Master In-Demand Skills for 2025

Day 8 Andrew Lorraine

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Speaker: [: 00:00:00

On Career Clarity Unlocked, We're all about those light bulb moments. I'm talking to people who are still trying to figure out what they're meant to do, coaching them live to reach that magical, yes, this is it moment. And we'll also hear from those who've already found their dream careers and figure out exactly how they did it.

Whether you're looking for inspiration or actionable advice on finding a career you love, I've got you covered. Time to unlock some career clarity. Let's dive in.

Transcribed

to stay ahead of the curve in: 2025

Let's explore what it takes to stand out and thrive in the workforce of tomorrow. And it is an honor to have two amazing experts joining me today. Andrew LinkedIn editor at large for jobs and career development at LinkedIn, and Lorraine K Lee , a award winning keynote speaker and author. Andrew Seaman, as I said, is the editor at large for jobs and career development at LinkedIn.

n. Before joining LinkedIn in: 2018

C. Lorraine K Lee is an award winning global keynote speaker, instructor for Stanford Continuing Studies and LinkedIn Learning, and the author of Unforgettable Presence, Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career. She works with Fortune 100 organizations, global teams, and individuals to teach them how to supercharge their professional presence.

Lorraine is recognized as a LinkedIn top voice and has more than 300, 000 LinkedIn followers in a decade of experience as a founding editor at companies like LinkedIn and Prezi. Lorraine has been featured in publications including Forbes, Inks, Bloomberg, and Entrepreneur. Welcome, Andrew. Welcome, Lorraine,

with the number one question [: 00:03:00

ng job titles you've seen for: 2025

Andrew: Yeah, so that's a great question. And there are a lot that are out there right now that are sort of in the higher, not necessarily hiring spree, but they are in demand.

So what I often tell people is think back to sort of where we are post pandemic. And imagine all of the roles that maybe had a downturn during the pandemic and how we're seeing those pick up. So it ranges from everything from like dental assistants to veterinarians are very hot right now. 2k think about it though.

Those were jobs that were [: 00:04:00

And then we have obviously a I that is focusing a lot of attention right now on people who are early adapters. So I would say, you know, there's a lot of jobs that are Again, not necessarily in demand because it is a tough market right now, but there are jobs where really there is quite a bit of interest from employers to Um at least get contractors in the door.

So yeah, I would say, you know, look at sort of what the pandemic sort of took away from people in terms of careers. , because we're still seeing people trying to restart from that.

Andrew. And I want to ask a [: 00:05:00

Um, and they're really afraid to get back into it because they don't feel this as a very secure industry. What are you seeing in that area?

Andrew: Um when it comes to travel, I think it really depends like it's it's difficult to say that any industry is really safe So, you know whenever whenever we look at industries that are typically recession proof So healthcare things like that.

There's pluses and minuses to all of those. So with the healthcare industry, obviously, you know Like I said, we we typically view that as a recession proof, but unfortunately You know, it has its own downside of burnout So, you know while healthcare really did sustain itself, obviously, through the pandemic because it was in such demand.

comes to travel, , obviously [: 00:06:00

Um, and if you do worry that maybe there will be a downturn in the future and that your industry might be , affected, it might be, , prudent to look at side hustles or things where you can, , address that gap. So maybe if you're looking in the travel industry and you're saying, Hey, I, I work as a corporate travel booker, , maybe also look into a side skill to say like, how can we fill this gap in case there is another pandemic or another crunch where people aren't allowed to travel?

ow Lorraine's obviously been [: 00:07:00

Theresa: I love that advice, Andrew. Thanks so much for sharing that. And I really agree that there is a big balance between what do you love to do and what is in demand in the industry. And you need to find something where hopefully both can be met, , because otherwise. There is some, well, when there's no industry demand, it's going to be really hard to find those roles.

their professional growth in: 2025

Lorraine: Yes, [: 00:08:00

So how I'm redefining presence, , in my upcoming book is to really be centered around, , both how and where you are seeing. So when we are applying for jobs, there is a lot of competition now, as Andrew said, so it's a tough market, it can be really hard to stand out. So your presence is going to be. To ensuring that hiring managers and recruiters are going to be impressed by you.

want to make sure that. Any [: 00:09:00

So that's things like your LinkedIn or perhaps even something as small as your email signature, right? It's really important to be intentional with all these different aspects. Um, apart from the typical advice, of course, of making sure, you know, how to tell your story and talk about your past experience and all of that.

