Lia: Welcome to the Sparky Life Podcast with Lia Lamela. I share with you my electrical journey, experiences and insight through engaging banter with those I've met along the way. If you're interested in trade tales, an industry fraught with excitement and risk, subscribe and be notified, every Thursday when trade tales continue.
Hello. I am sure you might have noticed I talk a lot about different careers and skilled trades. I feel there isn't enough guidance or a, how do I say, like a one stop shop where you can get tons of information on different careers like, like a career education library, for example. But to my surprise, there is such a place: Work University Podcast hosted by Analisa Felix is such a place. Being an avid book reader and partial to libraries, I was blown away to discover this much needed podcast, Work University, which guides its listeners who are getting into the workforce or looking for a career change. I just had to meet and speak with Analisa, a guide for others to learn about new career paths you might not even know existed.
Lia: Hi.
Analisa: Hello, Leah. How's it going?
Lia: It's good. It's going good. It's good to see you again. I have a very special guest with us today. Analisa Felix. She is the podcast host of Work University, and she is here today to talk about Work University because it is very special to my heart. What Analisa does for the community and for others I think is extremely important. Analisa, please tell us how it all gets started.
Analisa: You know, I've always been a curious person. I always ask questions. And it turned out that after a while, some of my deepest conversations with people were centered around their work and how their personality ties in with their work. And, and how I found that out was I just kept digging and asking questions. And this was before the podcast. I realized that I was finding out some really good nuggets that I think not only that I could use, but maybe others could use. It just came one day, I thought, you know, I'm going to start a podcast and just start interviewing different people for different careers, and it morphed into what it is today. And basically it's informational interviews. So if you're familiar with career exploration, there's a term called informational interviews, and that's when you're interested in a career and you, you know, you've heard of, “Oh, you want to have coffee, I'll pick your brain,” that type of thing. Same thing, but more of a more structured, you know, route that I take. And it, and it's basically four pillars that I like to stick to to start with. What do you do? How did you get there? Any bumps in the road and any advice for anybody who wants to do X? And being in the human resources field for so long and knowing the questions to ask, how to take listeners on a journey or even the people I'm interviewing. Tell me about your journey, because everybody's different. If there's one lawyer, they have a different journey than the next lawyer. So, I want to know, how did you get there? And that could help and meet people through this whole journey. And they introduce me to someone else. Or the listener can find out, “Hey, this is a great job.” Or, “you know what? Maybe it's not what I wanted. I'm so glad I learned that.” Or, “let me take the next step and find somebody else or maybe learn a job, didn't even know existed.” And I do that all the time. When I'm talking to people, I'm like, “What? You get paid to do what?” So if it's a job and it's something that you do, I want to know about it, because maybe it can help somebody else out there.
Lia: Well, as somebody who has had seven careers in her lifetime, what you do is so important because when you hear about, oh, I want to be a lawyer, oh, I want to be a truck driver or I want to be a teacher, it's very easy to see how those careers are portrayed on TV or to learn about academically. What path do you have to take to, to achieve that goal? But you really do not get a sense of what a day to day looks like. And that's why I love your interviews, because you really get your guest to give you a good picture of what their career looks like in a day to day. And I think that's why so many people end up changing their careers or not being happy in their career because they really didn't have a good understanding or idea of what that career would look like.
Analisa: Mhm. Yeah. Even if somebody does find their path and something that lights them up every day and that's their career. Great. If that works. But a lot of times, even when you do think you find your career, your career journey is going to change. So in the gamut of anyone leading up to that, it is my hope that these interviews bring some, like I said, nugget of information to a listener before they invest in that certification degree. Stepping into that role, I mean, I've talked to a lot of people who say analysts wish I would have, you know, check this out earlier, or I had no idea it was going to be like this. And that was also a catalyst for me creating this. I've always loved education. I'm a continuous learner. I'm always curious, I'm always finding out things. So I'm also a connector. I'm always in, you know, you know how you have your cliques? Well, I was dabbling in all the cliques. Okay, what's going on over here, and what's going on over there, and finding out and seeing where I can connect people. And it's funny because I have connected different groups of people and that led me into the career connector space, I guess you could say, because that is something that I like to do. I do it because I love to meet people. If I can introduce a job to someone that maybe they didn't know about, and there's so many different layers to that because there might be different avenues that they find out later that, “Oh well, did you know that this position is located here?” And and you know, it really goes into the questions I ask. I go all over the place. So after those four pillars, you know, I really like to talk to people and I'm like, “oh, well, what happened there?” And can you tell me what that acronym is? Because, you know, maybe I don't understand that. And people, you know, when they start talking about themselves and their jobs and they get into all these acronyms and terms. And what I like to do from a trainer perspective, you know, in a past life I was a trainer and still am to a certain degree, I want to make sure that, oh, wait, we hit a topic here that maybe isn't as transparent. Let's unpack that first and then kind of get into the more technical things.
