Sonya | Your Styled Collective (00:02.459)
Hi everyone, welcome back to another episode of Style and Strategy. This week I get to speak with the lovely Christina Storey, the visionary behind her career coach. With over 22 years of recruitment experience, she has seen firsthand the incredible transformations that happen when women embrace their self -worth and potential. Christina is on a mission to empower women to embrace their potential and create careers and lives.
careers and lives that they truly love. With her extensive background in recruitment and HR, she brings a unique perspective to her coaching by going beyond the surface level. She digs deep to find out what's going on behind the scenes and breaks through any barriers holding you back. She's not just your coach, she's your mentor, confident and your biggest cheerleader. Christina, welcome to the podcast.
Christina Storey (00:59.774)
Thank you, Sonia. Appreciate you having me here.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (01:02.811)
Yeah, look, it's so good to be able to chat to you. And I really feel that a lot of my listeners will be able to get a lot of experiences and lessons learned from you. So maybe if we kind of kick off there, can you share with me a little bit maybe starting with a bit about your journey. So you obviously were in HR and recruitment, and now you've set up her career coach, what was one of the drivers around that?
Christina Storey (01:26.75)
Mm -hmm. Yep.
Christina Storey (01:33.502)
Oh, there was a couple of drivers around it. So yes, so recruitment for the last 24 odd years, or 22, 23 years, I've lost count now. What are we in 2024? So yeah, probably 24 years. So really have worked across a number of industry sectors and recruiting a lot of different kind of roles. So working very closely with hiring managers and candidates alike. So really they could put their best foot forward.
Before COVID though, one thing that really sort of, I wouldn't say it bugged me, but one thing that I noticed a lot was when I was talking to women, a lot of women wouldn't actually put their best foot forward in an interview. And there was only so much coaching I could do as a recruiter. There was only so much advice I could give them before I cross, I didn't want to cross that line because I was still obviously representing a company and I didn't necessarily want to, you know,
take a little bit further. And I thought, you know what, there's actually a lot in this. So there's women who actually do need that help, who are a little bit stuck and who aren't sure how to present themselves at interview or who aren't even sure how to apply for a job and they just don't know how to pitch themselves. So I there's gotta be something behind it. But also, so that was one of the reasons, but also I actually, I got sick and tired of not seeing women who were very capable, very smart.
very intelligent and worthy, not being given that leadership role that they applied for and that they interviewed for. So they were passed up for those opportunities and that, it bugged me. And I thought I need to be able to do something on my end with my experience to help them put themselves forward. And they're the two reasons why I started my business. But also the, you know, the hot topic at the moment, the gender pay gap, that's another thing too. So with all the stuff that I do,
I have that direct influence that I can actually help reduce the gender pay gap as well. So that's part of it. But one thing I've got to add, probably the biggest thing that's closest to my heart is that my daughter sees, she's 11 now, and she sees absolutely everything that I do. Her and my husband are probably my biggest cheerleaders when it comes to my business. But she says, mum, you know what? I hear you when you're coaching women.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (03:30.361)
Yeah.
Christina Storey (03:51.39)
and you're really good at what you do. She takes things on board herself. She goes, keep going. I love what you're doing. And it's like, well, that's just, for me, that's huge because I'm showing her what's possible for a female in this world too.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (04:01.371)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (04:08.539)
Yeah, I love that. There's actually so much to really unpack on what you touched on there. So maybe if I go back to one of your first reasons there, what do you think it is that you were seeing in individuals that they didn't put themselves forward for those roles? What was holding them back?
Christina Storey (04:12.636)
Mmm.
Christina Storey (04:18.334)
Mm -hmm.
Christina Storey (04:24.99)
Mm. Mm -hmm.
Yeah, a lot of it was a lack of self -worth, a lot of lack of self -belief in their own capabilities, lack of self -confidence and in terms of that self -confidence it's not, it does tie in with the you the lack of capabilities where they just don't believe that they have that experience to be able to bring it forward to really show an interviewer for example.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (04:36.505)
Mm.
