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.
Building Executive Presence
You may have heard the term “executive presence.” Perhaps it was mentioned within the context of your professional development, or maybe you heard about it from a colleague or peer. But what is executive presence, and why does it matter? Executive presence is about your ability to inspire confidence, which is crucial to your career. Your team wants to know that you’re the leader they want to follow, your peers want to see that you’re capable and reliable, and, most importantly, senior leaders want to know that you have the potential to achieve great things. The fact is that once you reach a certain level, results alone do not cut it. Do you want to lead a team to achieve success on highly visible initiatives? Do you want a seat at the table (literally) where important decisions are made? Do you want to improve your management style and inspire your team to believe in your vision? Then you need executive presence….
Most Egregious of 2022: Employer Edition
It’s the end of the year and time for me to do my annual retrospectives. This one is dedicated to the most awful things I’ve heard about employers during this year. Remember, I talk to a LOT of people, so these are from a variety of industries and fields. It would be impossible for me to make this up. I’m just not that creative….
Do Things Differently to Get Better Results!
I was speaking with a client about an issue she has in her current position. Her manager has an aggressive revenue goal to meet this year, but he doesn’t want to go out and meet with any customers or prospects. My client is concerned that her manager’s reluctance to get out and engage the market directly is going to result in the revenue goal not being met. She is wise to realize this because if the revenue goal is missed, it can have unpleasant consequences for her and her boss….
A Hiring Company’s Lament
Hiring Company: We can’t find any qualified candidates for our open roles. Why doesn’t anyone apply to work at our company?
Candidates: Your application system requires us to create an account, record a one-way video, and enter all of the information that’s already on the resume….
Ask Deb: How Do I Ensure My First 90 Days Are Successful?
Hi Deb:
I am starting a new job next month and need some advice. I have been at my current company for 6 years. It was my first job out of college, and I had become very comfortable working there. However, at the prompting of an internal mentor, I began looking around outside of my company a few months ago. I am excited about the new role, but I’m also nervous about it. My only “corporate” experience has been with one company and team. I entered this company as an entry-level hire, and the learning curve was steep. I am a bit concerned about learning a new role and culture, not to mention learning to work with an entirely different team and manager.
Can you give me some basic advice on how to proceed in a new role?….
Is Women’s Career Advice a Form of Gaslighting?
Most women’s career advice revolves around balancing work with family obligations, being assertive, and how to act to be taken seriously. All of these put the onus of fixing the problem on the women. What’s even more insidious is the implication here, which is that women are the ones who have caused workplace inequality. That is dangerous, dubious, and wrong….
A Little Empathy Goes a Long Way
Inherent to the human condition is the desire to know that we are understood and valued. That is why the most essential management characteristic is empathy. The ability to connect with people to inspire performance is far more important than being an expert in your field or clearly articulating your expectations. An empathetic leader or manager can create an enjoyable work environment for employees, encouraging growth and productivity….
How to Spot a Bad Boss
A good leader possesses soft skills like effective communication, a commitment to teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. Good leaders motivate and inspire their employees to become better workers, which improves the company’s bottom line while reducing turnover. However, excellent leaders are rare, and bad bosses are everywhere; I don’t know a working professional who has not had an experience with a bad boss. Here are some bad boss behaviors that you should be on the lookout for….
Vulnerability? Or virtue signaling?
This week, a CEO posted a crying selfie on LinkedIn, and it did not go well for him. At all. CEO Braden Wallake posted the photo, along with a lengthy missive about how he was upset that his poor business decisions led him to lay off employees. What did NOT follow was an actual acceptance of responsibility and accountability. Instead, it was all about his feelings. And how much it hurt him. At the same time, his laid-off employees are filing unemployment claims and facing the loss of their access to healthcare. This is not vulnerability. This is the transformation of one person’s feelings into a voyeuristic spectacle for all of LinkedIn to see. And that is why people blasted him….
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….