Um, and then once you get the job, you still want to continue being intentional about your presence holistically. Um, that's going to be really important in, uh, setting you up for success, building your reputation within a company.

Theresa: I love that advice. Lorraine is super insightful and it's something that I make sure my clients are really focused on because when we are in an interview and we tell them, Oh, I'm very detail oriented.

posting about it. It's a big [: 00:10:00

Lorraine: Yeah, exactly. It's all about consistency to like to your point. I've had people who say, Oh, I've met the CEO. They're super professional and they're so impressive. And then they want to add them on LinkedIn. There's like no profile picture. It's really sparse. You're like, Oh, this, these two things are not connecting.

So you want to create consistency. Be, be intentional about all those touch points that you have with someone.

Theresa: I absolutely agree. Consistency is so important and you don't want to leave one impression, as you said, in person, and then a completely different presence online, LinkedIn, or even other platforms.

rs should prioritize to stay [: 00:11:00

Andrew: Um, we put a list out every year about sort of the most in demand skills, and one of them that sort of was the overarching theme this year was adaptability. So I think that is that remains top of mind for pretty much everyone because things are changing so quickly, not just with AI, but everything, you know, the labor market is changing.

is shifting very quickly. Um, you know, as the federal reserve makes changes, as companies try to adapt to their ecosystem. So really, they're looking for people who they could throw into their businesses who will perform well, but also be able to adapt to that changing environment. So adaptability, I think, is the main thing and showing that you have the capability to stretch or , expand your worst skill set when needed.

in you that you're going to [: 00:12:00

Companies are going to want people that they can rely on to do that human part of the job. , in terms of technical skills, obviously it's good to know how to use AI. Um, right now it's pretty limited unless there's something very specific. So you just want to be able to maybe use Microsoft Copilot or chat GPT or one of those digital note takers or to be able to bounce ideas off of it and maybe go into interviews and say, Hey, here's one way that I've been able to use chat GPT.

d this is why i'm doing that [: 00:13:00

Um, if you are an accountant, you can talk about maybe the new, newest technology for bookkeeping, recordkeeping, newest advances. I think this trick is to really show employers that you're staying on the cutting edge of technology when it comes to hard skills.

Theresa: That is really great advice of staying on cutting edge and a follow up question as well is a lot of times it depends obviously on the technology, but a lot of times I tell my clients that you might not have to be the expert in coming up software, but if you spend one day really trying to understand that system.

nterview in a different way, [: 00:14:00

Andrew: just Honestly, yeah, like you said just knowing enough to get through a conversation I think Is sort of all you need to know at that moment unless they are looking for someone to be an expert in that specific area Um, you know, you don't want to lie.

You don't want to Sort of bs your way through the interview because that'll come back to bite you. , But you usually you don't need to know every in and out and every company's going to have their own You Flavor of how they use technology. So if there are any recruiters out there, um, you know, one of the things that we often talk about is applicant tracking systems.

hat they could build upon. , [: 00:15:00

So I wouldn't worry about being an expert. , just having enough where you can sort of stumble through and especially talking the jargon that you need. You don't want to be overly complicated in your, answers, but as long as you can, you can use acronyms and know what the employer is talking about when they use acronyms that.

That's a good sign for them.

Theresa: That's huge. And that's something I emphasize is it's more about speaking their language than knowing all the ins and outs, but understanding what we are talking about and then being able to respond to that. And Andrew, you just spoke about hard and soft skills. And I want to ask Lorraine, , , what do you see currently, this, the balance of hard and soft skills?

skills are soft skills like communication and leadership. We're simply put hard skills. Do you see employers leaning towards more than the other at the moment?

think soft skills are really [: 00:16:00

The hard skills. I think one could argue you can go to school for that. You can learn online. Or soft skills might be a little bit more nuanced. Maybe you need a mentor, someone to give you feedback. You really need to Kind of put it into practice and experiment a little bit. We won't always get it right for those more difficult soft skills, but these are something that needs to be practiced and sort of need to be in the environment to do that.

