Career Narratives with Doug Lester

Have you ever thought or said that you want to make the world a better place through your work? But are you stumped when it comes to how you're going to do it? Host Doug Lester provides perspective from working with over a thousand MBAs hoping to advance careers with meaning and impact. He shares the signs his clients look for and a potential source of inspiration.Mentioned in this episode: The Johnson & Johnson Credo

Have you ever considered how the career choices you make can send intentional and unintentional signals to others that shape your personal narrative? Based on his experience as an executive recruiter at a top firm, host Doug Lester leads you through a quick exercise that lets you step outside yourself and see the forest of your career from the trees.

If you've ever struggled to communicate your personal narrative, there's a good chance it has something to do with context. What is the context in which you do your work and make an impact? The answer is probably more complex and nuanced than you might expect at first. Based on his work with well over 1,000 MBAs, host Doug Lester shares a framework for considering context that's new... and also familiar.

In addition to reviewing key learnings from previous episodes on executive recruiters and executive search firms, Doug Lester helps you understand how search firms are structured. Armed with this information, you'll be better equipped to build the long-term relationships with recruiters that can help advance your career.

Host Doug Lester considers format updates to the podcast for 2025 and invites listener feedback and questions.Email your feedback to podcast@careernarratives.com.Send a written message or leave a voice message by clicking on the microphone in the lower-right-hand corner of the contact page.

You should think twice about reaching out to an executive recruiter you don't already know and have a relationship with. Host Doug Lester explains why, based on his experience as an executive recruiter at a top search firm, reaching out to recruiters directly can potentially create self-inflicted career wounds that limit your advancement opportunities.Send Doug a message

Have you ever been concerned that executive recruiters weren't calling you enough (or at all) or were calling about roles you weren't interested in? If so, then host Doug Lester shares five strategies for getting on the radar screens of recruiters for the right opportunities. They're based on his experience as a senior associate at a top executive search firm.Resources mentioned:

If you're a mid or senior-level MBA and want to advance your career, then executive recruiters are probably going to play a part in your narrative. To keep you from making some of the same incorrect assumptions he did, host Doug Lester shares what he learned as a senior associate at a top retained executive search firm. He pulls back the curtain on search firms, so you don't have to make some of the same mistakes he did when he was climbing the corporate ladder.Send Doug a message

Send Doug a messageHave you made less progress advancing your career than you had wanted to this year? Or maybe no progress at all? If so, host Doug Lester shares a little social media psychology and a realization from his own life experience that could help you identify and get past your roadblock so you can move forward.Check out The October Theory of Changing Your Life in the Wall Street Journal (may require a subscription)

Send Doug a messageIf you're in your 40s or 50s, have you ever been advised to drop the dates from your education entries and remove a few of the earlier roles from your LinkedIn profile and resume? Trying to soft-pedal or hide your age and level of experience can actually work against you getting the aspirational senior roles that might be the best fit at this point in your career. Host Doug Lester shares his experience as a coach to MBA alumni and a former executive recruiter to make the case. 

Send Doug a messageIf you want to craft a compelling work-life narrative, you need to stay focused on work that yields the stories you want to be able to tell about yourself. But truly important and impactful work tends to happen over time. So to keep yourself on track, you set arbitrary due dates for key milestones... and then you miss them. And then you reset your due dates — and do it again and again. It's not just inefficient. It can make you feel bad.There's a better way to keep the momentum going and feel better about yourself in the process. Host Doug Lester shares a tip he originally picked up from Carl Pullein, the productivity guru. Check out Carl's work and offers at carlpullein.com. And make sure to consider Carl's Time Sector Method course, which is the basis of Doug's entire project and task management system.Note: These are not affiliate links. They're just helpful.

Send Doug a messageIf you've ever felt you nailed an interview, especially for a senior role, but you didn't get the call-back, there may be a problem with your storytelling, even if you're using the classic STAR method. Host Doug Lester has prepared thousands of MBA leaders for career-defining interviews, and he's noticed that even some of the best storytellers fail to do one critical thing. Find out if you're missing it, too, and what you can do to fix it.

Send Doug a messageIf you've ever felt less than confident in a career networking conversation, you're not alone. Host Doug Lester shares a tip he picked up as an executive recruiter that helped him feel more confident and be more effective when he was networking for a living. It can help you, too. 

Send Doug a messageIf you're trying to get started on networking for a new job or your career, the fear of reaching out to people isn't the only thing that might keep you from getting started. Host Doug Lester shares insight from his days as an executive recruiter and professional networker that can help you overcome the friction that might keep you from making progress.Resources mentioned in this episode:TodoistAsanaPipedriveEvernoteOneNoteCovve15% Discount for Covve (affiliate link)Doug's videos about Covve

Send Doug a messageIf you've ever felt that networking for a new job or your career is a lot of effort for very little benefit, then you may be doing it wrong. Doug Lester shares techniques he learned as an executive recruiter to get the people he was networking with to open up, share their knowledge and insights, and help ensure he never ran out of new people to call. You can apply those same approaches to improve your networking technique and help advance your career.

