This Is Not The Career I Ordered™ Blog
Savvy Professional Career Wisdom by Caroline Dowd-Higgins
This is Not the Career I Ordered is read by thousands of careerists around the globe. With savvy tools, inspiration, and resources, this timeless book empowers you to enjoy your career, and love your life!
Establish a Gossip Free Workplace
I read a fascinating New York Times article by Shayla McKnight who shared a story about her job interview with an online printing company. The Human Resources Manager was clear about the no-gossip policy and no office politics rule before she was even hired. While McKnight thought the policy was refreshing it also seemed hard […]
It’s Time for a Mid-Year Career Refresh
My grandparents were faithful Christmas Club savers at their local bank. Starting in June, they would deposit money in a special account each month, so they would have savings ready to go for the holidays. While many retailers have Christmas-in-the-summer sales, it’s also a good time to take this halfway point in the calendar year […]
Give Grace During the Time of Covid
As we move into the 6-month mark recognizing how COVID-19 has changed our lives, the stress is palpable. Many parents and students are struggling with online learning, childcare, and trying to work from home while also supervising virtual education for young children. That challenge intensifies if those parents have returned to a place of work […]
Are You a Video Meeting Bully?
Many thanks to my friend, Anna Seacat for sharing her wisdom in this blog post. *** When a VP insisted that everyone in his meetings “show yourself” on camera, his Directors and Managers perceived this as a new rule and also made it a requirement in their meetings. A perfect environment for video bullies was […]
6 Ways to Navigate Personal & Professional Change in the COVID Era
I’m grateful to my friend, Liz Freedman for sharing her story in this guest post. 2020 has been one for the record books, in nearly all negative ways. But up until a few weeks ago, my family had been mostly spared. I am fortunate that my husband and I have jobs which have mostly allowed […]
Easy Hacks to Beat Zoom Fatigue
Before mandatory shelter-in-place, which necessitated working from home I had never spent so much time on Zoom.Meetings with geographically distant colleagues via Zoom were a great way to connect with anyone, anywhere but it was not the primary way I conducted business. Whether you are using Zoom, Teams, or one of the many online meeting […]
Why Leading a Virtual Team is Disorienting and What to Do About it
The guest blog post was written by my amazing friend and colleague, Kris Taylor who founded Evergreen Leadership and co-founded LEAP to help freelancers and entrepreneurs thrive. I am grateful to have Kris in my life and delighted to share her savvy blog to help you navigate your new virtual normal. I still remember my […]
Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose at Work in a Global Pandemic
I follow the work of Adam Grant, an Organizational Psychologist at Wharton and I’m an avid fan of his podcast WorkLife. The title of Adam’s podcast is very similar to my Your Working Life podcast, but Adam you should know – my podcast came before yours. I hope you check it out! Many thanks to […]
Career Recovery: Be Resilient After a COVID-19 Job Loss
The global pandemic has forced millions into unemployment with business closings and an economic downturn that beat the Great Recession. A common denominator for both tumultuous job markets is the necessity for job seekers to showcase resiliency and recovery as they navigate their career future. Here are some essential tips to help you deal with […]
Practice Intentional Acts of Kindness
You’re stressed beyond measure at work – toiling away on the umpteenth Zoom meeting; racing the clock to get a grant proposal in; or working overtime to iron out a distribution snafu. Then a colleague sets aside their own project to pitch in on yours, or a friend, who’s been through something similar, picks up […]
Radical Candor: Part II – Breaking It Down
In my last blog post, I shared the story of Kim Scott’s radical-candor-epiphany while at Google, when her boss at the time, Sheryl Sandberg, pulled her aside and confronted her on a performance issue. While the experience was not a comfortable one for Scott, Sandberg’s forthrightness helped Scott to improve and grow, and become even […]
Radical Candor: Part I – Getting Real
It’s performance review season for many organizations, despite the pandemic, and that can mean difficult conversations. Managers are giving evaluations that can be hard to deliver, as well as hard for those on the receiving end to hear. In her book Radical Candor: How To Be A Great Boss And A Kick Ass Citizen, author, […]
Take Time to Focus on Yourself and Reframe COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted all of our lives. Careers, relationships, and personal projects are all on hold while we wait for the world to settle into a new normal. Many people have found their mental health has suffered with the heightened stress. Small businesses worldwide are struggling to stay afloat. With all the tragedy […]
Jump Start Your Career Search After Being Let Go
Being dismissed or furloughed from your job has been more common than not as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic that rocked the worldwide economy. For the unemployed, or underemployed – now is the time to pick yourself up and get back into the saddle in order to find your next job. Showcasing your […]
