The Overnight Trainer Podcast

Ever wondered how a facilitator can transform an organization's culture? In today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast, I'm joined by the Founder of the School of Facilitatin, Kirsty Lewis as we unravel the art of facilitation in leadership. We're unpacking:

Have you been thinking about making a lateral move in your L&D career? In today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast, I help you look beyond job titles and identify if making a lateral move is the right decision for you! We're deep diving into all of the different considerations including:

Tired of sifting through advice to try and stand out in your L&D job search? In today's episode of The L&D Career Club I'm sharing FIVE ways you can start to create an intentional shift in your strategy to ACTUALLY stand out in your job search. We're talking practical steps you can apply today including:

  Ever wondered how the art of copywriting can revolutionize Learning & Development?

Ready to launch into your new L&D role in 2024 but are soooo over setting a SMART goal to do it? I've always been iffy on using SMART goals as a way to set career goals, and inside today's episode of The L&D Career Club, I'm giving you a whole new strategy to make sure you are creating goals you have power over achieving!

Are you ready to find, land, love, and THRIVE in the L&D career of your dreams in 2024?

  Are you still clinging to outdated career strategies as we move into 2024? In today's episode of The L&D Career Club, we are focusing on how to be 'out with the old' and 'in with the aligned' when it comes to finding and landing your dream L&D role in 2024. In our second-to-last episode of the year we cover:

  Are You Harnessing the Power of Neuroscience in Your L&D Strategies? Ever pondered how understanding the brain can revolutionize learning and development?

Feeling the pressure in your job search? You're not alone. In our latest deep dive, we confront the all-too-common issue of desperation in the job hunt. Here's what we're unpacking:

  Ever felt like you're on a never-ending treadmill of job applications, getting nowhere?   In today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast, we're diving into the "Vicious Application Cycle" and how to break free for a more fulfilling career path. Join us as we explore:

In our latest episode, I sit down with the incredible Matthew Daniel, a luminary in talent strategy and career development at Guild, to unpack his rich journey within L&D. Here's what you'll gain from tuning in: 1️⃣ Career Trajectory Insights: Discover Matthew's evolution from retail assistant to a champion of career mobility, and get inspired by the strategic pivots that can lead to personal growth and professional achievement. 2️⃣ Navigating Career Mobility: Learn about the multifaceted nature of career mobility and how it extends beyond individual effort into systemic change within organizations. A must-listen for anyone facing or facilitating career transitions! 3️⃣ Building Durable Skills: Matthew sheds light on the importance of cultivating skills that withstand the test of time, offering a guide to balancing the development of both perishable and durable competencies in a fast-evolving landscape. 4️⃣ Strategy Alignment for L&D Professionals: Gain insights on aligning employee skills development with business needs, ensuring that learning outcomes translate into career advancement and organizational growth. Matthew's wisdom is a treasure trove for any L&D professional looking to scale new heights

In this solo episode of the L&D Career Club Podcast, I'm getting personal about the career change conundrum. We're all about upgrading our skills and pivoting our paths, but what about our mindset? Join me as I unpack my playful yet practical four-part process to reprogramming the way we think about career transitions in the L&D world. What's in store for you? Let's break it down: Recommit: Before we chase those shiny goals, let's set our intentions. I'll talk about how to align your inner compass with your career aspirations. Reprioritize: We'll chat about how to juggle the art of habit-building with the joy of hobbies. Get ready to craft a life where your job doesn't overshadow your joy! Rewire: Time to switch up the self-talk soundtrack! I'm sharing my favorite self-coaching techniques to help you dance away from those negative noodlings and towards a mindset that serves you. Reconnect: Because at the end of the day, it's all about self-love, folks! I'll share my secrets on falling in love with your professional journey, all over again. It's time to get intentional, sustainable, positive, and connected. Let's get our minds in gear for the great L&D leap forward!

Dive into this week's L&D Career Club Podcast episode as we sit down with the incredible Dr. Keith Keating! From dropping out of high school to ascending the ranks as a Chief Learning Officer, Keith's story is nothing short of inspirational. Together with our host Sarah, they dive into the world of learning and development, exchanging personal tales, and offering golden nuggets of wisdom.

