t wait for someone to ask you to speak into his or her life. Most likely, the people who have influenced you the most weren’t invited to do so.

So how CAN you change the world?

One person at a time.

You don’t have to invent something with lasting impact or create a movement to change the world.

There is somebody in your life that needs your influence.

There is somebody in your life that is ready to benefit from your knowledge, skills and expertise.

As Steve Jobs once said:

“…the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

I believe that you can change the world.

Just do it.

You CAN Change The World – a DisruptHR Talk by Jennifer McClure – CEO of Unbridled Talent LLC & Chief Excitement Officer of DisruptHR LLC

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As a keynote speaker and leadership coach, Jennifer McClure helps leaders to embrace the future of work, and to develop the skills necessary to lead their organizations and the people on their teams to take bold actions that positively impact business results.

Want more leadership and future of work insights from me?

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Challenging Traditional HR Paradigms to Create More Inclusive and Equitable Workplaces With Shahzia Noorally

On episode 89 of the Impact Makers podcast, I chat with Shahzia Noorally, a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practitioner, Speaker, and podcast host.

With her dynamic voice, Shahzia is changing the narrative around workplace authority and equity. In our enlightening conversation, she shares her inspiring journey from a place of isolation in her first leadership role, to becoming a passionate advocate for equity within the utilities industry and beyond. Her unique insights are shaped by her experiences as a woman of color, a child of immigrants, and an HR practitioner.

Our conversation takes us through the challenges and biases that persist in traditional leadership and mentorship models, and we also explore the concept of sponsorship, which can create a space for authentic expression, amplifying not just talent but also the voices that often go unheard.

I first met Shahzia when we were both speaking at a DisruptHR Calgary event back in 2019 and have been following her and her work since that time. I find her to be insightful and purposeful, and I really appreciate how she approaches equitable work and workplaces through a lens of possibilities rather than challenges, and a purpose that is rooted in influencing a more just-world.

Outside of her work, Shahzia hosts The Equity Gap podcast, and she leans into community, anchoring her energy towards amplifying Black, Indigenous and women of color to show up in the world, and take up all the space that they desire and deserve.

I think you’ll enjoy learning from Shahzia in our conversation, and I encourage you to share this podcast with others in your network who may benefit from rethinking some of our traditional approaches to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace.

Topics Discussed In Today’s Episode:

  • The challenges of relying solely on the concept of “diversity of thought” and why demographic representation is vital.
  • Why current leadership models need rethinking to encourage individual authenticity instead of molding individuals to fit pre-existing molds.
  • How sponsorship stands apart from traditional mentorship and can be more helpful in addressing systemic barriers faced especially by BIPOC.
  • Why modern workplaces must adapt to become inclusive, ensuring everyone has equal access to influence, and challenging traditional white male-centric leadership models.
  • The broader implications related to equity that extend well beyond equal pay.
  • The importance of optimism in addressing diversity and inclusion challenges with an open mind and proactive attitude.
  • Why a paradigm shift from a one-size-fits-all approach in HR practices to one that centers the experiences of the most marginalized employees is necessary, and how that can lead to broader benefits for all.

LISTEN TO IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 89

Listen on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Shahzia Noorally – LinkedIn, Website, Instagram

The Equity Gap podcast – On Apple Podcasts, LinkedIn, Instagram

HR, We Have A Problem | Susy Ko & Shahzia Noorally | DisruptHR Talks

Do You Know the Reference Man? | Shahzia Noorally | DisruptHR Talks

Rethinking podcast with Adam Grant: Finding–and becoming–great mentors and sponsors with Carla Harris

The Equity Gap podcast: From saviorism to solidarity in the workplace – a conversation with Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi – Changemaker, Speaker, Author & Founder of Accelerate her Future

Accelerate Her Future

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