The best things in life are free—and YouTube is one of them.
YouTube is the quintessential virtual resource for everyday learning, laughing, motivation, and connecting. It’s also perfect for getting career advice on just about any topic. It's kinda like the school of life that you wish you had access to early on.
Whether you’re searching for a professional opinion on workflow or want to get guidance in your next job search, YouTube hosts a wide range of channels from content creators that extend practical wisdom, and a fresh perspective and help you get smarter every day. Seriously, you can learn about physics just as easily as you can learn about psychotherapy and the meaning behind the screenplay in your favorite movies.
12 Binge-Worthy YouTube Channels
For our purposes (and to keep us all from being overwhelmed), we’ve curated a list of the best YouTube channels from around the internet to inspire career growth, personal development, and overall success.
Each channel has a healthy dose of subscribers, and the formats vary from tutorials to conversations with thought-leaders and even celebrities and comedians.
Check out these interesting YouTube channels on your work break, weekday commute, or at any wifi hub you raid for ultimate break time productivity.
1. Nicole Young
The first woman on our list is self-taught software engineer Nicole Young. As a Black woman, Young was fed up with the inequity she experienced in the tech world. Young shares her experiences in learning more about tech equity and accessibility—to bring more diversity into tech and prove to young people that anyone can get into the industry with hard work and strategy.
Young releases new videos about her coding journey, the tech industry, and productivity hacks every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday!
Making a Career Shift into Tech
Career shifts are not easy, but they are possible when you take thoughtful steps (and when you apply your existing skills to it.)
Get a Job in Tech with No Experience
In this video, Young explains how anybody can get into tech with little to no experience—as she draws from her own experience entering the tech world.
2. Career Contessa
Our mission at Career Contessa is to guide you into a fulfilling career by providing actionable advice, tips, and resources to you. Our video series Work In Progress is a "how-to" video series to help you with everything from interviewing for jobs to improving your confidence or negotiating a raise. We break down tough questions into simple, actionable tasks—getting you one step closer to owning your career.
5 Signs You're in a Toxic Work Environment (and How to Escape)
If you're in a toxic workplace, you'll probably recognize some of the signs. Here are five surefire signs that your workplace might, indeed, be pretty toxic—and the steps you should take to shake the toxicity out or move on.
How to Handle a Bad Boss
We don't mean to harp on the negative, but part of our specialty is in navigating tricky work situations. This brings us to a pretty big frustration for the unhappy employee—the bad boss.
3. Forbes
Forbes spotlights business, technology, entrepreneurship, and professional success through the people who are shaping their industries. From the prestigious 30 Under 30 list to their growing YouTube channel, they're dedicated to diving deep into individual stories on people and their careers. Explore this channel to follow the hustle and mindset it takes to be at the top and become an entrepreneur.
Office Hours with Bea Arthur: Managing Your Side Hustle, Workplace Relationships, and Remote Teams
In the Office Hours series, host and career therapist Bea Arthur navigates the offices of NYC where she meets and mentors women of all different career stages.
Accenture CEO's Advice to Women: Stand Out
Julie Sweet has a new item for your to-do list—step out of your comfort zone, daily. While this may seem too much of an everyday task, this advice is a genuine catalyst for everyday growth. Learn the importance of becoming “fearless, but prepared” to gain resilience, become a professional risk-taker, and work with confidence. Don't ever be afraid to reinvent yourself.
4. Linda Raynier
Workforce education is at the heart of Linda Raynier’s YouTube channel. As a career strategist, she coaches you on everything from professional body language, growing into leadership roles, and reveals the true meaning of interview questions. Practical advice to get you one step closer to a career you love.
Interview Tips to Become a Leader—4 Secrets to Career Growth
Ready for a move into a leadership role? Linda spotlights what to expect at an executive-level interview and how to prepare for it. These four strategies will help you to succeed in a senior-level interview—so that you're well on your way to managing a great team.
Body Language in an Interview—3 Tips
Job interview prep usually includes practicing interview questions, diligent company research, and choosing your power outfit for the day. A key part of the interview, though, is your body language. It tells the interviewer a lot more than you may have thought. Linda gives her three tips to look confident, enthusiastic, and authentic—helping you get one step closer to snagging that job.
5. OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network)
The Oprah Winfrey brand is one of heart, community, and deep soul. She impacts by connecting her audience to messages of inspiration and truth—which is why we love her so much. There is no hiding when confronted with Oprah. Dig into these thought-provoking videos and reflect on what drives your work, career, and life.
Glennon Doyle Melton: First the Pain, Then the Rising
You and I both know the struggle is real. In this Super Soul Session, Glennon Doyle approaches the realness of life with humor and uplifting stories to transform our perspective of the struggle. She teaches what it means to do “the work” and how to find the power within to push through anything. Bookmark this video for any time you need truth, encouragement, and a good laugh.
