Career Transitions for Scientists

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Career Transitions for Scientists.” In it, I provide advice on how to transition your job between different industries.

I’ve recently received multiple letters from scientists in the research community with questions about their career transitions. Researchers struggle with a problem workers in all sectors face: how to change industries. Most get into research with a three- to five-year contract. But this is not before completing a lengthy Ph.D. program. By the time their contract ends, the researcher may be in their 30s or early 40s.

With no experience in corporate America, and with little support about where to begin, many of these brilliant scientists struggle to decide what’s next.

To read my entire article, and learn about how you can transition to a new industry, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Also, if you have a friend who is in this situation (nearing the end of their research contract), please forward a copy of my article to them. I was truly surprised to learn how many people are struggling with the issue of whether or not to leave research, and how to get into corporate.

Memphis Daily News: Conquering Rumors

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Conquering Rumors.” In it, I provide advice on how to prepare when you hear rumors that a layoff may be coming at your job.

It seems that every week there’s another rumor. Some big corporation is going to lay off its employees. A company’s going to relocate to another city. A department is going to be restructured.

Whatever rumor you’re hearing, it can make you nervous. It can even keep you up at night. You may wonder how long it will take to find another job – or worse, if you’ll find one at all. What if you have to move? What if you can’t sell your house? Most of all, you may worry about how the situation could impact your family’s future.

If you find yourself in this boat, you’re not alone. Whether or not a layoff ever occurs, the thought can be daunting. The best thing you can do is be prepared. In fact, this even goes for when there are no rumors at all. It’s better to start early than late.

To read my entire article, and learn about how you can conquer layoff rumors, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Dressing for Career Success

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Dressing for Career Success.” In it, I provide tips on what to wear to 'knock 'em dead' at your next interview.

You’ve been applying online for months, and finally something has clicked. You have an interview in a few days for the perfect job at the best company in town.

This scenario sounds great on the surface, but can often lead to stress and anxiety when job seekers prepare to suit up for their next interview. And it makes sense, because your outfit can impact your overall interview success.

To read my entire article, and learn about how you can dress for success, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

 

Scaling Your Career

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Scaling Your Career.” In it, I encourage you to consider transition between different industries - and to learn about the differences that may hold you back during your search.

One of the most exciting career transitions job seekers make is changing industries. You may want to move from nonprofit to corporate or from a large organization to a small business. These moves expose you to a new workplace and can reenergize you if you’re feeling burnt out in your current environment.

However, the one issue many job seekers struggle to understand is scalability. Scalability is an understanding of how your old work environment translates into your new work environment.

For example, a friend was recently working as a manager at a major university. He had 75 employees, large-scale projects and an impressive budget. Interested to move to a corporate job, he was concerned about titles such as “manager” and “director” that appeared on job postings. In the university setting, these titles were reserved for a select few with expansive responsibilities.

To read my entire article, and learn about how you can learn more about how to scale your career, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Networking Over Coffee

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Networking Over Coffee.” In it, I encourage you to expand your network and learn more about new industries.

Workers change jobs more frequently now than ever before. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees only stay at a job for a little over four years on average.

In the past, people making quick transitions were sometimes looked at as flaky or unstable. Today, it’s common to assume those who transition more frequently are also more experienced. They’ve seen different environments, and have been forced to grow their skills.

If you’ve decided to become part of this growing trend, you may wonder where to start. You’ll need to decide if you want to keep the same type of job, or try something new, and whether or not to stay in the same industry. When changing careers, it’s often easiest to either keep the same job function in a new industry – or try a new job function in the same industry.

But first, you need to decide which job function, and which industry. This is a place where people often get stuck. They wonder how to gather enough information to make this decision.

To read my entire article, and learn about how you can learn more about different industries and jobs, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Transitioning Between Corporate and Nonprofit

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Transitioning Between Corporate and Nonprofit.” In it, I give you tips on how to transition your career from corporate to non-profit or from non-profit to corporate.

Career transitions are all the rage these days. Whether it’s moving between jobs more frequently or updating your skill set midstream, change is happening. One trend growing in popularity is employees who are making a move between the nonprofit and corporate worlds.

Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on now, the grass often looks greener on the other side. And, the good news is, many employers are warming up to the idea to. Now the questions becomes, how do you make such a bold move?

To read my entire article, and learn about how to successfully transition your career, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Negotiation 101

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Negotiation 101.” In it, I encourage you to begin to negotiate your job offers.

Negotiation is one of my favorite topics. You negotiate things every day – from which movie to watch to what to eat for dinner. At work, your ability to negotiate can hit close to your wallet.

I learned the importance of negotiation at 19. I was given the opportunity to spend the summer working as an engineer for General Motors in an automotive assembly plant. It required me to relocate over 1,500 miles, so I hoped the company would pay to move me cross country. Unfortunately, they didn't - because I didn't negotiate.

To read my entire article, and learn about how you can avoid the misstep I made at my first job, visit the Memphis Daily News site here. 

 

Relationship Building Blocks

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Relationship Building Blocks.”

In it, I focus on the importance of networking and relationship building to your job search. When you’re working to turn over a new leaf in your career, you start with the basics: an updated resume, a catchy cover letter, new business cards and a fresh LinkedIn profile. These pieces are requirements of your search, but they’re not where the important work happens. The foundation of a long-term career is built on networking.

To read my entire article, and learn about how to grow your network and improve your likelihood of getting hired, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

 

Memphis Daily News: Unconventional Career Advice

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Unconventional Career Advice.”

In it, I give tips on trying something a little different in your job search - to hopefully help you to avoid burnout.

Conventional wisdom seems to indicate that the steps to finding a new job are writing a resume, and then applying to job postings online. Soon after, every company will contact you for an interview and after one meeting, you’ll get a great offer and start just a few weeks later. Months after trying this method, jobseekers feel frustrated and confused.

To read my entire article, and learn about how you can avoid burnout and be more creative in your job search, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

The Grey Ceiling: Beating Ageism

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “The Grey Ceiling: Beating Ageism.” In it, I give tips on looking for a job if you're feeling worried about how your age may impact your search.

The unfortunate truth of today’s job searching climate is that applying for jobs is competitive – very competitive. Employers can be picky about who they hire and how much they’re willing to pay. For many job seekers over 50, the search process is a longer, harder road than they remember from years past.

Many companies view an older employee as a big risk. They’re typically more expensive, and more likely to quit since they’re creeping up on retirement. An older applicant may be looked at as less flexible, and behind the times when it comes to technology.

I’ve worked with many clients who share the same story. They want to switch jobs, but they feel trapped. They’re certain another company won’t take a risk to hire them. The interesting thing is, the age someone guesses you as is largely determined by signals you send and have control over.

To learn about how you can beat ageism in your job search, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Going Back to Graduate School

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, "Going Back to Graduate School." In it, I provide my perspective and guidance on going back to grad school after you've started working. 

“Should I go back to graduate school?” This is a question many professionals wonder about each day. If you’ve struggled to find a new job in the difficult economy, you may be seriously considering it.

I challenge you to carefully weigh the pros and cons of graduate school before enrolling. It’s both expensive and time-consuming, so if you’re going to go, you want it to be for the right reasons. 

To read my entire article, and get feedback on whether or not school's for you, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Cleaning Off the Cobwebs

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Cleaning Off the Cobwebs.” In it, I discuss proactively cleaning up your personal brand.

When new jobseekers start their search for the perfect opportunity, they’re often met with one of two concerns. Either “I’m too old” or “I’m too young.” Those who are older feel their experience will be overlooked because they have too many gray hairs. Those who are young feel their lack of experience will trump their abilities.

To read my tips on spring cleaning your personal brand and positively influencing perception, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Becoming Your Own CEO

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Becoming Your Own CEO.”

I’ve heard the same story at least three times in the past two weeks. A high-performing worker went in for a performance review with the boss. The boss said something along the lines of, “You’ve done a great job. I appreciate you. I can’t offer you a promotion, or a raise, but please don’t leave. I need you here.”

