Work

Several years ago I left a job I loved with a team of people that I adored to pursue an opportunity that looked like an amazing next step for me. The new role would stretch me and I was certain I would grow from the challenge. While I learned a lot, it was not the exciting endeavor that I had dreamed of. It turned out to be one of the most difficult seasons of my career. The work itself wasn’t the issue. The fact that my husband and I had relocated and were adjusting to a new community, while challenging, wasn’t the worst. The agony was that I had catapulted myself into a toxic work culture that was draining the life out

No matter where you are in your career or how long you’ve been in the business world, interviewing for a new job is intimidating. Just the word alone is enough to strike anxiety right into the hearts of job seekers. And the actual act of interviewing, forget about it. It is a palm-sweating, heart palpitation-inducing nightmare for most of us. And that’s even when it goes well. Everyone needs job interview tips to keep that heart rate down. But here’s the deal: interviews are a part of life. You won’t land the job of your dreams without going through an interview process of some type. (Unless your life is like a romantic comedy where dream jobs fall into your lap. In which

I walked across the stage at my college graduation, ready to take on the world. I knew I had an excellent “foot in the door” at ESPN from working as a logger for SportsCenter on Saturdays during my last semester at school. However, I had not yet received an offer for a full-time position as I donned my tassel and robe, and little did I know it would be two years before that offer came through. Unfortunately for my fellow graduates and me, the end of our college tenure came right as the market had plummeted, and ESPN’s parent company, Disney, had established a two-year hiring freeze for all of their companies, ESPN included. The job market was seemingly frozen in place,

We have a “Go Direct” principle at my office. Here’s what that means: if you have a problem at work involving an issue with someone, go directly to that person and work it out. Don’t spend time talking behind his or her back, sharing your grievance with other people, or “getting advice.” Don’t mull over it; don’t hold onto it. Simply “Go Direct.” Problem at Work? Follow these 5 successful problem-solving tips: 1. Consider a kind, but clear way to address the issue. Think before you speak. 2. Don’t bring other people into the conflict. Doing so may cause your co-worker to feel attacked. 3. Try your best to find a moment of privacy, reducing the risk of other people overhearing the conversation and thus embarrassing your co-worker. This will

In my careers, I have worked with many more men than women. It seemed I was always working in a man’s world.  For the most part, I preferred that. It seemed as if it was frequently less complicated. What woman in the workplace has not dealt with the “mean girls” at some point in life? Whether in middle school or office cubicles, there is no doubt they exist. But unlike middle school, we are generally much more capable of handling our female co-workers. We know how they work. Yet to be successful in our jobs, working women have to learn how the male population works as well. We must also learn to successfully respond to the nuances of their nature. It was

Job interviews can be nerve-wracking, intense, stressful, and, well, downright funny. Whether you’re heading into your first interview or you’ve done this before, always remember the importance of common sense. You’ve probably received tips on what you should say, but just in case you’re not sure what shouldn’t be said, here are a few suggestions… Things you should never say in a job interview: “My last boss was challenging.” While that may be true, no supervisor wants to think that you may eventually paint a picture of him or her that is anything but flattering. “What exactly do you do here?” It’s called research! Most any business will have at least a presence on social media if not a website. Get to

Ladies, we work hard. How we pour ourselves out to provide for ourselves and/or contribute to our families varies in form and schedule. We 9 to 5-ers become some sort of steady-yet-intricate balancing acts as we up-keep many aspects of life. In our always changing day to day, I bet we working women share many of the same utterances in our minds: 35 Thoughts of a Working Woman:   “There is nothing better than feeling rested after a good sleep—sure wish I could get one.” “I’m just going to snooze a little bit longer and shower without washing my hair. What’s another day of dry shampoo?” Hearing a steamy trickle from down the hall…holding back the urge to yell, “Thank you!” to whoever