Are fewer people saying "yes" to your networking requests than you'd like? You may be unintentionally causing the problem. Doug Lester shares a simple strategy he learned as an executive recruiter to get the people in his network to pick up the phone and talk. And the best part is, it's simple, it probably requires a lot less effort than you're putting in now, and everyone will feel better about it in the end.

Have you ever been networking for a job and found that your narrative's not working in a conversation with a critical decision maker? Or maybe things do click but you end up feeling like you cut the process short and short-changed yourself in the process? Host Doug Lester shares two simple strategies he learned as a professional networker in a top executive search firm to ensure he always got his story straight and never left a stone unturned.

Need to start networking to advance your career, but can't seem to do it? You're not alone. Doug Lester shares his personal experience with networking procrastination as a new executive recruiter and how he got over it. Read the original Networking Strategy Series on the Career Narratives Blog.

Not getting much love from executive recruiters? Finding that they just don't "get" your skills and experience and how good fit you'd be for the job? Host Doug Lester draws on his experience as a senior associate at a top executive search firm to explain why you might feel like you're running into a brick wall — and what you can potentially do about it.

If you've ever thought there was a chance that your manager or skip level isn't clear on what you do and the value you bring to your company, then this episode of The Career Narratives Podcast is worth a listen. Host Doug Lester shares his perspective about how a strong personal or team narrative can help advance your career, or even save your job.

Words and phrases you think you need in your resume and LinkedIn profile can unintentionally dilute your personal narrative. As a hiring manager, executive recruiter and coach, host Doug Lester shares the prime suspects and makes a case for avoiding them. He also explains how using them may even work against you by raising unneeded questions in your readers' minds. 

When you're negotiating a salary and other compensation for a job, do you say (or think) that you're negotiating with a company? If you do, then you're making a critical mindset mistake that could cost you a lot. As a hiring manager at a Fortune 100 company and an executive recruiter at a top firm, Doug Lester saw how the wrong approach to negotiation can stand in the way of getting what you want. He shares a simple, no-cost way of improving your chances of negotiating an advantageous job offer.Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!❎ Avoid making 3 common mistakes with executive recruiters: https://www.careernarratives.com/recruiter-mistakes

Based on his experience as an executive recruiter at a top firm, Doug Lester offers a strategic perspective focused on crafting a concise, helpful LinkedIn Experience entry. Emphasizing an intended reader's requirements, Doug offers a straightforward approach to writing a LinkedIn Experience entry that focuses on answering the three key questions that executive recruiters (and hiring managers) need the answers to. This episode is the third in a series focused on writing an effective LinkedIn profile that clearly conveys your personal narrative. If you haven't already listened to the first two episodes, you can find them here.8: How to Communicate Your Narrative in Your LinkedIn Headline 9: How to Write a LinkedIn About Section That Supports Your NarrativeAnd here are the three key questions mentioned in the episode that you need to answer in a LinkedIn Experience entry:What is, or was, the scale and scope of your responsibilities?What is, or was, the impact of your work? (include a story of a challenge overcome, if you can)What are, or were, your people and/or stakeholder management responsibilities? (think creatively, this doesn't just have to be direct reports)Take control of your narrative and advance your career: Subscribe to the podcast!

Is your LinkedIn profile actually written to connect with your reader? Do you have a LinkedIn Headline that communicates what you do, the context you do it in, and the impact of your work? If not, give Episode 8 a quick listen at https://www.careernarrativespodcast.com/8Then listen to this Episode and find out how to write an engaging LinkedIn About section that will give your reader confidence that the claims you're making about yourself in your Headline are true. After all, your reader could be a potential hiring manager or an executive recruiter holding the keys to your career advancement. Are you really going to serve them up a list of repurposed resume bullets? Or worse, a generic list of skills? You can do better.Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!Avoid making 3 common mistakes with executive recruiters:https://www.careernarratives.com/recruiter-mistakesImprove your executive presence on Zoom:https://www.careernarratives.com/ultimate-zoom-setup-gear-guideSign up for a Career Strategy Session:https://www.careernarratives.com/strategy

If you don't define your narrative, then someone else might do it for you. Why take that chance? Doug Lester shares a simple, three-part framework he picked up as an executive recruiter that you can apply to your LinkedIn headline. You'll help the people who find you on LinkedIn make sense of your experience and, more importantly, understand where you're headed. Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!Want to work on your narrative or your LinkedIn Headline, schedule a Career Strategy Session with Doug: https://calendly.com/douglester/career-strategy-session

