Career Advocacy Isn't Selfish—It’s Smart (Issue #22)
You must be an advocate for your career: step 1 starts today!
I hope January treated you well! Let me know, did you participate in the January Digital Detox?
It’s time to take charge of your career…
If you know me well enough, you no doubt heard my advice “You must be an advocate for yourself”. Whether it’s for your career or own health.
I’m looking at you whose googling your symptoms and solutions before you head into the doctors office. Don’t worry, you’re in good company, I do the same!
So, what exactly does advocating for yourself—your career—really mean?
Career advocacy isn’t about bragging or being pushy. It’s about taking ownership of your growth and showing up for yourself.
Think of it as intentional self-leadership, where you’re aligning your goals with your actions and communicating your value clearly.
Easy, right?
No, not easy—not at all. So, this month we’re going to dive into actionable ways you can advocate for your career.
→ Over the next 4 weeks, I’ll share with you simple steps to help you become more intentional about your career path.←
Week 1: (right here, right now)How to clarify your goals
Week 2: Building your case and communicating proactively
Week 3: Finding advocates and mentors
Week 4: Keep up with learning and growing
Check in with yourself
Are your personal values aligned with your career?
↳ Week 1 Exercise: Advocating for your Career
Take a moment to reflect on these questions to gain clarity about your current career and your future goals:
What work excites you and makes you feels energizing?
↳ This can help you identify projects that resonate with your strength or values as well as give clues to your ‘zone of genius’.
What is draining your energy?
↳ This will assist you in pinpointing areas of misalignment and reveal patterns for potential burnout and proactively set boundaries.
Where do you want to be in 6 months? One year? Five years?
↳ Nothing works without setting a clear vision and goal. I would recommend using the value alignment exercise (LinkedIn Post) to get started but also focus in on what skills you may need or help in defining ‘what success looks like’ for you.
And finally, ask yourself: How do these connect to the direction you want to take in your career?
📰 Hello, AMA!
Q: “I work with a team of about 10 engineers remotely, and while I’m not their direct manager, I’d love to create more opportunities for fun and connection. Do you have any suggestions for remote friendly activities?”
A: Yes, yes and yes! It’s fantastic that you’re thinking about to create more fun and driving connection with your team members. Here’s a few ideas (ones I have tried) that worked well:
Virtual coffee breaks or lunches
Fridays seem to be the best days for these get togethers. Encourage everyone to join, but make them optional and informal to create more conversation. In the beginning it may be a challenge to get people talking—be patient—let there be quiet times and come prepared with some starter questions to get momentum going.Celebrating holidays together
Take time to celebrate with your team during the holidays or even on special days like Employee Appreciation Day (coming March 7th). Get everyone involved by changing virtual backgrounds or dressing up. Better yet, make it a competition (most) people love that!Monthly (or sprints—if you’re on a tech team) themes
I personally haven’t used this one, YET but I am borrowing what is a good idea from a friend. Her tech team generates multiple theme ideas around each sprint, then they vote on a single theme. Once a theme is picked, they all change virtual backgrounds and incorporate trivia around the theme as well. Good theme ideas: Indoor Plants or The Best Mailboxes.
* This would be a winner ↴↴↴↴↴↴↴↴↴↴↴
Lastly, use the time together wisely
Make informal coffee chats or virtual happy hours but make sure people feel they’re getting value. Whether that means the organization pays for a nice lunch (Uber Eats delivered) or you take time to recognize team members hard work and celebrate wins.
Got more questions? We’re here for you, send them over!
Wellness Corner
Did you know cynicism can be a component of burnout?
When we think of burnout, exhaustion often comes to mind first—but did you know cynicism is another key sign?
Cynicism, or a negative, detached attitude toward your work, can creep in quietly and undermine both your mental health and performance. If you’re feeling
Disconnection: Feeling detached from your work, team, or purpose.
Negativity: A shift from optimism to frustration, sarcasm, or hopelessness.
Loss of Empathy: You may struggle to care about outcomes or the people around you.
You may have signs of burnout, which can impact your emotional and physical health as well as your relationships inside and outside of work.
Until next time, stay well.
𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅.𝒃𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