Careers Journo Requests

Former National Journalists Without Degrees - Hiring Credential Bias

Another journalist reached out after a post about communications and PR not hiring them blew up. She's in a different country, worked at completely different newsrooms, and the story is exactly the same. She spent 15 years at national newspapers. Interviewed heads of state. Wrote exclusives that got picked up around the world. Broke stories under pressure that most comms professionals will never experience in their careers. Then her paper made cuts, and she was out. She applied for PR roles. Communications coordinator positions. Entry-level jobs she was wildly overqualified for. She barely made it to the interview stage. The feedback, when she got any: no transferable skills. No degree. Fifteen years of writing on deadline, managing sources, navigating legal review, translating complex policy into language real people actually read. And the system looked at her resume and saw a gap where a university credential should be. Here's what kills me: her partner has three degrees from top universities. He has never struggled to find work. They live in the same household, pay the same bills, and have a completely different experience of what the job market values. She eventually landed a role running a creative studio for a major company. She's good at it. She got it because the hiring manager knew her personally and understood what a newsroom trains you to do. She's 44. And she told me she's still terrified of losing that job, because she knows exactly what happens if she has to start over. She's already lived it. I've heard several versions of this story. The first one I wrote about is American, and this one international. Two accomplished women told that decades of high-pressure journalism somehow don't count outside a newsroom. The pattern is the same everywhere. The people best trained to communicate clearly, think fast, and earn trust under impossible conditions are being filtered out by systems that value credentials over capability. If you've lived this, I want to hear your version. And if you're hiring for comms, strategy, or content roles, I'm asking honestly: what does a degree prove that 15 years of this work doesn't?

Current Undergraduate & Graduate Students - Role of University 2026

SOURCE CALLOUT: What’s the Role of the University in 2026? I'm working on a feature article for University Affairs exploring a question that I couldn't help think about when I was back in the classroom as a "student" and Massey fellow last year. Looking around my lecture halls, it was so clear to see that this is not the university experience I remembered. The answer to this question used to be pretty straightforward: universities created informed, educated citizens; prepared us for professional careers; were a hub for research and scholarship, stood tall as cultural and intellectual centres. But the consensus on that is changing more and more everyday. Whether you love it or hate it, AI has fundamentally changed the game. So have alternative credentials and boot camps that offer faster, cheaper, easier routes into the workforce. I've heard students question whether a four-year degree is even worth it anymore. Still, others argue that universities are more important than ever—no other place is designed for critical thinking, research skills and the ability to navigate complexity in these tumultuous times... right? I'm interested in getting at the tensions within this debate through speaking to: - Current undergraduate & graduate students - Recent grads [especially those who've entered a difficult/rapidly-changing labour market!] - Students who chose *not* to attend university - People who left university before completing a degree - People pursuing apprenticeships, trades, entrepreneurship, creator careers, startups, or other non-traditional pathways - Faculty members across disciplines - University administrators and other academic leaders - Former university presidents and provosts - Employers/hiring managers - Researchers studying higher education, labour markets, credentials, or AI - Professionals who believe their degree was essential and irreplaceable - Professionals who believe they could've achieved similar outcomes through other means Here's a little bit of what I want to explore: - What, if anything, can universities uniquely provide today? - Is the value of a university education economic, intellectual, social, civic, or something else? - How has AI changed your thinking about higher education? - Is the traditional four-year degree still the right model? - What do students *actually* want from university today? - What do employers expect from graduates? - Are universities preparing students for the realities of modern work? - If universities disappeared tomorrow, what would we lose as a society? I'd love to hear from you if you have thoughts, experiences and perspectives on this maesltrom. DM or email me [address in comments] Please include a short note about who you are, your connection to higher ed & why this question matters to you. I'd also appreciate any leads, suggestions and help amplifying this call out. Photo from my first day of class as a Massey fellow, where one of my courses was taught at Convocation Hall!

universityaffairs.ca

Careers Expert - Job Market Comment

Looking for a comment from a careers expert please #journorequest

Pro- and Anti-AI Experts - Careers & CS Enrollment Decline

starting a video series about AI: looking for sources few months ago wrote an article about AI tattered "AI won't take your job but your manager thinks do" and I feel like I can say more, so im starting a video series going deep on the whole topic, I was motivated more since I read some unis have seen a drastic decrease of students going into CS, any source he pro or anti AI is welcome I want to go deep and research this and make a video out of it, for the love of the game I just want to do it, also would be nice to know where prime gets his articles to read lol, I miss them.

Senior Women Law Partners Tech Leads & Finance Execs - Career Story

I'm still looking to interview high-paid senior women in the following roles: lawyer at partner level, IT director/tech lead, finance director/investment banker - to talk about their successful careers! email [email redacted] #prrequest

Software Engineers - Toxic Manager Killing Creativity & Morale

When a Job Goes From Dreamy toDreary Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to [email redacted]. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. Morale Killer Dear Work Friend, About three years ago my company hired an incredibly toxic person to oversee my software engineering team. That person has slowly made things a living hell, taking what was creative work and transforming it into a dead-end, robotic job....

nytimes.com

Successful Nigerian Heritage Londoners - Careers & Culture Feature

I am looking to interview successful Nigerians and people of Nigerian heritage who live in London. It is for a magazine-style feature that I am very excited about. Please DM me for more information. #journorequest

Kenya HR Pros & Affected Workers - Redundancy - Return - 2026 Payroll

After wrapping up a recent podcast episode, I handed Sarah her guest gift, a simple, custom notebook. As she received it, something struck me deeply. While I cannot fully compensate my guests for their invaluable time, this notebook is a profound gesture of my gratitude. It represents a shared commitment to building a community, sharing raw truths and dropping expertise that help mid-career professionals thrive. Every single person who shows up behind my microphones gets a piece of that gratitude.😊 Now, I am buidling conversations for my next episodes and I need you to help me find the right voices. I am looking for experts or individuals with lived experience to dive into three incredibly heavy, yet critical topics for our next sessions: 🎙️ Who We Are Looking For: 1. Navigating Redundancy: Someone who has personally survived a corporate layoff or an HR expert who guides professionals through the emotional and structural reality of rebuilding after their position is eliminated. 2. The Transition Back: A professional who has recently navigated returning to the workplace after an extended maternity leave or a sabbatical. 3. The Mid-Year Payslip Shock: A payroll, tax, or HR expert ready to break down the reality of surviving the 2026 deductions (SHIF scaling, tiered NSSF caps, and the Housing Levy realities). If you are a subeject matter expert in these areas or know someone whose voice needs to be heard on these topics, please tag them below or slide into my DMs. There is a seat at the table, a highly engaged audience waiting and yes, your notebook is already waiting for you❤️ #CareersWithNellie #CareerGrowth #WorkplaceDynamics #KenyaHR #MidCareer

