Career Catalyst Stories

What if the joy or pain in someone else’s career journey could be the catalyst for your success?

Introducing Career Catalyst Stories: Personal experiences with valuable lessons a friend or mentor would share

Mara never expected to become friends with her boss. Kim was sharp, driven, and a little intimidating at first, but long hours spent poring over quarterly reports, Mara had glimpsed another side of her—a funny, down-to-earth woman who shared Mara’s love for 80’s movies and sushi.

It started small. First, an inside joke, then a shared laugh during tense team meetings. Before Mara knew it, Kim invited her to grab coffee at work. That coffee turned into weekend brunches where they talked about everything from career ambitions to Kim’s struggles as a single mom.

At work, Mara struggled to reconcile their friendship with Kim’s role as her boss. The first test came when a coveted promotion opened up. Mara was eager to apply, but Kim remained silent. It wasn’t until Mara brought it up that Kim said, “I think you’re a strong candidate, but I want you to know I’ll be fair. I’ll treat you like everyone else.”

The words stung. Mara wasn’t sure what she’d expected—encouragement? A nudge to apply? Instead, Kim seemed to draw a line in the sand. Mara applied anyway, pouring her heart into the process, but she found herself overanalyzing every interaction. Was Kim avoiding her because she was competing with colleagues? Did Kim hesitate to give feedback on her work because of their friendship?

Career Catalyst Stories - From navigating nuances to breaking through to the career you want…learn from stories of real people juggling career, family, passions, and dreams.

“The Friend Boss” is a story some of us know well. It’s natural to make friends at work, right? Well, in this very volatile job landscape that we are in, finding safe spaces to share your authentic self can be challenging. There are many stories of people who have failed and then found success in various ways that even the internet may not be big enough to hold it. But we can try!

In my latest project, Career Catalyst Stories, I plan do to just that - share intimate stories from professionals who navigated tough situations and lived to tell about it! If you are subscribed to my Level Up Newsletter on LinkedIn, then you know my content. I strive to help people navigate career topics and get to the heart of the solution, while learning something new in the process. Career Catalyst Stories will provide this same wisdom and learning, but will delve deeper into nuances that are talked about with mentors and between friends. Sample topic areas include:

  1. Can you be friends with your manager? This is a tricky situation that can become stressful if not handled properly. What most people miss in this situation, on both sides, are uniquely human qualities that should not be taken for granted.

  2. Why resistance to change spurs imposter syndrome: You’ve probably heard the saying, “the only constant thing is change”. And this is true. But how do you not fall into this trap and find the path that’s right for you?

  3. How to promote yourself when your company isn’t: With all the turmoil in the job market, do you find that taking your career to the next level is a bigger challenge? Are you even considered promotable? There are no easy answers, but there are people who have navigated their way and you can read about their experiences.

We will explore stories of real people who made it through, or still making it though to creating the career they desire. If you have a story you want to share, even anonymously, please contact me at dr.stacey@careerbluprint.com.

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