Have you ever discovered that a peer of yours is making more money than you? This is often a tough realization. I know – I’ve been there. It is also an incredibly powerful piece of data. It’s important to note right off the bat that compensation is much more than base salary. Yet, it is often base salary that we use for comparison. This is an important but incomplete data point, especially for more senior leadership positions. For example, my base salary as an executive is le

I cannot overemphasize the importance of building your professional network. It is truly foundational for a successful and fulfilling career. For some of you, the thought of “networking” may bring visions of awkward mix-and-mingle affairs. (Remember these, pre-covid?!) Events where you’d rather spend your time poking your eyes out than desperately searching for something to say that doesn’t make you sound like a loser. Okay, I admit, I’m talking about me…but seriously…this ha

In my blog post Four Areas of Focus to Get That Promotion, I called out the importance of being able to share your story in a powerful way. It is a critical skill, not only for getting promoted or landing a new job, but for building relationships, trust and credibility. Having the courage to share your story and to embrace the stories of others, allows you to create what is by far your MOST valuable career asset – your network. We all have a story in our mind about who we are

I have interviewed hundreds of people in my 23-year career in technology, data and banking. I have coached, mentored or sponsored hundreds more who were working towards their next promotion or preparing for interviews. I have had the great privilege and responsibility of making promotion and hiring decisions, many of these related to executive level roles. If you find yourself stuck - confused as to how to advance to that next level job or frustrated at trying for some time t

I vividly remember my daughter Anna’s kindergarten graduation celebration. Her class was on stage and the school gym was packed with family members. (Clearly this wasn’t 2020.) We had our camcorder ready because each child was about to share what they’d like to be when they grow up. Anna was always one of the smallest kids in her class, so we had to be sure we were positioned to see her perfectly. When her name was called, she walked up to the microphone with purpose and said

According to the Oxford dictionary a career is “an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress”. I prefer to think of a career as “a set of experiences we gain that allow us to learn, grow and contribute over time”. These experiences may or may not span different roles, companies or industries. You may have a stuck career when you feel you have stopped learning, growing and/or contributing in the way you want, and you