Fans Turned Creatives - Fandom to Creative Careers

We’re looking for guests for The Professional Fan podcast! This podcast explores what it really means to be a fan in a creative, thoughtful, and professional way. We want to speak with people who have turned their love for music, artists, pop culture, fandom, live events, or creative communities into something bigger. Maybe you are a fan who became a writer, photographer, content creator, designer, podcaster, marketer, artist, or community builder. Maybe fandom helped you find your confidence, your career path, your friends, or your creative voice. Maybe you simply have a story about how being a fan shaped who you are. We would love to hear from you. We are currently looking for people keen to be interviewed on the podcast about fandom, creativity, passion, and the fan-to-industry pipeline. If this sounds like you, comment below or email me at [email redacted]. I would love to chat! #TheProfessionalFan #PodcastGuests #Fandom #MusicIndustry #CreativeIndustry #FanToIndustry #MusicPodcast #CreativeCareers

Employees Who Quit Over Workplace AI - Resignation Stories

Have you quit your job because of how AI was being used at work? I want to hear from you. I'm reporting for Business Insider on some workers who have become frustrated, overwhelmed, or disillusioned by AI adoption in their workplaces. Maybe AI created more work. Maybe you spent hours checking and debugging AI's output rather than doing your actual job. Maybe AI changed the parts of the job you enjoyed most. If AI played a role in your decision to leave, I'd love to hear your story. Email me at [email redacted] #journorequest #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceAI #GenerativeAI #Productivity #Careers

businessinsider.com

Adults 25-35 Living With Parents - Impact on Finances & Careers

I'm working on a story for Business Insider about adults (particularly ages 25-35) living with their parents. If this describes you, or if you have adult children living at home, I'd love to talk. You can email me at [email redacted] or message me here. Thank you!

businessinsider.com

Rising Stars in New Zealand Grocery - Emerging Talent Profiles

Who are the rising stars of New Zealand's grocery industry? For the upcoming issue of SupermarketNews, we're looking to profile emerging talent from across the sector. Whether they're working for a retailer, supplier, distributor, wholesaler, convenience operator or industry service provider, we want to hear about the people making an impact early in their careers. They might be driving category growth, leading innovation, building stronger supplier relationships, improving operations, or simply bringing fresh thinking to the industry. If someone comes to mind, nominate them in the comments or send me a message with their name, role and organisation. And yes, you can nominate yourself! Contact me for details. #risingstars #fmcg #grocery #convenience #distributors #wholesalers #retailers #supermarkets #oilchannel #forecourt #brands #businesses

supermarketnews.com

Christian Women Leaders - Faith-Led Businesses & Ministries

Christian women: Have you written a book, started a ministry, launched a nonprofit, or stepped out on faith to build a business? If so, I want to hear your story. I'm excited to announce the relaunch of Rev. Jocelyn Talks. Many of you may know me from my previous podcast, Faith on the Journey, which was recognized as a Top 15 Christian Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Through that platform, I had the opportunity to share conversations that encouraged people in their faith, healing, and personal growth. Now, I'm relaunching with a new focus. Rev. Jocelyn Talks is dedicated to spotlighting Christian women who are courageously answering God's call and building something meaningful beyond the walls of the church. I'm looking for women who are: • Authors with a message they want to share with the world. • Coaches, consultants, speakers, and entrepreneurs building faith-based businesses. • Ministry leaders and nonprofit founders serving their communities in new ways. • Women who have retired, changed careers, or walked away from work that no longer aligned with their purpose and are now pursuing what God has placed on their hearts. You don't need a massive platform. You don't need to have everything figured out. You don't need a seven-figure business. What you do need is a story, a lesson, or a message that could encourage another woman to take her next faithful step. I want to create a space where women can share not only what they're building, but why they're building it—and how faith has shaped their journey along the way. If that sounds like you—or if someone comes to mind as you're reading this—comment "GUEST" below or send me a direct message, and I'll send you the application link. And if you know a woman who is building something remarkable for the Kingdom, tag her below. I'd love to connect. Let's amplify the voices of women who are leading with faith, building with purpose, and making an impact in the world. #ChristianWomen #FaithBasedBusiness #WomenInMinistry #ChristianEntrepreneur #ChristianAuthor #ChristianCoach #KingdomBusiness #PurposeDrivenBusiness #WomenWhoLead #RevJocelynTalks #callforspeakers #podcastguest

Unconventional Dreamers & Builders - Stories of Reinvention

I have always been a dreamer. Sometimes my husband looks at me and says, "Thoda zameen pe aa jao." And my answer is always the same: "Ismein tax thodi lag raha hai." Yes, dreaming beyond my aukad is literally the cheapest hobby I have. No membership fees. No subscriptions. Just me, casually imagining a future that makes absolutely no sense based on my current qualifications. And honestly, those ridiculous, oversized, completely unqualified dreams have gotten me through some of the hardest phases of my life. And maybe I'm where I am today because I allowed myself to dream beyond what seemed realistic. That's why I have a soft spot for people who choose unconventional paths. The ones who switch careers at 35, start businesses with no business background, write books before calling themselves writers, or move cities with nothing but hope. Not because success is guaranteed. But because courage is required. So if you're chasing a dream that makes people raise an eyebrow, offer unsolicited advice, or ask, "But what's your backup plan?" I want to hear from you. Send me a DM. I'm looking to feature dreamers, builders, and beautifully unreasonable people in my newsletter. After all, every achievement started as someone else's "unrealistic idea."

