I have read all of Amy Tan’s books starting with the Joy Luck Club, Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, and more. Each book carries the reader to the Far East and often, the author mentions people playing the game of Mahjongg, an ancient Chinese game of skill, strategy, and calculation with a certain amount of luck. I usually paused and thought, what’s that? This fall, a friend invited me to learn how to play M...

It is just days before yearend. For many, it’s been a stressful 4th quarter for our life/work portfolio. Financially and emotionally, the job forecast is looking dim and we await good news about the economy making a comeback. Our investments are still in the basement and many of us are lucky to be working or surviving on unemployment. One day you are working and the next day, you are being escorted to your car. There’s...

It’s been a long day—started at 7:00 a.m. and finished at 5:30 p.m. My day? Helping human resources at a Fortune 500 company with notifications for the downsizing of production and salaried workers. So, how was your day?Some of us have had a day like this. Maybe you were notified once upon a time or recently notified—downsized, excessed, terminated or fired. No matter what it is called, there is a loss. The company lo...

It’s been over 30 years since Johnny Paycheck sang, Take This Job and Shove It. You know, “Take this job and shove it, I ain’t working here no more.” To rewrite the lyrics for today, we might sing...”I’ll take any job.” Or, “Take this job and shove it, oops...just kidding.” Wow, what a difference a recession can make. Maybe we haven’t had it as tough as the country hit implies, but time off gives us time to ourselves,...

It's a tough job market out there, no question about that, but this downturn will pass. When? How? I don’t know, but tough times call for a tough, flexible attitude. There isn’t time for self-pity or feeling like a victim. I encourage you to find the emotional support you need to keep you from spiraling down. These are trying times, but remember, this is not All About YOU, it's about the economy, the global economy....

The way we job search has moved to a new frontier. We have expanded our job search beyond the traditional methods of word of mouth, using the phone or mailing our resume. Like a Trekkie, we are moving our job search strategy to "where no one has gone before." Here is a primer to expand your job search vocabulary.Netiquette - network etiquette. This is the Internet merging with Emily Post. The guidelines are a code of c...

Throughout the ages, people have sought out the wisdom and counsel of those more experienced. Could you benefit from having a mentor? Does your employer encourage mentorship? Mentors provide their expertise to less experienced individuals of all ages in order to help them advance their careers, enhance their education and build their networks. As Baby Boomers look to retirement, there are newer employees who could benefi...

Years ago when I was in high school, I remember my introduction to the world of work through summer employment. I found my jobs through word of mouth and inquiry. The employers did not post “help wanted” signs or place an ad in the newspaper. This was an early lesson in life regarding the “hidden job market”, which can be a hard nut to crack.Is the Internet the new, preferred solution? The answer is yes and no. While surfi...

Recently, one of my clients shared his experience with a phone interview that he was thrilled to receive. As the interview proceeded, Ben found he was talking to someone on a cell phone in rush hour traffic. The recruiter asked Ben to hold while he avoided rear ending the vehicle in front of him. Yes, you never know who is on the other end of the call, so remember the Boy Scout motto and “be prepared.” Phone interviews are...

Throughout the ages, people have sought out the wisdom and counsel of those more experienced. Could you benefit from having a mentor? Does your employer encourage mentorship? Mentors provide their expertise to less experienced individuals of all ages in order to help them advance their careers, enhance their education and build their networks. As Baby Boomers look to retirement, there are newer employees who could benef...