PODCAST · business
Control Your Career: Career Growth and Strategy for Ambitious Professionals
by Julia Toothacre | Helping Professionals Grow and Advance Their Careers
Control Your Career is a career strategy podcast for professionals who want to make better career decisions, navigate workplace challenges, and take an active role in shaping what's next.Hosted by Julia Toothacre, career strategist and creator of the Control Your Career framework, the show explores career growth, workplace dynamics, leadership, career transitions, and the trends shaping today's world of work.Drawing on more than 15 years of experience in career development, Julia combines practical career strategy with a real-world perspective to help listeners navigate today's workplace and build careers they don't leave to chance.Topics include:→ Career strategy and long-term career growth→ Career advancement, promotions, and increasing your influence at work→ Workplace relationships, office politics, organizational dynamics, and difficult managers→ Leadership, executive presence, visibility, and sponsorship→ Career change, career crossroads, and major career decisions→ Alig
Episodes
-
Managing Work, Energy, and Career Growth With Autoimmune Disease
Living with an autoimmune disease can affect far more than your health. Changes in energy, mobility, concentration, stress tolerance, or physical capacity can influence how you work, what support you need, whether advancement still makes sense, and how you think about your career over time. In…
more -
The First 90 Days After a Layoff: A 4-Step Plan
A layoff can create an immediate urge to update your résumé, start applying, contact everyone you know, and do anything that feels productive. The problem is that what makes sense during the first week may be very different from what you should be doing 30, 60, or 90 days later. In this solo...
-
How to Track Your Accomplishments and Prove Your Impact with Orlando Haynes
Most professionals know they should keep track of their accomplishments, yet the habit often disappears until a performance review, promotion conversation, résumé update, or interview makes that information suddenly necessary. By then, people are trying to reconstruct months or years of projects,...
-
Your Career Decisions Need Context
Career advice can sound universal until it collides with the realities of your actual life. A recommendation to leave a job, accept a promotion, take a pay cut, negotiate, or change careers may be perfectly reasonable for one person and completely inappropriate for someone facing different...
-
Purpose, Burnout, and Career Clarity with Jen Margolis
Meaningful work can provide a strong sense of purpose, but it can also make career decisions more complicated when a person begins to equate the mission of an organization with their own identity. In nonprofit and mission-driven work especially, commitment to the cause can influence what someone…
more -
How to Grow Your Career Without a Promotion
A lack of promotion opportunities does not necessarily mean your career has stopped moving, but it does require a more deliberate approach to growth. Before taking on additional responsibilities or immediately beginning a job search, it is important to understand whether advancement is being...
-
How to Shape Workplace Culture Without Being the Boss with Natalie Johnson
Workplace culture is often treated as something leadership or HR creates and employees either enjoy or endure. Natalie Johnson sees it differently. Culture exists anywhere people are working together, and every person contributes to it through how they communicate, respond to conflict, support...
-
Career Compromise: What Are You Giving Up and What Are You Getting Back?
Every career involves trade-offs. You may take a longer commute for better pay, give up flexibility for a promotion, accept fewer responsibilities for more stability, or stay in a role because your life requires predictability right now. A compromise can be a reasonable decision when you make it...
-
What job seekers get wrong about hiring with Tank Rhodes, Part 2
A job description can look specific, but that does not mean everyone involved in the hiring process agrees on what the company needs. A candidate can meet the stated qualifications and still lose out to someone with a referral, a particular background, a degree the job may not require, or a…
more -
Why Is It So Hard to Get Hired in 2026? Job Search Reality with Tank Rhodes, Part 1
Hiring has always been complicated, but for many professionals, the process feels especially difficult to understand right now. Candidates are navigating long hiring processes, inconsistent communication, changing expectations, conflicting advice, and technology that isn't always well understood....
-
Questions to Ask Before Changing Careers
Thinking about making a major career change? Before you update your resume or start applying for jobs, it's worth taking a step back. Career frustration doesn't always mean you need a new career. Sometimes it's your company, your manager, your work environment, or a shift in your own priorities...
