10 Great Instagram Accounts to Follow for Career Inspiration

Make scrolling through Instagram more productive and inspiring by following these accounts.

Reviewed by Hayley Ramsey

Instagram accounts to follow for career inspiration

The pandemic has led to a major shift in employee expectations about salary, benefits, work-life balance and the benefits of remote work. What's being dubbed the “Great Resignation” led a record 48 million people to quit their jobs in 2021, and CNBC reports that 44% of workers in 2022 are already scanning job boards for more rewarding opportunities, with some looking to Instagram for career inspiration.

As you forge a new path with different goals in mind, it can be helpful to consult the experts on crafting the most effective career plan. While you may think of Instagram as a social media haven for photographers and influencers, it's also a great resource for career advice and motivation. Career coaches, entrepreneurs, business leaders, career influencers and other job experts use engaging visuals to offer daily tips on job hunting, negotiating salaries, office culture, productivity, technology and more.

To get you started on crafting the perfect Instagram feed and to give you the career boost you need, we've put together this handy list of 10 of the best Instagram accounts to follow for career inspiration.

1. CareerAddict

Whatever your career goals, we've got you covered! Follow @careeraddict for quick tips on writing your résumé, work-related emails, or the perfect to-do list. Watch animated and live videos from helpful experts and experienced business owners on topics like creating a positive company culture and organizing your daily schedule.

We highlight the best cities to work in and the most in-demand skills for jobseekers. For all you newbie remote workers, our illustrated posts guide you through communicating with your boss and increasing productivity as you work from home.

Whether you're a stressed-out manager or an underappreciated employee, we've got immediate self-care tips and links to more in-depth instructions on re-evaluating your career path. Last but not least, we're also sharing our favorite motivational quotes from some of the most successful people in the world.

2. Career Contessa

Over 200,000 career women check out @careercontessa for daily posts that offer tips on career development, encouragement, thoughtful questions and humor. Colorful artwork displays quick step-by-step guides to issues like dealing with a tough boss, tricky interview questions, or taking the first steps to a new career. Each post guides readers to more in-depth advice on the Career Contessa blog and related podcast.

Designed to address issues unique to women in the workplace, the pithy posts often mock injustices such as wage gaps, missed promotions, and being ignored in executive meetings. It's not all angst and girl power memes, however. Career Contessa is motivational by offering real world solutions to work within existing systems, prompting women to pick their battles thoughtfully and balance career aspirations with what's best for their physical and mental wellbeing.

3. Fast Company

The hugely popular @fastcompany is a fantastic resource for career professionals. Followers get frequent posts on everything from simple advice on crafting the perfect résumé to inspirational stories about the skills you need to be a successful entrepreneur. Fast Company also offers news tidbits about new technology, economic trends, breaking business news and innovative products for the workplace or work-from-home office accessories.

It can be easy to get tunnel vision when your Insta feed is solely focused on your specific industry or business career advice. Fast Company presents an enticingly unpredictable flow of information from a variety of fields and perspectives. It can broaden your horizons and inspire your career choices and goals in unexpected ways.

4. Classy Career Girl

One of the hottest career influencers on Instagram in the post-pandemic era, @classycareergirl founder Anna Runyan offers advice and motivation to help women kickstart a new career. Her posts focus heavily on her personal experience successfully transitioning from corporate consultant to entrepreneur. As a married mother of three, she often speaks directly to other work-from-home moms about how to strike that perfect work-life balance.

This Instagram account prods you daily to complete specific tasks, so it's perfect if you require structure and clear goals to move forward. If you snag a Classy Career Girl membership, the posts work perfectly in concert with Runyan's coaching. For those on the outside, however, you might find her posts useful but a bit heavy on the sales pitches.

5. The Muse

The Muse caters to the new generation of workers, who are just as interested in a company's culture, values and carbon footprint as in the job's salary and benefits. The website's Insta, @themuse, staggers funny career-related memes amongst teasers for career advice articles and inspirational stories of successful entrepreneurs.

While the account could use more interactive posts, you'll want The Muse's frequent expert quotes in your feed. These quick soundbites offer career advice from skilled employees, career coaches, business owners, celebrities and political figures. The helpful posts range from specific steps to take to achieve career goals to inspiring bons mots, like Shirley Chisholm's, “If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

6. Cultivitae

If you're looking for the ultimate in positive motivation for landing your dream job, @cultivitae is the place to be. Career coach Emily Liou has a knack for identifying the negative thought spirals that plague jobseekers, and her posts offer a way to flip those doubts to a more confident approach.

Liou's Insta posts are about 75% personal videos, with eye-catching labels like “But Emily, I'm not ready to job search…I've only been at my toxic job for less than a year.” With candid humor and frank talk, she offers followers solid advice on interviewing with confidence, dealing with rejection, and deciding what you actually want in your dream job.

7. Mediabistro

The Mediabistro website has long been appreciated by media and content creators for its job board of high-paying, often full-time positions that typically aren't listed elsewhere. Their Insta @mediabistro highlights some of those key listings, as well as teasers for hot topics covered in recent articles.

The Mediabistro Instagram also includes multi-slide posts that offer instant career advice on perfecting your résumé, utilizing helpful work apps, boosting your creative spark and more. It's the perfect destination for those interested in moving up the ladder in media, with helpful advice for getting promotions, landing a better job, or kickstarting your own freelance business.

8. Gary Vaynerchuk

This advertising and media mogul was an early icon of e-commerce, leveling up his family's local liquor store to $60 million in sales in the late 90s. These days, his nearly 10 million followers tune in to @garyvee to get the benefit of his business experience, laid out in daily video posts from the man himself. Unlike many other CEOs, whose accounts are full of fluff and banal self-promotion, Vaynerchuk makes the effort to share entertaining and valuable advice.

With blunt talk and a lot of colorful NSFW language, Vaynerchuk offers a steady dose of positivity and motivation. Despite his aggressive style and obvious ambition, Vaynerchuk is big on collaboration and generosity to employees at every level. Whether you're just looking for a little inspiration or want to learn how to achieve some astronomical goals, Vaynerchuk is a great follow.

9. Cindy Makita

This career coach harnesses the full power of her @cindymakita account, using graphics, GIFs, videos and frequent Instagram stories to educate and inspire her followers. Makita intersperses snippets of her personal life with solid and thorough advice on interview success, salary negotiation and work-life balance.

Makita's influencer style and glamorous shots might not be everyone's cup of tea, but she's worth a follow for some of her devil's advocate perspectives on finding the right career. Watch for her posts on avoiding the “dream job” let-downs and the dangers of simply “following your passion”.

10. Harvard Business Review

HBR began life as a Harvard Business School magazine in 1922. Along with ongoing print editions, the online business journal continues to provide academic, in-depth pieces geared towards business owners, managers and entrepreneurs. Unsurprisingly, the related @harvard_business_review account gets way more detailed than your average Instagram account.

Lengthy descriptions introduce multiple slides with aesthetically pleasing, easy-to-digest graphics. The daily posts offer actionable advice on a range of topics, including employee retention, creating an inclusive workplace, and honing the most important leadership skills. It's worth a follow for every level of worker, for helpful posts on universal themes like productivity, emotional fatigue and procrastination.

Final thoughts

Instagram is a treasure trove of helpful career advice and inspiration if you know where to look. We hope our list of the best accounts helps you get started.

You can further tailor your feed by checking out who your favorite influencers are following and then add them to your list. Click on relevant hashtags, like #workfromhome, and scroll for informative posts that grab your attention.

What are your favorite Instagram accounts for career motivation? Join the discussion in the comments below and let us know!