Most people who broke into six figures didn't start there — and thinking they're somehow "different" is the first barrier to getting there yourself. Liz, the voice behind Chief Mom Officer, spent years in a low-paying call center role before systematically hacking her way to a six-figure IT career. Her climb wasn't luck or overnight success — it was strategic use of company education reimbursement, relentless volunteering for high-visibility projects, and knowing when to jump ship for better pay. Here's how she did it, and what you can borrow from her playbook.
Key Takeaways:
- Utilize Education Reimbursement: Leverage company benefits like education reimbursement to further your career.
- Volunteer for Growth: Take initiative by volunteering for projects to build skills and enhance your network.
- Research Your Worth: Understand your value in the job market to negotiate better salaries.
- Embrace Change: Each change in Liz's career led to new opportunities and salary increases.
- Continuous Improvement: Improvement is a lifelong journey; success comes from strategic hard work.
Chapters:
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- Introduction and Listener Question
- Liz's Career Journey
- Company Reimbursement Insights
- The Importance of Volunteering
- Lifelong Learning and Negotiation Skills
- Embracing Change and Growth
- ChooseFI Hot Seat
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Key Quotes:
- "When I started my career, I thought people who made six figures were different people than I was."
- "You can always get better. You can always improve."
- "Each change has brought about new opportunities as well as in many cases, jumps in salary."
- "If you want to work towards something else, you have to work hard strategically."
- "Most of us, it's going to take a lot of work, a lot of time, some level of luck, and being positioned."
Terminology:
- BATNA: Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement; helps identify your alternatives.
- ZOPA: Zone Of Possible Agreement; the range where an agreement is satisfactory to both parties.
- Career Hacking: Using strategic approaches to leverage education and experience for career advancement.
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Guest: Liz from Chief Mom Officer, a six-figure breadwinner who shares insights on career development. Connect at ChiefMomOfficer.org or on Twitter @LizOfficer and Instagram @Liz_ChiefMomOfficer.