Lia: Yeah. What would you say really sparked you on this journey? What was, what was the catalyst that was like? Because you said you've always been curious and this is something that you love connecting with people and talking to people. But was there anything that you were like, Wow, this is something I need to do?
Analisa: I was at a party once and it was like a family birthday and I was talking to a dentist and was really kind of asking the questions, well, what kind of certification do you need for that? And do you have to travel? And is that a Monday through Friday or is that you set your own hours? And then I started, you know, it kind of sparked that this is the kind of information that we don't see when you see a job description on Google.
Lia: Yes.
Analida: Or on a TV show that portrays a lawyer and everything. You know, he drives up in his Mercedes to a cool tower, you know, corner view office and this and that. And there's a lot that goes into that. And when I talk to people, I've been very fortunate to know how to get into those questions of do you like this job or maybe you don't. So what are the things that maybe are not so glamorous about this position that I wouldn't know about? Or what questions do you think you would like to be asked that you've never been asked about your position? And what do you want people to know? And the best interviews that I've had are the anonymous ones, because some people are like, you know, I'd rather not, or I'm a little nervous, or they're in high profile positions that, you know, they don't really want to talk about or say what company, which is totally fine. When I do an interview, that is an option. We can be anonymous, we can be audio. You don't have to say your name, but that's not why I do it. It's not about the person per se. It's more about their journey and the different hurdles and the different things that I didn't know about before. We only see, you know, the entertainer or the stand up comic or or the musician, but what things did they have to do? Do you have to get a licensed SAG card when you travel internationally? What kind of hoops do you have to, you know, all these kinds of things that we didn't think about, just thinking about, “Oh, that's glamorous, I want to go in that position.” And at one point, you know, I thought that, too. When I was younger, I wanted to get into commercials and, you know, I moved to LA and met some great people and took some great classes. But it's the things I learned along the way. And it was like, mm, maybe not something I want to devote my life to. I tried it and great, I did what I set out to do. But is that something that in my gut I want to do every day? If you look at the deeper, you know, more “woowoo” things tied into purpose and everyday life and things like that, there's a lot to unpack there. So that purpose in your work or purposeful work can maybe bring a happier day because you're there, but eight hours a day if it's a 9 to 5 or banker's hours, but that's your life. And these people, you know, there's a lot of different personalities and we didn't even talk about that yet. You know, and that's one thing that when I'm speaking to students is like, hey, you know, maybe learn about some different personality types and how communication works because communication is such a big part of your work, the communication between a team and and how to work with a team and and what that entails and being a full time employee versus manager versus executive and what kind of things are needed for each. Another nugget here is to teach people how to do informational interviews for themselves in the future.
Lia: Yes, that's very important. You're passionate about helping to guide others to their purpose in a way, because like you said, 40 hours, 80 hours a week on average, that's a lot of your life to spend doing something, I can imagine. Most would hope that it's doing something that they're passionate about or that they feel purpose in.
Analisa: Right? If it is not, it can add anxiety. It can add stress. You know, it's a snowball in any different direction. So these are the kinds of things that I'm still learning about. I'm still pointing people in the right direction, but I think, you know, my career curiosity and my want to connect people with different areas too, and I think that goes back to helping them find their true purpose. Because doing this is helping me find my true purpose. And, you know, it's a reciprocal. It's as much for me as it is for you. And I love it, and as long as I can do it, I'm going to do it. And it is just meeting the people and getting to know, you know, what they do and and you know, that makes me happy.
