Podcast · 128 episodes

Squiggly Careers

by The Squiggly Career · English

Squiggly Careers is a weekly podcast that will help you take control of your career development. Hosted by the founders of Squiggly Careers. (https://www.squigglycareers.com/), Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper, together they cover all things work: from how to manage stress and overcome your confidence gremlins to micro-aggressions and discovering your strengths. Each episode is full of ideas, actions, hints, and tips that you can put into practice straight away. Every so often they take a break from talking to each other to interview other people who are leading the way in making work better. Past guests include entrepreneur and philanthropist Dame Stephanie Shirley, author of The Joy of Work Bruce Daisley, and neuroscience expert Amy Brann. The Squiggly Careers podcast has been recommended by Harvard Business Review, Stylist, Marie Claire and Management Today. For more ideas, tools and inspiration every week, you can also sign up to their Squiggly Careers newsletter.

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Latest episodes

#597 How thinking inside the box will lead to more opportunities for your squiggly career.How constraints (“inside the box”) can boost creativity and opportunity in a “squiggly career,” contrasting constraints imposed on you (time, money, micromanagement) with constraints you choose to…29 Sep 2026 · 43 min

#596 3 ways teams can learn when they are not togetherHow hybrid/remote teams can still “learn by osmosis” by borrowing brilliance from colleagues, without relying on everyone being physically in the same place.24 Sep 2026 · 8 min

#595 How to Answer AI Questions in Job InterviewsHow to prepare for AI-related questions in job interviews, plus how AI is changing the interview process (screening, tasks, and post-interview scoring/transcripts).22 Sep 2026 · 47 min

All episodes

#594 How to increase your autonomyHow to increase autonomy at work (freedom to choose how/when you do tasks) and why it matters. Guest(s): No guests; hosted by Helen (Squiggly Careers podcast). Guest backgrounds: N/A.17 Sep 2026 · 7 min · 2 chapters

#593 No Regret Skills: How to Get Better at AdaptabilityPart two of a “No Regret Skills” mini-series on adaptability—defined as changing how you think or act when things change.15 Sep 2026 · 38 min · 17 chapters

#592 How to look for leaders you can learn fromHow to identify leaders you can learn from during a “squiggly” career—using a filter of traits and avoiding unrealistic expectations.10 Sep 2026 · 6 min · 3 chapters

#591 No Regret Skills: How to Make Better Decisions“No regret skills” for squiggly careers, focusing on decision making (part 1 of a two-part series; part 2 covers adaptability). Guests: None. Hosts Sarah and Helen (Squiggly Careers podcast).8 Sep 2026 · 35 min · 11 chapters

#590 How to increase your impact in every meetingHow to increase personal impact in meetings by avoiding passive habits and using a simple 3-part structure. Guest backgrounds: No guests; host Helen Tupper (Squiggly Careers).3 Sep 2026 · 5 min · 1 chapter

#589 How to use the next 88 days at work wiselyUsing the remaining 88 working days of the year (from 1 September) as a focused cycle to set priorities, protect energy and boundaries, and improve skills—framed as eight reflective questions across…1 Sep 2026 · 41 min · 17 chapters

#588 How to Decide Which Goals to Give UpProductive quitting—how to decide which goals to stop, reduce, or pause instead of “grindsetting” indefinitely.27 Aug 2026 · 6 min · 4 chapters

#587 80,000 hours with Benjamin Todd (A Career Well Spent Series)How to do “good work” and maximize long-term career satisfaction by choosing meaningful, pressing problems (not just following passion or job titles).25 Aug 2026 · 32 min · 13 chapters

#586 Questions to ask in an interviewHow to prepare strong questions to ask at the end of interviews, using two sets: three culture questions and three commercial questions, to gain control, boost confidence, and end the conversation…20 Aug 2026 · 6 min · 1 chapter

#585 What to make of a life with Jim Collins (A Career Well Spent Series)How to make sense of a “career well spent” by trusting “encodings” (durable inner capacities) and taking small “simplex steps” when you’re in “the fog,” rather than following rigid long-term plans.18 Aug 2026 · 39 min · 13 chapters

#584 How to Create Your AI Learning PlanHow to create a practical AI learning plan using the “learning navigator” tool, mapping what matters now vs. later, and what’s essential in your current job vs.13 Aug 2026 · 6 min · 4 chapters

#583 Big Time with Laura Vanderkam (A Career Well Spent Series)Career time management and “time abundance” (how to feel less rushed and more in control), centered on Laura Vanderkam’s books 168 Hours and Big Time.11 Aug 2026 · 35 min · 15 chapters

#582 How to use AI as your thought partnerUsing AI as a “thought partner” for career support—prompting it to drive awareness and actions, not replacing your judgment.6 Aug 2026 · 7 min · 5 chapters

#581 The 100 year life with Lynda Gratton (A Career Well Spent Series)Living the “100-year life” and how to build a purposeful, happy career across decades amid AI, politics, and climate change.4 Aug 2026 · 35 min · 23 chapters

#580 Small actions to increase your assertivenessHow to become more assertive through five “small actions” (assertiveness as a series of everyday habits), delivered as a short Squiggly Shortcut by Helen.30 Jul 2026 · 10 min · 7 chapters

#579 How to build an M-shaped careerExplains “M-shaped careers” (multiple mastery areas plus “connect-the-dots” bridging skills) as a framework for career resilience and distinctiveness, contrasting it with I-, T-, and dash-shaped…28 Jul 2026 · 32 min · 15 chapters

#578 How to overcome your distraction downfallA short recap of Nia Eyal’s “Indistractable” advice on overcoming distraction by identifying your “distraction downfall,” then changing what drives it: avoidance, environment, or poor planning.23 Jul 2026 · 9 min · 4 chapters

#577 How to solve tame, critical and wicked work problemsHow to solve “tame,” “critical,” and “wicked” work problems (Keith Grint).21 Jul 2026 · 28 min · 9 chapters

#576 Set yourself up to fail, so you're more likely to succeedUsing “mental contrasting” to improve career success by pairing a desired opportunity with realistic obstacles, then planning actions to reduce those risks.16 Jul 2026 · 5 min · 1 chapter

#575 Oracy: How to improve your speaking and listening skillsOracy (oral communication) as a learnable skill for improving speaking and listening at work, framed through Keith Grint’s problem types and “presentation vs conversation.” Guests: Helen and Sarah…14 Jul 2026 · 34 min · 27 chapters

#574 How to Adapt Your Skills for Career GrowthCareer growth requires adapting what worked earlier; “what got you here won’t get you there.” Key claims: (1) Stop trying to be the person with all answers; in complex senior roles, credibility comes…9 Jul 2026 · 6 min · 3 chapters