After the Facebook IPO, Sheryl Sandberg will become number two on the list of richest self-made women. She is the COO of Facebook. For those of you not familiar with her career, there’s a nice summary in the New York Times. But the bottom line is that she is really smart (Harvard), a really hard worker (startups, Google, Facebook), a great speaker (here’s a commencement speech) ,and she’s married to a guy who is also making tons of money in startups. There is nothing, really, that is bad to say about Sandberg. And she works very hard to encourage other women to go as far as she has…
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Most Topular Stories
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What Facebook's IPO means for women
Penelope Trunk Blog7 Feb 2012 | 7:15 pm -
Are You Using The Right Words For Your Brand?
Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel8 Feb 2012 | 10:30 amAre you using the right words to build your personal brand in your resume, marketing materials, and social media updates? Often, there’s a disconnect, or gap, between the words used in resumes, marketing materials, & day-to-day social marketing, and the personal brand an individual is trying to build. Personal brand building is impossible if you’re not using the right words! To make sure that you’re using the right words, I’d like to share a free online tool you can use to visually display the contents of your resume, marketing materials, and social media marketing… -
Drip Dry
Career Hub8 Feb 2012 | 8:46 amWouldn’t it be nice if there existed one universal hand-dryer system? I was in a beautiful new office building yesterday and for the life of me, could not get the towel dispenser to work. No matter what I tried, nothing... -
Staying Motivated at a Dead-End Job
EmploymentDigest25 Jan 2012 | 11:19 amUnfortunately, many employees across the United States see the writing on the wall when it comes to their opportunities for advancement within the company they work for. Older workers are... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
What's your multidimensional profit?
The M.A.P. Maker2 Feb 2012 | 2:36 pmAsk most anyone why they work, and their answer is most likely to be some variation of "for the paycheck." Money is clearly a huge motivation for those of us who forgot to hit the independently wealthy button on the way out of the womb, but when we see it as the only thing we get from our work, it can lead us down a slippery slope. A comment from a client that "there's not a lot of profit in working with non-profits" got me thinking about how we evaluate what we get from our jobs. I countered that that might be true if you take a one-dimensional view of profit, but that the story might…
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Penelope Trunk Blog
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What Facebook's IPO means for women
7 Feb 2012 | 7:15 pmAfter the Facebook IPO, Sheryl Sandberg will become number two on the list of richest self-made women. She is the COO of Facebook. For those of you not familiar with her career, there’s a nice summary in the New York Times. But the bottom line is that she is really smart (Harvard), a really hard worker (startups, Google, Facebook), a great speaker (here’s a commencement speech) ,and she’s married to a guy who is also making tons of money in startups. There is nothing, really, that is bad to say about Sandberg. And she works very hard to encourage other women to go as far as she has… -
How to have faith in yourself
30 Jan 2012 | 8:37 amSunday nights at our house are dinner with me, the kids, the Farmer and the Ex. They are always fun dinners, and I always feel very lucky for that. My six-year-old talked about his new baby cousin, Eva (who is pictured, in utero, above). "She has a terrible name," he said, "for Pig Latin. Its Vaeay. It doesn't work." We all do the vowel arranging in our heads and agree, Eva is not a good Pig Latin name. "Mom has a great name! It's Enelopepay." The Farmer says, "It sounds like it could be the name of her next company." The Ex says, "Yeah,… -
Key to productivity: Choose phone calls carefully
22 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pmOne of the keys to my ability to work 40 hours a week and homeschool two kids is that I have great time management. Which is to say, I say no to just about everything. But learning when to say no is still a work in progress. Here's what I know about saying no to phone calls: 1. It's more efficient to read the book than talk to the author. I get about ten emails a day asking me if I want to talk to someone about their book so I’ll recommend it on the blog. My answer is always no. I said yes once because it was Gloria Steinem. And it turned out to be a really disappointing phone… -
Things I wish I had written
20 Jan 2012 | 10:34 amIn therapy lately I am learning to identify my feelings. Maybe you’re thinking this is elementary, but did you know that envy is about wanting something you don’t have, but jealousy is the fear of losing something you already have? I am thinking about those two things. I am almost never envious, but I am often jealous. Most of my emotions, in fact, are rooted in fear. I am thinking a lot lately about where my joy comes from, and one thing I love is writing well. When I have a blog post that people love I am happy for weeks. And the excitement of doing good creative work gives me energy to… -
How to manage a career in 2012
16 Jan 2012 | 12:57 pmI have never been great at picking my own clothes. I’m great at interior design, but I have a blind spot for clothes. So I email Melissa photos of my outfits, and she uses her photographic memory of my closet to edit my outfits. When I sent her this photo, she said: “What is this?” I only wanted her opinion about the color of the shirt, so I thought it was okay that it was blurry. But the more I look at the picture, the more I think that it’s how I feel about myself right now. I am not quite sure who I am, right now. And given the current career climate, this is actually how most…
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Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel
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Are You Using The Right Words For Your Brand?
