Whether you’re dreaming of moving up the corporate ladder at your current gig or you’re considering a career pivot, finding and landing your dream job is no easy task. Luckily for us, the Internet is filled with much more than cat Vines and fail vids (although, we do love a good summer Pinterest fail). Inspirational folks from across the globe have teamed up with TED to share meaningful advice on everything from going back to school to how to push your creativity to the next level. Get ready to be inspired by 10 of our favorite career TED Talks.
1. The Career Advice You Probably Didn’t Get by Susan Colantuono: Fighting for a promotion in a dog-eat-dog business environment is tough, especially when you’re missing out on some critical information. Susan Colantuono, founder of Leading Women, a consulting firm dedicated to closing the gender gap in the workforce, reveals the secret sauce you need to move up the ranks at work in this empowering talk.
2. Five Ways to Kill Your Dreams by Bel Pesce: Combining personal stories with practical advice, Bel Pesce lists everything you shouldn’t do when pursing your dream job, from believing in overnight success to blaming your failures on someone else. By the end of this six-minute talk, you’ll learn the importance of persistence and self-confidence.
3. Embrace the Near Win by Sarah Lewis: An art historian and critic, Sarah Lewis learned a valuable lesson at her first job that springboarded an entirely new way to look at setbacks. While working at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), she studied the work of artist Elizabeth Murray and quickly realized that not every painting was a masterpiece. Heck, even the artist herself agreed. But, as Sarah candidly points out, those near failures aren’t something to be ashamed of, they’re actually the very key to our eventual success.
4. Why the Best Hire Might Not Have the Perfect Resume by Regina Hartley: Before you scrap that cashier’s gig from your resume, listen to HR executive Regina Hartley’s ten-minute lecture. Speaking to a room full of business professionals, Regina argues that resumes that show someone has conquered adversary (AKA all those summer jobs you took to pay for college) spotlight exactly the type of person a business should hire.
5. Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are by Amy Cuddy: In this famous talk about body language and posture, Amy Cuddy divulges the true secret to being confident in the workplace. According to her research, body language not only shapes how people perceive us in job interviews and meetings, but it also shapes how we feel about ourselves. Watch this to learn how to improve your confidence and feel more powerful.
6. The Happy Secret to Better Work by Shawn Achor: Half stand-up routine, half genius career advice, this TED talk by the CEO of Good Think Inc. reminds us that being happy at work actually inspires us to be more productive.
7. The Power of Time Off by Stefan Sagmeister: Every seven years, Stefan Sagmeister takes a year sabbatical to refocus and rejuvenate his mind. But before you roll your eyes and mutter that you couldn’t possibly do that, just listen to how it has radically changed his life and career.
8. Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator by Tim Urban: If you are a procrastinator, you need to watch this video. Stat. Diving into the mind of a master procrastinator, this hilarious and insightful talk will make you realize just how dangerous procrastination is — especially when it comes to finding your dream job.
9. My Year of Saying Yes by Shonda Rhimes: The #girlboss titan behind Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder decided to say yes to everything that scared her for an entire year. The result? Well, let’s just say Shonda got her groove back.
10. Why Some of Us Don’t Have One True Calling by Emilie Wapnick: If the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” still gives you anxiety as an adult, don’t fret. According to multi-professional Emilie Wapnick, it’s okay to jump between interests and careers. In fact, it might actually be good for you.
(Photo via Getty)
