I am thankful for the invitation from Career Press to review Mile Figliuolo’s new book The Elegant Pitch. One key element of a successful career is the ability to convince others. Often called “The Pitch” how we sell our ideas, skills, products and services determines the level of our success. Learning to effectively pitch our […]

I am thankful for the invitation from Career Press to review: “They Don’t Teach Corporate In College” Third Edition – A Twenty Something’s Guide To The Business World – By Alexandra Levit. Ask a college student what they want most, and the majority will talk of graduating and having a stellar career in their chosen […]

I am thankful for the invitation from Career Press to review Steven P. Cohen’s latest book The Practical Negotiator. In “The Practical Negotiator” Steven P. Cohen employs actual questions from people seeking advice on real situations involving negotiations. The broad range of situations and scenarios are threaded together to give relevant information to effectively negotiate […]

There are many of us still reeling from the economic recession, which by all news accounts is over. I talk to so many people who are still unemployed or under employed, and many of them are beginning to believe that some how it their fault. If you listen to the news, and political rhetoric the […]

When the Boss Is a Bully – Are You Being Bullied? The number one workplace challenge, over and over again, is the bullying boss. There are many different types of bullying, and yes even the silent treatment is a tactic for the boss to bully employees. Ever been to a brain storming session when you […]

What career should you choose? The reality is that there is more to any job than just the part you may like. How do you balance everything to choose a career you will like, make a good salary, and stay employed? There is a lot written about pursuing your passion in the job market. Like […]

This is a common question on a host of topics from being late for work to quitting a job. I look at Yahoo.answers almost everyday, and respond to questions it the Career and Employment Category. There are a variety of questions related to the workplace and careers, but it seems there are large percentage of […]

Once in a while it seems like everything is going our way. Even if we encounter challenges they are small and easy to deal with, which makes feel even more in control. Sometimes these periods last for weeks, even months, other times only a few days. However the feeling they give us is like an […]

When faced with a challenge it is good to take time to analyze the situation. Often our first impression is not the clearest or most detailed. In our haste to reach a conclusion we over look details, which may make a difference in how to best approach the challenge. While watching a colony of ants […]

This morning I was up early and saw the sun rise on the New Year. It looked very similar to yesterday’s sunrise, but there was something different about it. Perhaps it was just my mental inference on an occurrence unchanged since the beginning of the universe. When we watch the sunrise, we are seeing, in […]

Although designed for use in the short interval when you have a captive audience in the elevator, an elevator pitch is also handy when you have just a few minutes to pass on information or make a favorable impression. While for the longest time, I thought that elevator pitches were shameless acts of self-promotion, and […]

This week has been really one for the record books when it comes to bad financial news. The US slipped from it AAA bond rating for the first time, and many predict it is the first step down the slippery slope to complete financial collapse. This follows on the political shenanigans revolving around raising the […]

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys to personal excellence. – Confucius Do you have the will to win? It may seem like a silly question. Why would you put so much time and energy into something if you do not have the […]

This week I engaged in a discussion on how to best to demonstrate self-confidence.  Before we even got started there was a big discussion on what self-confidence really is.  The difference came down to the comparison between two widely held definitions.   The classic dictionary definition – confidence in oneself and in one’s powers and abilities, […]

The main reason we go to work is to make money. One of the primary goals of most workers is to increase their income. In most jobs pay increases come from raises and promotions. In theory the better we become at our jobs the more valuable we are to the organization. This especially true of […]

There is a lot of conventional wisdom and advice that says to be successful you must set goals and work hard to achieve them. Although setting goals and hard work may be essential to success, there seems to be something missing. Others add that you should have a plan to achieve your goal, a map […]

Many of us are caught up in situations that are less than ideal, and sometimes Thanksgiving highlights the negatives rather than accentuating the positives. So instead of giving thanks for all we have, we dwell on the negatives. Perhaps I am an idealist and think that Thanksgiving should be like a Norman Rockwell setting in […]

This week my heat pump broke.  There is a light that indicates the probable cause of the malfunction. After some searching I found the flashing code on the thermostat pointed to a circuit board in the outside unit.  When I took a look, the board in question appeared easy enough to change. A few plugs […]

One of the greatest clichés is that there are no mistakes or failures only learning opportunities.  While I do believe we learn from our mistakes, I am not sure that we always learn the most beneficial lessons.  More often the lesson we take away is DON’T TRY THAT AGAIN!, instead of learning how to succeed […]

Forging alliances at work may be the most beneficial strategic career move a person can make.  Alliances are more than casual friendships, and are formed to advance common goals or interests.  These bonds of common purpose can provide a shield against adversity, and a conduit for opportunity.  Making and keeping alliances can improve and maintain […]