Career Coaches Workshop

Hosted by UCLA Alumni Career Engagement, these workshops presented by professional career coaches tap into their expertise in helping people make decisions and plan career directions. This page lists both upcoming and past workshops held online.

Upcoming Workshops

Tuesday, May 17, 2022 | Noon (PT)
Position Yourself for a Promotion with Octavia Goredema

This workshop will show you how to create a promotion push strategy.

You will learn:

How to set yourself up for success
How to make the ask for a promotion
How to be prepared for pushback

Wednesday, June 15, 2022 | Noon (PT)
A Better Way To Find An Alternative Career with Markell Morris

Are you struggling to find an alternative career to the one you’re in now? Changing careers can sometimes feel like an endless cycle of filling out applications, attaching your resume, hitting submit, and waiting. End your frustration by following the same tips Coach Markell Morris uses with her clients to help them attract better opportunities and a career they are truly excited about.

During this workshop you will learn how to:

Define your career goals and preferences
Research options that align with your natural strengths and values
Utilize mindset tools you may need in order to stay encouraged and motivated

Thursday, July 21, 2022 | Noon (PT)
Résumé Writing for Career Changers with Kimberly Cook, M.P.H.'15

There are many reasons for career changes: the realization of a new passion, a need for more financial freedom or the desire to find a more fulfilling job, to name a few. Whatever the reason, a career change is common. In fact, the average professional changes their career 5-7 times over the course of their lifetime. While changing careers can seem daunting, armed with the foundational knowledge of the hiring process and the right résumé strategies, you can transition to a new role with ease.

During this session, you will gain:

The true purpose of a résumé
How the hiring process works
Strategies to create a compelling résumé

Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022 | Noon (PT)
Skill Up: Employing Individual Development Plans to Advance Your Career and Engage Your Direct Reports with Emily Baxt ’92

How can you move forward in your career when promotion opportunities aren’t immediately available? Managers, how can you keep your best employees engaged? Individual development plans provide a way to measure career progress and increase engagement by helping employees identify where they want to grow, and the steps they need to take. Emily Baxt, career coach and principal at Baxt Consulting, will discuss how to create individual development plans to get you and your direct reports excited about work again.

Through this session you will:

Better understand how individual development plans can help increase motivation and engagement
Design a framework to discuss professional goals with your manager or your direct reports
Learn to how to create metrics to effectively measure professional growth and progress

Wednesday, September 28, 2022 | Noon (PT)
Breaking Bad Habits with Sami Toussi '11

Do you find yourself saying things like, “Starting tomorrow….” or setting a goal in the morning only to find yourself diving into the chip bowl? Whether it’s overusing your phone, staying up late, binge eating, smoking, or others… you don’t have to navigate breaking bad habits alone.

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:

Create effective habit busting techniques
Master connecting new habits to your usual routine
Discover how starting small leads to long term gain
Create strategies to maintain healthy boundaries

Facilitated by Board Certified Career Coach Sami Toussi, join fellow peers to learn about the science of getting rid of bad habits and making positive changes that will stick. Breaking Bad Habits for Good focuses on cutting negative behavioral patterns and implementing positive ones to align with your short and long-term life goals.

Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 | Noon (PT)
How to Avoid Burnout with Lucy Tseng ’12

Remember that time when your gas light came on and you told yourself "I still have a few more miles" then you wound up stranded somewhere? Didn't it take you much longer and maybe caused you to work harder, to get where you needed to go? Versus taking a quick break to fill up your tank? Join Life & Resilience Coach and UCLA alumna, Lucy Tseng for a session on how to recognize when your "life light" has turned on and learn tips on how to refill your tank. The more you practice keeping your tank filled, the better you get at avoiding burnout.

