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Upskilling: How to Improve Career Development in Your Organization as an L&D Manager and HR

Posted on by by Mariia Shevchenko, CEO at Amy

Career advancement is driven by skills development. Employees build their expertise, take on new responsibilities, and stay engaged in their roles. Regular learning and upskilling is a win-win for individual growth and organizational success:

  • Employees with the right skills feel confident to face challenges, pursue leadership opportunities, and contribute more effectively to their team. They have a clear path forward.
  • For organizations, promoting a skills development culture boosts employee satisfaction, productivity, and long-term retention. By integrating career development into the company’s learning and development strategy, businesses prepare workers for today’s and tomorrow’s demands. 

This guide will give you actionable strategies to enhance employee career development and focus on how skill improvement can impact employee satisfaction and company success.

Why are career development initiatives so important?

Career advancement is a key motivator for employees, and the absence of growth opportunities is one of the primary reasons people switch jobs. Employees remain loyal to their current employers if provided with learning and development support. 

To retain top talent and build a thriving workforce, companies must empower employees to take control of their career growth, actively act on their feedback, and offer clear, structured roadmaps for career advancement. Well-defined career development within your organization is a strategic necessity in a competitive business environment. Career development translates to:

  • Higher retention rates
  • Increased productivity
  • More engaged teams for organizations 

As an HR or Learning & Development manager, you are central to shaping these opportunities with upskilling programs.

What does upskilling mean?

Upskilling is about learning additional skills to enhance job performance and be ready for new challenges. Upskilling equips employees with the mastery needed for the organization’s current and future success, bridging the gap between existing capabilities and organizational demands. 

Benefits of upskilling programs

  • Career progression. Employees advance within their current roles or explore new positions within the organization when they unlock their full potential and have the right skills. They aim for career growth and personal development. Cultivating a culture of continuous learning helps employees see the company’s commitment to growth, and they are more likely to take the initiative in their development, driving innovation.
  • Ability to adapt to change. As industries change, the workforce needs to keep up to stay relevant in a world that is getting more automated. Teams that constantly build new skills can adapt better when the market shifts. Companies with skilled, flexible employees are ready to handle unexpected challenges, remaining strong and competitive. This says that upskilling isn’t just about making employees more experienced at their jobs. A solid upskilling program helps create a workforce that quickly adjusts to trends, reducing the impact of sudden industry changes.
  • Increased job satisfaction. With better skills, employees can tackle tougher tasks, make the most of cutting-edge technologies, and simply feel happy by trying something new. This not only allows them to perform better but also brings big benefits to organization development, such as enhanced retention and employer brand strengthening. 

Upskilling helps companies adapt to changing market conditions, retain top talent, and build a more resilient workforce. By prioritizing and investing in employee learning and development, companies set the stage for long-term success.

Common mistakes of upskilling programs

Upskilling programs sometimes fail to meet expectations. Recognizing common barriers can lead to more effective HR strategies and L&D strategies that drive employee growth. 

  • Upskilling shouldn’t stand alone. It must connect with performance management and career development. When aligned, employees see how new skills advance their careers and fit organizational goals. Disconnected efforts leave them uncertain about their growth path. Poor integration with daily work, lack of personalized learning plans, and inadequate tracking can slow down or cause upskilling programs to fail. Addressing these issues ensures that initiatives achieve their goals.
    Amy human potential platform ties employee needs to business ones with customized self-assessments, ensuring every L&D investment delivers measurable returns.
  • Upskilling requires regular feedback. Without follow-up, employees might not fully integrate new knowledge, leading to weak outcomes. They might lose interest. Strong support from a manager reinforces learning and ensures development program success. Our platform helps you track progress through regular reports and check-ins to ensure employees are staying on course. With dashboards, data analysis, and ongoing feedback, we adjust goals and improve results.
  • Upskilling works better with support. Ongoing coaching is crucial for the process of defining and gaining skills. Amy human potential platform offers 1:1 coaching with experts based on your needs to support employees on their way. 

Overcoming these challenges requires a strategic approach. Upskilling should be integrated with business goals, supported by mentorship, and involve regular feedback. Personalized learning paths and real-time assessments are essential. As a result, companies can build skilled, motivated, and adaptable teams. Investing in upskilling is investing in your company’s future.

employee sitting at the table and upskilling

How organizations can upskill employees to enhance career development

  1. Assess skill gaps and priorities. Identify the critical skills your organization needs by conducting a skill gap analysis. Evaluate current abilities and future demands to ensure your upskilling efforts address focus areas. Set KPIs to measure the success of the upskilling program.
    Help your employees assess their skills if they are stuck. Use career coaching tools like the ones Amy offers—the Skill Development Plan and Skills Gap Analysis self-assessments to create a skills development plan, define gaps, and bridge them through courses and training programs.
  2. Create personalized development plans. Map skills to an employee’s career plan and develop training initiatives that target the specific skill gaps identified. Understand your employees’ career goals and align them with company objectives through tailored development plans. This ensures resources are directed effectively and supports individual growth. To provide a well-rounded perspective, incorporate various learning methods, including online courses, mentorship opportunities, or in-house workshops.
    Lengthy training programs without clear milestones can leave employees feeling frustrated. Companies should establish a clear progression path with defined performance metrics to prevent this. Employees can better understand their development journey if you outline the required competencies for various job levels.
  3. Provide resources, like access to training materials and software. While coaching is an impactful way to close skill gaps, boost confidence, and unlock potential, it’s just one of many valuable strategies and methods: e-learning, on-the-job learning, instructor-led training, gamification, and others.
    Use microlearning bite-sized modules to fit knowledge building into a busy schedule. Offer mentoring or internal subject matter experts for support. Create career opportunities for employees to work on projects outside their roles. Promote internal mobility to fill temporary roles. Looking at different areas of the business helps employees develop a broader skill set and understand how various functions work together.
  4. Allocate time for learning. Dedicate work hours to skill development, making it easier for employees to focus on learning without intruding on personal time. Dynamic learning options, like microlearning, can enhance engagement and flexibility.
  5. Provide regular feedback and career conversations. Train managers to have ongoing career development discussions. Use performance reviews to set development goals (skills including) and review progress. Regular feedback helps employees understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
  6. Measure the progress and adjust the process. Track employee development, gather feedback, and assess how upskilling initiatives enhance individual performance and overall organizational success. Regularly adjust your upskilling strategy based on feedback and shifting business priorities. Keep a pulse on emerging skills and trends to ensure your organization remains flexible and well-prepared for market changes. 

ROI, or how to measure career development initiatives

To measure upskilling program outcomes, here are some metrics to track:

  1. Employee retention rates. Monitor whether employees stay longer after implementing development programs.
  2. Promotion rates. Track the number of promotions as a result of skill development initiatives.
  3. Employee satisfaction scores. Use surveys to rate employee satisfaction with career development opportunities.
  4. Business performance metrics. Assess whether improved skills lead to better business outcomes, such as increased sales or customer satisfaction.

Upskilling delivers a strong return on investment (ROI) by creating a culture focused on constant improvement and building an agile and resilient workforce. While the costs in time and resources may seem steep at first, the long-term benefits—improved performance and higher retention—far exceed these initial investments. In the end, upskilling isn’t just an expense. It’s a contribution to the future success. 

Invest in your people with Amy

Companies that prioritize employee development see productivity increases, higher engagement, and lower turnover. This means that improving career development in your organization will pay off in employee loyalty and performance. Plus, retaining talent cuts recruitment costs as the cost of upskilling is smaller than the cost of hiring new people, shortens onboarding, and builds stronger teams. By nurturing a culture of development, you equip your employees with the tools they need to grow—and your organization with the agility to thrive in a competitive market. 

Amy can assist you on your way to defining KPIs, establishing goals for team members, monitoring progress, and supporting development initiatives that align with overall business objectives. Start working toward employees’ career development today. 

How Skills Development Can Help Your Career Growth

Posted on by by Nataliya Melnyk, Marketer at Amy

Skills power your career. They are what keep you moving forward to new opportunities. Think of skills as the fuel that runs the engine of career goals, driving you along the career path. Without them, you can’t get far. And the better you build skills, the further you can go. Keeping your skills sharp is essential to get promoted or stay relevant in a field. 

This guide will explain why skills matter and how to develop them effectively. 

