Laura Simms on Finding a Career That Feels Like Home

Laura Simms on Finding a Career That Feels Like Home


It’s such a pleasure to have Laura Simms join the show this week! Laura is a career Coach and an expert in meaningful work, and she’s the creator of the truly amazing “Your Career Homecoming” program that helps women with finding work that feels like home. I really love Laura’s open and easy going nature, and getting to chat with her felt like talking to a friend. She’s relatable, down to earth, and the fact that she has changed careers from one that she was truly passionate about (acting), to one that feels more purposeful and rewarding (career coach), really spoke to me. I have an knack for landing plenty of jobs, and love that she helps clients focus on “the why” (the purpose, legacy, contribution, service, impact they’re making) before they ever get to thinking about “the what” (abilities, strengths, things you can do), or “the how” (environment, the work pace, your leadership role, how much you’re paid) of what that career looks like. I hope you enjoy this episode on finding work that feels like home with Laura Simms.

Laura’s approach is different and refreshing, and I know you’ll love her pragmatic approach to differentiating between passion and purpose, and by the end of the interview I’m certain you will be looking at your own career path with new eyes. Who knows tomorrow you may wake up and start preparing for your rhcsa exam to impress your tech company boss and begin looking at rhcsa exam questions daily to better yourself and your career.

Laura Simms on Finding a Career That Feels Like Home

In this interview, Laura Simms and I speak about:

(3:10) Her joys as a child (lots of cuddly animals, including a raccoon!)
(3:46) What it’s like to have an adopted raccoon as a pet
(4:20) My experiences growing up raising parrots
(5:00) Laura’s current work of helping people find “Work that feels like home.”
(6:00) Key things to think of, now, if you’re dreading your current job (especially if following your passion and getting in a flow state isn’t working)
(7:30) The “Eureka Glacier” of how Laura shifted her own career from an actress to a coach
(9:55) My own feeling of torn integrity being in advertising, but working on retreats on the weekend
(10:40) Our perspective and priorities change as we move through life, and learning to let our careers change, too
(11:00) The generational difference on how our parents/grandparents viewed careers (many years in the same job), and how we now see careers
(12:00) Laura’s definition of the “Boomer Blueprint” (how our grandparents / parents) viewed the career path, from college, to career
(13:00) Work Life integration
(15:00) Leaving a legacy in our life’s work, and how that impacts decisions and how we choose a career
(16:30) What to look for if you want to stay in a corporate job, if you’re interviewing for new jobs
(19:00) Why you should focus on following purpose over passion, and the difference between the two
(22:40) How Laura has clients focus on the purpose first, and not consider possible job titles until later in the career search path
(24:00) An exercise Laura has clients do to help figure out purpose – “What my random jobs have in common”
(25:00) What the crossroads of purpose and joy look like in Laura’s work with clients (purposeful work doesn’t have to be non profit, “do-gooder” work)
(28:30) What would surprise people about Laura’s work as a career coach
(29:20) The admin and maintenance that goes along with running your own business
(30:30) Your Career Homecoming – Laura’s career change course. It focuses on getting over your career baggage, gets your mindset in the right place, and then looks at the “why,” the “what,” and the “how” of your career.
(35:00) Guest faculty for Your Career Homecoming class
(38:00) Laura’s thoughts on bringing your Dream Into Action
(40:00) Laura’s answer on how to Jump Start Your in your life

Resources:

Your Career Homecoming – Find out more about the upcoming class (including free training videos), which starts April 27.
Laura’s post on “What Your Random Jobs Have in Common”
Laura Simms’ website (WithLauraSimms.com)
Chris Guillebeau’s Born for This book (on Amazon)

Laura Simms on Finding A Career That Feels Like Home

21 thoughts on “Laura Simms on Finding a Career That Feels Like Home”

  1. Robin Rue (@massholemommy)

    She sounds so inspirational! I am looking forward to hearing more of your talk with her.

  2. You had me at had a raccoon as a pet! There is definitely a distinct differences in my parents/in-laws career paths and opinions on career paths versus what my husband and I have done (and what our peers do).

  3. I love the concept of the Eureka Glacier! As soon as I left corporate America to pursue my dreams of working for myself, I felt like I had hit my own glacier. Your podcasts are so great!! πŸ™‚

  4. Differentiating between passion and purpose is very important when finding the right career. If you are not happy in your career choice, it can have a negative impact on other aspects of your life.

  5. β€œWhat my random jobs have in common”. YES! This is me! I have been a manager, Mary Kay lady, massage therapist, blogger, travel agent… I am going to do this exercise now.

  6. It’s so important to love the job you have… you’ll be with it for a long time. If you can go to work with that same sense of comfort you get at home, you’re one of the lucky ones.

  7. It can be so hard to find a career that you actually love! I feel really lucky that I have!

  8. I’m in the midst of creating a career that I love and that empowers me πŸ™‚ It’s been a long time in the making but I finally love what I do.

  9. I love this topic! I think over the past 10 years we have been able to come a long way in finding our passion for work rather than just working for a paycheck. It is so important!

  10. I love your site, and your work, Jill! It’s clear you’re driven by purpose and working hard πŸ™‚

  11. Empowerment is so key to feeling valued and like you are driving towards your purpose. Congrats, Kori πŸ™‚

  12. Ha! Rachel, that’s totally me, too! I had quite a few seemingly random jobs. I hope you find great inspiration with Laura’s worksheet πŸ™‚

  13. Thanks, Kait! Yes, I like the idea of a Eureka glacier! Inspiration and purpose can be a slower build than passion. I like that Laura also talks about how purpose is for the longer haul, while passion can fizzle out after awhile. πŸ™‚

  14. I know – when Laura brought up a pet raccoon, I had to find out more πŸ™‚ And you’re right, I think there are big differences in how Gen X and Gen Y see their careers versus how our parents and grandparents see their work. Glad you stopped by!

  15. Very cool. It’s so important that people can find that inclusive, loving environment in their jobs. I hope that if I enter the workplace again, I can feel as fulfilled in my career as I currently do in raising my kids and homeschooling them!

  16. I love her story, a career change is definetely something I find so empowering! Love this podcast πŸ™‚

  17. CourtneyLynne

    Oooo sounds like quite the podcast!!!! I’m going to have to give it a listen;)

  18. Pingback: Episode 42: Burlesque Dancing and the Power of Vulnerability with Velvet O'Claire - Jump Start Your Joy

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