Career Coaching ::

Stop Listening to Bad Career Advice (And What You Should Do Instead)

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Michelle Riklan

Have you ever considered asking friends for career advice? Unless they’re way ahead of you in their chosen profession, it might be best to reconsider. Bad advice, even from the most well-meaning sources, abound. Some so-called experts dish advice they have never put to use themselves—all theory, no proof. Even more astonishing—and disappointing—is the advice women give to other women….

New Year’s Resolutions to Skyrocket Your Career in 2018

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Michelle Riklan

Writing a New Year’s Resolution is easy, especially if you’re not happy at work. Your resolution could be to get a new job, get a raise, or make it through a week without complaining about your boss. You have plenty of ideas about the things you want to improve. Setting a resolution isn’t so easy and straightforward when things are…

How to Create a Career Back-up Plan

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

Your career is okay, then without a warning, the economy goes down or the once-stable company that you work for is facing bankruptcy. Before you realize it, you’re ordered to start packing because it’s your last day of employment. Sudden unemployment will force you to deal with the challenges that come with losing a job. Dozens of questions and worries…

Spend the Long Weekend after Thanksgiving Improving Your Career

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

This year, Thanksgiving will fall on November 23, only two weeks away. In some states though, the day after Thanksgiving is also a celebrated holiday, which leads to a much anticipated long weekend. You’re probably excited to relax and get together with your loved ones. In between family dinners and shopping, why not spend a part of the coming long…

What Can You Do to Promote Gender Equality at Work?

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

In 1911, millions of men and women in Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany marched on rallies during the first International Woman’s Day. They fought for the right of every woman to work, hold public office, and vote. Today, we have come far in terms of women’s rights, but there’s still so much we can do to close the gap between…

Alert! Don’t Fall for these 3 Ego Traps that can Ruin Your Executive Career

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

You’re on top of your game. You’re the boss and you have a corner office to prove it. Yes, it definitely took a lot of hard work to get to where you are now, but what got you to the top may not be enough to keep you in this position. Being the boss can make anyone prone to a…

Unexpected Succession Planning: What to Do if a Key Executive Unexpectedly Quits

Posted on August 5, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

You may not be the CEO yet. But as a company executive, an executive’s unexpected resignation, termination, or even absence is cause for alarm. Best case scenario, you may be chosen by the board to serve as interim CEO or executive. On the flip side, you may lose your job or the company may go down in the dumps as…

How to Build a Strong Alliance of Supporters at Work

Posted on August 4, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

One of the secrets of succeeding in the workplace is building strong alliances. No matter how seemingly good and experienced you are, or even if you hold a top position in an organization, time will come that you’ll need someone else’s help. This is where building alliances comes in handy. Successful employees work hard to build themselves a network of…

Get Your Children Off the Couch – Radio Interview with Ed Tyll

Posted on June 2, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

What an honor it was to be invited on the Ed Tyll show on Starcom Radio! The topic was How to Get Your Children off the Couch and Into the Workplace. I am pleased to share the audio (please click here) as well as the entire transcript. Ed was a gracious host with thoughtful and insightful questions and it…

The Common Questions Applicants Ask Their Would-Be Bosses on Interviews

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

Are you a manager or executive interviewing someone for a job? Don’t expect that you’ll be the only one asking questions. Expect good candidates to raise their own questions during the job interview. They want to impress you and make themselves more memorable compared to other candidates. Here are the top four questions you can expect to get from a…

Six Tips for Proofreading Your Resume

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

Your resume is still a vital component to getting you the interview to the job of your dreams. It’s one of the first impressions that a hiring manager will have when you apply to a new job or position, and one of the biggest determinants about whether or not you will get called for an interview. While you can upgrade…

Five Sage Career Tips from High-Flying Women for Women

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

In today’s world, women are a vital part of the workforce and many have prominent roles in most industries. There are many fields and areas that are growing in terms of representation by women, including civil engineering, law enforcement, law, and medicine. This month marks the 30th anniversary of National Women’s History Month, which Congress passed in 1987. In…

How to Deal with Email Conflicts at the Office

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

Ever since there was the written word, misunderstandings and misinterpretations have existed. Then email was invented, and miscommunications became more frequent. The nature of email today is that it is quicker than actual printed letters. People tend to treat email more casually than printed letters. Introductions are more casual and many times, they are not as carefully edited or their…

Resume Trends to Watch in 2017

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

From hair to clothing to houses, everything is subject to trends. In the job search world, resumes are no different. Resumes go through trend cycles too. Forty years ago, resumes were pages upon pages. In the last 10 years, resumes have gone down to only two or three pages, as nobody has time to scan through a five-page resume. Today,…