Lia: Oh, you can definitely tell that you're passionate about it. I want women to be super curious about trade careers and construction. It's one of the reasons why I try to get women from different backgrounds on the podcast to discuss. And I think having a podcast like yours where they can go and listen to you talk with a nurse or listen to you speak to a surgeon or listen to you talk to a counselor and hear from those people. And I also like the fact that you said you don't just talk to one lawyer, you talk to like, more than one in the same career because, you know, everyone's journey is going to be a little bit different. That's very clever because you're really broadening the scope so that others can get a really good picture of their potential and possibilities. Now, I was just speaking to a woman earlier. She's amazing. She's, she lives in England. She's a body repair technician, auto, and she was explaining to me that in England at the age of 14, they have to start to narrow in and pick what their focus study is going to be at 14. And then what ends up happening is they put so many years into it that they discover it's not for them. It kind of puts them behind if they want to switch. I don't know about you, but at 14, I didn't have a fucking clue what what I really wanted, who I really was. I can't imagine at the age of 14 being like, okay, this is my career. And originally she picked child development and of course, look at her now, she's doing like, auto body repair. Have you found with all the different types of people that you've spoken with, people tend to find their careers when they're younger or older or what? Have you seen any correlation or anything that would guide someone who's trying to determine what a career is like? Should you try everything? Should you focus, try to find a focus on the younger side? What's your experience?
Analisa: That's a good question. And I do want to bring up something that I read recently. It was, you know, one of the memes or quotes that came up on the Internet. It says, “If a child can do advanced math, speak three languages, receive top grades, but can't manage their emotions or practice conflict resolution or handle stress, none of that stuff is going to matter.”
Lia: Wow.
Analisa: And that really hit what magnifies. What I'm trying to find out is we're going to try lots of different things. There's no black or white. There's no map. That's the thing that I want to tell students. There's no road map. However, if you do find yourself guided towards a certain direction, it's more of the inner work to help you realize, like, trust your gut.
Lia: Wow, that's such a good point. You just had an aha moment for me. So like, introspection and self discovery is what's really going to guide you to what you should be doing. Understanding self.
Analisa: And that gets into more of the other side of things that I like to research and discuss with people is more of the introspection, because I didn't learn that in school.
Lia: Yeah, no, sure. I didn't.
Analisa: You know. And now that is becoming more to the forefront. I don't really say this is what you need to do, that is what I stay away from. My approach is more of going deep with one than going shallow with. And worldwide is what lights you up. And then with that comes, are they anxious to talk about it? You know, then if they are, what approach do I need to take to have a communication, not just a one way dialogue? So it's really interesting because I feel that, you know, I'm using a lot of my intuition to look at body language, to look at communication styles, to look at different things, to have that discussion. Because if I'm talking with someone who's a tech driven or human, you can, I can tell that right off the bat if they're talking about their job and you kind of see them, you know, what you call that, retract or tense, things like that, then we'll talk about, what do you do for a hobby? What do you do at home and what do you wish for? And then let's talk about all the ways to what are your big audacious goals that you never thought you could reach and that are so impossible? Well, let's just write them down. Let's just talk about, “Oh, well, did you know that there's actually a job in that?” You know, and so that kind of takes us in that direction. So I don't have the answers. But what I do is connect. I'm like, one of those street signs that says, “okay, this way.” You know, maybe let's take that turn or, you know, let's try this and just kind of give my, you know, thoughts on what you should do. I don't want to shit all over anybody. And then I want them to do what really lights them up. So, you know, I can talk all day about this, but I hope that answers your question.
Lia: Yes. Yes. Like I said, for you to discover, or in your experience, that the best guide is to discover oneself. That just clicked in my head. I was like, wow, how did I never think of that before? It makes so much sense.
Analisa: I think about it in so many different perspectives. And that's also been something that I'm very happy to have been blessed with, is that I can look at something from 20 different perspectives and try different things. And yeah, I'm just throwing stuff up against the wall and seeing what sticks like anyone else. The thing about this podcast and my communication is, I at least, you know, step out of my comfort zone and ask the person; I make those asks. And that is another key thing: intersection. Make the ask because I don't have all the answers. I can just point in the right direction and along the way I'll try and figure stuff out and learn some things and that's how I get another contact. But another thing I'd like to bring up is that I look, at let's liken it to electricity, because that's really what it is. It's, it's flow. It's energy. Okay. We don't question where the energy is coming from. We want to make sure that the channels are open for that energy to flow through when somebody comes in and flips on a light switch. We just assume it's going to happen. We don't need to know, “Oh, where did that come from,” and need to know that wire. No, no, no. It's just there. So why don't we parallel that to our own energy. And again, this is another level, if we want to get into that, that I do talk with people about, like mindfulness, self-awareness, introspection, all of these other things that I'm still learning about. And I'm going to continue to learn until that day. But it has just really opened up so many different avenues for me to think of it in that perspective of energy and flow. So again, I can go in so many different directions and love this conversation. I don't want to, you know, manipulate the conversation about energy. But that's another perspective that I love to talk about and learn to find out about.
