Activating the best of you!

3 Do’s and Don’ts for Work Emails

Dear Readers, Like you, I probably get over 50 emails a day. And after years and year of receiving and writing emails and hearing feedback from clients,  I see a pattern of what works and what doesn’t work with emails. Here goes: Make it Short – If it is a long, complicated message, consider a […]

Career coach as fortune teller?

Dear Readers, today I  got a call from a reader asking if I could help her figure out her next career step. She is 55, facing job loss, and after decades in the financial sector, would like to start in a whole new kind of work. The funny part was when she asked  if I […]

3 Inspiring Retirement Stories – How to Stay Involved and Still Work Less

Dear Readers, It used to be that when you turned 65  you retired. You were done. You got your  gold watch, and you moved on. Perhaps you played golf, sat back, enjoyed the grandkids, and spent more time visiting with friends and family. But you were basically done. It was black and white. You were […]

The Surprising #1 Capability that College Grads Need to get a Job

Dear Readers, This is the time of year that recent college grads are scrambling to find a job. I often get asked what they can do to best prepare for the job market.   My recommendation is fairly unique. It is not the typical focus on problem solving skills, communication skills and perhaps computer skills. […]

Client Retention – Not Always Easy

Dear Coach Joan, I’m coming to the end of a 30 year account management career and need to transfer my clients to my partner or I lose out on my income payout for the next several years. The problem is that several clients are showing resistance to my  partner even though they gave me very […]

How to get a new job: 3 intriguing and inspiring networking stories

Dear Readers, In my  years of being a career coach I have always advocated for networking and spreading one’s net as far and wide as possible. And sometimes this advice has really been taken to heart, and clients have been remarkably creative in their networking efforts. I wanted to share the top 3 stories that […]

4 Ways to Impress at the Interview

Dear Coach Joan, I will finally be having an in-person interview at the company I have wanted to work at for a long time. Naturally, I want to make a great impression and although I’ve done some research and planning, I’d like to know some best strategies for making a great impression. This opportunity means […]

4 ways to advance your career this summer

Dear Readers, As counter intuitive as it might sound, summer is a great time to add sizzle, not only to your barbecue, but to your career! Many people miss out on this fabulous season of opportunity because they think everyone is on vacation. Big mistake. Everyone is not on vacation, but many people are more […]

QUIZ – 5 Easy Steps To Help Your Career Forward

Dear Readers, On this Independence Day Holiday I am reflecting on the underlying strengths of our nation. Our country is built on the lofty values of liberty, justice and freedom. Based on those values, we united and fought hard to win our independence. It was our clear and unifying vision that empowered us forward. In […]