Making direct eye contact or what feels like direct eye contact on Zoom is hard. Beyond looking back and forth between a person's image and your camera lens, which is less than ideal, you need a teleprompter to make it work. With a teleprompter, you can look directly at your camera lens and the eyes of the person on the other side of the camera. But teleprompter setups are expensive and are relatively complicated to set up. Elgato's new Prompter is an affordable option. Host Doug Lester tests it out and compares it to the higher-priced teleprompter setup he's been using for his coaching sessions for years.Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!Blog Post - How to Make Eye Contact on Zoom for Better Rapport and Less Fatigue: https://www.careernarratives.com/blog/make-eye-contact-on-zoomBlog Post - The Ultimate Zoom Setup for Direct Eye Contact and Less Zoom Fatigue: https://www.careernarratives.com/blog/ultimate-zoom-setupElgato Prompter: https://www.elgato.com/us/en/p/prompterElgato Facecam Pro: https://www.elgato.com/us/en/p/facecam-proSetting up the Elgato Prompter and avoiding the blank screen problem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyA2OHBIX2wAn in-depth tech review of the Elgato Prompter (one of many): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpLxDnWHHmkHave an important meeting or an interview you need to prepare for? Sign up for a Career Strategy Session with Doug: https://calendly.com/douglester/career-strategy-session

If conducting important meetings or being interviewed on Zoom leaves you feeling at a disadvantage, you're probably missing the direct eye contact that happens when you're meeting in-person. And your executive presence is probably suffering as a result. Doug Lester shares two ways he's managed to simulate direct eye contact on Zoom in his work as an executive and career coach. And he previews new tech that could make simulating direct eye contact on Zoom much easier.Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!Blog Post - How to Make Eye Contact on Zoom for Better Rapport and Less Fatigue: https://www.careernarratives.com/blog/make-eye-contact-on-zoomBlog Post - The Ultimate Zoom Setup for Direct Eye Contact and Less Zoom Fatigue: https://www.careernarratives.com/blog/ultimate-zoom-setupHave an important meeting coming up or an interview you need to prepare for? Sign up for a Career Strategy Session with Doug: https://calendly.com/douglester/career-strategy-session

Is looking for the perfect job getting in the way of finding any job at all? This can be a problem at any stage of a career. Doug Lester offers an approach to thinking about career advancement that takes a little of the pressure off. Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!Avoid making 3 common mistakes with executive recruiters: https://www.careernarratives.com/recruiter-mistakesImprove your executive presence on Zoom: https://www.careernarratives.com/ultimate-zoom-setup-gear-guideIncrease your career and earning potential by positioning yourself as a specialist — sign up for a Career Strategy Session: https://www.careernarratives.com/strategy

If you're a mid or senior-level manager or executive in business and you've ever referred to yourself as a "generalist," then you're probably limiting your career potential. Based on insight he picked up as a consumer products marketer and a senior recruiter at a top executive search firm, Doug Lester shares why you need to start thinking of yourself, and positioning yourself, as a specialist to maximize your career and earning potential.Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!Avoid making 3 common mistakes with executive recruiters: https://www.careernarratives.com/recruiter-mistakesImprove your executive presence on Zoom: https://www.careernarratives.com/ultimate-zoom-setup-gear-guideIncrease your career and earning potential by positioning yourself as a specialist — sign up for a Career Strategy Session: https://www.careernarratives.com/strategy

Have you ever made a "career mistake?" Most people have — but they can be awkward to explain when you're networking or interviewing for a job. Host Doug Lester provides a straightforward, honest and effective framework for explaining that mistake or "blip" in your career. Ditch the worry and avoidance. Take the bull by the horns. And emerge a stronger job candidate as a result.Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!Avoid making 3 common mistakes with executive recruiters:https://www.careernarratives.com/recruiter-mistakesImprove your executive presence on Zoom:https://www.careernarratives.com/ultimate-zoom-setup-gear-guide

You don't have to work in a non-profit to have a mission-driven career. And your relationship to mission may change over time. Host Doug Lester shares insight he gained working in the for-profit and non-profit worlds. So what are you? Mission First? Mission Driven? Mission Preferred? Or Mission Last?Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!Avoid making 3 common mistakes with executive recruiters:https://www.careernarratives.com/recruiter-mistakesImprove your executive presence on Zoom:https://www.careernarratives.com/ultimate-zoom-setup-gear-guide

If you've ever felt like the people you're networking and interviewing with just don't get you, you might need to work on your narrative. In this first episode of The Career Narratives Podcast, host Doug Lester shares an insight he picked up when he was working as a senior recruiter at a top executive search firm. Listen in and clarify your own narrative today.Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!Avoid making 3 common mistakes with executive recruiters:https://www.careernarratives.com/recruiter-mistakesImprove your executive presence on Zoom:https://www.careernarratives.com/ultimate-zoom-setup-gear-guide

Craft and communicate a work-life narrative with meaning and impact. Present as a more compelling candidate to the decision-makers who hold the keys to your career advancement. In episodes short enough for busy schedules, Doug Lester offers perspective based on more than a decade of helping ambitious MBAs and professionals transition up and into leadership roles. Take a step toward career advancement: Subscribe to the podcast!Avoid making 3 common mistakes with executive recruiters:https://www.careernarratives.com/recruiter-mistakesImprove your executive presence on Zoom:https://www.careernarratives.com/ultimate-zoom-setup-gear-guide