-
When Work Becomes Who You Are: Professional Identity Purgatory with Geoff Curtis
What happens when the career you spent decades building becomes part of your identity, and then the role suddenly disappears? In this episode of Control Your Career, Strategic Career Consultant Julia Toothacre speaks with Geoff Curtis about professional identity, high achievement, career...
-
Why Career Development Needs a Different Approach
Most career advice focuses on one thing: finding your next job. While resumes, interviews, networking, and job search strategies are important, they're only one part of career development. As your career grows, so do the influences shaping your decisions, making it harder to understand what you...
-
What the Hiring Headlines Get Wrong About Gen Z, AI, and Personality Tests
Hiring headlines about Gen Z, artificial intelligence, the Workday lawsuit, and personality assessments are moving faster than the facts. A study gets published, a lawsuit moves forward, or someone shares a frustrating experience on social media. Before long, a complicated workplace issue has…
more -
Long-Term Unemployment, Employment Gaps, and Today's Job Market
What happens when someone spends years looking for work, only to be judged by the gap on their resume? In this conversation, I sit down with HR professional Tank Rhodes to discuss long-term unemployment, hiring bias, employment gaps, and what today's job market looks like from both sides of the...
-
Career Change Without Starting Over
Are you miserable in your career? If the answer is yes, a career change might be worth exploring. But if the answer is no, that does not automatically mean you should stay exactly where you are. One of the biggest mistakes professionals make is treating career change as something that only…
more -
The 5 Types of Managers: How to Navigate Each Leadership Style
Every manager has a different leadership style, and understanding how your manager leads can help you communicate more effectively, build trust, and continue growing your career. If you're planning to stay in your current role for a while, learning how to work with your manager may be one of the...
-
Staying Market Ready in an Uncertain Job Market
Market conditions can change your career faster than you think. In this episode of Control Your Career, Career Coach and Strategic Career Consultant Julia Toothacre discusses how professionals can stay market-ready, build career leverage, and prepare for unexpected career changes without living…
more -
Are Lateral Career Moves Good for Your Career?
Career growth is not always vertical. For a long time, professionals were told to climb the corporate ladder, stay loyal, take the promotion, and keep moving up. But that advice does not always reflect how careers actually evolve today. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre...
-
What Is Career Sponsorship? Why Advocacy, Not Just Hard Work, Gets You Promoted
A lot of professionals still believe career growth mostly comes from working hard, doing good work, and eventually being recognized for it. But inside organizations, opportunities often begin forming before jobs are officially posted. Conversations happen early. Leaders compare notes. Someone's...
-
The difference between authority and influence at work
If you've ever wondered why some people get pulled into decisions at work while others are told after the fact, this episode is for you. In this episode of Control Your Career, I break down how influence actually works at work and why it has very little to do with your title, even though that's...
-
The Truth About Workplace Reputation and Career Advancement
Workplace reputation plays a direct role in career advancement, promotions, and the opportunities you're considered for long before any formal conversation happens. In this episode, career coach and strategic career consultant Julia Toothacre breaks down how reputation at work actually forms and...
-
5 Skills That Build Trust With Leaders
Building trust with leaders at work is what drives career growth, influence, and access to more responsibility. In this episode of Control Your Career, career strategist Julia Toothacre breaks down the five skills that build trust with leaders and shape how you're perceived at work. You can be...
-
How to Manage Yourself During Organizational Change
If you are navigating a leadership change, reorganization, strategy shift, or internal restructure, you are probably wondering how to manage yourself during organizational change without damaging your reputation. This episode breaks down how to stand out at work during uncertainty, how to build...
-
How to Position Yourself for Promotion
If you want to get promoted, create more career options, and stop feeling stuck at work, you need more than strong performance. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre breaks down how to position yourself for promotion by building real career leverage. Promotion decisions are…
more -
Hard Work Isn't Enough to Grow Your Career
Why do high performers get stuck in their careers? If you feel like you are working hard but not getting promoted, you may be experiencing a mid-career plateau. In this first episode of Season 13, Julia Toothacre explores why performance alone stops driving career growth and what actually moves...
