What do you do when you love your line of work but you are not happy with the people who surround you? This is a question that CNN asked several professionals for a recent article on its website. One young man in Dallas believes that he lost his job simply because he did not join his co-workers for regular happy hours. A woman in San Diego left what she thought would be a wonderful and creative career because she was ostracized by her peers in the office for no apparent reason.

Change the World, Culture Hide

Anita Bruzzese wrote a great post several weeks ago that I would like to share. She wrote about the “5 Ways to Avoid Freaking Out about Networking,” and the article included some interesting statistics. Upwardly Mobile Inc., an online career management service, conducted research and found that job seekers only talk to or email an average of eight people outside of their established circle every month. That is hardly extending your feelers in every direction!

Career Advancement, Networking Hide

What needs to take place at a restaurant, department store, or accounting firm (just to offer a few examples) that will make you want to return for another visit? Even beyond that, what causes you to form an attachment to a certain business to the point that it becomes a needed part of your routine? I have friends who tell me that going through the Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru (I’m showing my regional preference here … and family loyalty) for a coffee is as essential to their morning routine as dropping off the kids at school. Why? Is it the quality of the product? Is the fact that the employees are smiling or that they always get the order right?

Customer Service Hide

I can’t take credit for my innate sense to give back. The women on the right of the picture is my Aunt Mary and here is a great story of how she continues to serve her community at the age of 93. My favorite quote from the story is “I guess I was volunteered” when she tells why she continues to serve her church for 8 hours every Friday during Lent to ensure a successful fish fry.

Change the World, Giving Back, Personal Touch Hide

The Winter Olympics are underway in Vancouver and, assuming the officials at the Games can truck in enough snow to compensate for the unexpectedly warm and rainy weather in Canada, we are certain to see some amazing displays of athleticism over the next couple of weeks. Of course, I cannot help but think of the ways in which this global event offers us insight into how we can create our own professional success.

Accountability, Change the World, Great Ideas, Work Hard Play Hard Hide

I have been struck by the recent ad campaign from Domino’s pizza. Have you seen these commercials? The president and other executives of the company discuss the horrible reviews they have been getting from everyday consumers about the quality of their product and then return to these same critics with what they believe is an improved product. Naturally, the previously dissatisfied customers are shocked to see upper management at their front door holding a pizza!

Accountability, Entitlement Hide

I am sure that all of you know someone who constantly plays the victim in the office … hopefully, that someone isn’t you! The victim is always having things done TO him or her at work. I advocate the need for more personal responsibility and accountability in all aspects of our lives, but particularly in terms of creating our own professional success.

Accountability, Entitlement Hide

You are flawlessly prepared for your upcoming job interview. You know this position will provide you the high profile that you need to kick your career into fast gear. What happens, though, if you are asked a question so completely out of left field that you are left temporarily speechless? How do you recover from this unexpected hiccup in your plans?

Interviews Hide

I love when I find an interesting article or blog post that makes me think about my work as a career coach from a unique perspective. I’ve written several posts on this blog about how to prepare for an interview — dress nicely, research your potential employer, arrive early, send a thank-you note after you leave, etc. However, I found a recently published article on the CNN website that examines one specific type of job interview that puts a new spin on the standard advice. How should you approach an interview that is conducted over the phone?

Interviews Hide

Do you really know what you customers want? How do you know? Do you have tools like bloggers do that tell you what they are looking for? How do you know your customer is not looking for “man in suit”? Are you getting their feedback on a regular basis through reliable means?

Customer Service, Feedback, Man in Suit Hide

For those of you who know me and/or are regular readers of this blog, you are aware that I am a big advocate both of networking and finding ways to give back to your community. The reality is, these two great activities have the potential to create synergies more often than you realize, especially if you are looking for employment

Giving Back, Networking Hide

While perhaps more high-profile than others, NBC is a business with employees, expectations, and a certain professional culture just like the offices in which many of you work. So, what are the (not-so-serious) lessons we can take away from a work-related feud that left Conan O’Brien with a much shorter tenure as The Tonight Show host than expected?

Lessons Learned Hide