8 Feb 2012 | 10:30 amAre you using the right words to build your personal brand in your resume, marketing materials, and social media updates? Often, there’s a disconnect, or gap, between the words used in resumes, marketing materials, & day-to-day social marketing, and the personal brand an individual is trying to build. Personal brand building is impossible if you’re not using the right words! To make sure that you’re using the right words, I’d like to share a free online tool you can use to visually display the contents of your resume, marketing materials, and social media marketing… -
Interview Rejection To Selection
8 Feb 2012 | 2:30 amPeople unfamiliar with sales techniques usually become depressed by interview rejection and then lose momentum for continuing in their search for employment. From a typical salesperson’s perspective, rejections are not necessarily bad particularly when used as valuable learning lessons. BUT the seasoned sales professional, with a smile on her face, will mentally say, NEXT! Early in my sales career, I learned that it was necessary to make 100 sales calls in order to make 10 sales. It was not motivating to learn I only had a 10% chance for making a sale. We were then told, the more… -
3 Ways To Implement Your Personal Brand Offline
7 Feb 2012 | 10:30 amFor most professionals, personal branding thrives online. Through juggling social media profiles, managing reputation, creating content, and securing our sites, we may forget that personal branding can also be done in person – and can be just as effective, if not more so. Attending an industry event, association meeting, or even a professional cocktail hour in your city can be a great and easy way to transition the brand you’ve created online into the real world. Consider below three ways to implement your brand in person once you’re there: Keep The Conversation Going. Since you’re… -
20 Questions Smart Employees Ask Themselves
7 Feb 2012 | 2:30 amThese 20 questions cover five key areas that are critical to your accurately evaluating how well you’re doing at work. Your answers (or score) predict whether you’re likely to be promoted, fired or kept simmering in the same spot for years to come. Score each question on a scale of 1-10 (10 = AWESOME). Add up your total score in each category. If you are totally awesome, you’ll have a total of 200 points. If you score below 30 points in any category, it’s time to take remedial action. Job mastery How well do I? 1. Exhibit expertise of the particular knowledge and skills that make me a… -
How To Really Impress During A Job Interview
6 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmNext to a root canal appointment, few things in life are as nerve inducing as the job interview. In this day and age, the face-to-face interview is typically the first time a prospective employee will speak to an actual person. This “actual” person literally has your career in the palm of their hand. They will determine, based on this portion of the hiring process, whether or not the process will continue or come to a screeching halt. Wow! No wonder you’re nervous. Right? Below are a few ideas that will go a long way toward taking some of the pressure off of you and making the most of…
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Career Hub
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Drip Dry
8 Feb 2012 | 8:46 amWouldn’t it be nice if there existed one universal hand-dryer system? I was in a beautiful new office building yesterday and for the life of me, could not get the towel dispenser to work. No matter what I tried, nothing... -
Job Search Strategies for Executives
7 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amDuring their careers executives have had to stretch their knowledge, skills, and talents, and frequently work outside their comfort zone. One of the biggest advantages an executive has is the ability to take risks no one else would dare to... -
Job Seekers and Your Super Bowl Sunday Ad
5 Feb 2012 | 10:22 amLet's pretend that television producers have approached you with an offer too good to refuse: "We understand that you are looking for a new j-o-b and here's what we're going to do to help you this Super Bowl Sunday 2012.... -
Tippy-Toeing, Not Through the Tulips
3 Feb 2012 | 8:05 amTippy-toeing around the inevitable. Not talking. Shhh! Don’t want anyone to know. Holding off. Just keep it quiet. Leave the house each morning as per usual, pretending everything is all right when you know for a fact that everything is... -
How To Find A Job When There Are No Jobs, According to Someone Who Found One
2 Feb 2012 | 9:53 amFor nearly six years, I have been a contributing blogger here at Career Hub. I have shared oodles of “free advice” to help job seekers. Today, though, I wanted to share a job search success story in the words of...
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EmploymentDigest
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Staying Motivated at a Dead-End Job
25 Jan 2012 | 11:19 amUnfortunately, many employees across the United States see the writing on the wall when it comes to their opportunities for advancement within the company they work for. Older workers are... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Top 5 Employment Trends for 2012
28 Dec 2011 | 7:02 amThe new year is rapidly approaching and for many, the new year signifies a new beginning. The job market hasn’t been the kindest in recent years, and numerous individuals have been left dealing... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Match your Potential with the Right Graduate Job
25 Oct 2011 | 12:18 pmYou know what your skills are, but do you know which skills employers are looking for? Match your potential with the right graduate job! By now you have read thousands of tips and suggestions on how... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
First Job Interview: How to Prepare
21 Oct 2011 | 10:47 amIn this day and age, jobs are scarce. You may find yourself looking for work for many months before something comes up. If and when an interview opportunity does come up many people make the mistake... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Why Call-Back Preparation is as Important as Interview Preparation
12 Oct 2011 | 8:14 amThe job market is hard these days, and nearly all interested in obtaining a job are having to polish and re-polish their resumes and increase their education just to have a shot at getting an... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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The M.A.P. Maker
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What's your multidimensional profit?
