Activating the best of you!

Can Volunteering Help My Career?

Dear Joan, I’m just starting my professional career and was advised to get involved with volunteer work. I’m wondering if volunteer activities can be a boost to my career in any way? I am quite ambitious and want to use my free time wisely. Yes, I’d like to do community service work, but might it […]

Career Impact from North Bay Fire Lingers On

Dear Coach Joan, The fire might have happened a full year ago, but it continues to impact my life and my work. Our family home burned down, we lost everything, and we’re still dealing with the insurance company and builders, not sure we can even afford to rebuild. Living in temporary housing is another stress […]

3 Tips for Recruiting Staff to Your Own New Business

Dear Coach Joan, I left the corporate world 3 years ago to run my own consultancy in the publishing world. I felt that with fifteen years of experience, half of that in management, and a good network of colleagues and clients I could go out on my own. I have some specialized skills and did […]

How to NOT get paranoid during the job search

Dear Coach Joan, Am I the only one getting paranoid during my job search? For the last three months I have sent out over 50 resumes and I have gotten no bites, no interviews. I am applying for jobs I am well qualified for. Should I assume that I have been blacklisted by former employers? […]

5 tips for networking at work

Dear Coach Joan, After two menial jobs after college, I have finally landed an entry level position at a large company and this should put me on the professional track. I was told to actively network to find new opportunities and make helpful professional connections. But I really don’t know how to get started. After […]

New job is disappointing. Now what?

  Dear Readers,   If any of these scenarios sound familiar, you are not alone:   * I was promised benefits after three months;  it is now four months later and my manager keeps giving excuses and postponing the sign up date.   * I was told there would be very little travel, yet I’m […]

Take lower level temp job during your job search?

Dear Joan, I earned my MBA six months ago and have yet to find the right job that will challenge me and allow me to use my new skills and knowledge. However, I  have been offered a 3-month contract position to do work that is in my area of finance, but significantly below the level […]

Big changes at work. Now what?

  News Flash: Your company has been bought, sold, or merged, Will there be changes in the  leadership? How will the changes impact you? Will you still have a job? Will the work environment change? Will you have a new manager, new co-workers? What will it all mean?   Change can be scary and unsettling. […]

Exercise your ‘confidence muscle’ for career success

Yes, confidence does make all the difference in the world, especially in the world of career development and management. And I don’t mean false confidence and bravado. That is never attractive and never a winning stance, in any area of life. But I do mean the kind of confidence that comes from true ownership of […]