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

If I had to guess, I would assume that at least half of you reading this included something to the effect of “lose weight,” “go to the gym four times a week,” or “exercise before work” on your list of New Year’s resolutions. With almost a month now under your ever-tightening belt, I hope that you are having great success sticking with your goals. I would like to offer one more incentive for you to keep up any new fitness plan you have been trying. Did you know that exercising can help to accelerate your career?

Career Acceleration, Exercise, Get Promoted Hide

If it’s true that happiness is contagious, then I highly recommend a recent post that Amber Sosa posted on her blog, The Pursuit of It All. In an entry she entitled, “You Have to Like It … Your Job That Is,” Amber shares the passion and excitement that she feels every day for her work in the field of transportation engineering. She compares her emotions to those of a little kid at the zoo and explains how she brings her husband to each work site to boost out of the carefully designed project details. I think it’s wonderful that she even admits to still getting butterflies when thinking about her work! How many of you are able to say that? Many of you, I hope.

Get Promoted, Passion Hide

I have written many times before about the importance of giving back. Sometimes this means offering advice to the new guy in your office. Other times it can involve volunteering your time at a community center. Some times, the only thing you can do is to simply send money. In this instance, your efforts may make the difference between life and death.

Giving Back, Personal Touch Hide

We are in the middle of the NFL playoff season, with the Super Bowl fast approaching on February 7. Most of us won’t be in Miami to watch the game, but instead gathered around television sets and enjoying a spread of pizza, hot wings, and chips. As we all know, the commercials that air while the teams are huddled for a time-out are just as entertaining and memorable as the game itself. And, companies know that Super Bowl Sunday provides an unparalleled opportunity to make a statement about their products. This value of sharing your brand during the big game must be high, as it is reported that CBS is selling ad time for up to $3 million a spot.

Personal Branding Hide

Sometimes what we decide NOT to do is as important as what we decide we are going to do. So, you tell us. What are some work-related behaviors that you will make a resolution to stop in 2010? Maybe your idea will become one of our anti-resolutions as well!

Top 10 Lists Hide

As I mentioned in my last post, as the year end nears it is time for me to evaluate what is working well and what needs improving in my social media strategy. As such, the following are my most best blog postings for 2009. Each is a link to a blog post. I am extremely happy to see that these most popular posts are a great representation of what I am trying to present as my personal brand. I hope you re-enjoy some of my best from this year.

Act As If, Joe Lavelle Hide

As the year end nears, it is time for me to evaluate what is working well and what needs improving in my social media strategy. As such, (with props to Hootsuite for making it easy to measure) the following are my most popular tweets for 2009. Each is a link to a blog post. I hope you re-enjoy some of my best from this year.

Act As If, Joe Lavelle Hide

As we approach the end of the year, many of us will be making New Year’s resolutions. Others decided long ago that the opening of a new desk calendar does not represent the need to set new goals. If you are part of the first group, I would like to suggest that my book may provide you with some ideas. The recommendations that I explain in Act As If It Were Impossible to Fail will benefit you not only in the workplace, but also in your personal life as well.

Career Acceleration, Get A Raise, Get Promoted Hide