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.
The Case for Helping Out a Coworker
I recently received the following email: My team consists of myself and a peer, a coordinator, and our manager. My peer has recently returned to work after the birth of her first child. She was out for two months, and during that time, I took charge of her major projects and made sure the work…
Stop Worrying So Much About the Posted Job Description
You get a call from a recruiter, and he tells you about a position with a great company. The role sounds exciting, and, from his description at least, seems like something you’d be interested in pursuing. He sends over the job description for you to review, and you are crestfallen. They say that the candidate…
Avoid LinkedIn Scams
LinkedIn is a great tool, and one which has fundamentally changed the way people network, sell, recruit, and look for jobs. But, with almost 450 million members sharing personal and professional details, there is, inevitably, a certain amount of fraud. If you have more than a few hundred LinkedIn connections, you have probably gotten a…
Should I Hire a Personal Marketing Firm?
Dear Deb: I was laid off about a year ago, and have been involved in a full time, active job search since then. I’ve been researching companies and responding to job postings. While I’ve had a number of first, and even a few second interviews, I still have not secured a job offer. Today I…
Get Up and Out of Your Cubicle!
The days of aspiring to the corner office are on their way out. Cubicles have been a common office fixture for the last 30 years, and are not going away anytime soon. More and more companies are getting rid of the traditional offices, and are going for more open workspaces, with the assumption that this…
The Role of Trust in the Hiring Process
Trust is the foundation of all human connections, and it governs all interactions we have with one another. The capacity for trust is not equal; some people trust more easily than others, some people are more trustworthy than others, and some are better at gauging trustworthiness than others. For as much as we may like…
Image Impacts Your Brand
Many people conflate “image” with “personal brand,” when, in reality, they are two separate things. Your personal brand is the experience that people have with you, and the story you tell about who you are and what you do. Your image is your visual representation, and it is a crucial component of your brand. Before…
Network vs. Contact
I’ve noticed that many people use the terms “network” and “contacts” interchangeably. This is incorrect, as they are two related, but distinct groups. Your contacts are people you may have met in real life or online. You may have common interests or goals. However, you are not invested in your contacts’ lives, their successes, or…
Your Role in the Performance Review
Marie is a client who is presently seeking a new opportunity in her field. When I asked her why she was looking to leave her current role and company, this is what she told me: There have been a number of disagreements, or misalignments in perspective, with my current boss over the last year and…
What’s in a Name? A Lot!
My first name, Debra, is spelled in a nontraditional way. I spell it out for people, and it still comes back “Deborah.” You would think that I would have become accustomed to this by now, but to be truthful, each time it happens, it’s slightly more annoying than the previous infraction. My name is part…