-
Writing A Career Book: Updates, Breakthroughs & Lessons Learned
I'm pulling back the curtain on my book-writing journey! In this bonus episode, I'm sharing an honest update on my upcoming book based on the Control Your Career process: what I've written so far, what I've learned, and why writing a book is WAY harder than I expected. Part 1 is for anyone…
more -
Financial Control Beyond Your Paycheck and 401(k)
This bonus episode of Control Your Career is a little different, and very intentional. Julia Toothacre is joined by financial professional and podcast host Natalie Kime for a real, grounded conversation about money, career decisions, and life transitions. This is not a tactical breakdown of...
-
My Health Journey, Without Pressure or Shame
You are not imagining it. This is a career podcast, and this is a bonus episode about health. In this episode of Control Your Career, I share my own health journey from the past few years. It's personal, it's slow, and it unfolded alongside work, family, and real life. I talk through what…
more -
Career Goals You Can Control in 2026
As 2026 approaches, career goal setting feels more complicated than ever. Between layoffs, AI disruption, shifting industries, and economic uncertainty, many professionals are wondering if traditional goal-setting even makes sense anymore. In this bonus episode of Control Your Career, Julia...
-
How to Make a Confident Career Pivot
You are not crazy for wanting more, and you are not ungrateful for questioning if your current path still fits. Change is a natural part of career growth, but for many mid- to late-career professionals, fear and doubt make the idea of starting over feel impossible. In this episode of Control Your...
-
Recovering Confidence When Work Knocks You Down
Setbacks can shake your confidence, your stability, and your sense of identity. Whether you have been laid off, made a mistake, or received unexpected feedback, losing confidence can feel like losing control. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre shares how to rebuild your...
-
How to Keep Up at Work Without Constant Reinvention
The world of work is changing faster than ever, and staying relevant can feel overwhelming. Do you really need to take a new course every week, become a thought leader, or completely reinvent yourself to keep up? Absolutely not. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre breaks down...
-
3 Personality-Based Networking Strategies That Actually Work
Do you hate networking? You are not alone. For many professionals, networking feels forced, fake, and exhausting. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre redefines what networking really is and how to make it authentic, strategic, and aligned to your personality. Julia breaks down...
-
Are You Burned Out or Just Bored?
If you feel drained, unmotivated, or disconnected from your work, you might be tempted to label it burnout. But what if it is actually boredom? In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre breaks down the key differences between burnout and boredom, what each means for your well-being,...
-
Why You Were Passed Over (and How to Move Forward)
It is frustrating when your hard work does not lead to the outcome you expected. You showed up, delivered, and still the promotion went to someone else. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre explains how to reset your focus after a missed promotion so you can move forward with...
-
Why Staying Quiet Is Holding You Back At Work
If asking for a raise, a new project, or even clearer boundaries makes you nervous, you are not alone. Most professionals know their worth but freeze when it is time to speak up. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre shares how to ask for what you want with clarity, confidence,...
-
How to Win at Office Politics Without Losing Yourself
Office politics can feel like a maze of hidden agendas, alliances, and unspoken rules. But what if you could navigate it all while staying true to your values? In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre breaks down how to manage relationships, build credibility, and protect your...
-
How to Be Seen as a Leader (Even Without the Title)
Leadership is not about the title on your business card, it is about how others experience working with you. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre shares how to build influence, credibility, and visibility even when you are not in a management role. Using her five-stage Control...
-
How to get promoted at work (and why you're being overlooked)
Are you a high performer at work who delivers results but still feels overlooked for promotions, raises, and recognition? You are not alone. Many ambitious professionals find that hard work and reliability are not enough to advance their careers. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia...
-
When Your Job No Longer Aligns with Your Values
When your values and your job are out of sync, it can feel like a constant low-grade frustration that you cannot shake. You may notice yourself questioning leadership, feeling disconnected, or realizing that you just do not care anymore. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre…
more -
When You Feel Lost in Your Career
Feeling lost in your career is different than feeling stuck. Stuck means you can see the problem, lost means you cannot even name what you want anymore. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre unpacks what it means to feel truly disconnected from yourself and your work, and how to...
-
Is It Time to Leave Your Job?
Leaving a job is never an easy decision. Maybe you are unhappy but cannot pinpoint why. Maybe you feel tied by loyalty, pay, or benefits, yet deep down you know something is not working anymore. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre breaks down the most common reasons...
