Career Through Ear – Why Podcast Listening is a Must

Why are podcasts just so great for developing one’s career? Which ones are favourites for me? And how can you learn from them? These are a few questions that I hope can be answered below.

A few months ago I came across an article that suggested that one way to further career development and a popular media form was listening to podcasts. I now totally understand why this is said - podcasts are the way forward for learning (and taking a break) but are even more fundamental when used to enhance employability.

So why are they great?

As someone who is first and foremost a reading and writing learner within the VARK learning styles, the aural also appears to be within me through my new love of podcasts. To find out what the VARK is and what yours is go to http://vark-learn.com.

Podcasts can be both inspiring as well as entertaining. Although I listen to podcasters from both the UK and the US, the UK ones always seem to be ones I go back to listen to more often. It may be because they are sometimes more relevant or that the humour in them is more understandable but at the end of the day the learning and fun you get out of them is more important than the geography of where the hosts come from.

In its medium form, most of the podcasts I listen to are usually made by independent companies rather than big conglomerates. That isn't to say all of them are - I'll happily re-listen to a show from BBC radio stations via its podcast or a podcast that comes from TED, Buffer or Harvard Business Review. However, as Edith Bowman argued in an interview on her podcast on Saturday Kitchen Live, those that are from independent broadcasters do have more freedom with what they discuss in episodes.

So, onto some of my much loved podcasts!

Some of my favourites reviewed

Amazing If's Squiggly Careers with Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis

This was the first ever careers development podcast I ever listened to way back in the Autumn of last year and is still one of my all-time favourites. Helen and Sarah give both amazing advice backed by their own experiences of having 'squiggly careers' on how to control your own career. They also always suggest great tools and resources which has led me to discover other brilliant podcasts, books, websites and videos that I now use to further my career. As well as the weekly podcast episodes, I also watch Helen’s daily tip videos that gives further insight. It's a podcast that I recommend to everyone!

Main things I have learnt when listening to this podcast – to not use the words ‘just’ and ‘but’, to know what your career must-haves are, to stay curious, that careers are squiggly!

The Goal Digger Podcast with Jenna Kutcher

Although heavily for an American audience with Jenna being from Wisconsin, I started listening to her episodes because I related to her obsession with marketing. Describing it as a 'live-workshop' that is ‘for creative girlbosses’, Jenna’s fun, conversational style tips and interviews are such a joy to listen to. Her knowledge of social media and branding is second to none. The show notes are written as blog posts so if I miss anything I can always go back and find anything I’ve missed. Jenna also introduced me to what is known as the Enneagram test which I find REALLY interesting (I’m a 6 or The Loyalist) as well as being such a help to listen to when curating my brand and website.

Main things I have learnt when listening to this podcast – that work needs to be fun, to know why I want to do what I want to do, to know the audience of each social media platform and tailor my content to each and show rather than sell!

The Graduate Job Podcast with James Curran

Another of my favourite podcasts, this one takes the form of interviews conducted by James with leading career experts that give brilliant advice for graduates who are looking for jobs. The advice ranges from how to use social media in your job search to how to get a job in a particular industry or profession. I’ve learnt a HELL of a lot from listening to many of the episodes but also absolutely love the quirkiness of how James always ends the interview – he asks the expert what book they think graduates should read, what website graduates should research and their number one top tip. This gives you plenty of resources on top of all the great advice.

Main things I have learnt when listening to this podcast – that the three main elements of job hunting are passion, networking and practice, to use the word ‘because’ when talking about myself, to accept that being nervous is normal and that reality is always different to ones assumptions.

The CV Confidence Coach with Liz McGuire

This I’ve had on my list of podcasts to listen to for a while but have only recently started listening to it since April/May. Liz focuses on helping people with their curricula vitals, cover letters and other application tool skills. Specific episodes that have helped me are the ones focused on LinkedIn and cover letters – they have helped me to write better and more concise profiles of myself. It has also helped me to recreate my CV into something that is more personable. The episodes are nice and short – Liz always gets to the point but also just seems to be an all-round lovely woman.

Main things I have learnt when listening to this podcast – that people are more likely to be online on Twitter than LinkedIn, to use more call to actions, to write to someone and not just anyone, to create a personalised email signature and to write a blog.

Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat with Bruce Daisley

A recommendation from an informational interviewee, Bruce’s insightfulness on internal corporate culture is thought-provoking and inspirational. The podcast is ‘about making work better’ and is a sort-of companion to Bruce’s book ‘The Joy of Work’. Through interviews with mediators, psychologists and neuroscientists, Bruce gets to the heart of the culture of workplaces and how companies can better engage with their employees. As I said in a recent LinkedIn post, this podcast has been really helpful for me recently in my new found liking for internal communication.

Main things I have learnt when listening to this podcast – that I need to think about how I respond to questions about myself, that I should take chances more often, that I should abandon weak digital ties with people and (although learnt before) how cultural language can be.

How I listen to podcasts

I usually sit down with a notebook and pen with my IPhone and headphones to begin my listening session. I use the Apple Podcasts app to search for, subscribe to and download episodes. When searching for new things to expand my knowledge, I usually go to the ‘top shows’ list and then advance my search by selecting the Business topic. I then usually listen to one episode in full before deciding whether to subscribe to the show or not. I then will research the hosts and see if the podcast has a website or social media accounts.

When listening to a career developing podcast episode, I always take notes in my notebook or on my phone if I’m on the move. I write down any useful advice that is said (if I want to write a sentence or phrase word for word then I use the ten second rewind button to go back), any resources that I think might be good to look at (book or website or podcast) and, if an interview or discussion, then anything important the host AND the guests have said. Sometimes I write a lot and sometimes I write a little, but I always learn something new.

Last words

I hope that this post has inspired those of you who have never listened to a podcast to give it a go and that some of you might start using this medium as a way of developing your own careers, work or businesses. If you need any more recommendations of business/career podcasts to listen to or have some for me which you think I might be interested in then please get in touch. What are your favourite podcasts? Let me know!

Beth x