September 26, 2008

I wrote a post/article this week over at Careerealism.com on the difference between those who connect well in the workplace, and those who do not.

Check it out here to determine which one you are.

More importantly, if you like the post, be sure to subscribe to the blog to get our new posts by e-mail!

JT

August 14, 2008

It all started with a simple post on my Twitter account in which I invited all my on-line friends to e-mail me and I would give them a compliment. One of the first to take me up on my offer was Etienne who writes The Happy Employee.

It snowballed into a post on my new blog, www.careerealism.com, in which I explain the difference between appreciation and compliments, as well as the best way to give an effective compliment. But it didn’t stop there….

Etienne and I decided to throw down the gauntlet and put out a workplace challenge to employees and managers everywhere: Give a really, truly great compliment to someone at work who annoys you - and then tell us about it. So far, the response is great, but we want more!

To sum it up: Compliments are free to give and receive, and thus, in a tight economy, they have the potential to be 2008’s #1 Job perk. So we ask you this:

Do YOU have what it takes to give a great compliment?

Why not try it (and pass the challenge along to others!) and see if we can’t all change a few workplace relationships for the better!

JT

June 18, 2008

Hello all!

A quiz I use to help people assess their career development and job search skills is now available on-line. The test is FREE and it doesn’t require your e-mail or to sign up for a thing. Just 24 questions that tell you how prepared you are to find career success and satisfaction in today’s workplace.

So, if you’ve got 2 minutes and want to see how employable you are, just give some honest ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers and you’ll find out! Here’s the link….

May 21, 2008

This winter it hit me - reality shows have taken over our country. Okay, so many of you are laughing right now and saying, “Uh, where have you been the last few years?” But honestly, I had been hoping this wasn’t the case. Here’s what opened my eyes to it all…

I was working with a team of college interns on a special project. We were discussing the staggering statistic I had heard which was 80%+ of young people between the ages of 16-24 expected to be rich and famous some day. I asked for their input, expecting to hear something like, “Oh no, not us.” But instead, I got, “Oh ya, every young person dreams about it. We sit around on the weekends and brainstorm reality shows we could star in.” - and they meant it!

That’s when I knew it was time to go back to the drawing board and create something that could help Americans get a handle on their career realities. Don’t worry, I didn’t go negative. I’m not a tough love kind of coach. But, I did work hard to create an approach that can help people tune out the hype and tune in to what works for them. CAREEREALISM offers unsatisfied workers a chance to get organized and focused on achieving career satisfaction. In short, it’s a crash (yet comprehensive!) course on how to create career success on your terms.

CAREERALISM is a book. Technically, it is a new-and-improved version of a guidebook I self-published a few year back for my private clients. It costs$19.95 and is available in most on-line retailers. BUT, if you buy it on my site, there’s a special bonus: Every purchase includes a FREE resume review by one of our professional development specialists as well as personalized feedback on how to improve your job search efforts. How’s that for value?!

So, if someone you know is living a career reality drama (okay, who isn’t?!?), I’d be grateful if you would recommend they check out CAREEREALISM. We look forward to helping them create their own happy ending.

April 5, 2008

I just finished watching the news which explained that 80,000 jobs have been lost since January, the unemployment rate is the highest it’s been in three years, consumer confidence is at an all-time low, more layoffs are expected as spending decreases, and Americans are starting to skip making payments that are ruining their credit scores (which many employers now check as part of the hiring process). Hmmm – happy Friday!

This made me think about how many people are questioning their career decisions right now, and that led to me write this post… (more…)

March 17, 2008

I saw this video on the topic of undercover job searching today and it got me thinking about some of the job search realities I coach my clients on regularly. Here are 3 THINGS you should consider if you are trying to find a new, better job. (more…)

Back in November, I was offered the chance to right a post for Careerbuilder.com on the subject of how to keep yourself employable. I had no idea at the time that this information would become so timely.

Recession-proofing your job is a HOT topic these days. Everyone wants to know how to keep their job while still being able to look for a better one.

In my experience, there are four basic rules to making yourself valuable to employers over your career.  See if you are doing what it takes to remain a hot commodity long-term by reading this article.

Four Secrets to Always Being Employable

March 14, 2008

This past Monday, I was contacted by WFNX’s Charlie, Ed and Fletcher, three radio personalities who make-up the very cool, very big, Boston-based morning drive time show called “The Sandbox.” I had done a bunch of radio interviews back when I launched my book two years ago, so I thought I was prepared - WOW, was I wrong! (more…)

December 19, 2007

I saw this article and had some immediate thoughts…

This is a big topic within Corporate America today. As this article confirms, they feel college grads today are not what they should be, and are very frustrated by it. I don’t disagree. A college degree today is not what it used to be. It only gets you to the career starting line. And, with the majority of college students pursuing diplomas today for no other reason than they’ve been told they must get one by society, it’s no wonder a young person graduates without the skills and focus a degree used to provide.

However, what this article doesn’t address is the real problem: many managers today don’t want to be bothered with taking the time to learn how to tap into the true potential of younger employees. It’s easier to call them ‘entitled’ and inflict tough love than to recognize the solution lies in changing themselves. The good news is that some companies are recognizing the competitive advantage in a tight labor market won’t be how to find the ‘diamonds in the rough’ amongst Gen Y (as this article suggests), but rather, how to become leaders that truly connect and subsequently leverage employees of all ages. I have done (no lie!) 20+ training sessions this year to executive teams teaching them how to do this. Multi-generational team building is the secret to success – and that lies in enhancing the skills and abilities of managers so that they can work with a diverse group of employees more effectively. Generational prejudice in the workplace is at an all-time high. Just look at the one-sidedness of the 60 Minutes segment on Gen Y (I’m still angry about it) and we know that management teams nationwide are in need of some serious help.

At the same time, I’ve seen companies taking the short-sighted approach of branding themselves as ‘Gen Y friendly’ – but, that isn’t going to work long-term either. Instead, managers need to be taught how to understand and appreciate the generational differences of their workforce so that they can then leverage them to create a corporate culture that speaks to all ages.

The disconnect between the generations in the workplace has been well-documented in 2007. It’s time to stop complaining and start taking action that is going to bridge the gap we’ve spent so much time arguing about. When both sides change, results will come.

December 11, 2007

I was interviewed by USA Today journalist Stephanie Armour recently on the subject of the ‘Daddy Wars’. As a career coach, I have worked with more than a few fathers who have struggled to balance their careers with their desires to be an involved parent. Armour outlines the various factors playing into the changing trends and resulting conflicts from the shift amongst American dads’ personal and professional priorities. Armour is a comprehensive journalist who has captured the complexity of this situation within our society. This article is a must read for working parents:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2007-12-10-working-dads_N.htm