Christina Storey (04:58.206)
that hey, listen, this is what I can actually do and this is why you need to hire me. So that whole premise of who you are, what you do and why you do it, they weren't actually able to showcase that in an interview. And a lot of it did come down to that self -confidence, self -worth and belief.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (05:15.739)
Yeah, that's again really interesting because I know I recently read an article which touched on, I'm sure others may have seen it on LinkedIn where it said, if a female had to sell herself to a...
Christina Storey (05:17.052)
Yeah.
Christina Storey (05:26.14)
Mm.
Christina Storey (05:31.422)
Yes.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (05:32.027)
say that she could fly or co -pilot a plane of some sort versus a male, would you do it? Would you be able to sell yourself for that? And you know, the responses were, no, I don't have the experience to do that. And a lot of the male counterparts who responded were like, yeah, I reckon I could give it a go. Really says something about that and the way the different genders think about themselves, right?
Christina Storey (05:36.67)
Yeah, yep. Yeah. Yep.
Yeah, yep, yeah.
Christina Storey (05:56.03)
Yeah, it does. Absolutely. But you know what, a lot of it, Zonya stems from societal conditioning too. You know, if you think, you know, women, bit controversial what I'm about to say, but women depending upon which culture, which nationality, how you've been brought up, et cetera. And I'm not saying everybody, but in some areas, et cetera, they are classified as not equal to a man.
and that thinking and that belief has stemmed from generation to generation to generation and it just seems to still weave itself up and a lot of it in terms of that you know how women are treated and and the belief systems there does play out in day to day but you're so right with the copilot piece because you know it's the same as with the harbors there was a harbors study as well.
and you know everyone in recruitment knows this and all the rest of it and a lot of people would have heard it as well, that they did a study and they found that if women didn't meet 100 % of the job criteria on a role that they were applying for they wouldn't submit an application whereas men if they met 60 % of it they would apply. So it's that whole belief system am I good enough, am I worthy enough, can I actually do this?
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (06:53.883)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (07:06.395)
Yes.
Christina Storey (07:20.766)
And when you start questioning yourself, and look, I've done this before too. I've questioned myself as well. And I haven't applied for jobs too in the past because of that exact thing where I haven't met 100 % of the criteria. And I look back now and I think how stupid was I not to put my hat in the ring, especially if it was for a role that I really wanted and I knew I had the skills for, but it was just those one or two things where.
that little voice inside your head starts telling you something completely different and then you start believing it. So it's like those little stories. So I mean, your mind doesn't know what's real and what's not and you start believing what you tell it itself, what you tell yourself. So yeah, and you see it happening.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (08:00.219)
Yeah, that's right. You've got to start to control that narrative. Yeah. And so, and so then, if you think about the second component, where you said, a lot of females, even once they had applied, perhaps weren't getting the roles or being overlooked, what sort of learnings come from that? Or what sort of insights do you find?
Christina Storey (08:05.374)
You do, you do, and you see it happening a lot.
Christina Storey (08:17.608)
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.
Christina Storey (08:25.534)
Yeah, I think with a lot of women that I work with at the moment, it is that lack of preparation for interview, how to actually answer specific interview questions. And one of them, and look, men will probably say the same thing too. Some males will say the same thing. But for women, it's very much that, you know, that first question where you get asked in an interview. So tell me about yourself.
And if you can't nail that first one, then it just throws you off completely. And then you feel like a lot of women feel like that they can't come back from that. And what I usually say to my clients is the simplest way to answer that question is really just to tell the audience, tell them about yourself. What do you do? Why you love doing it? And that is the probably the easiest way to do it and then tie that in with your experience. So it's a succinct way to do it.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (09:15.835)
Yeah.
Christina Storey (09:19.454)
And that just gives you that little bit of confidence to help you move forward. But it's all about the preparation, planning, doing the prep, practicing your questions, making sure that you have dotted everything down that you want to talk about. And then that way you're not actually going to forget those things. I mean, even today I've put out a few dot points there so I don't forget something that I want to share with you. But it really is, it's about those, you know, just...
