The Perfect First “Real” Job?

Skills Like This

Is there a perfect first “real” job?

Probably not. But there are some real stinkers to avoid if you have the choice.

And I’m not talking about summer jobs, volunteer work, and or that paid – or unpaid internship – that might be out there. All of them, IMHO, are important.

But for serious importance it’s hard to match that first fulltime real job.… Read the rest

How-to-Escape from the Land of Shoulda Woulda Coulda

It’s the rare person who doesn’t want things to be better: better job, better career, better income, better everything.

Is the glass half empty or half full? The pess...

And if only things were better then that person – maybe you, maybe me – would finally have the life that they deserve.

Life, it seems, seldom works that way.

The reality is that you are you, and it’s what you do with yourself that makes all the difference in the world.… Read the rest

[Life Back West] December 2012 – “Mr. Watson, come here. I need you.”

Colorful Door

Life’s choices and chances come to you in so many ways that if you’re not looking you most likely miss more than you catch.

More often than not you focus on what you’re losing or lost, not what you could have gained.

The passing of a year, and meetings with some former colleagues this week reminded me of one simple fact; we regret more what we think we’ve lost than what we’ve likely gained.… Read the rest

Are the End of Year Holidays Good for Job Hunting?

Nothing Like the Holidays

It’s the end of the year, and common wisdom says that people have packed up shop and that it’s a lousy week for job hunting.

Maybe.

But as John Greathouse notes on his blog, “Conventional wisdom isn’t.”

The next two weeks will be a time when people’s schedules – if they’re not in company shutdown mode – will be unpacked, thoughts will be directed to things apart from work, and folks will be relaxed.… Read the rest

Managing Others: Just Say Yes

Most of the times a “no” means “no” and a “yes” means “yes.”

Yes!

Then there are times though when that “yes” can mean “no.”

As I discovered recently, I should learn how to use that yes when I mean no more often.

If you haven’t, you might do well to learn it too.… Read the rest

Mostly in the Wording: When Would You Like Me to Start?

I had coffee with a colleague I’ll call Andy; he’s got a problem.

You might have the same problem too.

Subject? How to (finally) get an offer from a firm that’s been courting him for  10 months. Position scope change, multiple lunches and interviews, headcount freezes and freeze liftings have all come and gone without “the offer we’ll be giving you” actually happening.… Read the rest