Savvy Professional Career Wisdom by Caroline Dowd-Higgins
Work Backwards in Your Job Search

Unfortunately, the trend today is for people to polish their resume and submit hundreds of copies via online job sites hoping that they will get a hit. Many job seekers are applying for anything and everything that is remotely appealing and this technique is not yielding successful results. In reality, job seekers should work backwards […]
Have You Googled Yourself Lately?

If you are pursuing a job search, or simply concerned about your public professional image, (and everyone should be!) Google yourself to see what comes up. This is not a vanity move but a pro-active self defense strategy to make sure your web presence is polished and ready for public consumption. It’s a given that […]
Are You Tapping Into Your Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence (EI) describes the ability to identify, assess, manage and control the emotions of one’s self, of others, and of groups. In addition to having a cadre of transferable skills relevant to a particular career field, employers are looking for candidates with sound emotional intelligence when hiring. Emotional Intelligence helps us connect and communicate with colleagues […]
Tell Your Story

Whether you are looking for a new career opportunity or wanting to re-ignite an existing job, you need to be able to tell your professional story. Most interviews start with the Tell Me About You question which is the ideal chance for you to take the lead and deliver your best story. But you should […]
Is a Headhunter Right for You?

While networking your way into the job market should take up 90% of your time, if you are an experienced candidate you may also want to consider working with a recruiter. Remember that recruiters are working with a myriad of candidates at once so you must be communicative and above all – know your strengths. […]
Delegation is Empowering to All

As a self proclaimed control freak, I had a hard time learning to delegate. I was doing things myself for so long that it was difficult for me to let go. I was also caught in the syndrome that if I wanted to get something done right – I would have to do it myself. But […]
Work/Life Balance Survival

I recently taught a work/life balance seminar called I Will Survive! and opened the workshop by admitting to my audience that I was a work-a-holic. I found myself in the same boat as my participants with a hectic work day followed by endless evening activities leaving precious little time for family and fun activities. When […]
Why You Should Invest in a Professional Photo

In the age of social media we are encouraged to use a photo in our professional profiles. This is a great networking tool and provides a very important first impression to the readers, many of whom are employers trolling for job candidates. How often have you seen a profile photo cropped to showcase the head-only […]
Accepting Compliments

Historically, women have been taught to be modest and not boastful. While there is nothing worse than an arrogant bragger, I am on a personal mission to help others embrace their humble confidence and own their strengths and accomplishments. In reality, there is nobody else in the professional world advocating on your behalf but you. […]
Moms Re-entering the Workforce

Many women take a hiatus from careers to raise their young children in accordance with their work/life values. But, not all women have the luxury of leaving work to be with their kids. The Harvard Business Review published data reporting that 93% of women who do take a temporary leave (beyond the traditional maternity leave), […]