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (09:45.851)
No.
Christina Storey (09:48.766)
Keeping your mind, feeding your mind with that information so you don't forget the stuff that you wanna share. It will give you that little bit of confidence, yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (09:55.643)
Yeah, okay, that, yeah, no, definitely makes sense. And I do think that, you know, some people naturally are really good at being able to weave into a conversation, key points. But if you are aware that that's not one of your strengths to...
Christina Storey (10:05.884)
Mmm.
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (10:15.163)
promote yourself because you may not be comfortable with doing that. You've got to actually practice and get that nailed really before you walk into those kind of environments.
Christina Storey (10:19.23)
Yeah.
Absolutely, yeah, you do. Yeah, and I think for a female too, like if we go on the style side of things, I always say to people that I coach, wear the most comfortable outfit, but wear the outfit that you feel so confident in that you're not gonna be uncomfortable in the day and you just know that you look a million bucks in. So wear that and that will just give you that confidence and that will just exude out of you. It's almost like that.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (10:31.291)
Yeah.
Christina Storey (10:50.878)
That's that first impression that you make. Because I mean, I know when I wear something that I love wearing and I feel good in it, I feel confident. So yeah, I always share that with them too.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (11:01.851)
Yeah, no, fantastic. And that's very much sort of the ethos that I work around is because once you've got that alignment, then again, naturally, the conversation, the way you're feeling about everything, there's a bit more energy around you and your aura actually comes out a lot more. So do you think given that you're seeing sort of both sides of the fence, the employer and the employee side around it?
Christina Storey (11:17.726)
Mmm.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (11:29.627)
What sort of, and I know it's a cross -varying industries and it can differ. Is there anything on that side that you really, oh sorry, on the employer side that you're saying a lot where you would say, here are the three or four things that maybe either they're consistently looking for that's not there or the positives around it.
Christina Storey (11:56.254)
in terms of how to interview or?
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (11:56.507)
that makes sense. In terms of the candidates that they're seeing, in terms of the roles, yeah.
Christina Storey (12:03.28)
Yeah.
Christina Storey (12:07.326)
Hmm. Look, off the top of my head, sorry, I just gotta think about it. No, so in terms of cancer, no, that's okay. Can you ask the question again, please, Sonja? Sorry.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (12:13.851)
Yeah, no, that's okay. I'll edit.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (12:22.043)
Yes, I'm trying to think, did I, I don't know, I've got on this like, oh, hang on, this is really interesting. So sometimes what you'll see is there is a theme that starts to emerge between the different employers that you might be talking to about the kind of candidates that they're looking for. So in your kind of previous roles and so forth. Is there any sort of feedback or key attributes that you're seeing them asking for?
where you're saying, when you're saying the, the women come to work with you, where you're saying, well, hang on, there's a disconnect here. You might not.
Christina Storey (13:03.518)
Yeah, so in terms of the job that they're applying for versus their professional brand and professional image. Yeah, yeah, there is, yes, point blankly, there can be a disconnect. And for some, there is a disconnect. And I think a lot of the work that I do with the women that I work with too is looking at their professional brand and what is it that they actually want to...
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (13:09.755)
Yeah, exactly.
Christina Storey (13:30.664)
what image they want to portray, how do they want people to perceive them? How do they want, and I asked them these questions, how do they want people to perceive them? What would people say about them if they weren't in the room? How do they want people to make, how do they want to make people feel? What are their attitudes? What are their behaviours? How do they treat others? How do they communicate with others? So it's all part of that professional branch, that professional image.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (13:34.971)
Hmm.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (13:58.107)
Hmm.
Christina Storey (14:00.382)
but also what they wear as well. So it's all intertwined. But definitely there's, I'm working with a couple of clients at the moment on their professional brand and we're really pairing back. So we're really looking at retrospectively what they've done in the past and what's worked for them, what hasn't worked for them, what really is true to their values and what is their authentic self. And then it's like, okay, well, how can you bring your authentic self to work?