Do you have a specific idea about what "type" of boss you want next? Are you finding yourself thinking about the last great boss you had and wanting your next boss to fill those shoes? If so...I invite you to rethink what you know about the best boss for you on today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast! Today we're talking about one of my favorite topics -- boss shopping! I'm covering: The 4 "types" of bosses (and yes, I'm using boss not leader because this episode isn't about leadership styles) Questions to ask in an interview with a hiring manager to identify if this person is the best boss for you Why putting a previous a boss you had on a pedestal can cloud your judgement when shopping for your next boss How to start rethinking what you've known about what makes for a good (or bad) boss After listening to today's episode, I'd love to know if your idea of what your next boss should be like has changed at all!  Ready to find, land, and love your dream L&D role? Join The L&D Career Club Here: https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/products/communities/the-l-and-d-career-club  

Honestly...I'm sick and tired of reading posts on here that say "The only way to land a new job is to____." Repeat after me...there is no one "RIGHT" way to land your next role, and if your strategy is nothing more than a Frankenstein approach of piecemeal advice from dozens of other people, today's L&D Career Club Podcast episode is for you! Today I dive into: 4️⃣ The 4 areas to look at when assessing your own L&D career transition strategy

Get ready to set fire

Have you ever hopped on a networking call and completely froze when asked "so, tell me about yourself?" Do you blank in a group setting when everyone's going around and introducing themselves quickly and you don't know what to say to stand out? Does your elevator pitch end with something along the lines of "sooooo yeah...that's me?" If ANY (or all) of those rang true for you, today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast is just what you need to kiss those elevator pitch fears goodbye!

If you've been treating your L&D network like Supermarket Sweep -- aka just adding connections left and right trying to play the quantity game, I invite you to put down the giant cheese wheel and start setting some networking goals to build an L&D network that *actually* works for you!  In today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast, I share:

Raise your hand if your job search strategy is feeling more chaotic than aligned these days.

Is your L&D resume due for a little makeover? If it's not helping you land the interviews you want, it may be time for a resume glow up, and in this episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast, I'm sharing a few tips you can use TODAY to give your resume a mini-audit.  In this episode I'm peeling back the curtain and sharing:

WOW! What an epic week full of L&D career building, knowledge sharing, and community. Today, I'm sharing my top 5 personal takeaways from L&D Career Summer Camp and how I'll be implementing them in the coming weeks!   Join the L&D Career Club: https://www.theovernighttrainer.com/ldcc

If you've ever wondered how to find (or become) a mentor in the L&D field, look no further than the mentor of all mentors, Chris Skees! Chris is a Learning Product Manager at Cisco Meraki, and also just so happens to be our in-house mentor for The L&D Career Club.

Oooooh, someone help me off this soap box because today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast is

Screener calls? Hiring Manager interview? Panels? Presentations? Meeting with the VP? ... Interviewing for that next L&D role can be INTENSE!  But don't worry, I've got a strategy to help you cut your prep time by 90% and I'm sharing part of it in today's L&D Career Club Podcast episode! I'm taking you on an interview adventure and walking you through:

Do you spend hours (or even DAYS) preparing for each of your L&D interviews, only for your interviews to come to a screeching halt when you get asked a question you didn't prepare for? Do you feel like your elevator pitch shares more about what you've done as a team, rather than your own personal accomplishments? Do you get "imposter moments" in the middle of an interview and don't know how to get yourself back into confidence-mode? Do you feel like you're asking "the right" questions but not getting any more clarity on the role, organization, or expectations? If you answered "YES" to any of those...today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast is designed for YOU! We dive into how to show up as your most authentic self and NAIL the interview as well as: ✨ How to prepare effectively and efficiently ✨ What your elevator pitch should (and shouldn't) focus on ✨ What questions you should never leave an interview without asking ✨ How to prepare for an interview project ✨ Why confidence is your biggest competitive advantage   And if you're ready to say ✌️ out to outdated ways of preparing and showing up for interviews, Ace The L&D Interview LIVE is kicking off for the first time EVER next week! In this two-week program you'll walk away with a personalized interview strategy that will save you TIME and lead to you to crossing the finish line and FINALLY landing your dream L&D job

Raise your hand if you've only ever thought about making a new L&D career move once you've hit the point of TOTAL unhappiness?

