Every workplace is filled with interesting personalities — including frustrating ones. If you feel like you’re surrounded by difficult people at the office, take heart. You’re not alone. Studies have found that one in eight people leave a job due to problems with coworkers. Gossiping co-workers can be the most problematic of all. Not only do they distract you and drain your energy, but the negativity...

I hear a lot of unfounded ideas of how to find a job that is right for you. Nothing breaks my heart more than people accidentally getting in their own way! And that’s exactly what career myths are: lies we’ve been told that are keeping up from achieving happiness. So far I’ve dispelled several myths about careers: changing careers is risky, you can’t make a living doing what you love, you always...

WE ALL HAVE THE POWER TO MINDFULLY AND INTENTIONALLY PUT A NAME TO THE THEME FOR OUR 2020. One of the cultural touchstones that make the end of one year and the beginning of the next fun and interesting is the giving out of prizes for “[Whatever] of the Year.” Car and Driver picks the year’s 10 Best Cars, Time names Person of the Year, annual Nobel prizes are handed out, and the Merriam-Webster dictiona...

Most people assume that if they dislike their jobs their only options are to leave and find a “better” opportunity within their field, or to change careers entirely. But there’s a thread of academic research around a third option called job crafting – the practice of making the most of the job you have. Pioneered by a team of psychology researchers and management experts, the concept aims to help...

Gone are the days when working hard was enough to earn recognition or a promotion in the career world. Take control of your career trajectory and design your unique path. In addition to mapping out your career future, be sure to tap the wisdom of those who can empower you to achieve your goals. Keeping your professional ambitions a well-kept secret will not move you forward. Your Boss is Not Your Career Coach Many pro...

The Duke and Duchess Offer Job Search Strategy to We Commoners You may feel that you don’t have much in common with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – those crazy kids, Harry and Meghan, who’ve decided to “step back” from their roles as “senior members” of Britain’s royal family – but it’s entirely possible that we can learn some career lessons from the carryings-...

Procrastination may be one of the most self-sabotaging and all too common behaviors leading to someone’s failure to achieve their career/work-related goals. All too often people wait until they are actually laid off before they start investigating new options, or they put off preparing for an interview for their dream job until the last minute. You might say, “It’s human nature.” Perhaps. Just Google...

If you commit yourself to lifelong learning, you’ll always be seeing the world through new eyes. You know the traditional cartoon showing a tired old man, usually bent over a cane, with a sash reading the number of the outgoing year. Next to him is a chubby-cheeked, smiling infant with a sash bearing the new year on it. Good riddance to the worn-out, moribund old year! Welcome to the fresh new one, with all its pos...

Human resources and hiring managers like to see resumes where employment dates blend together and job duration reflects commitment to prior employers. Employment gaps and short-term experiences tend to be viewed as “red flags.” Questions such as “what caused this?”, “is there an issue of which we need to be aware?”, “why was there no job during this time?” become real concerns...

What do perfectionism, chronic busyness, and a refusal to delegate have in common? They’re all counter-productive habits driven by an underlying need for control. Having high expectations and knowing what you want can be a great thing. However, if taken too far, it can leave you feeling constantly disappointed. Trying to control everything all the time is not only impossible, but it can also alienate you from other...