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!
Feeling Stuck in Your Life or Career? Design Your Way to a Better Future

You are not alone of you feel stuck, stalled, or stagnated in your career. I work with many clients who have been in the same role, or with the same organization for multiple years and feel that the spark is no longer there when it comes to their work. They feel drained; lack focus, and […]
The Gender Gap? Women and Men in the Labor Market

This article originally appeared here: The Gender Gap? Women and Men in the Labor Market and was republished here by permission of LiveCareer. Women can climb career ladders and trees with their children. Still, femininity is not defined by motherhood. At the same time, more and more men are engaged in both professional and family […]
Getting the Boss to Buy Into Your Great Ideas

In the new normal of the career world it’s more important than ever to toot your own professional horn and make your accomplishments known internally in your organization. This isn’t inappropriate bragging but strategic self advocacy that may keep you stay afloat in tough times since every employee has to prove their worth. But how […]
Women In the Workplace 2016: Roadblocks to the C-suite

If you’re wondering how women are faring overall when it comes to leadership and gender equality in corporate America, the recently released Women In the Workplace 2016 report makes it clear – the answer is not very well. The report is the culmination of research conducted by McKinsey & Company, in partnership with LeanIn.Org, and […]
How Entrepreneurship Can Help Achieve World Peace

The gig economy is alive and well, and disruptive innovation has empowered many to earn money driving for Uber or by monetizing their home as an AirBnB rental. But there is a deeper value and sustainable role in the start-up and entrepreneurship culture that is impacting the global landscape more than you may have considered. […]
“Can’t Not Do” – Guided by Desire or Fear?

I’m thrilled to share this guest blog from my friend and colleague, Beth Kreitl, EdS, LMHC, 200RYT. We worked together in the early stages of our career development journey at Indiana University and it has been a joy to see Beth truly enjoy her career and love her life. I’m confident you will be inspired […]
The Wisdom of Picking a Career That Suits You Well

This blog post was contributed by Reanne Brian. When deciding on an initial path or a career change, there can be many factors at play. People often think about wages and working hours as well as the specific role itself. Career coaches advise that to find the most fulfilling role, you should first take a long hard […]
Feedforward On the Job: A Key To Self-Improvement

Continuous learning and growth is essential to building a successful career, and feedback is an important part of that process. I’ve seen my coaching clients flourish thanks, in part, to feedback. While the prospect of an assessment of your strengths and weaknesses can feel daunting, and actually receiving it can be painful at times, feedback […]
Getting In The Habit: Baby Steps Toward Change

Raised as a Catholic, I was well aware of habits. First, because nuns were wearing them, and nuns were not to be trifled with, and secondly, because nuns were always on a mission to instill the good ones. At this stage of the game, many of us have our own inner nun overseeing our “good” […]
Women Leaders Are Changing the World

Women are paving the way for a new style of leadership that is confident, authentic, and highly effective. And yet, CNN Money reports that only 25 out of 500 companies in the S&P 500 have women CEO’s. Thankfully, the comprehensive picture looks more promising. The presence of women in C-Suite roles is certainly important but […]
Tap Your Inner PR Agent for Career Success

Even though I count on my amazing Publicist, Stacey J. Miller’s expertise to promote my book, I still consider one of my most important tasks to be self promotion. I am always packing books, business cards, portfolios, and compelling stories about what I do and why it is valuable to potential clients, speakers bureaus, or […]
The Thrill of Career Victory and The Agony of Defeat

National unemployment numbers are the lowest in recent history and jobs are more plentiful but finding the right career fit can still be a challenge. Some are re-entering the job world after a planned hiatus – like taking time off to raise children, caring for elderly parents, or becoming a trailing spouse following a partner’s […]
The Crucial Step of Following Up

I speak to so many people who honestly believe they are networking well by sending an email or leaving a single voicemail. When they don’t get a response, they abandon the contact. The follow-up is the most crucial part of building and maintaining any professional relationship. My first suggestion is to distinguish yourself by calling […]
Work-Health Balance: 7 Guideposts To Help Take Care of Yours
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We talk a lot about work-life balance these days, but what about work-health balance? When we refer to our work, we often say we’re giving it our “all” or giving “one hundred and fifty percent.” These are admirable sentiments in theory, but what percentage of the pie of life are you reserving for yourself – […]