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of creating your personal brand on LinkedIn, today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast will give you THREE tips you can apply RIGHT NOW to boost your brand! In today's episode you get actionable tips regarding: ✨ Your LinkedIn headline and how to optimize it ✨ What words you should remove from your profile like, right now ✨ What type of content to create to really get some traction towards your career goals ✨ How to use your LinkedIn profile like a 'landing' page And if you're ready to really take your L&D personal brand to the next level, we'll be deep diving into how to create a personal brand on LinkedIn that drives momentum to your L&D career inside of the 3-week series UPLEVEL YOUR L&D PERSONAL BRAND and we START TODAY!!! You'll walk away with…

If you are a jobseeker AND heading to the Association for Talent Development Conference next week, this week's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast will take the overwhelm out of how to prepare and get the most out of the conference!

In April, I did an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on LinkedIn, and the questions were SO juicy

The number one question I get in my DMs is this: "I'm ready for my next role in L&D...where should I start?!" In today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast, I break down the 4 steps EVERYONE should be going through when you feel ready to take that leap! And this episode isn't just for people transitioning into L&D for the first time. Whether you are:

Ready to get 90% of your time back when it comes to finding, applying, and landing your dream L&D role? In today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast, I break down EXACTLY how to use your L&D niche to streamline your entire career transition process. Job searching should never be a second full time job, and when done right (aka aligned and intentional), you will gain back SO MUCH TIME. What would you do if you were given 90% of your job searching time back?  If you're ready to get that time back, Nail Your L&D Niche LIVE Workshop Series kicks off on Monday 5/8 and you can still grab the presale price of $555 until 5/1.  You will walk away from this program knowing EXACTLY what the right role, at the right company looks like for you, and have a clear plan to get there, on YOUR timeline. P.S. This live program is FREE inside of the L&D Career Club! Doors are open if you want to get an all-access pass to ALL live programs and courses for the next 6 months. Links to register for Nail Your L&D Nicke LIVE & The L&D Career Club are in my profile!   LDCC: https://www.theovernighttrainer.com/ldcc Events & Programs: https://www.theovernighttrainer.com/events  

Wondering how to become a CLO? Whether you that's your long-term goal or next career move, David James, Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning joined The L&D Career Club Podcast this week to chat all about what it takes to advance to the highest levels of learning leadership! In today's episode, David drops alllll the L&D leadership bombs and shares:

Are you spending your time focusing on what L&D hiring managers *really* look for when it comes to adding talent on their team?

Do you actually need to upskill, or do you just need to familiarize yourself with a nuance of a particular skill? Today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast will help you answer that question! This short but sweet episode covers: ⬆️ Questions to ask yourself to identify the skills you already have ⬆️ How to approach finding a gap in a specific skill development  ⬆️ Thinking about if this is a skill you need to learn before you apply, before you start, or on the job If you're wanting support in creating your own L&D Professional Development Plan, we're kicking off a 3-day workshop series next week where you'll walk away knowing what you need to level-up in to land your dream L&D role! LINK TO JOIN: https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/courses/l-d-career-personal-development-plan-workshop-series

Ready to take the next leap in your L&D career as a leader, but not quite sure where to start? On today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast, Ross Stevenson joins us to share his journey from being a video game designer to leading a global L&D team and strategy (and everything in between)! Ross also shares his thoughts on: How he knew he was ready for each of his next roles, and how he prepared Why mentorship was one of the foremost keys to developing his career The adjustment period when someone goes from being an L&D individual contributor to a people leader The skills modern L&D professionals need to focus on developing to stay competitive in the workforce If you're not already connected with Ross, give him a follow on LinkedIn and be sure to subscribe to his newsletter, Steal These Thoughts! P.S. In the beginning of this episiode I announce TWO major updates, including a BRAND NEW version of the Nail Your Niche course, and a BRAND NEW Cover Letter Magic module inside of the L&D Resume Reprogram course! To celebrate these UPGRADES, both courses are on sale for 20% off through the end of the week! Use code UPGRADE20 at checkout!

