Now is a good time to reflect on the past year and recognize your successful and not so successful moments. Many people experienced a frustrating 2008, and they find comfort and understanding in blaming their frustrations on changed external circumstances. Your true source of frustration is not that your circumstances have changed, but that your ways of thinking have NOT changed. You develop thinking patterns to deal with a...

Seven years ago, I had a job in the corporate world. I had an office, a good salary, and the privilege of being known and respected for consistently doing a job well done. Even though I was successful, I'd been unhappy in my career for years. I stayed put because I was comfortable, tied to the money, loved the adrenaline rush that deadlines produce, and enjoyed the compliments I received from my boss and peers. Secretly, I...

There are times in our career when we are at a crossroads. Some of us actively seek our next step, while others wait for the next step to come to them. Whether you need to make a change in your career now by choice, or by default, you'll need a plan. Without a plan, expect to be like a leaf on a tree, going not where you want, but where the wind takes you. Don't let the bad news around you keep you standing still. Create a...

A sudden job loss can be very unsettling, and it makes a person look inside in order to get perspective on their situation. I was a person that was laid off too a few years back, so I know what it is like to not have a job to go to. I feel fortunate, though, that I was building my coaching practice while working full time. Because of that, I was able to transition into coaching full time. But still, not seeing the same fa...

The purpose of a résumé is to relay your accomplishments and qualifications to an employer. A résumé lists in one place everything you have done in your career, so an employer can scan through it quickly to see if you a match for a position. The perfect résumé is focused, clear, and written well. Here are some tips to crafting it successfully:Include your full contact information. Include your objective and position wanted....

Does your cover letter convey who you are and what you want quickly, or does it confuse the reader? A cover letter is a document that introduces you and your résumé to potential employers. It is your opportunity to give employers a good look at yourself, your credentials, and your background. In many cases, it is the first thing an employer sees (because it goes in front of your résumé), so expect it to make your opening im...

Are you ready for a change in your career? If you answered yes, you are not the only one. So why would anyone want to leave their job in this market? Better compensation, better career opportunities, and dissatisfaction with one's current position. If you put effort into your job search, you can find a new place to work. When you do, you want to make sure that you make a good decision; not because you don't like where yo...

All of life's journeys begin with the phrase, "I want." Think about your career and the times when you said "I want." Maybe you said "I want" go to college - and then enrolled in school and completed your degree. Maybe you said "I want" to work for a large or a small company -and you are working there now. Maybe you said "I want" to lead teams - and that's one of your current responsibilities. "I want" is a very powerful p...

Did you ever notice that there are certain people who have great jobs? People who are always working on a consistent basis, even in shaky industries and uncertain times? And then there are those who are either constantly unhappy in their careers or who go for long periods of time without work. They blame the world and wonder why bad luck always seems to happen to them. You make your own luck. Your career is great when you f...

Your career has its ups and downs. We all have or have had career slumps and they do pass. If you are feeling "slumpish" these days, know that you will look back one day and recognize the valuable lessons you've learned from this time in your life. Everything happens for a reason - you just might not know the reason yet.If this is a down period for you, the good news is it's up from here.While you are figuring things out, t...