And I think as Andrew said, there's, we're going to be relying on the human skills, the human aspect, being able to be a good cross functional partner. Being able to understand, , how to get buy in from other, , individuals. Right. So those are, are harder, I think, to learn, um, but are super, super important in advancing one's career and making sure that you get seen.

your company offers training [: 00:17:00

Andrew mentioned adaptability is going to be a key skill. Totally agree with that. I love that inside

Theresa: Lorraine and a follow up question here is it's often a lot easier for people to demonstrate hard skills, right? If I have a certification, I can say that I have that I can put that on my LinkedIn profile on my resume and also a lot of times I can quantify that easier.

The soft skills are a little bit more difficult to demonstrate because everyone can put communication on their LinkedIn profile, but that doesn't mean they're a fantastic communicator. Do you have any advice on how people effectively can demonstrate that they have those soft skills?

Lorraine: Yeah, so there's two things that come to mind.

but to try to give examples [: 00:18:00

To really take advantage of the LinkedIn recommendation slash testimonials section and to be able to go to past employers knowing, okay, I want to get a job in this industry and let's say communication is a really important skill to go to a past employer, a past colleague and say, Hey, can you write out some examples of how I was an effective communicator?

So to have someone else kind of highlight that instead of you just saying it, that's really wonderful social proof and also shows that you are. You're a great person to work with and that your past coworkers can kind of vouch for that skill.

Theresa: Love that you brought this in. Lincoln recommendation are so important.

ourself, but it's really the [: 00:19:00

Lorraine: Yeah, for sure.

Theresa: Andrew, we just already touched on AI, which is the hot topic. Um, I want to dive deeper into AI and ask you is how is AI transforming the job market and how is AI reshaping roles and what specific AI related skills or knowledge do professionals need to master to remain relevant and competitive?

Andrew: Those are great questions.

So in terms of how it's transforming the job market, I think we're still in that learning phase. So when we think of a I adoption, it's sort of like an S curve where companies are going to throw the technology at everything it Possibly can to figure out. Hey, how can we actually make our work more efficient, more effective?

e's going to be sort of that [: 00:20:00

, we are seeing, I think some research that's showing that AI can be really helpful in, , customer service roles. So talking people through conflict management, , and Those sort of, you know, minefields. The question is whether it's actually making people better at their jobs, or if it's just sort of being used as a crutch.

se human skills because most [: 00:21:00

Um, but they are going to be asked to engage with AI models. So those large language models that they're called LLMs. And a lot of that is knowing how to ask, specific questions, how to interact with people, how to engage with a computer, unfortunately. Uh, so we all do that all day, but you have to know how to, how that large language model, like ChatGPT4 versus ChatGPT4.

GPT 3. 5 differ from one another. Um, you know, do you tell it how to do something or do you tell it not to do something? Like those are those specific things that you have to figure out what works best. , so really just playing around with the different models, reading what you can on how it's being used in your industry is going to be really important.

great at asking questions at [: 00:22:00

And then also just sort of thinking of possibilities. One of the things that I like to do is sort of come up with ideas of like, Hey, we are not there yet at using this technology to do X, Y, or Z, but we might be in a few years. So think of like, how can I use this technology to improve. , the bottom line for my company, my industry, and then when the time is right, you could say to someone in power or someone who's your manager, or maybe you have that license to say, Hey, why don't we do?

Why don't we do this and try it out? So that way you have those sort of. Projects in the the waiting room. So that way, when the time is right, you can sort of trot them out. So it's really about like experimenting, knowing how to engage with the technology, knowing how your soft skills will really apply there and how you can lean on that when someone says, Hey, I don't want to talk to an AI bot.

alk to a human. Um, and then [: 00:23:00

Theresa: That is a really great advice, and it's both right is knowing how the technology works and how you can leverage it. But then, as you said, leaning into the interpersonal skills, because that's something I will.

Who knows? But not for a long time. Replace. I don't see ChatGPT taking on any leadership skills anytime soon. Okay, who knows, right? 100 years from now, it might be a different story. But, um, but really being able to show those soft skills. And I want to ask you since you're learning, you're an author, Andrew, you're working with a team of editors.

Specifically for anyone who's job involves writing. How is AI impacting that specific field? And there's a lot of people that are very scared about losing their jobs, being replaced by AI. What do you see?

Andrew: [: 00:24:00

Lorraine: think, I think knowing how to write is such an important fundamental skill, and I'm a little bit concerned with it with the adoption of AI that people feel like, Oh, I don't have to harness the skill or work on this skill. The thing is about AI when it writes things, sometimes it's too slow. It's pretty good for like short communications.