To read the entire article and learn how to take charge of your career if you're faced with this situation, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Defining Luck

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Defining Luck.” With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, I found myself in a long discussion with a friend about what it means to be lucky.

Some people seem to have all the luck. From the outside, they appear to get every promotion, make more money, drive a nicer car and live in a nicer house. It’s like they are surrounded by a ray of sunshine all day. This seems especially true of celebrities, company heads and professional athletes.

How do they get so lucky, and when will my luck change? Read my entire article and learn how to improve your luck here.

Networking With No Fear

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Networking With No Fear.” In it, I discuss how much more successful we would all be at networking if we could leave our fears and worries at the door.

I tell a story of one of my 3-year old neighbors, and his ability to approach adults without the fear or baggage that we all pick up along the way. 

How much more career progress would we all make if we lived with a little less fear?

To read the entire article, visit the Memphis Daily News site here. 

Make More Money This Year

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, "Make More Money This Year." In it, I discuss important strategies for increasing your salary at your #1 income source: your job.

If you’re like most people, you created a list of new year’s resolutions at the end of December or in the beginning of January. One of your resolutions was probably related to your finances. It may have been to save more, to make more or both. Regardless of which you selected, increasing your income can achieve both goals. 

If you’re like me, your parents and grandparents worked at the same jobs for their entire careers. Companies were more loyal to their employees back then, and in turn, employees were more loyal too. You often stayed at a job for 30 years where you grew your career, got promoted, earned more money and, eventually, retired with a fat pension and a lifetime of amazing health insurance. 

Unfortunately, times have changed.... 

To read the entire article, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

   

Putting Your <3 Into Your Job

Happy Valentine's Day!

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Putting Your <3 Into Your Job." In it, I discuss finding a job that aligns to your personal goals, and allows you to be happy each day when you go to work. Given how much time we all spend working, it's important to do something you love.  

The season of love is upon us. Is it fair to say you love what you’re doing for a living? Do you find yourself putting in your all every day, or is it a drag to get up in the morning – or worse yet, to go to bed the night before, knowing your next day’s work is looming over you?  

If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing for a living, it’s time to take stock of what’s important to you. Start out by ranking the following items in order from least to most important: Location, Career Fulfillment, Financial Stability and Career Field.

To read the entire article, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Starting Over: When Corporate Goes Kaput

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, "Starting Over: When Corporate Goes Kaput."  It provides guidance on where to start when you're starting over.  I was inspired to write this column when I heard about the recent layoff at another large employer in Memphis this week.  If you know someone who's been impacted, please consider sharing this column with them.

For many employees in the Memphis area, the story is all too familiar. You wake up one day and go to work, just like it was any other. You wear the same clothes, drive the same route, and eat at the same place for lunch. Things seem fine at first, but something starts to feel a little out of whack.

You’re taken into a large room with your entire department or a small room with just your team. Then and there, you learn that the company has decided to take a new direction. And, the worst part – your job has been eliminated.

To read the entire article, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Applying Dinner Party Etiquette to Your Job Search

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, "Apply Dinner Party Etiquette to Job Search."

The title of this column may sound funny. After all, you’re looking for a new job, not a steak and baked potato. On the surface, you’re right, but there are lessons you can carry over from your dinner tonight to your job interview tomorrow morning.

Much like a dinner party, you never know who you might be introduced to when you’re searching for a job. When you go for an interview, it’s important to be friendly to each person you meet – whether they’re the intern or the CEO. Look each person in the eye and greet them with a firm handshake. And, above all – do your best to remember their names.

To read the entire article, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.

Your Calling Card

My latest Memphis Daily News column is out: "Your Calling Card."

These days, the way in which you present yourself has become more complicated. It’s no longer just about being well groomed with a firm handshake. Your Facebook page, LinkedIn account, email address, business cards and phone number all say something about you. They are all pieces of your personal brand.

One important thing to consider when you’re looking for a job is business cards. If you have a current job, you may already have business cards. If so, that’s great. Use them. If you don’t have business cards with your current job, if you’re a student or if you’re unemployed, this is the time to get them.

To read the entire article, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.