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.
Does your team play in concert with one another?
Google the words “team, build, work,” and you will get an infinite number of results for pages filled with inspirational, motivational quotes, and uplifting stories of how to build an effective team. You also know the reality of many of the teams on which we work--one person takes the lead, one person’s ideas are rejected,…
STEM isn’t the end all, be all after all.
Over the last decade or so, science, technology, engineering, and math (or STEM) studies have been sold to students not just the key to career success, but as the only way to be competitive in the 21st Century. The result of this has been that public education, already restricted to teaching that which is tested,…
Personal Branding and Content
You know that I’m all about content, and all about using content as a way to define, promote, and grow your personal brand. But do you think of things like the presentations you give, that thirty-second elevator pitch, or your answer to that often-asked interview question, “So, tell me about yourself” as “content”? Probably not.…
I’m returning to work after eight years. What should I put on my resume?
Last week, I discussed the challenges of deciding to remove yourself from the workforce, and how it should be a carefully considered decision. A follow-up to that is another question I get frequently, which goes like this: I’ve been home with my kids for the last eight years, and now I’m ready to go…
Stay or leave? Consider it carefully.
I frequently field questions from new moms who are struggling with the realities of returning to work. They usually go something like this: My daughter just turned three, and I just had my second child. In reviewing our family’s finances, it seems futile for me to return to work when my entire take home…
What are you going to do differently?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result. This worn out and tired saying is so often repeated (and, therefore, worn out and tired!) because it is true. The beginning of a new year is a good time to reflect on what you’re going to…
What can job seekers expect in 2018?
2017 was a year of change in the job market. The improving economy and market record highs have made for low levels of unemployment. Just a few short years ago, employers held all the cards, but that has changed. In a tight labor market, candidates wield power that they didn’t have until recently. The job…
Checklist for more effective communication
Studies confirm our experience. Two thirds of all presentations are rated as mediocre or worse. How often have you been subjected to a 73 slide PowerPoint deck with dense, illegible slides, and a presenter who reads them to you? Have you been on the receiving end of a memo that is so chock full of…
How Pre-employment Screening Tests Filter Out Top Talent
We all know that recruiting and retaining top talent is a major concern of business leaders. Turnover most interferes with an organization's success. Rampant turnover can negatively impact the employer brand. And, of course, there is the financial cost of turnover. The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) estimates that it takes employers the equivalent…
The best advice I can give you
Over the course of my career, I have counseled thousands of people. Some people seek assistance in writing a resume. Some want help crafting a succinct elevator pitch. Many want advice as to how to move their careers forward, and how to achieve their end goal. Almost invariably, I give my clients the same pieces…