Angela Davis: You Are Prepared for Any Season of Life
Motivational coach Angela Davis speaks truth through poetry. Whatever season of life you are in, this speech compels you to trust in the process. The next season will be different. You will be different. You will make it through.
6. Lavendaire
Aileen Xu, the host of the Lavendaire, brings a new sense of calm to the YouTube space. With clean, bright aesthetics and a voice of understanding, this channel has become a safe destination for fans to become vulnerable on topics of self-growth, self-confidence, and self-love. (Which we could all really use, time to time.) Dive into these videos—and the comments—for abundant messages of positivity, courage, and compassion to get the lift you need.
You Are Enough: Self-Worth & Comparison Traps
Is social media or someone in the workplace triggering negative comparison and self-doubt? Believe me—we’ve all been there. This video guides you through an exercise to shift this harsh mentality into one that empowers. Find your light again. You’ve got this.
23 Habits of Highly Successful People
Out with the old, in with the new is the perfect motto when you’re ready to integrate a new habit and refresh your routine. Aileen digs deep and shares a list of well-researched, positive habits that empower you and your route to success. If you’re ready for a new challenge, listen in, take notes, create a daily practice, and track your progress. We’re rooting for you!
7. LinkedIn
LinkedIn has changed the way we navigate our careers and paved a new road on how we connect with others in our industry. From networking tips or recruiter advice to insight directly from world leaders, LinkedIn gives us solutions in every endeavor. This multidimensional channel has something to offer for everyone, as it brings extensive industry insight through interviews, cinematic storytelling, and motivational speeches.
A Woman's Journey Into One of the Manliest Jobs in America
Do you know what it’s like to be a woman working in a male-dominated industry? Brigit Booker tells all—when you’re the only woman on site, “you have to prove yourself every day.” Whether you’ve experienced it first hand or have heard stories from others, this inspiring story follows the trajectory of Brigit’s path to becoming the first African American female ironworker in her local union.
LinkedIn Speaker Series: Joanna Coles
Most of us understand by now that addiction to our phones and media stimulation has caused a critical downfall in our attention spans. In this LinkedIn Speaker Series, Joanna Coles, the chief content officer of Hearst Magazines, identifies how intentionally living offline in life and the workplace heightens your sense of awareness and accomplishment. Tune into this video for perspective on how to balance your relationship to technology to regain focus.
8. Amanda Holden
Amanda Holden is the creator behind Dumpster Doggy, an online resource that teaches women how to invest and has grown in popularity over the last few years. She infuses passion and humor into everything she does without losing the importance of making sure you become more financially savvy and confident about how to invest
Her YouTube Channel promises to help you learn about investing, from someone who's not a Wall Street bro or dusty old dude.
Should You Invest In Individual Stocks?
The Risks of Investing Money Short-Term
9. TED-Ed
TED-Ed’s commitment to creating lessons worth sharing is an extension of TED’s mission of spreading great ideas. Within TED-Ed’s growing library of TED-Ed animations and sketches, you will find carefully curated educational videos, many of which represent collaborations between talented educators and animators nominated through the TED-Ed website (ed.ted.com).
How Do You Know You're Not Dreaming?
Ethical Dilemma: Would You Lie?
10. Talks at Google
Talks at Google is a leader in the corporate interview series space, providing a platform for influential thinkers, creators, makers, and doers to tell us about their work, their lives, and mental health, and what drives them to shape our world. Google hosts talks virtually and physically across 30+ Google offices worldwide and often records and releases these talks publicly.
Dr. Kristin Neff | The Science of Self-Compassion | Talks at Google
Tammy Smith | Leadership and Inclusiveness in the Military | Talks at Google
11. Stanford Graduate School of Business
The mission of Stanford Graduate School of Business is to create ideas that deepen and advance our understanding of management and with those ideas, develop innovative, principled, and insightful leaders who change the world. The channel features thought leadership from world-class faculty and renowned guest speakers.
From Dreaming to Doing: How We Set and Achieve Goals
Communicating Our Mistakes: How to Avoid Common Flaws and Make Better Decisions
12. Self-Made Millennial
Self-Made Millennial was created by Madeline Mann and her channel is known for diving in deep on job interview questions and answers.
Madeline also has a signature approach called the "Story Toolbox" that works wonders in helping you to know how to answer behavioral interview questions and the STAR interview technique. Additionally, she'll set you up for career success with how to ask for a raise, impress your boss, and more!
The Best Answers to the 10 Most-Asked Interview Questions
The #1 Reason You Are Not Getting Hired: Mistakes That Will Cost You The Job!
We are thrilled about the fast-growing content that’s coming through YouTube. So before you get lost in social media feeds or pointless TV shows, check out these channels to boost your insight on career, personal growth, self-care, and all things that can empower your life. We’re rooting for you!
