Archive for Category: Life Advice
On MyPath.com: 3 Ways to Make 2010 Your Best Career Year
Posted in Career Advice Job Hunting Life Advice Recommended Resources on December 21, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I’ve always loved new beginnings — the first day of a new month, the turning of a new season, even the sunrise of a new day (on the rare occasion I’m up early enough to see it). Of course there is no bigger new beginning than the turning of the calendar to January 1.
This year in particular, the New Year feels like a crucial fresh start. 2009 will go down in the books as one of the hardest years ever for job seekers, especially those looking for entry-level work. If you’ve had a tough time in 2009, or even if it’s been a great year for you, here are some tips for starting 2010 on a successful note.
Out With the Old. To make room for new things in your life (a great job, fresh ideas, more money, a strong network, etc.) you need to get rid of any clutter that is weighing you down. This might include critical people, a job that drains your energy, college junk piled in your closet or self-defeating thoughts like “I’ll never get a job in this economy.” For inspiration, check out two of my favorite resources on the topic of simplifying and decluttering: the Zen Habits Blog and Julie Morgenstern’s book, Shed Your Stuff, Change Your Life.
Set Quality (not Quantity) Goals. We all know that New Year’s resolutions are generally forgotten by February. So, instead of making a long list of “rules” for my year, I prefer to declare three to five big goals or priorities. I keep them in a little note file on my computer and on a little card pasted on the inside cover of the notebook I use every day. I peek at my list constantly to remind myself what my priorities are, how I want to spend my time and what opportunities I should not pursue. If you need help clarifying your goals, check out Your Best Year Yet! Ten Questions for Making the Next Twelve Months Your Most Successful Ever.
Read the rest of this blog post on my “College to Career” blog on MyPath.com…
New CareerTV Video: Post Grad — the Movie and the Reality
Posted in First Job Out of College Generation Y Life Advice on September 8, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Welcome to the second installment of a new regular video segment with my friends at CareerTV. I’ll be chatting via Skype each week with host Sean O’Grady about timely career issues.
In this week’s episode, we talk about the recently released film Post Grad. The movie stars former Gilmore Girl Alexis Bledel as a recent college grad who is forced to move back home with her family while she attempts to find a job and a direction for her life (a plot that probably sounds pretty familiar right now).
Watch the four-minute video here.
Have questions you’d like us to address in future CareerTV segments? Please share in the comments section below!
Survival tips for moving back in with mom and dad
Posted in Generation Y Life Advice Recommended Resources on May 6, 2009 at 3:56 pm
According to research company Twentysomething Inc., up to 65 percent of 2009 college graduates are slated to return home upon graduation. Although not the ideal choice for many young people, it’s a smart option if you don’t have the means to support yourself and your parents are willing to put a roof over your head for a while.
I lived at home for a few months after graduate school and, frankly, I didn’t handle it very well. I spent a lot of time sulking in my childhood bedroom-heart-design wallpaper, prom photos and all-and fell into an “I’m a failure” funk. Eventually, I set up some networking lunches, had a few sessions with a career counselor and landed a job and an apartment on my own.
In retrospect, I wish I had handled the situation a lot better. I wish I’d treated that time as as a positive opportunity rather than a post-college purgatory. If you find yourself in a similar situation, here are some tips-a.k.a. what I wish I had done when I moved back in with mom and dad:
1. Communicate early and often. If you have a good enough relationship to move back home after graduation, you should have a good enough relationship to talk openly with your parent or parents about your expectations for living together again. For instance, discuss up front whether you’ll be expected to come home at a certain time, whether you’ll need to ask permission to have guests over and what you’ll be expected to contribute to the household in money or chores. (more…)
Guest Post: Tips for re-entering the job market after a major illness
Posted in Career Advice Generation Y Job Hunting Life Advice Recommended Resources on April 1, 2009 at 9:04 pm
I’m pleased to share an important guest post from Kairol Rosenthal, the author of Everything Changes: The Insider’s Guide To Cancer in Your 20s and 30s. Kairol was diagnosed with cancer at age 27. Today she is a healthcare blogger and patient advocate working with national cancer organizations including Gilda’s Club, Planet Cancer, and I’m Too Young For This. Visit her blog here.
From the Big Apple to the Bible Belt, I interviewed dozens of young adult cancer patients for my new book, Everything Changes: The Insider’s Guide To Cancer in Your 20s and 30s. I heard repeatedly that the most challenging time for young adults facing this disease was post-treatment, when the predictable regimen of their chemo schedules peeled away and they were catapulted back into the reality of the work world.
The following tips are useful not just for cancer patients, but for anyone who is young and job searching after facing major health issues.
Create Two Timelines. Differentiate between your short-term and long-term job goals. Having a short-term career goal at a second-choice job may help you to pay off medical debts or build your resume. Brainstorm a list of short-term jobs that have transferable skills relating to your long-term dream job.
Volunteer. Diving into the work world can be taxing on your body after a long break from the daily grind. Consider seeking a part-time volunteer job. Volunteering is a great way to help readjust to the mental and physical routine of work while also boosting your resume.
Build Confidence. Feelings of inadequacy can be a barrier to success in an interview and in the workplace. Believe in your capabilities; if you don’t you cannot expect an employer to. It is normal to have trepidation about re-entering the workforce after facing a major illness. Talk about your feelings with a therapist or social worker so they don’t interfere with how you present yourself to future employers.
