As the holiday season descends upon us, many job seekers find themselves at a crossroads. The twinkling lights and festive cheer might have you contemplating whether it's the right time to push forward in your job search or take a well-deserved break. Well, spoiler alert: it's absolutely the right time to look for a new job, and here's why.

If you're in your 40s and thinking about changing careers, you're not alone. Thousands (probably millions!) of other women have been where you are. The only question is HOW to make the shift in the most empowering and efficient way possible.

While you could drop everything and start another career from the bottom, you don't have to. Let's dive into ways that a savvy 40-something woman can pivot to a career that better aligns with her values, goals, and aspirations.

The frustrating reality of the gender pay gap has lingered around for many years. Some professional women in the corporate world avoid this topic for fear of backlash, and societal norms, while for others, it's plain uncomfortable. However, it's time to stop this and finally learn the salary negotiation tips to help you succeed.

As an ambitious and dedicated professional woman, you have the power to advocate for yourself and be properly compensated for the immense value you bring to your organization. Know your worth, research the latest industry trends, communicate confidently and effectively, and don't hesitate to seek support and guidance.

As a professional woman, you’ve enjoyed some successes, tried new things, overcome failures, and worked to advance your career.

You have thicker skin than when you were younger, far more patience, and a bevy of skills and experience. I’m willing to bet you also maximize profit potential and make your work stand out. More importantly, you have a better understanding of who you are and what you want in life and your career path.

Your 30s, 40s, and even 50s are the perfect years to explore new career paths. A career change is an opportunity to inventory your talents, showcase your achievements, and discover a position or industry you truly love.  In 2023, a whopping  70% of the workforce is actively seeking a career change. Now is a great time for you to capitalize on newly open positions and discover opportunities for rapid advancement.

The path to women in leadership positions has been a rocky one, but we've come a long way thanks to many ambitious women leaders. As someone who is passionate about personal and professional development, my work with my coaching clients has shown me firsthand the value of investing in ourselves and our careers through leadership development. In this post, I will share with you some tangible strategies for building your leadership skills as a professional woman. Additionally, I'll touch on how partnering with a career coach for women can provide you with the extra support, guidance, and accountability you need to take the next step in your career journey.

An increasing number of women are looking to rejoin the workforce or change their career paths. Although many women lost their jobs at the beginning of the pandemic, employment rates for women are steadily returning to pre-pandemic levels (77%), even faster than that of their male counterparts. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, women between 25 and 54 years have already reclaimed a market share of 76.9% as of January 2023.

Despite the increased employment rates among women, the corporate space has changed immensely from the pre-pandemic period. This means if you're a career woman looking to change career paths or rejoin the workforce, it can be challenging to know which are the fastest growing fields for women and which provide adequate space for multi-talented professional women.

Here are the 5 best jobs for women that are forecasted to make the most impact this year and in the coming years.

Today's moms are expected to do it all: have a full-time career, take care of the kids, maintain a healthy relationship, and keep a beautiful home. It's a lot to handle and can drain your energy before you know it. You need something to refill your cup and give you the stress relief and balance you need to juggle all those plates and prevent burnout.

How do you find time for self-care, though? With everything you're responsible for and need to do personally and at work, where do you and your needs fit in? Is it possible to find a work-life balance?

You do things that are simple but rewarding. Adopt habits of self-care that don't take a lot of time or, even better, are simple changes to things you already do. Let's look at some easy, satisfying self-care tips to help you find balance in your life.

Before your interview, familiarize yourself thoroughly with the position. Take a careful look at the job description, qualifications, responsibilities, education & experience, and any additional requirements. You should have a solid understanding of what they’re looking for and how your experience aligns. I always recommend my Career Coaching clients print out the job description before the interview and have it nearby, so they can reference a few specific details during the interview.

In addition to understanding the role and what the company wants, there are several keys to setting yourself up for success when interviewing for a job. These 4 tips seem simple, but they’re highly effective when used correctly.

Increasing your productivity so you can get more done is simple— as long as you have systems in place to hold yourself accountable… so you can have more time to actually enjoy yourself: to have fun with your friends & family, do something for your health, or maybe just get caught up on rest.

I just finished my video series: 30 Days to Peak Productivity. This was a 30-day series that included expert productivity tips, techniques, tools, and hacks— to help professional women like you eliminate distractions, regain your focus, and get more done in less time.

Nourishment isn’t just what you eat. Nourishment refers to all the things you consume in your daily life that provide sustenance necessary for your growth, your health, and your overall well-being. While nourishing your body with healthy, nutritious foods is important, it’s also equally important to consider how you’re nourishing your mind and your soul.

According to a new Gallup Poll, over 50% of U.S. workers admit to “quiet quitting.” The poll indicates that the number of employees who are disengaged from their work has increased greatly since the pandemic.