You can kind of take it as it is, um, but for more nuanced communication, um, for, for longer things like books, like you should not be copy and pasting. You still need to have that skill to know what to edit, to know what sounds kind of funny, kind of strange, um, not supernatural. Um, so I, I, my emphasis is writing is such an important skill.

Everyone should still practice that skill. A. I can be a sounding board and maybe give inspiration, but you need that fundamental skill to know kind of where I is sort of missing the mark.

Andrew: Yeah, and [: 00:25:00

Um, The way that I use AI is often as sort of like an editor, kind of, um, so things where I know I have issues with, I will ask it to double check me on. So one of the things that I've always been bad at is tenses. So, you know, when you, when you write and, you know, you're talking in the past tense and all of a sudden you're in the present and stuff, I, I jump around all the time.

So, as you can probably tell from my answer. So, putting a piece of writing into ChatGPT or, um, Copilot and just say, hey, you know, are my tenses, you know, And it'll go through and say, hey, I would change this. I would change that. And by the way, this should be plural or something like that. That tends to be the most helpful.

from a podcast. So I have a [: 00:26:00

And it's always sort of, and kind of around the edges answer, I'll call it. It's not very specific because, um, chat GPT, all of the AIs, they're not great with specificity. So if you ask it to create an article based on that transcript, you will find that a lot of that stuff is made up. And even if you say like cite your sources, it will make up the sources because it wants to please you.

I think it was like, Uh, two [: 00:27:00

And they said, how did you know that? And I said, because I said this last sentence here, I see it all the time in Chad, GBT. And I said, no human will write the sentence. So I was just like, what's the

Theresa: sentence? Do you remember?

Andrew: Um, it was something like, you know, like, it was like an in summary. It's basically, it was like, it wrote a very.

Um, it was a very formulaic, like, in conclusion, and, you know, maybe, you know, a freshman college student will write something like that, but no one really has that in their style. So, especially this person was supposed to be a writer, so I was like, this is AI, so I'm not going to take my time to edit it if you just wrote this with AI.

an say, like, hey, does this [: 00:28:00

Am I awake here? Uh, you know, what what does that mean? So I think that that's mostly how I use it um, and , you can bounce ideas off of it. You could you could ask your questions, but you can't take it as gospel because also it's not updated in real time most of the in most cases

Theresa: Absolutely agree with both of you and sharing.

Thank you for sharing these insights. And it really brings brings it back to humans are still needed. We won't be replaced. Yes, it will make us more efficient and they can catch our mistakes. But in the end, and to your point, Andrew, what you just said is I use chat GPT for key points and about a quarter of it is usable, three quarters of the output I can't use.

never treat it as if. It's, [: 00:29:00

And I was wondering if you have any insight on how job seekers can leverage information to align their skills and their personal brand with what companies truly need.

Lorraine: This question touches on an important piece of the interview puzzle, which is that it's really important to find out as much as you can about the employer and come to your conversations with smart questions.

, so that can help shape how [: 00:30:00

Um, you also talked about or asked about personal branding. So, I think the first thing to realize, and Andrew and I have talked about this before, is that everyone has a personal brand. And so even before going into an interview, or as you think about sort of how you want to present yourself to the world, and what sort of presence you want to have, is that you do need to think about your personal brand, and what it is, and how you want to define it.

So I have a simple framework that I like to use for people starting off, because I know personal branding can feel like this. Like big term big phrase. It's like, oh, it's only for like the marketers or like the loud people Um, but essentially I call it the epic framework. , so your personal brand is made up of your experiences It's made up of your personality.

mple, I'm an introvert. So I [: 00:31:00

And then your community. So even if you have these three things sort of set up, , It doesn't matter if your community is not viewing you in the way that you want to be viewed. So you need to make sure that the perception that you want to give off is being interpreted in the right way by your network, by those around you.

So, I would say to start off, once you get those four steps, then you can start thinking about, okay, I have a sense for what my personal brand is and sort of what makes me, me. And then as the employer asks certain questions, or I see, oh, they're struggling in this area, or they're having trouble retaining, , employees for this reason, you can sort of pick and draw from, , your personal brand.

From all those four points to figure out, okay, this is what I'm going to share, um, in my interview, or this is how I'm going to sort of present myself to give me the best chance of getting that role.