UK Jobseekers - Experience With Government Jobs AI Tool

Have you used the UK government’s new jobs AI tool? We would like to hear from you | Work & careers https://www.europesays.com/uk/1013351/ Keir Starmer has announced a new AI work assistant tool dubbed a “job centre in your pocket” to…#uk #news #uknews

europesays.com

Fathers in Ireland - Paternity Leave & Work-Life Changes

Dads, are you out there? I'm still looking for fathers in Ireland who would be willing to talk to me about how having a family has impacted on their careers and professional choices. It's for an Irish Examiner piece that will look at how today's men are spending more time with their children than previous generations did, how the gender gap in terms of time spent caring for children (and even domestic labour) between couples seems to be closing and how all of this is affecting men's working lives. Have you taken paternity leave or paternal leave for example? Maybe you're no longer as willing to work overtime. Or maybe you haven't been able to make changes but wish you had. Whatever your story, please contact me at [email redacted] #journorequest

irishexaminer.com

Young Icelanders U30 - EU Vote - Maritime Workers & Super Jeep Fans

Journalist looking for young Icelanders (u 30) – where can I find them? I'm a German journalist looking to interview Icelanders under 30 for a story about the upcoming referendum on Iceland's relationship with the EU. I'm especially interested in speaking with: Young seafarers, fishermen, or students training for maritime/fishing careers Fans of super jeeps If you fit either category, or know someone who does, please send me a DM. I'd also appreciate recommendations for organisations, clubs, schools, or online communities where I could reach potential interviewees.

The Guardian is reporting on shifting public attitudes to higher education after a British Social Attitudes survey found the share of people who think a university degree is not worth the time and money rose from 14% in 2005 to 34% in 2025. They are seeking graduates and current students (aged 18+) to describe whether their degree was worth it — financially or otherwise — why they chose or chose not to go, and how university affected their careers, finances and life choices. We would like to hear from graduates and current students about their views on going to university. As a graduate, do you feel your degree was worth it, financially or otherwise? Did you decide against going to university? If so, why? If you’re a student and are thinking about your options we’d like to hear from you too.

Rising College Sophomores & Parents - College-to-Career Journeys

I'd like to ask for a little help from my network as I enter the next phase of research for my book. Over the past year, I've been interviewing former students, educators, employers, and thought leaders as part of a book I'm writing about one of the most important—and often most stressful—transitions in a young person's life: navigating the path from education to a meaningful career. The more conversations I have, the more convinced I become that many students are being asked to make important decisions about majors, careers, internships, and life direction before they fully understand themselves, the labor market, or the opportunities available to them. As a former university faculty member, career advisor, and now the parent of a college student myself, I've seen this journey from multiple angles. What I'm hoping to better understand now are the lived experiences of students and families who are navigating it in real time. I'm looking to speak with: • Students who have recently completed their freshman year of college (rising sophomores) • Parents of current college students or recent graduates I'm especially interested in talking with students and parents who still have questions—not just those who already have answers. Questions like: • Am I on the right path? • How do people actually discover careers that fit? • What should I be doing right now that I'm not doing? • How much should parents help? • How much should they step back? • Is college providing the guidance, direction, and clarity we expected? These would be informal, conversational interviews lasting approximately 45–60 minutes. The goal isn't to find perfect answers. It's to better understand the questions, uncertainties, frustrations, surprises, and moments of insight that shape the college-to-career journey. Insights, stories, and selected quotes may be incorporated into the book with participants' permission. If you'd be willing to participate—or know someone who might be a good fit—please send me a direct message. I'd be grateful for the help. The students and families who share their stories will help shape something I hope makes this transition a little less bewildering for the ones who come after them.

PhD Professionals Beyond Faculty - Networking Career Stories

👋 PhDs working beyond the faculty track… we want to hear your networking story! ✔️ Did a career conversation help you transition out of academia? ✔️ Did an informational interview help you discover a role you didn’t know existed? ✔️ Did one connection, introduction, or “cold email” change the trajectory of your career? We are currently writing a book about how PhD-trained researchers use networking and career conversations to explore careers, navigate pivots, and successfully transition into non-faculty roles, and we’re looking for real stories from PhD professionals across industries and career stages. These are not perfectly polished stories... but real ones. Tell us the conversations that helped you gain key insights on the job hunt, the people who opened doors, those networking experiences that felt awkward at first… but ultimately changed your path. Was there a moment that helped you realize what you didn't want? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! So, if networking played any role in your transition from your PhD or postdoc into a non-faculty career, we’d love to hear your story. The form takes about 5 minutes to complete: https://lnkd.in/gfHc_bG4 Please also consider sharing this with other PhD professionals who may have a story to contribute. Thank you for helping us create the kind of resource we wish more PhDs had access to earlier in their careers. — Ellen Dobson, PhD, GCDF & Jevin Lortie, Ph.D. #PhDcareers #CareerDevelopment #Networking #BeyondAcademia #Postdoc #ProfessionalDevelopment #STEMcareers

Young Icelanders U30 - EU Referendum - Seafarers & Super Jeep Fans

Journalist looking for young Icelanders (u 30) – where can I find them? I'm a German journalist looking to interview Icelanders under 30 for a story about the upcoming referendum on Iceland's relationship with the EU. I'm especially interested in speaking with: Young seafarers, fishermen, or students training for maritime/fishing careers Fans of super jeeps If you fit either category, or know someone who does, please send me a DM. I'd also appreciate recommendations for organisations, clubs, schools, or online communities where I could reach potential interviewees.

HR Experts - Early Careers Strategy Beyond AI

#journorequest Spotted some fascinating research about early careers - and how AI is not actually the biggest challenge facing those starting out in the world of work... (link in comments). For UNLEASH, I want to explore a piece about how HR leaders must respond to this finding. How does their thinking and decision-making around early careers need to change? What actions do they need to take? So I am looking for insights from HR experts - HR professionals, vendors, academics, analysts all welcome! Please share insights by EOD Weds 3rd June via email (alexandra [at] unleash [dot] ai). #earlycareers #AIandHR

unleash.ai

U.S. Finance Professionals - Relocated For Jobs - Past 12-15 Months

Looking to Speak With People Who Relocated for a Finance Job Hey folks! I’m a journalist working on a feature for a major careers publication and I’m looking to speak with people who moved to a new city or state within the U.S. for a finance-related job in the past 12-15 months. The role can be anything from accounting and bookkeeping to lending, credit analysis, banking, financial operations, or similar positions… just that the job opportunity should have been the reason for the move. I’m particularly interested in relocations to places that aren’t usually considered major finance hubs, including the Midwest, South, Appalachia, and Great Plains, but hey any relocation story that fits would be super helpful! :) Promise to keep it super short and quick! Please do DM if this sounds like you, or if you know someone who might be a good fit, I’d really appreciate!!