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (14:03.547)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (14:16.315)
Yeah.
Christina Storey (14:29.022)
while maintaining that professionalism, that respect, respectfulness, et cetera, and that trustworthiness, but also not compromising on who you are. I think that's probably the most important thing is to still be your authentic self. So yeah, there's a lot, yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (14:29.371)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (14:45.787)
And so what have been some of the biggest aha moments for some of the clients that you've worked with?
Christina Storey (14:53.47)
Oh, there's been a lot. One thing I absolutely love and one thing that my clients have said that they love too is when we first start talking, there's just this sense of they feel desperate. They feel really stuck in their career. They don't know which way to go. They've got so much going on in their head that they just have no clarity whatsoever. And then,
Usually it's always within three sessions it's like okay they're starting to think a little bit differently because I'm challenging them, challenging them on their thinking. By the end of our time together they are a completely different person and they're thinking differently, they're smiling more and they're actually it's almost like their face is who they're meant to be. You know when you get someone who's really really stressed?
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (15:46.683)
Yeah, totally.
Christina Storey (15:48.414)
Yeah, so it's like that whole image of their face to what it was on day one to what it is on day, however many it is, completely different look and feel of the person, but they actually feel confident in themselves again. And that's probably the biggest thing that I love seeing, but also that's the biggest thing that they feel as well is that not just that, it's that emotional transformation that they have.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (15:56.283)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (16:07.355)
Hmm.
Christina Storey (16:15.646)
And I think that that is huge because it actually that comes out, you know, as they're, oh, what's the word? Like it comes out visually. God, I can't think of the word, but yeah. Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (16:23.835)
really evolving through these, yeah, as they're really evolving through their sessions with you. And, you know, I talk about this a little bit through actually, when I work with women, their style journey, because it's a, there's a similar evolution, right, because, and I wouldn't be surprised if,
Christina Storey (16:39.14)
Yeah. Yeah.
Yep.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (16:46.331)
once they've gone through the journey with you, that the impact that then does to, well, actually I used to wear stuff like this, but now I'm here and I'm smiling more. And actually I don't feel that this over here works for me anymore, right? It might be color, it might be this, you know, whatever that might be, but it's that similar journey of having the clarity around their career now.
Christina Storey (16:53.712)
Yes, yep.
Christina Storey (17:01.95)
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (17:11.117)
which they didn't have before because I think a lot of us end up in this, I will call it the treadmill of life where you're just busy dealing with the stress and everything's happening and you've got responsibilities in their current role that actually when they stop or something has made them stop,
Christina Storey (17:20.83)
Yes, yes, yep.
Christina Storey (17:32.35)
Mm -hmm.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (17:32.667)
to sit down and actually observe and say, well, hang on a second. Do I just actually want to keep going down this path or do I actually want to make a conscious decision? And what does that look like? And then what are the attributes I need to start working on in order to achieve that goal?
Christina Storey (17:37.694)
Mm. Mm -hmm.
Christina Storey (17:47.454)
Yes, yeah. So true, because I mean us women, there's a lot of us who actually don't like investing in it. Well, I wouldn't say don't like it, but just don't find the time to invest in ourselves. It's sort of like we don't put ourselves first. And when we do, it does take time, it does take effort, but you feel a million bucks afterwards. I know when I've, you know, with my own personal wardrobe, it's like...
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (18:08.027)
Yeah.
Christina Storey (18:12.254)
I had to change my whole look and feel. I thought when I started my business, it's like, well, I've got to be a little bit on brand here, don't I? In terms of my brand colors and all the rest of it. So it's like, okay, well, I just need to change some of the things that I wear. But then I looked at the stuff that I love, the colors that I love wearing, because I used to always wear black, right? And then I got my color chart done. And I just went, yeah, I do, you know, I always loved blues. So blues was, I don't know, everyone always says whenever I wear blue, it just lights up my face.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (18:18.683)
Hahaha
Christina Storey (18:41.95)
And whenever I wear green and pinks, it also does the same. And I go, okay, I need to wear a few more of those colors. And then, you know, meeting some women on the business journey and all the rest of it, I've met some fantastic women who have really sort of made me think more about color and actually putting myself out there a little bit more. Shout out to, I know you know her, Jen Bowers. So she's...
