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.
Leadership & Vulnerability
Being vulnerable and empathetic does not mean you have to share your deepest, most personal secrets and let them all hang out. It means letting your guard down, putting pretenses aside, admitting mistakes, and being yourself. People can tell when you are being disingenuous. The stench of disingenuity and duplicity lingers in the atmosphere. By being open and honest, vulnerable leaders are better able to engage with staff, which inevitably leads to increased productivity, improved morale, faster conflict resolution, and improved recruiting and retention outcomes….
Myth Busters: Employer Edition
Last week I devoted my blog to dispelling some common myths to which job seekers still cling. This week, I turn my sights to the other side of the desk. And let me tell you, employers, you’ve got work to do. Your recruiting processes are broken; your hiring managers don’t know how to conduct an interview; they are indecisive. On top of all that, you seem to have a distorted perspective regarding sourcing and retaining talent. Here are some top examples….
Debunking Myths: Candidate Edition
You know that job-seeking today radically differs from 25 or 30 years ago. Many people continue to hold on to outdated ideas and perceptions that are simply false. You may be getting bad, outdated advice on how to look for a new role from well-meaning but ill-informed family and friends. Here is my top 10 list of job-seeking/career management myths that you have my permission to ignore!….
Practical Advice for New Grads
It’s that time of year again—colleges and universities are unleashing thousands of new graduates, many of whom will be entering the workforce. I recently wrote about what Gen Z wants out of their careers. Because college career counseling centers often dispense outdated, impractical, bad advice, I thought it wise to revisit the topic of What New Grads Need to Know….
How to Know if the Hiring Manager Is a Jerk
Having a great boss can create an environment in which people don’t only grow in their roles but expand. Having a bad boss can ruin everything and make you dread going to work. Bad bosses cause stress, anxiety, uncertainty, and the Sunday blues. Low engagement is a problem across virtually every organization, primarily due to bad management. Bad managers run the gamut from those who don’t delegate work to those who are outright toxic human beings; bad managers exist in 100% of companies….
Data Literacy: What It Is and Why It’s Important
At this point in history, the Information Age is still in its infancy. The very idea of work and what that means is being challenged and redefined. Work itself is transforming from an outcome or result into a process. As the evolution continues, having a good grasp of data will be vital for survival. Understanding data and turning it into something useful will not just be a “nice to have;” it will be a critical imperative. Without the skills and tools to understand it, data is useless….
Gaslighting in the Workplace
Some people are toxic; they become abusive managers, scheming co-workers, and vicious competitors. They manipulate their victims into believing that they are to blame for something or that they are just being “too sensitive.” One of their favorite tools is gaslighting. Gaslighting is a covert form of mental abuse. It involves the abuser creating a false narrative presented to the victim as truth, making the victim question their judgment and perception of reality. Examples of this are “jokes” made at the victim’s expense, telling the victim that something did not happen, or discrediting the victim. Here are some examples of how this translates into the workplace….
Keep Up With the Times, Career Edition
If you watch Miami Vice now, you need to suspend reality to get on board. And that is perfectly okay. As much as we know it would never work in practice, those of us “of a certain age” also understand that it was perfectly reasonable that architect Mike Brady designed a home for his blended family in which six children shared one bathroom. We do not question it. At all.
You may wonder what any of this nostalgia has to do with your career? Glad you asked. Here’s the thing. We can quickly and easily point out elements of the culture that have not stood the test of time, but we are often loath to let go of these when they are endemic to our personal and professional lives. Here are a few examples….
The Importance of Branding for the Solopreneur
Solopreneurs, those of us who run our businesses independently, without partners or W-2 employees, can find it challenging to source business, do the work, and promote ourselves and our services all at the same time. We are laser-focused on producing and delivering the products and services that we offer. Frequently it can be overwhelming to devote the effort necessary to branding and marketing ourselves. The irony, of course, is that those of us who have the least time and resources to devote to this process are the ones who need it the most….
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Language matters; it is a critical component of communication. We all know people who just seem to be exceptionally gifted with the spoken and written word. They always seem to use the perfect words at the right time, conveying messages clearly and succinctly. Part of this skill is tapping into a large and varied vocabulary. I’m not necessarily talking about “big” words, although those have their place and purpose. But every day, plain, clear words are just as important. The problem is that many people misunderstand language and misuse words. This will make you appear less credible than you are. If you want a quick and easy way to up your game and get people to take you more seriously, be sure you’re using these words correctly and in the proper context….