Theresa: That is such a great framework. It was epic experience, personality,

Multiple: identity, and

Theresa: community. [: 00:32:00

This was such a great framework to think about how we show up and , , what the different facets are that we want to show to the world and to the hiring managers. Lorraine, your book, Unforgettable Presence, which I'm really excited about, highlights the importance of executive presence, and you've already touched on that.

But I want to dive deeper in that and hear from you how you define professional presence for professionals at various stages in their career. Is it the same for entry level versus a CEO? And second question is, why is it becoming a must have in the modern job market?

Lorraine: Yeah. So, um, as I mentioned before, I define it as both how and where you are seen.

the past few years. And it's [: 00:33:00

And it really does, does go beyond how we show up in the boardroom. It's really about who we are. How we show up on LinkedIn. It's about knowing how to appear confident and competent on video. Um, it's like the smaller things, like how do we leverage small talk impactfully, um, how do we manage our team? So it's actually a lot of things that really add up over time, um, your overall presence and reputation and.

I really believe that when you are really proactive about your presence, um, I think I mentioned this last time I was on your show, Theresa, but you become the CEO of your own career. Instead of letting things happen to you, you just become a lot more intentional. Um, and unfortunately, so many of us. Fall into that trap where we're not really taught how to build our presence and how to be intentional about it.

ts a lot harder the more you [: 00:34:00

So, , for professionals who really want to be seen as leaders to really lean into their full potential, especially with so many things changing and shifting around us, I feel like presence is really that, that key.

Theresa: This is so interesting, Lorraine. And I love that this is a topic you're focused on and are helping people to develop, because as you said, it's not a skill we're really taught anywhere else.

And I'm wondering, because it's called executive presence for someone who's early in their career. Do you feel it is just as important for them as for someone who's more senior?

Lorraine: I, I, yes. Um, I, but I like to call it more broadly professional presence because I feel like we hear executive presence and then especially for people younger, they're like, Oh, it's for executives.

ifferent things to different [: 00:35:00

And so, , unless you're really sort of specific on what that means to you, I think approaching presence from a more holistic, broad perspective, , ensures that you're sort of covering your bases across many different things, not things that you perhaps stereotypically think come with executive presence.

Theresa: That's really insightful. And there was one piece that you mentioned that I want to follow up on is small talk, which is really scary for most of the people identifying as introverts. And it might also be surprising. Why is small talk relevant when we're talking about our career or job interviews? First of all, why is it important?

And any tips for people who find this very challenging? for listening.

ilot So you'll get on a call [: 00:36:00

I've good. How are you? I'm good. Thanks And then sort of this like awkward silence, but small talk can be really strategic and small talk is actually one of the best ways that we can build relationships with each other. And so sort of breaking out of that autopilot and leaning into strategies. For example, there's one called conversational threading.

So you, Theresa, we got on a call and you asked me, um, how my day is going. I am going, not going to just say good, but I might say. Oh, it's really wonderful. So, you know, changing up the even the positive language I use. It's really wonderful. Um, I went on a walk this morning. It's a beautiful day here and I got to listen to my favorite podcast and now I'm super excited to be talking with you.

problem is that many of us. [: 00:37:00

So again, small talk, part of presence, be intentional about it. It can really, uh, help build those relationships, which are very foundational to advancing, , in your career and sort of building that influence in an organization.

Theresa: I love that you have a different perspective on small talk, that it's not something you just have to do awkwardly, but that it can be something that's powerful in building relationships.

Starting a conversation that's just natural and much more enjoyable for both parties.

Lorraine: Yes, exactly.

Theresa: Before we are moving into Q& A, and I already see a lot of great questions coming through here, so anyone in the audience who has questions for Lorraine and Andrew, this is a great time to drop them into the chat.

nt to ask, looking ahead into: 2025

ly the biggest one is hybrid [: 00:38:00

Um, unfortunately, a lot of people kind of set themselves up for failure by only applying to remote jobs. So if you really don't need a remote job, try casting your net toward hybrid or in office jobs because there's much less competition in those areas. , I think The latest that I had is that about 8 percent of all job postings are remote, but 40 percent of all job postings go toward those positions.

to just see employers make a [: 00:39:00

Theresa: That is a bold prediction. And I'm, unfortunately I'm with you because I think there's a lot of value to remote work, but it is declining. How do you see it as hybrid? Do you see hybrid Changing going up, going down more days in the office versus less.

Andrew: I think it's more time in the office. Um, you know, I think a lot of employers put value on serendipitous moments and those small talks that happen.