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (19:00.377)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (19:08.539)
Oh, yes. Yes. I just recorded a podcast with her.
Christina Storey (19:09.47)
She's definitely sort of really sort of in the pink and all the rest of it. So Jen sort of encouraged me a little bit to step away from the black and it's like, yeah, no, I don't mind wearing color, but it does that color. It gives me that little bit more confidence and I feel good in it. Yeah. So it's, it's amazing what, what your style can do and how you feel and how you evolve with it all as well. Yeah. But also for your professional brand image too, when you career. Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (19:18.371)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (19:34.297)
Yeah, no.
Absolutely. Yeah, now I find, you know, if I've got women that I'm working with that are more on that creative, artistic edge, then they want to showcase that they want an opportunity to be able to do that. So I know you're working with leaders and women around sort of mid to senior. So I'd love to understand what
Christina Storey (19:46.46)
Yeah. Yeah.
Christina Storey (19:54.942)
Mm -hmm.
Christina Storey (19:58.47)
Mm -hmm.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (20:02.107)
What are the, like after working with you, and I know you touched on it a little bit more, do they ever, do they come back and go, look, I've got another change of direction or, you know, and then how does that sort of play out? What does life look like as the decades go by and, you know, things change? How does, what does that look like for them?
Christina Storey (20:11.454)
Mm -hmm.
Christina Storey (20:23.55)
Yeah, I've got some really good relationships with my clients. I have had some, I mean, my business is only quite young still, so it's only what, two and a half years old. So still fairly in the very beginning stages of it. And now that I've actually left my corporate job as well, I get to focus on it 100%. So it's just, I'm seeing more, working with more and more women, which is amazing.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (20:32.015)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (20:41.785)
Hmm.
Christina Storey (20:47.486)
But there's been a few who have actually come back and said, hey, I just need your ear. I need some help with this. Can you just give me a hand? And one of them, for example, one of them had actually went for a promotion. There's another one who is going for a promotion. So it's like, OK, well, let's help you prepare for that. So we just go through the motions again. And then remember what we did back then. Just apply it now, but just elevate what you're going to say at that next level.
So we just go through a few little scenarios, but they look at me as, you know, one thing that a lot of my clients say, you know, you're our biggest cheerleader. You're always there if we need you. You will quite happily answer a text message if we need something straight away or send us a voice message if it takes too long to type or whatever, but you'll always be there for us. You're happy to provide that safe, judgment -free.
environment and that is so important to me because I want them to be to be themselves. I want them to be have permission to be vulnerable and not have any judgment whatsoever and I do find that a lot of them do come back and just wanting some extra advice and I hope that as my business evolves and continues that I will continue to have those relationships with a lot of the women but then help them if they ever need anything down the track. Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (22:14.075)
That's beautiful. Yeah, no, that's so lovely to be able to have those really strong relationships. So are there any really memorable success stories that you would like to share?
Christina Storey (22:16.254)
Yeah.
Mm.
Christina Storey (22:26.302)
Yes. Yes. I've got a few. There was one week where I had three of my clients who all got a job that they wanted. I was so happy for them. Honestly, I was jumping up and down with them. It was ecstatic. And they're just thrilled to bits and the fact that they've been able to do it. There's one who...
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (22:37.755)
Bye.
Christina Storey (22:51.442)
very early on in my business, one of my clients was in the same role for 15 years and she really struggled to actually, so I'm gonna get emotional because I actually, like when my clients have these wins, I have these wins as well and it makes me feel good that they feel good because I know that they've done the work that they need to do to get there and I've just been that little push for them to help them along the way and you know.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (23:07.611)
Bye.
