The Low Down

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

When I covered how to handle a bad performance review in Forbes, it was strictly from the angle that you deserved the negative feedback. Not that I wish a downturn in my readers' careers, but realistically, we all encounter ups and downs in a career. You need to know how to bounce back if your manager calls you out on poor results, declining performance, or other career setbacks, and yes, you can recover from a career setback.

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

Think about the last time you felt fear and anxiety take control of your day. Maybe it stopped you from speaking up in a meeting because you felt like your opinion wasn't worthwhile. Perhaps a simple email took you hours to write because your inner critic kept telling you it wasn’t good enough—that you weren’t good enough.

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

I still emphasize the importance of thank you notes after 20+ years of teaching job search skills at an Ivy League graduate school (and I've taught through both boom and bust hiring markets). Thank you notes after a job interview, or general networking meeting, keep you front-of-mind with the people you meet. Thank you notes continue the momentum from your discussion and can even add to the momentum when you include additional thoughts and ideas.

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.

Each year, Crain's New York Business recognizes 40 individuals under 40 who are making their mark on the city through their pioneering work in science, journalism, entrepreneurship, and more. 

This year, four Columbians made the prestigious list. Learn more about them below.

(Images courtesy of Crain's.)

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.