20. Amplifying Eval24 Voices: Career Risks, Goals, and Advice
Release Date: 11/28/2024
43. Why and How To Detach Your Identity From Your Job Title
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria shares the importance of detaching one's identity and self-worth from job titles. She discusses how job titles are arbitrary, often don't reflect actual skills or responsibilities, and can negatively impact mental health by fostering unhealthy comparisons. She offers practical tips on how to focus on one's achievements, skills, and contributions instead of job titles, and how to effectively communicate one's value in different contexts. Maria uses her personal experiences and examples to illustrate the harmful effects of over-identifying with job titles and provides...
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42. Redefining Compensation Practices in Evaluation: A Conversation with Corey Newhouse and Komani Cedano
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Corey Newhouse and Komani Cedano join Maria to share their experiences and practices to improve compensation in their businesses. They share their personal journeys, challenges faced, and steps taken towards transparent compensation practices, including setting salaries, yearly raises, and benchmarking. They both highlight the need for transparency, equity, and continuous improvement in compensation policies. The episode also offers practical advice for both evaluators and business owners hoping to promote improved compensation practices within evaluation.
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41. From Passive to Proactive: Improving Your Job Search Strategy
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria discusses the importance of adopting a proactive job search approach instead of a passive one to improve employment outcomes. Maria shares four key strategies to improve your job search process: obtaining real-world information about posted jobs, proactively exploring opportunities, accessing the hidden job market, and using strategic visibility. Each of these are detailed with examples from Maria's career and tips to help you implement them into your job search strategy. The meta-analysis referenced in this episode is found .
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40. Reflections from the Evaluation Capacity Case Challenge (EC3)
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria shares how her participation in the Evaluation Capacity Case Challenge (EC3) was a turning point for her career. EC3 is an experiential learning program hosted by the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. This program focuses on developing evaluation capacity building skills while supporting real organizations through tailored plans. For four months, Maria represented her organization and worked closely with academics to shape the case challenge provided to participants. In this episode, she discusses four key reflections: embracing curiosity,...
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39. The PhD Dilemma: My Experience In Academia
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria reflects on her experiences in academia and how they’ve shaped her perspective on whether a PhD is needed for a career in evaluation. She shares the moment she first recognized the deep-rooted imposter syndrome in the evaluation community for those without a PhD. She shares her personal academic journey, including a challenging master’s thesis in Peru, experiences with supervision, and ethical dilemmas in research. Maria explores her decision-making process of whether to pursue a PhD, weighing career impact, intellectual curiosity, and financial costs. She closes the...
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38. Five Career Reminders Grief Has Given Me
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria reflects on her experience of losing her beloved dog and the deeper impact it had on her sense of identity. She draws parallels between how her dog Safi shaped her identity and how our evaluation careers shape our identities. She discusses why change can sometimes bring its own kind of grief throughout our career. She shares five key reminders this period of grief has given her: prioritizing what truly matters, embracing self-care, valuing intentional learning, leaning into your support network, and letting your core values guide you.
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37. Cathexis Consulting on Being a B Corp
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Melissa McGuire and Liz Martin of Cathexis Consulting reflect on their journey as a certified B Corporation. Cathexis, an independent evaluation firm based in Canada, has been B Corp certified since 2019. This episode describes what it means to be a B Corporation and why the certification matters. Melissa and Liz share insights from Cathexis’s own certification process, including their learnings and the improvements they’ve made in their social and environmental practices. Listeners will hear examples of initiatives Cathexis has implemented, and how being part of...
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36. Work-Life Integration in Evaluation: A Conversation With Giovanna Montagner
The Evaluation Couch
This episode features Giovanna Montagner, an evaluator and Integrated Life Advocate with Third Path Institute. Giovanna shares her insights on work-life integration, contrasting it with the commonly discussed work-life balance. She explains work-life integration as an ongoing process to align work, family, community, and self-care according to personal priorities. Giovanna recounts her personal journey towards better work-life integration, including her shift from a demanding job to a lifestyle more aligned with her values through flexible work arrangements. She also discusses the challenges...
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35. Becoming a Credentialed Evaluator: Would I Do It Over?
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria reflects on her experience of becoming a Credentialed Evaluator through the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) and explores the evolving professionalization of the evaluation field. She examines both the support and skepticism surrounding the credentialing process, presenting key arguments for and against the program. Drawing from her own journey, Maria offers thoughtful insights into the tangible and intangible benefits of earning this designation. She also provides considertions for anyone considering this path, encouraging a careful assessment of the long-term...
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34. Growing Your Career with Evaluation Competencies
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria explores how evaluation competencies can help you grow into a stronger evaluator. She breaks down what evaluation competencies are and offers practical advice on selecting a framework to guide your career development. Maria also discusses how these competencies can ease the sense of overwhelm that often comes with building an evaluation career, allowing you to focus your efforts and seek guidance more effectively. Drawing from her own experiences, Maria shares examples of the competencies she has worked on at various stages of her journey. Resources Learn more...
info_outlineThis episode features several attendees of Eval24, the 2024 American Evaluation Association conference that took place in Portland, Oregon. Maria engaged several attendees to ask them about risks they have taken in their careers, goals they are working towards and advice they would give their younger selves.
This episode features several amazing evaluators. I am grateful for their generosity with their time and wisdom.
Featured evaluators in alphabetical order: Allison Prieur, Angela Suarez, Audacity Nadler, Bijan Kimiagar, Carolyn Haythorn, Eddah Kanini, Elizabeth DiLuzio, François-Daniel Portelance, Gabriela Castro, Gladys Rowe, Grace, Joanna Hillman, Olivia Melvin, Prabin Nanicha, Rachael Kenney, Theodore Theoharis, Tian Ford, Veronica Olazabal, Vivien Ahrens, Zach Tilton.