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!
A Career Letter to The Class of 2022
It’s graduation season and I’ve had the honor of speaking at commencement ceremonies this spring. Here is my career wisdom for the multigenerational Class of 2022 that still holds true for seasoned professionals. Dear Class of 2022: As you head into the endemic work world you have an opportunity to design your own career destiny […]
Single Task Your Way to a Healthier Life and Career
Multitasking used to be a sought-after professional competency thought to be a valuable skill for the busy professional. Research tells us that single tasking is more effective and can result in higher productivity and time efficiency. I can envision the woman working at her desk, reading this piece while eating her lunch, checking her email, […]
How to Get a Bigger Raise in 2013
Raises have been minimal, or non-existent from 2010 to 2012 according to a compensation-planning survey from Mercer, a New York human resources consulting firm. Most organizations have not even covered the 2012 cost of living adjustment (COLA) of 3.6 % as reported by the Social Security Administration and responded with paltry raises in the 2.7% […]
Does Your Career Zig or Zag?
The generations of professionals who work their entire career in a single organization are becoming extinct. These days it’s not that people have changed their professional values but that organizations don’t honor the long-term employee as they did in years past. The grow talent from within philosophy can still be found in some of the […]
Why Your Lunch Break is Essential
I’m the first to admit I have worked through many a lunch hour caching up on email and other tasks on my long to-do list for any given day. Besides the fact that I didn’t give myself a much-needed break during a busy day, I have come to appreciate why putting down the work is […]
Interview Faux Pas
You can’t land your dream job without nailing the interview. This in-person opportunity gives you the chance to showcase your professional value and prove why you would be a great hire. But even the most seasoned careerists can have trouble interviewing. So instead of focusing on what you should do, here are some common interview […]
Do You Have a Career Plan?
Even if you are blissfully happy in your career you should always be thinking forward about an exit or growth strategy so you can be in control of your career destiny. Ken and Scott Blanchard wrote a great piece in Fast Company about the wisdom of the career plan and why you should have one […]
To Write, Or Not to Write…A Cover Letter
It’s so easy to submit your job application online these days but that alone will rarely get you any significant traction no matter how stellar your credentials. The reality is that there are so many job applicants for each position you must distinguish yourself above and beyond the competition. A cover letter can help you […]
Include Thought Partners on Your Personal Board
I’m a big fan of assembling a Personal Board of Directors to help guide you on your unique career journey but I recently came across the concept of Thought Partners. Barbara Stanny wrote a great piece in Forbes about successful people, who in addition to having career mentors and sponsors seek the wisdom of Thought […]
Did They Even Get My Application?
These days it’s common for an applicant to never hear back from an organization about a job they applied for online. You send your materials off into the black hole of the Internet and hope for some kind of acknowledgment that your resume landed in the right place. Meghan Biro wrote a great piece for […]
Happiness and Workplace Influence
It’s no mystery that happy employees are more productive but unhappy employees can become extremely debilitated and unwilling to follow leaders. This lack of influence leads to a breakdown in organizational morale, positional power and stability within organizations. Crystal Miller wrote a great piece on Blogging4Jobs about how asserting influence is not a passive thing […]
Slay Your Leadership Dragons
Every week on my CBS Radio show: Career Coach Caroline I get calls or email from listeners asking for guidance about a bad boss. Art Petty wrote a great piece in Management Excellence about Leadership Dragons, the outward behavior by many in leadership roles that prevent them from truly meriting the title of leader. These dragons […]
