Effective networkers are givers

A lot of networking sounds, in effect, something like this:
Hello, I’m looking for a job. Do you have any openings?
Too many people approach networking as an opportunity to get something they need — usually a job — and when the need is fulfilled, they quit networking. It’s all about ‘getting’.
True networking, however, is about giving. [...]

The trick to being strong

I came across a quote this evening that inspired me, as it relates to many things I’ve been learning and talking about in the last few days.
Speaking about how she survived several tragedies and trials in her life, Elizabeth Edwards had this to say:
“People who knew we had lost a son said, ‘You are so [...]

Toot!

Sometimes it’s hard to toot your own horn, but when someone else does it for you… well, that’s a different story. Thanks to Jason at JibberJobber for his kind words about this blog. And welcome to Jason’s readers who have kindly stopped by for a visit.

One thing

What “one thing” are you focusing on? Or are you being distracted by all the clutter in your life? Toby has a post this week about finding your passion. It’s worth reading.
One way to eliminate clutter in your life and stay focused is to have a trusted coach. We are often oblivious to our [...]

Coach Dustin, et al

Last week was spring break for our schools, so we took the opportunity to spend some time with our extended family at the lake. (That’s why I haven’t posted for a few days.) We stayed in a cabin that was perched on a hill just a few yards above the lake, with a large [...]

Work Quote

Occasionally I come across a quote about work that inspires and motivates me. Rather than just reading them and moving on, I thought I would start sharing them here. This one is from Woodrow Wilson:
“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more [...]

Practice Interviews

Thanks to Alexandra at Water Cooler Wisdom for introducing me to InterviewTrue.
This is an online service that allows people to practice their interviewing skills. You can pick from more than 1,000 common interview questions. An interviewer appears on screen and you answer the questions just as if you were in an interview session. You can [...]

Career success

What defines a “successful” career?

Money?
Power?
Prestige?
Popularity?

Too often we define success by looking in the review mirror. We look at our accomplishments to see how our peers and employers value our contribution — measured by our salary, position, or influence. In other words, we let the market be our measure of success or greatness.
Seth Godin talks about [...]

Help wanted?

Good news for the job market: both workers and managers expect strong job growth in the coming months. The February Hudson Index indicates that 32 percent of workers (up 2 percent) and 33 percent of managers (up 3 percent) expect their organization to add jobs in the near future.
In addition, a [...]

The Value of Work #2

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a comment about the Value of Work. To my surprise, it has become the most popular post on my blog to date, despite the fact — or perhaps because of the fact — that it contains no original content on my part. (Thanks for keeping me humble!)
Considering [...]