The Brazen Careerist


E-mail intelligence: Watch how you come across in messages Published on May 26th, 2011 0 comments I remember when I met my boss face to face for the first time. I'd been working with him for more than two years– via phone and e-mail. I had never seen him, but I had a general idea of what he...
Not about you: Figure out how to create community Published on May 19th, 2011 0 comments The "brand of you" is over. Not that you've done a bad job of figuring out what you are. (You might have, but that's not the point.) Even if you've done a great job of defining yourself, the idea...
Good reviews: Candor, honesty mean more than money Published on May 12th, 2011 0 comments The worst performance review I ever received said, "You were great"– and it was delivered via e-mail! When I commented on its brevity to my boss, he said the "outrageous Internet salary" he...
Think about it: Schedule quiet time to exercise your brain Published on May 5th, 2011 0 comments Everyone wishes they’d had one or two great ideas in life– if not grand enough to change the world, at least enough to make a little impact at the office.When was the last time you had an...
What's your agenda? Meeting without one is a waste of time Published on Apr 28th, 2011 0 comments A meeting is a like a party. If you don't plan it carefully, you'll look incompetent and end up embarrassed.Forethought is necessary because most offices have individuals who love to undermine...
Power play: Build on your strengths Published on Apr 21st, 2011 0 comments My son is a special-needs kid. When we first heard the news about his disabilities– a neurological disorder and several gastrointestinal ailments that kept him from talking and eating– we...
Special or general? Get to the top with one strong skill Published on Apr 14th, 2011 1 comments During the Internet's go-go days in the late 1990s, I thought the term generalist meant "she's doing two jobs and pays herself double." Now it seems the word generalist means "good at nothing and...
Interview magic: Do your homework, dress the part Published on Apr 7th, 2011 0 comments "I'm qualified, so I know I'll get the job."This phrase may be the most naive statement in the annals of job hunting. First, you probably aren’t the only qualified person applying, and hiring...
Come clean: Lying on a resume can sink a career Published on Mar 31st, 2011 0 comments Some recruiters say that as many as one in five job hunters is guilty of resumé enhancement, or lying about their qualifications. Why isn't this news plastered on the front page of The Wall Street...
Obstacle leap: Don't let a defect derail you Published on Mar 24th, 2011 0 comments Here's a tale to show that no obstacle is too high when it comes to career success. It's about my friend Ann, who has a really deep voice. It isn't a sexy deep voice; it sounds more like Oscar the...
Watch clock: Tardiness sabotages your success Published on Mar 17th, 2011 0 comments My column was late. Not to you, but to my editor. It is surprising, really, that my column was late, because the time zone difference is in my favor. But this week I would have needed my editor to be...
For St. Pat: You should make your own luck Published on Mar 10th, 2011 0 comments To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, acknowledge that you’re not a leprechaun and that you have to create your own luck. Sure, luck can make or break a career, but those who make their own luck can make...
Problem employees: Why they're so hard to get rid of Published on Mar 3rd, 2011 0 comments We finally got a dog. Sparky. His original name was Prince. But I decided you can’t have a Prince on a farm. So we changed the name. Sparky is five years old, so he was probably pretty used to the...
All yours: The Oscar for career inspirations goes to... Published on Feb 24th, 2011 0 comments When the Oscars run (probably overtime) on Sunday, I don't know who to root for. Back in 2003, I was rooting for Lost in Translation for best picture. Not that I have seen the other competitors, but...
Career-killer: When a baby puts everything on hold Published on Feb 17th, 2011 0 comments It was one of those nights when my husband rolled over to my side of the bed. Usually this is the first step toward the grand maintenance of our fairly normal marriage. But this night was different...
Home work: Advice for the office-less employee Published on Feb 10th, 2011 0 comments We have been snowed in for three days. At first it was fun. School got out early so the farm kids could get home before the roads were unpassable. ("Unpassable" gets flagged by spellcheck as a non-...
Not lying: Talk yourself into advancing Published on Feb 3rd, 2011 0 comments Maybe it's time to set aside all those "know yourself" advice books and try lying to yourself about who you are:• You are a finance whiz.• You are a sales guru.• You are a brilliant writer.Any...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Cyberstupid: Five emails you should never send Published on Jan 27th, 2011 1 comments Assume that everything you write via email will appear in the business section of the newspaper. Compose your messages with care and pause before you send. Ask yourself, "Does this email make me look...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Stop crying: That someone stole your work idea Published on Jan 20th, 2011 0 comments Unless you're a strategist or inventor, your ideas won't make or break your career; so don't bother reading the rest of this column. For the rest of us, however, face the music. We are not paid to...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Sports talk: Win by faking it like a pro Published on Jan 13th, 2011 0 comments For those of you who cannot shut up about the Super Bowl, think about your impact on the workplace: A study of Harvard Business School graduates found that in 85 percent of the cases– drum roll...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Brownnose not: but do learn how to compliment Published on Jan 6th, 2011 0 comments If you want your boss to like you, give him compliments. It may sound like I'm telling you to brownnose; actually, I'm telling you to find genuine ways to compliment your boss. I never knew how...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Resolve this: Make your own company in 2011 Published on Dec 23rd, 2010 0 comments Feeling stuck? Uninspired? Perhaps it's time to start your own business. Get a good idea Starting a business is high-risk. Most entrepreneurs fail. So minimize your risk by honestly evaluating...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Negotiating 101: To get the salary you deserve Published on Dec 16th, 2010 0 comments Sure, jobs are scarce, but if you're lucky enough to land one, don't be afraid to negotiate your paycheck. (Once a hiring manager chooses you from what is probably the largest pool of candidates she'...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Don't bail: Go to your company's holiday gig Published on Dec 9th, 2010 0 comments For all of you who are plotting to ditch your company's holiday party, forget it. You have to go. Before I launch into a diatribe against people who ditch company parties, let me just say that I am...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Friendly fire: What savvy managers have to do Published on Dec 2nd, 2010 0 comments Being a good manager requires that you perform a wide range of tasks, from delegating to coaching to planning. And sometimes it requires you to perform an unpleasant task: firing. Letting someone go...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Office blunder: A messy cubicle means messy career Published on Nov 25th, 2010 0 comments Here's a way to kill your career: Keep a messy cubicle. These are things that people with messy offices say: My work gets done; I know where everything is; people are too concerned about...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Networking: Introverts should follow my rules Published on Nov 18th, 2010 0 comments I was such an introvert in college that when I got dragged to parties, I'd bring a book. A lonely existence, but the pain of having to talk to people in an unstructured environment was too much. So I...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Harassment works: For you, the career-climbing woman Published on Nov 11th, 2010 0 comments Each time that I have ignored sexual harassment aimed at me, I have moved up the corporate ladder. For example, the boss who once pulled all senior management out of the company's sexual harassment...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Ban busy: Make tough choices to calm down Published on Nov 4th, 2010 0 comments Let's abolish the word busy. When you ask someone, "How have you been?" and they say, "Busy," it doesn't mean anything, and I'm sick of it. We all have the same 24 hours to fill. The difference is...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Quantified ticket: How to make your resume shine Published on Oct 28th, 2010 0 comments Hey, all you college kids! It's time to get off your butts and start applying for jobs. Do not delude yourself into thinking you can wait until May. Top internships, management training programs,...