Yeah.
Christina Storey (23:19.87)
I'm so like, yeah, there's been a lot of success stories. So there's been, yeah, so 15, sorry, going back to my client, he was in the same role for 15 years. She, and this always happens when you're in a role for a long period of time, it takes you a little bit to actually adjust to find your new groove, to find the culture, to find the type of role that you wanna work in. And I do always say to my clients who've been in for a role for a long time,
you may not find the right role for you first up, you might just last six months in the position and then your next role will be the one where you find your groove and find the right culture. And this happened with her. So she was successful in obtaining a role and then after six months she went, I can't do this. And I go, that's okay. Let's just go on to the next one and find your groove again. I just reminded her this was gonna happen because you're so used to working in.
another environment, another kind of culture that you want some of that as well, but you can't find it. She's now been in her current role for two, year and a half, two years and loves it and still loves it. So it's like, yay, I'm glad you're still loving it. I'm glad that you're finding, you know, you found your home again. You know, it's not, I wouldn't call it, yeah, it's more like your home. So you found your people. So I love that. And then there's been,
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (24:22.649)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (24:33.947)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (24:43.611)
Yeah.
Christina Storey (24:45.438)
So many of my clients who, you know, there's been a few who haven't been successful in finding the right role, but they're okay with that because it's the transformation that they've had on their mindset and their belief in themselves that what they've taken away from our time together too. They know that they've got all the tools that they need to put themselves forward, but it's more of that shift and they're loving their life and they feel that they're thriving in their life and their career. And for me, it's, you know,
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (25:10.363)
you
Christina Storey (25:13.438)
That's so important because it's not just about your career. We spend most of our time at work. You need to have a really good feel for your life and your career. And that's why not doing just that surface level, okay, interview coaching, let's get your resume done, let's prep you for interview and all the rest of it. Let's get your LinkedIn profile sorted. It's not just about that with me. It's about actually discovering.
what has been holding them back, what are those self -limiting beliefs that they do have that's stopping them from moving forward and then it's providing them with the tools and the strategies to get there and to move forward to where they want to move forward and I think that's probably the biggest when I see that and those aha moments click and things just happen for them it's just like yes this is so cool I love seeing it yeah so many things Sonia so many things.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (26:00.059)
The, I really like so many things. I really like what you've said around that, especially when you've been in a role for a really long time, that to find that groove again, not to necessarily sort of stick on that.
Christina Storey (26:10.844)
Mmm.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (26:19.067)
the next role is going to be the next role and that'll be the next perfect role, right? Instead, it's about finding that groove and making sure you're testing and learning and actually getting used to the change again, right? Because, you know, when you've been somewhere so long, going through that change can be quite hard. So is there any advice you would give?
Christina Storey (26:20.766)
Mm -hmm.
Mm -hmm.
Christina Storey (26:31.742)
Yeah. Yep.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (26:42.875)
my listeners who maybe are looking for that next change, et cetera, around A, how to decipher or ask the right questions around culture so they're a little bit clearer before going in, because we know that question gets bandied around in interviews and so forth. But,
Christina Storey (26:56.126)
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.
Christina Storey (27:01.564)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (27:02.011)
Sometimes it's a very generic answer and you know, culture is a feeling when you walk in there, right? And the way people do things. So what's, are there any questions that you would recommend asking? And then second to that is actually around, oh, hang on. I've just had a, I'm off my game today. I've just had a mental block. Let's go with that.
Christina Storey (27:05.118)
Mm -hmm.
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.
Christina Storey (27:28.99)
Yeah, culture is definitely a feeling, but I think if you align it to your values, your own personal values, and your values are aligned with the company's values, and then they're aligned with the people that you're gonna be reporting to or working with, you know what they're like and, hold on, I'll start again, hold on, I'm going from one to another. So aligning it with...
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (27:37.913)
Mm.