Why skills matter

Today, professionals and leaders must adopt a growth mindset—an open, proactive approach to learning and evolving. This means consistently improving your skills and staying on top of industry trends. By committing to upskilling, you are not just keeping up but staying ahead. Without the right skills, you might find yourself stuck or moving slowly. With the right skills, you are accelerating in:

  1. Adaptability. The job market is constantly shifting, and so are the priorities of employers. More than ever, companies seek candidates with specialized skills tailored to their unique needs. The days when general skills could catch an employer’s eye are fading. By mastering the sought-after, industry-specific skills, you stand out as the best fit for your current or desired role.
  2. Value as a professional. To give yourself a competitive edge, identify what is in demand. Then, invest your time and energy in developing those areas. By focusing on the skills that matter most, you will not only enhance your career prospects but also position yourself as a valuable asset in an organization or in the labor market.
  3. Career advancement. Skills are the cornerstone of a successful career. They help you perform your job efficiently. But the real magic happens when you grow your skills—it can lead to a better salary, a leadership position, or the chance to take on thrilling projects. Skills development prepares you for future roles and opens doors to career opportunities you might not have considered. 

Consider the example of a mid-level software developer who had been stuck in their role for three years. Recognizing that many higher positions required knowledge of cloud computing, they decided to enroll in a cloud computing course, complete several projects, and earn a certification. Within four months, this proactive effort led to a promotion to a senior developer role with a significant pay raise.

Difference between upskilling, reskilling, and skills development

  • Upskilling means improving existing skills within your current role or industry to strengthen your expertise or take on new responsibilities with targeted training. An example is a UI/UX designer mastering a new advanced AI prototyping tool to work on more complex projects within their company.
  • Reskilling takes more radical action. It’s about building a new skill set for a role that entirely differs from your previous roles. Take an administrative assistant who becomes a project coordinator after training in project management methodologies. Another example can be an HR specialist transitioning into a Learning & Development (L&D) role by acquiring new skills in instructional design and e-learning technologies.
  • Skills development is a general, broader process of gaining new skills and improving existing ones. This approach refers to continuous learning and a wider range of skills across various areas. Imagine a marketing professional learning coding and data visualization to better analyze campaign performance and create interactive reports. While their primary role doesn’t require these technical skills, gaining them allows for more effective communication of data-driven insights. Another example for a marketer could be taking a project management course to deepen their organizational skills that serve well in various work environments. 

Transferable skills as a basis for expanding expertise

Transferable skills are the abilities and talents you can carry from one role to another, regardless of the industry. They are not limited to a single job but come in handy across different sectors. Basically, these are skills you can take with you wherever you go. Common examples are problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and time management skills, which are soft skills. Hard skills can apply as well. They make you adaptable to changes in case a career shift happens. 

How to identify your transferable skills?

  • Review past or current roles: what skills did you use or do you use that could apply to other roles?
  • Self-assessment tools: try career coaching services like the Amy human potential platform to help identify your core transferable skills.
  • Consider non-work experiences: skills gained from volunteering or hobbies can also be transferable.

Let’s review the success story of transferable skills—an English teacher transitioning to a tech writer. A teacher showcased their skills in English language, lesson planning, and mentoring. In addition, the ability to explain complex concepts clearly made them a perfect fit for a new role. 

Transferable skills can make you a strong candidate for promotions or new roles that require a broader skill set. Skills like tech skills—basic coding, data analysis, and digital marketing—are becoming valuable across many fields.

To sum up, seeking extra training in areas that complement your mastery can accelerate your path to career success. But how to figure out skill gaps?

employees upskilling

How to identify the right skills and map them to your career plan?

Before you start developing new skills, identify the ones that will have an impact on your career:

  1. Assess your current skills. Start by taking a good look at your hard and soft skills. Hard skills are the technical abilities you have picked up, while soft skills are things like teamwork and communication. The trick is finding out how these skills match the field you aim for. Ask yourself reflective questions. What skills do you use daily? Which ones are you comfortable with, and which ones need improvement? 
    Career coaching tools can be a big help here. For example, Amy Skill Development Plan and Skills Gap Analysis self-assessments can guide you in pinpointing what skills you have, what you are missing, and how to fill those gaps with courses or training programs.
  2. Look at job descriptions and industry trends to better define gaps in your skill set. If you have a specific role or promotion in mind, review the job descriptions for that position. What skills are repeatedly mentioned? What skills are you missing?
    Industry trends also support upskilling. Are there emerging skills or technologies becoming essential in your field?
    At this stage, don’t forget your transferable skills. By clearly connecting your experience—whether in a new domain or not—to your desired role, you can then focus on acquiring the additional skills needed.
  3. Seek feedback. Your colleagues or mentors might highlight talents you haven’t considered. You can ask a manager for a planned evaluation to spot skills together and map them to your career plan.
  4. Outline your upskilling strategy for learning. Look at various education and training opportunities to fill in your gaps. Once you have pinpointed the knowledge gaps, design a learning path to address them or ask your company’s HR or L&D specialist to assist. Decide which skills to tackle first, what will come next, and the best resources or platforms to acquire these skills.
  5. Map skills to a career plan. Summarize skill gaps for upskilling or reskilling by mapping them to your short-term and long-term career goals. Specify resources based on learning strategy and timing. Add educational and training options to close gaps. Outline a structured curriculum and expected results. Some companies provide access to career development programs or upskilling platforms. Ask your HR representative or your manager about any available offerings.

How to develop the skills mapped?

Skills for career development require actions. Here is how to build your skills:

  1. Follow your career plan and goals. Work towards your defined goals and measure your progress accordingly.
  2. Take professional development courses. Online platforms offer courses on many skills. Look for ones with good reviews and credible instructors. In addition, benefit from company training. Many companies have experts in different fields who train on specialized skill sets. Check with your manager about what your company offers and which courses fit best for your professional growth.
  3. Practice regularly. Skills are best built with practice. If you are learning a new tool, use it daily. If it’s public speaking, find opportunities to present at work. If you are someone who thrives with hands-on practice, dive into a project that lets you work on the skills you aim to develop. This can be an existing project at work or an initiative outside the office. This way, you will gradually build a portfolio showcasing your growing expertise.
  4. Find a mentor. A mentor can provide guidance as you look for relevant resources, share their experiences as they may already have the skills you are working on, and help you navigate challenges as you build new skills.
  5. Be active with networking. Networking with others in your field can expose you to new ideas and solutions.
  6. Analyze and improve. Reflect on what went well and what could be done differently for better results. 

Keep learning, keep growing—with Amy by your side

Your career is closely tied to your skills. By continuously improving them, you grow in your field, as enhanced skills make you a strong candidate for promotions and leadership positions. If you want to switch roles, learning the required skills for a new initiative can make the transition smoother.

Use Amy human potential platform to identify the skills that matter, commit to learning, and watch the career opportunities unfold. 

What is a Career Plan and How to Create One?

Posted on by by Nataliya Melnyk, Marketer at Amy

Have you ever had a goal that you were excited about but somehow never reached? We have all been there. Setting goals is the easy part. Achieving them? That is where many get stuck. The reason might not be a lack of effort but a lack of planning. Without a clear plan, goals often stay just like that: ideas in our heads. With a plan, you get structure by breaking big goals into small, actionable steps. You stay focused and resistant to distractions. You tackle challenges. 

If struggling with procrastination and missed chances seems familiar, think of a career plan. Yet another argument to create one is when you regularly underestimate what it takes to succeed. In the article, we will find out how to achieve a desired career path as an employee. As a manager, learn about your part in the article’s final section.

What is a career plan?

A career plan is a roadmap that outlines your professional goals with the steps to achieve them. To move forward with goals, you define a timeline and build up the right skills along the way. With a career plan, you know where to start, stay on track, and measure progress. 

Why a career plan is so important?

Mapped-out targets bring clarity, drive growth, and motivate by uncovering opportunities and skills needed down the line. Here, purpose and achievements are not only in mind, but they are visible.

5 steps to create a career plan

Reflections on current status and future career

1. Self-assessment

Asking yourself questions is present at every stage of creating a career plan, but the following are essential to begin with:

  • What are my life and work values, interests, and aspirations? What work format do I prefer? 
    Recommended assessment on the Amy human potential platform: Your Work Values and Your Life Values to go through core groups.
  • What are my strengths and weaknesses?
    Recommended assessment on the Amy human potential platform: Personal SWOT Analysis to clarify your talents and growth areas in addition to opportunities and threats for your role.