And I think that is beneficial for people in their careers. , Unfortunately, I think, , something else that is a result of this is that people are applying for jobs where they really are not interested or not interested in the job, but they're actually not qualified for the work. So we're hearing from a lot of recruiters and talent executives that they're just being flooded with.

ds of the company. So that's [: 00:40:00

We're going to see, , companies take a stronger stance. , it might be sort of like three days in the office, two days out, might be five days in the office, but then also I think it might have a backfire effect for job seekers. , but it, that remains to be seen.

heresa: Yeah, we will see for: 2025

Andrew, thanks for sharing that with us. And a question now that you're talking about remote hybrid in the office for Lorraine, when it comes to your professional presence, is there a different, , when you work remotely versus when you're in the office on how your presence. Is perceived

Lorraine: and also shown definitely.

o the small talk you have in [: 00:41:00

So. Um, to be intentional about your virtual presence, your video presence, and how you come across. And again, you want to make sure that's consistent. If you are someone who has never met your coworkers before, and this is the first impression, you know, having like a really messy room or like being in a dark room and they can't really see you and you sort of just look not ready and not prepared, that's going to impact their impression of you and the presence that you give off at work.

So, um, being knowledgeable about what it takes to, , show up well virtually, I think is really important. And I know a lot of people are like, it's been many years, like we already know how to do video, but I still, I mean, I'm sure you've seen it too, like get on calls and you're like, Oh, like what's, what's going on there.

now, knowing how to mute and [: 00:42:00

Theresa: One of the ones I see, I still see or hear about regularly is people taking a virtual job interview that is on camera in the car.

And it's, I know some, some people might not have another option. Maybe that is the only space that is quiet and I get it. But if it is something that's avoidable, yes, write that background. It's about how professional and how prepared you were for that conversation.

Lorraine: Yeah. And like, if you had to do it in a car, at least, ideally put it on a stand so it's not shaking and you like holding the camera, , so there's still things you can do if that's the situation.

But like you said, like, ideally it would be like, like on a laptop, um, hopefully in your home or some like work, uh, work area.

hey viewed like the one time [: 00:43:00

And, you know, as someone who lives in New York in a small apartment, I'm like, I get it. Don't worry about it. You know, so, yeah. So it's almost like just preferencing it as long as you acknowledge it and say like, Hey, I'm in my Subaru because X, Y, and Z normally I wouldn't do this. But, and you know, and that way at least you get it over with and say like, Hey, but everything else is like, you know, normal as, as can be.

Theresa: I love that example, Andrew. Yeah. And it does, it shows that you thought about it. It's not like, Oh, I forgot about this interview. I'm going to take it while I'm on the way to grocery shopping, but like, no, I thought about this. I thought, where's the. Most quietest place I can have a good conversation. And then, then you share that with the interviewer.

eers or land on your role in [: 00:44:00

Lorraine: Three actual steps. Okay. I know Andrew will agree with this one on the first one is updating your LinkedIn profile.

And then I think Theresa, you have a link of mine. It's part one of a 40 plus page guide for how to optimize your LinkedIn presence. So I encourage you all to check that out if you're not really sure where to start, because I know there are a lot of things you can do. , updating your LinkedIn profile is going to be key.

The second thing which we touched on just now is making sure you have a strong virtual presence. So, again, subconsciously or not, people are making judgments about how we show up on camera. So making sure you have good lighting, you have your framing set up, your eye contact, you know how to use your hands on camera.

entations. I think sometimes [: 00:45:00

So watching yourself back, being intentional about, okay, , am I answering this? Well, showing that recording to someone you trust. I think that can be a really wonderful way to keep improving and making sure you're showing up as your best self in those interviews.

Theresa: That is a beautiful recommendation that I a hundred percent stand behind.

It is uncomfortable. Most people do not like watching themselves on video. , I had to get, it was really hard for myself to get used to that, but it makes such a difference. It makes a huge difference when you, you come across differently than you see yourself as you're speaking. And it's, it's a game changer for interviews.

mend for individuals who are [: 00:46:00

Andrew: Uh, so I think, , usually the best thing to do is figure out what is being, what are the foundational skills of that industry, first of all, so do informational interviews, look at job descriptions. For those roles, job descriptions are not necessarily the best written, um, guides. Uh, a lot of times, they're just, you know, a hiring manager will copy and paste something and it'll get copy and pasted into the job description.