Quiet quitting refers to employees who choose to stop going above and beyond in their job. It means you’re doing the bare minimum at work. You still perform the job duties required of you to stay employed, but nothing beyond that.

If you’re in a place where you feel utterly miserable in your current job and you are desperate to leave, it’s going to be hard to land a great new job.

It’s crucial to get to a place where you feel excited about the future, satisfied with the journey you’re currently on, and overall feeling positive about where you are now. When you reach this mindset of positivity, and can say, “I’m okay where I am now, and I’m even more excited about where I’m going,” that sets you up to be emotionally, mentally, and energetically prepared for what’s next.

When you’re looking for a new job, recruiters, hiring managers, and company leaders can sense when you’re desperate to leave your current job. And frankly, it’s a total turn-off.

I incorporate mindset work into my Career Coaching Program because there are several benefits.

Choosing the path of adventure might be scary, but it’s usually always worth it.

If you’re trying to make a decision in your life right now, and you don’t know which choice to make, I encourage you to consider choosing the path of adventure (without being reckless, of course). We as humans are biologically programmed to want to “play it safe” in life. We stick with what’s familiar, what we’re used to, what feels “safe” to us. When we start doing things differently than normal, our hormones fire off and tell our brain that we’re in danger, which creates stress. Most people like to avoid that kind of stress. As a result, so many people go through life playing small, avoiding risk-taking, and taking the easy route, even if it makes them unhappy or bored.

And then there’s the path of adventure. This is that choice that is more risky. It’s daunting. It’s unfamiliar. You don’t know the exact outcome or result you’re going to get when you go down this path. It will test your skills and capabilities, force you to adapt under pressure, and allow you to try something new and different.

So what path would you choose?

In a world where your phone is constantly within arm’s reach, how are you supposed to ignore these distractions and stay focused? Focusing is a lost art. On September 1, 2022, I’m launching a new video series: 30 Days to Peak Productivity. This is a 30-day video series that will provide you with my expert productivity tips, tricks, tools, and hacks for you to regain your focus and start being optimally productive.

Every professional woman needs her own personal “Board of Directors.”

Whether you’re a woman in corporate America, a female business owner, or you’re currently going through a career change, having your own personal Board of Directors is an effective (and fun!) way to get career support and advice from people you trust.

Your personal Board of Directors should include 5-10 individuals you assemble in your mind for the purpose of developing and navigating your career. It should be people who know you well, have your best interests at heart, and give you terrific advice, feedback, and input regarding your career.

In the coming months, Shattered Glass Coaching will not only offer Life Coaching & Executive Coaching, as I’ve previously offered, but will also offer a 90-Day Career Coaching Program specifically for women seeking a new job. Because now more than ever, job-seekers could benefit from specific, expert support when it comes to landing their dream job.

Through the 90-Day Career Coaching Program, you will:

• Discover your purpose and passions, and which job or industry would be right for you

• Learn to utilize your professional network to support you in your job search

• Receive guidance and support through the job search and application process

• Make more money

• Ace your job interviews

• Successfully negotiate your salary, so you get paid what you deserve

Confidence is having a mindset of power and control over your own life.

Being confident means ditching the victim mentality. Rather than dwelling on things that are out of your control (like your coworker’s behavior, the economy, or the weather), you take ownership of the things you can control— like how you respond to difficult situations, your daily habits and routines, and the friends you choose to spend time with.

You step up as the leader of your life.

You choose self-autonomy. You know that you are the master of your fate, the captain of your ship. Confidence is steering that ship in the direction that brings you the most joy, fulfillment, and energy.

I see you. You are helpful and kind. You work hard. You never want to be selfish. If you’re honest with yourself…. you’re a people pleaser– and deep down, you know it’s hurting you.

Do you…

• Feel uncomfortable if someone is angry or upset with you?

• Have a hard time saying “no” to things you don’t have time for?

• Need praise to feel good?

• Have a schedule full of things other people have told you to do that you don’t actually want to do?

• Go to great lengths to avoid conflict?

Here are the 3 things that helped me overcome the disease to please, and the tips that have helped my coaching clients find the most success, too.

Do you have a goal you’ve been working on for 6 months or more without success?

There are specific things you can do to set yourself up for success. I tell my Life Coaching clients that, to make achieving a goal inevitable, you need 3 things:

1. Knowledge: the right information

2. Support: a person or community of people to guide and help you

3. Accountability: someone holding you responsible for following through

So what’s the #1 reason women fail to achieve their goals? Read the blog to find out!

Your habits determine what happens in your day. They are indicative of what you prioritize in your life– of what truly matters to you. When you create habits of health and success, you’ll notice improved health and more success entering your life.

Atomic Habits suggests using a tool– the habit tracker– as a way to measure your habits and build consistency over time. I often use the habit tracker with the professional women I life coach when one of their goals is to improve daily habits.