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 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 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”

Career Conversations with Your New Boss

Whether you are new to organization or you’ve just landed with a new boss in a re-organization, a conversation with your new boss is an excellent time to assess your career trajectory. Using some of the questions in each of these 7 areas will help you chart your course. [selected wisdom from Michael Watkins,  The FirstContinue reading “Career Conversations with Your New Boss”

Phased Retirement – Make Your Case

Many companies and federal agencies offer a way to ease out of the work you love and into the next phase of your life formerly called retirement. A phased retirement strategy offers flexibility. As you approach your retirement age or time in service you can reduce your work hours or work in a different capacityContinue reading “Phased Retirement – Make Your Case”

Your Personal Career BoD

Should I move to take the next step in my career? Is now the time for me to launch my own business? Why should I invest in a Ph.D? A personal Board of Directors (BoD) can facilitate your career decisions. Many of us have our friends, relatives, former teachers, or mentors  that we go toContinue reading “Your Personal Career BoD”