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.
5 Jobs That Are Safe from Automation
There's a lot of talk surrounding the impending "robot apocalypse." Over the last couple of decades, driverless cars and life-like robots only appeared in sci-fi movies, but the lines between fiction and reality have started to blur. Examining the influence of automation on the American job market, researchers from Oxford University state that almost 50%…
The collective unconscious of your presentation
The collective unconscious is a tenet of modern psychology attributed to Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung. The collective unconscious refers to the unconscious mind shared by all of humanity. It is composed of archetypes, which are simple representations of universal figures and relationships. Archetypes are a concept that relate to models of people, behaviors, or personalities.…
How to deal with sycophants at work
In Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes, two swindlers convince a vain emperor they could weave the most elegant clothes so uncommonly fine, only those with the highest refinement, good taste, and exceptional intelligence would be able to see them. The ambitious emperor heartily agrees, thinking it would help him to distinguish the…
Tips to make working from home more productive
Almost 10% of white-collar workers in the US now work from home on a full-time basis, and more than 40% of all white-collar workers work from home at least once per week. This flexible work arrangement is one that costs employers nothing but engenders high engagement from employees. While many people report that they are…
Corporate social responsibility. What is it? Why should you care?
Many factors impact the development of a company’s culture. Most notably is its mission, which is something that is driven directly from the CEO. Ostensibly, the mission of any for-profit organization is to make a profit. Lots of companies stop with that. These are the places where there are quarterly layoffs so that the numbers…
Yes, you really do have to do that.
People constantly ask me about what elements and tactics are absolutely necessary to execute an effective and efficient job search. At the same time, employers want to know what they need to do to recruit and retain top talent. Frankly, both employers and candidates need to up their game. They need to respect each other’s…
Improve your messaging to drive better results
We are all in the business of communication. Whether you’re communicating with external customers, internal clients, or prospective employers, you need to be sure that your message is clear, relevant, and compels the action you desire. Here are my top tips for improving your messaging so that you get the results you want. Know your…
Break free from your PowerPoint addiction
It’s rampant. Insidious. Infectious. Fueled by group think and a desire to appear smart, PowerPoint addiction afflicts nearly every workplace. Sucking up time and resources, this sickness is difficult to treat because many people truly believe that they need slides in order to speak. Common signs of PowerPoint addiction include: You spend countless hours preparing…
Spring Clean Your Job Search
The birds are chirping. The flowers are blooming. The pollen is EVERYWHERE. You know what that means. It means it’s time to reevaluate what you’ve been doing with your job search and prune back the ineffective elements. Some things will need to be cut off completely and tossed into the career compost heap. You want…
Denied for a Job for Unknown Reasons
Dear Deb: I interviewed for a position recently, only to receive an email stating that they went with a candidate who was a “better cultural fit” for the role. I don’t understand what that means, and I would like to reach out to the hiring team for clarification. Is this advised? What is “cultural fit”?…