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!
Interviewology with Anna Papalia

Recently, I’ve heard several prospective clients share that they have made it to the final round of the interview process but did not land the role – coming in as a strong runner up. What candidates rarely consider is that 90% of hiring managers aren’t trained on how to interview, so they fall prey to […]
Ambition is Not a Dirty Word

The career landscape provides you with a myriad of choices about where to work and how to advance your career. Be proactive about how to become a promotable player and confidently consider the leaders with whom you want to work — or not. During a mock interview with my client Collette, I asked her if […]
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 […]
Ad-Just-ing Your Use of “Just”

I’d like you to try a little experiment…. For one day, try monitoring the way you use the word “just” – keeping a tally throughout the day of when and how you use it. There’s the version of “just” that’s an adjective – describing a person as “morally right and fair”… “The Vice-President of Marketing […]
Nine Secrets to Great Teamwork

Robyn Odegaard founded her business, Champion Performance Development and is committed to teaching individuals how to better communicate and resolve conflict on teams. While her target audience is college aged women in sports, her message and strategies are applicable to us all. Check out Doc Robyn’s nine secrets to great teamwork for some priceless wisdom. Set […]
April 18th Is Just Around the Corner: Tax Tips For Entrepreneurs

In just a few short weeks it will be April 18th, and the U.S. mail will be working at full tilt — making sure state and federal income tax returns are postmarked with that all-important “Apr 18” stamp. If you haven’t yet completed your taxes, you’re, no doubt, looking for a time to get the […]
Working the Room: Making the Most of Professional Events

Jenny Holt is a freelance writer, mother of two and contributor to my blog. She loves nothing more than getting away from it and taking her pet Labrador Bruce for long walks, something she can do a lot more now she’s left the corporate world behind. Have you ever declined an invitation to attend a work-related […]
How to Do What You Love

The number one resolution each year is change. Be it weight loss or leaving bad habits behind, the beginning of the year always represents a fresh start. For many women, it seems as though you spend each day trudging into work, doing what you must to get by. Then one day you wake up, aged […]
Consider What To Keep, Stop, and Start to Reinvigorate Life and Career

A friend shared recently that every seven years she goes through a change that impacts her life and career in new ways. She looks forward to the new lens through which she sees life and embraces the process of transition. The human body is constantly changing at a cellular level so the process of transformation […]
United States of Burnout – Say No To Workaholism

My life is full, hectic, and often moving at break neck speed. Although I thrive in the fast paced environment I have created, I’ve recently tried to come to terms with work/life balance to determine if this is even possible or realistic for someone like me who is living life to the fullest and determined […]
Selling to the Sellers: How to Make a Career Serving Amazon FBA Sellers

A story is told of Levi Strauss selling jeans to gold miners during the California gold rush, and Samuel Brannan selling wheelbarrows and mining tools during the boom. Those two made more money than the miners. The story has come to be known as ‘selling pickaxes during a gold rush.’ The underlying technique is one […]
The Best Leaders Develop Others by Coaching

There are a myriad of resources and methodologies in existence to empower great leaders. One of the most important attributes of a successful leader is their ability and commitment to grooming and developing others. It is a tremendous responsibility that can also be truly gratifying. Whether you are the leader, or you are vying for […]
Win Back Your Freedom Working from Home

Have you ever considered quitting your job and going freelance? In the age of the Internet, there are more ways than ever to make money from the comfort of your sofa. Changing jobs or career direction can be challenging, which is why you should look at the positive and negative aspects in equal measure before […]
Negotiation Tips From Personal Capital Part 3

Stay positive during your negotiation! Check out Personal Capital’s free financial software!