Tag Archives: Managing Your Career

Don’t Just Work Hard and Be Smart: Work Smart!

November 4, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Carolyn (not her real name) comes to work tied up in knots and goes home the same way. She’s worried that she won’t have enough time to get her job done. She’s worried that someone will ask her a question that she can’t answer. She’s worried that she’ll never be as smart as she needs to be. If Carolyn were the only victim of her angst, that would be difficult enough. But she isn’t. Everyone Continue reading →

Thinking of Making a Career Change?

November 4, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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You may have friends who changed careers when it didn’t look like they needed to. You may have wondered what gave them the courage to believe they could start over, doing something they’d never done before. You may have marveled at their immense pride in even modest success. “Could you do that?” You may have known others who walked away from seemingly comfortable careers and life styles to follow a dream. Their stories didn’t end Continue reading →

Economic Shifts and Challenges

September 24, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Like it or not, employed or not, you’re in the middle of the busiest business intersection you’re likely to experience. It’s hard to know whether to wait for traffic to clear, cross against it, or jump in and go with the flow. One thing’s for sure, you can’t stay in one place for long, so what do you do? Let’s look at the possibilities. Wait for traffic to clear: The last time the economy went south Continue reading →

Be A Team Player

September 21, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Most people consider themselves team players. Many of their team-mates disagree. Patrick Lencioni, in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, does a deep dive into what produces highly functional teams as well as what creates dysfunction.  He lists behaviors that derail the best of intentions as 1. Absence of trust. 2. Fear of conflict. 3. Lack of commitment 4. Avoidance of accountability and 5. Inattention to results. In For Your Improvement, A Guide Continue reading →

Know Who You Are

September 10, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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In your quest to find the right job you’ll need to maximize every interaction and leverage every opportunity. You can do that if you know who you are, what you want, and a good match when you see one. To know who you are requires an understanding what’s important to you and an inventory of your intrinsic beliefs and extrinsic rewards; what you do best (strengths); what you want to accomplish (potential); and how you’re Continue reading →

Do’s and Don’ts in Your Career

September 7, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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If you like self-help articles that give you five ways to do this and five ways to do that, today’s column doubles your pleasure or diminishes your fun: Ten ways to get derailed and ten ways to stay on track. 1. If you expect your workmates to understand your bad moods, tolerate foul language, and ignore big blunders, you’re in for a bumpy ride: they can’t, they don’t and they won’t. Instead, clean up your Continue reading →

Get Out There With the Right Foot Forward

August 31, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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It’s competitive out there, the market is tight, and you want to be at your best when you interview. Attitude counts.  If you mentally argue with interviewers or imagine them as barriers to the job you want you’ll undermine whatever you say or do. Instead, think partnership. Think together you can make this happen, for the company and for your career. Put your best foot forward: Lead with your strengths. Match your strengths to opportunities. Continue reading →

Cardinal Career Advice

August 27, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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I’ve noticed that people seem to pay more attention to suggestions when they’re offered in a numerical format. With that in mind I thought you’d benefit from a little cardinal career search advice. Here’s a warm-up: you need to do three things before you leave for an interview:  1. Comb your hair. 2. Brush your teeth, and 3. Take your resume. OK so far? Good, now let’s get a little more complex. There are three Continue reading →

Always Have a Plan B

August 13, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Today’s job market requires a great deal from employees: patience, drive, self-awareness, cultural sensitivity, business acumen, flexibility, adaptability, versatility, resiliency, and that’s just for starters. Today’s workforce has become increasingly aware of and responsive to what employers want and they do their best to deliver it. What many need and don’t have is a good, reliable Plan B. “It’s tough enough having Plan A, why do we need a Plan B?” Circumstances change, people change, Continue reading →

Don’t Burn Bridges Better Left Standing

August 10, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Three employees are headed toward what’s next and appear to be having some trouble leaving behind what was. They’re stuck at a prickly juncture on route to an unfamiliar place. Each wants to even a score: “I was recently let go from my job and I’m still reeling from the experience. I feel like I was set up to fail. I want to write a letter to the plant manager letting him know just what Continue reading →

Cat Leads to Job? Always Be Open to Unexpected Opportunities

July 27, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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It had been almost a year since my last interview and I had finally snagged one.  I was nervous as a cat all day. Which is ironic because my cat must have picked up on my anxiety. She had spent the day running up and down the stairs, around and through my legs, zipping over the furniture and across the floor. When I opened the door to leave she got out first and took off Continue reading →

Getting Back to the Basics

July 23, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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If you’re looking for work and your looking isn’t working, get back to basics.  For example… Get off your duff. That’s right, get off the couch, the recliner, or where ever else you choose to occupy too many hours of your job search day. What’s that? You’re working hard, looking for a job on the internet, cutting out ads, writing letters, organizing files, and bolstering your self confidence by reading self help books and motivational Continue reading →

Job Searching for the Right Reasons

July 20, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Spring brings out the job seeker in people: the curious, the bored, the conflicted, the “anywhere but here” and the intentional. The curious: “I’m not really interested in looking, but if I were to run into something that’s too good to be true, I’d have to consider it.” The bored: “Since I don’t have anything to do and nobody’s watching, I’ll check job openings on-line. That should occupy me ‘til closing time.” The conflicted: “The Continue reading →

Managing Up Mistakes

July 14, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Tad was so busy managing up to his boss his subordinates fired him. “You’re kidding me! What happened?” Well, it’s the cautionary tale of a high-achieving, very focused fellow who knew the only place he wanted to go was up. With a combination of good grades, dazzling smile, and an ingratiating personality he easily gained acceptance to his first choice in undergraduate and graduate schools. He was first in his class and first of his Continue reading →

Fired. What Went Wrong?

July 13, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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If you’re looking for a job and don’t know why you lost your last one, pause. You have a chance to go back to square one. “I don’t want to go back to where I’ve been. I’d rather put the past behind me. If I keep thinking about why I got fired I won’t have the courage to get another job.” That makes sense. You don’t want to start second guessing yourself and as a Continue reading →

A Cautionary Tale

July 9, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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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 →

Job Search Struggles

June 22, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Many of you struggle with your job search because you don’t know the career direction that’s best for you. If you’d like to stop spinning and start mapping, pay attention to your interests and hobbies. Do you love music and hiking? You probably want jobs that enable you to work in harmonious places and open spaces. Do you like acknowledging others and organizing social events? You’re likely to enjoy coordinating projects and activities for the Continue reading →

Interviewing Problems Tackled

June 17, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Are you having trouble interviewing? If so, join these folks who have emailed examples of their situations and frustrations: “I’ve gotten feedback that when I interview I come across as remote, even arrogant. I don’t think of myself that way, although I must admit I am smarter than most people I know and I don’t have a real desire to make friends with everyone I meet. That being said, I’ve snagged my share of interviews Continue reading →

Change Your Behavior, Not Your Character

June 16, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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“I’m intimidating. I know it. I don’t like it. I’ve never known what to do about it. Believe me, I’ve tried. It’s my personality. My whole family’s like that. My mom’s direct and my father more so. My brothers and sisters are all competitive go-getters. We earned our stripes around the kitchen table. Every meal was a potluck of competing voices and spirited debates. We argued about everything you shouldn’t; from politics and religion, to Continue reading →