Jun 25 2012
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| Are You Adaptable? | |
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Over the weekend I finally watched Dolphin Tale. It’s the inspiring story about Winter a dolphin who not only survives, but thrives after losing her tail. It’s about succeeding against all odds.
Winter was found on a beach where she washed up after being caught up in some crab trap line. Not long after being rescued she lost her tail as a result of her injuries. The doctors doubted she’d make it without her tail. No dolphin ever had. But, despite all odds Winter survived. Because she didn’t have a tail she was unable to swim “normally” using an up-and-down motion. She adapted by learning to swim using a side-to-side motion. When the doctors discovered that this method was hurting her spine they developed a new plan – to build a prosthetic tail. It was a long process, but eventually a workable prosthetic tail was developed. And with the help of her trainers Winter learned to swim “normally” using the new tail. Amazing. Winter’s story moved me. I cried when Winter, who plays herself in the movie, began to swim and play again. But, she started me thinking about my own life as well. She reminded me that it takes more than the desire to succeed. It’s essential to be adaptable. If Winter hadn’t learned to adapt after losing her tail she wouldn’t have survived. Most of us are not faced with life-and-death situations. But, in today’s economy where every job is temporary our lives can change in an instant. We need to be able to adjust. We need to be open to new ideas and accept help when it’s offered. And most of all, we need to be able to change direction, to reinvent ourselves from time to time. To watch Winter on a live webcam visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium site. |
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| General | |
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| posted by arichmond at 11:03 | permalink | trackbacks [1] | |
Jun 22 2012
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| Women Pay It Forward | |
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In my career, I’ve worked for women and men. Some bosses have been wonderful. Some have not. Those who I would call jerks were male and female. Gender hasn’t been a determining factor.
Over the years, I’ve read a lot of things about women in the workplace. And most of them haven’t been positive. Men would rather work for a man than a woman. Many women would too. Why? Women are cited as backstabbing, moody, cliquey and vain. There’s even a word for bad female bosses: Queen Bee Syndrome. These women are noted as “alpha” females who are trying to preserve their power at the expense of their colleagues. Studies on workplace bullying have even shown that women are 80% more likely to bully other women. This is sad news. Happily a new study by Catalyst shows that women are helping other women in the workplace and their efforts are helping them as well. According to Leaders Pay It Forward “high potentials” recognize that others “took a risk on them and gave them their chance” which is one of the reasons they are eager to “pay it forward.” Despite all the negative talk about women, Leaders Pay It Forward found that 65% of women who received career-development support are now actively supporting new talent compared to 56% of men. They also found that 73% of women developing younger colleagues are helping other women, compared to 30% of men. While it can be very satisfying to help colleagues get ahead, satisfaction isn’t the only benefit. According to the study, those helping to develop new talent saw an increase in pay of over $25,000 between 2008 and 2010. Catalyst notes that this career advancement and compensation growth may be attributed to higher visibility and recognition. Whatever the reason, it’s great to know that paying it forward pays back. Perhaps it will encourage other women to help younger colleagues develop their careers. It’s time we started to read more positive news about women in the workplace. |
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| posted by arichmond at 11:08 | permalink | trackbacks [1] | |
Jun 20 2012
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| Stuck In a Rut? | |
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We sent out our revamped newsletter yesterday – we think the new format has a clean, fresh look. After much consideration, we decided to shorten it little. We made it easier for our readers to share our content too. So far it seems that our readers like the changes.
We’re happy with their response and think these changes probably were long overdue. The fact is we were stuck in a bit of a rut. Next time we won’t wait so long. Are you stuck in a rut like we were with our newsletter? When was the last time you revamped your resume or updated your image? Has your LinkedIn profile been the same for the last five years? If you’d like to change how people respond to you maybe it’s time to shake things up a bit. |
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| posted by arichmond at 11:57 | permalink | trackbacks [1] | |
Jun 19 2012
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| Do You Make Snap Decisions? | |
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Yesterday, I was at an Interstate rest stop getting gas when something caught my attention. As I sat there waiting for the fuel tank to fill I noticed a man on a motorcycle. He was wearing jeans and a denim jacket. I guessed he was in his fifties. OK. A few minutes later a woman, who also appeared to be in her fifties, walked over to him.
