The Career Equation®: The Formula for Career Clarity
What if your perfect career could be solved like an equation? Real stories, expert coaching & tools to help you find clarity, confidence & a career you love. Forget luck. Great careers are built with a formula. What if your perfect career could be solved like an equation? On The Career Equation Podcast, award-winning coach & Good Housekeeping columnist Erica Sosna and leadership expert Zoë Schofield break down the proven formula for a thriving career: Skills + Passions + Impact x Environmental Fit. We bring: Raw reinvention stories — soldier to speaker, fashion director to “enoughness,” marketer to coach Coach-to-coach masterclasses where we share practical tools you can use right away Expert insights from leaders in careers, learning, and the future of work If you want clarity, confidence, and a career that actually fits you — this is your podcast.
Episodes
As Series 1 wraps up, Erica and Zoë reflect on the evolution of The Career Equation and how the idea of “fit squared” has become a defining theme. They explore how the right environment can multiply talent, motivation, and impact — and why so many organisations still overlook it.
They also share what’s next for The Career Equation in 2026, with new episode formats, short practical sessions for leaders and coaches, and a renewed f...
Every great story follows a journey, and so does every fulfilling career.
In this episode, Erica and Zoë bring Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey framework into the world of work, showing how the same narrative pattern that drives epic adventures can also illuminate your own career path.
They trace each stage of the journey, from the initial call to change, through resistance, commitment, challenge, and return, revealing how it m...
Coming back to work after time away, whether for parenting, illness, or a life change, is a big transition. You’re not the same person you were before, and that’s the point. In this follow-up to Return & Thrive (Part One), Erica and Zoë move from mindset into action, exploring how to design your next chapter using the Career Equation framework.
They unpack the four elements: skills, passion, impact, and environment - and show...
Taking time away from work, whether for parenting, caring, redundancy, illness, or reflection, changes you. Coming back can stir up doubts: Am I still relevant? Will employers judge the gap? How do I explain it on my CV?
In this episode, Erica and Zoë reframe the experience of a career break. Rather than seeing it as a liability, they explore how it can sharpen your values, grow new skills, and even open the door to a midlife car...
Sometimes the most profound career conversations happen with old colleagues. Today, Zoë welcomes Ben Hart, someone she worked with years ago in local government who's since become a healthcare transformation consultant working with NHS trusts and independent hospitals across the country.
Ben's got an unusual background: he's led mountaineering expeditions in South America, guided groups canoeing down the Amazon, and somehow those e...
If you’re ready to keep the momentum going after finding career clarity, this episode is for you.
In episode six of the Career Clarity Mini Series, career coaches Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield explore how to stay motivated and keep taking action once you’ve defined your Career Design Statement. If you’ve ever wondered how to get clear on my career, or how to figure out my next career step, this conversation gives you simple, prac...
If you’re ready to move from career clarity into action, this episode is for you.
In episode five of the Career Clarity Mini Series, career experts Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield guide you through how to set the right kind of career goal, one that actually matches your context, energy, and values right now.
You’ll discover three different types of career goals: progress, development, and learning, and how to choose the one that ...
If you’re searching for career clarity and want a proven way to design a career you love, this episode is for you.
In episode four of the Career Clarity Mini Series, career experts Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield guide you through creating your Career Design Statement — a personal compass that gives you confidence and direction in your career decision making.
To access the workbook or book a 121 visit www.thecareerequation.com/clarit...
If you’re feeling stuck in your career or wondering what’s next, this episode will help you get career clarity and build a plan you can trust.
To access the workbook or book a 121 visit www.thecareerequation.com/clarity
In the third episode of the Career Clarity Mini Series, Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield take you through the heart of the Career Equation, a proven framework to identify the four elements that matter most to your ...
If you’re feeling stuck in your career or unsure what direction to take next, this episode is for you.
To access the workbook or book a 121 visit www.thecareerequation.com/clarity
In the second episode of the Career Clarity Mini Series, Erica Sosna and Zoë Schofield explore how your personal and professional experiences hold the key to your next step, if you know where to look.
This isn’t about revising your CV. It’s about re...
Career Clarity Summer School: Free Podcast Course for Career Change and Professional Development
This summer, we're launching The Career Clarity Summer School – a completely free, interactive podcast course designed to help you figure out what's next in your career journey.
Free Career Guidance Course Starting August 2025
Over six short and powerful episodes, Zoë and Erica will walk you through The Career Equation® – the same caree...
AI has gone from something that felt like science fiction to being in your inbox, your workflow, and probably on your team. And if you're a mid-level professional feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all, you're definitely not alone.
AI Career Advice for Today's Professionals
Erica and Zoë dive into how artificial intelligence is actually changing work across industries—and spoiler alert, it's not about robots stealing your job. It's ...
What happens when a creative soul gets thrown into the world of corporate sales? Today, Zoë welcomes Danny Fontaine, who transformed from a struggling salesperson into IBM's experiential sales leader and bestselling author of "Pitch: How to Captivate and Convince Any Audience on the Planet."
Danny's story isn't just about mastering the art of pitching; it's about discovering that the very traits he tried to hide were actually his g...
So… you’re thinking of starting a podcast?
This episode is a behind-the-scenes guide to launching one, full of practical tips, and a few cautionary tales from Erica and Zoë’s own journey so far. From mics and editing to why clarity matters more than kit, this is the episode they wish they’d had before they started.
They unpack the deeper ‘why’ behind podcasting — not just for the sake of it, but as a way to show what you do, co...
Language is more than words; it’s power, identity, and sometimes a barrier. Today, Erica welcomes Sarah Jane Seatherton, a trailblazer in empowering women who speak English as a second language. Sarah Jane’s work isn’t just about language; it’s about liberating voices from the constraints of societal expectations and internalised self-doubt.
Sarah Jane shares her journey from an executive English teacher to a power practitioner, ...
We’ve all had those moments — wondering if we’re just drifting through our careers without a map.
In this episode, Erica speaks with Jed Novick, a journalist turned lecturer, now at a turning point as he approaches retirement. Jed’s journey — from writing spoof TV listings to mentoring students — is a reminder that a meaningful career can emerge from the most unexpected turns.
Before becoming an academic, Jed worked at the BBC, The...
How much does your work environment really matter? More than you might think.
Erica and Zoë take a deep dive into the role environment plays in career satisfaction and success. It's not just about the job title or company name—it's about where you feel alive and can truly thrive. This episode gets into how the right setting fuels your growth and performance, and how the wrong one can feel like trying to fit a square peg into a roun...
What happens when the industry you’ve given decades to starts crumbling — and what comes next?
In this episode, Zoë talks to Jayne Brierley — a seasoned TV producer turned consultant, who’s helping production companies shape stories, win commissions, and keep British storytelling alive. From stepping back during burnout to jumping into consultancy with clarity, Jayne shares what she’s learned from both the highs and lows of a cre...
We all want to make an impact — but what does that actually mean?
In this episode, Erica and Zoë explore one of the most powerful (and personal) elements of the Career Equation. Impact is the difference you make — in your work, your world, and the lives of others. But it’s also where energy comes from. When you feel like your work matters, everything shifts.
This is a reflective, practical guide to working out what success means to...
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