Setting Yourself for Your Version of SUCCESS

Welcome to the LMF Network Newsletter

Who are we?

The LMF Network is an education careers platform bridging skills and the gender gap. We know it will take 257 years to achieve gender parity, but that's too long. We are on a mission to build the careers and confidence of 25,000 people by 2025, and we know what we are fighting for and need your help creating equitable change. Our community trusts us to support their development needs, build their confidence and align ourselves with trusted, inclusive partners who can nurture and grow talent to progress in their careers.

Why do we exist?

'I started this network in 2018 because I found myself lonely and unable to progress in the workplace due to my little career knowledge and confidence.' - Sonya Barlow.

We have upskilled 20,000 people globally and changed lives through mentoring, masterclasses, and meaningful conversations from brunch to business. Our next phase is about doing more through tech, building skills and launching careers with trusted partners pledging to make a difference.

How does the newsletter work?

We will share a weekly newsletter on the "word of the week", full of information, resources and actionable things to get you where you need to be!

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“Building the careers & confidence of 25,000 people by 2025.”

We are sorry to hear that many people in and around the LMF community have lost their jobs, are being laid off or going through career hardships.

Our founder, Sonya Barlow, has personally experienced this twice, and we understand how hard and tough it is. But you have to keep going, and everything will work out even if it looks impossible at the moment.

So, if you have the option financially, take time off and keep on learning and using free resources to upskill (you can use the code SKILLS to access our platform www.LMFNetwork.com). Or, if you are applying and need to generate some income, you could start freelancing in your field or starting a passion project.?

Here are six things we suggest to set yourself up for success:

1. Take a moment to pause and reflect on your wins. Ask yourself, what have you learnt? What three skills make you, you? What is something you are proud of?
2. Consider what your next role looks like. For example, what are your non-negotiables What are you not wanting to do?
3. Reach out to colleagues in the workplace and ask for recommendations or testimonials, which you can update on your Linkedin, CV, or portfolio. This helps you to stay relevant and provides reassurance.
4. Tap into your network. Ask three people interested whom you have been following for a 15-minute virtual coffee to discuss their journey, role and insights into finding your next job.
5. Level up your skills. Use the LMF Network platform to build new skills, download resources & connect with our community. Use the code SKILLS - www.LMFNetwork.com.
6. Be kind to yourself. Often in these cases, being kind and taking time is the best thing you can do so that you don't rush, make decisions which don't align with your values and burn out trying to sign off your next thing.

We will launch workshops on ‘building your professional branding skills’ to set yourself up for success in the next few weeks.

So, do follow us to stay updated. In the meantime, we are sharing some resources that can help you in your journey.

Success is the achieving of the results wanted or hoped for. However, success can be defined in many ways, and many people have different measures of success. For example, it can be balancing work and family life, learning new things, overcoming your fear or even just doing your best at anything you do.

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Are you ready to set yourself for success on 2023?

In February, we are launching our first Career Bootcamp where we will have weekly workshops on goal setting, personal branding, imposter syndrome and more, as well as speed networking session and resources. Express your interest by clicking on the link below to secure your spot!

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WATCH this TED Talk on Failure and Resilience?

In this talk, FAILURE COMES BEFORE RESILIENCE, our founder Sonya Barlow discusses her experience after being let go from work for the 2nd time and the importance of knowing that you aren't alone.

VIEW This Panel on Networking

In a world where we are all connected all the time virtually, it’s important to find your network in real life. So what is a network, and how does it become your net worth? Watch the 'Your Network is Your Net Worth' panel from our Life Skills Summit 2022.

LEARN About Job Searching 101

What is your definition of success? What are your personality traits? And what exactly are you looking for from a job beyond income? This masterclass will give you all the tools you need to answer these questions. We will show you the five steps you need to follow when starting your job search. Use code SKILLS to access our platform.

CHECK this IG Post about Imposter Syndrome

When going through tough times, it is normal to start doubting your skills and how far you have come. So if you want to achieve your version of success, you need to overcome imposter syndrome.

READ A Book To Raise Your Confidence

Sometimes we all need a reminder of how great we are! You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero will help you identify self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviours that are stopping you from reaching your goals.

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Thank you for the love, support and sponsorship - Sonya Barlow, Founder & CEO