And it's just sort of like a game of telephone, but it's a good place to start. And then informational interviews, asking people, , what skills they have is not usually going to get you a great answer, But asking them what they do day to day will give you sort of the activities that, , you can sort of base that information on.

. Every single career, every [: 00:47:00

So taking. In all of that information will give you sort of the foundational things that you need to know, But also it will show you sort of what's coming around the corner So you can sort of start reading up on that

Theresa: 100 percent agree , i'm sure you agree with that linkedin learning for me has been such an incredibly valuable source Um, especially because there's so much short form as well as longer form content where you can be I think you can watch a nano course, right?

To get a quick idea about what is this topic about. And then you find longer courses. Is there any advice, any recommendations you have who, for people who might be new to LinkedIn Learning?

Lorraine: I think There's so there's many, many courses, so that's a good thing.

It can also get [: 00:48:00

Consistency of learning into your schedule like making it a habit and to not get overwhelmed because there are a lot of choices, which is a good thing, but I think just like, go on there like find the first three that look interesting to you and then and then start there. Don't feel like you have to like, watch everything all at once or like in a, , a certain time period.

That's such a good point. And

skilling can make such a big [: 00:49:00

Oh, um, I think this will be an easy one to answer. Is there such a thing as too many recommendations on your LinkedIn profile? I don't think so. What do you think, Andrew?

Andrew: No, I don't think so. Um, the one thing I often see though is people who complain that they run out of connections , I think linkedin caps it at 30 000 , and I think the whole point of that is that really you should only be connecting with people you can actually maintain somewhat of a relationship with , so I think 30, 000 is probably more than generous so recommendations.

s long as they're decent You [: 00:50:00

Lorraine: Yeah, I'm fully with you. Yeah. Yeah. But one thing I would add to is, um, and I would touch on this earlier, but, um, it's, it's like such a strong, um, vehicle for social proof. Right. I like to call it, um, Yelp for professionals. Like if you had two identical profiles and one person had, Even five recommendations, 10, 20, and then this person has zero and you're a hiring manager and you're going to both the profiles, even before reading the recommendations, you're going to just, , we all like to make mental shortcuts, right?

We're busy. Oh, this person has recommendations. This person, people like working with them. I'm going to assume that. Right. And so even just having a few on your profile can make a big difference. But like Andrew said, you obviously want them to be quality, , recommendations, but just like, Understanding that that mental shortcut does happen, and that's the power that recommendations can have.

star [: 00:51:00

What advice would you give to young professionals who are still exploring career paths, but want to ensure they're focusing on the most in demand skills for the future?

Lorraine: I can add my two cents to this. , The first thing I would say, I think it's definitely a great idea to focus on in demand skills. I think something that happened with me when I was younger in my career is I got very uptight thinking, okay, I have to find the perfect job and I have to follow this progression and to remember, especially when you're young in your career, almost any move you make is going to be a place where you can learn.

exactly that you want to do. [: 00:52:00

Andrew: And I, I completely agree. And I think one thing that I would suggest too is don't put too much pressure on yourselves because, you know, you're fresh out of school, you're maybe one, two, three years into your profession. No one's expecting you to lead or save the company. If you do, that's fantastic. But, you know, one thing that I hear from people a lot is that, Young younger professionals they you know, they think they have like a couple years under their belt and they deserve to be ceo That is not the case.

g time enjoy that experience [: 00:53:00

Um, to incredibly impress people. So what I usually tell people is that, , especially when they're just starting out, everyone is going to underestimate you. So use that to your advantage and sort of knock it out of the ballpark because that gets, exceedingly more difficult to do as you age, as you find yourself more cemented in your profession.

So take advantage of your position and don't put too much pressure on yourselves. Um, you know, enjoy that, enjoy that time.

Theresa: That's so, that's, that's great insight. I love that. Because a lot of times when we're new in the workforce, we're like, ah, like, I'm going to take that step back. I'm not going to put myself out there.

into that and share that is [: 00:54:00

Andrew: Honestly, it's kind of goes back to what Lorraine said early on about, , making sure that you're bringing the receipts to the conversation. So explain, you know how you were set up with a challenge, but you were able to knock it out of the park. Um, think of, , You know, when you ask people for recommendations, be specific, say, hey, , I remember helping you with that one project where we had a experiment and sort of get used to a new regulatory environment or something like that.

across all of your materials [: 00:55:00

That I want it to or if I was coming at this with fresh eyes What is the point? What portrait is this painting of a person? Um, so I think, I think those are two really good ways to think about showcasing your adaptability.