Careers Experts & Employers Offering Returnships - Returnship Programs

Final last minute request of the week! I'm writing a piece on returnships for a national - if you're a careers expert or are an employer offering one, please get in touch. Thanks very much and happy Friday 😎 #journorequest #careers

Professionals in Niche Indian Careers - Honest Career Insights

Built a free career guidance platform for Indian students because paid consultants are genuinely a scam this might be a slightly rant-y post but also an actual thing we made so bear with me the career guidance industry in india is set up in a way that's almost designed to give bad advice. paid counsellors get commission from colleges so they push you toward whoever pays them more. school teachers have two options in their head. youtube channels start strong and die in 6 months. and the actual useful question, which is whether a specific career is right for a specific person, nobody is answering it honestly. i know this from personal experience and from talking to a lot of people in the 17 to 20 age range who made big decisions with basically no real information. so me and a few friends built whatnow. free, no courses, no paid tiers, no affiliate relationships with colleges. just honest guides on careers that students actually want to know about but can't find good information on. merchant navy, urban planning, game design, forensic science, allied health careers, nda, uceed, nift, clat. the ones where the information gap is the biggest. every career we cover, we lead with is this right for you before we talk about how to get there. that's the part that's missing everywhere else. we're a small team, proper website is being built, all visuals are made by hand by an actual designer (not ai generated), and we're about to go live with the first content. if you know anyone between class 9 and 12 who is trying to figure out what to do with their life, this is what we're building for them. and if you work in a career that most people in india don't understand well and you'd be open to an honest conversation about what it's actually like, we'd love to hear from you. that's the content we need most right now. Please reach out in comments if you have anything to contribute!

Professionals Whose Jobs Depend On Conversation - Podcast Guests

A few months ago, I launched the Conversation Lab podcast. The idea was to blend informative content about the Conversation Compass with folks who use conversational skills as part of their own work. The goal wasn't to interview a stream of product folks, although I do love some good product nerdery. Instead I wanted to sit down with people whose careers live or die on their ability to have great conversations. To say I've been having a blast is a big understatement. So far this first season, I've talked to a Pentagon spokesman, a flight attendant, a Jewish culture trainer who works with private security firm and law enforcement, an explainer-video pioneer, and a 20-year community builder. Five very different jobs, all leaning on the same conversational soft skills. Once you start seeing conversation as a craft, you spot great teachers everywhere. And there's more conversations already recorded and on the way. I sat down with a psychologist to dig into what's really happening under the surface when two people engage. A flavor designer, whose work depends on building and using a shared language so people can actually communicate effectively about visceral experiences. And a UX and AI designer thinking hard about what conversation even means when a machine is part of it. If you want to get better at talking to your customers, the smartest move might be studying people who do it for a living somewhere else entirely. You can add the podcast at jakemckee.com/podcast And if you or someone you know uses conversation as a core part of your work, drop me a line. I'd love to talk with you about sitting down for an episode conversation. And a huge thanks to my guests, friends, and supporters who have cheered this project on!

Gifted Misfits - Punished for Brilliance & Career Sidelining

Calling all misfits, weirdos, and rebels. Have you ever been the smartest person in the room and been punished for it? Have you watched mediocre people get promoted while your ideas were ignored, stolen, or buried? Have you been called "too intense," "too much," "difficult to work with" — by people who couldn't keep up with you? Have you quit, been fired, or been quietly sidelined because you couldn't stop seeing what was broken and couldn't stop trying to fix it? I'm writing a book about people like you: gifted misfits who have spent their careers butting heads with organizations that weren't built for them. I'm looking for real stories. Gritty ones. The kind you've never told anyone because you were afraid of what it would say about you. I'm a researcher and former Naval officer with a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction. I've spent years interviewing the kinds of people that organizations call "problems" and discovering they're almost always the most valuable people in the room. If you've ever felt like a square peg in a round hole and wondered if something was fundamentally wrong with you—I want to talk to you! DM me. Interviews are 45-60 minutes via Google Meet. Completely confidential. *Here's the backstory, if you're interested:* Years ago, the US Navy hired me to figure out what it means for an organization to be 'intellectually ready' for rapid technological change. I began creating a psychological model. To do this, I interviewed dozens of people at NASA, SpaceX, Tesla, NVIDIA, GE, and beyond. I expected to hear about what makes great organizations great. Instead, I kept hearing the same story, over and over, across every industry, every sector, every kind of organization: Someone brilliant. Someone driven. Someone who could see exactly what needed to change, but was punished or discouraged or marginalized or sidelined for being themselves. The model of intellectual readiness became something else entirely. It became a book about the people organizations can't figure out what to do with, and yet can't afford to lose. THIS is what I'm doing with retirement. :)

Bangor Alumni - Natural Sciences Careers Podcast Guests

As part of SLEWG (Student-Led Employability Working Group) at Bangor University, I’ve been involved in helping to develop a new #podcast aimed at students in the School of Environmental and Natural Sciences (SENS). The goal of the podcast is to provide practical careers advice for students within SENS, as well as highlight the diverse journeys and careers paths of individuals currently working in, or who have previously worked in, the field. We also want to speak to people who once started exactly where we are now at Bangor, to show what is possible beyond university and the different directions a degree can lead. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of conducting the very first interview for the podcast with Mark Rigby, a Bangor Alumini who started his journey studying agriculture! This was my first time interviewing someone so it was definitely a learning curve for me. I’m really grateful to Mark for being so patient and becoming our “Guinea Pig” for the first episode. Despite that, it was a genuinely rewarding experience. I learned a lot in a short space of time, not just about interviewing, but about confidence, and adapting on the spot. We had set questions prepared, but I also found myself coming up with follow-up questions during the interview, which was a really valuable part of the experience. As well, hearing about Mark’s journey from studying agriculture at Bangor to becoming a CEO was truly inspiring and it reinforced the value of creating spaces where students can hear real, honest career stories. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the podcast develops over the next few months and being a part of something that I hope will genuinely be useful for current and future students. If you’re a Bangor Alumni, or working in any aspect of the natural sciences field, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me or [email redacted], we’d love to hear from you! Bangor University Undeb Bangor, Bangor Students' Union Careers Studio Bangor University | Stiwdio Gyrfaoedd Prifysgol Bangor Leon G. Jamieson Iris Ha Rebecca Jones