If you've been feeling super stuck in your L&D career transition, and want to hit the reset button, today's L&D Career Club Podcast episode will give you a 4-week outline to successfully land your dream L&D role in 30 days. In this episode, I walk you through step-by-step of my 30-day challenge process including: ⭐️ What you need to focus on at the same time, versus spend independent time doing ⭐️ Where most people go wrong in slowing down their career transition ⭐️ Why it's less important to focus on ADDING to your process than it is to STREAMLINE it We're also getting ready to kick of TWO programs this week: 1️⃣ The L&D Career Transition Success Codes Masterclass (March 21st) - In here we are going to dive deep deep deep into auditing your L&D career transition, and give you strategies to build actionable momentum and get unstuck. You'll also leave with a L&D Career Transition Audit checklist! https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/courses/l-d-career-transition-success-codes-masterclass-live 2️⃣ The Sprint - 30 Day L&D Career Transition Challenge (Starting March 23rd) - IT'S BAAAAAACK! I ran this challenge last year and HOLY MACARONI the number of people who landed roles from it was amazing. You'll get 30 days of targeted exercises and LIVE DAILY support from me, all designed to help you land your dream L&D role, and complete in less than hour per day. This is on presale right now and the price will go up TOMORROW! https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/courses/the-sprint Both of these programs can be purchased on their own, OR come FREEEEE inside of The L&D Career Club Membership! https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/courses/l-d-career-transition-success-codes-masterclass-live

If you've ever thought "nothing is working" when it comes to your L&D career transition, today's episode of The L&D Career Club Podcast was made for YOU! Today I deep dive into the 3 main categories to look at when you are feeling stuck in your L&D career transition. Some key takeaways you'll have from this episode includes: Where you may be going wrong when it comes to the roles you're choosing to apply to How to audit your network and be an active participant in it What your personal brand needs to reflect in order to give you momentum in your career transition Would love to know from you - where do you feel most "stuck" when it comes to your career transition? ⬇️ Let me know and I'll tell you where you need to focus your audit! P.S. I also reveal the L&D Career Club program calendar for March-August inside of today's episode, including TWO programs kicking off THIS MONTH: 1️⃣ The L&D Career Transition Success Codes Masterclass (On March 21st - and possibly a multi day class) In here we are going to dive deep deep deep into auditing your L&D career transition, and give you strategies to build actionable momentum and get unstuck. https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/courses/l-d-career-transition-success-codes-masterclass-live 2️⃣ The Sprint - 30 Day L&D Career Transition Challenge (Starting March 23rd) - IT'S BAAAAAACK! I ran this challenge last year and HOLY MACARONI the number of people who landed roles from it was amazing. You'll get 30 days of targeted exercises all designed to help you land your dream L&D role, and complete in less than hour per day. https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/courses/the-sprint Both of these programs can be purchased on their own, OR come FREEEEE inside of The L&D Career Club Membership! You can still use code FOUNDER20 for 20% a founding membership between now and 3/20/23! https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/products/communities/the-l-and-d-career-club

Today's episode of The Overnight Trainer Podcast is the 100TH episode, and it's  going to be the last one... WITH THIS NAME!

What does motherhood and mental health have to do with creating engaging employee development programs? If you ask Meredith Fish, the answer is EVERYTHING. In today's episode of The Overnight Trainer Podcast, VP of People and Culture at Workramp Meredith Fish and I dive deep into all things motherhood and mental health, and what that means for us who create L&D programming. With her 19+ years of experience in L&D, as well as being a superhero mama, Meredith answers questions such as: Where do you see L&D's role in creating a strong, inclusive employee culture? Why is it so important for learners (and those creating learning) to fail? How did focusing on your mental health impact your career AND your parenting? What can L&D do to support mental health in the workplace?   Make sure to connect with Meredith and follow Workramp: https://www.workramp.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/workramp/ https://go.workramp.com/podcast/request-a-demo   This is also the LAST WEEK to register for FAST TRACK before it retires for good! https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/bundles/fasttrack

If you've ever thought that having a "non traditional" background will get in the way of a successful career in Talent Development, let me introduce you to my friend Al Dea who is here to prove y'all WRONG! Today on The Overnight Trainer Podcast, I'm joined by Al, speaker, researcher, consultant and Founder of Betterwork Labs, a talent consulting & leadership development firm focused on helping leaders create organizations where their people can thrive. Al and I deep dive into the PAST and talk alllll about his "non traditional" path to L&D, and when we quantum leap into the FUTURE and chat all things future of work, and future of L&D. Al and I will also be at next week's Talent Development Think Tank Conference with Andy Storch, so if you want a double dose of us IRL, come hang in Sonoma! Alsoooo, it's LAST CALL for the BuiLD Your L&D Network 4-week group coaching program! We kick off tomorrow!  Connect with Al: https://open.spotify.com/show/3zPq2Q00gcbHCPujpaoFmr https://www.linkedin.com/in/aldea1/ https://alsnewsletter.substack.com/   Work with me: FAST TRACK: https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/bundles/fasttrack BuiLD Your L&D Network: https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/courses/build-your-l-d-network TDTT Conference: https://sarahcannistra--tdf.thrivecart.com/think-tank-ticket-feb-2023/

