Last week I commented on the Apprentice candidate who quit, standing up to Donald’s harsh words: “I hate a quitter.”
This week’s decision was both easier and harder. Candidate Merisa wouldn’t shut up, even in the Boardroom.
Placed in charge of Marketing, Merisa kept pushing her ideas. Change the name of the salad. Put some […]

“Winners never quit and quitters never win.” Maybe you’ve heard this line before. I disagree. Sometimes winners are the ones who walk away.
Thinking of leaving a program, course, job or career? Here are some ways to frame the decision.
(1) Are you a misfit?
Example: Carly Fiorina quit law school for a secretarial job and never […]

This morning’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer ran an article about outplacement services, a newswire story that originated in Providence, RI.
The story’s theme: Companies try to help laid-off workers get jobs by offering outplacement. These services do an inventory of skills and interests, then try to help laid-off workers find new jobs.
Company spokespersons note that […]

Okay, so The Apprentice reality television show is pretty grim this year. It’s fun to watch scenes from Los Angeles flash by. No matter how many times I’ve visited, LA always seems exotic and special to me.
For those who (wisely) avoid television, reality and otherwise: On this show 18 smart men and women come […]

It must be the time of year: I’ve had several resume questions lately (always happy to hear from readers).
In my experience, job changers tend to ignore the last part of their resumes – the part where you put professional memberships, education and “personal.” So here are the 3 resume tips that are easiest to […]

As a long-time Apprentice fan I looked forward to the move to Los Angeles. This one was over the top.
First, do you believe the losing team really slept outside in the tents? This scene has to be staged!
Second, we need two judges. This time around, Donald has decided that the winning project manager […]

Q. I have several projects going at once — but I never seem to finish them! I’m pulled in so many different directions — and I end up with nothing to show for my efforts!
A. While you’re in a creative mode, you’re most likely to be swamped with ideas! Feeling swamped can be a […]

Q. “I’ve been a teacher. Can I transfer these skills to become a trainer or professional speaker?”
A. You’ve probably heard, “Career change is about transferring skills.” As far as I’m concerned, that’s an urban legend.
Skills transfers make sense for some jobs, such as telephone operators who become call center reps. But managers often […]

I’ve been reading Carly Fiorina’s book, Tough Choices. She’s the H-P CEO who was fired after 5 years of missed targets. A fascinating glimpse of corporate life and I’d love to hear what readers think.Read more.
After years of living with cluttered offices, I finally feel vindicated. Last week the New York Times ran an […]