During the past 20 years as a job change expert, I have met dozens of men and women in hi-tech careers with a passion for a creative activity. The computer programmer who builds customized electric guitars. The senior network specialist who travels the country to compete in paintball. The ITIL specialist who hosts folk music [...]
“When are people going to see me for what I am — an impostor?”
May 17th, 2012 No comments »I’ve heard this question many times from clients. It might be a guy who became a teacher because he didn’t know what else to do but, truthfully, he doesn’t like working with kids every day. Instead, he sees all the flaws in the system and is inclined to be a catalyst for change, making suggestions, [...]
You Can’t Cheat Life!
March 19th, 2012 7 comments »“I really HATE my job!” This is a phrase I hear almost every day as a career consultant who works with individuals in career transition. For example, when Elizabeth came to see me, she was 52 years old and had been working since her teens, and almost 30 years as a public servant sitting in [...]
Fear is a paper tiger
February 16th, 2012 2 comments »Most of the people I work with already have a job but they want to change careers. They often say to me, “I’d like to have job joy, but I have these fears.” What are they afraid of, exactly? Usually, it’s the fear of negative consequences, i.e. if I quit my current job, even though [...]
S…t…r…e…t…c…h your ambition to succeed
January 16th, 2012 2 comments »Another year has started. Did you promise yourself that this is the year, now is the time to change careers? You feel ready to make a real change in your life. Changing careers requires some internal and external stretching to get you where you want to go. In the same way that stretching physically helps [...]
The Gift that Keeps on Giving
December 19th, 2011 No comments »I recently performed in a musical theatre production of ‘The Gifts of the Magi,’ a story about a young married couple—Jim & Della Dillingham—who are living in New York in 1905 when Christmas rolls around and they have no money to buy each other gifts to express their love. They have hit hard times because [...]
The LinkedIn Advantage for Job Change
November 16th, 2011 No comments »Some job experts say that more jobs are now filled online through LinkedIn (LI) than all the job boards combined. LI is, without a doubt, a major player in online job search; it is here to stay; and it’s influence continues to grow. If LI were a country, it would be the 12the most populous [...]
Find my Dream Job? I don’t even know what it looks like!
October 17th, 2011 No comments »When it comes to career change, we often focus on the blind spots. This is especially true if we have been recognized and rewarded for a particular skill, even though the skill might leave us cold or indifferent when using it to earn our living. In other words, we confuse the means with the ends, [...]
Job Search: “It’s Not About Me!”
September 14th, 2011 2 comments »The fall hiring season is upon us, and I’m spending a good deal of time each day coaching clients on a few basic principles to increase their chances of getting hired sooner rather than later. As a job searcher, it is essential to understand the nature of your relationship with a hiring manager, whether you [...]
