Career | The Career Pioneer | Motivation to help you change careers or start a business you'll love

Speaking of Death and Birthdays . . . MJ To Be Buried On What Would Be His 51st 

So yesterday I wrote about how birthdays always remind me of death and how brief our lives are here on earth. Then what was announced today? That music pop star Michael Jackson will be buried on what would’ve been his 51st birthday, on August 29. How ironic is that? I’m sure his family probably strategically planned for him to be buried that day. But could you imagine being put to rest on the same day as your birth -- the day you were introduced to the world in turn becomes the day in which … [Read more...]

Nothing Like a Birthday To Get You Thinking About Death

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There’s nothing like a birthday, another milestone, to get you feeling depressed, anxious or excited about the future. You start thinking about all the things you have and haven’t accomplished in your life. You begin to see your final days on earth fast approaching. And you’re wondering whether there’s any room left in the world for another dream-seeker, risk-taker, and career pioneer like yourself.   I’m here to say that YES there is still room for YOU! And for ME! STOP taking a back … [Read more...]

It’s Official: The 30th Day of The Career Pioneer Blog! 

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It’s been exactly 30 days to-date that I launched The Career Pioneer blog. And I must say that it’s been an interesting, somewhat difficult, and self-revealing ride to say the least. When I started this blog, yes, I wanted to help other people discover their own passion and true career path, but at the same time I secretly used it as therapy for myself, as I decidedly made a more concerted effort to pursue my own career dreams. Thanks for joining me on this journey. It honestly felt like a … [Read more...]

Have an Interview Horror Story? Tips to Shine at Your Next Career Fair  

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You arrive late because you forgot to pick up your suit from the cleaners. You didn't have a chance to check you appearance in the bathroom before the interview began, so the entire time you had tomato stuck in your teeth and didn't know it. That's just great. Now the interviewer thinks you were running late because you stopped at your favorite pizza joint. How in the world do you climb out of this hole?   After all, this was the company you've just been dying to work for. If … [Read more...]

What Are You So Afraid Of? Top 5 Fears That Paralyze the Career-Minded 

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This week I decided to take some calculated steps to advance my career as a journalist and writer. Most recently, I felt the need to step outside my comfort zone. So, I decided to bypass opportunities with smaller publishers, and attempted to break into the more competitive markets. Even as an experienced business journalist working with the nation’s top news outlets, I was still riddled with self-doubt as I considered whether I would be "good enough." Here's something I rarely share with … [Read more...]

Extract the Distractions 

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Television. Radio. Books. Internet. Work. Kids. Spouse. Friends. Mobile phones. Chat. School. Girlfriend. Boyfriend. Responsibilities galore!   There’s no shortage of distractions in the world. But everyday we wake up and immediately get sucked right back into them once again. Is there really a way to escape the distractions? Is it possible to minimize the impact they have on our lives? Can we regain control in order to boost our productivity? Some distractions are good and the … [Read more...]

Have All Your Eggs in One Basket? That’s Probably a Good Thing.

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Who still says it’s wrong to put all your eggs in one basket? As kids, most of us were raised to believe that it’s absurd to expense all your energy into one discipline, that multi-tasking is a good thing, and that the more diverse your activities the greater chance you’ll end up becoming successful in at least one. We’ve all heard the figure of speech, “Jack of all trades, master at none” -- often used to reference a person who is considered a generalist, someone who has many skills but who … [Read more...]

How to Use 15 Minutes and Make It Count

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1. Pray and/or meditate. Start or end your day with a fresh, new perspective on life. Gain clarity through prayer and meditation. Recognize that life is much bigger than the proverbial cubicle in which you live. 2. Have a heart-to-heart with your spouse, relative, or a friend. When was the last time you sat down with the television turned off and the laptop aside, and spoke to your spouse or friend with intimacy? Share what’s really on your heart and mind, and allow them to be open and honest … [Read more...]

Achieve Your Career Dreams: How to Get Past the Talking Stage and Move Into The Doing Stage

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Don’t you just hate conversations when someone you know or an acquaintance blabs on and on about what they want to do. But when you prod a little, you discover they haven’t made any effort or taken any steps that resemble a course of action? Don’t you hate it even more when the person who’s doing the blabbing is you? We live in a world that gives more credit to people who are doing “big” things. Which, in my opinion, has fostered a generation that are big talkers, rather than big … [Read more...]

Profile: Elaine W. Hurt, Peace Corps Volunteer, U.N. Consultant  

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As a young girl growing up in Nairobi, Kenya, Elaine Wacuka Hurt imagined herself one day becoming either a judge or working in foreign diplomacy. As a 2004 graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, DC and former Peace Corps volunteer, she says she’s now well on her way to fulfilling her dreams of becoming a United Nations diplomat. Elaine is currently working as a consultant with the U.N.’s peace-building initiative. In the fall, she’ll be attending the School of International … [Read more...]

How to Create a Dreamboard. Plus, Take the First Career Pioneer Poll!

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[polldaddy poll=1847191] Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by to participate in the first CP poll. Today, we're talking about dream or vision boards, which have grown increasingly popular over the years. Dijon, a devoted Career Pioneer and reader, shared in a recent post that he keeps a dream board on his wall in his bedroom and that his two young boys are creating one too. (Thanks for sharing that with us Dijon!)  How inspiring and fun is that?! I don't have a dream board yet. So, I did a … [Read more...]

Going Green’s the Going Thing in Jobs 

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Everyone's talking about being eco-friendly -- from what you wear to what you put in your body. But increasingly, more people are having serious discussions on what the job market has in store for workers and businesses that implement environmentally conscious design, policy, and/or technology to boost conservation and sustainability. This evening I attended an informational session focused on the topic: “What is a Green Job?” led by Reclamation Energy, a Washington, DC-based organization … [Read more...]

Want to Reinvent Yourself? Personal Branding is Key

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Today's post was inspired by football wide receiver Terrell Owens, aka T.O., and his new reality-based television show called The T.O. Show. Honestly, I was a bit . . . no, very reluctant to watch the show, which airs on VH1 Mondays. I'm not very familiar with his professional football career. But in the few times that I have seen him in the media, I felt he was generally portrayed as some bad guy slash conceited, hot head on and off the field. Because of that, I've never really had a … [Read more...]