It’s been a tough several years for businesses and the world of work has been upended in any number of different ways.  A lot of things have changed, but sadly in the domain of the job search, some things that should have by now, just haven’t.  I know that recruiters and hiring managers are busy people – you need to get your positions filled quickly and you often get hundreds of applicants for a single posting, especially these days.  As a career coach, I see it from the other side – those unfortunate individuals who, for whatever reason (mostly not their fault) have lost their jobs and are desperately still trying to provide for their families. Or those who are in a toxic work environment (there are still lots of those too) and are trying to get out. And then there are those individuals who are just trying to better themselves, get a promotion or land in a job where they actually might be happy. Read more

Have you noticed how many unsolicited emails there are in your inbox these days giving you new tips for goal setting? Yup – it’s that time of year alright – even though we may not be ready for it – 2022 is here. So here’s another one for you.

Each year I do a goal setting message with the latest and greatest tips for setting bright and shiny goals for the new year, a clean slate ahead.  Early on, I started with New Year’s Resolutions but after a while it became just goal setting and the process I was talking about each year became simpler and simpler. Because if you make it too complicated, no one is going to do it anyway. However now, after yet another year of stress, ambiguity and uncertainty it almost seems pointless to set goals after what we’ve been through.  But of course, that just makes it the most important thing we can do! It’s one of the few things that we really can control right now, when there’s so much we can’t.  Taking control over something can help us get our life back and maybe even some feeling of that ‘normalcy’ we are all looking for.

After looking at what other people are suggesting, I’m going with simple and ambitious for this new year. I’m following Michael Bungay-Stanier, coach and author, who is coming out with a new book soon called “How To Begin: Start Doing Something That Matters”. And I agree with him when he says you should set a ‘worthy’ goal this year. Read more

Here we are a year and ½ later since the start of the pandemic and no one ever expected we would still be dealing with pandemic related issues. If you thought you were stressed and burned out a year ago, I can only imagine what you are feeling now!

As leaders I’m sure it has been incredibly difficult to hold it all together with so much uncertainty for so long, a challenging business environment and all the people issues you’ve had to deal with.

Maybe if you (like many) haven’t gotten it totally right this last 18 months, as organizations bring their employees back to the workplace slowly, now may be an opportunity to review and revise your approach and there’s good reason to do so right now.

In 2020, over 40 million people lost their jobs and now all of a sudden we are in the middle of ‘The Great Resignation’, people are looking outside their organizations for new work in record numbers and there are lots of open positions. (In fact 2.7% of the US workforce quit in April 2021, and a survey from Microsoft found that 41% of the global workforce is considering leaving their current employer within the next 12 months.)  Many employees have realized they don’t love what they do and many are not going to put up with it if the environment they find themselves in right now is lacking.  People don’t leave organizations; they leave their managers so there is a lot you as a leader can do to stem this potential tide of resignations.  And it is so much cheaper (and rewarding) to keep an employee than having to recruit and hire a new one, especially if a few little changes in your leadership style might make all the difference for them. Read more

Some people love to network, others do not.  And especially now in the time of Covid, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, people are worried that it might not be ‘appropriate’ to network, especially if you are looking for a job, or want to pivot your career.  But if you think about it, the worst thing you can do if you have not talked to someone for a long time and now need a favor, is to reach out in the guise of asking how they are doing, and then ask for something for yourself, instead.  People will see right through you.  So for that reason alone, it is critical to network on an ongoing basis, no matter what is going on in your life, and how hard you think it might be.

Most people equate ‘networking’ to sticking a name tag on your jacket and bravely entering a room of strangers. And while we can’t do that anymore anyway (silver lining!) networking is really more about building meaningful relationships, about serving people and earning their trust and respect. Because humans are social beings, and I think we’ve discovered now more than ever, that we need to feel deeply connected to others to thrive. We want to be seen & heard by others, so essentially ‘connecting’ is vital for our overall wellbeing.  And connections start with communication which is what networking is all about. Read more

A few months ago, the economy was going strong and there were tons of job openings. You may have been contemplating a job or career change or were perfectly happy with what you were doing. And then everything changed in the blink of an eye. Who could have predicted the scenario we now find ourselves in worldwide, or the fact that millions of people have suddenly lost their jobs? It is a tough time for everyone having to deal with this pandemic and my heart especially goes out to those who now don’t have a job as well.

But always in crisis there is opportunity and while hard to think of it that way, now could be a time to take a fresh look at your job and career prospects, short and long term. Consider taking a consistent combination of focused actions every day to do this. Think of it as a journey and you’re taking incremental steps each and every day to get to your destination. There will be hurdles and roadblocks, but you will overcome them.

Whether you need a new job just like you had before, or wish to change or pivot to something different, here are 4 steps you can implement now to get going on that journey: Read more