2. Goals

Set SMART career goals. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound:

  • Short-term: Learn a new tool relevant to your job in 2 months.  
  • Long-term: Transition to a managerial role within 5 years.  

The questions for you to outline aims are:

  • Where do I see myself in half a year or 1 year for short-term goals? In 5 years for long-term goals?
    Recommended assessment on the Amy human potential platform: Career Pathway Reflections to define a clear picture of where you want to be in 5 or 10 years from a career perspective. 
  • What resources do I need to achieve these goals?  

3. Research

Take a closer look at potential roles, projects, or industries that appeal to you and fit your goals. Dive into the specifics of various fields, discover emerging trends, and consider how different roles or projects can help you grow professionally. The more you explore, the clearer your career path will become. 

4. Skill development

Consider your expertise and identify skill gaps. 

  • What skills do I use most of all?
  • What skills do I wish to use more? What to gain? 
  • What skills do my desired roles require?  
  • How do my current skills compare?  
    Recommended assessment on the Amy human potential platform: Skills Gap Analysis and Skills Development Plan to review what capabilities you already own and what you expect. 
A picture of working on a career plan

Action plan

5. Mapping a career path

Mapping a career path is the final step in crafting a career plan and means not just knowing where you want to go but also understanding how to get there. You create a framework for action and long-term growth.

Sample of a career plan

Let’s take Mike, a software engineer, as an example of how goals can be divided into steps that fit aspirations.

  1. Break goals into actionable steps. Instead of aiming broadly for a senior role or a management position, focus on smaller, specific tasks that will lead you there.

Mike aims to become a senior software engineer, that’s why manageable pieces for his goal are:

  • Contribute to more complex projects within the team.
  • Mentor junior developers to build leadership capabilities.
  • Learn advanced skills like designing scalable systems.

For these steps, Mike needs to add:

  • Resources: Access to online courses on Coursera. Websites like LeetCode and Codewars for practicing coding challenges. Development environment: PyCharm, Git, and AWS. Guidance from a career coach, senior developers, or mentors to gain insights on skills improvement and career progression. 
  • Success criteria: Completing courses. Moving into a more senior role. Receiving positive feedback from managers on improved performance and leadership.
  • Barriers (if any): Balancing work and upskilling.
  1. Incorporate strengths, skills, and opportunities. Revisit the skills and opportunities you identified earlier. This is where you connect what you have with what you need. Focusing on building your skills while actively seeking opportunities ensures you are applying your learning.
  • List the skills you already have: Mike is proficient in Python and Celery.
  • Identify gaps: His target role requires cloud computing knowledge and leadership experience, so Mike makes those areas a priority.
  • Align your learning with real-world opportunities: Mike should enroll in an AWS certification program to build cloud expertise and volunteer to lead a small project within his current team.
  1. Create a timeline for your milestones. A timeline adds structure to your plan and helps you stay on track. Start by listing your goals and assigning realistic deadlines to each milestone. Review and update your plan when you face unexpected challenges and progress.

Mike’s timeline looks as follows:

  • Month 1–2: Learn FastAPI and build a small personal project.
  • Month 3–6: Contribute to an open-source project using FastAPI.
  • Month 7–12: Lead a small team project to showcase leadership skills.
  • Year 2: Apply for senior roles while continuing to grow in cloud computing knowledge.
A picture of career plan drafting

Evaluation to make your plan work for you

  • Use career mapping tools like progress charts to visualize your career path.
  • Share your plan with a manager, mentor, or a close person to hold you accountable.
  • Schedule regular check-ins to evaluate your progress.  
  • Be ready to tweak your plan as new opportunities arise.
  • Recognize your wins, big or small, to stay motivated. 

Common challenges and how to overcome them 

  • Lack of clarity: Use self-assessment tools or career coach guidance to sharpen your direction. Career coaching empowers you to get started on the right foot and gain confidence. With a career coach, you can create a solid career roadmap and overcome obstacles when hesitant. 
  • Fear of change: Start small with manageable steps, as big ones may feel overwhelming.
  • Balancing work and goals: Use time management techniques, such as blocking dedicated time for self-development.  
  • Stagnation: Seek new challenges or roles within your organization.  

How an HR and L&D manager can assist

  1. Use self-assessment surveys and platforms for employees, like the Amy human potential platform, to identify their career drivers.  
  2. Prepare Individual Development Plans (IDPs) that include short-term and long-term goals your employees target. Align employee’s goals with organizational objectives in the plan. 
  3. Map out career pathways and career ladders within departments based on employees’ desired roles and skills. Provide resources such as role transition guides, job shadowing, and rotational programs.
  4. Promote cross-departmental collaborations. Create mentoring programs and peer learning initiatives. Offer internal training programs and online courses. An L&D team might launch leadership training for mid-level managers aiming for executive roles.   
    Nearly 59% of employees claim they had no workplace training and that most of their skills were self-taught. 85% of employees want to choose training times that fit their schedule. That’s exactly what Amy offers—customized programs that cover microlearning for flexibility, tailored assessments for diverse needs, and on-demand support for teams.
  5. Schedule regular check-ins and annual career discussions. Use performance reviews to adjust career plans. Give constructive feedback to guide employees toward their goals. 
A picture of managers and career planning

If you face low employee engagement in career planning, you can introduce microlearning and career planning tools to boost participation. As an L&D manager, you might use data from learning platforms like Amy to suggest personalized learning paths for employees.

Turn goals into reality with Amy

Goals need structure to come to life. Otherwise, they often stay out of reach or in the ‘maybe someday’ pile. A defined, thorough career plan benefits both individuals and organizations. For employees, it provides clarity and purpose. For managers, it promotes a supportive environment where talent can thrive. While employees take ownership of their aspirations, HR and L&D managers give tools and resources to turn those aspirations into achievements.  

Start by reflecting on where you are now and where you want to be. The first step will set you on the path to big accomplishments. And Amy, as a human potential platform, is here for you to ease this path.

Career Types and Formats: From Nine-to-Five Jobs to Freelance Services

Posted on by by Nataliya Melnyk, Marketer at Amy

Careers vary in types, formats, and the lifestyle they support. A long-term role within one company, a job that spans different industries, or even a mix of two totally unrelated skills. Still, this is not the full list.

In a world with so many career paths, it is easy to get caught up in traditional routes and miss opportunities that could fit you better beyond the usual options. The career choices are limitless, and the article will guide you on paths, whether you are entering the job market or considering a career change.

Types: careers by professions and industries

By reviewing the core career types, you can uncover your true calling, avoid getting stuck in meaningless jobs, and ignite the spark of your interests.

  • Public sector careers with clear structures. These jobs stand for stable, secure environments like hospitals, schools, or governments with a path for progression that needs formal education and often years of experience to advance to senior levels. Traditional careers are fueled by commitment and human-focused impact, such as healthcare and social assistance that improve people’s lives, health, and well-being. 
  • Creative careers with the freedom to express yourself. These jobs, like writing or design, typically promote flexibility, original ventures, and fresh perspectives. 
  • Technology careers with fast-growing innovation, like data science and software development. Tech professionals are in demand in every industry because of digital advancement. These jobs offer secure, high salaries, remote schedules, and engaging tasks to tackle.
  • Academic and research careers with opportunities to contribute to specialized fields and be devoted to long-lasting learning. If you are driven by questions, exposed to discoveries, and pursue knowing more, you could take a closer look at research and academic roles.
  • Hands-on work, such as plumbing and mechanics, which is the best fit for specialists who prefer solving practical problems and working with their hands. Here, job availability depends on location. 
  • Mission-driven non-profit jobs that give a sense of purpose and align professional work with personal values. In addition to fulfillment, you get a supportive, people-oriented culture. 
  • Entrepreneur-based careers with independence and autonomy. Generally, business owners, freelancers, or consultants are self-motivated individuals with risk tolerance, focusing on managing their services to navigate market demands.
The example of career coaching process

Organization size: companies, firms, startups

Organization size determines responsibilities and the level of bureaucracy. A role in a corporation is shaped in other ways than a role in a small company. In most scenarios, large companies assign defined tasks around designated roles where you don’t need to cope with something outside your scope of work like legal or financial directions. For example, a marketing specialist in a corporation orients solely on content strategy, leaving a video production piece to a scriptwriter. Multiple layers of management take more time for decision-making, though. Still, they offer opportunities for promotions, performance reviews, and development programs linked to career growth over the long term.