Christina Storey (27:56.636)
aligning your values with the company's values, that definitely is a really good sign that you are stepping into the right culture. In an interview, asking a couple of questions around, so you can ask the people who are interviewing you, what is one thing that you or two things that you absolutely love about working for X, Y and Z, and what are one or two things that you don't like?
working about X, Y and Z. And you can usually tell by their responses, they will be a little bit cagey when they talk about the things that they don't like. But if you're quite, you can actually pick up on anyone who is telling you a bit of a furphy. So because they're, they hold, they start shifting in their seat or they're, you know, they get a little bit sweaty and they start, their voice changes or whatever.
And if you feel a little bit uneasy, if you get that uneasy feeling, then you know that they're not necessarily telling you the truth. I'm generalizing here, of course, but a lot of the time that does happen. But if you ask your interview panel, what is it that they love working about for this organization, then you usually do get a genuine response. And I think that's sort of one thing that I do encourage people to ask that particular question. You could also ask what...
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (28:59.289)
Yeah, yeah.
Christina Storey (29:21.758)
What is the employee engagement score? If you wanna get really technical in things, because every organisation does an employee engagement survey, and if they talk about what is the employee engagement score, what is the engagement score within your team, and why do people love working with you, and what is your, how would you describe your management style?
then that can actually give you more insight in terms of the person and the leader that you're actually going to be working with. And then you can take that information away and go, okay, well, I could potentially work with that person or I couldn't work with them. If someone turns around and says that they're not a micromanager, usually they do have micromanagement tendencies. So that's just a little tip there. Keep an eye on that. Yep.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (30:06.831)
Ah.
So keep an eye out for that. I don't think anyone likes to be micromanaged.
Christina Storey (30:15.612)
I've worked, I've interviewed with many hiring managers and some of the ones that say that they're not a micromanager tend to have micromanagement tendencies. Yes. So we never name and shame or anything like that, but that's, yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (30:25.307)
And.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (30:31.131)
And so like rounding out a little bit here, how much do you really think that someone's understanding someone's personal brand as well as style play in their ability to achieve success when they're in that next, you know, out there to.
Christina Storey (30:41.886)
Mm -hmm.
Christina Storey (30:51.454)
I actually think it plays a lot in terms of who they are as a person because if you think going back to what I said about the you know what your professional brand is it's you know what would people say about you if you weren't in the room. So how do you actually want to be perceived? How do you want to actually portray yourself out there in the world? And you know if people if you don't have that self -awareness about yourself then
it's gonna be a little bit difficult to sort of have that level of influence and that level of understanding, that level of authenticity to be able to put yourself out there. Your attitude and behaviours are probably some of the biggest things that you can bring into any organisation or in anything that you do. And people will make that determination of what you're like within that first 30 seconds. So if you can bring...
that level of warmth and that authenticity within that first 30 seconds, then people will warm to you. So it all comes back to what will people say about you when you leave the room? Because if you fly on the wall and they say something, then it's good. So yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (32:06.947)
Definitely. All right, so three fast questions for you. And I love to ask all my guests this. So reflecting on yourself, and I know that you touched on it slightly before, what is your go -to signature style piece that you feel truly represents your brand? And why is it an essential part of your wardrobe?
Christina Storey (32:12.774)
Yep.
Christina Storey (32:25.086)
Ha ha!
Christina Storey (32:29.182)
I'm still discovering my signature style Sonia, but in terms of colours, I've embraced colour again. I have embraced my pinks, my greens, and it is linked to my brand, but definitely embracing colour.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (32:36.059)
Christina, have I lost you?
Christina Storey (34:21.163)
Sorry, I don't know what happened there.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (34:22.139)
Oh, yay. Okay, no, all good. All good. I was like, Oh, hey, nice. All good. Okay, so I'll reset. Yeah, no, all good. All good. And okay, so I always ask my guests these three short sharp questions. So the first one being and I think you touched on it a little bit before.
Christina Storey (34:25.547)
Got your back.
