How to Make a Confident Career Pivot
Control Your Career
You are not crazy for wanting more, and you are not ungrateful for questioning if your current path still fits. Change is a natural part of career growth, but for many mid- to late-career professionals, fear and doubt make the idea of starting over feel impossible. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre shares how to make a career pivot with strategy, self-awareness, and confidence, no matter how long you have been in the game. Using her five-stage Control Your Career framework, she helps you evaluate your reality, understand your values, and design an intentional plan that...
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Recovering Confidence When Work Knocks You Down
Control Your Career
Setbacks can shake your confidence, your stability, and your sense of identity. Whether you have been laid off, made a mistake, or received unexpected feedback, losing confidence can feel like losing control. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre shares how to rebuild your confidence step by step after a setback at work. Using her five-stage Control Your Career framework, Julia walks through how to regain your footing with self-awareness, structure, and small intentional actions that rebuild belief in yourself. You will learn: Why confidence takes a hit after a setback ...
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How to Keep Up at Work Without Constant Reinvention
Control Your Career
The world of work is changing faster than ever, and staying relevant can feel overwhelming. Do you really need to take a new course every week, become a thought leader, or completely reinvent yourself to keep up? Absolutely not. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre breaks down what real relevance looks like and how to maintain it without burnout or pressure. Through her five-stage Control Your Career framework, she shows how to focus on what matters most, staying informed, visible, and valuable without exhausting yourself trying to keep pace with every trend. You will...
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3 Personality-Based Networking Strategies That Actually Work
Control Your Career
Do you hate networking? You are not alone. For many professionals, networking feels forced, fake, and exhausting. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre redefines what networking really is and how to make it authentic, strategic, and aligned to your personality. Julia breaks down why traditional networking advice fails introverts and overachievers, and she shares a simple approach that helps you connect genuinely without the small talk or awkward coffee chats. You will learn how to: Reframe networking from transactional to relational Identify your natural networking style...
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Are You Burned Out or Just Bored?
Control Your Career
If you feel drained, unmotivated, or disconnected from your work, you might be tempted to label it burnout. But what if it is actually boredom? In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre breaks down the key differences between burnout and boredom, what each means for your well-being, and how to recover and re-engage with your career. Through her five-stage Control Your Career framework, Julia helps you identify whether you are overextended or under-stimulated and what steps to take next to regain energy, meaning, and motivation at work. You will learn: How burnout and boredom...
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Why You Were Passed Over (and How to Move Forward)
Control Your Career
It is frustrating when your hard work does not lead to the outcome you expected. You showed up, delivered, and still the promotion went to someone else. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre explains how to reset your focus after a missed promotion so you can move forward with clarity, not just frustration. Using her five-stage Control Your Career framework, Julia walks you through how to process the disappointment, analyze what happened, and decide whether to stay, pivot, or move on. This episode is a practical guide for anyone navigating career setbacks with...
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Why Staying Quiet Is Holding You Back At Work
Control Your Career
If asking for a raise, a new project, or even clearer boundaries makes you nervous, you are not alone. Most professionals know their worth but freeze when it is time to speak up. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre shares how to ask for what you want with clarity, confidence, and strategy, without feeling aggressive or entitled. Through her five-stage Control Your Career framework, Julia breaks down how to prepare for uncomfortable conversations, make direct requests, and navigate communication differences between you and your manager. You will learn: Why asking for...
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How to Win at Office Politics Without Losing Yourself
Control Your Career
Office politics can feel like a maze of hidden agendas, alliances, and unspoken rules. But what if you could navigate it all while staying true to your values? In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre breaks down how to manage relationships, build credibility, and protect your integrity even when the workplace dynamics get complicated. Using her Control Your Career framework, Julia shares strategies for building influence without playing games, setting boundaries that keep you grounded, and communicating in ways that reduce tension rather than fuel it. You will learn: How to...
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How to Be Seen as a Leader (Even Without the Title)
Control Your Career
Leadership is not about the title on your business card, it is about how others experience working with you. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre shares how to build influence, credibility, and visibility even when you are not in a management role. Using her five-stage Control Your Career framework, Julia explains how to bridge the gap between how you see yourself and how others perceive you, identify your authentic leadership style, and take small but powerful steps that create real impact. If you have ever felt overlooked for a promotion, invisible in meetings, or...
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How to get promoted at work (and why you’re being overlooked)
Control Your Career
Are you a high performer at work who delivers results but still feels overlooked for promotions, raises, and recognition? You are not alone. Many ambitious professionals find that hard work and reliability are not enough to advance their careers. In this episode of Control Your Career, Julia Toothacre, Strategic Career Consultant, explains the real reasons talented employees get passed over and how you can shift from invisible to valued. You will discover: -Why visibility matters more than output in career advancement -How being too reliable can make you seem safe instead of promotable -The...
info_outlineTaking a career break doesn't break your career if you know how to handle the return.
In this episode of Control Your Career, host Julia Toothacre sits down with Jamie Dye, Talent Acquisition Team Lead at M3 USA, to talk candidly about career breaks, why they happen, how to talk about them, and what returning to work really looks like. They discuss the hiring process in biotech and medical research, offering practical advice on resume formatting, and interview authenticity.
Jamie shares her personal experience taking six years away from the workforce to raise her daughter, her unexpected reentry path, and the tools that helped her stay relevant during the break. From volunteering and networking to pursuing an MBA, Jamie breaks down practical ways to maintain your professional identity, even when you're not clocking in.
They also discuss:
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What to include (and what not to) on your resume during a break
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How recruiters view career gaps and why they’re not always a red flag
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Tips for easing back into the workforce, from temp roles to contract work
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The do’s and don’ts of AI in interviews
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Whether cover letters still matter (and when they actually help)
This episode is packed with both encouragement and realism, perfect for professionals considering a break, navigating one, or planning a return. It highlights the value of temporary roles, volunteering, and staying current with industry trends, providing actionable insights for job seekers, especially those re-entering the workforce or transitioning careers.
Explore all the Control Your Career episodes: https://ridethetidecollective.com/podcast/
Connect with Julia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliakrussell/
Episode Blog Post: https://ridethetidecollective.com/2025/07/02/season11episode9/
Learn more about the Career Advancement Intensive: https://ridethetidecollective.com/coaching/intensive/