Do You Have A Second?

Six Career Tips

My colleague Jeremiah Owyang posts six career tips - good advice from someone who has made quite a name for himself.

Ten Great Cultural Career Lies - Stever Robbins

Last week, I attended the Social Media Breakfast organized by Bryan Person.  It was great seeing a lot of online personalities in person, like Chris Brogan, Laura Fitton, and Owen Mack.  I couldn't stay for long, but did catch Stever Robbins discussing Ten Great Cultural Career Lies:

1. You can plan your career
2. Being the boss makes for a good life
3. "Self-made" people exist
4. Hard work and skill will be appropriately rewarded
5. Do a good  job and you'll get ahead
6. I'll work now and do what I love when I've accomplished
7. Intelligence matters
8. Achievement matters
9. We can control our lives
10. Success brings happiness

Although I wouldn't agree with some of these in absolutes, I think that directionally they're a great way to kick-start your thinking.  After working in marketing and consulting for over 15 years, I can think of cases where all of these lessons hold true.

You can also follow Stever on Twitter.

The subtext in leaving a company

At my company, a farewell email seems to be the cultural norm when resigning.  The WSJ has a good article today about subtext in these type of messages.

Dress for success

A conversation and a random search result led me to this article:  "How to manage your image."

To get the part, you must look the part; so dress for success, my friend.

The Back to Work Blues

It's Friday and I was discussing weekend plans with a colleague.  The topic of Sunday night came up and how there's a feeling that always seems to come back at some point, when you realize that Monday morning is right around the corner.

For me, I feel this more acutely during the winter, when the days are shorter - especially during football season.  As a kid, it was always a bonus when the 4 pm game ran late, delaying the start of 60 Minutes.  But when that stopwatch started ticking...it was over and the blues started to kick in.

Now I'm occupied continuously on Sunday evenings, with sports, work, and/or family, so I don't get that same feeling much anymore.

Read more from the Boston Globe:  "Anxious workers suffer Sunday-night syndrome"

Friends at work are good for you

NYT article and clinical study

10 illegal job interview questions

From TechRepublic.  These seem to be aimed at the tech crowd (natch) but apply broadly as well.

1. Where were you born?  (I think "where do you live" applies as well)
2. What is your native language?
3. Are you married?  (Legal in Europe)
4. How old are you?  (Legal in Europe)
5. Do you have children?
6. Do you plan to get pregnant?
7. What's your religion?
8. Do you have a disability or illness?
9. Are you in the National Guard?
10. Do you smoke or use alcohol?

I think some people ask these questions inadvertently, even as offhand/small talk before or after the interview.  Often tough to respond with "that's an illegal question," calling out your potential future employer.  Best to deflect with humor I think - if the line of questioning persists, then you know something's up.  However, seems near impossible for anyone to argue that they didn't get a job based on not responding to an illegal question.

Deciding when to quit

Good series of articles from the Washington Post on figuring out when to quit.

Career advice on Twitter

Good advice on Twitter from Monster Careers.

The Set Up To Fail Syndrome

I remember when I read this HBR article back in 1998 (now it's a book).  It described my experience with a series of junior managers perfectly.