Theresa: All right. Let's make time for one last question. This one here is if someone wants to be a journalist, what are the top three hard skills you need to have

Andrew: Lorraine? You could, uh, we could both.

I don't know. Do you want to give one?

Lorraine: Yeah. Um, written communication. Like I said earlier, I think that's key. Um, also

at GPT is important. I think [: 00:56:00

Um, so really, I would, I would say it's more important to focus on the soft skills than the hard skills when it comes to being a good journalist.

Theresa: That's amazing. It's so insightful of how important soft skills are. And to make it maybe more specific, Andrew, if you were to hire someone onto your team today, what would be something that you'd be really looking for?

ing wants to do these, like, [: 00:57:00

And what I always say is, like, I could find anyone to give me 10, 000 words, but if you could give me a really good story in 400 words, that's more valuable to me. Wow.

Theresa: Anything you would want to add, Lorraine, if you were to hire someone today, what would you be looking for?

Lorraine: Um, I, I always emphasize writing as an important skill and, plus one to what Andrew said.

I think what I, and when I have hired before in the past, I also look for people who have a willingness to learn. Right? Because there are a lot of new skills, and, , I guess the style of, , content creation I did involved a lot of, , interacting with, like, influencers, business leaders, so also being able to, , learn in terms of, like, relationship building, and how to sort of, , how to nurture those relationships, I think is really key, and that's a big part of journalism, too, right?

You want the other person to feel comfortable, to get the insights from them, to get their stories, so I think, , being a people person is also, , a really valuable one. Thank you.

Theresa: [: 00:58:00

Um, but before we leave, I want to ask both of you where listeners can find out more about you. Lorraine, , where can we order your book and where we can be learn more about you? Where can we follow you?

Lorraine: Okay, I have a few links. , so the first one, obviously you can find me on LinkedIn. If you just search Lorraine K Lee, you should find me there.

Um, my book, yes, Unforgettable Presence, lorraineklee.com.Book. You can pre order there and also get some special goodies and bonuses if you submit your pre order receipt at the bottom of that page. Um, I'm able to

Theresa: pre order this book. I can, I'm serious. I cannot wait for it to come out. It's a must read.

Lorraine: Yeah, I've interviewed experts like Andrew in the book. So definitely if you want more insights like these, , there's lots more in the book. I interviewed three dozen business leaders and then, , what was the other one? I was gonna say my, my newsletter, um, lorraineklee.com/subscribe, which is also on my, my name tag here.

inkedin learning courses. So [: 00:59:00

Theresa: Amazing. so much. Andrew, where can our listeners follow you, connect with you, learn more about the work you do?

Andrew: Um, so LinkedIn. , so I think it's like linkedin.

com slash I N slash Andrew MC men. There it is on the bottom of your screen. You can also follow my newsletter, linkedin. com slash get hired.

Theresa: Amazing. I love this. Thank you both so much for being here today. This was such a fantastic conversation. So much valuable advice for our audience. So a huge thank you to both of you.

Thank you for having us.

astering in demand skills for: 2025

Before you leave, make sure that you keep the momentum going. First, reflect on today's insights. Take a moment to write down the strategies and ideas that resonated most with you today. Second, commit to action. Identify one specific action step that you are gonna take to apply what you learned today.

Whether it's exploring a new skill, targeting a promising industry, or enhancing your personal brand. Write it down. That way you will actually make it happen. And third, remember that it all comes down to career clarity. Once you're clear in your career and what your ideal next career steps are, everything follows. Once you know where you want to go, you can implement all the lessons that you learned here today to then reach the goals you are looking to reach for yourself.

skills and roles to pursue, [: 01:01:00

Speaker 2: And that's a wrap for today's episode of Career Clarity Unlocked. If you're feeling stuck in that what's next spiral and are ready to finally break free, Let's chat. You can book your free Career Clarity Call, where we'll uncover what's really important to you, tackle any obstacles holding you back, and map out your best next step.

Schedule your free 30 minute call today on careerbloomcoaching. com And before you head out, be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. If today's conversation gave you new insights and inspiration, please leave a review. It really helps us reach more amazing listeners like you.

pport truly means the world. [: 01:02:00