This Is Not The Career I Ordered™
Savvy Professional Career Wisdom by Caroline Dowd-Higgins
Focus on Strengths, Not Weaknesses to Find Career Alignment
We hear it often…it’s better to play to your strengths rather than trying to fix your weaknesses. While that may seem like a no-brainer, especially when it comes to work and career, it’s surprising how many continue to work against their own proverbial grain. We’ve all heard about the challenges of trying to fit square […]
Radical Candor: Getting Real with Developmental Feedback
Leaders often need to give feedback that can be hard to deliver, as well as hard for those on the receiving end to hear. In her book Radical Candor: How To Be A Great Boss And A Kick Ass Citizen, author, coach and former tech exec, Kim Scott, advises that the more straightforward and honest […]
Would You Be Happier With More Time or Money?
In the spirit of sharing great resources, my friend Chris sent me an amazing article by Alice LaPlante from the Journal of Consumer Psychology about the value of time and money. Professors Jennifer Aaker and Melanie Rudd of the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Cassie Mogilner of the University of Pennsylvania discuss how time […]
What Now? What Next?
The career development journey is an exciting one but the overload of new information, opportunities, and ideas can often lead to analysis paralysis. With the myriad of possibilities you can get overwhelmed if you don’t have a system in place for choosing what action to take. Tai Goodwin, the Career Makeover Coach suggests two simple […]
Why Everyone Needs a Business Card!
A business or personal card is your ticket to effective follow-up when networking. Learn why everybody should take advantage of this essential career tool.
Pursuing a Raise
Most women would never dream of asking for a raise – they simply wait for performance review season and accept the allocated raise (if any) established by the company powers that be. I challenge you to think outside of the box and introduce the concept of a promotion if you have gone above-and-beyond in your […]
The Power of Networking with CDH
Learn to demystify networking and use it to your best advantage in your job search or career management. Check out my new video and consider subscribing to my YouTube Channel for regular new video posts. http://www.youtube.com/user/cdowdhig?feature=mhee#p/u
The Law of Attraction
Two years ago, Deborah Stephens, a friend and mentor on my personal Board of Directors sat me down and asked what I wanted to accomplish professionally in the next 5 years. She asked me to be very specific and envision my future goals so I could develop strategies to make them happen. At the time, […]
What’s Whipsering to You?
I taped the last episode of the Oprah show and watched it with pen in hand since I knew she would be sharing some amazing wisdom worth repeating and I wanted to take notes. My biggest take-away was that nobody but you is responsible for your life. As Oprah eloquently said – “You are responsible […]
Are Your Nurturing Your Network?
Networking is a skill and it can be hard to keep up with the extended book of contacts you worked so diligently to develop. The follow-up step is the key to maintaining strong professional relationships since the one-and-done effort leaves people feeling ill-used and less than willing to share their time and expertise with you […]
Knock ’em Dead Core Career Strategies
As my blog audience grows I have had the great pleasure of connecting with some of the amazing career development professionals in the field. Martin Yate, a household name in this industry and I had a great conversation recently about his new book. Martin is the New York Times bestselling author of 11 job search and […]
All Eyes are on You
I find it fascinating how many people don’t utilize the power of strong eye contact when communicating in-person these days. We have indeed become a technology driven work force but well used eye contact is still imperative and separates us from the electronic gadgets by putting a human touch on our communication that will never […]
Get Comfortable Feeling Uncomfortable
I read a great piece by Laura Deck, a Program Manager for PBWC at Planning Dynamics who develops conference programs and other initiatives for women. She discussed how when women feel uncomfortable in a new position they are tempted to fall back on their previous jobs. While most people are fearful about a new job, […]
Ask For What You Want
I have yet to meet a boss who is a mind reader and it’s important for employees to be empowered with the reality that they should ask for what they want. The worst thing that can happen is that your boss will say no – but you’ll never get it if you don’t ask. Be […]