Career Contessa

Lauren McGoodwin hosts Career Contessa, a weekly podcast from the Dear Media network that covers the full spectrum of career development in tight, focused episodes. Shows run about 28 to 34 minutes, and McGoodwin interviews experts on topics ranging from salary negotiation and resume strategy to LinkedIn optimization and navigating office politics. With 378 episodes and an impressive 4.9-star rating from about 470 reviews, it is one of the highest-rated career podcasts on Apple Podcasts. The show is particularly strong for women in their 20s and 30s who are trying to build a career path that makes sense. McGoodwin started Career Contessa as a website and media company, and the podcast reflects that broader mission — each episode feels like it was designed to give you one specific, usable takeaway. An episode on negotiation will walk you through the exact language to use. An episode on interviewing will cover the questions hiring managers actually care about. The main criticism, and it comes up in reviews, is the ad load. In a 30-minute episode you might encounter eight to ten minutes of advertisements, which can break the flow. But the content between those ads is genuinely useful and delivered in an approachable, no-nonsense style. McGoodwin does not pretend that career growth is easy or that following your passion is a complete strategy. She treats career development as a skill set you can learn and practice, which makes the advice feel grounded rather than aspirational.