PhD’s at the Crossroads: Career Counseling and Coaching for a New Direction

MCDA Newsletter – April, 2019 Universities are producing PhDs in record numbers in all disciplines. It’s exciting to have all this brain power!  We have phenomenal technologies and research coming from university labs, while our PhDs are being groomed to continue their research and teaching. Yet, according to Nature, while the number of academic PhDsContinue reading “PhD’s at the Crossroads: Career Counseling and Coaching for a New Direction”

Career Conversation-Why am I doing This?

Chances are you’ve asked yourself this question when the going got rough at work. What were you thinking!? Really. What were you thinking when you were excited about this job? Spend a few minutes recalling what is appealing to you.  List those things that are  still present.  Do you still have the opportunities to learnContinue reading “Career Conversation-Why am I doing This?”

Career Conversations: 5 Questions for Staying Alive in Your Job

Do you have days at work when time stands still? ‘Wondering if you should be doing something different?  Before you jump on the job boards, there are plenty of things to consider to energize yourself in your current work. Consider the following 5 questions from Gallup: What do you know you can do well butContinue reading “Career Conversations: 5 Questions for Staying Alive in Your Job”

Career Conversations: 7 Steps – Anger to Action

Situation: Your co-worker is in very upset after a heated conversation with his boss.  He is very angry and calling the boss all sorts of names and using words like, “crazy,” stupid,” idiotic.”  What do you do? a. Roll your eyes, agree and add another ‘name’ to the list. b. Walk away. You’ve heard thisContinue reading “Career Conversations: 7 Steps – Anger to Action”

Career Conversations – Feeling Stuck?

Do you believe…  “My job is secure because [fill in the blank].”   “I’m stuck because I have no marketable skills.”  “My boss is looking out for me.” “I can ride a few more years before I retire.” Whether you have two or twenty years of work experience, YOU are the person who cares most aboutContinue reading “Career Conversations – Feeling Stuck?”

Career Conversations on Social Media

Most of us know what not to post on our social media accounts.  More than 69% of employers have rejected some applicants on the basis of what they found. Even when not in job search mode, we can manage our professional reputation (aka Brand) by what we share. Match your postings to your online goalsContinue reading “Career Conversations on Social Media”

Career Conversations without Ageism

How frustrating it is to struggle with a conversation because we see things through our different lenses! We make assumptions based on so many things, but for this blog I’ll focus on a person’s age. Age discrimination is still pervasive when it comes to hiring older workers. And for different reasons, many young workers alsoContinue reading “Career Conversations without Ageism”

Career Conversation: Job Security through Expertise?

Expert      Go-to Person      Experienced         Seniority These are terms we earn when we’ve mastered a subject, process, task, etc. This mastery comes through formal education, trial and error, practice as well as time-in-task. When this knowledge is valued (someone pays you money) you have job security.  Until…. Tragedy! New equipment is brought in that doesn’t useContinue reading “Career Conversation: Job Security through Expertise?”

Career Conversation on Large Scale Change

You are reading and hearing a lot about streamlining federal agencies with domino effect on private sector and non-profits. What does this mean to you?  You’ve been seeing job cuts and re-organizing.  Don’t panic! But do pay attention… You likely have already experienced taking on additional roles and tasks that were previously covered by now-unfilledContinue reading “Career Conversation on Large Scale Change”

Before You Leap – Have a Career Conversation

You’re doing great work, got a good performance review, but you want to be promoted and keep your career moving. Your boss says she needs you to do the job she hired you for. You have to “pay your dues.”  What does that mean?!? So you’re stuck.  Should you look for a new job?’ BeforeContinue reading “Before You Leap – Have a Career Conversation”