Balancing it all with a Maven Career Coach

Maybe you’ve been thinking about how to set goals in your career path. Maybe you’re interested in learning how to communicate your needs at work. Or maybe you’re wondering how to balance work and parenthood—and what balance could even look like for you. 

We spoke with Stephanie Tishler, Maven Career Coach, about what career coaches do, and what Maven members can expect to learn in a career-coaching session. 

What is a career coach? 

Stephanie Tishler: A career coach partners with you to make changes within your space of work. It can be someone with similar industry experience as you, but not necessarily. Different types of career coaches include: 

• Career search coach
• Career transition coach
• Career development coach

For working parents, a core component of career coaching revolves around balancing work and life. Working parents often put themselves on the back burner. I have a mantra: You can’t take life out of work. So how do you manage it, especially if you’ve got a family, a job, and you’re taking care of yourself? Coaches take a look at the whole person and partner with you to make sure all aspects of your life fire on equal cylinders. You can’t have it all at the same time, but you can have it all. 

What can Maven members expect in their first appointment?

ST: A safe space, a focused session on what it is they’re challenged with, and clarity. And then a brainstorm of what might work and a path to get there. 

What are some of the most common questions you get from Maven members? 

ST: The top thing that people struggle with is communication—or lack of communication—and how to say things. This can look like asking for a raise, telling somebody that you need something from them they’re not providing, or being clear with someone who is reporting to you. 

What’s your favorite piece of advice to give working parents? 

ST: It’s a gift to be able to step into a different role when you go to work. It can be refreshing. You have your home life, which is an entirely different use of your brain. Then you get to go to work and focus on something totally different, which can really reinvigorate you. I think a lot of parents who choose to work and have a family want to find that balance, and I think embracing the different aspects of yourself that can come to life can be really helpful. A lot of people say you shouldn’t bring your work home and you shouldn’t bring your life to work, but the truth is: you bring your whole self with you, wherever you go. 

What is the importance of boundaries for working parents?

ST: So many people struggle with this. I used to think the word “boundaries” was negative, but it’s actually not. Instead of thinking about it as a wall, think about it as a map to the door that you want somebody to enter. If you’re clear about what you’re open to and what you’re not, you’ll find that the right type of person will come knocking on your door. It all boils down to expectations.