Skills | Caroline Dowd-Higgins

Stacy Breuers, Sales Representative Martin Scott Wines

April 17, 2011 By Caroline Dowd-Higgins Leave a Comment

Stacy Breuers spent 18 years in the banking & finance industry in a high powered career that met her values at the time. She held a myriad of positions from consulting on Mergers & Acquisitions to a working for an Executive Search firm managing operations and marketing, and later worked in secondary markets on the lending side of the financial coin.

As you would expect, these kinds of positions required long hours and constant travel. Eventually Stacy decided that she did not want to spend all of her time on the road. Six years ago she enrolled in a wine immersion course at the Culinary Institute of America (CIS) while on a vacation in California, which whet her appetite (and her thirst!) to learn more about the wine industry. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reinvention Stories Tagged With: edification, reinvention, skills, taste test, values

Claire Chew, Grief Recovery Specialist

March 26, 2011 By Caroline Dowd-Higgins 1 Comment

At 19, Claire Chew went for a check-up to diagnose and treat what she thought was tennis elbow. It turned out to be Stage 4 cancer in her Humerus bone and her parents and doctors determined her every move for the next year and a half. Claire was in the hospital every 3 weeks for 18 months with immediate surgery, aggressive chemo therapy, and radiation. Her hair fell out and she lost the use of her right arm. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reinvention Stories Tagged With: grief recovery, loss, reinvention, skills, transition, wellness

Alicia Sylvia Butler, General Manager – Harris Estate Vineyards

March 13, 2011 By Caroline Dowd-Higgins Leave a Comment

Alicia Sylvia Butler is woman who knows career reinvention. In her 20 plus years in the professional world-of-work, she has enjoyed a variety of careers all of which she loved while she was pursuing them. This queen of career change has transitioned purposefully through different fields playing to her strengths and using her transferable skills. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reinvention Stories Tagged With: balance, money, rebirth, reinvention, risk, skills, soul searching, success, values

Lisa Montanaro, Certified Professional Organizer, Business & Life Coach, Motivational Speaker

February 27, 2011 By Caroline Dowd-Higgins 2 Comments

Lisa Montanaro realized early on that she did not like the practice of law even though she had given it her all for 9 years. She loved law school, and later teaching law, but the practice of law was never an ideal fit.

Like many lawyers, Lisa spent time at a large law firm learning the trade and working 90+ hour weeks. She was working in New York City where the legal field is intense and competitive and Lisa was able to move from her firm to an in-house counsel position that seemed to be a better fit. This was 1999 and the Y2K craze was consuming all business sectors including the legal field and Lisa started thinking seriously about finding a different career that honored her passions while still playing to her strengths. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reinvention Stories Tagged With: entrepreneur, lawyer, organized, skills

Rules of Reinvention

January 30, 2011 By Caroline Dowd-Higgins 3 Comments

I learned from my book writing journey that people pursue career reinvention for a variety of reasons. Some are not happy in their work, others are not playing to their strengths, and the economy has forced many people to reinvent due to lay-offs and downsizing. The reasons for reinvention are endless as are the ways in which to go about this exciting new journey of career change.

Jake Poinier wrote a terrific article in Speaker Magazine and shared his 6 Rules of Reinvention for professional speakers – although his wisdom is applicable in all career sectors. I appreciate his advice and good humor and I know you will learn from it as well.

1. Reinvent yourself before it becomes necessary. If you wait until your career is gasping for air, you will play catch-up amid a field of cutting-edge experts.

2. Regularly ask yourself – Am I still relevant? The career game has changed in all industries and you can’t make it by being mediocre. Today, you must offer a quantifiable return-on-investment (ROI) as well as original thoughts and answers to distinguish yourself.

3. Never chase the hot topics or trends just to be “in”. Fads don’t build a long-term career, but tapping into your deepest passion does. If you try to be an expert in a field you don’t care about, you will come off as inauthentic and contrived and this will undermine your success.

4. Understand the impact of the reality TV trend. Be real – don’t be perfect and use your honest emotions to give from your heart in your career endeavors. Authenticity is essential.

5. Don’t force the reinvention of your career brand. Take the time to self reflect and do this with input from others you trust. Seek the wisdom of your personal Board of Directors to help guide you with your branding and identify your value-add.

6. There are some traits you shouldn’t reinvent. Don’t reinvent your fundamental talents – there is no need. This is your special sauce and distinguishes you in the marketplace. Keep building on your bank of knowledge and exploit your best skills. You can build on that broad foundation no matter what you next career move might be.

Filed Under: Career Wisdom Tagged With: authentic, brand, reinvention, ROI, skills, value add

Shari Elf – Artist, Seamstress, Musician, Museum Curator

January 23, 2011 By Caroline Dowd-Higgins 4 Comments

When I first spoke with Shari by phone she jokingly said that she was un-employable but very self-employable. An inspiration to all who prefer to call their own career shots than be dictated to by a boss, Shari is living her dream with a myriad of vocations that play to her passions.

The Beginning of the Journey

During college, while pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Shari worked part-time as a seamstress. This led to a post college stint in a small couture house in San Francisco as a seamstress and a pattern drafter/cutter. Later, Shari moved back home to Maui, closer to her family, and began working on a Fashion Technology degree at Maui Community College to enhance her skills in pattern drafting. She had always made her own clothing and developed the label Elf Wear to showcase her unique fashions. These one-of-a-kind, hand-painted creations were a big success at better women’s boutiques on Maui. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reinvention Stories Tagged With: balance, passion, playing to your strengths, shifting gears, skills, tipping point

Grace Chon, Modern Pet Photography

October 11, 2010 By Caroline Dowd-Higgins 4 Comments

A self proclaimed crazy dog lady, Grace Chon grew up wanting to be a Veterinarian. She majored in Biology as an undergraduate and volunteered in animal hospitals to really test drive the profession before committing to vet school. Her Korean immigrant parents were auguring for medical school so Grace could be a physician for humans instead of animals but in the end Grace surprised everybody and opted for art school and earned a Masters of Fine Arts.

