Whether you’re dreaming of moving up the corporate ladder at your current gig or you’re considering a career pivot, finding and landing your dream job is no easy task. Luckily for us, the Internet is filled with much more than cat Vines and fail vids (although, we do love a good summer Pinterest fail). Inspirational folks from across the globe have teamed up with TED to share meaningful advice on everything from going back to school to how to push your creativity to the next level. Get ready to be inspired by 10 of our favorite career TED Talks.
1. The Career Advice You Probably Didn’t Get by Susan Colantuono: Fighting for a promotion in a dog-eat-dog business environment is tough, especially when you’re missing out on some critical information. Susan Colantuono, founder of Leading Women, a consulting firm dedicated to closing the gender gap in the workforce, reveals the secret sauce you need to move up the ranks at work in this empowering talk.
2. Five Ways to Kill Your Dreams by Bel Pesce: Combining personal stories with practical advice, Bel Pesce lists everything you shouldn’t do when pursing your dream job, from believing in overnight success to blaming your failures on someone else. By the end of this six-minute talk, you’ll learn the importance of persistence and self-confidence.
3. Embrace the Near Win by Sarah Lewis: An art historian and critic, Sarah Lewis learned a valuable lesson at her first job that springboarded an entirely new way to look at setbacks. While working at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), she studied the work of artist Elizabeth Murray and quickly realized that not every painting was a masterpiece. Heck, even the artist herself agreed. But, as Sarah candidly points out, those near failures aren’t something to be ashamed of, they’re actually the very key to our eventual success.
4. Why the Best Hire Might Not Have the Perfect Resume by Regina Hartley: Before you scrap that cashier’s gig from your resume, listen to HR executive Regina Hartley’s ten-minute lecture. Speaking to a room full of business professionals, Regina argues that resumes that show someone has conquered adversary (AKA all those summer jobs you took to pay for college) spotlight exactly the type of person a business should hire.
5. Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are by Amy Cuddy: In this famous talk about body language and posture, Amy Cuddy divulges the true secret to being confident in the workplace. According to her research, body language not only shapes how people perceive us in job interviews and meetings, but it also shapes how we feel about ourselves. Watch this to learn how to improve your confidence and feel more powerful.
6. The Happy Secret to Better Work by Shawn Achor: Half stand-up routine, half genius career advice, this TED talk by the CEO of Good Think Inc. reminds us that being happy at work actually inspires us to be more productive.
7. The Power of Time Off by Stefan Sagmeister: Every seven years, Stefan Sagmeister takes a year sabbatical to refocus and rejuvenate his mind. But before you roll your eyes and mutter that you couldn’t possibly do that, just listen to how it has radically changed his life and career.
8. Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator by Tim Urban: If you are a procrastinator, you need to watch this video. Stat. Diving into the mind of a master procrastinator, this hilarious and insightful talk will make you realize just how dangerous procrastination is — especially when it comes to finding your dream job.
9. My Year of Saying Yes by Shonda Rhimes: The #girlboss titan behind Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder decided to say yes to everything that scared her for an entire year. The result? Well, let’s just say Shonda got her groove back.
10. Why Some of Us Don’t Have One True Calling by Emilie Wapnick: If the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” still gives you anxiety as an adult, don’t fret. According to multi-professional Emilie Wapnick, it’s okay to jump between interests and careers. In fact, it might actually be good for you.
What is the best career advice you’ve ever received? Tweet us your stories @BritandCo.
(Photo via Getty)
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.