Career Development – Page 2

Category: Career Development

Victimized by a Bag of Trash

A long time ago I moved into a modest apartment in a poorer part of town. I opened the back window and was at once assaulted by an unpleasant odor. I soon located the source of the stench: an oversized heavy-duty black trash bag on the back balcony filled with moldy garbage. I was incensed. My thinking

January 8, 2014 Short URLapartment, facing reality, garbage, garbage bins, responsibility, taking control, taking responsibility, trash, unpleasant odor, victim, victim mentalityCareer Development, Management, School District Jobs, Working Together

The Job Interview and The Unwelcome Question

First, I introduce everyone in the room. Then I quickly review the hiring process. Then I say “Unless you have anything you want or ask or say, we will begin.” Mostly the interview then gets underway. Occasionally, though, I will get this: Before we begin would you tell me what you are looking for in a candidate?

January 6, 2014 Short URLbest practice, budget analyst, career development, elevator pitch, employee engagement, fit, interview, interview questions, job candidate, job fit, job interview, jobs, school district business, school district jobs, workCareer Development, Management, School District Jobs

A Different Approach to Hiring?

Over the years I have hired a some stars and some near misses as well. Upon reflection my hires generally fall into four groups: Intelligent, motivated, with great interpersonal skills (IQ, MQ, EQ). These are our stars, who are promoted quickly. Intelligent, motivated, with poor interpersonal skills (IQ, MQ). Despite their talents and eagerness, they irritate their fellow workers.

January 5, 2014 Short URLbest practice, budget analyst, business, career development, employee engagement, employment, EQ, hiring, human resources, interpersonal skills, interview, job interview, jobs, motivated employees, motivation, MQ, myers-briggs, personality tests, problem solving, public education, public school finance, public schools, school district business, show me the money, unions, Vladimir PutinCareer Development, Management, School District Jobs, Working Together

Speed versus Quality

Bob came to see me. “When the examiners come just say Plan, Do, Check, Act.” “Um, What?” “Oh and Alignment and Implementation. That’s key.” I rolled my eyes only after he left my office. The Baldridge examiners were coming and I had a script to follow, apparently. Thanks Cavegirl for the book recommendation Why Business

January 2, 2014 Short URLAttwood, Boyd, business, Business books, coding, data, Deming, Edwards Deming, information technology, IT, jargon, Jeff Attwood, Obamacare, OODA, OODA loop, PDCA, strategyBook Reviews, Career Development, Daily Work, Management

The Turquoise Cat

I once worked with a woman who claimed that she owned a turquoise cat. She couldn’t understand the amazement and disbelief that she encountered whenever she said it. Eventually, one skeptical acquaintance visited her at home. “Um, isn’t your cat tortoiseshell?” “Yes, why?” “Well you’ve been telling everyone it is turquoise.” The moral of the story

January 1, 2014 Short URLcareer, career development, communication, learning styles, miscommuncation, missteps, results, teaching, trainingCareer Development

Professional Development: it’s Tricky (Woo)

I recently saw a coaching app that uses the slogan “closing the accountability gap”. It is an app designed to be used by professional athletes and their coaches. This really resonated with me. In education we talk about various types of gaps. Achievement gaps and opportunity gaps are mentioned in terms of what we adults are not providing to

December 22, 2013 Short URLaccountability, Achievement gaps, all creatures great and small, best practice, career development, coaching, corporate training, education, employee engagement, employment, government, hiring, james herriot, professional development, school district, school district business, staff development, training, training program, tricky-woo, work, workshopsCareer Development, Management, Public Schools, School District Jobs

Parallel Structure, or Why the Bullet is Your Friend

So you’re pursuing a job in finance. Question: How much writing will you need to do? Answer: More than you might think. It is a given that you know something about finance, or you would never have been hired in the first place. However, as you progess in your career you will find more of

December 18, 2013 Short URLbullets, e-mail, English, microsoft powerpoint, parallel construction, powerpoint, powerpoint presentation, presentations, resume, writing, writing tipsCareer Development, Management, Public Schools, School District Jobs

What Does it Take to Get Fired?

Sometimes, Not Much The article Fatal IT Distractions lists mistakes that will lead to immediate dismissal in the IT world: things like forgetting to back up data nightly or not testing your disaster recovery plan prior to a disaster. This made me ponder. What will get you fired in the world of school finance? I am not talking about obvious offenses

December 5, 2013 Short URLcalculation, conflict of interest, disaster recovery plan, dismissals, employment, Excel, fired, government, hiring, IT mistakes, jobs, Management, revenue calculations, school bonds, school district, school district business, spreadsheets, tax rate, unemploymentCareer Development, Excel, Finance, Management, School District Jobs

Of Gerbils and Groundhogs

Supposedly Mark Twain said “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” The meaning being, of course, that it is easy to produce a lot of words and hard to condense them into something pithy, meaningful, and interesting. I have been writing a presentation on career development.

October 27, 2013 Short URLbusiness, career development, employee engagement, government, hiring, locus of control, powerpoint presentation, presentation, workCareer Development, School District Jobs

“Dog Person” Gets Cat: Surprised by Level of Dissastifaction

I am working on a proposal to present at a professional conference next April. The topic I have chosen is career development. Thus, my blogging volume is both: 1) Temporarily reduced, and 2) HR related Why the topic of career development? Well, frankly, it is on the list of proposals they are seeking. And also,

October 24, 2013 Short URLbusiness, career development, Disgruntled Cat, employee engagement, employment, hiring, job description, job satsfaction, public educationCareer Development, Management, School District Jobs, Working Together

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