2 Feb 2012 | 2:36 pmAsk most anyone why they work, and their answer is most likely to be some variation of "for the paycheck." Money is clearly a huge motivation for those of us who forgot to hit the independently wealthy button on the way out of the womb, but when we see it as the only thing we get from our work, it can lead us down a slippery slope. A comment from a client that "there's not a lot of profit in working with non-profits" got me thinking about how we evaluate what we get from our jobs. I countered that that might be true if you take a one-dimensional view of profit, but that the story might… -
Open the door to possibility: Challenge your first no
13 Jan 2012 | 11:43 amFor most people, saying no to possibilities seems to be an ingrained response. "No, that won't work. No, that's not realistic. No, I can't do something like that." In the last 10+ years of helping people create careers that energize and inspire them, here's one thing I've learned about that initial no: It's often complete and utter bunk. Frequently, when I challenge people to take a second look at their initial negative assumption, they discover that it wasn't accurate. Maybe they are making a flawed assumption. "I can't do that, because nobody would want to help" becomes, "Wow, I reached… -
Positive change: The BIG power of small
10 Jan 2012 | 5:20 amAs you embark on the new year, you might be tempted to use it as an occasion to make wholesale change in your life. My advice? Don't! Wholesale, grand scale change almost never works. You run at it fueled by an initial adrenaline rush, maybe feel that first blush of successful change, and then almost inevitably start to falter as old patterns start to take over again. Instead of going for that wholesale, grand scale change, do something different. Tap into the BIG power of small. Twenty small steps in pursuit of a big change is exponentially more likely to bring the results you want than… -
New year's resolution success: Make it a 1-year project
9 Jan 2012 | 5:10 amIf you're like most people, your new year's resolutions are anything but a path to long-lasting positive change. You make a resolution, stick with it for a couple weeks before letting it lapse, and then beat up on yourself for not being able to stick with it. Instead of setting yourself up to fail (and let's face it, that's what most people do with their resolutions) by expecting magical change in one fell swoop, take a different approach. Rather than a flick-of-the-switch change, look at your resolution as a year-long project. Take action on it, but don't assume that your current… -
Employee retention keys: Passion and career planning
15 Dec 2011 | 11:52 amCompanies invest a lot in finding top talent. Unfortunately, they often don't seem to invest as much in keeping them once they're on board. A recent Forbes article offers up the top ten reasons why large companies fail to keep their best talent. The two that struck me most (or, more accurately, the two things that fit tongue-in-groove with my focus) were: #2: Failing to find a project for the talent that ignites their passion: "Top talent isn’t driven by money and power, but by the opportunity to be a part of something huge, that will change the world, and for which they are really…
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life@work
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How to Give an Effective Performance Review
17 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pmMost of us crave meaningful feedback at work. It's natural to want validation and acknowledgment for our accomplishments, and many of us wish we could hear constructive criticism more often to help us learn and grow. Yet the tool that organizations give managers, the dreaded performance review, is pretty universally loathed. Most managers aren't well-trained on how to give effective feedback. They forget the importance of direct, positive acknowledgment. They shy away from direct confrontation when they have a criticism (or go the opposite route and criticize far more often than is useful). -
How to Get the Most Out of an Informational Interview
14 Dec 2011 | 12:42 pmMany mid-career people I coach are surprised that informational interviewing is still going on for the over-25 set. If you're curious about what's happening at a certain company you're interested in, want to know what kind of experience is really needed to break into a related field, want the skinny on what other organizations you might want to target, or have any one of a thousand other career development questions, asking for an informational interview is the best way to get your questions answered and get acquainted with new people. You may already have some of the basic principles down… -
How to Boost Your Self Confidence During a Job Search
16 Nov 2011 | 3:48 pmIt's ironic when during a job search, just at the time when you need to feel your most confident, you're feeling your most deflated Earlier this year I met with a client who had been searching for a new job for over five months. Although she had a full-time job, she was looking for a different one because she had been underemployed and underpaid for several years. She didn't have a supportive manager, the organization's culture did not support the employees' desire for career development, and she felt stuck. She was grateful that she could support herself, yet she was anxious to move into a… -
Underrated Jobs and the Brady Bunch
28 Sep 2011 | 1:39 pmI loved The Brady Bunch as a kid. I watched every episode about a million times, because somehow there was always a rerun on, and we kids of the 70's watched a whole lot of TV. People who know me well know that I can relate pretty much everything that happens in life to a character or an episode of The Brady Bunch. It's one of my outstanding skills. So I can't believe that in the six years I've been writing this blog I haven't yet connected any career issues to the Bradys! Because there's a lot of material to work with (five whole seasons!) Here goes. When you're considering a career change… -
Three Master Skills for Managers
12 Jul 2011 | 11:06 amBy the time managers and small-business owners call me, they’re pretty frustrated and discouraged. They’re a good fit for their job. They’re well-respected. And they’re struggling. Typically the struggles look something like these: Underperformers on the team A demanding boss who’s never pleased Too many projects and not enough resources Exhaustion While each struggle is unique, there are three skills that every new and seasoned manager can fine-tune for better results: Take decisive action Delegate well Set clear boundaries Take Decisive Action Everybody procrastinates. It’s…
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JibberJobber Blog
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New Dress for JibberJobber – what do you think?
6 Feb 2012 | 3:06 amI was on the phone with a savvy investor a few weeks ago and he said “JibberJobber is like a beautiful woman in an ugly dress. You really need to change the dress!” I know, I know. I’ve been working on it for years. I think we’re ready to change the dress, but I wanted to show you and see what you think. About 95% of the people I’ve asked love this, and 5% are violently opposed to it. I guess that’s how it goes with dresses, too, huh? Some love, some hate, and really, when it comes down to it, probably 80% of dresses are just fine. So please, tell… -
Favorite Friday: LinkedIn Maintenance (for the year?)
3 Feb 2012 | 3:27 amJuly 17th, 2008. LinkedIn Maintenance: Do This Right Now (or else?) (61 comments – once you do this, leave a comment to report back ) Make today the day you spend a few minutes to back up your LinkedIn stuff… this post tells you how to backup CONTACTS and your PROFILE (including Recommendations). It might be the most critical thing you do today… I’ve heard of many, many people who have lost access to their LinkedIn account. How would you like everything you’ve done on LinkedIn to go away? I wouldn’t like that either. So go read the post, and backup both… -
When do you change your job search criteria?