Small companies prioritize a dynamic approach to adapt to changes quickly. Employees in small companies may deal with activities crossing into several departments. For example, a marketing specialist might handle content strategy, email campaigns, and social media. Startups are fast-paced environments with opportunities to scale up at lightning speed and take ownership, but sometimes, you may need to sacrifice supporting resources and time.

Formats: careers by direction

Some careers require niche skills tailored through experience in a particular area. Other careers—a broader range of skills applied in multiple contexts throughout industries. Mastering operational and leadership roles simultaneously is also a possible career scenario. What about career growth in these cases? Let’s figure out what vertical and horizontal careers are and if blending projects, as well as unrelated directions, can be within your reach. 

Vertical career growth

The vertical direction of career development means moving up a career ladder and a single field of expertise. You get promoted within one organization. Picture a consultant junior specialist in retail taking the role of project manager in retail in 4 years. 

Best fit for: A professional who sticks to a stable, clear path to advance their career, get a higher salary, and make linear progress. For those who aspire to leadership roles.

Horizontal career growth

The horizontal career growth does not always lead to a promotion or pay raise. A position grows in level, responsibility, or role over time, progressing from junior to middle, then senior. You move across fields. You deepen your skills and experience. Imagine a writer expanding their expertise from technical writing to copywriting. 

Best fit for: A professional who strives to broaden knowledge and flourish in various domains. For those valuing flexibility and cross-functional roles.

Unrelated career directions

Mixing different jobs builds a unique professional profile. You gain insights from many areas and cover your aspirations to the full extent. While embracing unrelated directions seems to be a rewarding experience, it takes effort to balance. 

If you have many interests and can’t imagine choosing between them, mixing careers might be the best way to be equally passionate about two or more. Take the example of an engineer at a mid-size company working as a project manager for a non-profit organization with initiatives that help create positive change.

Best fit for: A professional who craves variety and feels limited by a single focus. A person who is open to constant shifts and challenges. And, of course, who is proficient in time management. 

Lifestyle: careers by schedule and environment 

To piece together the final part of the puzzle, we will examine careers based on hours:

  • A full-time job, nine-to-five, has been a conventional career path for the last decades. You commit around 40 hours a week for long-term career development and consistent income. 
  • A part-time occupation or flexible hours can, on the contrary, support your secondary commitments or interests. Like freelance projects or gigs where hours can be customized. 
  • Speaking about the projects-based career path, you may be hired for short-term assignments with specific objectives, allowing for breaks or time off between involvements.

Working environment is another essential as weighing options between on-site, remote, or hybrid equals defining your style of living. 

  • On-site work is perfect if you thrive on routine and enjoy in-person engagement: you are more productive in a dedicated workspace, and you want a clear boundary between work and home. Certain careers strictly expect physical presence as part of hands-on work or direct interaction with machinery and customers.
  • If supported by a company, hybrid models present the sum of two: online and offline collaboration. With fewer days spent in the office, you save time on commuting but add a bit of personal connection as opposed to remote.
  • Remote jobs are common in tech and provide flexibility if you are comfortable working from home without needing a physical office. You handle tasks from a living room, a cafe, a coworking space, or even a different city without sacrificing job stability. 
The example of career coaching session

How to find the right career path with career coaching

Career self-coaching practices or, to be more precise, free available career instruments can help you understand which path is for you. No matter whether you are searching for a new job or changing career direction. You can become your own career coach. 

Self-coaching usually goes in the form of exercises to practice: you choose an exercise, take it while reflecting on your experience, and get the results. It’s like putting yourself in the driver’s seat and taking ownership of your path. The Amy career coaching platform has a library of exercises, like Personal SWOT Analysis and Skill Development Plan, each with the timing, ability to review answers, and progress tracking. 

In the case of finding the right career path, the career coaching practices will be to: 

  1. Self-reflect. Think over, realize, and evaluate your interests, needs, and experience. Analyze your current job format or your future one:
    • Do I value stability and structure, or do I prefer flexibility and independence?
    • Am I comfortable with the risks of working independently? 
    • Am I into continuous learning or mastering a skill and putting it into practice?
    • Do I prefer to shape my own journey or assume responsibilities in a traditional work environment?
  2. Take a closer look at preferable career paths. Follow companies’ websites and social media to learn about their culture and potential opportunities, or meet people in the industry to expand your network and simply communicate. This way, you will stay updated on organizational structures, vacancies, and other news. 
  3. Set actionable goals. Draft your career plan with goals and information from self-assessment. You include a goal, a timeline, and how you will measure success. 

Ask for help if you feel confused and uncertain

So many professionals struggle to find clarity and direction. This causes frustration and missed opportunities. A career counselor can support you in exploring paths you hadn’t considered, expand your view of what is possible, and create a tailored roadmap to bring those goals within reach. The benefits are personalized guidance in identifying strengths, setting realistic career goals, choosing a suitable career type and format, and creating steps to advance while addressing any blocks. Rediscover your worth as a professional with a personal career coach. 

What’s next?

Career coaching services can absolutely ease navigating the turns of your career path—current and future ones—and assist you with job searching and career transition to pave the way for new career opportunities. Try the Amy career coaching platform for more.

Your First Career Coaching Session: How to Prepare and What to Expect?

Posted on by by Mariia Shevchenko, CEO at Amy

Thinking about career coaching but are not sure where to start and what to expect? A new job seems like a leap into uncertainty, career transition poses financial risks, and meaningless tasks drag down your brilliance? Even if you aim just for a little guidance on your way, career coaching sessions can be very helpful.

Here’s a look at what the first career coaching session typically involves, steps to prepare, and what makes a top-notch coach stand out from the rest.

First things first, what is the career coach’s role in your career development?

Career coaches help you achieve your career goals, and if you don’t know what your career goals are, they help you define them. A career consultant reframes experience at your current work to create a better work environment or smoothly navigates a career change. 

Career coaches are proficient in enhancing resumes, job search processes, and job interview strategies. With an expert, you will craft your career plan, define your skills, and map a timeline for upskilling. 

The image of a career coach at Amy

“Working with a career coach is a collaborative, strategic experience where clients gain clarity, self-confidence, and actionable plans. The benefits include personalized guidance in identifying strengths, setting realistic and inspiring career goals, and creating steps to advance while also addressing any blocks. Clients often walk away with a fresh mindset, which is a critical part of moving forward successfully.”

Jane Klymenko, a career expert at Amy with 10+ years of coaching experience and the main area of expertise in Work-Life Balance

Success story at Amy: from feeling undervalued to feeling fulfilled

Background

Kate approached a career coach with an issue: she struggled to secure a leadership role within her organization, feeling consistently overlooked despite her technical expertise.

Our approach

Kate, along with a career coach, focused on three primary steps: 

  1. Assessing her current skill set and the perception of her role within the company
  2. Identifying and amplifying her leadership potential through targeted personal branding
  3. Enhancing her network within and outside the organization to support her ambitions

Challenges faced

Kate had difficulty breaking through the “technical-only” perception her colleagues held, felt unsure about networking, and struggled with imposter syndrome.

Results achieved

We overcame her struggles by:

  1. Reframing her approach to networking as relationship-building
  2. Encouraging her to take on mini-leadership roles in projects
  3. Coaching her in developing the leadership style to make a strong impression in professional environments

Eventually, Kate secured her leadership role, and her confidence in personal and professional interactions grew significantly.

The image of a career coaching session

What makes a good career coach?

What qualities to look for in a great career coach? How to spot a career coach who is truly a great fit for you? The answer is to define what is your goal plus the following common strengths and competencies:

  • Has expertise in your career objectives. There can be a background in recruitment or management or even your industry. Can be experience in the work-life balance area. 
  • Has a portfolio of success cases and a trusted reputation in the market.
  • An active listener and a strong communicator. Clear communication builds comfy relationships and promotes an open environment in which you can share career preferences and challenges—be your true self.
  • Focused on setting measurable goals and taking actionable steps. A professional career coach guides you to grow and progress with specific, tailored strategies rather than generic, one-size-fits-all advice.

