12/11/08: Top Career Posts
Every week I check dozens of “career” blogs and other online publications, looking for things that will help you find a job, get promoted, develop your skills, and keep everything in perspective and balance. Here’s the pick of the lot for this week. I’m pointing you to items about what you need to get hired or promoted, following your opportunities, looking for joy, being thankful, and, last but not least, some good cartoons.
From the Kansas City Star: 12 things you need to get hired or promoted
“How do you stand out among co-workers or other applicants for a job? ACT, a nonprofit research and information service, pinpoints 12 skills that employers say they want. Fair warning: these are personality traits, or “soft skills,” that are a very big deal in today’s workplace.”
Wally’s Comment: We’ll start on a practical note with this post about research on important things that hiring types may be looking for.
From Forbes: It’s a Dirty Job, and I Love It!
“Whether it’s milking venomous spiders or picking up roadkill, the secret to career fulfillment is not to follow your passions, but to chase your opportunities.”
Wally’s Comment: This post is a wonderful contrast to the simplistic and inaccurate “do what you love and the money will follow” advice. It’s also very action oriented. A good thing.
From US News & World Report: Looking for Joy on the Job (Even in a Recession)
“Is asking for joy at your job asking for too much? You might think it is. You might say, “What kind of Pollyanna BS is this?” But you’re forgetting for the moment how important joy is. Yes, you can live without it for a while. But imagine yourself in 30, 40, or 50 years. Do you want to look back on a lifetime of arid, cheerless work? That’s why today’s meditation is about finding joy on the job. Yes, even in a recession.”
Wally’s Comment: Working Girl would never be Pollyanna. That’s why this is a great post.
From Bob Sutton: Be Thankful for the Good Things: It Makes You Happier and Healthier
“My Thanksgiving message was about the silver lining that I see in the recent financial troubles, that this is a time when being greedy and selfish is definitely not cool, whether you are a college student or CEO. That message reminded me that there is an interesting stream of research on gratitude in recent years. I know, it may sound flaky and new age, but this stuff is based on careful studies by skilled researchers, many of which are controlled experiments with random assignment to conditions. Two of the most active researchers here are Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, who edited a collection called The Psychology of Gratitude. Emmons also published Thanks more recently, a practical guide, which was just published in paperback. ”
Wally’s Comment: Once you’ve read Working Girl’s post on looking for joy, read Bob Sutton’s post on the research that supports the idea that you’ll be happier if you’re thankful for the good things you have.
From JobMob: 15 Funniest Cartoons and Web Comics about Layoffs
“Forget about the news for a few minutes and get some laughs at the expense of the layoffs being announced daily around the world during the economic crisis”
Wally’s Comment: We’ll finish up with JobMob’s collection of funny cartoons about layoffs. Beware, you may see your company skewered here.