One of the best parts of the early stages of your career is the learning experience it provides. But who says learning can only occur between the hours of 9 to 5?
In recent years, podcasts have become an extremely popular form of entertainment for today’s young professionals. From daily news to murder mysteries, many people find podcasts provide a convenient source of knowledge or entertainment on a variety of different topics. Podcasts are extremely popular during the morning commute, in the office, or when winding down at the end of a workday.
Podcast can be a great way to add to your education, even after you’ve graduated from college. They’re a perfect medium for young professionals to further their skills, learn more about their budding career, and navigate office life.
Here are our top five recommendations:
Beyond the To-Do List
Aimed at helping you increase personal productivity, host Erik Fisher interviews people about the strategies they have put in place to succeed both personally and professionally. As a young professional learning to balance the demands of professional life, growing personal responsibilities, and any other social activities, productivity is key. Luckily, episodes of Beyond the To-Do List feature topics like the importance of a routine, increasing mindfulness, and how to prioritize your most productive activities. This podcast will leave you refreshed and inspired to take your busy schedule by the reins!
Career Talk: Learn, Grow, Thrive
Career Talk, as you might imagine, covers all things career! Created and hosted by Stephanie Dennis, this podcast seeks to empower its listeners to take control of their professional lives. Navigating the professional world for the first time can be intimidating, but with an informative and approachable tone, Dennis introduces subjects like selling yourself in an interview, leveraging LinkedIn, and writing cover letters. Not to mention, episodes are typically just 10-20 minutes, so they offer helpful insight, even when you don’t have a ton of time.
HBR’s Women at Work
Harvard Business Review editors Amy Bernstein, Sarah Green Carmichael, and Nicole Torres use Women at Work to uncover what it means to be a woman in today’s corporate America. Covering topics such as succeeding in a dual-income couple, speaking your mind at work, and addressing the gender pay gap, this podcast provides unique insights from experts and studies
with a journalistic approach. The topics and skills in this podcast are important for today’s working women to learn early and carry on through their careers.
The Wall Street Journal’s Secrets of Wealthy Women
Birchbox’s Katia Beauchamp, Baked by Melissa’s Melissa Benishay, and political activist Gloria Steinem are among the amazing businesswomen interviewed by Victoria Dagher for Wall Street Journal’s Secrets of Wealthy Women. Finding a mentor at the office can be extremely beneficial, but you can also use the stories of these successful women to guide your young career! If you’re an entrepreneur on the rise, this one’s for you. The women interviewed in this podcast discuss their achievements and successes, along with their failures and challenges.
NPR’s Fresh Air
One of the best ways to connect with coworkers (or simply master the art of small talk) is by staying up to date on all things pop culture. Fresh Air began airing on the radio back in 1985, and there’s certainly a reason why it’s still just as popular today! From the opioid epidemic to Netflix shows, host Terry Gross covers a wide range of topics that can be used to fill that pre-meeting awkward silence. The show airs every day, so there’s always something to learn!
Whether you’re sitting at a desk during your 9-5, preparing and motivating yourself on a Monday morning, or seeking some professional advice, the podcasts above are a great start for any young professional seeking some extra knowledge!
Marie Johnson is a contributor to Enlightened Digital, UX Designer and technology writer from New York City. If she’s not writing her latest blog post in her kitchen, you’ll likely find her strolling through Central Park, cappuccino in hand.
