61% of U.S. adults look for career development opportunities when considering employment opportunities according to a survey by Jobvite. Having a career across four industries has allowed me to bring her vast knowledge to others as a career strategist. Being authentic and empathic allows me to connect with my audience to bring value and impact. Speaking for organizations and Fortune 500 companies in person or virtually is something I am passionate about because people need help. Too many people go to work and hate their jobs and are disengaged because they aren’t being recognized or appreciated, aren’t being promoted and have to train their replacements. This is not okay. I empower professionals with the tools and mindset to take control of their career advancement, reach their goals, be authentic and increase their happiness and engagement at work.

Speaking Topics

Ultimate Career Leap, Owning your Career Journey
The Ultimate Career Leap helps professionals keep their careers fluid and moving forward. It's designed to help those who want to grow and develop within their organizations, increase their visibility and position themselves for more opportunities. Using a 3-step system professionals learn how to take charge of your career and position yourself for success. Participants learn how to network more effectively, build existing relationships and speak to their results with ease.

Who's on Deck? Using Sponsorship in Succession Planning
As Marcus Buckingham said "People leave bad companies, they don't leave bad managers." How many good employees has your company lost due to no succession plan for middle management? This talk focuses on how to build succession plans, how to increase retention and build a diverse pipeline. Participants learn how to identify successors, how to champion for others and how to become a sponsor.

Purpose and Resilience: The Real P.R. to Success.
With all the gurus selling success in a bottle and influencers making the journey look effortless, it’s no wonder that many people feel that they don’t have what it takes to pursue their dreams-whether it’s starting a business or advancing in their career. Here’s the thing that no one tells you: success looks different for everyone. But ALL success stories have two things in common: P.R. - purpose and resilience. This talk will help you to tell Fear to hush and have a seat as you leave mediocrity behind. Participants will be empowered, exhilarated, and learn a 4-step framework for success.

Navigating Career Crossroads: The Power of Persistence, Determination, and Flexibility (PDF) for Professional Growth
Hitting a career crossroad can be difficult for employees. They aren’t sure how to stay engaged if they should stay or go but a little assistance goes a long way in retaining them. In this workshop they discover the transformative force of Persistence, Determination, and Flexibility as we explore essential steps to redefine yourself, overcome challenges, and propel your career forward. Learn to craft a standout professional brand, turn obstacles into opportunities, and confidently navigate your career path towards continuous growth and success.

Additional Workshops

Position Your talent, Not your Title
Pivot & Progress: How to transition 2 steps forward instead of 3 back
Sparkle Bright. How to No Longer Dim your Light
Networking for Opportunities, not Business Cards
Laid Off, Now What
Pre Conference & Post Conference Workshops

Speaker Sheet

Biography

Vakassia "V.J." Niles, is a Career Strategist and Founder of The Niles Group, a company dedicating to helping individuals take their careers to the next level. V.J. Niles has been successfully providing trainings and presentations in academia and the corporate world for 20 years. Having a career across four industries has allowed her to bring her vast knowledge to others as a career strategist. She understands how to climb the corporate ladder, what it takes to pivot across industries, and how to grow a professional career brand. She helps her clients find their aha moment and develops the action steps necessary to get to viola!

V.J. catapults mid-level professionals and executives who are frustrated, tired or just ready for a change get to the next level in their careers. She helps professionals land new jobs, network for better opportunities and get closer to their definition of success and happiness. She utilizes her MBA to assist professionals who are ready to transition from employee to entrepreneur develop their ideas, figure out their niche market and set them on the path to entrepreneurship.

V.J. holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Computer Information Systems from Hofstra University, a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies from Hunter College and a Master of Business Administration from Campbell University. She is the Immediate Past President of the New York City Professional Chapter of the former National Association of Women MBAs and was the Webmaster and Chair of the Economic Development Committee for the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Suffolk County Chapter, Inc. She is an innovator and former team lead and member of the Black Mastermind Group, Inc.

V.J. has been the owner of a diversity recruitment firm and a candle business. She has been published in MBA Women magazine, and is a contributing author to "Just Me: The Business Woman's Personal Branding Guide". She frequently speaks for companies, colleges and organizations regarding career strategy, career pivots, leadership, S.T.E.M careers, LinkedIn, and networking tips.

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Past Speaking Engagements

What Organizers Say

VJ totes the kind of character anyone willing to breakout and break free needs in our society today. She is unapologetically straight forward yet compassionate at the same time, forcing you to re-evaluate the way you’ve always viewed the success ladder. She was a recent talk host at our Women In Tesla Lunch & Learn series, and her thought provoking presentation helped us see where we may be missing the mark as women on a career trajectory. Looking forward to initiating some of the things she shared and sharing those results as my own journey continues. Thank you, VJ! -

Yvette Oriakhi

President, Women In Tesla-Satellite

“VJ wowed the GSK Women of Color in Pharma Group (WOCIP) with her 'Post Conference Sparks' talk. She provided a lot of insightful information with strategic tips which allowed us to leverage the conference information and differentiate ourselves by bringing value back to our company. Her presentation style was interactive, engaging and thorough. VJ is extremely authentic, inspiring, and funny, without even trying, which made it easy for her to connect with the audience right away. My biggest take away from VJ was the helpful Linked in tips and networking tactics along with her empowering message of going from 'helpless to hopeful' in your career. I recommend VJ to any women’s group or one that wants practical tips they can implement immediately to help catapult their career. In general, VJ received raved reviews, and we cannot wait to have her back in 2020.”

Tonya Adkins

GSK WLI (women's leadership initiative) Leader, Philadelphia/NY Campus

Thank you for the wonderful talk you gave to Enersys Women in Leadership for International Women’s Day. The event was extremely well-received by all. Here is some of the feedback.
"The presenter was very real and had tangible advice for all of the attendees.” “It opened my mind to thinking of things in a different way and made me feel empowered to control the direction of my life.”
“The speaker really resonated with what most of us women feel. It felt more like a friend was giving the presentation and really got the audience’s attention.”

Amanda Finneran

Women in Leadership, Enersys

What Attendees Say

VJ was simply amazing! Everything from her responsiveness during the planning phase to the execution of the sessions, she was a joy to work with. VJ uses her knowledge and experience in the work force to help others learn how to own your career journey by positioning your talents and sharing your career narrative. VJ utilized real-life scenarios of the participants in the session to provide concrete examples of how you can identify your super power based on soft and hard skills and how to weave that within your narrative. The tools she provided, including the Ultimate Career Leap Workbook, gave participants a way to identify and create a plan to move their career forward. VJ is engaging, personable, thorough and collaborative. It was an absolute pleasure working with her.

Sabrina Wannamaker

Recommender and Participant, Centene Corporation

I met VJ through a “how to” session on networking that she presented to American Marketing Association, New York chapter members and guests. VJ provided clear and actionable tips and offered a new perspective to networking. One of her suggestions that clicked with me is to remember that networking is like bonding, similar to how you would connect with a friend. When approached from that mindset, networking now feels less intimidating to me.

Gina Baurile

“I am thrilled to recommend VJ. Things have definitely changed in the hiring world. Each day, I am getting rejected. No call-backs. No interviews. Each time I try to tweak my resume, it just gets uglier. But tonight I attended VJ's zoom training, "Position Your Talent, Not Your Title". Simple and beautifully presented, I went away feeling more empowered and angled with a new way to present myself. I am not one to "brag" on myself, but I ended VJ's meeting with a new perspective and am excited to share my strengths. It's not bragging when you can truly help the potential employer you are applying with!”

I empower professionals with the confidence and tools to take charge of their professional development