“AmeriCorps—what’s that?” “Do you mean the Peace Corps?” “I hear it’s a bad deal because you don’t make any money.” These are just a few of the questions and comments I received from well-intentioned friends and family members when I decided to complete an 11-month...
Three Successful Strategies for Career Advancement in Government
Career advancement is a relative term. For some, it means climbing the organizational ladder until there is nowhere else to climb or you reach the highest rung relative to your area of expertise. For others, it means moving up the salary scale even if it means...
What To Do When You Hate Your Job
Many people get stuck in jobs that they don’t like, yet they do nothing about it. They complain, moan and make excuses for their current situations, but they refuse to be proactive and make a change. Maybe you enrolled into law school because of pressure from your...
Keeping Your Job Search Alive
You found a posting for THE perfect job. After painstakingly completing your online resume and creating the most eloquent KSA responses ever, you wait. Why apply for anything else? Why even look; No other job will be as good as this one. The problem is that job...
“Paranormal Work” – Conquering Your Career Fears
When you saw the title paranormal work, what were you thinking? Ghosts at work? Actually, it has nothing to do with ghosts, but rather conquering fear and taking risks in your career. It is amazing that we as humans put ourselves in situations to be scared, such as...
Government Dream Job: Foreign Service Officer
When most of us hear the word diplomat, we think of a secretive, high-profile individual who cruises around with special plates on his car, immune to the traffic laws that plague normal citizens. We also typically think of someone with decades of experience under her...
The Learning Curve: How Internships Can Revive A New Generation
In August of 2002, I was somewhat unsure of the direction I was going to take my career, and my life. I had recently graduated from the University of New Hampshire with my MPA. I had also just completed my work study program with the Social Security Administration. ...
Considering a Career Move?
Location, location, location ….” may have its roots in the real estate world, but location can be a pivotal factor in your search for the perfect job as well. Let’s face it: if you are not a fan of snow, then taking a job in St. Paul is probably not a good idea –...
Why Should Managers Do More Coaching?
Whether you’re a manager trying to develop your people or trying to develop yourself and build a career, you need to know that one of the key ways you can have a positive impact on the business is by operating more as a Coach than a Manager. A study conducted...