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!
Should I Stay, or Should I Go?
The world-of-work is changing fast with unemployment at a record low and the Talent Wars in full swing. The Worker’s Market has given everyone the opportunity to reconsider their values and assess whether their current workplace is a best fit. As a career and leadership coach, I hear on a regular basis from clients asking […]
Don’t Be Your Own Worst Career Enemy
We’ve all been in job situations that weren’t ideal but if you are looking to move up or move on, your professional attitude is something that will pave the way for a new opportunity. I read a great piece in Gamut News about self sabotaging career behaviors that you need to be aware of. When […]
A Flexible Workforce Will Stimulate the Economy
Sallie Krawcheck wrote a great piece in Forbes about Flexibility Without Shame that really resonated with me. It’s no secret that fully engaging women in the workforce will increase our GDP and the economy significantly. The problem with engaging more women remains the flexibility factor. Krawcheck divided working women who chose to have children into […]
Turn a Rejection Into an Offer
One of my clients got what she thought was a standard rejection letter after an interview and she was frustrated and discouraged. I encouraged her to follow-up with a phone call to the employer to thank them for the interview and to keep her in mind if the company’s hiring needs changed. As it turned […]
Savvy LinkedIn Strategies
With 200+ million members on LinkedIn you are really missing out if you are not using this professional social media platform to your advantage. I had Ben Casnocha on my CBS radio show Career Coach Caroline recently and he co-wrote a book called The Start Up of You with LinkedIn founder, Reid Hoffmann. We talked […]
Why Top Talent Leaves
In this career era, employees are not loyal to organizations because organizations are not loyal to employees. But many companies struggle with retaining top talent long enough to see their return on investment for new hires. Mike Myatt wrote a great piece in Forbes illustrating just why top talent tends to move on. You’ve heard […]
New Year = New Career!
The pressure for a New Year’s resolution is palpable this month, and the media is bombarding us with ads for weight loss and smoking cessation. But what about New Year career advice? A record number of Americans are still unemployed and many others are dissatisfied with their current work. Now is a great time to […]
All I Want for Christmas Is a New Career
The stress of the holidays can be difficult enough without having to worry about finding a job or reinventing your career. This season consider tapping into the wisdom and expertise of your friends and family. Turn the holiday conversation into a professional development coaching session and ask your circle of trust to help out by […]
How Not To Make a Fool of Yourself at the Office Holiday Party
It’s been a great year, you’ve worked really hard, and your company has brought back the holiday party to reward the team for a job well done. Before you pop the champagne be mindful that your behavior at the holiday bash will impact your professional reputation come Monday morning and beyond. Here are some tips […]
Show Your Colleagues You Appreciate Them This Holiday Season
Tis the season to give thanks so why not extend your gratitude to your professional network, as well as your friends and family? This is a wonderful time of year to nurture your professional peeps and show them how much you appreciate having them in your world-of-work. Navigating the social norms and workplace protocol for […]
How to Avoid Being Laid Off
Unemployment is moving slowly in the right direction but many companies are still downsizing to make financial ends meet. A savvy professional needs to showcase their value-add and strategize early to avoid a right sizing job loss. Here are some action steps to help prevent the dreaded job elimination email. Become Indispensable – You must […]
Marketing Overqualified to Your Advantage
If you are lucky enough to land a job interview in this difficult market, make sure you are in control of your message. This is especially important for seasoned candidates who often hear that they are overqualified for a position. With a generation of experienced individuals that were laid off during the recession, organizations are […]
Renaissance of the Gratitude Journal
In 1995 Sarah Ban Breathnach’s book Simple Abundance: A Day Book of Comfort and Joy was on the bestseller list and Oprah was talking about how impactful a gratitude journal could be in the way we view the world. My dear friend and colleague, Nichole reminded me of the importance of a gratitude journal when […]
