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.
Is It Worth It to Work Yourself to the Bone?
Language is symbolic, and one of the most commonly used structures of symbolic language is idiomatic expression. An idiomatic expression conveys meaning via metaphoric rather than literal expression. The meaning of an idiom cannot be inferred from the definitions of the words that comprise it. Break the ice. Cut corners. Piece of cake. Break a leg. Kill two birds with one stone. These are just a few examples of idioms that permeate vernacular English. A common idiom used in reference to work and labor is working oneself to the bone….
Theatre of the Absurd Leadership
Social media is rife with stories of out-of-touch CEOs exhibiting tone-deaf or outright shocking behavior. Recently, Daksh Gupta, CEO of AI startup Greptile, joined their ranks with this post on X….
Ask Deb: Why Was I Rejected for a Low-Paying Retail Job?
The company I worked for was acquired by a larger company in the same industry, and I, along with many of my colleagues, was summarily laid off. A few weeks ago, I decided that I needed to do something, and for the sake of my sanity, I had to get out of my house more frequently than my daily walk with the dog or my trip to the mailbox. I applied to be a stocker at my local Trader Joe’s. I thought my experience in managing inventory and improving processes would make me a good candidate. I spoke with the store manager, who told me to apply online. I applied online. A week later, I got a typical rejection email about hiring candidates with better qualifications. I have gone from managing contracts valued at 7 figures to being unable to secure a retail job! What is going on with this job market?….
Office Party Etiquette
The holiday season and the end of the calendar year are times of celebration, which means that the office holiday party season is upon us. Some people love corporate holiday parties. Others loathe them. Some people attend out of a sense of obligation. By far, the number one question I get about office holiday parties is, “Do I really have to go?” No. Of course, you do not have to go. Attendance is not required. However, you should at least put in an appearance if you can do it without real hardship. Even managers who say the party is optional often care on some level if you skip it (especially if you skip it multiple years in a row), and you risk being perceived as less engaged with your job or team. With that in mind, here are some tips about office party etiquette to get you through the evening and ensure your reputation remains intact the following day….
Mastering LinkedIn: Strategies for Presenting Your Best Professional Self
Every day, I scroll through LinkedIn and see more and more job seekers positioning themselves as job beggars. You’ve seen it, too. These folks post lengthy screeds on the platform, detailing the horrors of their job searches. They will describe applying for hundreds of jobs, being ghosted, getting no offers, and getting the run around from employers. Their stories are not unique. We know that this is the way job searches go….
The Virtual Interview Overreach: When Privacy Takes a Backseat to Transparency
Job interviews are inherently awkward and vulnerable situations. Sitting down in front of a stranger and basically saying, “My financial stability is in your hands,” never gets any less stressful, no matter how many jobs you apply for. These days, most initial interviews are being conducted via video conference. This medium can make the whole interview process more nerve-racking because it can be difficult to read body language when you’re not in the same room as the interviewer….
Up Your Game and Give a Great Presentation
You’ve been there. You’re sitting in a meeting room, and a presenter gets up and announces that he has 72 slides to get through in 45 minutes. A collective groan ensues. You know that you’re in for an interminable 45 minutes….
Ask Deb: Must I Attend the Team Building Event?
Everyone hates team-building exercises. They are universally reviled by people at all levels of the organization. Who wants to spend three days with coworkers while not doing any actual work? Team-building exercises are pointless because they suggest that if your team members spent more time doing silly things and solving group problems together, climbing trees, and rolling around on the floor, they would work more effectively together the rest of the time. There is absolutely zero research that supports this belief. Employees work to get a job done and, more importantly, to get paid, not to play inane games with coworkers….
Interviewing for Schrödinger’s Job
I had a conversation with a client today about her job search. She has been doing several interviews, and her persona is quite polished and professional. During today’s call, she told me about an odd experience she had recently. I will paraphrase for you….
It’s Time to End Unpaid Internships
Internships should be learning experiences designed to expose students to a company’s people, products, and processes. They are intended, ostensibly, to give students a taste of what it’s like to be a part of the workforce. Well, a key part of being in the workforce is being compensated! Labor should always have dignity, which requires a decent wage payment. I am not against volunteerism; that’s great. However, organizations that have resources and ask people to work in real jobs for no money should be ashamed of themselves. Exchanging labor for “experience” only on a resume is the definition of exploitation....