Inside Jobs by Purple Koi

A former diver in the US Navy transitions into a complex and interesting career field.  Insider Ben Plucker spent 5 years as a diver in the US Navy working with bottlenose dolphins to locate underwater explosive devices. Following his time in the military, he spent nearly a decade in facility management before going back toContinue reading "29. Combine engineering and artistic creativity in industrial design."

Use analytical problem-solving skills to forge a successful career as an attorney.  Insider Justin has a varied background in the field of law – among other things, he has been a trial attorney, as well as general counsel for business owners helping them handle the legal aspects of owning and running a company.  Listen toContinue reading "28. Fit puzzle pieces together in the field of law."

The hours can be odd, but the work is often new and exciting in IT.  Insider Damon started his career in an IT support role and has progressed into his current position of Senior Information Technology Director for an engineering company thanks to the value he has placed on building relationships, as well as hisContinue reading "27. Drive positive impact in the always changing field of Information Technology."

Part detective, part analyst, part consultant – use a variety of skills in the internal audit field. Brian Gregory started his career as an external auditor for a public accounting firm and used hard work, attention to detail, and an ability to listen and relate to people to advance into his current role of SeniorContinue reading "26. Give clients peace of mind in internal audit"

Commitment, perseverance, and entrepreneurial spirit come together in the impactful field of financial services. Insider Mary discovered that working with people and providing solutions made a career as a financial services professional an ideal fit for her. Listen to or watch to hear more about what it takes to get a practice up and running,Continue reading "25. Build your own practice as a financial services professional."

If you love to compete and find intrigue in initiating conversations with people you don't know, sales might be a fit!  Insider Brian Gallant was raised in an entrepreneurial environment and found a career in sales to be a natural extension of what he learned and observed growing up. Listen to or watch to findContinue reading "24. Commitment and passion drive sales success!"

Education can be a way to bring together a variety of interests to create a distinctive career path.    Insider Kent Allison took an interest in business, technology, engineering and education and combined them to put a unique spin on what most would consider to be a traditional profession as a teacher.  Watch, listen to,Continue reading "23. Take the traditional role of a teacher and make it unique."

The oil & gas industry does more than supply fuel for cars, much like a petroleum engineer does more than simply extract oil.  Based on his strength in the areas of math and science, Insider Alex took a recommendation to consider the field of engineering.  He found his niche in the petroleum industry and, duringContinue reading "22. A petroleum engineering executive drills into this volatile yet rewarding field."

Strong business acumen and exceptional relationship skills are critical in this sales career.  When Insider Andy Plucker started his career, he had zero interest in sales.  But eventually he found his way into insurance brokerage and discovered that exceptional communication, relationship building skills, and a genuine interest in helping prospective clients solve problems are cornerstonesContinue reading "21. Help make companies better as an insurance broker."

Collaborate with a team of medical professionals to improve quality of life for seriously ill patients in palliative care.  Insider Jill provides a glimpse into the sometimes intense, but normally rewarding life of a social worker.  Serving specifically in the area of palliative care, Jill has found gratification helping patients with serious illness experience aContinue reading "20. Compassion, patience, and active listening are hallmarks of social work."

An executive leader talks about the many ways an accountant can contribute to the growth and vision of a company.   Insider Pat Lytle provides guidance surrounding the oft-misunderstood field of accounting.  A long-time CPA who is now the Controller and Principal Accounting Officer for an oil & gas company in Colorado, Pat explains thatContinue reading "19. Not just numbers! Put a variety of skills to work in accounting."

If you enjoy the educational experience, an impactful role in university leadership could be a great fit.   Insider Dan Martin took his passion for the academic experience and followed it all the way to a university presidency.  As the leader of a liberal arts college in the Pacific Northwest, Dan enjoys a role that offersContinue reading "18. Turn campus life into a rewarding career in higher education administration."

Resolve impactful issues and help make employees more productive in server infrastructure and automation.  Taking a hands-on approach, Insider Chris Williams landed a job in Information Technology and has leveraged continuous learning and a fearless attitude to create a rewarding career in the always changing and constantly growing field of technology.  Watch, listen to, orContinue reading "17. Find technology interesting? Explore a career in infrastructure and automation."

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and love the arts, could you find a way to fill a need in the world with music? Insider Kandice Porter has always loved music.  After beginning her career in the corporate world, she found her way back to her passion as a music instructor, ultimately leading Kandice toContinue reading "16. Music lover? Imagine what you could do with a musical passion"

It IS rocket science! Aerospace engineers build military satellites and launch NASA missions    It's not rocket science.  Well in this instance, it actually IS rocket science as Purple Koi Insider Dale delivers details surrounding life as an aerospace engineer.  Dale took his strength in math and science as a high school student and blasted aContinue reading "15. Blast your career into orbit by designing rockets as an aerospace engineer"

Help athletes with the mental side of their game in the relatively new and rapidly expanding field of sports counseling. Insider Brooke Ewert combined her curiosity surrounding high performing athletes with her love for psychology and used it to blaze a trail in the field of sports counseling. Finding virtually no schools in the countryContinue reading "14. Give athletes’ performance an assist as a sports counselor"

Do you have the grit to be a cut above the rest? Enjoy flexibility and control your professional destiny as a stylist or a salon owner. Insider Kori Schell turned her artistic tendencies into a career as a hair stylist and makeup artist.  Now the co-owner of a salon, Kori reflects on what actions andContinue reading "13. Add color and brighten days as a professional hair stylist"

High levels of responsibility and autonomy are hallmarks of this job which involves helping customers build their most valuable financial asset. Insider Austin Ellis took a recommendation from his mother to explore the field of new home sales and 20 years later has constructed a meaningful and lasting career. He turned his genuine concern forContinue reading "12. Build a career with big impact as a new home sales consultant"

Explore a career in recruiting that could give you uncapped earnings and schedule flexibility.    Insider Kevin Clemens stumbled into agency recruiting nearly two decades ago.  Since then, he has combined a competitive drive and exceptional work ethic with a genuine passion for understanding and helping people with their career pursuits to find professional fulfillment. Continue reading "11. Competitive and love people? Headhunting might be your thing"

Does balancing a budget, managing people and handling customer relationships  sound fun? Insider Dan Maurer provides a different perspective on being a small business owner. It's not always about turning a skill or passion into a money-making venture and THEN learning the business aspects of the operation. Having a passion for managing the day-to-day aspectsContinue reading "10. Entrepreneurship is often simply about a passion for business ownership"