2 Feb 2012 | 8:35 amWhen I started my job search, about 6 years and three weeks ago, I knew what I wanted: More than I was making in my last job (I had forgone three years of raises and salaries, and really felt I was underpaid (long story)). A short commute from my house. The commute I had just left was 30 minutes, which I didn’t like. To stay in my house. I didn’t want to uproot my family. I’m sure I had other criteria, but those are the three that I am remembering right now. As the weeks went by, and my job search got more pathetic, my criteria changed. I was okay to not have such a… -
Relationship Management: Getting Multiple Contacts Into JibberJobber
31 Jan 2012 | 3:59 pmYesterday I did some research on a company that should acquire JibberJobber. I’m not in talks with them, yet, but if it happens, I want to know who I’ll be talking to. I went into LinkedIn and did a search on the company, narrowing it down to executive titles. I opened up six LinkedIn Profiles that I want to keep track of. I was going to put them all into JibberJobber today, one by one. But then I thought it would be faster to import them. So I did First, I created a very simple spreadsheet. Note the first row: In the first row, each column starts with what I’m… -
Favorite Friday: LinkedIn Recommendations
27 Jan 2012 | 3:37 amI recently got a comment on this post and it reminded me how good the post (and over 20 comments) was. November 20, 2009: LinkedIn Recommendation and Other Recommendations: SO WHAT??? The question I address in this post is: When you get a Recommendation on LinkedIn, what do you do with it? I think most people hardly do anything with it. And that should change. Click here to read what to do with your LinkedIn Recommendations… don’t skip the comments
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CAREEREALISM.com
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Answering Interview Questions Effectively: Tricks of the Trade
8 Feb 2012 | 10:30 pmTips for your next job interview: This answering technique preserves composure and provides clear logical answers to almost any question. To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com. -
How Technology is Making Doctor-Patient Communication Easier
8 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pmTechnology is changing how patients find doctors, how health care is delivered, and how doctors and patients consult each other. To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com. -
How Asking Questions Changed My Career Path
8 Feb 2012 | 9:30 pmThinking about making a career change? Find out how asking questions lead one man to think differently about his career direction. To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com. -
Resume Gaps? What Gaps?
8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmDo you have gaps on your resume regarding your work history? Learn how to use these "gaps" to your advantage during job interviews. To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com. -
The Real Reason You Got Fired
8 Feb 2012 | 8:30 pmGet fired and don't know why? The issue isn't whether you are better than others on the team, but whether the team is better because you're on it. To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com.
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Secrets of the Job Hunt
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4 Reasons Why Tech Candidates Can't Get Tech Jobs
9 Feb 2012 | 7:24 amSo much is made today about the fact (or myth) that there aren't any technical jobs out there. What I have heard from employers (and found to be true) is that they simply cannot find quality candidates to fill technical openings they have been trying to fill for quite some time. A current sampling of the technical jobs site Dice.com finds more than 83,000 job openings as of February 7, 2012. Why the disconnect? Here are my top 4 reasons: Lack of Training: Many technology candidates simply don't have the training required in the necessary skill sets to qualify them for the openings that are… -
Do You Have the Necessary Skills for a New Job?
8 Feb 2012 | 9:04 amIt Makes Sense; a Myriad of Skills Necessary for Job Opportunities While the job market shows life in some fields and is on life support in other industries in early 2012, millions of Americans find themselves either looking for work or looking to change jobs. No matter which group you find yourself in, your skills level will play a major role in which group you end up in. A survey last year from the National Association for Business Economics points out that business conditions have been on the uptick, with a rise seen in demand for goods and services, which translates to a need for more… -
4 kinds of workplace cultures that can affect career choices
7 Feb 2012 | 4:16 pmTUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2012 What would happen if you had some choices that you could control in your career? While it's often true that we cannot choose our co-workers, we can make conscious choices to improve our career prospects. When career professionals advise job seekers to check out a "company's corporate culture," this refers to collecting information, such as work culture, before accepting a job offer.The Wall Street Journal reported that there are four kinds of workplace cultures. They include:1. hierarchical -As the term implies, this workplace culture is highly structured… -
Managing Your Career – I Bet You’re Not Doing It
6 Feb 2012 | 11:14 amHave you ever noticed that the person who gets promoted is not always the most competent for the job? Or how about the person who did all the work not being recognized as much as the person who talks about it? Or what about the person who is career-stunted because they once said the wrong thing to the wrong person. These are all symptoms of not managing your career. Many hard-working people suffer in their career growth solely because they have not spent the time to identify the factors and people who most influence their career. Here are 3 simple tips to help you get going: 1. Clarify Your… -
Should Return to School Be in Your Future after a Layoff?
6 Feb 2012 | 8:54 amWith the national unemployment still sitting around 8.5 percent, it isn’t unusual to hear that many laid off Americans are considering a return to college to enhance their skills and even learn completely new areas of interest, hoping to use that education to find a new position. As millions of Americans continue their search for work, those who have the finances for courses at their local colleges, universities, community colleges and even online sites, are giving a harder look at such possibilities. While many individuals are challenged to come up with the needed funding to go back to…
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Blue Sky Resumes Blog
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How to Keep your Job Search Secret on LinkedIn
6 Feb 2012 | 7:04 amOne of the biggest fears people have about creating or updating their LinkedIn profile is that their employer will see the changes. After all, you don’t want your boss to know you’re looking for another job until you’ve found one. The good news is that it’s perfectly possible to create a strong LinkedIn profile – one that attracts recruiter attention – without alerting your current employer. Here’s how. Change your settings Navigate to “Settings” and look for the option “Turn on/off your activity broadcasts.” Uncheck the box, hit “Save changes” and you’re ready… -
What Would Steve Jobs Say About Your Resume?