As they talked it was obvious that they were together partly because she was carrying two motorcycle helmets. I was rather stunned. This woman with the conservative haircut dressed in a knee-length hooded jacket and cotton slacks looked to me like she should be driving a minivan not hopping on the back of a bike. Just goes to show how much I know. How long do you take to form an opinion about a stranger? I admit I tend to make snap decisions. And I’m not alone. Studies show that we form an impression of someone by looking at their face for 100 milliseconds (1/10 of a second) which is pretty scary even to me. People decide whether you’re likeable, trustworthy, competent, attractive or aggressive in the blink of an eye. It may not be right. And they may be wrong. But, it does mean that your picture on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter does make a difference in how people judge you. Something to think about. |
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| posted by arichmond at 08:40 | permalink | trackbacks [6] | |
Jun 15 2012
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| Revamping Our Newsletter | |
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We’ve been publishing our newsletter for more than a decade. Over the years, our schedule has gone from once-a-month, to every-other-week to every Tuesday. Our goal has always been to deliver innovative, useful content to help you better manage your career.
Topics have included everything from interview tips to resume creation to personal branding. We’ve run the gamut from how to get a job to how to get promoted. The one thing that hasn’t evolved much is our overall format. Well, we’ve finally decided that it’s time for a change. Even a classic like The Career Intelligencer needs a coat of fresh paint every once in a while. A revamp is in the works right now. Stay tuned for our new look! (If you’re not already subscribed to our weekly newsletter sign up on our Home Page ) |
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| posted by arichmond at 06:18 | permalink | trackbacks [1] | |
Jun 14 2012
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| Make Twitter Part of Your Job Search Strategy | |
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Unfortunately, the news on the job front was not encouraging today. According to an article on Bloomberg.com jobless claims in the U.S. unexpectedly rose last week. This report, added to the slight increase in the jobless rate to 8.2 in May, indicates that a lot of people are still out of work.
The competition for jobs isn’t letting up which means if you’re unemployed you need to explore every avenue. Job boards aren’t the only place to look for jobs. You need to include social media platforms like Twitter as part of your job search strategy. If you’re not on Twitter sign up today – it’s an easy way to connect with companies and recruiters. Start by following recruiters who cover your industry. Many post open positions on Twitter. Some share career tips as well. It’s OK to just “lurk” until you feel comfortable joining the conversation. Don’t stop with recruiters follow companies too. More and more employers are using Twitter to attract candidates. Citigroup @CitiJobTweets and Ford @FordCareers are just two companies who Tweet jobs on a regular basis. Twitter also is a place to connect with corporate recruiters at your target companies. Organize the people and companies you’re following with lists. If you’re not using Twitter as part of your job search arsenal you’re not taking your best shot. |
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| Job Search | |
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| posted by arichmond at 08:56 | permalink | trackbacks [1] | |
Jun 11 2012
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| Don’t Be Guilty of Jargon | |
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Are you constantly aiming to think “outside the box” or trying to “impact” your department’s growth? Then you’re guilty of using business jargon.
Although, I try to keep jargon out of my written and verbal communication, I must admit that I’ve been guilty of “reaching out” to people I’m trying to connect with. According to an article on Forbes, most of us are guilty of using words that don’t really convey what we’re trying to say. While some of the phrases like Open the Kimono, which is a creepy way of saying revealing information, were new to me, most were familiar. It pains me every time I hear someone say think “outside the box” – what box? What does that mean? How about looking at the problem from a different perspective? The list in the article, The Most Annoying, Pretentious, And Useless Business Jargon, includes robust, vertical, scalable and one of my personal favorites impact (when used as a verb). The authors also mention one of the most overused, meaningless phrases: corporate values. (I thought people were the ones with values.) Don’t be the person boasting about giving 110% some tired-of-the-jargon wiseass may ask you why you didn’t give more. |
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| posted by arichmond at 14:35 | permalink | trackbacks [1] | |
Jun 8 2012
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| Time to Network Now | |
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Summer offers a lot of networking opportunities like graduation parties, weddings and barbecues. However, most industry associations and formal networking groups go on hiatus over the summer months.
But, you still have the month of June to attend networking events. Whether you’re out of work or happily employed don’t miss this month’s opportunities. Many organizations have less structured events this time of year. Instead of dinner and a speaker, it may be cocktails and hors d'oeuvres which means more time to mingle. Just one thing before you go – make sure you have business cards. All you need to include are your name and contact information. Although a blurb about what you do will make you easier to remember. Don’t forget the often unused real estate on the back of the card. Happy Networking! |
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| posted by arichmond at 09:49 | permalink | trackbacks [1] | |
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