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!
Older, Wiser, and Career Vibrant
I have several executive coaching clients in their late fifth and sixth decade of life who are navigating a career change due to lay-offs, or company mergers and acquisitions beyond their control. Others are career transitioning by choice and excited about designing a new chapter in life and career. My clients expressed worry about ageism […]
Don’t be a Career Loser – Take All Your Time Off
As a recovering workaholic, I strive regularly to integrate life and career to honor my personal relationships and my professional ambition. My life often resembles a roller coaster with ups and downs of activity and never a consistent steady balance – and that’s OK. This reality check has allowed me to navigate the ultra-busy career […]
Jump Starting Your Way Back into the Career World After Having a Family
This guest post was shared by Lisa, a mom of twins who recently re-entered the workforce after a career hiatus. If you’re a very busy working mom, who’s taken the time out of your career to have a family, there’s a chance you feel like you’ve missed the mark on getting back into the working […]
Back in the “New Girl” Career Seat
My work as a career and executive coach has provided me with many opportunities to prepare individuals for intensive interview and salary negotiations for new roles. Recently, I accepted a new and exciting career opportunity, which has heightened my empathy for the vulnerability a candidate feels while navigating a rigorous selection process. It’s been 6 […]
Practice Intentional Acts of Kindness Throughout Your Career
You’re stressed beyond measure at work – toiling away on the umpteenth iteration of a new campaign; 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 […]
Forest Bathing Will Enhance Your Life and Career
I was driving to work one morning when I heard a fascinating NPR story about forest bathingand how a retreat to nature can boost immunity and mood. If you have not heard about the trendy concept of forest bathing, the study of the practice dates back to the late 1990’swhen a test was done by […]
Stop the Busy Brag
Busy-ness is a dangerous trap that relinquishes our control to find meaning and fulfillment in life and career when we are stuck in the quicksand of being busy. I am on a mission to disrupt the busy culture and focus on a life that is measured by meaning, value, fulfillment and other factors we can […]
Organizations are Serious About The “No Jerks” Policy When Hiring
Over the last 19 years as a career & professional development consultant, I have worked with countless employers seeking ideal candidates to fill critical roles in their organizations. Regardless of the career field, recruiters and hiring managers agree that after the basic criteria of skills and experiences are met, candidates are accepted or eliminated based […]
The Role of Confidence in the Career World
A limp handshake, lack of eye contact, and shaking voice: sound familiar? If you don’t feel confident in yourself, you may have trouble presenting yourself in an effective and professional way. Whether we like it or not, moving up the career ladder and achieving your professional goals often depends on more than just your work: […]
Top Tips to Be an Effective and Powerful Woman Entrepreneur
We as women all have our fair share of obstacles in the business world. While we’ve made strides in equality in the workplace and an increased amount of women-owned businesses, there still seems to be a gap between women and men in business. Because every woman deserves to be the powerful and successful entrepreneur she […]
Grit Defines Achievement in Your Career
Grit is defined as firmness of mind or spirit – an unyielding courage in the face of hardship. The career world is changing so fast that grit has also become a sought after competency for hiring and a necessity for entrepreneurs and innovators. The emerging research indicates that grit can determine success or achievement far […]
The Power of Great Teamwork
It’s summer sports season and from the recent victory of the US Women’s World Cup soccer team, we can learn a lot from the global professional athletes as well as the local sports enthusiasts playing in community recreational leagues. Teamwork lessons that serve athletes well on the court are also applicable to your professional life. […]
The Art of Public Speaking and How It Can Enhance Your Career
Among the pressing fears for human beings, public speaking ranks at the very top along with heights and snakes. As someone who really enjoys public speaking, I realize that I may be part of a small population but I also know how speaking has enhanced my communication and leveraged my career brand. I offer wisdom […]
Embrace “Good Enough to Go” for Career Momentum
As a career development and executive coach, I work with many individuals who are focused on making changes to their careers to better align with professional values and strengths. But for some, their best plans often get stalled in analysis paralysis, which results in stagnation and a hard stop to all forward momentum. Ambivalence Trap […]
