The Choice to Balance

Balance. Who cares and what does it have to do with your job search? Several clients have called, wanting to figure it out. The call for balance used to be the province of women in the workplace.  “I’m expected to do it all”, some whispered. “I expect to do it all”, others proclaimed. And it still falls to many a woman with spouse, child, or children, to be the point person in charge of cleaning Continue reading →

Boomerang Kids, Jacks of All Trades, and the Nuances of Networking

Thanks for the many emails and calls that ask questions and want answers. Here are three that are representative of your more recent concerns. “I’m worried about my son. He’s a fine young man, a college graduate, nice looking, smart, and just a bit reserved. He’s not had any luck getting interviews and he’s getting down on himself. His dad and I encourage him, and have volunteered to make calls for him, but he doesn’t Continue reading →

Holiday Lessons

The holidays bring families together. Grown children join siblings and parents, grandparents, cousins, nephews, uncles and aunts to exchange gifts, to warmly toast each other’s health, and to talk about good times. If the period of togetherness lasts long enough, and the shared space small enough, and the thermostat up high enough, the talk can get a little edgier, and memories of earlier and not such good times, begin to emerge. Uncle Jack’s not as Continue reading →

Help Your Child Get a Job

Many parents struggle over whether they should get involved when it comes to their kids’ effort to find work. They should and you should, too. Just keep the following in mind: Remember balance. Get too involved and it becomes your search and your problem. Stay too far away and you become the problem. Clarify roles. This is their job search and their responsibility. They do the heavy lifting, not you.  Your job is to ask Continue reading →

Your Friends and Family Don’t Know You

Are you tired of how you look? Do you look like how you feel?  If so, your job search might be as lethargic as you are. It’s one thing to know it; it’s another to do something about it. If you need a wake-up call to get yourself in gear, consider today’s post just that.  Wake up. It’s time to get your attitude, your resume, and your interviewing techniques in shape for the Spring job Continue reading →

The Pleasure of Your Company

Scared stiff. That’s how the caller described himself. His wife had lost her job and he was afraid he’d lose his, too. “I’m out of control,” he said, trying not to sound like he was, while doing his best to control everything in sight. He kept a close eye on the books and parceled out payment to what demanded greatest attention. He and his wife had cut costs to the bone; they weren’t eating out, Continue reading →

For Moms and Dads

Moms, Dads, your grown kids are home for the holidays. Some of them are gainfully employed, making tons of money. They’re beautifully groomed, happy, healthy, generous, and kind to small animals. They’ve not only met your expectations, they’ve exceeded them. Others have returned home, not for the holidays, but for the duration. As kind, good, well groomed, respectful and generous they may (or may not) have been in the past, what’s been leeching out lately Continue reading →

A View from the Inside

Aana is  nine years old and bright. Really bright. I was interviewing her for a book chapter I’m writing about youngsters and their ideas about work and the workplace. She eased right  into our conversation and jumped at a chance to give me a crash course on Star Wars characters and the relative merits of becoming a Jedi Warrior. (She’s seriously considering the latter as a career choice. I was impressed.) We made a deal. Continue reading →

Retiring to…what?

“I can’t help but wonder what he’ll do once he isn’t working here anymore. This place seems to be his whole life; what happens when it isn’t?” I bet you know him. He comes to work early and stays late.  He’s known as a company man. He’s dedicated, loyal, with a work ethic that challenges the most diligent. His only fear is failing health even though he’s never had a sick day. (He’s never had Continue reading →

Women and Retirement

We were taking our weekly Sunday walk when my friend mentioned a column that I had written a few weeks earlier. “The retirement column you wrote was definitely about men. Women retire too. Why aren’t  you writing about us?” I didn’t have an answer and realized that I was uncharacteristically without words, which is probably why I hadn’t written any. So I’ve done some asking, and thinking, and asking some more. Here’s some of  what Continue reading →

Summer Employment for Teenagers

Parents, from your calls and emails it sounds like finding summer employment for your teenagers is top of mind these days. Just be careful. If you get too involved, their search will become your search, and even worse, they could stop searching before they even get started. “I provide our family gracious living; a fine home, cars, vacations, club memberships, you name it. I’ve been in a family business for a long while so I’m Continue reading →

A Cautionary Tale

I typically dedicate this column to active job seekers, providing strategies, techniques, and best practices to enable them to reach the kind of outcomes that will be personally and professionally satisfying. I got a call last week from Alex (not even close to his real name) who asked that I tell you his story. It’s not about how he’s looking for a job. It’s about why. Alex was fired four weeks ago. He wants to Continue reading →

Finding Balance

Balance. Who cares and what does it have to do with your job search? Several clients have called, wanting to figure it out. The call for balance used to be the province of women in the workplace.  “I’m expected to do it all,” some whispered. “I expect to do it all,” others proclaimed. And it still falls to many a woman with spouse, child, or children, to be the point person in charge of cleaning Continue reading →

Advice for Children of Laid Off Parents

OK, children, listen up. Your mom’s been laid off. That’s right, she’s lost her job and she’s concerned. She loves you and she’s going to continue to provide for you. You just need to give her time and space to figure out what she’s going to do next, so life can get back to normal. You can lend a hand. Support can be financial and it can be emotional. You may be too young to Continue reading →