5 Dec 2011 | 7:31 amI’m reading the Steve Jobs biography at the moment and one of the most striking themes of the book is Jobs’ obsession with simplicity. Throughout his career, he was obsessed with making computers as simple and easy-to-use as possible. He hated technology for technology’s sake and he hated complexity, and back in the early days of computing, this made him a bit of a renegade. Most engineers believed computer users needed to educate themselves so they could get the most out of the technology. Jobs believed that computers should be so simply and straightforward that anyone… -
The Smart Job Search #10: How to Use Twitter to Find a Job
22 Nov 2011 | 8:14 amThis is the last in a 10-part series entitled ‘The Smart Job Search.’ You can find links to the series so far by clicking here. If you don’t currently use Twitter, you might see it as more of a distraction than anything. Isn’t it just a bunch of people babbling about what they had for breakfast and sharing celebrity gossip? And even those of you who are on Twitter right now might not have considered all the ways it can help you find work. But the truth is, Twitter has enormous potential and used correctly, it can be the key to finding hidden job opportunities while also making… -
The Smart Job Search #9: Don’t Follow the Job Board Rules!
15 Nov 2011 | 8:10 amThis is the ninth in a 10-part series designed to transform your job search. If you missed earlier posts, you can find them all here. I’ve talked a lot in this series about ways to avoid job boards and find the hidden jobs no-one else knows about. We’ve talked about building recruiter relationships, networking, creating an online presence and much more. We’ve focused so much on this because up to 80% of the available opportunities at any one time are never advertised. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore job boards altogether. Every now and then, you will find the perfect position… -
The Smart Job Search #8: How to Network Without Feeling Icky
11 Nov 2011 | 8:00 amThis is the eighth in a 10-part series entitled ‘The Smart Job Search.’ You can find links to the series so far by clicking here. If you’ve spent any time at all reading job search advice, you’ll have heard that networking is the #1 way to find your next position. It’s been said so many times that it’s almost become a cliche. But cliches are so often repeated precisely because they’re true, and this is no exception. And yet, despite knowing how important networking is, many of us avoid it like the plague. I’ve certainly been guilty of that in the past. I’m an introvert…
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Dan Erwin
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The Most Frustrating, Confusing, Dangerous, Single Word in Business and Journalism
8 Feb 2012 | 7:48 pmIt’s amazing how a single, coordinating conjunction can impact our behavior and thinking. To a surprising degree, the majority of people don’t realize the power of this single word. Once that conjunction is pronounced or written, they become putty in the hands of the user. Indeed, a single word can be used to persuade us, even against our interests, through what Edward Bernays, the founder of public relations, called the “engineering of consent.” How does a single word gain such power over us? Simple. Our memories are faulty. Our perceptions are partial or biased. Our interpretations… -
Facebook's Values as the New Normal
6 Feb 2012 | 5:35 amAs part of the IPO filing for Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg laid out a set of company values. They are illuminating, especially when compared to the values of older, more mature firms: the Facebook values serve as a 21st century heads-up for firms focused on technology and Generation Y. They are a pointer for the “new normal.” I emphasize the notion of “pointer” because although corporate values put the public face on a company, they also reinforce the employee values that they intend to reward. It’s noteworthy that Zuckerberg’s values are readily considered to be, as Michael… -
When Death Takes You By Surprise
29 Jan 2012 | 4:41 pmMarilyn, my beloved wife of more than 50 years, died on December 29 of complications associated with Alzheimer’s. It was a fortunate death, though not, in the usual sense, a good death. She had lost 95% or more of her mental capacities, and had no obvious sense of who I was or of what was happening to her. She was a wonderful woman, the love of my life, and I miss her dearly. When the kids and grandchildren came in from the Coasts to see her in Memory Care, she always had a big smile on her face. I don’t know whether she recognized them, but I prefer to believe that her wiring was so… -
Just a "Taste of College" Can Boost US Success in the Talent Wars
15 Jan 2012 | 8:16 pmThe need for hard-to-find talent has some of America’s best companies getting involved in high school education. A former client, now senior executive at General Mills, nailed the problem. “If we don’t build relationships at high school level, another major firm (Target or Best Buy) will steal some of our best potential talent,” she said. Business support and pushing of talent development, even at the pre-college levels, will more and more become a key strategic necessity for American companies. Talent development in K – 12 will take many different forms. What top researchers… -
IBM's Unique, Highly Successful "Ground Rules"
5 Jan 2012 | 8:33 pmA textbook case in how to drive change, IBM has been so consistently successful that it is almost boring. Even more surprising is the size of its workforce in contrast to other tech firms: IBM has more employees than Microsoft, Intel, Dell, Cisco, Apple, Amazon and Google all put together. Furthermore, only HP pulls in more revenue than IBM. What’s the secret to IBM’s success? In an interview with Steve Lohr, Sam Palmisano, the retiring CEO, says that the firm’s pursuit of excellence around four dimensions—ground rules—shaped the strategy and focus over the past ten years. Palmisano…
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The Career Doctor Blog
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Work-at-Home Mom Needs to Explain Resume Gaps
9 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amNancy writes: Do you have any suggestions on how to explain/validate long periods of professional work gaps in a resume? I am a stay-at-home mother and need some convincing and creative ways to describe this recent position on my resume. I would appreciate any input. The Career Doctor responds: I know I risk the wrath of some of the women reading this blog, but I don’t really like to see resumes that under experience list something cute, such as “Household Manager” or “Domestic Coordination Specialist,” as job title for women who stay at home to manage their… -
Questions to Ask in a Job Interview
