Life Kit's Employment 101: Changing Careers, Asking For A Raise, Finding A Job After College

Plus, how to quit (the right way). [Life Kit — Tools to help you get it together.]( Wherever you are in your career, being part of the labor force during the COVID-19 pandemic has been very ... laborious. For many Americans, finding work these days takes a lot more time and effort than ever before. Life Kit is here to help! As part of our Career Week series, we have information on landing a good gig after college, asking for — and finally getting! — a raise, and even learning how to quit your job the right way. And to make things super easy, we created a comprehensive [Spotify playlist]( where you can find all of our Career Guide podcasts in one place. Enjoy! Chelsea Conrad/NPR Have you ever felt like work meetings are the bane of your existence? Join the club! A few NPR staffers made a list of ways to [run better, more efficient meetings]( while working from home. Thinking of making a career change, but don’t know where to start? Making a professional switch can be daunting — but it's doable. [Start with this podcast]( which is hosted by career changer Keisha “TK” Dutes and features career strategist Cynthia Pong. You can also [read their recommendations](. LA Johnson/NPR How To Find A Job After College Job hunting in these times may feel daunting, but experts say all those pre-pandemic best practices still apply: do your research, have your elevator pitch ready and cast a wide net. [Listen here]( or [read the story](. How To Find A Mentor The right mentoring relationship can be a powerful tool for professional growth — it can lead to a new job, a promotion or even a better work-life balance. [This podcast episode]( has lots of advice on navigating an often awkward situation, [especially in a virtual workplace](. How To Ask For A Raise Panicked about asking your boss for more money? Negotiations expert and Wharton School professor Mori Taheripour wants you to remember one key thing: we negotiate all the time. [Read her advice]( on valuing your worth, having a strategy for the ask, and navigating the dreaded "no." [Click here]( to listen to the podcast. [Here's a video]( that outlines 10 tips to ask for a raise, complete with costume changes. YouTube --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- How To Support Diversity In The Workplace If you’re a person of color or otherwise marginalized employee, you probably don’t need reminding that not all workplaces treat employees equitably. [Listen to this episode on how to survive and thrive in mostly-white spaces](. If you’re in a leadership position and looking to make some changes, here's advice on [taking diversity beyond the hiring process]( and [making your office a safe and equitable place for people who are trans](. How To Quit Your Job — Or Not It happens. If you’ve reached the breaking point at your current job, [learn how to quit well](. (Hint: it doesn’t involve [hiring a celebrity to break the news to your boss]( Career coach J.T. O’Donnell recommends getting a financial plan in place first, and leaving a positive legacy that you can lean on for future employment. —Andee Tagle, Life Kit producer --------------------------------------------------------------- More Expert Career Advice [Career strategist Cynthia Pong]( joined Life Kit on Reddit last week. Here’s one highlight: Q: What's your best advice for approaching an interview? I just get so nervous before that I ramble or forget great points I want to bring up about myself? What’s the best way to prep? — MediocreSetting0 A: I get nervous too! That is so real. One tip I give my clients in prepping for interviews – especially if they tend to "ramble" and undercut themselves – is to practice saying "one sentence less" in your everyday conversations. So if you feel like you want to throw in that extra sentence when you're talking to a friend, stop yourself before saying it. Also, as far as forgetting great points, assuming you're interviewing by phone or video chat, it's totally possible to have bullet points to guide you along the way. So I would prep the questions you expect to be asked and have your main talking points (maybe 3 per question) at the ready! Post-its or a one-sheet can be great for this. Lastly, take time to ground yourself before the interview with whatever grounding practices you prefer. Attaching my free downloadable in case you need it: [Top 10 Interviewing Tips]( [Read more of Cynthia’s answers here.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 💌 Enjoyed this newsletter? [Subscribe here]( to get Life Kit in your inbox every Friday. You can share the love with a friend by forwarding them this email. 📞 Have a random life hack you want to share? Send us a note at [lifekit@npr.org](mailto:lifekit@npr.org?subject=) or leave us a voicemail with a greeting, your name, phone number and your tip at 202.216.9823. You could hear yourself on an upcoming episode. 👀 P.S. Watch [this space]( for future episodes of Life Kit. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [LifeKit@npr.org](mailto:LifeKit@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. 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