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.
Propaganda, Groupthink, and Corporate Terrorism
Groupthink is a phenomenon that occurs when a group of otherwise well-intentioned people makes irrational decisions out of an urge to conform. One of the most useful tools for promoting groupthink is propaganda. Corporate propaganda can be used to agitate, anger, and encourage fealty among employees. People come to believe company propaganda because they’ve been convinced that the company exists as an entity separate from the people. When this illusion of separateness persists, it can have devastating and even bizarre consequences. Anything good is the company. Anything bad is due to people….
Cinderella Syndrome
We all know the story of Cinderella. It is the classic rags-to-riches tale filled with supernatural components and the stuff of a good fairytale. It is a story about overcoming oppression and receiving a just reward; a universal tale about the triumph of good over evil; and a story of the desire for love, acceptance, and a higher standard of living. Fundamentally, Cinderella is the story of the universal human desire for belonging and acceptance….
It’s not you. It’s the market.
If you’ve been searching for a new role this year, you might be wondering if there’s something wrong with you or your job search strategies. You’re doing everything you think you should be—networking, customizing your resumes and cover letters, practicing your responses to common interview questions, and improving your narrative—but you’re not getting any offers. Maybe you’re not even getting any requests for interviews. I’m here to tell you that it’s not you. It’s them….
My Husband Cheated on Me, and I Posted about It on LinkedIn
Scroll through LinkedIn, and you will find a mix of rampant virtue signaling, cringeworthy titles, and stories that are more appropriate for Facebook. Your feed is probably rife with motivational nonsense, corporate shilling, and abject narcissism disguised as positivity and healthy self-celebration. Or, it’s a forum for “humblebragging,” with people being “honored” or being nominated for some unknown award, receiving a promotion, or starting a new job. When did this happen? LinkedIn used to be a place for serious and useful content that related to career management and for sharing best practices in your field or industry.
Here are a few examples of egregious, inappropriate content that has been published on LinkedIn….
Equity vs. Equality: Musings on International Women’s Day
Simply hiring more women will not solve the problem of inequity. Companies must embrace equity as a strategic imperative. Although women comprise more than 50% of the workforce, there persists a dearth of women in positions of leadership. Within the US labor force, college-educated women outnumber college-educated men, yet the more education they obtain, the greater the pay disparity between them and their male counterparts. And, while the shift to hybrid and flexible working practices has given women greater access to work, especially working mothers, equity does not necessarily follow….
New Data on the Pay Gap Is Out, and It Doesn’t Look Good
The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan think tank, just released its report on the gender pay gap in the United States, and the news is grim. According to the research published on March 1, the pay gap between men and women is nearly identical to what it was twenty years ago. There have been many efforts to ameliorate this problem—from pay transparency laws to increased scrutiny of earnings disparity among employees doing the same job—but the problem persists….
Imposter Syndrome: It Puts You There Where Things Are Hollow
What do an Academy Award-winning actor, an iconic musician, a Nobel laureate, and a Supreme Court justice have in common? Each of them has struggled with imposter syndrome. That can’t be true. Can it? ….
Ask Deb: My Job Was My Entire Personality. Now What?
I was laid off from my executive position last June and have been actively networking, consulting, and searching for a full-time role. The problem is that when people ask me what I do, I feel like I no longer have a good response. I used to say that I was a vice president for a major financial services company, where I led product and platform development for our investment management line of business. I admit that I am now embarrassed when I’m asked about what I do or when I meet someone new. I have nothing to say anymore….
Interview Red Flags
Getting a new job can be an exciting and wonderful thing. Sometimes, in our haste to make a jump or to get back into the workforce, we ignore obvious signs that the workplace into which we are entering may be toxic. Here are some red flags that my clients have shared with me over the years. All of these are clear indicators of a potentially toxic culture….
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….