August, 2014

After completing three years of my monthly blogs, I see three recurring themes for career transition success: how to focus and filter, networking best practices, and balancing IQ with EQ. Below is a collection of past blogs tied to these three themes. You can click the highlighted date on any of these entries to link to the entire blog.

Focus and Filter

Evaluating an Opportunity: October, 2013 blog

What are the key considerations as you evaluate a job, an organization and the personal factors like salary, location and time demands? What do you want? How important is each factor? How does an opportunity you are considering measure up? Here is a tool to help you decide if this it the right next step for you.

The Three Stages of a Transition: February, 2014 blog

While in a transition, we each travel a somewhat predictable path. We begin with an ending, then move through a kind of wilderness, and eventually culminate in a new beginning. Each stage has its opportunities, challenges, emotional and strategic considerations. See what William Bridges’ transition model can do to help you navigate what can be a disruptive and emotionally turbulent career transition experience.

Fake It ‘til You Become It: September, 2013

Don’t let fear become your filter. If you really want something that you’re not sure you can have, consider faking it ‘til you become it. This entire TED talk is excellent, but if you just have three minutes to invest, start at minute 16. You will be inspired, and it might just change your thinking about what is possible for you, and how to go after it.

Networking Best Practices

The 20-Minute Networking Meeting: August, 2013 blog

This is an excellent networking book. In this blog I revisit the book’s networking model (updating a past blog), and highlight the comments made by author Marcia Ballinger at an executive career transition group presentation. This should be required reading for anyone in transition. I give it to every new client.

Planned Happenstance: February, 2012 blog

Move ahead with intentionality, and always stay open to surprises.
Someone you were counting on will inevitably let you down, and
a relative stranger will be incredibly generous. You need to network, and not default to the internet or isolation. In my twenty-five years in this field, one thing has not changed…65 to 80% of all landings are directly tied to a network sponsor. Make that the percentage of time you network while in transition, and you will be moving in the right direction.

Are You Interested AND Interesting When Networking? July 2014 blog

Are you memorable, or mostly a “sponge and mirror” when networking?
What stories make you interesting? Near the end of this blog, I reference what I consider my most interesting story. Read about how my father sang, danced and received a standing ovation on Broadway at a Hugh Jackson musical. That’s my dad in the blue sweater on his 85th birthday standing beside Hugh Jackman. I received more emails after this blog than any others I wrote. What are your interesting stories?

Balancing IQ and EQ

Balance IQ and EQ: May, 2013 blog

Imagine you are riding a bicycle, with the back wheel IQ, the front wheel EQ (emotional intelligence). Drive with IQ, steer with EQ.

Fit vs. Talent: May, 2014 blog

Job campaign results come from perseverance, connections, talent and fit,
in that order. You get in the door with perseverance and connections.
Your talent and fit get you the offer. When there are several qualified candidates for an employer to choose from, each with considerable talent, fit becomes the deciding factor. Are you equally focused on talent and fit in networking and job interviews? Be authentic, and be fully attentive to your audience.

Eileen’s Eight: April, 2014 blog

Eileen Agather, Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase, authored this list of eight guiding principles for leadership and career management. She reveals herself as a tough, decisive and driven Texas bank executive. Her updated “Eileen’s 2.0” version shows us a more emotionally intelligent leader, who became even more effective by emphasizing compassion and versatility. Many of my clients forwarded this blog to their daughters. It seems that Eileen has found the right mix of head and heart, driving and building. How balanced are you these days?