bangor.ac.uk

Career Changers - Unconventional Reinvention Stories

Earlier this week I visited Zuckerlwerkstatt in Vienna as part of a Vienna Business Agency Expat Club event. As someone who spends a lot of time mentoring people through career transitions, I am always drawn to stories of reinvention. And this was one of those stories. Maria and Christian discovered a small candy factory during a holiday in Northern Europe and became fascinated by the craft. One was a lawyer, the other a singer. They eventually left their earlier careers behind to learn the art of traditional candy making from the last masters of this almost extinct Austrian craft. Today, they have built one of the finest handmade candy brands in the world through Zuckerlwerkstatt in Vienna and Salzburg. What stood out to me was the passion and intentionality behind everything they do. You can see it in the quality of the candies, the 150-year-old handmade techniques they preserve, and the care with which they source natural ingredients locally from Austria. In a world where many professionals quietly question whether they are still connected to their work, stories like these remind us that meaningful reinvention is possible. Not every career transition needs to become a unicorn startup or a massive public success story. Sometimes success is building a life around craftsmanship, creativity, values, and work that genuinely brings joy. That takes courage. And in this case, a lot of sweetness too. I’m thinking of starting a small LinkedIn series featuring inspiring career transition and reinvention stories from across the world. If you know someone who has made an unconventional career pivot or built a meaningful second innings, feel free to DM me. I would love to discover and share more such stories. #CareerTransitions #CareerHeist #CareerReinvention

PhD Graduates - Networking Into Non-Faculty Careers

Did networking help you find a job? Get a referral? Explore a career you didn't know existed? We want to hear from you! Your story could make it into a book about how PhD-trained researchers use career conversations, informational interviews, cold emails, etc., to find their way into non-faculty roles, and help another PhD who's trying to figure out what comes next. It takes about 5 minutes. We may follow up to refine your response, and nothing gets published without your permission. Link in comments! Please consider sharing with a friend who might have a story, too :) Thank you!

Professionals - Career Missteps & How to Bounce Back

Career Missteps, Real Lessons, and How to Bounce Back We’ve all been there. A miscommunication, a strategic misstep, or a handled-poorly moment that shifted a workplace dynamic. This week on the Lunch Experience with Candid, we are diving deep into the raw truth of professional life: the mistakes we’ve made that impacted our careers, our relationships with managers, and our bonds with colleagues. More importantly, we are focusing on the blueprint for recovery—how to fix them, or at least how to gracefully attempt to. 📢 We Want to Hear Your Stories! We are opening up the floor to our network. We want to address your real-life scenarios directly during the show. Here is how you can get involved: 📲 Share your story or question on WhatsApp by joining my community. 🎧 Tune in online to hear us break down these scenarios live on air. 💬 Get guaranteed feedback: If we don't manage to cover your story live during the broadcast, I will personally answer and address any remaining questions directly within the community. Mistakes aren't career endings—they are often the sharpest teachers we have. 👇🏾Join the community via the link in the comments below, drop your stories, and let's learn how to navigate the bumpier sides of the workplace together. #careerdevelopment #youthemployment #purposedriven

U.S. Finance Professionals - Relocated For Finance Job

Hey folks, I'm reporting a story for Indeed Career Guide and looking for people in the U.S. who relocated to a new city or state specifically for a finance-related opportunity. Think accountant, bookkeeper, loan officer, financial administrator, or anything with a strong finance component. I'm especially interested in less-obvious moves, say: → Texas → rural Virginia → Arizona → Nebraska → California → Iowa → Chicago → Omaha → Big city → Midwest / South / Appalachia / Great Plains If the job drove the move, I want to hear your story! If this sounds like you (or someone you know), drop a comment or DM me! #Accounting #Finance #CPA #FinancialCareers #Relocation #Midwest #CommunityBanking

indeed.com

Senior Leaders in Regulated Orgs - Post-AI Professional Identity

What if you don't like the version of yourself when AI does the part of your work you love? I've been thinking about this from two sides. On one side, the executives I see commissioning AI tools to automate "the boring parts." The cost models. The customer service triage. The analytical grunt work. The framing is always efficiency. The unspoken bet is that the work you'll be left with is the work you've always wanted to do. On the other side, the senior practitioners quietly admitting the truth: the work they were planning to automate away was the work that made them themselves. The hours of structured analytical thinking. The conversations with frontline staff that the dashboard now summarises. The slow building of judgement that came from doing the thing, repeatedly, until you knew it in your hands. The version of yourself that emerges on the other side of automating "the boring parts" is not always the version you wanted to meet. I'm not arguing against AI tools. My practice is built on helping organisations adopt them responsibly. I am arguing that "responsible AI adoption" needs to include a harder question than the ones in the procurement framework: Who do I become when this work is no longer mine? If the answer is someone I'd rather be, automate with confidence. If the answer is someone smaller, less curious, less able to make the next judgement call, the efficiency gain has a cost the spreadsheet won't catch. The most important AI governance question of the next five years isn't "is this model safe to deploy." It's "what kind of professional remains after this is deployed." I'm exploring this question and others like it in The Version Question, a series on the costs and trade-offs we don't talk about in senior careers. If you're working on AI adoption inside a regulated organisation and this question is sitting on your desk too, I'd like to hear from you. #TheVersionQuestion #AIGovernance #SeniorLeadership #FutureOfWork

