The Brazen Careerist


THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Happy search: It's not all about your job Published on Feb 1st, 2007 3 comments One of my favorite topics is the science of happiness, or positive psychology. Most of us look for work that makes us happy. Richard Florida's current research blends positive psychology and economic...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Workplace wisdom: Autism research offers advice Published on Feb 1st, 2007 0 comments Hannah Schufreider may seem an unlikely person to offer career advice. She's a 12-year-old autistic girl who spends her days being bored in school. Hannah's successful strategies for dealing...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Be snotty: Confident specialists usually successful Published on Jan 25th, 2007 0 comments Linda Chernoff has the conversational skills of a socialite and team-building talents of a top executive. Her résumé could start with her prized "people skills," but instead she focuses...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Financial freedom? Money can't buy happiness Published on Jan 18th, 2007 0 comments I am sick of advice about how to achieve financial freedom. "Freedom from what?" I have asked some people, who I will not mention since Iím dissing them. The most common answer is that they want...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Procrastination works: When late is more than better than never Published on Jan 11th, 2007 2 comments My second son was born a year and a half ago with hemifacial microsomia, which means half of his face is deformed. I knew the minute he came out. I tried to tell myself that maybe it was because...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Horror stories: Baby sitting and the opt-out revolution Published on Jan 4th, 2007 3 comments Here is my nightmare. I moved to Madison without knowing anyone here, so I found a babysitter through the University of Wisconsin graduate program in early education. The woman I found was great, but...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Be special: Generalists spread too thin Published on Dec 21st, 2006 0 comments Linda Chernoff is decked out in a black floor-length gown and heels. She has the conversational skills of a socialite and team-building talents of a top executive. Her rÈsumÈ could start...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Whaddya do? Talk yourself into a new job Published on Dec 14th, 2006 0 comments When someone asks me, "What does your husband do?" I say, "I don't know." This is not an answer society can deal with. It's not okay to offer no idea of what you want to do, let alone be married to...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Work around: Let meddling boss do his thing Published on Nov 30th, 2006 0 comments Here's an idea: Stop complaining about micromanagers since you can't change them, and start using them to your benefit. An important workplace strategy is managing up. One of the easiest types of...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Location, location: Think carefully about where to live Published on Nov 23rd, 2006 0 comments Take the question of where to live seriously. Don't let inertia push you toward a big-name city, the place you grew up, or your old college haunts. Make a conscious decision to live somewhere that...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Storytelling: The way to manage your image Published on Nov 16th, 2006 0 comments The way you talk about yourself is very powerful. Whether you're conscious of it, the way you tell stories of your life frames how people see you, and how you see yourself. So you may as well do this...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Delegate: Conserve your precious time Published on Nov 9th, 2006 1 comments I'm a huge fan of delegating. Part of what makes me good is that I love time management advice, and I'm constantly asking myself what's most important to me. I keep my list to about five things, and...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- The job hunt: Unlikely sources of contacts Published on Nov 2nd, 2006 0 comments Here are 10 ways to find a job. Some will help when you're just starting and some when you're stuck. 1. Hire a cold caller. Cold calling to get a job works– if you're good at it. Your ability...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- </span>Novel idea: Can the spin, tell the truth<span class="s1"> Published on Oct 26th, 2006 0 comments What do you do with your ideas? How do you get them traction? It used to be you made a sales pitch. But today young people are paring the pitch down to its core and parodying the BS that surrounds it...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Cheerleading 101: How to run a meeting Published on Oct 19th, 2006 0 comments A meeting is a great place to let everyone know how great you are– because it's a performance. You run the show and everyone watches you. There are lots of rules for running a good meeting:...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Right livelihood: Do right by doing good Published on Oct 12th, 2006 0 comments At some point, after you've been working long enough to feel confident in your skills and in the path you've chosen, you start wondering about the bigger questions: How can you support yourself with...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Little engines: If you think you can, you can Published on Oct 5th, 2006 0 comments Are you considering entrepreneurship? It's all the rage right now. Here are nine new ideas about entrepreneurship to make you think you can do it, too. 1. You don't need a venture capitalist, you are...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Starter career: Pursue passion, then settle down Published on Sep 28th, 2006 0 comments Henry Kasdon learned to break dance on his mom's tennis court. Now, although he's a successful dancer and dance teacher, he's getting ready to switch careers to trial law. "I want my kids to be taken...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Dying to specialize: Take cues from funeral industry Published on Sep 21st, 2006 0 comments I write a lot about the importance of specializing in your career. The bottom line is that if you're great at what you do, you'll get better hours, better pay, and more flexibility in how you run...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Cliff's notes: Job tips for collegians now Published on Sep 14th, 2006 0 comments For students about to start another year at school, here's a list of 12 things to do in college to set yourself up for a great job when you graduate. 1. Get out of the library. "You can have a degree...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Instant karma: Helping others helps a career Published on Sep 7th, 2006 0 comments We are entering the age of volunteerism. Generation X has shifted charity from the hierarchical, corporate-backed methods of the Red Cross and United Way to a grassroots, episodic volunteerism of,...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Passion suit: Your job should make you happy Published on Aug 31st, 2006 0 comments Sarah Kenny wakes up at 5am six mornings a week to get to Back Bay Yoga in Boston where she practices ashtanga– a school of yoga known for acrobatic lunges, feet tucked behind the head, and...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Quit now: Take control of your life Published on Aug 24th, 2006 0 comments On some level, it's fun to quit a job. It's fun to remind people that they don't own you. It's fun to feel that burst of freedom as you walk out the door. But it's no fun if you don't quit right....
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- End rankism: Work where you get some respect Published on Aug 17th, 2006 0 comments Here's a new word: Rankism. File it in your brain next to racism and sexism. And brace yourself for a big change at the office, because rankism is another kind of discrimination we should not...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Review time: Honest review worth more than $$ Published on Aug 10th, 2006 0 comments The worst performance review I ever received said, "You were great," and was delivered via e-mail. When I commented on its brevity to my boss, he said the "outrageous Internet salary" he gave me was...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Make new friends: Choose workplace for connections Published on Jul 27th, 2006 0 comments Here's some advice for those of you who don't like your job: maybe the job is not your problem. Maybe it's that you're not trying hard enough to make friends at work. People with one friend at work...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Forget brains: Athletes get better jobs Published on Jul 20th, 2006 0 comments Here's some career advice. Stop obsessing about how smart you are. Instead, get some exercise and you'll perform better at work– athletes do better in the workplace than non-athletes. This...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Muti-masking: Don different hats for success Published on Jul 13th, 2006 0 comments Recently, Aaron Karo performed stand-up comedy in sold-out shows in Boston. He also bills himself as an author, a public speaker, and a sitcom actor. Karo has always juggled a few careers. After...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Making meaning: 20somethings happy to switch jobs Published on Jul 6th, 2006 0 comments The majority of job hunters are younger than 35. In fact, among 18- to 24-year-olds, 60 percent are looking for work. But they're not looking for more money. They're looking for more interesting work...
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Be nice: Jobs come from friends of friends Published on Jun 29th, 2006 0 comments You've heard the axiom, ''You're only as good as your network,'' but how do you get one? It used to be that a network was a Rolodex, a flip-book full of beer-stained business cards collected at an...