4 Career Influencers To Help You Grow Professionally

A career path is not a remarkably easy thing to navigate most of the time. It requires a lot of self-awareness and reflection, research and exploration, and often mentorship to some degree. While career counseling – both in an academic setting and beyond – and informational public speaking sessions have been the bread and butter of career resources for decades, more opportunities and resources are beginning to crop up.

One-on-one mentorship is becoming a more frequent option, and so many companies are beginning to provide mentoring programs and seminars to help foster empathy and efficiency in the workplace. But what we are really interested in right now? Career influencers.

What Is An Influencer?

The term “influencer” seems to be overused – and underappreciated – these days. But for some clarity, influencers are essentially people who have a fanbase on the internet. Influencers use their platform to easily promote products or services to their audiences. Some even make a pretty nice-sized living off of it. By collaborating with influencers who already have a good-sized following, businesses have the opportunity to expand their audience and gain a lot of new followers for their own account.

Influencers

But there are different types of influencers too. Some really wanted to get into the space. Others fell into it doing something they absolutely love. There are your run-of-the-mill influencers, like celebrities and niche entertainers, who have followings in the hundreds of thousands and even millions. They are approached by brands every day who want to tout their products, ideas, and campaigns to a mass audience.

Micro-Influencers

Then there are micro-influencers, who normally have engaged followings between 1,000 and 100,000 dedicated followers. These people have built more of a community in their work, as high engagement reflects. While they may not make as much money or have as many eyeballs on their platform as mass influencers (like the Kardashians), they may have created conversation on their page. Their audiences may be more willing to work with them on something new or get involved in a campaign that they are passionate about.

While you would certainly expect a person with influence to tag their favorite products and show us how to do intricate TikTok dances, you may be surprised to find that many have branched into educational and career spaces with their influence. Instead of seeking out a career guru, you may want to turn to social media for a little influence on your career path. Here are some of our current favorite follows to help you get a step ahead!

1. Adunola

Adunola, or “The Career Strategist for High-Achievers,” as she is affectionately known, has led a coaching practice as an influencer for quite some time now, amassing more than 35,000 followers in the process. Her advice can be found in both Forbes and the New York Times, but some of her most attractive pieces of support can be traced right back to her Instagram account.

The great news? Adunola has proven results, with clients who have landed dream jobs at big companies, scored promotions, and negotiated higher salaries. You can find testimonials and reviews in her Instagram highlights, and even more in-depth information into her sessions, and what you can expect if you choose to be a client of hers. The most impressive part? Many of these reviews include people who took advice straight from her public page!

That’s right. These influencers are, at the heart of it all, really trying to make the workplace a better option for people. Mindset tips, everyday advice, and clear indicators of when you are ready to expand or find new work are just the tip of the iceberg. Adunola seems to be almost too good to be a true real-life example of raising ships with her high tide, and her account is an absolute joy to follow.

2. Claire Wasserman

Author of “Ladies Get Paid” and the popular Instagram account of the same name, Claire Wasserman is a Fortune 500 speaker who has had a hand in helping advance the careers of women around the world. The focus? Getting more money. (And who doesn’t want to learn more about that?)

Claire’s energy is palpable through her charming videos, where she shares personal anecdotes and pitfalls from her own life, possible scenarios to look out for, as well as golden nuggets of advice for everyday entrepreneurs and career people. Personal finances a topic you’re not about to touch? She talks about that when she delves into negotiation tactics.

Be sure to check out the free Ladies Get Paid Linkedin Assessment online. It will help you position your online resume to attract better offers and more money! And in case you’re wondering? Yes, there is a newsletter. So start negotiating higher and making your money – and your skillset – work for you!

3. Mark Pollard

Advertising and marketing professional – and author of “Strategy Is Your Words” – Mark Pollard exists on the internet to give people a glimpse into strategy hacks. His content is brief and to the point, focusing heavily on problem-solving in creative ways, and leaning heavily on his professional background in creativity. Pollard has spoken at length about coming up with a strategy to both further your work, as well as ways to help support yourself while you are looking for work. (See also: job loss.)

Pollard expanded his offerings to include the account @sweathead, where he delves into strategy with a multitude of friends in creative industries. The feed alone brings a feeling of calm and support while the account works to help “people who live a lot in their heads make livelihoods in the world.”

Feel free to subscribe to his email newsletter to dip your toes into his methods.

4. Justin Shiels

Creative entrepreneur, author, and coach Justin Shiels may be the next micro-influencer you will be mega-talking about. His Instagram feed is absolute art, and that’s even before you dive into the rich, in-depth content. He isn’t so focused on work goals that he doesn’t know how to have fun.

Justin’s career path as a creative has led him in many different directions. In fact, he outlined just recently that his career path went from Web Designer to Graphic Designer to Art Director, Marketing Manager, and Design Studio Owner, and now lands him as a Creative Director. Seeing something like that can help a career person imagine what types of roles their skillset can help them pivot into.

Gorgeous design, an incredible color palette, a slew of facial expressions, and a dose of balance can be found along the feed. Follow his various routines, learn about building an online audience, and get honest with yourself about your mindset when it comes to your career.