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!
Rest Is More Than Sleep: What You Need to Renew Your Energy
I am a firm believer in the power of sleep and do my best to get 8 hours every night to maintain my health and wellness. I thought I was honoring my need to rest but my mind was blown when I read a piece about Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith in Maria Shriver’s: The Sunday Paper […]
Pace Yourself This Holiday Season: Tips for Going the Distance
Over the past few years, a holiday creep has overtaken the days of autumn. The holiday roll-out in the U.S. has gotten earlier and earlier and with Thanksgiving behind us, it’s easy to become stressed about completing all the tasks required at work and in your personal life to enjoy the festive season. Here are […]
Social Media Mistakes
I received some great feedback from readers who took the plunge and started using social media to plug their products and services, or market their strengths as a job candidate. As a social media newcomer myself, I have been studying up on social media mistakes to be sure that I am not making them as […]
Start Doing What You Want to Be – Now!
I received a wonderful comment on one of my recent Huffington Post columns from an individual who is an aspiring writer. He shared that his passion is writing and his career goal is to pursue work in the communications field so he can play to his strengths and showcase his writing abilities. As he works […]
If I Can Tweet – So Can You!
I’ll be the first to admit I was skeptical about using Twitter to promote my book and career consulting business but now I am hooked. Social Media is a very efficient way to get your message out to the masses, expand your horizons, and build your network. The biggest perk is that it’s free so […]
Getting the Boss to Buy Into Your Great Ideas
In these tenuous economic times, it’s more important than ever to toot your own professional horn and make your accomplishments known internally in your organization. This isn’t inappropriate bragging but strategic self advocacy that may help you stay afloat in a potential lay-off scenario since every employee has to prove their worth. But how do you sell […]
Ten Rules for Presenters
I do a lot of presentations around the country and I really enjoy being in front of an audience. I can ascertain within minutes if my audience is with me and feel compelled to keep them engaged while delivering my message because there is nothing worse than sitting through a bad presentation. We’ve all been […]
Applying Eat, Pray, Love to Your Life
If you haven’t read Liz Gilbert’s book Eat Pray Love or seen the blockbuster movie with Julia Roberts, the nutshell version is that it took Liz (the protagonist) a full twelve months and three countries to strike a balance between pleasure seeking and inner spiritual peace. Liz ultimately found her authentic self and although traveling […]
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 […]
Dealing With Criticism or Rejection at Work
Jill Frank, the President of Leverage Your Talent in Tampa, FL shared this valuable insight about how to deal with the realities of criticism or rejection in the workplace. She says that since we tend to merge our identities with our careers, rejection or criticism can often be a blow to our self-esteem. From […]
Establish a Gossip Free Workplace
I read a fascinating New York Times article by Shayla McKnight who shared a story about her job interview with an online printing company based in Livingston, Montana and the Human Resources Manager who was clear about the no-gossip policy and no office politics rule before she was even hired. While McKnight thought the policy […]
Crack the Gender Code in the Interview
I read a fabulous article by Muriel Vega in Pink Magazine online about how men take credit more easily for their accomplishments and often see negotiation as a sport. In the end this often gets them higher pay rates. Connie Glaser, a communications expert and author of Gender Talk Works: 7 Steps for Cracking the […]
An Attitude Adjustment in Just 2 Minutes
Admittedly, there are times when the stress at work makes you want to tear your hair out or at least close your door and scream in the privacy of your own work space. So, when life gets complicated at work and you need an attitude adjustment or a breather to re-create a positive frame of […]
Interview Wardrobe Essentials
For many, this is a time for job interviewing and I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly this season when it comes to dressing for success. The first impression is made within 30 seconds before you utter a single word so your professional image speaks volumes about how you will be received […]
