Best Career Advice From Women Changemakers In 2023

How do you make career choices? You want to excel professionally, make great money, and do work that makes a positive impact on the world. And you’re a woman. How do you decide?

Women driving change across industries have the most fascinating career advice for other women. I’ve heard literally hundreds of great wisdom in exclusive interviews on Electric Ladies Podcast, for Forbes articles (and others) and in speaking events.

Here are 8 nuggets of career advice women changemakers shared on Electric Ladies Podcast in 2023:

· To excel doing something you love, you may need to start at a lower level, to learn more: “There are so many ways to make a difference, right?... I think at the end of the day, you have to be true to yourself and what is it that fires you up. And, and what is it that that does light that fire within you that you have to pursue, that you're driven to pursue, and then go pursue it.

“Sometimes it takes going in at a level that maybe you don't feel is your level, maybe it's beneath you. But if you are trying to move into a slightly adjacent career, you have to do that, because you have to work your way up sometimes. And it's also the best way to learn.” Jane Poynter, CEO and Cofounder, Space Perspective, carbon neutral space tourism.

· Be open to using your skills in different arenas, including in ways that didn’t exist before: “Get really clear about what you're good at and what your functional skillset is, and what your managerial and or leadership skillset is. And then if you want to make a difference, think about where that's needed….

“As the world has changed and as this notion of impact has changed, there've become more opportunities to use my skillset in different ways, like many different ways that didn't exist previously….What are you good at and is that portable? And many, many things are in lots of different arenas.” Meredith Shields, CEO of Citi Impact Fund.

· Be or find the leader you want to work with: “For me, the key to my career was being clear on what my mission is….So I think the lesson in that is either be the leader that you want to believe in, or find that leader and attach yourself to them and see what amazing things you can do together. But, for me, it's been about being clear on what it is that I wanted to achieve.” Heather Boushey, Member of the White House National Council of Economic Advisors and Chief Economist of the Invest in America Cabinet.

· Find the gaps in your skillset and fill them – and connect with people: “What I've come to learn about what it is to be a creative person with ambition and wanting to make an impact … You have some skills, that's great, but where are the gaps? What do you feel can empower you, or give you those skills that you need to fill those gaps? And then look to other people or ways in which ways to fill them… (Also) don't be isolated. Connect, connect, connect with those around you, and…don't give your power away, keep your power and try to build on it.” Daniella Ortega, writer and codirector of “Carbon: The Unauthorized Biography,” and Development and Investment Manager at Screen Australia.

· Own and expand your skills and things that build wealth: “Ladies, you need to own it….And by owning it, I mean, bring confidence that you've got what it takes. Own things that will make you more profitable, build wealth for yourself.…it's hard for a lot of us to do the things that we think we naturally can't be good at….

“You can be trained, you can learn into almost anything. I see so many really capable, smart, awesome women and they just really need to own that.” Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation and Chair of the National Geographic Society (former SVP of AOL).

· Think creatively about what you can do: “First off, reject the myth of scarcity, and embrace the reality of abundance. Bob Marley says, emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds. And recognizing that really there's so much that we can do with that ounce of creativity, boldness, and just vision. The possibilities are endless …If you were to design your own job, what would it be? If you were to design your own business, what would it be?...Think about that purpose that's going to make (you) get up in the morning and say, I get to do this today.” Jacqueline Patterson, CEO and Founder of The Chisholm Legacy Project.

· Take a chance to do something scary that’s aligned with your values: “Really think about why are you doing what you're doing, what motivates you?…(and) be extremely opportunistic and don't be afraid to take risks….(M)ost of my opportunities that I've had have come from me putting my hand up, taking a chance, doing something that feels scary and terrifying, but that is aligned to my core goal and mission of working on climate and sustainability.” Lucy Hargreaves, Head of Climate Policy at Patch, carbon markets platform (and former Canadian government official).

· Where can you make a difference with what you can do? “If you look five years out, 10 years out, what is it that you want to look back at and say, Yes, I was part of this, or, or I did this? …There's a ton of roles and…if you look at these 17 biggest pain points in the world (the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals)…and say, Okay, where is it that I can make a difference?… perhaps even in the organization that you are working in right now.” Helle Jorgenson CEO and Founder of Competent Boards, training programs for boards of directors.

A toast to a peaceful, joyful, loving, healthy, fulfilling and prosperous new year for everyone across the planet.

Listen to the full interviews on Electric Ladies Podcast here, and by following each link above, and read more career advice from women changemakers in Forbes here.