Lia: In a word, you speak in my language when you talk about energy. Can you break that down for me? Are you talking about the energy that someone presents in certain situations or doing certain activities? Or what's drawn to them?
Analisa: All of it. All of it. If we look and take this back to the podcast and the career and kind of hold energy in our back pocket, we know the position that, “Oh man, I'm up and I'm ready to go in. My alarm isn't going to go off until ten more minutes. Right. Let's do this.” You know, and I've had that position before. I've been blessed to have had something like that. I know what that looks like. And so if I see somebody who is stuck, I know that that's possible. And so that's another way that if I can help or even just share my story, I would like to do that. Now, if we get back into that energy, you know, there's a lot of different things that pull you, and that's part of that energy. I think that pulls us to something or pushes us away from something. I love asking questions. I'm all about the questions. The only difficulty sometimes is knowing the right questions to ask and having somebody like you with your background and your experience.
Lia: I have this gut feeling you're going to know many questions and for many different situations to help guide the person to ask those right questions. Because my podcast is construction themed, you'll have to excuse my dorky-ness, but I always like to ask: what tool is in your tool belt? Meaning, what is something that you wake up with every day through your life's journey that you always take with you, because it helps you advance.
Analisa: Connection.
Lia: Connection.
Analisa: And love. I love that question about tools, because that is another thing that I talk about, is you have to have a toolbox of tools, because I'm just, because I talk about these concepts doesn't mean I've mastered them. It means that I've learned what tools to carry with me. And that's my connection, my curiosity and my ability to connect people with what they want to do. As it pertains to this podcast, that's my tool, is connection.
Lia: I love that so much. A part of me is fearful and a little afraid for our society because I feel a lot of us have lost that ability to connect.
Analisa: And that's okay. There's always a route back to whatever connection means for that person.
Lia: How can you cultivate connection with something, what can someone do, an action that they can take to cultivate that?
Analisa: What I would do first is ask you or get that anxiety level down so that we can connect. Because if we can't connect and there's a barrier, then it's not going to happen. We email, we text or we talk, video, or because not every communication style is comfortable for everybody, and then just start asking questions and just, you know, let somebody know that there is no black and white. There's no right or wrong. It is all gray. Let's figure it out together. And if you're comfortable with knowing that it's all gray, the fear and the anxiety goes down. If we think about the physical aspects of fear, it's the same physical aspects of excitement. So why don't we just say it's not fear anymore? I'm excited about this, but that's something we need to work on every day.
Lia: I totally hear you because I've been trying to master that myself. Analisa. Thank you so, so much for coming on the Sparky Life.
Analisa: Thank you for having me, Lia.
Lia: It was a pleasure, like usual, speaking with you, and tell everyone where they can find you, please.
Analisa: Thank you. You can always find me at my website, workuniversity.org and you can find me on Instagram @workuniversity. There are so many stories out there about work and your personal journey. Please contact me if you would like to share your journey. Because, does it matter if you're talkative or not? We will get to the interesting stuff about the job. Anything you want anyone to know about. Again, we can be anonymous. But I know that there's so many people who would benefit from the value that you would bring, giving your experience.
Lia: Analisa. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. What you do is so wonderful. I really from the bottom of my heart. Love, love, love.
Analisa: Thank you, Lia. Thank you so much.
Lia: On the Sparky Life, we hope to expose everyone to a variety of skilled trade careers, but Analisa takes it a step further. Her podcast, Work University, exposes us to many, many more options and reminds us to stay curious about the endless potential for our lives. You never know if the right job has yet to be discovered. Sometimes it isn't just about the job, but about the lifestyle. I love my career, but I know not everyone would be fond of getting up at 3:30 a.m. each day. At least, maybe not initially. And, honor connection. We connect with others. We meet many amazing people along the way. Cultivating intimacy. Even if you're just meant to be a listening ear to their story, you can get to be a witness to someone else's life that may or may not get to resemble yours one day. I hope if you don't find yourself in a position that you find value in now, that you'll continue to seek that out. I encourage you to check out Analisa's podcast and keep exploring your options. What new career path will you discover? Thank you for joining us. If you felt a spark in today's episode, I invite you to write a review. I'd love to hear what lit you up. Take what resonates with you, and if you'd like to hear more of the Sparky Life, please subscribe, like, follow and share. Until next time, create the sparks in your life.