During the session, you will learn about:

What burnout is and how it can affect you in many ways
Steps to take when approaching and avoiding burnout
Resources to help you maintain productivity and effectiveness
How you can bounce back after experiencing burnout

Past Workshops

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | Noon (PT)
Staking Your Claim: How Boundaries Can Set You Free in Work and Life with Jim Hjort ’94

When you hear “good boundaries,” you might think about turning on your out of office reply when you’re on vacation, or speaking up when someone wrongs you. But let’s go deeper.

Your personal boundary is the interface between you and the rest of the world. Where you hold it—or not—defines your relationships with others and your work, and plays a significant role in your mental health. It also reflects how those things, and more, have affected you from birth. Your boundary defines you. Jim Hjort, an executive and career coach, personal development trainer, and licensed psychotherapist, will help you understand how to stop trying to squeeze yourself into a life shaped by others, and start building a life that fits you, comfortably.

You’ll learn:

How unhealthy relationships can feel so right
Why your pursuit of “work-life balance” may be sabotaging you in the long run
How to boost the odds of getting your needs met, in a healthy and ethical way (using two simple sentences and avoiding five words)
How to know when you’ve crossed the line from kind to doormat
How to feel strong, confident, and worthy of claiming space for yourself, without brute force

The world isn’t going to start setting boundaries for you. Come learn how to expand them from the inside out, so you have all the room you need to thrive.

Thursday, March 17, 2022 | Noon (PT)
Uncover Your Authentic Personal Brand with Alicia Anagnostou '96

Uncover your authentic personal brand through review and reflection on the life stories that make you who you are. Recall two or three pivotal moments in your life and work through a visualization exercise to understand the values that continue to resonate with you today. Understanding your individual stories is the first step in identifying and articulating an authentic brand in both life and in the workplace.

The session will address:

What makes a personal brand authentic?
What is the difference between a personal brand and an authentic personal brand?
What are the elements of an authentic personal brand?
What role does story play in building an authentic personal brand?

Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022 | 5 p.m. (PT)
You created your LinkedIn Profile. Now what? with AJ Eckstein

If you are like most professionals, you created a LinkedIn profile, but it is half-complete, you don't receive many inbound messages, you struggle with networking, or you don't know how to grow on the platform. Join coach AJ Eckstein, someone who interviews Recruiters on his career podcast, as he shares insightful tips and tricks to solve these issues and the most common mistakes to avoid. With over 10,000 followers on LinkedIn and 1,000,000 content views, Eckstein knows how to harness the power of LinkedIn.

During the session you will learn how to:

Post content on LinkedIn (how, when, and why)
Conduct in-depth research using advanced filtering that can be useful when reaching out to network or preparing for an interview
Effectively network to actually receive responses and not get "ghosted"

Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2021 | Noon
Career Success Strategies for Women in Tech – Truths and Myths With Marge Ang

Have you been considering a career pivot into tech but feel overwhelmed by what it may take to break in?

Join career management and leadership development coach, Marge Ang who will offer insights and strategies to help you navigate some of the truths and myths surrounding the tech industry. What are some common misconceptions about achieving career success in tech? Is there truly a glass ceiling? She’ll discuss practical tips and advice to help you gain confidence, clarity, and position yourself for a thriving tech career.

Key takeaways from this session:

Debunk common myths about what it takes to success in tech
Why failure is your best friend (and perfectionism is your enemy)
The power and impact of mentoring

Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021 | Noon
Finding Work-Life Balance With Sami Toussi ’11

Do you find yourself saying, “I have too much to do," or "I’m so overwhelmed!” Maybe you know you need more balance in your life, but you don’t know how to achieve it? The good news is you are not alone. If the above sounds like you, this session will help you optimize your time and close out 2021 strong.

Receive advice on how to:

Identify your top goals
Say "no" to the things that don't matter
Create strategies to stay focused and maintain momentum
Devise action plans, time-management and organization strategies — especially when you are feeling overwhelmed
Create room in your life to do things you are passionate about

The workshop focuses on a three-step process to discover which areas of your life are misaligned with your long-term goals. We will explore where you are today versus where you would like to be, and how to close that gap to step into the best version of yourself. Join us for a 60-minute interactive and fun webinar to master lasting and long-term change. Registrants for this workshop will receive a workbook to help you put the steps to achieve your goals into motion.

Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021 │ 6 p.m.
The Mid-Career Comeback: Finding Clarity and Opportunity When the Unexpected Happens With Jim Hjort ’94

The turmoil of 2020 brought much change in the way we work, and even the way we think about work. For some, the changes have been welcome. For others, including companies and entire industries, they brought disruption, hardship and uncertainty about the future.

If you’re thinking that now’s the time for that career reimagining you’ve been pondering, if you’ve been affected by a layoff or reorganization, or if you’re just feeling a touch disoriented, you need to join us for this presentation.

UCLA alumnus Jim Hjort will help you understand the psychological buttons of yours that are being pushed at this time, and give you simple tools for responding to a vocational crisis in a way that promotes your long-term career growth and satisfaction.

Friday, Feb. 19, 2021 │ Noon
Take Your LinkedIn Profile to All-Star Status With Emily Taylor, MBA ’08

Whether you are a job seeker, a business owner or a seasoned executive, this workshop will enable you to best market yourself through LinkedIn. You will learn recruiting secrets taught at the top business schools, as well as plenty of profile hacks to stand out from the crowd. You will make real-time changes to your profile, so that so that your outreach efforts yield a higher response rate and you appear in more recruiter searches.

Emily Taylor, founder and head career coach at NextStep Careers, will be our guide in this program. She previously taught career management to 2,500 MBAs at UCLA Anderson and was a vice president of talent at a high-growth EdTech startup.

Tuesday, March 2, 2021 │ 6 p.m.
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: Practical Insights to Reach the Next Level With Marshall Goldsmith, Ph.D. ’77

Over the past year, the pandemic has changed the way we work and shown us the importance of effective leadership within our organizations. Regardless of your current role, this season of uncertainty might be the perfect time to re-examine and make adjustments to your own leadership style.

This conversation with world-renowned leadership coach Marshall Goldsmith, Ph.D. '77, discusses what it really takes to elevate yourself to the next level. From his experience coaching CEOs, Marshall will explore the qualities of strong leaders, how they adapt and how they grow from challenging situations. As a coach, Marshall’s mission is to help successful people achieve positive, lasting change in behavior for themselves, their people and their teams.

You will learn how to:

Adapt and grow in challenging situations
Identify your top goals - those things that really matter to you - and learn to say “No” to things that take away from achieving them
Apply simple but not always easy practical skills and strategies that will help make you stand out as a leader
Adjust your behavior in order to take your career to the next level

Wednesday, March 10, 2021 │ Noon
Pushing Past Imposter Syndrome: Identify Your Strengths and Own Your Successes With Emily Baxt ’92

When others recognize your achievements, do you chalk it up to luck, hard work or a mistake? Do you worry they will discover you have fooled them — that you shouldn't have your position, promotion or accomplishments? People with Imposter Syndrome find it difficult to accept their successes and often worry they will be found out as frauds.

Career counselor and coach Emily Baxt '92 discusses Imposter Syndrome and teaches you specific steps to better manage your feelings and recognize career strengths. This presentation is ideal for people who feel like imposters, and managers who work with high-achieving reports who may feel this.

In the session, you will:

Gain an understanding of Imposter Syndrome
Learn how to develop strategies that will help you accurately identify your professional strengths
Learn how to accept and enjoy the successes that you have earned

Tuesday, May 4, 2021 │ 5 p.m.
Mastering Virtual Persuasive Presentations: Get Your Audience to Zoom In Instead of Zone Out With Mayla Clark

Let’s face it, today’s remarkable technology lets us communicate far more quickly and frequently than ever before with clients, colleagues and friends. It also creates more competition for attention, with people working at home and across multiple cultures, time zones and boundaries. That’s why it’s critical to engage your listeners with a clear, easy-to-follow structure and message that makes accepting your idea, recommendation or request a sure thing.

