The Low Down

By Melody Wilding '11SW of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
This article originally appeared on MelodyWilding.com

Today being "crazy busy" is a way of life. Americans are taking less vacation time than ever before, not only to show dedication but also to simply keep up with the demands they face.

By Caroline Ceniza-Levine '93BC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
This article originally appeared on SixFigureStart.com

I recently posted on Forbes about five lame excuses keeping you from making a career change, and it was based on justifications I hear over and over again from people who say they aspire to do something new but don't follow through to make this happen. You probably know the popular excuses – I don't know where to start, I can't afford the pay cut, it's too late, I don't have enough time, it won't work out anyway – that doom people before they even try.

By Melody Wilding '11SW of the Columbia Career Coaches Network

Why do some of the most intelligent people sabotage their own success? It all goes back to unconscious everyday thoughts, also called cognitive distortions, first identified by psychologists Aaron Beck and Dr. David Burns.

By Caroline Ceniza-Levine '93BC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
This article originally appeared on SixFigureStart.com

At a recent workshop, I was asked for strategies to decide what LinkedIn invitations to accept. This notion of networking attention as a limited resource inspired my latest post for Forbes on guidelines for deciding how to spend your networking time. I wanted the workshop participant (and would want this for my readers too!) to think more broadly about networking, not just LinkedIn.

By Debra Feldman '74PH of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
This article originally appeared on JobWhiz.

Too often executive resumes are designed to push data out to a general employer audience, a job search method that is rarely effective. Rather, I suggest creating a presentation promoting past achievements that demonstrate to a decision maker the skills, talent, passion, etc. to address the challenges important to that hiring decision maker. A resume is a sales tool. We've been told that successful sales presentations do not talk about product features but focus on satisfying the buyer's needs and addressing the buyer's challenges. As marketing collateral, a resume and related correspondence, should not focus solely on the candidate's attributes, but should deliver information to prove how the product/candidate satisfies the buyer's/employer's needs.

By Sasha McDowell '09SIPA, '09SW of the Columbia Career Coaches Network

All employees benefit when they're able to be their whole selves at work. For women, this means being allowed to integrate their identities as mothers and professionals. Mothers should be able to express their commitment to raising happy, healthy, engaged children while at work, without their commitment to their careers being questioned.

By Caroline Ceniza-Levine '93BC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
This article originally appeared on Forbes and SixFigureStart.com

In the excitement of getting an offer, many smart, talented professionals ignore warning signs that a bad career move may be up ahead. A smart, talented professional (in HR no less) made a job switch that she regrets, having overlooked five bright red flags that were made apparent during the hiring process. This new job came with a significant title and salary bump, and she rationalized that this potentially bad career move was actually a good move, that she could manage through the worrisome items once she joined. This absolutely could be true — roles, colleagues, and company strategy change over time. But if you are considering a job where doubts have already surfaced, go in with your eyes wide open. Here are five warning signs that a potential new job is a bad career move.

Alumna Lynn Berger '84TC, '90TC, of the Columbia Career Coaches Network, offers her top tips on stress relief for the office and home. 

By Caroline Ceniza-Levine '93BC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
This article originally appeared on Forbes and SixFigureStart.com

I was leading a career-planning workshop for senior executives, which of course includes talk of the ideal professional network. One of the participants dared to say he didn't return unsolicited calls from recruiters. Seriously? Recruiters are definitely people you need to have in your professional network. Recruiters offer a critical window into the market. Even when you're not looking, you want to understand the level of interest in what you do (what is your marketability?), the compensation for your role (what is your market value?), and the typical scope of responsibility, budget, and/or size of team that accompany your level (are you progressing at, above, or below your peers?). Recruiters are just one type of contact you should know. Here are nine more people you need to have in your professional network.

By Caroline Ceniza-Levine '93BC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
This article originally appeared on Forbes and SixFigureStart.com

Say you want to change careers and enter a new field...how do you get hired when you have no experience for that new job? The blunt truth is that you always must have experience related to the job you want because employers don't hire for potential. However, this experience need not come in the form of paid, full-time, on-the-job experience. Employers do prefer job candidates who have that kind of traditional experience – i.e., people who have done the exact same job before (and ideally at a competitor!). But that is not the only experience that employers value. You can demonstrate relevant experience for a job you want, even if you have never worked in that field, in four ways: