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.
You’re not imagining it. Pregnancy discrimination is real.
Sometimes, a firmly held belief I have is validated by an outside source. And usually, this makes me feel vindicated and relieved. But on occasion, a closely held belief is proven to be true, and the result is that I am angry and disgusted. Such was the case when I read this article in the…
My New Boss Doesn't Care About The Company
Hi Deb: I have been in my current role for a little more than two years. During that time, my group has undergone a major reorganization and I have a new boss. When I first began reporting to him, I thought that he was incompetent. But as time has gone on, I realized that he’s…
The Great White Whale
Melville’s great white whale, Moby Dick, is perhaps the best-known metaphor in American literature. In the eponymous novel, the whale is not only the object of Captain Ahab’s obsession, but it also represents that which he cannot have, no matter how hard he tries. Ahab’s obsession with the great white whale is what ultimately leads…
Sexual harassment is a leadership problem
Workplace sexual harassment has been a problem for decades. Centuries, actually. But the recent spate of allegations of harassment against public figures is a good indicator of how entrenched these abuses of power are. Harassment is insidious, and the damage that it does to the victims, as well as to the organizations that employ them…
Marketing Yourself in Your Job Search
I recently received this question via email: How do I set up my resume and LinkedIn profile for the NEXT job I want? If I'm a "Manager," I'm not that interested in jobs with the title "Manager" in them. But how do I ensure people searching for Senior Managers, or Directors find me if my…
Your Career Hierarchy of Needs
Famed psychologist and researcher Abraham Maslow is best known for his theory of motivation, which is based on the idea that people also have strong cognitive reasons to perform various actions. In his well-known hierarchy of needs, Maslow presents different motivations at different levels. This is often represented as a pyramid. First, people are motivated…
Bro Culture in the Workplace
Women presently represent 50% of the workforce. Yet in spite of this, top positions in most companies tend to be dominated by men. And when a woman does hold a C-level position, she’s seen as a novelty, and is often trotted out and put on display in the name of “diversity.” Think Sheryl Sandberg, Meg…
What are Your Six Words?
Literary legend has it that Ernest Hemingway won a $10 bet by writing the shortest story he could, on the back of a napkin: For sale: baby shoes. Never worn. His simple six-word story resonates with both depth and tragedy, and in its terseness, provides us with a perfect encapsulation of both the…
The power of Storytelling
One of my favorite works of nonfiction is In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. In this book, Capote tells the story of a senseless and brutal quadruple murder, and the two men who committed the heinous crime. He also examines the moral, ethical, and legal underpinnings of capital punishment. On its surface, this may seem…
The “why” of keeping it simple
I’ve written at length about the importance of keeping things simple. Whether it’s the answers to your interview questions, your pitch to a new client, or a discussion with a disgruntled vendor, simplicity is the way to go. Far too often, we make things harder than they need to be. We add extraneous, unnecessary levels…