We know training is important to both organizations and employees, yet it is often seen by workers and supervisors as extra work of no real value. It interrupts the workflow. It is the immediate tangible evaluations are the most important. The effectiveness of training should matter. That’s what we tell ourselves and, yet, we hand out trainer and trainingRead… Read more »
We’ve all heard the phrase, “There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers.” That is patently false, as any one who has been the victim of a terrible question at a public event can attest. Participation is important, whether at an internal brown bag or plenary at an annual convention. Asking a question is aRead… Read more »
Who says your failures can’t lead to success? Employers it seems. We are fond of saying, “Failure is not an option.” And, “when it’s rough, the tough get going.” That may be a positive result of the United States unemployment situation and lagging economy. Today’s unemployed may have failed in nailing a specific job orRead… Read more »
Even though the outlook’s been a bit sunnier lately, it’s still a tough job market out there. Recruiters and hiring managers are still getting dozens – if not hundreds – of qualified applications for each position. If yours has been getting lost in the shuffle, or you’re not getting any calls back after interviews, you may beRead… Read more »
My mother always said I was a schmuck. “All of the women in our family are,” she says. “We work like animals, and what does it get us? Nothing.” We call this the “Coopersmith gene,” for my grandmother Muriel, may she rest in peace. Grandma had a heart attack in her early 40’s, shoveling snow offRead… Read more »
2014 saw the lowest federal job satisfaction numbers from feds and an unusually high separation rate, but what those numbers don’t tell you, is there are still passionate and determined federal workers who dedicate their lives to federal service. That remarkable work done was recognized Monday night in the annual Service to America Medal awardRead… Read more »
Hello, my name is Emily and I have a problem – I can’t say no. If you ask me to help on a project my default answer is an univocal yes. I can’t help myself and it is a problem, because if you stretch yourself thin you can’t give your 100 percent to any oneRead… Read more »
Thanks for coming back for part 3 of this series. If you have not already, please check out: Change the Way You Hire Part 1: Am I Qualified Change the Way You Hire Part 2: Years of Experience is Overrated Recruiting talent is a critical factor in avoiding mediocrity. You cannot just expect talented peopleRead… Read more »
I landed my first supervisory job at the age of 29 (considerably young, in HUD years). While the 3 years of experience definitely resulted in more gray hairs (and more frequent trips to the stylist for highlights), I learned a lot along the way. Confidence – I remember one of my very first meetings atRead… Read more »
Suppose you are an IT decision-maker (and who in IT doesn’t have to make decisions regularly?). For that matter, forget the “IT”. What drives your decision-making? Let’s assume that you would like to consistently make decisions so as to have the maximum positive (or least negative) impact on your own personal well-being. Does this soundRead… Read more »