Launch your Career by Following this Job Search Advice for New Grads School’s out and many young people will be hitting the job market for the first time. While youth unemployment is somewhat down (currently at 10.9%), these numbers hide the reality that too many educated young people end up settling for dead end jobs that don’t use their abilities or offer much hope for the future. As I see it, the problem isn’t lack of jobs or even of the right skills, but rather, lack of preparation and know how to get the jobs that match their abilities. In…
Successful Women Leaders Share Tips on Getting Ahead
This month my blog provides advice for women who want to get ahead in their careers, drawing from my own experience and that of clients and colleagues who have achieved notable success. While entire books have been written on this topic, here are some of the major takeaways from these conversations: Know Yourself Self-awareness is the foundation of confidence and good choices. Know your strengths and challenges. Pay attention to what inspires you. Know your personality and how you are perceived and use this information in your interactions with others. Find a Supportive Environment Find an environment that will support…
The Key Qualities of Good Leaders
In leadership development training and coaching, a frequently discussed topic is what it means to be a leader and what leadership qualities really are. Can you be a leader even if you don’t have people reporting to you? Is a leader the same as a manager? What are the essential qualities of leaders – and can they be developed? As someone who has coached leaders in many contexts for over 30 years, here are my thoughts on what it means to be a leader: Leadership Qualities Vision This is the defining characteristic. Leaders have a galvanizing vision. They see a…