Once a month, I post an overview of what’s happening in the cosmos and how it might influence your career. It’s called the Career Forecast.
Whether you’re job-hunting, employed, or running a business, each Career Forecast reveals the important dates you need to know.
I’m joined by my dear friend, Heidi Rose Robbins, a master astrologer who provides expert insight into what’s going on in the stars.
Love these forecasts? Want more? Book a Chart Your Career session. You get a 60 minute astrology reading with Heidi plus a 60 minute career strategy session with me. Find out what’s happening in your chart right now, what to expect from the year ahead, and how to take your career in the direction you want it to go. Schedule a Chart Your Career session here.
OVERVIEW
What’s going on this month…
HEIDI: The Sun moves into Scorpio on October 23rd at 10:20 am Pacific time. We enter a fixed, water sign embodying intensity, depth, and transformation. Scorpio fights the necessary fight within and without. It is tenacious and courageous. It faces its own fear and wrestles it into the light where it can become love. Scorpio season is always one of shedding, healing, and re-emerging. It dives deep to bring treasures to the light of day.
There is a New Moon in Scorpio on October 27th which is a potent time to name what wants and needs to be transformed. It’s a perfect time to do a ritual releasing the old fear or obstacle and making way for the new. In what area do we wish to feel victorious? In what area do we feel it is most necessary to make an offering to the fire?
Mercury moves retrograde on October 31st. It stays retrograde until November 10th. It will be in Scorpio that entire time. We are doing deep psychological work at this time. Mercury retrograde is not necessarily a time to press forward—rather, to review, reflect, and reassess. We turn inward to do the work that is often pushed to the back burner. This is a brilliant time to do therapeutic work or body work that helps to release the old.
On November 1st, Venus moves into Sagittarius which is like a breath of fresh air. This month will be a time to dream about where we are headed. It offers a surge of idealism and a willingness to take a few risks along the way.
The Full Moon of the Scorpio Season is November 12th. The beautiful invocatory phrase for Scorpio is, “Warrior I am and from the Battle I Emerge Triumphant.” This is a moment every year when we can struggle our way to higher ground, when we can glimpse and even experience moments of triumph over old fears and old patterns of behavior. We summon light to use as a sword. As Ruth St. Denis says, “I use my body as a gleaming sword to carve out lines of beauty on the face of the world.” Our tests transform us. And we deeply commit to offering the beauty that emerges after the struggle.
Mars moves into Scorpio on November 18th which amplifies our tenacity. There’s no giving up now. This is pure grit and determination.
Finally, Mercury moves direct on November 20th. We are released into the next chapter after our review and reflection about the last several months. All communications freely move forward.
Let’s think of this month as a month of victory. What might we overcome? What might we wrestle into the light? What might we transform? It’s a month of healing. Let’s use it well.
What does all of this mean for your career? Let’s look closer…
JOB HUNTING?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: When Mercury goes retrograde, people often cringe—worrying about canceled flights, long delays, email blunders (whoops, uh, didn’t mean to click “reply all” on that one!), all kinds of logistical and technological meltdowns.
But Mercury retrograde isn’t necessarily a “bad” time. In fact, if you’re searching for a new job, you can definitely use Mercury retrograde to your advantage.
We have our next Mercury retrograde beginning October 31st. This is not the ideal time to begin a brand-new project—however, it’s a great time to evaluate a project that’s already in motion (say, hunting for a new job), assess what’s working and what’s not, and tidy things up.
Use the final day of October and the first 20 days of November to tap into Mercury retrograde energy and tie up loose ends. You’ve emailed your resume to a few places but haven’t heard back? Follow up and find out if the position has been filled or not. You’ve been meaning to update your LinkedIn profile to include your latest accomplishments, but haven’t gotten around to it? Do it now. A friend emailed you the link to an interesting company that’s hiring now, but you haven’t investigated yet? Now’s the time.
Mercury is the planet of communication—emails, texts, conversations, messages of all kinds. Retrograde means going backwards. And so, Mercury retrograde is often a time when people from your past resurface and reach out in surprising ways. For instance: you might get an email from a former employer, out of the blue, wondering where you’re working these days. Or, a text from a classmate you haven’t seen in ages. Stay open and receptive to these “blasts from the past.” You never know—that high school marching band member you haven’t seen in twenty years might now be head of HR and Hiring at Google!
ALREADY HAVE A JOB?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: If you’re employed, November 1st is a powerful day to note—especially if you’ve been feeling a little bored, stagnant, or just “meh” about your work lately.
When Venus moves into Sagittarius on November 1st, we have the planet of love and relationships, plus the sign of new goals, freedom, and adventure. It’s an exciting combination. You might fall back in love with your career all over again—or maybe for the first time!
On this day, ask yourself, “Do I feel ‘in love’ with my work? If not, what would make my job feel more meaningful?” “What would make my job feel like an adventure?” “What are some new goals I’d like to pursue?” “Are there any tweaks, big or small, that would make coming into work feel 10x more exciting?”
