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!
Should We Fist Bump, Bow, or Shake Hands?
After the long pandemic hiatus from in-person gatherings, I recently attended a few professional events with people in attendance at large venues. It was delightful to see colleagues face-to-face whom I had only communicated with via Zoom after almost 2 years. Some people I met in-person for the very first time since our entire professional […]
Earning the Respect of Others at Work is Worth the Effort
It is human nature to want to be liked at work, but I urge you to go the extra mile to earn the respect of your colleagues and your boss. There is a difference between being liked and respected in a leadership role. If you earn the respect of your team, your people will be […]
Have You Ever Read 150 Resumes in an Hour?
It’s resume season as newly minted graduates dive into the job market and experienced professionals look for opportunities to better meet their career goals. I urge you to put on your recruiter hat as you develop your resume and think about the people who will be reading this important part of your professional tool kit. […]
Glass Ceiling or Sticky Floor?
I had the great pleasure of attending a webinar by Carolyn Wiethoff, professor at the IU Kelley School of Business and an expert on organizational behavior. She gave some startling statistics about how women still earn between 60-80% of what men are earning in the same positions across different career fields. Her research attributes this […]
Playing Nice in Your Career Sandbox
I have learned that there is nothing stronger than the power of women in community and that women can be inspirational resources in the professional arena. But I also know the reality of being a woman in the professional world and how we often struggle with owning a strong, confident persona while maintaining our authenticity […]
Madeleine Albright’s Leadership Institute for Women
Former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright is paving the way for the future women leaders of the world and unlocking the door to the proverbial good old boys club. At Wellesley College, Ms. Albright’s alma mater, a new Institute for Global Affairs named after her will be offering students around the world access to non-partisan […]
Earning Verses Getting
One of my pet peeves is when a client or student of mine talks about getting their degree from a particular university or college. This nomenclature is everywhere from professional bios to all forms of media. The last time I checked, schools were not giving out degrees to just anyone who walked across the stage […]
The Art of Self Promotion
It’s not enough to just do your job well anymore. Professionals need to distinguish themselves in the workplace in order to earn promotions and recognition within an organization. Entrepreneurs have to take control of their own career advocacy to be noticed and stay competitive in the marketplace. The art of self promotion is a necessity […]
The Five G’s of Effective Communication
I had the great pleasure of hearing Kathleen Oliver, COO of Oliver Winery speak at a professional development workshop recently. In her position at the winery, Kathleen manages the retail operation of the business, oversees the activities of the tasting room, special events, and human resources so she communicates with a very large staff daily. […]
Networking Before You Need It
According to Keith Ferrazzi, a networking expert and author of: Never Eat Alone, you should build your resource team before you need it. Nothing is worse than the image of the unemployed individual desperately taking business cards at a professional conference in order to find a job. The reality is that you should start connecting […]
Embracing Change
A transferable skill that tops the list of competencies employers value most is the ability to handle change. While change is an essential element in life and career, most instinctively resist it. The ability to handle change requires ongoing attention and perseverance. In the career arena, learning to deal with change can be used to […]
Serendipity and Arianna Huffington
In order to build my brand and a foundation for my book, I have been working with a terrific Publicist, Stacey J. Miller, and our goal is to get my by-lined career articles picked up by the major national media sources. I’m thrilled to report that I was accepted to be a regular contributor for […]
Authenticity
I had a wonderful opportunity to present to a group of women earning their MBA and law degrees recently at a day long professional development workshop. As the guest speakers discussed a variety of topics from leadership and personal brand to professionalism, one theme was consistent throughout – be true to yourself. Authenticity is the […]
Pay-It-Forward
I believe it takes a village to develop a career in the professional world and the first step is to surround yourself with people you respect and trust. The next step is to be conscious of how you can pay-it-forward and help others in return. We introduce new relationships into our lives every day whether […]
