Blog
Debra Wheatman, President of Careers Done Write, provides expert insight to the job search process that puts your career in gear with tips for interviewing, networking, job search strategies and how to create a winning resume and cover letter.
Stop Giving Useless Feedback
Criticism like “You didn’t spend enough time on this” does nothing to help an employee improve their performance. Useful feedback is constructive, specific, and actionable. If your feedback does not check these three boxes, do not offer it. Keep your mouth shut and work on crafting some valid feedback that will help your employees improve….
Here’s why everyone dreads your meetings
You know those people. Your colleagues, customer, or manager whose behaviors irritate you. You’re not one of those people. Or are you? Do any of these sound like you? I Love the Sound of My Own Voice. I might not have anything substantive to say—in fact, I usually don’t—but that doesn’t stop me from…
Maybe this is why you didn’t get the job
There are some very good reasons why otherwise qualified candidates are rejected for jobs. Most of the time it’s because a candidate lacks expertise in a certain area, or because of an issue with soft skills—that is, the hiring team doesn’t think the candidate is a fit for the organization. The whole “soft skills”…
10 Characteristics of a Good Leader
A leader can make the difference between success and failure. A good leader has a futuristic vision and knows how to turn ideas into real-world success stories. Unfortunately, there are many managers out there who are poor leaders. This is largely because of the time-honored practice of promoting people into management solely on the…
Investing in training is an investment in your business
The people who make up a company are the face of that organization. Far too often, only members of the executive team receive formal training to ensure that they convey the core values. The rest of the rank and file will wing it when asked about the company’s mission and culture. Most employees are…
Improve your messaging to drive better results
We are all in the business of communication. Whether you’re communicating with external customers, internal clients, or prospective employers, you need to be sure that your message is clear, relevant, and compels the action you desire. Here are my top tips for improving your messaging so that you get the results you want. Know your…
Transferable Skills
Hi Deb: I am a somewhat recent college graduate, having completed my degree in marketing three years ago. While I was going to school, I worked part-time at a local retailer. After I completed my degree, I was promoted to assistant store manager, and have been in that role for about 2 ½ years now.…
Is career advice a form of gaslighting?
I came across an article recently that had a unique take on the kinds of career advice that is typically given to women. The main concept of the article is that women are being sold on the idea that it is up to them to change workplace culture and to make the workplace more encouraging…
You and your fancy words!
I’ve been a lifelong, avid reader. I devour both fiction and nonfiction, and I read on a variety of subjects. One of the things reading affords you with is the exposure to the rich and varied tapestry that is the English language. As a result, I have always scored very highly on any assessment of…
Identify the untapped talent of your team members
Employees are critical to the success of most businesses. They are the profit makers of any company, without whom delivering products and services to customers would be impossible. Savvy managers understand that success is dependent upon teamwork. But are you sure that you’re making the most of the talents your team members have? Each individual…