Article by Taury Phelps
What better way to get to know a business, than to hear from the creator of that business? Caryanne Keenan, esteemed career coach and creator of LifeWorkSource, sat down with her team and shared a little about her life’s work and what it means to her. Here is what she had to say:
Q1: “Can you start by telling me a little bit about yourself and the kind of work you do for LifeWorkSource?”
A1: “My life’s work has always encompassed my passion of helping people progress both personally and professionally, and so I decided that the world of career consulting was where I wanted to be. My developmental approach is to help people harness their strengths and recognize any limitations in their situations, to devise a course of action. Ultimately, my goal is to empower people to make changes that bring them closer to their desired life.”
Q2: “What can you say about the transition from higher education to independent career consulting?”
A2: “Working in higher education, you always have a team of people supporting you—each person is delegated a set of unique responsibilities meant to serve the greater good of the team. Now, I wear every hat, tackle every responsibility, and have encountered a steep learning curve in the process. Everything from building my own website to keeping track of my books has provided me with an enlightening learning experience and made me a more well-rounded individual.”
Q3: “If you were to use three words to describe the core values of LifeWorkSource, what would they be and why?”
A3: “The first word would definitely be development—everything that I offer whether it’s professional advice, MBTI, emotional intelligence, or salary negotiation skills, development is at the root of everything. The second word I would say is empowerment—I always tell my clients, “No one can live your life for you, you must advocate for yourself and take charge of your life.” Empowerment is a major part of career development and helping people feel confident to navigate the process. The third word I would say is holistic, simply because the nature of my work is to help people have real conversations in which they tell their full stories and embody their authentic selves.”
Q4: “How has the MBTI impacted your own professional and personal development?”
A4: “Where do I start?! The MBTI has been incredibly helpful in my work on teams and when coaching and consulting. Using the MBTI, I have been able to work with people of all personality types, and help those struggling with navigating life and career issues. It helps you understand the complexities of our behaviors and tendencies. For example, a lot of people don’t know this, but I am actually an introvert. Yet, I love people-oriented activities such as presentations and conversations. According to the MBTI, I am what you would call an expressive, active introvert, so although most of my preferences may be introverted, I do tap into these extroverted tendencies quite a bit when it comes to the work that I do.”
Q5: “As a woman, what are some of the struggles you have faced when navigating the workplace?”
A5: “Sexism unfortunately still pervades even the most well-intentioned organizations. Being talked over, not being introduced in group settings, assumptions that I am not as highly ranked as my male counterparts, pay inequity, sexual harassment —I’ve dealt with it all. I have therefore made it part of my work to educate women and others about self-advocacy and the importance of talking about these issues. Oppression lives in dark spaces and we can only change it by shining a light on the everyday experiences of people who are marginalized.”
Q6: “Someone reading this right now is contemplating a major career change, what words of advice do you have for them?”
A6: “I would say that listening to their intuition is a great starting point, and exploring their truest interests, passions, skills, and values is next. We have one life to live, so why not spend it in a career that is meaningful and fulfilling? As daunting as it may seem, tangible actions steps exist that will bring you closer to the life you desire and the person you want to be. Making a change IS possible!”
There you have it! Caryanne’s perspective and approach are like that of no other, and she truly is a humanitarian at heart. Her role as a career consultant provides vital tools for growth and development and she truly loves what she does. We hope that you learned something about Caryanne you didn’t know before, and that you’ll consider Caryanne’s help in transforming the way you live, lead, and work!
Taury Phelps is a Culture & Communications major at Ithaca College and a Social Media and Marketing Intern at LifeWorkSource.