Young Africans - Building Careers & Businesses Amid Chaos

Africa has the lowest ratio of opportunity-driven to necessity-driven entrepreneurs in the world: 1.5 to 1. In North America, it is 5.2 to 1. That gap is not a story about ambition. It is a story about chaos. A generation of young Africans is being asked to find a career, build a business, and "follow their passion" in the middle of circumstances that would be considered emergencies anywhere else. Nine out of every ten working women in sub-Saharan Africa earn their living in the informal economy. Roughly a third of youth-led businesses on the continent are born of necessity, not opportunity. Only 17% of African entrepreneurs plan to create six or more jobs in five years. That is the lowest of any region in the world. I am writing a book about this. It is about what it takes to go from multi-dimensional chaos to a pattern that works. No formal structure. No obvious path. Most of the statistics stacked against you. And still, somehow, you find a way of building that is repeatable, transferable, and capable of producing something meaningful. It is also about the quiet things that change everything. A scholarship. A mentor. A single household decision. The small interventions whose compounding power we systematically underestimate, and whose absence quietly redirects entire lives. This will come from my personal journey trying to find a pattern and build in the chaos, as well as the stories of others who have managed to do it even better. I am giving myself ten years to write it because I have only just started to find my own pattern. I have only just started to have the option to focus. I do not want to write from the mountaintop. I want to write on the climb, while I am still learning. If you are a young African looking for the pattern, or you know someone whose life forked at one opportunity they did or did not receive, I want to hear from you. Your stories are part of this book. Read more in the article below...

Recent Women Graduates - Graduate Shock & Early-Career Burnout

#journorequest For my next article, I'm looking at 'Graduate Shock,' and looking at how women experience burnout in their early careers straight after they graduate. f you have recently graduated and entered the workplace, please let me know because I'd love to speak to you!

Corporate Leaders & HR Experts - Leadership Journeys Podcast

🚀 I'm Looking to Feature Visionary Leaders on My Podcast 🎙️ Behind every successful company, career, and breakthrough idea is a story people rarely get to hear. That’s exactly what I want to explore on my podcast — conversations that go beyond titles, beyond achievements, and into the real journey of leadership, growth, failure, resilience, and impact. I’m currently inviting: 🔹 Corporate Leaders 🔹 HR & Culture Experts 🔹 Innovators & Change-Makers 🔹 Professionals building meaningful careers If you’re passionate about sharing experiences, lessons, leadership insights, or industry perspectives that can inspire others — I’d love to host you. 🎧 What to expect: ✔️ Friendly & authentic conversations ✔️ 100% remote recording ✔️ A platform to share your voice, story, and expertise The goal is simple: Create conversations that inspire people to think bigger, lead better, and grow stronger. 📩 Interested in joining as a guest? Send me a DM or comment below — let’s make an impactful conversation happen. #Podcast #Leadership #CorporateLife #ThoughtLeadership #Innovation #Careers #HR #Cfbr

Bridal Industry Professionals - Behind Scenes & Industry Challenges

In July, Le Journal Curioso will dedicate a special editorial focus to the bridal industry. Not only the gowns on the runway or the final campaign images people see online, but the ecosystem of professionals whose work quietly shapes the industry behind the scenes. Through my interview series The Underrated Fashion Professionals, I’m looking to speak with people working across bridal fashion and bridal business, including: — pattern makers — seamstresses and artisans — boutique owners — bridal stylists — atelier managers — production coordinators — sales professionals — showroom teams — textile experts — bridal buyers — PR and communication professionals — freelance creatives working with bridal brands — and others whose expertise keeps the industry moving I’m particularly interested in conversations around: • the realities of bridal retail today • sustainability vs production pressure • international markets and export • the emotional labour behind bridal work • visibility and invisibility in fashion • how bridal is evolving culturally and commercially If this sounds like you — or someone whose work deserves more visibility — I’d love to connect. PS: In the video is Maria, one of the fantastic seamstresses behind Mysecret Sposa beautiful gowns. #BridalIndustry #FashionIndustry #MadeInItaly #LuxuryFashion #BridalFashion #FashionBusiness #FashionCareers #Craftsmanship #FashionProfessionals #LeJournalCurioso

Job Candidates & Hiring Managers - Multi-Stage Interview Experiences

CALL FOR SOURCES: Have you been through a multi-stage interview recently? Have you hired someone after a multi-stage interview? I'd love to speak to you for a story I'm working on for Nature Careers. Please share and DM if you'd like to chat.

nature.com

Dyslexic & ADHD Writers - AI as Accessibility Tool

With so much hype, & so much legitimate concern, about the misuse of AI, I've been tentatively stepping back into social media. Partly because I have a novel coming. Partly because I think a conversation is missing. I've been trying to pick my platforms more carefully, looking for places where nuance still survives, rather than the louder feeds where everything collapses into the same fight. I'm dyslexic & have ADHD. I've spent forty years building careers around the gap between what's in my head & what makes it onto the page. For people like me, AI isn't generative; it's restorative. It doesn't write for me; it closes the friction between thought & finished sentence. I run a full audit trail on every step. No AI-generated content claimed as my own work. An accessibility tool, the way a screen reader is for someone blind. The current debate too often collapses two very different questions: "Should AI generate fake creative output?" & "Should neurodivergent people lose access to tools that let them function?" The first deserves the scrutiny it's getting. The second is being quietly steamrolled in the process. I'm writing about this. The novel, Faculty of Matter, comes out of the same questions: what we agree to give up when systems promise to help us. Many of you are deep experts in this space, working in AI, in the technologies around it, in policy & ethics. I'd genuinely welcome constructive input on this debate, especially the harder edges of it. 📚 carlmfreeman.substack.com 🦋 @gatekeeper0077.bsky.social #AI #Accessibility #Neurodiversity #Dyslexia #ADHD #AIEthics #FacultyOfMatter #Dreampunk

Gen X Black Women in Chicago - Longtime Sky Fans

Gen X Black women in Chicago who are Sky fans: I want to uplift your voice for a story! Hi! I’m a Black reporter at a Chicago-based, Black-owned publication looking to talk with older millennials and Gen X Black women (40 and up) about their place in Chicago basketball culture. Basketball means something special to Chicago and I want to uplift the voices of older Black women who know the game well and have been specifically supporting the Sky for years. Folks like Candace Parker and Derrick Rose have had women supporting their careers from the very beginning in Chicago. These women can sometimes know ball better than the commentators. Given the rise of the WNBA and the Sky in the last few years, I am curious to know what it means to be a fan of a team that seems to market to everyone but the specific demographic (older Black women), what little girls interested in sports should know from seeing you take up space and why they believe basketball is forever exciting within the Black community and especially in Chicago. :) If this is you or someone you know, please let me know, I’d love to chat!!

