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.
Create a project plan for your career
You’ve heard the adage that failing to plan is planning to fail. You also know that a good plan is one that allows for flexibility and changing priorities, deadlines, and budgets. You probably work off of a multitude of project plans in your job and at home. But do you have a project plan for…
Confident or Competent?
We all know that there is a difference between confidence and competence. After all, confidence is when someone knows that she is particularly adept at something, whereas competence is when she objectively possesses that acumen. It is easy enough to understand the distinction, but, in practice, we often conflate the two. Confident people tend to…
My Male Colleagues Won't Respect Me
Hi Deb: I have a question that I’m sure you’ve heard before. When I’m in meetings at work, I’m often the only woman in the room/on the call. My male colleagues continuously interrupt me, talk over me, and dismiss what I’m saying. I’ve spoken with my manager (who is a man) privately about this, and…
Follow Up On the Indifferent Boss
Hi Deb: Thanks for your advice as to what I should do about my boss who doesn’t seem to care about anything. I did as you suggested, and invited his manager for coffee. I told him that I really enjoy working with the team and that I learned a lot on the last project we…
Five Things That Don’t Belong on Your LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professional website where professionals can grow their network. However, in recent months, people have seemed to confuse their LinkedIn accounts with other forms of social media such as Facebook or Twitter by posting things more suited for those platforms. I have compiled a list of five of the most unprofessional things I…
Get ahead by knowing when to quit
We have all heard the adage that winners don’t quit. Quitting is for, well, quitters! Sure, it’s not good practice to give up on something simply because it’s difficult, or because you haven’t had immediate success. But what about strategic quitting? Strategic quitting is the practice of using quitting to your advantage and knowing and…
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…