Executive Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

You’re an executive, and you’ve been contacted by a recruiter about an opportunity for a well-known firm in your industry. Congratulations! Although you’re excited about this position, you’re understandably nervous about the upcoming interview. Of course, the interview isn’t the be-all end-all to getting the job – there are also references to follow up with, and portfolios and numbers…

Celebrating the Value of a Humanities Degree in National Arts and Humanities Month

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Editor

Whether you’re on the cusp of finishing high school or considering a career change and heading back to a higher education institution, you may be weighing out your options. Everyone has advice to give – “Take science classes,” your parents say. Your friends tell you to major in engineering, and your former teachers tell you that computer science is the…

Remembering the Importance of Work-life Balance after Labor Day

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Editor

Recently, we celebrated the last long weekend of the summer. In honor of Labor Day, workers vacated their cubicles, turned on their out-of-office notifications and had a great BBQ with their friends and neighbors. Did you join in the fun? Did you take advantage of the R&R? Or did you hunker down at your desk to catch up or get…

A Primer for Compassionately Dealing with the Emotions of Laid Off Employees

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Editor

It’s the hardest part about being the boss – you will inevitably have to lay off one or more employees at one point in your career. If you haven’t had to do it before, you might wonder: Why is it so hard to lay off an employee? After all, it’s not your fault – you had no say in the…

Introverts: Afraid of Mingling? Don’t Let That Impact Relationships with Co-Workers

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Editor

There are all kinds of people in a workplace… Outspoken, gregarious types, and shy, timid types. And that’s OK, everyone is different. The problem with that is, even though we’ve moved beyond high school, popularity contests still exist in real life. People still gravitate towards others who are outgoing, friendly, outspoken, and give off high energy because they are exciting…

Career Advice from Moms, Dads, and the Parental Figures in Our Lives

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Editor

You may think of your parents as from a different generation, or even as archaic. But that doesn’t change the fact that they care about you and want the best for you. They’ve also been alive for a longer period of time, and likely have more work experience than you. So whether their wisdom is welcome or not, they give…

Don’t Accept that Management Job UNTIL You Ask Yourself these Questions

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Editor

For many people, getting a management role seems like the most obvious option in climbing their career ladder. While it’s true that nobody aspires to work at an entry-level job for the rest of their lives, the truth is that a leadership role isn’t for everyone. No, I don’t mean that you have to be born with it. Having a…

4 Not-so-Techy Tech Jobs and the Skills You Need to Get Them

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Editor

The tech industry is one of the fastest growing fields worldwide. Unfortunately, a lot of students and applicants stay clear of the industry because they feel they’re not “techy” enough. The tech industry isn’t exclusive to programming, engineering, and computer science majors though. Tons of jobs exist for applicants in the field of analysis, humanities, business, customer service, and sales….

5 Things to Never Say (or Admit Out Loud) to Your Boss

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Editor

In a perfect world, you’d be on good terms with your boss. You might not be the best of friends, trading holiday cookies, or hanging out and drinking beer after work, but at least your communication lines are always honest and open. But you don’t live in a perfect world — no matter how nice your boss is. Your boss…

How to Stop Beating Yourself up over Your Mistakes at Work

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Editor

I found this interesting post on Reddit. Can you relate? “We were at a conference and I had to take notes and photos and write a report on it the following day, several people were speaking and at some point I got distracted with taking photos and forgot to take notes for one of the speakers except for one or…

Layoff Survivors: How Employees Change After a Layoff

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Editor

Century Link, one of the biggest companies in Louisiana, is restructuring to the tune of 1,000 employees. Yes, it’s just a small dent to their 44K global workforce, but to the surviving employees, the change is bound to affect them — whether they admit it or not. No One Relaxes After a Layoff No employee, not even the star performer,…

How does Executive Outplacement Work?

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Editor

As of August 2014, about 119 CEOs announced their resignation, the highest recorded number since 2008, according to an article published in Chief Executive Magazine. Executives know that figuring out the next phase of their career isn’t as simple as submitting a resume. Transitioning from one C-level job to another, after all, requires a lot of upfront work. Business owners,…

3 Questions to Ask a Corporate Outplacement Provider

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Editor

Layoffs are difficult for employees and business owners alike. As the boss, you’re torn between trying to conserve all remaining resources of your company and doing the right thing for the people who worked with you for years. Deciding whether to offer outplacement services or not isn’t just a moral question. It’s also a question of protecting your company’s image…

4 Top Job Options for Employees 50 and Over

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Editor

The times are changing. The unemployment rate for workers 50 and up is higher than it was in the last Great Recession. While the unemployment rate is going down, albeit slowly, many older workers remain unemployed six months to a year, way longer than young employees with less work experience. It’s as if older workers are past their “sell-by” date….