8 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amMary writes: In a job interview, the interviewer asks the specific questions that you are to answer, and after answering all these questions, the interviewer may ask if I have any questions. What should be the questions that I ask so that I know if this is the job for me, especially if I am changing jobs? The Career Doctor responds: You raise a great question here. While career experts often spend a lot of time teaching job-seekers the art of selling themselves in a job interview,they often leave unsaid how important it is for the employer to also sell you on the opportunity … and the… -
Researching the Salary to Ask For
7 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amOlga writes: How much money do I ask for my first job? I am applying for a job in the printing business in computer graphics or desktop publishing. I have a professional certificate. The Career Doctor responds: You ask a great question, and it’s one where many job-seekers fall short. Before applying for any job — and most certainly before any job interview for the position — job-seekers must conduct a little research in salary and other benefits and compensation. And there is no reason not to do conduct research — because there is so much information available. For… -
Helping Daughter Choose a Major
6 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amAnthony writes: I have a 17-year-old daughter who is trying to figure out what she wants to major in. She has no overwhelming interest in anything but is a good student with an ambition to continue her education. What are some helpful means of career information-gathering and self-awareness would you suggest to help her focus in on a few options? The Career Doctor responds: I know you mean well, and I know you worry about your daughter not wasting her college years, but please remember that the college experience — including the degree — is more important right now than… -
Long Past Time for College-age Offspring to Get Job-hunting Acts in Gear
5 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amHeidi writes: Hoping you will answer a couple of questions about our 4 college students and summer employment. My husband and I are at odds about our 4 college students 20, 22, 23, and 24 years old (none of whom have ever really been gainfully employed for long, we have made the mistake of paying for everything for them, college, books, cars, insurance, spending cash and on and on). I believe they should have that resume compete now! They should be making at the very least, 2 contacts minimum per day via email or phone or in person and a minimum of 60 contacts per month until they have at…
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Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog
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Trim Older Experience to Make Your Resume Less Overwhelming
8 Feb 2012 | 6:38 amPresenting the concluding excerpt from the excellent blog post, Ten Reasons Why Your Resume Isn’t Working by our colleague, Barbara Safani. Here’s her final reason your resume may not be working: Your resume is overwhelming to the reader. If your resume is more than two pages it probably fits into this category. Examine your resume and edit, edit, edit. Do you really need to list the 7 management classes you took in 1987 now that you have been a CEO for the past 10 years? Do you really need to dedicate a full page to your employment experience before 1990? Probably not. Frequently… -
On Resume, Show Your Brand Value Compared to the Competition
7 Feb 2012 | 6:49 amHere’s the final strategy (of three) our colleague, Laura Smith-Proulx discusses in her excellent article on Careerealism entitled 3 Strategies for Writing a Bold, Branded Executive Resume. Compare yourself to leadership peers. Comparative analysis is one of the best ways to frame and express executive achievement, which helps to highlight your leadership brand value versus your competition. For example, you might have brought in changes that were critical to company growth or customer perception - with bottom-line results. Look at each job for evidence of the following: New operational… -
Big Blocks of Text on Your Resume Are Too Daunting to Read
6 Feb 2012 | 6:36 amPresenting the penultimate excerpt from the excellent blog post, Ten Reasons Why Your Resume Isn’t Working by our colleague, Barbara Safani. Here’s another reason your resume may not be working: Your resume is made up of big blocks of text that no one wants to read. Imagine going to a website looking for information and being confronted with a homepage with a huge paragraph of text. Would you stay on the site and read everything word for word or would you quickly navigate away in search of a site that enabled you to find the information you are looking for quickly. My guess is you… -
On Your Resume, Distinguish Yourself with Accomplishments
5 Feb 2012 | 6:52 amHere’s the second of three strategies our colleague, Laura Smith-Proulx discusses in her excellent article on Careerealism entitled 3 Strategies for Writing a Bold, Branded Executive Resume. Merely mentioning the scope of your duties isn’t enough. So you’ve managed the P&L and helped create revenue growth. You’ll be up against numerous leaders with similar achievements—making it harder for you to stand out. Distinguishing yourself on an executive resume requires that you specify the setting behind each of your accomplishments. To mine your background for this… -
Heed Instructions When You Upload Your Resume
4 Feb 2012 | 6:57 amPresenting another excerpt from the excellent blog post, Ten Reasons Why Your Resume Isn’t Working by our colleague, Barbara Safani. Here’s another reason your resume may not be working: You are uploading a Word version of your resume into a database that requires a text version. Many people make the mistake of taking their formatted Word document and uploading it into a text box on a company website. The format is generally not preserved when you do this, and your document will end up looking sloppy and unprofessional. Here are instructions on how to create a text resume.
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Career Success Partners
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My #1 App Recommendation, By Far Is ....
8 Feb 2012 | 7:33 amFact: I'm a long-time early adoptor and seeker of the latest and greatest -- gadgets, software tools, social media tools and iPhone/iPad apps, etc. I've literally tried HUNDREDS of technology tools, gadgets and apps. Some "stick" and (many) others get dropped or set aside for better solutions or "the newest thing." One in particular, however, HAS stuck, and it's become one of my all time favorites -- maybe even THE all time favorite. I've become a raving fan .... I'm telling everyone about it these days -- clients, colleagues, friends,… -
