Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Career Advice from a Comic Book?

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In the March 3rd issue of BusinessWeek, Susan Berfield wrote about a new career advice genre:  the comic book.  Berfield explains that many business publishers have been adjusting their products to be read in limited time slots, such as a two-hour plane ride.  The comic book appeals to those who don’t have time for too many words on one page.

Due out in April, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko:  The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need, by Daniel H. Pink, who also wrote Free Agent Nation and A Whole New Mind, is targeted to college students.  Pink says, “College students are making all kinds of assumptions about their careers that are just wrong.”

Berfield reports that there are six lessons in the book:

  • There is no plan.
  • Think strengths, not weaknesses.
  • It’s not about you.
  • Persistence trumps talent.
  • Make excellent mistakes.
  • Leave an imprint.

All interesting points.  I am curious to see how Pink elaborates on them in his book, which is touted to be a useful and entertaining work that can be read in an hour.

Seeking career advice targeted directly to you?  Keppie Careers will write your resume and coach you through the job hunt maze.

Netweaving – An Underutilized Job Search Strategy

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I attended a networking meeting this week, and one of the participants talked about “netWEAVING,” the process of creating communities to help one another find solutions for problems.

This is not a new concept.  An article by TechRepublic by Michael Sisco explains:

The term was coined by Bob Littell, a consultant who focuses on strategic marketing, product design, development, and implementation issues within the financial services industry. Rather than going to the “party” to learn what you can that might lead to new business, you attend with the intent of learning all you can from as many people as possible about their business, their needs, and their challenges. The objective is to try to help as many people as you can. The help or insight you provide may be putting them in touch with someone you know or sharing insight that can help the other person.

This approach, which is reciprocal by design, may be more comfortable for those who view networking in a negative way because it seems too much like “using people.”  If you focus on going out to seek and share information, your return will be even greater!

Keppie Careers can transform your resume and help you learn how to network and netweave!  Our mission is to advise, encourage and enlighten job seekers!
www.keppiecareers.com

Are you a workaholic?

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In Five Signals that You May Be a Workaholic, an article by Dana Mattioli for Career Journal.com,, she outlines several criteria to help determine if you are, indeed, a workaholic, or if you are just doing your job.  The criteria:

  1. You are preoccupied with work.  You are always dwelling on your job and can’t “turn it off” in social situations.
  2. You don’t like to delegate.  This is a control issue.  You’re afraid that letting someone else take responsibility would indicate that other people can actually get the job done.
  3. You neglect other parts of your life.  Family and social relationships suffer because you are so immersed with work.
  4. You try to combine work into other parts of your life.  For example, you hire friends or relatives to work for you or use vacations as opportunities to pursue work activities.
  5. You sneak work! (Like one might sneak chocolate to avoid sharing it with one’s children…Not that I would know anything about that personally.)

The New York Times weighs in as well.  Their column, When Hard Work Becomes Overwork,by Phyllis Korkki, touches on the similarities between workaholics and alcoholics.  She describes stress and mental and physical damage (to workaholics and their employees).  Workaholics aren’t even necessarily more productive than other workers.  In fact, they may inadvertently be creating the problems they thought they were solving “to provide the endless thrill of more work.”

So,  here you are, giving your lifeblood to your career, sacrificing everything – relationships, hobbies, free time – and your organization may actually think that you are the problem!  Sad, but true.

It may be time to reevaluate.  Look at yourself and your work objectively.  If you are a workaholic, it may be time to step back and make some changes  You may need some professional help to overcome a work addiction..  Is a new career in order?  Maybe.  Evaluating your options and reviewing your resume can’t hurt. A transfer or new assignment may be in order. If this sounds like you, the new year is a perfect time to think about making a change.

Transferable Skills

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It is so important for you to know what you have to offer when you are looking for a job!  Transferable skills are a great avenue for marketing yourself into a new job or career.  These skills, when used to your advantage, can open doors and present opportunities that may have seemed unattainable.

Keppie Careers’ “Free Career Advice” has an article that describes transferable skills and offers a link to an assessment to help you figure out what you have to offer.  I hope you’ll take a look!  You may be surprised to realize all that you have to offer.

keppiecareers.com…We advise, encourage, enlighten!

Best Careers and Unemployment

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It’s not great news for the US economy…Numbers show that unemployment is at a 2-year high.  In December, the economy only added 18,000 jobs instead of the 70,000 predicted.  These are the worst numbers reported since August 2003.

If you are in the construction, manufacturing and retail sectors, these are not good times for your industry.   Health care and professional services did much better, gaining jobs.

As you think about “A New Career for a New Year,” consider reviewing US News & World Report’s “Best Careers for 2008.”  Some of their selections may surprise you.  Consider if angling toward a career predicted to have a rosier future might be right for you.   (Keeping in mind that not all predictions actually come true!)   What are your transferable skills?  Could you use them to market yourself into a whole new career? 

This is a great time for some self-searching and research.  Maybe it is time for a whole new direction!

keppiecareers.com…We advise, encourage, enlighten!