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How to Learn the Skill (& Art) of Good Decision-Making

decision-making, career coach

Good decision-making is a critical skill that has an enormous impact on your life. Whether they are decisions about your career, relationships or everyday life, developing skill and confidence in your decision-making will pay huge dividends. Good decision-making is learned – learned from practice, from trial and error, from taking risks and by (gulp) making mistakes.

As a career coach working with college students, recent graduates and young professionals, I see the anxiety many of my clients face when making a big decision. The first major decision most undergraduate students have made is where to attend college.

For a significant percentage of college freshmen, that decision will have been a poor one. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, of those attending four-year public universities, nearly 30 percent will transfer after freshman year, compared with a 25 percent freshman transfer rate at four-year private colleges. Either way, those numbers are high and can be costly.

An article in the Graziodo Business Review (Pepperdine’s School of Business and Management), cites decisiveness and the ability to make challenging decisions as a critical trait of great leaders. Developing strong decision-making skills requires emotional intelligence, the ability to manage uncertainty and limit choices, and good intuition.

So, how do you develop better decision-making skills and reduce the associated stress and anxiety? Continue reading

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6 Ways to help you determine whether to say “yes” to the job offer

career coaching

When job searching, there are many things to concentrate on from writing the perfect cover letter to nailing the job interview. Many job searchers focus too much just on getting the job offer. Equally, if not more important, is to determine if the job is a good fit for you.

Here are 6 ways to help you determine whether to say “yes” to the job offer. Continue reading

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How to Survive College Acceptance Season

 

c2c college to career

Photo by College Humor

December 15th  is a date that inspires both hope and fear in students and parents alike, along with February 15th and April 15th (the latter not just because it is tax day). Why? It’s round one of college acceptance season. For some it will be merry, for others, it may come with a dose of bah humbug and coal. Here are 8 tips to help you survive college acceptance season. Continue reading

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15 Things to Do on Winter Break

winter break

There’s nothing quite like endless papers to write and final exams to set you dreaming about winter break. That said, sleeping in late and lounging on the couch binge watching Netflix is not the best use of your time off. Nor is it likely to impress your parents.

Ramping up your job search over winter break will help you make the most of your senior year. Having a job lined up before graduation or better yet, by spring break, is the best way to really enjoy your final time on campus.

Here are 15 things to do on winter break to make the most of your senior year. Continue reading

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My Favorite Holiday

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For a host of reasons, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Coming from a large, blended family, Thanksgiving was my family’s “anchor” holiday. We prioritized getting home from wherever we lived, whether it meant flying cross-country or driving through an early snowstorm.

The holiday always focused on spending quality time together, with cousins, aunts, uncles, great aunts, grandparents, and family friends. We numbered so many that the kids’ table stayed a kids’ table well into our twenties. Continue reading

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13 Tips for Crafting Killer Cover Letters

Crafting killer cover letters is one of the greatest challenges job searchers face. Too many cover letters miss the mark by failing to focus on the critical key words. The worst ones, by far, are the ones that go on and on. Here are 13 tips for crafting killer cover letters that hiring managers will want to read. Following these tips will help you to get that coveted interview instead of the dreaded rejection letter. Continue reading

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7 Tips For Acing a Phone Interview

phone interview

A phone interview is the gateway to a face-to-face interview so why do so many people fail to prepare properly for them? You might be thinking that you are merely interested in finding out more about the job opportunity, having submitted an application and possibly a cover letter. Or perhaps a recruiter contacted you via LinkedIn.

The good news is that you made it past the interview gatekeeper and to a phone interview. The bad news is that the phone interview is a real interview so you need to treat it as such. That means following all the same steps for preparing for a face to face interview. Continue reading

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5 Tips to Get Hired With No Internship Experience

 

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It is still true in today’s economy that if you have graduated without one, ideally two, internships that your likelihood of getting a good job, quickly, is much, much lower. According to Forbes, “66% of employers view interview performance and relevant experience” as the most critical factors in making a hiring decision. So what should you do if you’ve graduated and your resume is seriously lacking in pertinent experience? Here are 5 tips for getting hired with no internship experience. Continue reading

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Does Your Job Search Need a Reality Check?

Reality Check
College graduates today have been bombarded with messages about pursuing their dreams and passions. Forbes calls them ”relentless optimists” stating that “millennials would rather hold out for the best job.” Unfortunately, pursuit of the perfect position can often lead to frustration and a failure to launch. That’s why it’s wise to see if your job search needs a reality check.

So how do you put a reality check on your job search without sacrificing your dreams? Continue reading

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The Must Have College Student Checklist

college student checklist

There’s a long list of must-have items on every college student’s checklist. Do a Google search and you will find numerous helpful options, with lists running the gamut from bedding, room décor, laundry needs (yes, you will have to do your own laundry), food, kitchen, bathroom and, surprise, school supplies. I find it interesting that school supplies are the last items on all the college lists, but that’s a topic for another time.

While planning for your campus entry is important, arguably what you do once you arrive on campus is far more important. This is especially true for college freshmen. College life is a new, exciting, and sometimes overwhelming, world. Continue reading

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