The Low Down

By Caroline Ceniza-Levine '93BC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network 

When you're employed, you need to keep your job search confidential. If you decide not to leave, you don't want your employer to question your loyalty. If you do decide to leave, you want to take your time to find something you really want and leave on your own schedule. Yet, I've seen many job seekers inadvertently out themselves—sure, they don't say outright that they are looking for another job, but their actions betray them. Avoid these four mistakes to keep your job search confidential.

By Cynthia Indriso '86PH of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
This post originally appeared on CynthiaIndriso.com
 

Direct, open and honest communication is an essential characteristic of any kind of successful relationship as well as a high performing and engaged workplace, yet it’s commonly a big challenge for many of our clients, especially when the message is "negative" and requires a change in behavior.

By Caroline Ceniza-Levine '93BC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network 

Most professionals intuitively understand the value of executive presence, but how do you fix it? A good first step is to review the list of 10 factors that employers and recruiters assess when gauging executive presence. Just translating an amorphous concept like "executive presence" into specific components can give you a checklist to assess yourself. But, you might not be the best grader—maybe you're too hard on yourself or not honest enough. 

By Melody Wilding '11SW of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
Originally published on Forbes.com

Being a sensitive person in the workplace can often feel like a double-edged sword.

Your colleagues likely appreciate your generous nature, depth of personality, and sense of dedication. On the other hand, when it comes to tough realities of the workplace like receiving feedback, your emotions can run unchecked.

By Caroline Ceniza-Levine '93BC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
Originally published on SixFigureStart.com

When I blogged previously about the importance of thank you notes (including five real job seekers whose thank you notes hurt or helped them get a job), I meant to showcase an often-overlooked by powerful job search step. This isn't to say, however, that for any of the job seekers I showcased the thank you note was the only factor in the hiring decision. There are always numerous factors that employers use to make hiring decisions. Typically these factors build upon each other, so job seekers should aim to showcase their best at all stages. Here is a job search checklist for what employers look at when deciding whom to hire.

By Eric Horwitz '90CC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network

Having a strong foundation of education is critical to an informed citizen in a free market society. A mixture of moral clarity and scientific reasoning can form the foundation for an active life of contributing and receiving abundance. Since the beginning of the university system, great men and eventually women were sequestered in a search for these empirical truths. Education is meant to develop individuals into contributing members of the social fabric.

Alumna Lynn Berger '84, '90TC, of the Columbia Career Coaches Network, weighs in on how to have more creativity in the workplace through visualization strategies, and how it can help with your career and personal growth. 

Having more creativity in your work is a perfect, almost sure way to enjoy feelings of growth. And most of us have more creative powers than we give ourselves credit for.

Alumna Melody Wilding '11SW, of the Columbia Career Coaches Network, spoke about change and self-doubt during a recent TEDx talk. Read her thoughts and check out the talk below:

When it comes to change, we're often our own worst enemy. Anyone who has tried to embark on a professional or personal challenge is familiar with the voice of the inner critic that says things like "you're not good enough," "this is a stupid idea," "nothing will ever work out." Most self-development advice espouses the need to overcome self-doubt and banish negative thoughts. But as a therapist and Human Behavior professor, I know that this prevailing notion that calls for eradicating so-called "negative emotions" is not just plain wrong—it can actually backfire. While it's true that self-doubt can be toxic, what's more problematic is the fact that we never learn to deal with this normal, expected emotion in healthy ways. Any change brings up fear and worries—and learning to cope with uncertainty is a skill.

By Caroline Ceniza-Levine '93BC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network 
Originally published on SixFigureStart.com

If I could wish one success trait for my clients, it would be follow-through—doing something with the recommendations that are given.

The Columbia Career Coaches Network is a group of seasoned career professionals—and they're also your fellow alumni. Here, they weigh in on why it's incredibly valuable to work with a coach to better your career.