Are Listening Skills—and Decent Customer Service—Lost in this Generation’s Fresh Graduates?

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Editor

Here’s a typical scene every time I go through a Dunkin Donuts drive-thru… Me: One medium hot latte with skim milk Crew: Okay, would you like it hot or cold? Me: Hot (okay…he’s too young to be deaf) Crew: Whole or skim milk? Me: Skim milk (getting impatient here…) Every. Single. Time. And that was just a single item order….

Stock Up on these Career Essentials on Black Friday

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Editor

What are you going to buy this Black Friday? A new flat screen? A new Xbox? New shoes? You can buy those to impress your friends and neighbors – or you can update your professional wardrobe and impress people at your office. Take advantage of Black Friday sales by investing in your professional look. You’ll be glad you did when…

Thanksgiving and the Networking Opportunities It Presents to Graduating Students

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Editor

Thanksgiving, a time to feast, give thanks and sometimes, endure awkward questions with your family. That’s it, right? Well, not just that. Thanksgiving is also a good time to build your network. With all the parties and dinners to attend, I am sure your professional life isn’t your top priority right now. Thanksgiving and your career aren’t mutually exclusive, this…

Corporate America Doesn’t Care About You: It’s Time to Put Yourself First

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Editor

When was the last time you came home late because you needed to finish an urgent project? Did you take your work home recently? Have you ever missed your kid’s recital because of work? Sacrificing work/life balance to move up in the corporate ladder seems like a fair trade, at least on the surface. Martin Yate, author of New York…

Luck Ain’t Gonna Be Enough

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Michelle Riklan

How often have you heard a friend gush at someone else’s extraordinary luck? “Wow! He must be really lucky to get that job!” Admittedly, the competition for high-paying jobs in big name companies is fierce, there could be 100+ applicants fighting for one vacancy. So from an outside perspective, it may seem that whoever receives the job offer must be…

Be the Boss or Face the Consequences of Undermanagement

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Michelle Riklan

What do you get when you put together employees with diverse personalities, work backgrounds, different temperaments, habits, and varying levels of weirdness? Chaos. But nowadays, that’s what most managers call a “team,” and the difficulty of handling such team doesn’t stop with aforementioned differences. In fact, that’s just the start. Add a dash of disregard for authority, laziness, lack of…

What is President’s Day?

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Michelle Riklan

For some, Presidents’ Day is intended to honor all the American presidents, but most significantly George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Both considered important leaders of the United States and remembered for their unique contributions for shaping The Nation. Whether you are in job search mode or simply keeping your career materials up-to-date, I recommend that you ask yourself the following…

Position Yourself to Get the Job

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Michelle Riklan

You may have heard that you need to “brand yourself” in order to be successful in your career. While “branding” (which is defined as “to make an indelible mark or impression on somebody or something”) is a valuable strategy, you may be more comfortable with the idea of simply positioning yourself to be successful in your job search and career….

Fighting the Unemployment Blues and Staying Motivated

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Michelle Riklan

The national unemployment rate fell to 8.5%, the lowest in nearly 3 years. While we seem to be moving in the right direction, this is not a window of opportunity to “go easy” on your job search. It’s a time to become even more persistent and stay ahead of the competition! While being unemployed can be emotionally challenging and stressful,…

New Year Career Resolutions

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Michelle Riklan

As the new year approaches, many of us are in “resolution” mode. What changes do we want to make for 2012? What commitments do we want to make for ourselves and for others? It is a great time to reflect on our careers, evaluate where we have been, and decide where we are heading. Here are a few thoughts to…

CAREER CHANGE – Do I Stay or Do I Go?

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Michelle Riklan

In difficult economic times and with the national unemployment average holding steady in the 9 percent range, making a career change may be a scary prospect. It is certainly not impossible, but the possibility must be approached strategically and realistically. Statistically, people change jobs 9 times during their lifetime and change careers 4 times. There are many reasons why; downsizing/layoff,…

Returning to the Workforce

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Michelle Riklan

People return to the workforce for many reasons: Stay at home parents are ready to resume or start a career. Financial changes have dictated a need. Retired persons are bored with retirement or need extra money. Business owners are looking for an opportunity to work for a company. Whatever the reason, hundreds of thousands of people are attempting to return to the…

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