Sagittarius is all about freedom, so consider asking yourself, “Do I feel ‘trapped’ or ‘bogged down’ at work? What would help me to feel more free? What do I need?” Often, a relatively small shift—like working offsite one day a week—at a peaceful location where you won’t be continually interrupted—can make a massive difference in how you feel at work.
November 18th is another powerful day. Mars moves into Scorpio, so we’ve got an intense combination of energies. Mars brings a warrior attitude—charge ahead, get it done, win the day—plus we have Scorpio’s qualities of shedding, renewal, and transformation. If there’s a situation at work that’s been stuck—or that you’ve neglecting for some reason—this is a fantastic day to dive back in, full throttle. Decide, “It’s time to tackle this with full power. Let’s get moving!” With Mars on your side, you can gallop forward and make big progress quickly. Extra credit: watch inspirational movies (like Wonder Woman or Mulan) to get into that warrior mindset!
SELF-EMPLOYED OR RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
Here’s what you need to know…
ELLEN: The entire month of Scorpio—beginning October 23rd—is all about shedding, healing, and transformation. A very potent time to let go of anything that’s burdening you—including burdensome thoughts and beliefs.
Review your business year thus far. Write a list of your proudest accomplishments. Write another list of your greatest discouragements, disappointments, mistakes, anything that feels heavy in your heart. Then do something—whatever feels good to you—to clear that heaviness out of your mind and body. Dance it out of your system, take a long walk, burn a piece of paper, talk it out with a mentor, whatever works for you. Use the energy of Scorpio to cleanse any lingering emotional residue so that it’s no longer weighing on you. You don’t want to carry any of that into the next month—or the New Year!
If you love rituals (like burning sage or lighting a vigil candle) check out Briana Saussy’s new book, Making Magic, which is filled with simple rituals you can do to cleanse your home, workspace, and more. You don’t need any special “witchy” powers. In her book, Briana beautifully articulates that doing “magic” really just means, “doing something to make everyday life feel a little more extraordinary.”
If you run your own business, I also want to highlight November 20th. On this day, Mercury goes direct, which means communication flows even more freely—and it’s an ideal time to begin new projects. If you’ve been yearning to record an audiobook, launch a podcast, or any other kind of creative project, November 20th (or after that date) is an especially good time to begin.
FAMOUS SCORPIOS
Scorpios are passionate, faithful, intuitive, and tend to create catharsis and healing wherever they go.
Bill Gates
He has given away $50 billion to date because he’s determined to heal systems that don’t work and make the planet a better place.
Hillary Clinton
A woman who devoted her entire career to public service and healing a fractured nation, and whose passion enabled her to make history—many times over.
Brené Brown
This academic researcher became a household name after giving a TED Talk about the power of emotional vulnerability—letting down your shield and saying what you truly think and feel.
Drake
This emotional, passionate singer isn’t afraid to share what he really feels. He’s so proud to be a Scorpio, he even named one of his albums Scorpion.
OVERALL, THIS IS A GREAT MONTH FOR…
• Healing, catharsis, and transformation. Pour feelings into your journal. Hike until you’re pouring with sweat. Let it all out.
• Bringing emotions to the surface. What have you been hiding, stuffing down, not doing, or not saying? It’s time to face the music.
• Being intense—in a good way. Write a love letter. Hug your kids tightly. Fully commit to a project at work. Give your all. Don’t hold back.
• Using the Mercury retrograde time in a positive way. Take a step back to review and assess, act with great discernment, and tie up loose ends.
• Letting go of the old, welcoming the new! It’s like an early New Years Day.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
• October 23rd: The Sun moves into Scorpio. We begin a month-long period of intensity, intuition, healing, and deep emotions coming up to the surface.
• October 27th: The New Moon in Scorpio. Tremendous healing potential.
• October 31st: Mercury moves retrograde. Review, reflect, and reassess. Take a step back. Finish what you’ve already started.
• November 1st: Venus moves into Sagittarius—a breath of fresh air. Love, idealism, and adventure abounds!
• November 12th: Full Moon of the Scorpio. Scorpio energy at its peak!
• November 18th: Mars moves into Scorpio, bringing a feeling of grit and determination.
• November 20th: Mercury moves direct. Communication freely moves forward.
YOUR CAREER MANTRA FOR THE MONTH
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” ―Lao Tzu
Scorpio invites us to shed, release, and step into a new season of life.
Use this emotionally-charged time to focus on anything that feels “not quite right” in your life and career. Are you bored of doing the same tasks every week? Have you outgrown your current position? Are you running a profitable business, except you’re also working too hard, depleting your health, and running yourself into the ground?
It’s time for self-evaluation and honesty—because stuffing down your emotions just doesn’t work in the long run! If something doesn’t feel right, then it’s got to change. Scorpio is here to guide the way.
Let go of anything that feels outdated—so that fresh energy and new possibilities can flood into your life.
Much love,
Ellen & Heidi
Want a personalized astrological forecast + career planning session—based on your star chart? Book a Chart Your Career session here. Let’s take a close look what’s happening in your chart—and what it means for your career!