2012 Personal Plan - Step 30 - Celebrate Your Accomplishment!
6 Feb 2012 | 8:03 amWow! We have come so far together. At last, we cross the finish line together. Congratulations! By now, you should have a high quality plan (completed in Step 23) that you have tweaked into a thoughtful “final” plan. You hopefully have gotten some constructive feedback from your Board of Advisors (Step 25), with potentially more feedback still to come. You have taken the plan to the next level by creating your Magnificent Milestones (Step 26). And you have identified your support structures with your selection of an All Star Support Team (Step 27), your scheduling of Supporting Events… -
Leveraging Relationships by Giving First and Giving Often
6 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amThis is the second post in a series focused on Leveraging Your Relationships for Career Success. Relationship leverage is one of the three foundational strategies I talk about in my upcoming eBook, "The Career Security Guarantee -- 3 Strategies That Guarantee You'll Never Have to Look for a Job Again," due out this Spring (more to come on that in later posts). "I don't think you ever stop giving. I really don't. I think it's an on-going process. And it's not just about being able to write a check. It's being able to touch somebody's… -
2012 Personal Plan - Step 29 - Pile on the Support for Your Success
3 Feb 2012 | 6:44 amWow! We have come so far together. By now, you should have a high quality draft plan (completed in Step 23). You hopefully are starting to get constructive feedback from your Board of Advisors (Step 25). You have taken the plan to the next level by creating your Magnificent Milestones (Step 26). And you have begun identifying your support structures with your selection of an All Star Support Team (Step 27) and your scheduling of Supporting Events (Step 28) you plan to attend in 2012. Before our final celebratory step tomorrow, I want to ask that you do just one more thing. I want to ask that… -
2012 Personal Plan - Step 28 - Plan to Attend Events That Support Your SMART Goals
2 Feb 2012 | 6:50 amThe finish line is getting so close. One step today and one tomorrow and you will be well positioned to celebrate on New Year’s eve knowing you have in place the elements to lift your performance in 2012.Congratulations on your diligence in completing the steps that have preceded this one! By now, you should have a high quality draft plan (completed in Step 23). You hopefully are starting to get constructive feedback from your Board of Advisors (Step 25). You have taken the plan to the next level by creating your Magnificent Milestones (Step 26). And you have begun identifying your support…
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Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog
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4 Essentials for Reaching Out to Strangers on LinkedIn
9 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amLast week, I received an info interview request from a total stranger as a direct message on LinkedIn. And despite my very busy schedule, I decided to take his call. Over the weekend, I asked myself, “Why did I agree”? Let’s take his email apart and put it into 4 essential elements so that you can [...] -
How Employers View You Being Fired
8 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amSo… you were fired from your last job. Terminated for cause. Maybe it was your first time, or maybe not. Is it a “terminal” situation that will prevent you from ever getting another job? How does a potential employer view a termination and how can you best overcome any adverse impressions that might make? Here are [...] -
5 Job Search Lessons Learned From the Super Bowl
7 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amWell, it came — and it went. Super Bowl XLVI is over. The game was close, the commercials went viral, and the halftime show inspired comments across the spectrum. The Giants may already be at DisneyWorld, but the Super Bowl still has plenty to offer, including some surprising job search lessons! Check out the five job search lessons [...] -
The Interviewer Said!
6 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amIn my career, I have written and read thousands of resumes and I will be the first to admit a well-written resume is no guarantee that you will be hired for a new job. However from my own experience and the experiences of many of the people I have worked with I can say with [...] -
3 Reasons Why Social Media Guru’s Can’t Help You Find a Job
5 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amIf you are big into personal effectiveness then you are familiar with Steven Covey’s 2nd Habit: Begin With the End in Mind. Actually, this principle extends far beyond the realm of self-help and into all aspects of our lives. A Sculpture is first conceived of in the mind of the artists, and then emerges from the [...]
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Mashable!
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DARPA AlphaDog Robot Steps Lively With 400 Lbs on its Back [VIDEO]
9 Feb 2012 | 8:14 amThe typical soldier can only carry about 100 lbs. worth of gear, but not indefinitely. DARPA’s (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) new robotic mule, however, can carry 400 lbs. of gear and never get tired — and it can do it with a surprising degree of agility. Physical overburden of soldiers is one of the top five biggest challenges for the U.S. army, according to DARPA, and a semi-autonomous legged robot, officially named the Legged Squad Support System (LS3), might be one way of fixing that problem. In the video above, the LS3 prototype (original developer Boston… -
FBI Investigated Steve Jobs When First Bush Administration Wanted to Hire Him
9 Feb 2012 | 7:58 amThe Federal Bureau of Investigation has released a 191-page background check on late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs that was done in 1991, when Jobs was considered for a post in the George H.W. Bush administration. The report doesn’t delineate what kind of post Jobs was being considered for. The report, which the FBI posted on its website, includes feedback based on interviews with friends and colleagues of Jobs that should be familiar to readers of Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs bio, including: “Several individuals questioned Mr. Jobs’s honesty, stating that Mr. Jobs will… -
Apple to Unveil iPad 3 in March and It Could Look Like This [RUMOR]
9 Feb 2012 | 7:52 amThe tech world awoke today to a new batch of rumors about the iPad 3. First various sites reported on an alleged leak of some of the components of the tablet, then another chimed in to announce that Apple is planning a March unveiling for its new tablet. Yesterday Repair Labs posted a picture of what it says is the back housing for the iPad 3, supposedly from “industry insiders” in China. Comparing the component to the iPad 2, it reveals some differences, specifically that there will be more room for a larger battery, a different camera and a new LCD screen. The sources also said… -
Texts Now Popular Ammo for Divorce Battles [VIDEO]
9 Feb 2012 | 7:39 amNew technological and social media tools have a way of messing up relationships — and they can also be used for evidence when those relationships fail and end up in divorce court. A study of divorce attorneys released this week shows an increase in smartphones being used as evidence. Ninety-two percent of the attorneys surveyed in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers study said they’ve seen an increase in the past few years in the number of cases that use evidence from smartphones; 94% said they’ve seen a rise in the use of texts as evidence in the past three years. -
Photo Finish: Kodak to Stop Selling Digital Cameras
9 Feb 2012 | 7:28 amIn a cost-cutting move and a signal of the company’s poor financial situation, Eastman Kodak on Thursday announced it plans to stop selling digital cameras. The company, which filed for bankruptcy protection last month, will instead focus on online and retail-based photo printing as well as desktop inkjet printing. Kodak plans to phase out all digital camera sales within the first half of this year. The move is expected to save Kodak $100 million. Kodak expects to incur charges of $30 million for exiting the business. “For some time, Kodak’s strategy has been to improve margins in…
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SmartBrief on Social Media
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Do you worry that Facebook will start charging brands for Facebook pages after its initial public offering?