What are the preps for the career coaching session?

Here’s how you can start and get the most out of your career coaching session:

The image of a career coach at Amy

“The most important prerequisite for the first session is an openness to self-reflection and a willingness to commit to the process. While some clients prepare by reflecting on their career history or even journaling about their goals and challenges, it’s not a strict requirement. If they’re inclined, they could try some self-awareness exercises, like the “Wheel of Life” or “Values Assessment,” to bring a clearer sense of their current situation and desired direction.”

Jane Klymenko, a career expert at Amy with 10+ years of coaching experience and the main area of expertise in Work-Life Balance

  1. Reflection. Spend some time thinking about your past, present, and future aspects of work. What do you want from your career now and for the long term? What holds you back from achieving your aspirations? What motivates you in your work? What are your core values? Take careful note of your challenges. For example, you may experience imposter syndrome, burnout, or frustration with monotonous, never-ending activities. If you cannot find answers to your questions or miss something, it’s okay. A career coach will guide you in the right direction during the session. 
  2. Materials. To help your career coach get to know you better, think about bringing along your resume, cover letter, any certifications you have, your performance reviews, or feedback notes. Having these materials ready gives a career coach a clearer picture of your work history, skills, and accomplishments. Which means they can offer more tailored advice that fits your needs.
  3. Questions. Prepare questions for your coach and be ready to clarify any possible confusion on the call. This ensures you cover essentials during your session.
  4. Feedback. Be open to constructive feedback, reflections, and changes. Your willingness to grow and flexible mindset will make improvements.

What to expect from a career coaching session?

The image of a career coach at Amy

“For me, career coaching is about empowering clients to see new possibilities and pathways in their professional lives, clarifying goals, and helping them take steps to achieve them. The biggest advantage is that it provides a structured approach to both personal and career growth, which can otherwise feel overwhelming. By having an objective perspective, clients can make intentional choices that align with their values and skills.”

Jane Klymenko, a career expert at Amy with 10+ years of coaching experience and the main area of expertise in Work-Life Balance

In the first career coaching session, you can expect to: 

  • Define objectives and assess your interests, needs, skills, values, background, or any other points
  • Discuss your current position
  • Outline any immediate concerns or challenges
The image of a career coaching process

The conversation sets the groundwork for the ongoing work to establish direction, identify focus areas, and outline initial action steps. You will get a sense of clarity, organize your thoughts, and solidify a starting point. So, the first session with a career coach is about laying the foundation. Regular check-ins or follow-up sessions are about tracking progress, addressing new challenges, and adjusting your plan.

Talk to a coach

Take your career to the next level with a personal career coach. Career coaching services will absolutely ease navigating the turns of your career path. With the right guidance, career coaching can unlock your potential and new opportunities, empowering you to achieve professional heights.

Lifestyle Coaching, Career Coaching, and Mentorship—What Are They All About?

Posted on by by Nataliya Melnyk, Marketer at Amy

In the process of seeking guidance to address life challenges or career challenges in particular, you may find yourself unsure about the best type of support to pursue. With many coaching options like lifestyle coaching, business coaching, relationship coaching, career coaching, or mentorship available, you need to determine which path will best serve your goals and circumstances. 

Any coaching nurtures self-development overall. Career coaching narrows down to career development questions. What is mentoring, then? One by one, we will clarify the most common types: lifestyle coaching, career coaching, and mentorship. 

Can lifestyle coaching cover all? 

Lifestyle coaching covers all aspects of life, from relationships, wellness, and leisure to careers. But speaking about the last one on the list, a life coach touches on the essentials of career guidance, while a career coach centers around your professional goals and practices to achieve them. 

The goal of a lifestyle coach is to help you enhance your quality of life:

  1. Do you live a fulfilling life? Can you balance its aspects, like work and self-care? What areas of personal growth would make a positive impact on your life?
  2. Do your habits, daily routine, and personal goals match your values? 
  3. What are habits or negative patterns holding you back from your desired lifestyle? 
  4. Do you have a good work-life balance?

For whom is lifestyle coaching?

For everyone who needs to: 

  • Address challenges in their life holistically and from a broader perspective, including relationships, personal development, health, career, and other parts
  • Set realistic personal goals
  • Achieve overall happiness

Is career coaching just about jobs, or does it also improve well-being?

Career coaching keeps the focus not only on finding a new job for you or following a career roadmap. In addition, a career development coach teams up with you to be satisfied with work-life balance, confident while negotiating salary and promotions, and able to set boundaries and say “no” when required. Since, in truth, careers take up a significant portion, about a third, of our lives.

Career consultants use career-focused techniques that contribute to personal well-being, like systemic coaching, positive psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy coaching, and gestalt psychology. This is how career coaching works.

The goal of a personal career coach is to help you with career building, transition, and advancement:

  1. What do you really want in your career right now? More purpose? A chance to grow? 
  2. How does the new role line up with your personal values and skills? 
  3. Does the company you work at have room for you to grow over time?

For whom is career coaching?

For everyone who needs to: 

  • Maintain professional growth and develop new skills
  • Smoothly change career direction without unpredictable risks
  • Get job search strategies, resume crafting, and interview preparation
  • Set career-related goals and create actionable career plans
The image of career coaching visualization

What sets mentorship apart from coaching?

Mentorship is when someone more experienced (mentor), a senior partner in your industry or a professional beyond, shares knowledge, insights, and advice to help you (mentee) navigate your career or personal development. 

Mentorship involves solving specific requests, situations, or tasks that a mentee faces. A mentor is a person who has walked a similar path and can now offer an informed perspective that reveals the bigger picture. This relationship provides both strategic insights and practical know-how.

For whom is mentoring?

For everyone who doesn’t require long-term relationships, who needs an expert for occasional support without a deep dive and to: 

  • Increase motivation
  • Have technical assistance tied to their profession or area of work
  • Feel a sense of connection and build a network

The common ground of lifestyle coaching, career coaching, and mentoring

Lifestyle and career coaching prioritize small steps you can take today toward your goals. Both coaching types expect you to follow the actionable plan, measure results, and define success indicators. The mentoring style is more form-free, often without a strict structure, but you can still define your goals. 

Lifestyle coaching, career coaching, and mentoring are centered on a personalized, unique approach. All three encourage you to step back and reflect on your experience.

Summary

The comparison of life coaching, career coaching, and mentoring

Can I check one right now? What about career guidance services?

You will surely benefit from any form of coaching and mentoring. Coaching is your elevator for better self-awareness, social connections, mental health, and balance in all aspects of life. 

If you aim for career goals and solutions, the Amy platform has a library of career self-coaching exercises and career coaches to reach out to, including professionals who offer the first free session to book. Take a step toward your career advancement. Find a career coach for yourself.

Self-Coaching or Guidance by a Career Coach—What Approach To Choose?

Posted on by by Mariia Shevchenko, CEO at Amy

Choosing between self-coaching and working with a career coach is like choosing to fly solo or stay under someone’s wing. The first way stands for autonomy and flexibility. The second one means relying on the experience and support of a professional, especially when you lack time for self-management. After all, you may combine the two to gain diverse insights. 

How can you know what works best for you? We will give tips in this article so you can pick your option. And we will start with a self-coaching approach. 

Becoming your own career coach

Career self-coaching exists to self-reflect on your career path and set goals with free instruments available. Self-coaching instruments usually go in in the form of exercises to practice.

To understand if career self-coaching is a good fit for you, ask yourself whether you can navigate self-reflection questions, goal setting, and motivation for changes on your own.

Benefits of career self-coaching 

Self-coaching empowers to:

  • Take full control over your career without external influence 
  • Strengthen your self-awareness to make decisions with confidence
  • Cultivate self-development while looking at the skills you wish to master and the expertise you wish to build

Key self-coaching practices 

You might hit a point in your career where you are not sure what is next and need strategies to manage the unknown. You aim to balance personal fulfillment with professional growth or decide which path aligns best with your long-term goals.

Picture Nick. Nick is in his 30s, leading a team in a software company. While he is in a position of authority, he craves more—more impact, more fulfillment, and more effective use of his time. Despite Nick’s management opportunities, he misses direct involvement in the product cycle and cannot change the situation within the company. Nick is a project manager, not a product manager. He’s not quite satisfied, but thoughts about a new job bring uncertainty. 

