Episode Summary:

In this episode of "From Midlife to Best Life," host Ana welcomes career coach Trudy Hallam from LHH Knightsbridge. Together, they explore the emotional and practical aspects of navigating career transitions, especially during layoffs. Trudy shares insights on how to prepare for unexpected changes, the importance of maintaining a "kudo file," and how to leverage personal branding in job searches. Ana shares her own experience with the recent layoff and how she turned it into an opportunity to re-discover herself. Tune in to discover how career coaching can be a vital support system in uncertain times.

Takeaways:

• Layoffs are disruptive but normal experiences. They bring shock, sadness, and identity loss, but they can also create opportunities to pause, re-evaluate, and pivot in one’s career. Be vulnerable. Be kind. Be human.

• Be proactive before a layoff happens. Keep a “kudos file” with performance reviews, accomplishments, and samples of work stored outside your work computer. This ensures you have evidence of your skills and achievements if access is cut off.

• Take advantage of outplacement and career coaching services. Many people don’t use these resources, but they provide resume support, interview preparation, training, and guidance on navigating the job market.

• Think beyond traditional full-time roles. Contract, part-time, or portfolio careers can offer flexibility, new experiences, and pathways into unexpected opportunities.

• Develop and market your personal brand. Employers look for more than hard skills. Highlight transferable strengths (e.g., leadership, problem-solving, creativity) and communicate what makes you unique.

Host: Ana Yun [Instagram | Website: www.anayun.ca | LinkedIn Profile]

Guest: Trudy Hallam [LinkedIn Link]

Resources:

LinkedIn Learning – free with through your local library. Over 16,000 courses and instructional courses on interviewing; resumes; marketing plans; LinkedIn and everything in-between. LinkedIn Learning Role Play: As Career Coaches seek practical tools to boost a candidate’s confidence, LinkedIn Learning’s Role Play offers a game-changing solution. This AI-powered platform simulates real-world interview scenarios, allowing candidates to rehearse responses to common questions in a safe, interactive environment. It provides instant feedback on tone, clarity, and delivery—helping job seekers refine their communication skills and reduce interview anxiety. With customizable scenarios across industries, it’s ideal for candidates at any career stage. Encourage your candidates to use Role Play as part of their interview prep—it’s like having a virtual coach available 24/7 and is a great resource for alumni candidates too. The Job Bank’s “Get to Know Yourself” resource is a valuable tool for Canadian career coaches to guide candidates through self-reflection as the foundation of career planning. It offers quizzes and exercises to help individuals identify their strengths, skills, values, and preferences, enabling them to make informed career decisions aligned with their authentic selves. Coaches can use this resource to facilitate discussions, encourage honest self-assessment, and connect candidates with labour market information and training options. By integrating these tools, coaches empower candidates to explore suitable career paths confidently and strategically, making the transition smoother and more purposeful. LinkedIn Career Explorer is a dynamic tool that uncovers hidden career paths by mapping existing skills to thousands of roles. Why It Matters:

• Skill Mapping: Reveals a list of skills for a particular role and unexpected career paths by highlighting transferable skills and probability match.
• Upskilling: Identifies missing skills and links to LinkedIn Learning courses, streamlining professional development
• Networking & Jobs: Connects candidates to professionals in target roles and local job postings which help to increase a candidates LinkedIn profile and presence.

Strengths Finder: Candidates often question their strengths – what are they good at or known for? Have them check out this free survey to discover their character strengths, as a way to discover greater joy in living in alignment with themselves. Strengthen connections by applying what they’ve learned and helping them to answer the interview question – what's your greatest strength? OpportuNext uses Canadian Labor Market Information (LMI) to provide data-driven insights into job roles with strong growth prospects and competitive wages. By entering a current job title, users are presented with relevant career options, highlighting roles that match their skills and offer positive employment outlooks.