Christina Storey (34:31.555)
Okay, done. Let's reset the questions.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (34:50.495)
What is your go -to signature style piece that you feel truly represents your brand and why is it an essential part of your wardrobe?
Christina Storey (35:02.06)
I think I'm still currently I think I'm still trying to work out what my signature style is but I am embracing more color and you know the pinks and the greens and the blues so I think that that for me is probably a huge step but I'm also I've accepted my it's taken me 50 odd years but I've accepted my body for the way that it is and learning to style my body for my shape and my size.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (35:03.161)
Currently.
Christina Storey (35:32.172)
and learning about all of that has definitely helped. So that's just given me that little bit more confidence too. So yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (35:35.771)
Beautiful. Yeah, love that. And just small little reminder to all my listeners, we all have to do that better. Okay, so transformational read. So for our listeners looking for inspiration, maybe you're listening to a book or you're reading a book. What would you shout out to them to have a bit of a listen or a read to?
Christina Storey (35:40.756)
Yeah.
Christina Storey (35:46.922)
Mmm, yes.
Christina Storey (35:52.094)
Mmm.
Christina Storey (36:01.868)
Oh god there's been a few over the years. One of them would be Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. The other one, I've got to get the title right so it's on Audible. I do like listening to Audible a lot but I do like reading physical books too. We Should Be Millionaires by Rachel Rogers. We Should All Be Millionaires. So Rachel Rogers, there's another one, really good book.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (36:19.515)
Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (36:25.051)
I can't have it with us.
Christina Storey (36:30.12)
really enjoyed listening to that. The other one that I really really loved listening to during lockdown was David Goggins. So he's got two books never finished and there was another one, sorry I'm just looking at what it is, Can't Hurt Me. So I read those and listened to those in lockdown and it was really good listening to the audible because he gave you extra things that you don't normally get in the book.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (36:59.899)
Bonus.
Christina Storey (37:01.068)
But there's another one, I'm gonna give you another one, The Girl Who Fell From The Sky by Emma Carey, amazing book. So she fell, she went skydiving and she broke her back and it was about her journey from the recovery and all the rest of it. So huge, very impactful in terms of self -belief, confidence, et cetera, absolutely massive, but they're probably some of the ones that have really sort of shaped.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (37:20.859)
Yeah.
Christina Storey (37:29.516)
And I really, really enjoyed listening or reading from start to finish.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (37:34.459)
Amazing. Final one, mindset ritual. We all have those days where we need an extra boost. What is your quick mindset ritual that has you feeling empowered and ready to tackle anything?
Christina Storey (37:36.172)
Yeah. Yep.
Christina Storey (37:48.972)
I have my Pella Santo ready to go if I need a quick thing. I have my energy clearing spray if I need it just to help me. But I just pretty much just use that and just sort of centre myself and I just sit or stand and just breathe. Whether it be for 10 seconds, whether it be for a minute, but if I just sort of just take the time and just let everything just escape me and not let anything come in.
then I do that and that tends to reset me or I go outside and stand out in nature. Yeah, and that tends to reset everything for me.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (38:25.315)
Fantastic, Christina. Thank you so much for being on the podcast. Now, if people want to find you, follow you, get in touch with you, where would they do that? How can they work with you?
Christina Storey (38:39.276)
they can jump onto my website. So www .hercareercoach .com .au. I do come up pretty much first on the Google search bar, which is pretty awesome. But also my Instagram handle is the same, which is Her Career Coach. And on LinkedIn as well, you can look me up as Her Career Coach or as Christina Storey. So you can connect to either my personal or my business page on LinkedIn as well. Yeah.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (38:52.219)
down the SEO.
Sonya | Your Styled Collective (39:06.235)
Amazing. Thank you again, Christina. There's been some gold little hints and tips along the way. So I really appreciate you taking the time out to have a chat on the Stolen Strategy podcast. Take care.
Christina Storey (39:15.532)
Thank you, Sonia.
Thank you. I really appreciate you having me on. Thanks, Anya.