The image of a man sitting at a desk, as an example of the career coaching process

What if he makes the wrong decision and ends up struggling financially? Why isn’t he getting better results in a new job search? Why does he feel stuck and unsure of himself despite his accomplishments? 

Nick’s story echoes the experiences of other professionals worldwide. It may even be your case. So, where can you start?

Self-assessment: reflect, realize, and evaluate 

  1. Write down or type your interests, needs, and values. 
  2. Analyze your work format: what your perfect workday looks like, what you enjoy most about your current role or job, and what drains your energy. 
  3. Think about your skills, mainly strengths and weaknesses. SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) is a functional approach to explore your superpowers:
  • Strengths: What do you excel at? For Nick, it is technical knowledge.
  • Weaknesses: Where do you struggle? Nick needs strategic influence in his current position.
  • Opportunities: What external options could help? Are there leadership opportunities in other companies? What are the open vacancies Nick can apply for?
  • Threats: What challenges may happen? This could be fear of financial instability.

The most valuable insights come from understanding where you feel your impact is missing and what changes to your work environment could improve this.

Goal setting: draft your first career plan with goals and information from self-assessment

Define short-term and long-term goals to have a vision for today and the future. Include a goal, timeline, and how you will measure success. Break a goal into smaller and more manageable tasks for easier perception and to beat procrastination. 

In a new position, Nick can become more involved in strategic meetings or leading projects closely tied to a product’s core. Instead of generic intentions like “I want more impact,” Nick should aim for specific results. For example:

  1. Short-term goal: Start contributing to new projects that directly affect the product’s end result within the next six months. The success indicator: contributing to the monthly release of a product.
  2. Long-term goal: Fully transition into a career with more control over product strategy and development tasks within two years. The success indicator: taking the head of the product role.

Stepping out of your comfort zone: networking and extra activities

Engaging in new activities or meeting new people can take you out of your comfort zone and help you discover new sides of yourself. In Nicks’s situation, new activities may be around developing a growth mindset. Nick feels demotivated by difficulties, such as not landing a new job or failing to shift into a more impactful role immediately. Self-coaching will boost resilience through a growth mindset. This means viewing failures as learning opportunities rather than barriers.

An external feedback is usually a missing piece in self-coaching. If you can ask friends, family, or colleagues for feedback about your behavior, grab the opportunity. For example, conversations with industry leaders provide insights Nick might not learn on his own, specifically about career transition moves.

“In the absence of the ability to pull regular feedback, I would recommend tracking the progress of goals set up at the beginning of each week/month by identifying three categories: what goals were achieved, what was the key learning from working on the goal, review of mid-term goals and their relevance to potentially changed circumstances.”
Pasha Cherednychenko, a career expert at Amy, with two years of coaching experience and the main area of expertise in Work-Life Balance 

Being consistent: stick to the plan, measure results, and celebrate your success

Be consistent with your career plan and goals-related activities. Practice makes perfect. Acknowledge every achievement, small or big. These wins can provide a sense of accomplishment and encourage you to keep up with the pace, no matter how gradual the progress seems. As the cherry on top, treat yourself to a cherry cake, to celebrate.

When career coaching is more beneficial

While self-coaching offers autonomy, there are moments when working with a professional career coach is more beneficial. You may feel stuck and lack confidence in your job search strategy, like Nick.

In general, if you face any difficulties you cannot handle alone, try guidance from a career expert who will help you throughout the journey. 

“When I think of career coaching, acceleration and dynamic learning come to mind. In my experience,  regular and focused work with the coach creates a sense of urgency and accountability, which is much harder to achieve when you work by yourself.”
Pasha Cherednychenko, a career expert at Amy, with two years of coaching experience and the main area of expertise in Work-Life Balance 

Here’s when it makes sense to collaborate with a career coach:

The image of when it makes sense to collaborate with a career coach
  1. If self-doubt is overwhelming and you can’t cure imposter syndrome, a coach helps boost your confidence as they use evidence-based techniques. This is crucial for Nick as he feels he is underqualified for roles in his goals. A career coach will help him recognize and communicate his strong sides. 
  2. If you have assessed your skills and set your goals but still don’t know the next step, a career coach helps you gain clarity. They will ask questions that uncover recurring or hidden patterns in your experiences and provide insights for the future. Nick can’t see why his job search is ineffective. Together with a career coach, they will identify that he is applying for roles that don’t match his skillset and reveal fears holding him back.
  3. Motivation to follow your commitments affects the results. Successfully coaching yourself requires the discipline to confront problems on the way. Moreover, you may feel isolated. If you face a particularly tough challenge—like changing a career direction—having a career expert and personalized guidance can make the difference. In Nick’s example, a career coach will help him explore side gigs or transition gradually while maintaining income.
  4. We are often too hard on ourselves. We tend to abandon well-being and only focus on achievements, running faster and reaching more. Such an approach results in burnout over time. A career coach can help you escape the harmful, unhealthy cycle of self-criticism and overthinking. You will focus on small, actionable steps rather than jumping into huge tasks that can lead to further anxiety and frustration. By breaking down your goals into manageable parts, you can progress steadily toward your expected results. “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” they say.

The primary benefit of a career coach is the accountability they provide. A career coach ensures you stay on track by holding regular sessions and navigating you through challenges, specifically to revise and follow through with your strategy.

A hybrid approach: self-coaching with professional guidance

Self-coaching and professional coaching don’t have to work in isolation. You have a choice to begin with self-coaching, gain valuable insights through self-reflection, and then turn to a career coach when you hit a roadblock.

A hybrid approach could look like this:

  1. Self-coaching to reflect, set initial goals, and start making small changes at work.
  2. Collaborating with a career coach when challenges occur, such as financial fears or a lack of confidence in making a change.
  3. Returning to self-coaching techniques regularly while using a coach periodically for significant transitions.

Give it a go! Start with career self-coaching

A career coach can highlight what you may not notice, offer an objective view, or give you a hand at a difficult moment. Besides, you can first consider the library of free self-coaching exercises at Amy with timing and expected outcomes after completion. The good news is that we also save your progress on the platform. After all, if you feel confused about your career path, setting goals, and which strategies to implement from the number of resources, professional career coaches are here for you.

Personal SWOT Analysis: How to Identify Strengths and Weaknesses for Career Growth

Posted on by by Mariia Shevchenko, CEO at Amy

The SWOT analysis defines your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. SWOT helps you understand your capabilities and areas for development. And uncover your superpowers! On top of that, you will be prepared for obstacles. Identifying threats lets you strategize solutions in advance and cope with a clearer vision.

This technique is valuable at any career stage, whether just starting, looking to advance, or navigating a career transition. Drawing SWOT may take time in addition to saving notes in an appropriate place, but you can simplify the process by practicing on the Amy platform.

The image of the Personal SWOT Analysis exercise on the Amy platform

What do you need to do for the SWOT analysis?

When taking the exercise on the platform, consider strengths and weaknesses as internal areas. Opportunities and threats belong more to external factors.

  • For strengths, you will be asked to recall at least three situations you were successful at, what motivated you, what made you proud of yourself, and what was the best part of this experience. For weaknesses—in what areas do you feel you lack expertise?
  • Opportunities shed light on what options are open to you now. How can you turn your strength into opportunities, given your life context? Threats are about the points that may affect your role, job, or industry. And any personal challenges that may slow your progress.

How can you benefit from SWOT?

As a result of the SWOT analysis, you have:

  • Your strengths and opportunities mapped
  • Steps you can take to address threats
  • Action items to progress in achieving your career goals
  • Overview of your values

For a detailed analysis of values, the platform correspondingly offers two exercises, Your Life Values and Your Work Values, to identify what truly matters to you in your personal and professional life.

SWOT analysis example

The example of Emma, a UI/UX Designer, might support you in your SWOT.

Strengths

What was the situation in which I was successful and proud of myself?

“In a limited amount of time, I delivered a user-friendly design mockup to a demanding client. They came back with great reviews and recommended me to the company they collaborate with.”

What are my strengths?

  1. Vast experience in product design, particularly in big tech companies, which enhances credibility and expertise.
  2. Consistent positive feedback from clients and customers, indicating a solid ability to create user-friendly designs that simplify their experiences, especially in the FinTech sector.
  3. Demonstrated success through proven use cases, which can be showcased in my portfolio to attract new clients or employers.
  4. High level of dedication and commitment to my work, resulting in high-quality outcomes.

