Advice you should probably ignore
Career Brain Droppings
A living resource list for people exploring careers where purpose and capital markets overlap. The path isn't always straight — people reach out about this a lot, so here's what has helped.
Disclaimer: I'm not a trained coach and don't want to be. This page helped me collect my own thoughts about building and navigating a non-traditional career.
What has worked for me
Credentialing can help translate your story. When you are crossing sectors, certifications give people a common reference point.
Build a personal "kitchen cabinet." A small group of trusted mentors and peers keeps you honest, brave, and grounded.
You are the product (without becoming a commodity). There is a difference between your value to others professionally and your self-worth. Approaching value you can contribute objectively can make it easier to "sell" yourself.
Be process-focused over outcome. Routines prevent burnout. "2 hours of search/networking daily" beats "20 applications a week."
Networking usually beats blind submissions. Many posted roles already have warm leads. Shaping a posting can lead to success.
Therapy (or good coaching) can be your friend. I have been in therapy since my early 20s — one of the best investments I have made. Find one that works; do not be afraid to switch.
Tools & practices that help
Baseline self-awareness. A 360 can clarify strengths, edges, and culture-fit patterns.
Teal HQ — a career toolkit that integrates with LinkedIn for networking, resumes, and planning.
Skills that help
If you want to move across sectors with optionality, aim for portable, translatable skills:
01
Financial fluency — how money moves, how risk is priced.
02
Systems thinking — understanding systems can inform effective strategy execution.
03
Ability to execute — how to ship, measure, iterate.
04
Stakeholder motivations — what motivates companies, investors, regulators, and civil society.
05
Trust & Honesty — communication & relationships are the cornerstone of trust.
Authors I return to
Skill-builders & credentials
CFA Institute — Investment Foundations & Sustainable Investing certificates.
If you are reaching out
I love meeting people thinking about what is next. To help me be useful quickly, include:
01
Your current context — role, sector, location.
02
The decision you are facing — what is the fork in the road?
03
One specific question — answerable in a paragraph.
04
"Somewhere along the way someone will tell you there is no 'I' in team. Tell them: maybe not — but there is an 'I' in independence, individuality, and integrity."— George Carlin (author of Brain Droppings)