Recently I’ve had a number of conversations with colleagues thinking about their post-retirement options. Most of them don’t actually want to retire, but want to transition to a career option that better fits their encore lifestyle goals.
The good news? One of the terrific things about LIS skills and experience is that they so easily lend themselves to these types of work arrangements. (more…)
So how’s the resolution stuff coming?
According to the experts, something like 40%-45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, with generally less-than-stellar success rates. Been there, done that.
But with each new year, I’ve come a bit closer to a goal-achieving method that works for me. The key was realizing that willpower was simply a non-starter (or non-achiever) for me; instead, I found that creating an environment, processes, and habits that supported my goals was what kept me on track. (more…)
Sometimes even the most ideal job goes south.
The boss you loved working for gets promoted to a great new position, but her replacement is the spawn of the devil.
Your company, which for decades had been known for valuing its employees, is bought by an equity fund whose only value is stakeholder profits.
The job you love is “re-engineered” into a new set of responsibilities, several (if not all) of which make you crazy…. (more…)
Perhaps you’ve decided to stay home to spend more time with your young children for several years.
Or your elderly parents are beginning to need more attention from you and it’s compromising your ability to work full-time.
Or you’ve had a major health setback, and recovery is likely to sideline you for a substantial period of time.
A career timeout, however, doesn’t have to mean career derailment. By staying professionally engaged and connected, you’ll be able to keep doors open for you when you’re ready to return. (more…)
Or, why you should consider that job in Smalltown, USA
Recently I had an opportunity to work with a young woman who had just graduated from an MLIS program. She was unsure of how to proceed with her job search given the precarious job market for librarians (and everybody else).
This young woman had never worked in a library before, and, like many of us when we complete our degrees, wanted to get a job in the same town where her university was located. But the reality is that with little or no library experience and facing the stiff competition that comes in an area flooded with fellow MLIS graduates, this young woman’s job prospects would be dim at best.
In fact, probably her best opportunities lie in a direction often avoided if not dismissed by recent grads: working for a library in Smalltown, USA.
How to tell the world you’re terrific when you don’t want to talk to anybody
Personal branding – showcasing your professional strengths – is one of the most important aspects of building a resilient career. However, if you’re an introvert, the idea of telling others about yourself can be unnerving at best, nausea-inducing at worst.
So what if your “elevator speech” generally consists of a muttered “which floor do you want?” The good news is that you’re living in the right era, because these days you can do a major portion of your brand-building online. (more…)