The subject of Career Readiness has always been one that interests us, especially because it often gets confused with this concept of Career Certainty. What does it mean to be ready for the workforce, and how are we as organizations, educational institutions and leaders really ensuring that tomorrow's visionaries have all the tools needed for the path ahead? What needs to be taught, instilled and passed on?

At OutGrowth, we believe career readiness is much bigger than technical skills, subject matter expertise, and the inherited pressure to "get a stable job." We believe true career readiness looks a lot like resilience, adaptability, a strong work ethic, iteration and re-iteration, and a devotion to one's individual purpose in the face of conflicting messages. At OutGrowth, it's about teaching students and professionals to embrace the winding path, to listen to their inner voices and to the changing market, and to get comfortable with being beautifully uncomfortable (both in the search itself and in any new professional undertaking). It's about encouraging others to redefine success in terms of becoming, not acquiring.

This month, we feature two leaders who are shining examples of the success and fulfillment that comes from embarking on a less conventional path. We leave you, our professionals, students and recent graduates (congrats!) with our curated list of tools and tricks so that you can get ready for whatever life throws at you. Happy reading.

Grow out with us.