-
Feeeling Stuck in your Career?
You didn't work this hard to feel stuck. You've built a strong career, but lately, something feels off, you're not failing, but you're not moving forward either. In this first episode of the new season of Control Your Career, Julia breaks down one of the most common pain points professionals…
more -
From Resumes to AI: Hiring Trends You Need to Know (Season Recap)
Hiring in 2025 is messy, complicated, and evolving fast. Season 11 proved it. In this season wrap-up of Control Your Career, host Julia Toothacre breaks down the biggest lessons from the Recruiter's Perspective 2025 series. From resume and interview strategies to cover letters, ATS myths, and the...
-
A New Understanding of DEI in the Workplace
DEI has become one of the most misunderstood workplace initiatives. In this episode, I sit down with Bridget Baggett, career strategist and founder of Twisted Career, to unpack the ripple effects of recent executive orders aimed at dismantling DEI programs. We go deep into the facts, the nuance,...
-
Hiring Expectations Abroad: Advice for U.S. Professionals Going Global
Ready to take your career overseas? Here's what you need to know! If you're a U.S. professional considering a move abroad, or just curious how hiring works outside the States, this episode is a must-listen. Julia sits down with Omar, a seasoned talent acquisition lead at Beontag, who shares an...
-
Unemployed for over 800 days: Why you may be overlooked for jobs
800 days without a full-time job. One man's story pulls back the curtain on hiring bias, grief, and grit. In this deeply personal and powerful episode of Control Your Career, host Julia Toothacre speaks with Francis "Tank" Rhodes about the realities of long-term unemployment, especially...
-
Navigating Career Breaks and Re-entering the Workforce
Taking a career break doesn't break your career if you know how to handle the return. In this episode of Control Your Career, host Julia Toothacre sits down with Jamie Dye, Talent Acquisition Team Lead at M3 USA, to talk candidly about career breaks, why they happen, how to talk about them, and...
-
How to Stay Motivated When the Job Search Keeps Knocking You Down
Let's talk about the part of job searching no one likes to admit: rejection, fear, and feeling like you're not enough. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia sits down with Danny Cohen, President of Roc Search and One Life Science, to talk about the emotional weight of rejection, how fear...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Control Your Career is a career strategy podcast for professionals who want to make better career decisions, navigate workplace challenges, and take an active role in shaping what's next.Hosted by Julia Toothacre, career strategist and creator of the Control Your Career framework, the show explores career growth, workplace dynamics, leadership, career transitions, and the trends shaping today's world of work.Drawing on more than 15 years of experience in career development, Julia combines practical career strategy with a real-world perspective to help listeners navigate today's workplace and build careers they don't leave to chance.Topics include:→ Career strategy and long-term career growth→ Career advancement, promotions, and increasing your influence at work→ Workplace relationships, office politics, organizational dynamics, and difficult managers→ Leadership, executive presence, visibility, and sponsorship→ Career change, career crossroads, and major career decisions→ Alig
HOSTED BY
Julia Toothacre | Helping Professionals Grow and Advance Their Careers
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Control Your Career: Career Growth and Strategy for Ambitious Professionals have?
Control Your Career: Career Growth and Strategy for Ambitious Professionals currently has 176 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Control Your Career: Career Growth and Strategy for Ambitious Professionals about?
Control Your Career is a career strategy podcast for professionals who want to make better career decisions, navigate workplace challenges, and take an active role in shaping what's next.Hosted by Julia Toothacre, career strategist and creator of the Control Your Career framework, the show explores...
How often does Control Your Career: Career Growth and Strategy for Ambitious Professionals release new episodes?
Control Your Career: Career Growth and Strategy for Ambitious Professionals publishes regularly with 176 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Control Your Career: Career Growth and Strategy for Ambitious Professionals?
You can listen to Control Your Career: Career Growth and Strategy for Ambitious Professionals on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Control Your Career: Career Growth and Strategy for Ambitious Professionals?
Control Your Career: Career Growth and Strategy for Ambitious Professionals is created and hosted by Julia Toothacre | Helping Professionals Grow and Advance Their Careers.
URL copied to clipboard!