Career Articles

"You Know What I Mean?" - by Professor Bill White (McC61)

l-herpe — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:07:23 -0500

Q: I have a problem with one of my colleagues, who has a bad habit of over-communication. It’s like she doesn’t remember that she’s already told me something. I’ve heard the same stories about her kids at least six times. Plus, she uses the phrase, “You know what I mean?” so much, it drives me crazy. I’m sure our manager knows about her habits, but doesn’t seem to be coaching her to change. Should I say something to her?

Delayed Pot of Gold - by Professor Bill White (McC61)

l-herpe — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:03:47 -0500

Q: I expect to graduate with my MBA next June and I’m beginning to interview for positions. The expected salary offers I hear about are only slightly higher than when I left my last job and started the MBA program as a full-time student almost two years ago. If I accept a job that pays almost the same as what I earned when I left the workforce, how long will it take me to make up for the compression in pay that has occurred during the economic recession? I’m worried it will take too long and I’ll never catch up to where I should be.

New Boss: New Feedback - By Professor Bill White (McC61)

l-herpe — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:34:27 -0500

Q: My existing boss is a great communicator who has always given me frequent useful feedback. Now, he’s retiring and my new boss has a reputation for being uncommunicative. My existing boss says I should work on listening carefully to what the new boss says because she is so subtle. Is that enough? I’m concerned that my new boss and I aren’t going to click, and I will miss the feedback.

When It's Time to Fire Yourself - By Carol Ross (McC83, 87)

l-herpe — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:56:35 -0500

A 2010 study by consulting firm, BlessingWhite showed that just 31% of employees are engaged at work. That leaves a boat load of people who don’t want to be at work. My experience is that a majority of professionals hang on to a job when they should be walking away.

What Goes Around, Comes Around - by David J.P. Fisher (WCAS98)

l-herpe — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:36:29 -0400

“I don’t get business networking. It’s just a bunch of people in a room passing out their business cards and only wanting to talk about their business. They don’t want to help me.”

Someone told me that the other day. She hadn’t found a lot of success in networking. I wonder why?…

The Magic Number of Networking Connections - by David J.P. Fisher (WCAS98)

l-herpe — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:34:42 -0400

I often get asked about the ideal number of connections you should have in your professional network. The topic often gets muddled because our first impulse is to equate networking success directly with the number of connections we have. I’m here to tell you that you don’t need a huge number contacts to have networking work for you. It’s much more important that you have strong relationships with the people in your network. But if you are really looking for that magic number of connections, here it is:

One more than you have now.

The Best $150 You'll Spend This Year - by David J.P. Fisher (WCAS98)

l-herpe — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:32:20 -0400

It’s easy. Every week, take time out of your schedule to talk about business with someone over a cup of coffee. For $3 a week (maybe less if you like McDonald’s coffee, more if you like fancy Starbucks concoctions), you can build the business relationships that are one of the true determinants of career success.

Obsessing Over Preparation - by Professor Bill White (McC61)

l-herpe — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:29:51 -0400

Q: I’ve done so much research and reading since I started my job search, I feel like my head is going to explode. I know this company backwards and forwards. I can’t imagine I’ve overlooked anything (you want to know the financials? Ask me. I’ve got them memorized). But in case there is something I’ve missed, what else should I know?

Relationships are the New Job Security by David J.P. Fisher (WCAS98)

l-herpe — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:22:42 -0400

If you haven’t noticed, the way the world works has changed a lot. Daily life is going to be a lot different for my children than it was for my parents. In times of change, we yearn for security. Unfortunately, the places that we’ve traditionally found security – career, families, culture — are where most of the changes are happening. One area this is obvious is the lack of traditional job security.

Having a 'Set Conversation' - by Professor Bill White (McC61)

l-herpe — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:18:00 -0400

Q: I just received an email from my future boss saying he wants to have a conversation with me before I start my job. I responded right away and we’re meeting next week. Is this a bad sign? I know it’s crazy to think I’m getting fired even before I start, but I don’t know why he’d want to meet with me, when I’m supposed to start at my new job in three weeks.