Engage An Expert. There is no one-size fits all remedy to resume writing and interviewing after you have been absent from school or work due to illness. Whether to disclose your illness to an employer and how to hide gaps on your resume depends on your personality, your communication style, your field of work, the size of the company, and the perceived atmosphere of the workplace in question. Seek the help of a social worker with extensive experience in career counseling for people with disabilities. Work together to create an individualized approach that reflects your specific career goals and work history.
Dress Rehearsal. Should you and a counselor decide it is appropriate to disclose your illness to a prospective employer, practice your answer out loud, make your explanation brief, and end on a positive note by enforcing your skills and what you bring to the job.
Have you ever faced an illness that hindered your confidence in the work world? How did you readjust to the transition? What worked and what didn’t? Please share!
30/20 Vision Podcast: Next episode Wednesday at 2:00pm ET
Posted in 30/20 Vision Life Advice on February 17, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Tune in to the next episode of my radio show and podcast, 30/20 Vision on Wednesday, February 18th, at 2PM ET. As a reminder, this series is for the 20-something who wishes she had a couple of big sisters to clue her in on the ins and outs of life after college. This month, my co-hosts Christine Hassler (20 Something Manifesto) and Alexandra Levit (How’d You Score That Gig?) and I will talk about how to manage immediate family relationships once you’re “all grown up.”
We hope you’ll join us live or check out the replay.
Should you go to grad school?
Posted in Career Advice Generation Y Graduate School Life Advice on January 15, 2009 at 8:53 pm
The decision is personal and different for everyone. What I can do is provide you with the right questions to ask to make the right move for you.
Read the rest of this post at ABC News on Campus…
Tags: Career Advice, education, Graduate School
30/20 Vision Podcast: Next episode Monday, December 15th
Posted in 30/20 Vision Generation Y Life Advice Women on December 14, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Tune in Monday, December 15th at 2:30pm EST for a new episode of my monthly radio show and podcast, 30/20 Vision.
This series is for the 20-something woman who wishes she had three big sisters to clue her in on the ins and outs of life after college. This month, my co-hosts Christine Hassler (20 Something Manifesto), Alexandra Levit (How’d You Score That Gig?) and I will chat about how to cope productively with the holidays, both at work and in our personal lives.
Hope you’ll tune in live or download the podcast later!
Image: Active.com
30/20 Vision Podcast: Thriving personally and professionally in uncertain times
Posted in 30/20 Vision Career Advice Economic Crisis Finances Generation Y Life Advice on November 19, 2008 at 2:40 pm
We just finished recording the November episode of 30/20 Vision, my monthly podcast with co-hosts Alexandra Levit and Christine Hassler.
Click here to listen to our discussion about how to not only survive, but thrive, in troubled economic times. We discuss career strategies, stress management techniques and tips for living “a champagne lifestyle on a sparkling cider budget.”
If you have additional thoughts and suggestions, please share in the Comments!
Next episode of 30/20 vision: 20-something friendships
Posted in 30/20 Vision Generation Y Life Advice on October 23, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Tune in Friday at 3pm ET for a new episode of my radio show and podcast, 30/20 Vision. The show features my fellow authors Christine Hassler (20 Something Manifesto) and Alexandra Levit (How’d You Score That Gig?).
In this episode (our one-year anniversary show!), we’ll chat about friendships after college, including how you can make new relationships, maintain old ones and troubleshoot troubling friendship issues. And yes, we’ll ask the classic When Harry Met Sally question: Can men and women really be friends?
Hope you’ll join us live or listen to the replay!
Guest Post: 5 ways to manage financial anxiety
Posted in Finances Generation Y Life Advice Recommended Resources Women on October 9, 2008 at 8:52 am
Feeling anxious about the current economy? Who isn’t? Author, blogger and twentysomething author Marcos Salazar is here to help.
Marcos Salazar is the author of The Turbulent Twenties Survival Guide: Figuring Out Who You Are, What You Want, and Where You’re Going After College and writes a personal and career development blog looking at the psychological, social, and workforce challenges facing college graduates in the 21st century.
If you are anxious these days about the economy, you are not alone. A recent poll by the American Psychological Association found that 8 out of 10 people say the economy is a significant cause of stress, up from 66 percent in April.
Women are also most likely to report stress related to the economic climate. Compared with men, more women say they are stressed about money (83 percent vs. 78 percent), the economy (84 percent vs. 75 percent), job stability (57 percent vs. 55 percent), housing costs (66 percent vs. 58 percent) and health problems affecting their families (70 percent vs. 63 percent).
Generation Xers (ages 30 to 43) and Millennials (ages 18 to 29) are not immune from today’s economic woes either. Generation Xers are the women most concerned about money (89 percent report money as a source of stress) and Millennials are most concerned about housing costs (75 percent report housing costs as a source of stress).
With headlines declaring that the economy is getting worse each day, it can be hard not to get stressed out about how this will affect your personal finances. Fortunately, there are strategies you can utilize to quickly help manage anxiety during this economic crisis. Here are five simple methods:
1. Do a reality check by making a budget . This is the number one thing you can do to decrease financial anxiety. By making a budget, you will become aware of where you are spending money, how much you owe, and where you may need to cut back. Not knowing where your money is going can cause you a great deal of unnecessary stress, so get organized and create a budget. Here is an easy tool to help you get started. (more…)