Work Backwards in Your Job Search

July 19, 2010 By Caroline Dowd-Higgins Leave a Comment

Unfortunately, the trend today is for people to polish their resume and submit hundreds of copies via online job sites hoping that they will get a hit. Many job seekers are applying for anything and everything that is remotely appealing and this technique is not yielding successful results. In reality, job seekers should work backwards visualizing their dream job and then plan a strategy to find a rewarding opportunity in their respective field. It’s true that you can’t get what you want unless you know what you are looking for. The one-size-fits-all resume will never serve you well, and neither will submitting aimless applications for anything that is posted on the job boards. Slow down and take the time to figure out what you really want.

Figure out what kinds of jobs appeal to you first and target your applications accordingly. Focus on your skills and strengths and really consider what you enjoy doing. Taking the time for honest self reflection will save you emotional stress by avoiding a bad career choice that doesn’t match your values, interests, skills and personality in the long run.

Once you know what you want, begin to build relationships with people who do the same kind of work you are pursuing. Chances are you already have these people in your network, or others may know people who can make an introduction on your behalf. By starting with the end in mind and planning from there you can spend your time wisely to build meaningful contacts that could lead to opportunities.

You need to be able to articulate your story about who you are and what you want to do next. Networking is not about asking others for a job. It’s about engendering trust and respect and learning from others so you can move forward with your career goals. Whenever possible, meet face-to-face with your contacts. It’s more personable than phone or email and enables others to see you in action. Strut your professional stuff and make a lasting positive impression. Seek out informational interviews and avoid being a well kept secret by conducting your job search in public.

Research tells us that currently only 4-5% of jobs are secured through job boards and over 80% are found through effective networking. So develop a plan and take the time to meet with people to learn about opportunities, and put yourself out there. There is great wisdom in the philosophy Ready, Aim, Fire! If you do not prepare, you won’t even know what you are shooting for.

Filed Under: Career Wisdom Tagged With: job boards, network, personality, preparation, reflection, resumes, skills, strengths

Delegation is Empowering to All

June 30, 2010 By Caroline Dowd-Higgins Leave a Comment

As a self proclaimed control freak, I had a hard time learning to delegate. I was doing things myself for so long that it was difficult for me to let go. I was also caught in the syndrome that if I wanted to get something done right – I would have to do it myself. But the more responsibility I took on in my job, consulting practice, and a variety of volunteer activities, the more essential it was for me to learn how to delegate.

I learned that relinquishing work was not only a way for me to focus on my strengths and do what I do best, it was a way for me to empower others on my various teams to get more involved. When I delegated a task, I gave someone else a significant assignment that gave them ownership and buy-in for the project and the organization at large. The act of delegation was helping others take on more responsibility and play to their strengths.

Delegation liberated me to focus on opportunities to move forward with my career goals and gave others a chance to step up and gain new experiences. My colleagues were motivated to show what they were capable of and enjoyed the opportunity to pursue new projects. We created a check-in system so I would not micro-manage their efforts and communication became stronger in the end.

By keeping all of the work to myself I was sending a message that I did not trust my colleagues. While this was not my intention, I realized that delegation engendered trust and helped me prove my confidence in the team. Ultimately, it motivated others to go above and beyond and our productivity level increased dramatically.

With delegation, I saw new leaders emerge and a renewed sense of enthusiasm in my colleagues. New ideas surfaced and I discovered talents in team members that I never knew existed. Delegation is a beautiful thing that helps people play to their strengths. It also gave me more time to advance my goals by maximizing my support. Try delegating – I think you will be surprised by the positive results for all.

Filed Under: Career Wisdom Tagged With: buy-in, delegation, emerging leaders, empowering, ownership, skills, team

A Portfolio Can Be Your Secret Weapon

June 13, 2010 By Caroline Dowd-Higgins 1 Comment

Fine artists have been using portfolios for decades to showcase examples of their work. This multi dimensional tool is gaining popularity in the job market for other professions as well. By assembling an archive of your work, you can show employers why you will be a value-add to their organization.

Similar to the resume, the portfolio should be customized for each unique opportunity. You should include your resume and/or CV as well as letters of recommendation, quotes or special comments from key constituents and examples of what you do well relevant to the new job opportunity. A mission statement can articulate why you want the job as well as why you are an excellent match for the position.

I like to include a list of my top skills with descriptions of how they will be applicable to the new job. A goals or future plans section can help you articulate how you will grow in a particular role in the organization. Employers will see you as a strong, long term investment for their team.

If writing is a desired skill for the new job, include samples that showcase your best work and a variety of styles. Get creative and use graphics or photos for visual pop but keep text pithy and succinct using headers, bullet points and tag phrases instead of long paragraphs.

I encourage my clients to bring the portfolio to the interview so you can walk your future boss through the document and leave it behind when you are through so the hiring committee can have a lasting impression of you as a candidate.

Spiral bind your portfolio so the pages are secure and be sure your full name and contact information appear clearly on the cover page. While you want to show the breadth and depth of your experience, keep the portfolio brief so the readers don’t lose interest while viewing.

This secret weapon can set you apart from the competition. An added bonus of assembling a portfolio is the valuable self reflection process that will put you in tip-top shape for your interview, giving you the opportunity to focus on your strengths in an articulate manner.

Filed Under: Career Wisdom Tagged With: archive, portfolio, reflection, skills, strengths