Weaknesses

In what areas do I lack expertise? What tasks do I find challenging?

“I aim to improve at trending design and AI technologies but lack effort for learning activities. I sacrifice all my time for projects, and I cannot say “no” to them because of the many tasks on my plate already.”

What are my weaknesses?

  1. Struggle with assertiveness, which may affect communication and collaboration with team members or clients.
  2. Tendency to overwork and prioritize responsibilities and reputation over personal well-being, leading to potential burnout.
  3. Difficulty tolerating criticism, which can impact professional growth and feedback acknowledgment. 
  4. Preference for stability and reluctance to take risks, making it challenging to transition to new roles or environments.

Opportunities

What opportunities can you take advantage of?

  • Exploring freelance opportunities could provide flexibility and improve work-life balance while leveraging my extensive experience.
  • Moving to a smaller company with fewer responsibilities may reduce stress and provide a supportive environment for growth.
  • Investing time in developing assertiveness and coping strategies for criticism could enhance interpersonal relationships and professional growth.
  • Engaging with other professionals in the UX/UI field could open doors to new opportunities and collaborations.

How can you connect your strengths and opportunities?

“My extensive background in design will make me a preferred candidate in the job market, particularly for smaller companies needing self-management and freelance clients seeking a trustworthy collaborator.” 

Threats

What external and personal factors could pose threats to my career path?

  1. Overworking and sacrificing personal life for career responsibilities may lead to burnout, impacting performance and overall well-being.
  2. Changes in the job market or industry standards may require adapting to new skills or roles, which could be challenging, given my preference for stability.
  3. Being inflexible about career changes might prevent me from adapting to new job market trends and opportunities.
  4. Increased competition in the UX/UI design field, especially with the rise of freelance platforms and remote work, may make it harder to secure desirable positions.

How can I address the threads with three small steps today?

  • I can write down my 5-10 work achievements to boost my confidence and add those items to my CV. 
  • This week, I can practice saying “no” to set boundaries without feeling guilty. For example, if my colleague asks for help with something I can’t take on, I will politely decline and explain why (because I am extremely busy with three other projects). 
  • I can talk to a career coach to figure out the reasons and patterns for my poor work-life balance and start following a smooth approach to enhance it.

This SWOT analysis highlights strengths in experience while addressing areas for improvement, such as assertiveness and work-life balance. By taking opportunities like freelancing and skill development, Emma can navigate the threats of burnout and competition while progressing in her career.

Take a step forward for your career plan

Identify your unique skills, recognize areas for improvement, expand your reach, and prepare for challenges—it’s all about SWOT, and you can nail it with a career self-coaching exercise. The analysis will then serve as a trustworthy groundwork for a career plan or roadmap we will discuss in later articles.

Self-Coaching: 3 Techniques to Boost Your Career Development 

Posted on by by Nataliya Melnyk, Marketer at Amy

The power of career self-coaching lies in proven techniques shaped by career coaching experts. The techniques promote clarity in a career path to follow the desired direction and be open to new opportunities. How can you prepare for self-coaching? Where can you start? Let’s tackle the basics and review three techniques in the form of exercises you can take on the Amy platform.

The story of career self-coaching behind the article

Emma is a UX/UI designer with years of experience in product design at big tech companies. She grasps a mass of positive feedback from clients and their customers. She highly simplifies the use of a product, especially in the fields of FinTech and Healthcare, and has striking use cases. May seems impressive, isn’t it? On the flip side, Emma manifests better assertiveness skills and a hard stop at 6 PM. She is overly dedicated and sacrifices other life areas for her career. Plus, she tends to tolerate criticism poorly and take it personally.

A picture of a woman sitting at a desk, as an example of practicing career coaching

Emma isn’t flexible and risky when it comes to career transition. She prefers staying in a single, safe place but, at the same time, needs a career format change because of her current tough schedule. Maybe freelance or smaller company with fewer responsibilities. 

We will show Emma’s example through three techniques.

Preparation: Ask yourself questions

When you get into career coaching, the first thing worth doing is to ask yourself questions. The practice is called journaling and involves writing down the answers to understand your motivations and challenges—and, first of all, what you feel. Take the following:

  1. Interests: What are my interests and passions? Are my interests present in my job, or are they outside my role? What are my life values?
  2. Preferences: What do I like and dislike most about my job? What does my perfect work environment look like? What is my perfect schedule?
  3. Achievements: How do I define success and measure my progress? How can I celebrate my achievements? What have been my biggest career achievements?
  4. Inspirations: What inspires me to pursue my career goals?
  5. Challenges: How do I handle challenges? Can I handle them alone, or do I need support and guidance? Do I face any challenges with my current job? Is there anything that holds me back in my career? How do I address the situation?
  6. Risks: What risks can I take for my career? Am I ready for changes and to step out of my comfort zone?
  7. Lessons learned: What have I learned from my career experience or previous jobs?

You can expand the list to fit your unique case or even personalize the questions. Journaling formats also vary. A pocket notebook or digital, like an app or an online platform—choose based on what suits you best.

Make the journaling practice a regular activity or build a foundation for your further career coaching exercises that we will move on to in the next sections. As a regular activity, spend a few minutes every morning, after lunch, or in the evening. For example, start each morning with a quick note of your intentions and goals or write down your day’s experiences before bed. Midday check-in helps reflect on progress.

Technique 1: Your work values

If you live in harmony with your work values, you are satisfied with your occupation and break through barriers without a doubt.

The technique called Your Work Values sticks to the three groups of values: 

  • Core principles like ambition, honesty, or status
  • Relationships and people like respect, trust, or leadership 
  • Work activities like quality, innovativeness, or contribution
The image of the exercise Your Work Values

You choose the ones that resonate most with you—whether you are in a team of autonomy, managing your schedule, or prefer the leadership of skillful managers. You rate your work values to indicate how much the value is present at your current job. 

Take a look at Emma’s work values map:

General:

  • Achievements: the ability to reach goals (8/10 various projects available in the pool, but not enough time for learning and upskilling)
  • Work-life balance in work time and leisure time (4/10 because of overtimes and work on weekends)
  • Passion: work that evokes enthusiasm and drive (10/10 UI/UX design is my calling)

Relationships:

  • Recognition: acknowledgment of contribution (10/10 based on the amount of feedback received) 
  • Empathy: the ability to empathize with others and understand their situations and problems (8/10 managers don’t always consider personal circumstances, for overtime activities including)
  • Teamwork: encouragement of collaborative work on projects and tasks (10/10 admiringly collaborative work environment)

Work:

  • Quality: work that has high quality (10/10 as I try my best and have successful case studies)
  • Creativity: work that needs creative abilities (10/10 creative tasks smoothly balance technical activities)
  • Assistance: work that is aimed at helping people (10/10 I turn complex product solutions into designs straightforward to customers) 

Emma needs to reflect on her work-life balance and communication with her manager. Is it possible to make this value more present in a current job? What small step can she take today to open doors to the change?

The Your Work Values exercise provides clear names and definitions to bring yourself closer to a more meaningful and fulfilling life. 

Technique 2: Job satisfaction wheel

Job Satisfaction Wheel covers various areas of your work to rate and clarify what really matters to you and what you can tolerate. Job satisfaction assessment emphasizes action items to improve your current state in career development. 

Once you rate areas, the Job Satisfaction Wheel gives you a clear view of your job satisfaction level. Take time to analyze where you have the lowest rates among aspects like:

  • Work environment
  • Freedom and autonomy
  • Compensation
  • Learning and growth opportunities

What can you do this week to improve them?

The image of the exercise Job Satisfaction Wheel

Job satisfaction wheel example

We will use Emma’s experience while working in a big tech company.

Rating:

  • Work environment: 5/10 (the collaborative team but high stress and long hours)
  • Freedom and autonomy: 5/10 (limited autonomy in decision-making)
  • Compensation: 10/10 (financially stable)
  • Learning and growth opportunities: 4/10 (limited room for growth in the current setup)
Rating of Working Environment, the exercise Job Satisfaction Wheel
Rating of Freedom and autonomy, the exercise Job Satisfaction Wheel
Rating of Compensation, the exercise Job Satisfaction Wheel
Rating of Learning and growth opportunities, the exercise Job Satisfaction Wheel

Action plan: 

Joining a smaller company can enhance job autonomy but might impact compensation. However, Emma can start with:

  1. Developing a personal brand: build an online presence by sharing design works on Dribble and Behance platforms to position herself as an expert.
  2. Start as a part-time freelancer: begin freelancing to test the waters.

