Sunday, October 16, 2011
A Guide into the Future
For most of my professional life I have been a career counselor and coach. I spend countless hours guiding people through an intricate maze that includes their experiences, talents, skills and interests. The goal is to come up with job options that have the potential to be life-changing and satisfying. I have had many opportunities to educate and advise students, young professionals, seasoned workers and Baby Boomers on all areas of career development. On a personal level, I have benefited from learning about the highs and lows of their experiences and found a deep sense of pride inspiring clients to take initiative and risks that have unfolded into exciting new opportunity and positive change. I love my work. A typical day for me entails…
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Create Your Own Work
It’s no fun pounding the pavement, wearing your shoes and your spirit out, looking for work opportunities. You dutifully post your resumes online, network your heart out and attend career fairs, all with negative results. If you are frustrated by the tough job market, consider freelance or contract work as way to tide you over. With some luck, your temporary job could turn into a full time job. However, freelance work provides an opportunity to continue to develop your skills and earn some money at the same time. Many professionals in full time positions pursue freelance work as a way to enhance their salaries. Digitization, smart phones, Skype and cloud technology have made freelancing a possibility in many fields. More often than not, …
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Become a star
Do you have a talent for using the computer and an eye for design? Then you might consider rebooting your career by highlighting and clicking on the emerging new field of multimedia technology. This career specialty is predicted to grow by 18 perceny into 2016 and yield annual salaries from $56,000 to $100,000 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. From motion pictures and video to Web design and mobile media, careers in multimedia technology can be as creative as they are challenging. What Is Multimedia Technology? Multimedia technology applies interactive computer applications, such as graphics, text, video, sound and animation, with the goal of delivering a message. Professionals in multimedia use computer software to …
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Your stop to the future
If you are stuck about the whole career networking process, think about creating a 30-second elevator speech. This simplified approach provides an organized way to introduce yourself to a professional contact. Think of the 30-second elevator speech as a personal pitch, or as a script that you develop with the distinct purpose of establishing rapport or a relationship with a potentially valuable contact. This short-hand introduction can also act to stimulate interest on the part of your contact. Hopefully your 30-second speech will cultivate curiosity and generate questions from your contact that will provide more information about your background and interests. There are many situations where the 30-second elevator speech can be useful …
Sunday, August 28, 2011
How to ask for flextime.
As work continues to squeeze out more of our energy and time, we want flexibility. Young millennial workers expect it, and baby boomers are asking for part-time work hours as they transition into retirement. While not a miracle prescription, flextime offers some relief for those of us seriously suffering from the inability to manage time against work and family demands. According to a recent study conducted by Society for Human Resource Management, 56 percent of companies now offer flextime options to their employees. While flextime is not viable in every work environment, a majority of employees will choose a flextime schedule when this option is offered by their employer. The beauty of flextime is that it can also benefit the employer. …
Sunday, August 14, 2011
This week, learn the eight rules of email etiquette.
A hot cup of coffee next to the computer, a press of the power button and our work day begins. Transported into cyberspace, we quickly scan emails for directions from supervisors, input from colleagues or requests from clients and customers. The very technology that accelerates the pace of a work environment can lead you to precipitously and poorly compose emails that may result in injuring your work relationships and damaging your professional standing. Take a deep breath before you press “Send,” and follow these cautionary tips to prevent a potentially dangerous slip in your professional life. Friendly but formal When composing or responding to emails at work, use a warm approach, but follow standard business protocol. Keep in mind …
Sunday, August 7, 2011
How to avoid becoming a workaholic
It’s a wobbly job market and many workers fear losing their jobs. Employers are faced with the demands of producing in this economy and expect employees to deliver strong and measurable results. Cell phones, email and texting all conspire to accelerate work and create clients and customers who demand immediate attention. With all these external pressures more of us are working longer and harder and slowly slipping into a toxic state of workaholism. Are you always the last to leave the office? Can’t find time to take a vacation or spend time with your family? Do you have difficulty relaxing and allow work to dominate your thoughts after hours? Do you suffer from chronic insomnia or indigestion? If your answer is yes to most of these …
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Strong references are more important than ever.
Employers who are truly in tune with the modern trends go well beyond the resume as they search for top candidates to fill positions at all levels. In several recent surveys, managers indicated that they ended up hiring candidates who are strongly recommended by a colleague or someone who is highly regarded in the field. Whether you are looking for a job or whether you are building your professional qualifications and skills with an eye towards future advancement, keep under consideration those supervisors or senior leaders who have observed, supported your work and admired your results. If you are a top performer, these leaders are likely to be enthusiastic about advocating and recommending you for current and future professional …
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Eight Building Blocks to Succeeding at Work
Economic turbulence. Sluggish job market. Competitive workplace. These words may have you tossing and turning on your pillow at night conjuring up images of your job on the chopping block. But it might help you to stop staring wide-eyed in fear at night if you take specific actions to increase your chances of achieving job success, and building a career that will make the future seem more rosy than scary. Initiative Be open to challenge and show you are willing to take on new projects. As you work with, and observe senior level staff or your manager, determine how you might be able to assist them and further the organization’s mission. Then suggest how you can employ your particular talents and skills to help achieve important goals. …
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The Key to the Employer's Door
I had the opportunity to attend the National Career Development conference in San Antonio last week and naturally there was a lot of buzz about the current job market. The experts have many theories but they all agree that changes in the global market are significantly impacting our job market. How does globalization affect the average worker like you who lives in Abington or the rest of Montgomery County? Products and services can now be produced, distributed and sold anywhere around the world regardless of the company’s headquarters. This means that work is more project-based and often can be performed anywhere around the world. Advancements in technology have increased our ability to communicate locally and internationally. In …
Ruth Z. Deming
9:45 am on Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Very helpful column, Jane. Enjoyed all the links. By chance, I was just asked to write the text for a revamped website. The advice on the Freelancers Union site was excellent - checking w/colleagues for price ranges and having a time sheet. more ›