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...]
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...]
Remember what happened when as a kid, you spotted a shooting star or the brightest one appearing in the night sky? What did you immediately do? Did you make a wish? Can you recall how devoted you were to that wish, often thinking of it weeks and weeks after the star had long disappeared? You imagined your wish as a future possibility. It was always crystal clear in your mind. And no one or nothing could deter you from believing that your wish would one day come true. Maybe you’ve matured … [Read more...]
Since graduating from high school, throughout college, and up until about a year ago, I went back and forth in my mind trying to determine what my true career path was. Along the way, I considered pursuing jobs in social work, education, public relations, theatre, film & television, sales and journalism -- without a doubt, an eclectic group of industries had crossed my mind. The one profession that continued to resurface was writing and journalism. It made sense. After all, I enjoyed the … [Read more...]
I read a lot of self-help books. By reading them, I always seem to find the practical advice, insight or inspiration I need to get me through a slump. (Check out my Suggested Reading list for recommendations.) It was my collection of self-help books that inspired me during difficult and challenging times at work, through job transitions and career changes. The self-help genre even served as the primary inspiration for my creating The Career Pioneer blog. I had gotten to a point where I … [Read more...]
I felt so tired this entire week. Literally, fatigued. I have my hand in different projects, including writing daily for this blog. On top of that, my teenage cousin is visiting me from the state of Georgia, so I’ve been trying to find ways to keep him entertained in my normally boring little world. If that’s not enough, I’m also caring for a sick little girl -- my daughter is fighting a cold with a nasty, runny nose, and has been extremely fussy. Needless to say, I was feeling pulled in so … [Read more...]
Your phone rings. You look at the small caller-id screen, but you’re unfamiliar with the incoming phone number. As the digits continue to flash, you suspect it’s someone you know and that they’re calling from another phone line. You pick up and, with your “receptionist” voice, you answer: “HellOoo, this is . . .” “Hi. This is so-and-so from whachamacallit Company,” says the voice on the other line. “We received and reviewed your resume and cover letter regarding the XYZ position and would … [Read more...]
When I started this blog almost two weeks ago, I made a decision that I’d post at least one article a day for a certain period of time. It’s taken great discipline to come up with the story ideas, do the research to expand on those ideas, and then to actually sit down and write. As you know, my posts in general are in the range of 500 to 1,200 words. So, writing to this extent on a daily basis, while juggling other responsibilities, is never easy. But, thankfully for me, it's fun! Plus, it … [Read more...]
In a recent post, I offered some suggestions on how you can advance you life and start pursuing your dream career. One of those suggestions was volunteerism -- as a way to get your foot in the door, gain valuable experience doing the very thing you love to do, and as philanthropy. There’s another type of volunteering out there that has nothing remotely to do with your needs or your future career. It’s called humanitarianism. Generosity. Brotherly Love. This type of volunteer labor isn’t for … [Read more...]
Growing up in Southwest Georgia, my family primarily used a riding lawnmower to cut the grass. Our yard was pretty large, and although my older brothers had at times mowed the lawn with a push mower, it was an obvious relief when they were old enough to use the riding version. As I grew older, my dad also allowed me to drive it in order to cut the grass. It was actually pretty fun and I enjoyed navigating up and down the yard, and maneuvering through bushes and underneath low tree … [Read more...]
Last year, I quit my full-time job to stay at home with my daughter, rather than put her in daycare. I knew, within the first couple of months, that I didn't want to just sit around watching soap operas and court shows while eating bon-bons as she took her naps. (In a previous post, I explained how my daughter spent the first couple of months of her life in the NICU. During that time, I was home without the baby and had lots of time to think when I wasn't sleeping or pumping.) I needed … [Read more...]
First, I’d like to start today’s post by saying “thank you” to all the folks who’ve supported the blog since its inception about a week ago. And to those who’ve recently joined the Career Pioneer bandwagon, you’re in for a great ride. I realize in today’s cluttered world, you have many other sites vying for your attention, so your stopping by to visit and considering the blog a sensible resource is greatly appreciated. Your continued and overwhelming support will not be forgotten. You can … [Read more...]
In a recent post, I briefly talked about some of the negative thinking and excuses we make. We allow these thoughts to swim through our heads, breeding fear and insecurity in our hearts and minds and keeping us from pursuing our dreams one hundred percent. Well, I stumbled upon this video on the internet today. Some of you may have already seen the year-old ad campaign. But even if you have, it serves as a great reminder that nothing is impossible for those of us who believe AND who also … [Read more...]