Regularly using the Job Satisfaction Wheel helps easily spot imbalances in a job, create and follow an action plan, and track how changes impact overall career satisfaction.

Technique 3: Training growth mindset

“The key factors for successful self-coaching or personal growth work would be one’s ability to deep reflective practice as well as the growth mindset (as per Carol Dweck’s book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.”).”
Pasha Cherednychenko, a career expert at Amy, with two years of coaching experience and the main area of expertise in Work-Life Balance 

At its core, a growth mindset means believing that you can develop your talents leads to greater success than thinking your abilities are fixed and cannot be improved. For example, Stanford University’s study about Growth Mindset and Enhanced Learning finds that when students have a growth mindset, they are more likely to challenge themselves, believe that they can achieve more, and become stronger, more resilient and creative problem solvers.

With the Training Growth Mindset technique, you build the ability to overcome difficulties, embrace continuous learning, and foster a proactive attitude towards growth. In the exercise on the Amy platform, you will examine sample cases to practice how to address the situations, training your positive thinking and decision-making skills.

The image of the exercise Training Growth Mindset

Training growth mindset example

  1. As an experienced designer, Emma might believe she has mastered all possible techniques, and learning new ones feels overwhelming, especially with her schedule overloaded with tasks.
    Growth mindset approach: challenge yourself to embrace new technologies as opportunities for growth, even if it initially feels uncomfortable.
    Action: set a small monthly learning goal, like microlearning for mastering AI UX trends, and apply what you’ve learned to projects.
    Result: “Even though I’ve been working in the UI/UX field for years, trying new patterns will push me to think creatively and keep my skills current.”
  2. Emma struggles to handle criticism and not to take it personally, which impacts her confidence.
    Growth mindset approach: View criticism as a headway, not as a reflection of your worth as a designer.
    Action: After receiving constructive criticism, ask follow-up questions to understand the feedback better. This helps to accept feedback as an essential part of professional growth.
    Result: “The feedback I get isn’t a personal attack. It is about the design mockup. I can improve the part the client talks about by making adjustments.”

Practice self-coaching exercises 

In addition to goal-setting and actionable strategies, career coaching makes you reflect on your past and current path, as self-reflection is the foundation of the first two. The self-coaching techniques like Your Work Values, Job Satisfaction Wheel, and Training Mindset Growths boost confidence, foster resilience, and facilitate decision-making for a fulfilling career path. 

If you are striving for a new job, a career change, or a promotion, self-coaching equips you with the tools to have the career you envision. Start with Amy’s self-coaching exercises today for your professional and personal growth. 

Why Should Your Career Match Your Lifestyle?

Posted on by by Nataliya Melnyk, Marketer at Amy

We are used to how careers define our lifestyles and commonly look for a job with a decent salary and matching skills, ignoring the schedule. Even though work formats have evolved with technologies, we still wonder if our style of living is worth shaping job choices and not the other way around. “Isn’t it risky?” you might ask. And you will be right in a way. Despite that, before jumping to conclusions, we will review the pros and cons of each approach—lifestyle adapting the career and career adapting the lifestyle. 

Weighing the options: career vs. lifestyle focus

What comes to mind when mentioning the term lifestyle? The Cambridge Dictionary defines a lifestyle as a way of living—the things we usually do, where we live, what we spend our money on, and other daily routines. Lifestyle is also about our values and relationships with other people. 

If we speak about things we usually do, we speak about a job or hobbies. If we speak about where we live, what we spend our money on, and the people we meet, a job is directly tied to the matter. That’s why a career is a driving force in our life.

Deciding whether to build a career around your lifestyle or shape your lifestyle around your career is a personal choice that depends on your values, goals, and life circumstances. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches.

The image contains the comparison of prioritizing lifestyle vs. career: advantages and disadvantages of each approach

The best scenario is when you can complement your career and lifestyle or choose a career close to your daily schedule. However, life is not linear, and you may need to temporarily focus strictly on one way or another, like putting all your efforts into career advancement or personal growth.

How can you understand that it’s time to question the career format you have?

If you notice that your work negatively affects other aspects of life: relationships, time to do things you love, self-care activities, and finally, health—think it over. A World Health Organization study finds long working hours increase heart disease. Working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard. Besides, work values that don’t match your personal values decrease motivation. Work activities that don’t match your personal interests decrease productivity.

Overall, any work format cannot perfectly meet all needs, but you have the power to choose what truly matters to you. 

How can you start changing the career format?

In the first place, define your priorities and interests, and, of course, pay attention to life circumstances. Fair enough that you cannot neglect the financial side if you have a family to care for. In case you hesitate or feel confused about identifying those areas, career coaching exercises will come in handy. Or a career coach for a career change who can create a personalized career plan for you. Let’s examine two cases where online career coaching services can be valuable.

Never-ending work cycle and professional frustration

Meet Lynette, a sales executive with years of experience in a high-stress corporate job. 

The image of a woman working as a corporate professional.

Her typical day starts at 6 AM. and ends past 11 PM., because of two schoolchildren, chores, and work often spilling into her weekends. Lynette is passionate about her job and invests in her professional development for career growth. In addition, her current schedule demands business trips because of on-site client visits. 

She thinks the more hours she dedicates to a job, the better it pays, but over time, the strain on her personal life and health becomes clear. Her relationships with her husband and children worsen due to the lack of time spent together. Since Lynette loves her family and wishes to devote more time to them, she is torn apart and develops chronic stress-related insomnia and anxiety. 

Lynette’s situation is not uncommon. In fact, long working hours are linked to a higher risk of anxiety and depression. Overwork can also disrupt social relationships. If you find yourself in a similar situation, it’s worth considering whether your career truly serves your life—or if it’s draining you.

Career coaching solution

In Lynette’s case, career coaching practices can:

  1. Improve work-life balance
  2. Navigate career transition to a hybrid format (remote work with required trips to clients)  
  3. Assist in recalling a dream job and evaluating achievements at the company to appreciate progress

Fulfilling potential and combining two occupations

Take Richard, for example, a biotechnology technician at a mid-sized company who cannot advance or make changes that would give him fulfillment. 

The image of a man combining two careers.

He often dreams of reaching his potential in the music industry, mainly by starting a music production agency, but is okay with his current job at the same time. 

Richard’s career doesn’t align with his ambitions and offers no room for growth, though it matches his degree and skills and maintains a secure income. Despite excelling at his job, he feels trapped by the rigid corporate structure that doesn’t offer opportunities for creativity or upward mobility. 

So, Richard is stuck and cannot make the right decision. This sense of being stuck not only affects professional satisfaction but also leads to a decline in overall motivation and mental well-being. Like Richard, you may stay in a job that no longer serves you out of fear of the unknown, financial instability, or because you don’t believe other opportunities are within reach. However, remaining in an unfulfilling job can have long-term consequences on your happiness and career trajectory.

Career coaching solution

With the help of a personal career coach, Richard can:

  1. Combine two work formats: a freelance approach with music gigs on demand and part-time engineering services based on a contract in a company
  2. Vacancies browsing
  3. Goal-setting session for both career fields and directions
  4. Cover letter writing

In both stories, the core issue is the same: Lynette’s and Richard’s careers dictate their lives rather than vice versa. Taking a pause, analyzing a career situation from a different angle, and making reasonable changes are what the two of them will benefit from. And career coaching can be of assistance here.

Conclusion

Job is not always about money. It’s also about fitting into your life. You cannot find a job that is fully satisfying, but you can find one close to sound, as work formats are flexible nowadays. One role may combine hundreds of activities unrelated to the first sight or those that intersect responsibilities. Consider not only formats like remote and corporate but also social factors—whether you feel comfy working in silos or crave company. Not to mention cases where sitting at the desk all day long is a nut to crack. 

Career coaching is your instrument for remaining on track and fluent with your career choices. At Amy, you can try self-coaching exercises or consult a career coach who will help you maintain happy relationships with yourself and the world around you throughout your career. In the meantime, reflect on your interests and priorities to make an informed career choice that aligns with your desired lifestyle.