In this two-hour interactive workshop, you will:

Discover the power of using the underlying appeals of a truly persuasive communication
Master an easy-to-use, but highly effective, top-down approach to draw listeners in
Determine which organization pattern will ignite momentum toward your conclusion by selecting arguments guaranteed to persuade
Maintain strong and engaging non-verbal skills to overcome the lack of in-person interaction
Create an overall virtual environment that is stimulating and interesting

During this session, you will gain:

An improved persuasive message
Feedback from focused practice sessions
Your own copy of the proprietary Top-Down Planner
Increased confidence that you've covered the most critical points

Thursday, May 13, 2021 | 1 p.m.
Résumé Writing for Career Changers With Kimberly Cook, M.P.H. ’15

The record-breaking job losses brought on by the pandemic displaced many workers. While some job losses have been regained, the economy still has 9.5 million fewer jobs than before the pandemic causing many to pivot and consider a career change.

While changing careers can seem daunting, armed with the foundational knowledge of the hiring process and the right résumé strategies, you can transition to a new role with ease.

During this session, you will gain:

The true purpose of a résumé
How the hiring process works
Strategies to create a compelling résumé

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 | 5 p.m.
Turbo Charge Your Career Success with Clifton Strengths. Uncover Your Potential Through the Lens of Strengths With Ellie Tabibian

During the session you will be introduced to the four domains of leadership: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building and Strategic Thinking. Through this interactive session you will learn to identify how these four domains show up in your daily life and work as well as the applications of CliftonStrengths: optimized résumé, networking, interviewing, career selection, leadership development and wellbeing.

Thursday, July 15, 2021 | Noon
Reclaim Your Future and Design a Career You Love With Markell Morris

Are you at a career crossroads? You want to change career direction, but the thought of changing careers can be overwhelming and frustrating especially when you're not really sure which path to take. Perhaps, you tried taking steps, and things didn't work out, so you're discouraged and confused about what to do next. The good news is you can learn how to sort through the options to figure out your next move and take action with clarity and confidence. This session will introduce you to a time tested approach to align your reality to your career goals, so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

You'll learn:

A clear step-by-step roadmap that outlines exactly what to do in your career change
Specific strategies and techniques for gaining clarity, getting good career information and charting a career path
Resources for career information, guidance and support to launch your career change

While changing careers takes focus and intentional action, it doesn't have to be hard. Join us to learn how you can take the first step toward changing career direction with ease.

Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021 | 5 p.m.
Step Into Your Full Leadership Potential: Uncovering The Real Science of Transformation With Edward Gorbis, M.S. ’13

If you want change in any area of your life, especially your leadership track, it starts with a change in mindset. Career coach Edward Gorbis will help clarify how change happens. In this conversation, Edward will teach you the neuroscience of beliefs and will leave you with practical tools to make powerful new decisions that will forever change your ability to thrive in a leadership role.

Participants will learn how to:

Make better, faster, more impactful decisions about their careers and their life
Eliminate any unconscious beliefs or programming that are preventing them from achieving at the highest levels
Access an entirely new level of clarity, confidence, energy, success and fulfillment in their leadership potential

Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021 | Noon
Knowing Your Worth With Octavia Goredema

During this session you will learn how to:

Cement your career values
Set career goals
Research and negotiate your salary
Overcome obstacles and setbacks

Octavia Goredema is a career coach and the author of "PREP, PUSH, PIVOT: Essential Career Strategies for Underrepresented Women." As the founder of Twenty Ten Agency, Goredema has coached leaders at renowned companies including Google, American Airlines, Tinder, General Motors, Nike and Dow Jones. An acclaimed career expert, Goredema’s insights have been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Yahoo and Black Enterprise, among others. In addition, Goredema co-hosted and produced "HBR Now," Harvard Business Review’s weekly show about leadership. A dual U.S. and U.K. citizen, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire by the Queen in recognition of her work.

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