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!
Recruiters Seek a Learning Mindset When Recruiting Top Talent Top
“I wonder…” Whenever I hear coaching clients start off a sentence with these two words, I feel heartened. It means wheels are turning…intuition is kicking in, and mobilization is in the offing. It means my clients are curious, and ready to move past what is safe…beyond the known. It signals that they’re ready to step […]
Don’t be a Career Loser – Take All Your Paid 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 […]
A Transformative Experience
I was honored to be a presenter at the 2013 Invent Your Future Conference in Silicon Valley, California last week. I usually leave most conferences jazzed and energized but this particular experience was truly transformative. I want to share some valuable take-aways and encourage you to pursue ongoing professional development to feed your mind and […]
The 70-20-10 Networking Rule
Not a day goes by when I don’t hear from someone who is frustrated about the job search and unenthusiastic about networking. Most people are not natural networkers but at least they are willing to expand their comfort zone in order to be seen and heard in a competitive job market. However, if the concept […]
Invent Your Future Conference in Silicon Valley, CA
You need to be in control of your career destiny so it doesn’t happen by default and learning to manage your career is something every professional woman can do. Whether you are contemplating a career reinvention or looking to jump start an existing career to reignite your passion – you need to know the essential […]
Mobilize Your Mentors and Sponsors
It’s no secret that a mentor can be a terrific resource as you navigate your personal career path. Seeking a mentor starts simply with asking for advice from a trusted professional who has been there and done that in your industry. Start by asking for information and advice and see how the relationship develops. You […]
How a Coach Can Help Distinguish You in The Workplace
Having a personal career coach for C-suite executives is expected as part of their continuing professional development and it also makes great business sense. Coaches can also be helpful for non executives in various stages of a career. A career coach can help polish your communication skills, develop and implement effective leadership strategies in your […]
Bring on Your Sparkle!
When prepping my students and clients to network or interview for an ideal job opportunity, I encourage them to showcase their sparkle factor. This is the palpable characteristic that highlights their passion, strengths, and authentic interest in the opportunity at hand. The energy you emit is profound when you tap your sparkle factor and this […]
Motivating Millennials at Work
If you work in an organization where you have colleagues between the ages of 18 and 35, you probably have something to say about the millennial generation. In 2014 the millennials will comprise 36% of the workforce and by 2020 they will represent nearly half of those working. I read a great piece by Jenna […]
You Must Earn Respect in the Workplace
In the era of Facebook you can like something with the click of a mouse to show your personal attraction or acknowledgement towards a person, object, or sentiment in a post. It has become a popularity contest of sorts to attract numerous likes and expand your social media presence and network of friends. Many women […]
Why Everyone Can Benefit From Sales Skills
Jeff Haden wrote a piece in Inc. com about the most important skill for success. After interviewing 20 business owners and CEOs – every one of them indicated that sales skills were paramount – in any field. To many people, “selling” harkens back to the tragic figure in Death of a Salesman and the need […]
Who’s in Your Corner?
I talk a lot about assembling your team or Personal Board of Directors because I believe that nothing incredible is accomplished alone. Jessica Hagy wrote a greatpiece in Forbes and identified 6 people you want in your corner to help you move your professional goals forward. The Instigator –this person pushes you and makes you […]
How to Excel in a Male Dominated Workplace
In her TED talk (which has gone viral), Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook talked about the scarcity of women in the corporate company restrooms and being mistaken for someone’s assistant during her earlier career days. In reality, the boys club still exists in many careers so what’s a professional woman to do? Jane Fang wrote […]
Reverse Networking – It’s Not About You
I read a great piece in the Harvard Business Review by Jodi Glickman about networking that I wanted to share. A self proclaimed communications guru, Jodi found herself at a networking event not in the mood to schmooze and hobnob. While she considered bolting altogether, she instead did some mental furniture rearranging and decided on […]
