This Is Not The Career I Ordered™
Savvy Professional Career Wisdom by Caroline Dowd-Higgins
A Career Letter to The Class of 2024
![Class of 2024 concept. Number 2024 with graduated cap and bokeh lights banner. Class of 2024 concept. Number 2024 with graduated cap and bokeh lights banner.](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/Class-of-2024.jpg)
Dear Class of 2024: A multi-generational celebration is in progress as we celebrate learners of all ages heading into the career world. You can design your career destiny and I encourage you to tap the power you have within you. You earned your credentials with a tremendous amount of time, effort, and more than likely […]
Can You Benefit from an Executive Coach?
![Portrait of Beautiful black african american woman wearing yello Portrait of Beautiful black african american woman wearing yello](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/Depositphotos_401787980_S.jpeg)
As a certified executive coach, I work with a coach – a few in fact, who help guide me on my career and life journey. My coaches have provided a space with psychological safety and confidentiality to allow me to explore, discover, self-reflect, and polish my strengths, and mitigate my blind spots, so I can […]
Prioritize Mental Health in Your Life and Career
![dreamstime_s_148998573 dreamstime_s_148998573](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/dreamstime_s_148998573-360x239.jpg)
May is mental health awareness month and it’s time to pause and reflect about how you are honoring your mental fitness needs at work and at home. The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A. released a report providing a framework for Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing. The report is a call to action to lift the […]
A Career Letter to The Class of 2023
![11592523_0 11592523_0](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/11592523_0-1024x538-360x189.jpg)
Dear Class of 2023: As you head into the career world you have an opportunity to design your own career destiny and I encourage you to tap the power you have within you. You earned your credentials with a tremendous amount of time, effort, and more than likely a big financial investment that may also […]
Everboarding is the Key to Talent Retention
![Coding web game at home Coding web game at home](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/iStock-1227631708-1024x683-360x240.jpeg)
The Association of Talent Development (ATD) reports that the amount of information new hires learn in the first few days and weeks can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, many organizations consider onboarding a one-and-done process with tutorial videos and copious digital resources to comb through on your own. It’s a victory if you can find the bathroom […]
Experiment with New Things to Design Your Best Life and Career
![Portrait of a Beautiful Authentic Latina Female with Afro Hair Wearing Light Blue Jumper and Glasses. She Looks to the Camera and Smiling Charmingly. Successful Woman Resting in Bright Living Room. Portrait of a Beautiful Authentic Latina Female with Afro Hair Wearing Light Blue Jumper and Glasses. She Looks to the Camera and Smiling Charmingly. Successful Woman Resting in Bright Living Room.](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/iStock-1313422725-1024x576-360x202.jpg)
I speak to countless people who feel stuck or helpless in the wrong career, the wrong organization, or an unhappy life. The concept of design thinking will empower you with practical and creative strategies to reboot what’s not working so you can assert more control over your future. Design Thinking, a concept birthed in the tech […]
Enjoy Your Career. Love Your Life. ™
![Portrait of successful female business team in office Portrait of successful female business team in office](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/groupofwomen-1024x683-360x240.jpg)
For decades, I took great pride in being known as a workhorse. I was praised for burning the candle at both ends and didn’t take all my well-earned paid time off. I didn’t recognize the fact that I sacrificed my personal life for my career because I loved my all-consuming work. In the heart of […]
Sorry? Not Sorry!
![dreamstime_s_97072926 dreamstime_s_97072926](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/dreamstime_s_97072926-360x238.jpg)
We all know people who over-apologize. Individuals who take responsibility for everything – even things they didn’t do. Research tells us that women tend to over-apologize more than men. As comedian and writer Amy Poehler puts it, “It takes years as a woman to unlearn what you have been taught to be sorry for.” Harriet […]
Celebrating Women Leaders
![dreamstime_s_170827834 dreamstime_s_170827834](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/dreamstime_s_170827834-360x239.jpg)
In honor of International Women’s month, it’s time to shine a spotlight on the transformational impact of women leaders. Women are paving the way for a style of leadership that is confident, authentic, and highly effective. Catalyst reports that the share of women in senior management is increasing incrementally. We still have a long way to go […]
Tell Your Story to Stand Out in Your Career
![Portrait Of Female Owner Of Fashion Store Using Digital Tablet To Check Stock In Clothing Store Portrait Of Female Owner Of Fashion Store Using Digital Tablet To Check Stock In Clothing Store](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/iStock-1230784005-1024x683-360x240.jpg)
The sensory overload and overwhelm of social media and office communication can make it difficult to rise above the noise and be heard and recognized in the career space. You have a very short timeframe to articulate your value-add in an interview, a performance evaluation, or an entrepreneurial pitch for start-up funding, for example. To […]
Your Career Advantage
![414 copy 414 copy](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/414-copy-1024x683-360x240.jpg)
In 2021, I began writing a bi-weekly LinkedIn newsletter which now has over 4,400 global subscribers and growing. This incredible community of professionals has taught me so much and I am committed to sharing tools and resources to help us all navigate a lifelong career journey with meaning and purpose. As an executive coach and […]
This Valentine’s Day – Love Who You Are
![1644689789869 1644689789869](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/1644689789869-360x188.jpg)
It’s the time of year for cards with red hearts, chocolates, and flowers as Valentine’s Day approaches. It causes anxiety for some who are seeking affection, and bliss for others who are celebrating their love with someone special. This Valentine’s Day I encourage you to see it through a different lens. By all means, celebrate […]
Savor Your Success
![Group of business workers working together. Young beautiful woman standing smiling happy looking at the camera at the office Group of business workers working together. Young beautiful woman standing smiling happy looking at the camera at the office](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/Depositphotos_374822806_S-360x240.jpg)
We live in a world where achieving success is a moving target. Whether your organization is focused on sales goals, fundraising targets, billable hours, placements, or some other measurement to quantify success – it’s rare to celebrate hitting the goal before the bar is quickly raised to a new and higher level. I get the […]
Future-Focused Leadership
![Depositphotos_190908346_S Depositphotos_190908346_S](https://carolinedowdhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/Depositphotos_190908346_S-360x240.jpg)
Leadership has evolved over the decades and savvy, future-focused leaders empower others to do great work. The shift from command-and-control management, to leading with empathy, humility, and vulnerability is essential to attract and retain top talent. If this leadership style is new to you – it can be learned. Let’s take a closer look at […]