Squiggly Careers
The Squiggly Career
Squiggly Careers is a weekly podcast that will help you take control of your career development. Hosted by the founders of Amazing If (https://www.amazingif.com/), Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper, together they cover all things work: from how to manage stress and overcome your confidence gremlins to micro-aggressions and discovering your strengths. Each episode is full of ideas, actions, hints, and tips that you can put into practice straight away. Every so often they take a break from talking to each other to interview other people who are leading the way in making work better. Past guests include entrepreneur and philanthropist Dame Stephanie Shirley, author of The Joy of Work Bruce Daisley, and neuroscience expert Amy Brann. The Squiggly Careers podcast has been recommended by Harvard Business Review, Stylist, Marie Claire and Management Today.For more ideas, tools and inspiration every week, you can also sign up to their newsletter Squiggly Careers in Action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
6 snips
Oct 23, 2025 • 6min
Squiggly Shortcut: How to Quieten Your Inner Critic
Dive into practical strategies for overcoming your inner critic! Discover the concept of 'confidence gremlins' that trigger self-doubt and fear. Learn how to reframe 'I can't' into actionable steps, turning pessimism into bursts of optimism by recognizing small successes. Embrace a flexible mindset to gradually improve your skills, moving from a four to a five. These quick tips are designed to boost resilience and help you take confident strides in your career.
30 snips
Oct 21, 2025 • 36min
Map Your Career: 5 Visual Tools to Find Clarity and Direction
Discover how mapping can revolutionize your career path! Explore five innovative maps to gain clarity and insight, from Energy Maps that track your daily highs and lows to Skills Maps that help identify areas for growth. Learn about the Give–Gain Map to visualize your relationships and the Possibilities Map to spark your career aspirations. Finally, tackle challenges with Problem Mapping, turning insights into actionable experiments. Unleash your creativity and navigate your squiggly career with confidence!
11 snips
Oct 16, 2025 • 5min
Squiggly Shortcut: 4 Questions to Help You Make a Difficult Career Decision
Making tough career choices? Discover four engaging questions to tackle uncertainty and clarify your path. Visualize your future to create distance from the stress of decision-making. Separate your feelings from facts to gain objective insights. Connect with others who’ve walked similar paths for valuable perspectives. Finally, define your personal motivations to build resilience and confidence. Tune in to turn confusion into clarity!
8 snips
Oct 14, 2025 • 30min
Are You Wasting Your Talent? (Why Moral Ambition Matters)
Explore the intriguing concept of moral ambition and its significance in utilizing your 80,000 working hours for meaningful work. Discover the belief–behaviour gap and learn how to translate intentions into actions. The hosts offer practical volunteering strategies that align personal skills with impactful contributions. Learn how to expand your influence beyond immediate circles and identify role models who inspire positive change. Reflect on how small, incremental shifts can lead to substantial impacts in your career and community.
6 snips
Oct 9, 2025 • 9min
Squiggly Shortcut: How to ask for a pay rise
Feeling anxious about asking for a pay rise? Dive into practical strategies to advocate for yourself! Discover why waiting rarely works and how to approach the conversation as a series of discussions. Learn to understand your company’s pay process and present three concrete ways your work delivers value. Kick things off by addressing the pay topic early, and don't forget to summarize agreements in writing. Prepare for a potential 'no' with alternative trade-offs, so you're always ready to make the most out of the conversation.
11 snips
Oct 7, 2025 • 24min
Why Bringing Your Authentic Self To Work Is Bad Advice
Is being your true self at work really ideal? The hosts dive into the concept of effective authenticity versus unfiltered honesty. They reveal how trust can be more crucial than just being genuine. Emotional intelligence and understanding team dynamics play key roles in professional success. Listeners discover actionable tips to reflect on personal values, adapt to team norms, and intentionally manage their authenticity. The discussion invites everyone to strike a balance between being authentic and meeting the needs of their workplace.
12 snips
Oct 2, 2025 • 6min
How to Stop Being a People Pleaser Without Guilt (3 Easy Tips)
Dive into the world of career confidence with practical insights on breaking the people-pleasing habit. Learn what defines people-pleasing and how it can hinder your growth. Discover the power of a pause statement to choose your commitments wisely. Shift your language by using 'I don't' instead of 'I can't' to assert your boundaries. Finally, build your own 'no-cabulary' with personalized phrases to gracefully decline. Embrace these tips and reclaim your focus at work!
34 snips
Sep 30, 2025 • 30min
Learn Smarter: The Feynman Technique, Don’t Know Notebook & Problem Testing
Explore how Richard Feynman's curiosity-driven learning can enhance your career. Discover the Feynman Technique, which helps clarify thoughts by teaching concepts simply. Learn about the Don’t Know Notebook, a tool for tracking uncertainties and fostering growth. Dive into Problem Testing, a creative way to mix unconnected solutions with persistent problems. The hosts emphasize the value of embracing mistakes as opportunities for playful learning.
45 snips
Sep 23, 2025 • 45min
Learn Like a Lobster: How to Keep Growing in Your Career
Discover why lobsters serve as a unique metaphor for lifelong learning and personal growth. The hosts unveil a free Learning Library filled with resources and workshops. They share three key lessons inspired by lobsters: always grow, embrace challenges, and take charge of your development. Learn techniques for extracting insights during tough times using fly-on-the-wall observations. Plus, kickstart your journey with Beginner Bingo to build confidence through new experiences. Don't miss out on the exciting pre-order details!
Sep 19, 2025 • 11min
AI Skills Sprint: How To Design Your Future Career Using AI
The hosts dive into the unpredictable nature of modern careers and the importance of having multiple options for resilience. They introduce an engaging AI prompt to create mind maps of various career possibilities, ranging from safe bets to ambitious dreams. Listeners learn about an AI tool, Yoodli, designed for practicing curious career conversations through role play. Plus, a fun team activity inspires sharing personal role models, highlighting new paths and opportunities. Embracing change and creativity is key to navigating the squiggly career landscape!