8 Feb 2012 | 9:29 am-More- -
Twitter under fire over Brazilian traffic-stop tweeters
8 Feb 2012 | 9:29 amBrazilian authorities are suing Twitter over accounts that publicize the locations of police roadblocks and speed traps to he -More- -
Interested in writing for SmartBlogs?
8 Feb 2012 | 9:29 amEveryone knows that SmartBrief aggregates the best content from around the Web, but did you know we also feature original blo -More- Social Media Content Manager LM&O Advertising -
Doritos' bandito baby wins USA TODAY-Facebook poll
8 Feb 2012 | 9:29 amAn ad featuring a grandmother sling-shotting a baby to snag a bag of Doritos won the USA TODAY-Facebook poll of best Super Bo -More- -
10 ways to write headlines that compel your customers to click
8 Feb 2012 | 9:29 amWithout an eye-catching headline, even the best blog posts and announcements can easily get lost in the often-overwhelming fl -More-
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chrisbrogan.com
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Throw Away the Maps
6 Feb 2012 | 1:30 amPeople judge us by the path they’ve seen us walk before. They can’t anticipate our future steps. We, ourselves, look to how things have been, what seems to be the lay of the land, without realizing that the maps are not the territory. Want to succeed at work? Then don’t try to do your job. Instead, work towards something larger, more meaningful, and something that blends your convictions internally with your best ability to help others externally. Want to create something new? Then throw away the old, or maybe join two disparate old things together into something new. The… -
The Next Social Networks
5 Feb 2012 | 1:30 amThe rage in social networks right now is Pinterest, partly because it’s probably the first social network that has a much higher adoption rate by females than males, and partly because it’s an interesting concept: somewhere between visual social bookmarking and scrapbooking. What also might not be immediately obvious is that it’s just “easier” to interact there. In that way, Pinterest has something in common with Instagram, which is community around photos. What I’m interested in, though, is Gentlemint, which I keep calling “Pinterest for… -
Learn From Adele – Build Your Platform
3 Feb 2012 | 1:30 amJacq and I just watched Adele Live At The Royal Albert Hall (amazon affiliate link), and though every song was just wonderfully done, I found myself fascinated by what Adele was doing in between each song. Because even though most people would be interested in hearing her belt out her amazing repertoire of hits, what I took away from the performance was Adele’s real magical ability: the ability to resonate with her audience. What Adele Could Teach You About Impact I’m writing something about this right now for my upcoming book with Julien Smith, but I had to share some of the… -
Rob Gokee is a Musical Wizard
2 Feb 2012 | 8:05 amI had such a great experience working with award winning musical composer Rob Gokee. We did some musical work together, and the process was so amazing. Rob helped me create my theme song for Shhh! The Secret Show. So anyhow, he and I sat down to do an interview, and it’s a bit long, but it’s totally worth it. We talk about what collaboration feels like at a distance, what it takes to get music like this made for your own show, and a lot more. Rob’s a hero to me, and has been part of the community for a while. I was so fortunate to have worked with him. Can’t see the… -
Build Your Platform – Start
30 Jan 2012 | 1:30 amThe following is part ONE of a series called Build Your Platform. If you find it interesting, please consider subscribing for free to get the rest of the series. This post is long. You might want to bookmark it for later. The age of social media oversaturation is upon us. People are declaring Twitter bankruptcy to go along with their email bankruptcy. They cite not wanting to start on yet another social network as their reason for not getting more involved with Google+. And just as soon as you start getting into Pinterest, you hear about Path, but wait: there’s Gentlemint, which is…
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Ask The Headhunter® | Nick Corcodilos
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Are Skype interviews good for you?
6 Feb 2012 | 5:23 pmIn the February 7, 2012 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, a reader says Skype interviews aren’t such a good idea: Thanks so much for hosting an Open Mic session and offering your professional expertise. My career is in IT (information technology) and although I feel more like a commodity these days than the business professional that [...] -
Cornell Executive MBA Presentation
4 Feb 2012 | 8:49 pmThis evening at Cornell University’s Palisades, NY facility we talked about How to Work With Headhunters. Executive MBA students in the Johnson School of Business joined headhunter Deborah Matson and me for an hour and a half of Q&A. We covered a lot of topics — but the seminar sizzled over one question: Should you [...] -
How much should I say about getting fired?
30 Jan 2012 | 6:55 pmIn the January 31, 2012 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, a reader asks what to say in a job interview — if he got fired previously for doing something wrong: I was fired for a minor policy violation. How much should I tell prospective employers about it? Everyone I’ve spoken to has agreed that my indiscretion did [...] -
Resumes: Job hunting suicide
25 Jan 2012 | 11:01 amThe Wall Street Journal reports that you’re screwed if you’re looking for a job, in Your Resume vs. Oblivion. A guy at IBM who sells the systems employers use to process incoming resumes says that 90% or more of employers use sophsticated technology (“which can cost from $5,000 to millions of dollars”) to scan resumes. So [...] -
TheLadders’ Marc Cenedella: A dirtbag with money running for office
23 Jan 2012 | 8:07 pmWho would have thought? This isn’t even worth commenting on: Under the Name of a Senate Hopeful, Blog Posts on Sex and Drugs from The New York Times. It seems TheLadders CEO Marc Cenedella is getting ready to run for U.S. Senate on a Republican ticket. My favorite parts: “Until recently, a Web site, blog.theladders.com/rock, [...]