Ever feel like you're throwing spaghetti

I'm going to let you in on the best kept secret when it comes to your strategy for finding and landing your dream L&D role... Strategy is only going to be 10% of your success.  The other 90%? Your mindset. In today's episode I uncover 7 mindset shifts that will change the way you look at how you're approaching your L&D career transition. If you've ever thought:

It seems like we can't go one day without hearing about layoffs these days, and it may have you wondering what that means for you if you're in the midst of a career transition. In today's episode of The Overnight Trainer, I share my thoughts on the layoffs and what this means for L&D. (And it may not be what you think...) I really hope this episode gives you perspective from someone who A) is personally experiencing the impacts of having a partner who was just laid off and B) has clients who are landing epic interviews and dream roles weekly. I also referenced this statement from Zapier, which aligns very closely with what I see as a trend in terms of where L&D will be providing value: https://zapier.com/blog/secondments-at-zapier/

As TD and L&D professionals, we dedicate our careers to the development of other people, so they can grow in THEIR careers... But how are we pouring back into ourselves? In today's episode of The Overnight Trainer Podcast, I chat with Podcast Host, Speaker, Author, Coach & Consultant, Andy Storch, on how we as TD & L&D profressionals can start to OWN our careers, and our lives! Some of the questions I asked Andy include: What does it really mean for someone to "own" their career AND life? Why is having a community of other TD professionals is so important to owning your own career? What do you think separates GOOD L&D/TD practitioners from GREAT ones? Where do you think new and existing TD professionals should focus their development?   We also talked about the unparalled TDTT Conference Andy is hosting next month in Sonoma, CA (where I'll be walking you through how to create a blueprint for your L&D career)!    Join us at the conference here: https://tdtt.us/conference/?affiliate=sarahcannistra Connect with Andy here: https://www.instagram.com/andy_storch/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ http://andystorch.com/

When it comes to finding, landing, and loving your new L&D role, do you have a strategy to get there? And by strategy, I don't mean what other random people have told you you should, or should not, be doing. I mean a PROVEN strategy that's aligned with YOUR skills, interests, experiences, and values? In today's episode of The Overnight Trainer, I'm breaking down my 4 part process to create an L&D Career Blueprint that will *actually* help you find, land, and love your next L&D role. On your timeline. And based on YOUR skills, interests, experiences, and values. If you're looking to dive deep and put your Blueprint together with my help, the L&D Career Blueprint Masterclass is going down next Tuesday, 1/17 at 6pm EST! Grab your spot here: https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/courses/l-d-career-blueprint Or go all in inside of FAST TRACK: https://theovernighttrainer.thinkific.com/bundles/fasttrack

If your goal in 2023 is to take the next step in becoming a leader, or developing them, today's episode of The Overnight Trainer Podcast is for you! I'm joined by the one and only Lindsey Leigh Hobson, leader, speaker, life coach and founder of the Learning and Development Collective, and she gives us the inside scoop on how to become and develop emerging leaders. A few of the topics we cover include:

The holidays often give us time and space for reflection and gratitude, and this year was the best year yet for my clients!

Ready to make 2023 YOUR year when it comes to landing your dream L&D role? In today's episode I'm walking you through the 3-step process my clients go through BEFORE getting started on their journey to make sure you are set up for success in 2023. L&D Career Transition Action Planner: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a10b4a49ad46f529603c1e Let's work together: https://www.theovernighttrainer.com/programs L&D Business School Waitlist: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63190050b62cbe7a648d95ee L&D Social Club Waitlist: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6318fd3ab62cbe7a648d95e3

Want to know what I think is in store for L&D careers come 2023? Well I got out my crystal ball from Halloween and made 5 BIG predictions in today's episode of The Overnight Trainer Podcast! Some of my predictions include:

Did you know that I had NO technical L&D experience when I landed my first role over a decade ago? I didn't even know what "Instructional Design" was - nor had I ever even heard of it! In today's episode, I break down my L&D career transition, and walk through how I went from a college dropout working three jobs to a Director of L&D in just a handful of years. If you get anything out of today's episode, I want it to be this: Everyone's journey is different, because we are all different.