Published Authors & Literary Agents - AI-Written Vs AI-Assisted Books

Working on a feature for Times Now: Why AI-Written And AI-Assisted Books Are Becoming Publishing's Most Uncomfortable Debate I need voices from people who are living this conversation, not watching it from the outside. If you're a published author with a traditional publishing house, a commissioning editor, or a literary agent, I'd like a short quote sharing your take on where AI sits in publishing right now. No set questions. No agenda. Just your honest position. The piece is exploring the tension between AI-written and AI-assisted work where the line is, whether there is a line, and what it means for the people whose careers depend on the answer. If you have a take, drop it in the comments or DM me. I'll follow up with how I plan to use it and full attribution details. If you know a commissioning editor at a major house, a literary agent navigating this with clients, or a published author who's been thinking about this, tag them. The more perspectives, the better the piece. The deadline is tight. I'd appreciate hearing from you this week. #AuthorFeature #AuthorsFeatures #AIWriting #AIAssistedBooks #MediaRequest

timesnownews.com

Turnaround Podcast Host - Reaction to #4 Global Restructuring Rank

Breaking: We just hit No. 4 in the World! I’ve just discovered that The Turnaround Podcast has been ranked as the No. 4 Restructuring Podcast globally by Feedspot for their May 2026 rankings! I’ll admit, seeing FreiLibertas Law sitting right up there next to institutional giants like KPMG (#1) and @Insol (#3) is a bit surreal. Though, for the record, I can confirm that the revenues of KPMG and my boutique outfit are still… somewhat different. On a serious note, I’m incredibly proud of the independence of this project. Being entirely self-funded means I don’t have a corporate agenda to push or a PR department to please. It’s just raw, long-form conversation: the real stories behind people’s careers, the hard-won 'war stories,' and the unvarnished truth of what it actually takes to save a business from the brink. I genuinely love getting to know (or often reconnecting) with the practitioners, investors, directors, advisers and generals legends of the R&I world and hearing the "secrets" they’ve gathered over a lifetime of turnarounds. I particularly enjoy the quirkiness of our guest selection - I have taken a very wide view of what turnaround means and the topics covered. There is a place for talking pre-packs, COMI shifts etc but I also want to hear about operational turnarounds, the human stories of careers and the passionate intensity people bring to their mission. While I inevitably seek the input of top practitioners from the "big brands," I also love giving a platform to the scrappy new entrants and the "disruptors" in the space. I’m also making a conscious effort to look beyond the UK; I have a focus on Germany coming up soon, for example, to explore how turnarounds are handled across different European geographies - check out Saam Golshani on France from last season too. I think we will also need to cover the US and offshore jurisdictions soon. To the "Lurkers" out there: I know you’re listening (the stats don’t lie!), but I’d love to get as much support as possible so I know that you are actually interested in the content we're creating. If you enjoy the show, please hit Like, Subscribe, or share this post. It might seem small, but it’s a huge help when I’m convincing world-class guests to come on—it helps prove they aren't just talking into a void! If you want to be a guest or know someone who you'd recommend to e on do let me know. The link to the podcast is in the comments below. P.S. If you want to join our community and get deeper insights via the newsletter, just reply with "newsletter" below and I’ll get you added. #Restructuring #Insolvency #BusinessTurnaround #Podcast #FreiLibertas #TheTurnaroundPodcast #GermanyBusiness #TurnaroundManagement

feedspot.com

Young Canadians in Skilled Trades - Choosing Trades Over Office Jobs

Media callout: Are young people rethinking the value of office jobs? With AI reshaping white-collar work, more young Canadians appear to be turning to the skilled trades for stability, opportunity and higher earning potential. I’m looking to interview young people who have chosen a career in the trades, especially those who weighed the pros and cons of a traditional office career versus hands-on skilled work. Maybe you: • chose trades over university • went to university and later switched paths • saw better long-term opportunities in the trades • wanted work that felt more secure, practical or financially rewarding If this sounds like you – or your son or daughter – I’d love to connect for an upcoming story in the Globe and Mail. Please DM me, comment below,or email me [email redacted] #SkilledTrades #FutureofWork #GenerationZ #LinkedInNews #Apprenticeship #Leadership #Careers #CanadaJobs #WorkforceDevelopment

theglobeandmail.com

Neurodivergent High-Achieving Women - Monthly Cycle Struggles & Burnout

Nobody told me my brain worked differently. ❤️🩹 I had to figure it out myself. And when I did, everything started making sense. Now I'm researching how this shows up for other women, especially the ones in demanding careers who are quietly managing way more than anyone around them realizes. If any of this sounds familiar- → Certain times of month are just harder, inexplicably → You've never found tools that actually fit how your brain works → You spent years thinking something was wrong with you → You're high-achieving on the outside and exhausted on the inside I want to hear your story. 20 minutes. No pitch. Just a real chat. Comment "Women" below or DM me! 🙏 #neurodivergent #ADHDwomen #Autisticwomen #AuDHD #womenshealth

