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Your 2017 Goals
Last Sunday my husband and I hunted down an open coffee shop (not easy to do on New Year’s Day) and spent 90 minutes talking through the goals we set for 2016, and then created new ones for 2017. We go through this exercise every year—sometimes right at the start of January, other times not until March or so. But at some point, it happens. Part of me loves this exercise because I get to sit with my significant other and talk about our life together, from our deepest hopes to our most frustrating challenges to our most rewarding...
read moreA look ahead at 2017.
Year after year (since 1993) I’ve been in the unique position of hearing first-hand from hundreds of career-minded Coloradoans what’s going on with the local economy and its employers. Based on that, these are my predictions for the world of work in NoCo for 2017: – Businesses will continue to increase their efforts to improve employees’ working experiences. We live in a boom city in a boom state–very lucky we are! But that translates to a tight market for experienced candidates. Employers who are motivated to keep...
read moreNot so Merry. I’ve been downsized, what should I do?
As the year winds down, several businesses are letting workers go. Restructuring, fiscal downturns, a change in strategy—the reasons vary. Rarely is it personal, but at this time of year, it can be an especially difficult blow. My sister, a 50-year-old fundraiser, is going through this right now. When she shared the news and asked for advice, this is what I recommended: – Acknowledge the emotional aspects. Losing a job ranks among the top five life stressors, and to move ahead successfully, you’ll need to process the...
read moreUsing creative sources for research and support.
Coming off of a whirlwind travel weekend, Monday then hit me with the challenge of coming up with a theme for this week’s column. The few ideas I had in reserve didn’t inspire me. So I did what I often do lately when looking for help: I asked my friends on Facebook. My post, calling for any interesting career-growth related topic, yielded 27 submissions in four hours. Suggestions ranged from when to give up on a passion career and just take a job, to when to give up on a job to shift to a passion career. What to do to get noted for a...
read moreEAP services for a better you!
November was Mental Health Awareness month, but I was a little too overwhelmed to be on top of that, so this column is a few days into December. My recent discombobulation is as a result of some changes in my business. Then, when I noticed my stress spilling over into my personal life, I contacted my Employee Assistance Program and lined up some sessions with a counselor. For more than two decades, I’ve been quick to run to a therapist when my mental balances get out of whack. Seems as though I’m not alone in this behavior. According to a...
read moreA Survey For Hope
Chances are you’re basking in the glow of a delicious holiday meal, feeling optimistic about the world around us. Or at least I hope you are. What is hope all about, anyway? According to Therese Lask, a training and organizational development specialist at Colorado State University, it’s about having goals and a belief that you can overcome obstacles to achieve them. The future seems bright to those with hope. Lask trains employees within workplaces on how to increase their feelings of hope, based on research by Shane Lopez, Ph.D. Using data...
read more“Dating” to find a job. A unique and successful approach.
In my work, I help people figure out what career path they want to be on. It’s a meaningful endeavor that has the power to get people moving into occupations that fit their talents and interests. Typically though, it’s not a linear process. On average, more than fifty percent of people will tell you they don’t feel like they’ve found a good match career-wise, and for those in that boat, most aren’t sure how to resolve it. Often they default to reading job ads in hopes that it will lead to a helpful revelation. This isn’t so different from the...
read moreWhat not to do in an interview.
A group of hiring managers recently shared their biggest job-interview-candidate peeves. These are their replies, listed in order of frequency mentioned: “I’m always disappointed when candidates have no questions to ask me during interviews.” This frustration was mentioned several times, and conveys to interviewers that the candidate didn’t prepare for interview basics, and also that she doesn’t care much about the opportunity. Bringing along a list of questions and a notepad to record information is a quick fix for this faux pas. “Not...
read moreBrewin’ Up Books Book Fest coming to Fort Collins, October 22nd.
In any given week you’ll find me frequenting at least one of the local breweries, stopping by Happy Lucky Tea House for a cuppa, and zipping into the downtown branch of the Poudre River Library District to pick up some new reads. So when business librarian Anne Macdonald told me about the Brewin’ Up Books Book Fest happening in Fort Collins on Saturday, October 22nd, I got pretty hopped up. Imagine a crisp, gorgeous fall day in Old Town, listening and learning from writers and authors as they comment on their beer, coffee, and tea...
read moreThe College Debt Dilemma And Tips To Solve It
College is back in session, and second by second, students are racking up more debt. As of this year, 43.3 million Americans owe a total of $1.26 trillion on student loans, and with an average monthly of payment $351. Graduates this year will pick up their diplomas owing, on average, $37,172. Former Colorado State University professor Richard Gutowski, Ph.D., knows this situation intimately, having taught and advised college students for decades. He’s put his best guidance in his book, “Debt is a Four-Letter Word: The College Experience”, and...
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