Laid-Off Engineers & Developers - AI Hiring Surge vs Layoffs

🚨 Engineers & Devs recently laid off — I’d like to hear from you! 🚨 If you’ve been impacted recently and are open to sharing your experience, I’d really appreciate speaking with you. More than happy to keep you anonymous! I’m working on a feature about what’s happening right now in tech: massive AI infrastructure investment happening at the same time as widespread engineering layoffs and restructuring. Are the two connected? Contact me: [email redacted] #TechLayoffs #EngineeringCareers #SoftwareEngineering #DeveloperLife #TechIndustry #CareerTransition LeadDev

leaddev.com

Indian Parents & Gen Z - Money Mindset Clash

I’m working on an upcoming story for indianexpress.com about the growing money mindset clash between Indian parents and Gen Z children -- and I’d love to hear from people across generations. Many Indian parents grew up believing financial security meant stable jobs, fixed savings, home ownership, avoiding risk, and 'settling down' early. But Gen Z is redefining success differently: prioritising investments, experiences, mental health, work-life balance, travel, convenience, passion-driven careers, and sometimes even quitting jobs that feel emotionally draining. I’m looking to speak with: • Gen Z individuals navigating disagreements with parents around money, career paths, spending habits, or life goals • Parents trying to understand (or struggling with) their children’s financial choices and priorities • Financial advisors and psychologists who can share insights on how changing attitudes toward money are affecting relationships, independence, and long-term financial habits If this resonates with you, or you have a story/opinion to share, please comment below or DM me. #journorequest

indianexpress.com

Good Latinas for Good & Latinas Do Bem Alumni Mentees - Mentee Videos

Good Latinas for Good / Latinas do Bem ™️ alumni mentees, we want to hear your story! We’re launching something special at GL4G, a new video series dedicated to YOU — our #mentees. "Your journey. Your growth. Your voice. Inspiring Stories From our Mentees" 🎥 We’re inviting our past mentees to share a short video about your experience. Tell us: * What did mentorship mean to you? * How did this experience impact your personal or professional journey? * What would you say to another Latina considering joining? #Mentorship has the power to open doors, build confidence, and change the trajectory of women’s careers. And there’s no better way to show that than through real stories. Because your story could be the reason another woman takes that first step. ✨ Be part of this series. Inspire. Empower. Pay it forward. Send us your video via - [email redacted] 🎥 Tips to Record a Strong, Engaging Video: You are the focus 1. Keep it short - 30–60 seconds max - One main message 2. Start strong, avoid long introductions 3. Be real: authentic > scripted 4. Good lighting + simple backgroud = instant upgrade 5. Eye contact matters 6. Vertical format only: Record in portrait (9:16) for IG + LinkedIn 7. Clear audio: if possible, use headphones or a mic 8. Tell us: What changed for you? Confidence? Direction? Network? That’s what people remember

Women Founders & Creators - Empowerment Interview Series

I’ve started reaching out to women I admire across different industries to be part of something I’m really excited about: a women’s empowerment interview series. The goal is simple: create honest conversations that highlight the experiences, lessons, challenges, pivots, and perspectives of women building incredible things. I’m specifically looking to interview: • Founders • Investors • Community builders • Operators • Creators • Women doing meaningful work in any industry I think there is so much we can learn from hearing how other women navigate careers, confidence, leadership, money, growth, burnout, reinvention, and building lives aligned with who they actually want to become. One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is that so many women have powerful stories, insights, and experiences that deserve more visibility. This series is meant to help amplify those voices while creating conversations others can learn from too. The interviews are intentionally meant to be very low lift for the women participating — just meaningful conversations and shared perspectives. Please feel free to DM me if you are interested. If anyone has suggestions for women I should connect with, please tag them below. 👀 🥳

Medical Students & Early-Career Doctors - Climate Medicine Careers

🌍Climate medicine is still rarely taught in Korean medical schools — and we want to change that. We are To Be Doctor, a South Korean medical student organization publishing a magazine for medical students and physicians. Our upcoming issue focuses on climate and medicine, a topic that remains relatively unfamiliar in Korea despite its growing importance in global medical education, clinical practice, public health, and healthcare systems. For this issue, we are preparing a feature that introduces climate medicine as an emerging career field to Korean medical students. We are looking to hear from people working at the intersection of medicine, climate change, and health, including: (1) medical students, residents, or early-career doctors pursuing climate medicine (2) combining clinical practice with climate-related research, advocacy, or education (3) physicians working in climate-related NGOs, global health organizations, or international institutions (4) fellows or graduate students in climate & health, planetary health, or healthcare sustainability programs (5) professionals working on climate resilience, health equity, or sustainable healthcare What we are asking A short email interview — about 5 questions, 10–15 minutes to answer. We will ask about your career path, your current work, and what advice you would give to medical students who are beginning to explore climate and health. Deadline We would appreciate responses by May 29. In Korea, climate medicine still feels distant to most medical students. Many of them have never encountered this field in their curriculum, and have no idea that it could be part of their future as physicians. Your voice could be the first time a Korean medical student hears that this career exists! Even a few sentences from you — about how you came into this field, what you do, and why it matters — could open a door for someone who is just beginning to ask "what kind of doctor do I want to be?" If you would be willing to participate, or if you know someone whose perspective should be included, please comment below or send me a direct message. Thank you for helping us bring climate medicine to the attention of future doctors in Korea. #ClimateMedicine #ClimateAndHealth #PlanetaryHealth #PlanetaryHealthAlliance #SustainableHealthcare #MedicalEducation #GlobalHealth #ClimateHealthEquity

Construction Site Teams & Apprentices - Skills Shortage Solutions

🚧 The construction industry has a skills problem — but are we asking the right people how to solve it? 🚧 Over the coming weeks, I’ll be joining a podcast conversation with a major Tier 1 national employer alongside a construction sector-wide alliance that connects different parts of the industry through independent research, collaboration, and best practice. The focus of the discussion is simple, but critical: How do we tackle the growing skills shortage in construction? We hear the statistics all the time: 📉 Skills gaps 📉 Ageing workforce 📉 Recruitment challenges 📉 Retention issues But behind every headline are real experiences from people working across the sector every day, and those are the voices I want to bring into the conversation. 💬 I’d genuinely like to hear from: Site teams Apprentices & learners Employers & recruiters Colleges & training providers Supply chain professionals Industry leaders Anyone passionate about the future of construction What’s your perspective? ❓ What is the industry getting wrong? ❓ What’s actually working well? ❓ How do we attract and retain the next generation? ❓ Are we doing enough to modernise perceptions of construction careers? ❓ What challenges are you personally experiencing? Whether your views are positive, critical, or somewhere in between .... they matter. Please add your thoughts in the comments or message me directly if you’d prefer to contribute privately. I’d love to bring as many real industry perspectives as possible into the discussion. The future workforce of construction affects all of us. Let’s talk about it. #Construction #SkillsShortage #BuiltEnvironment #ConstructionIndustry #Apprenticeships #SkillsDevelopment #FutureOfConstruction #IndustryCollaboration #Recruitment #ConstructionCareers #Podcast