Career Development

Introverts bring many unique strengths to organizations, including a focus on depth, an ability to listen, and a calm, reflective nature. If career counselors and coaches can deepen their understanding of how introverts are "wired," they can help create more wins for introverted clients and their organizations.

I've been pondering the future since my dad took me to visit the World Future Society headquarters in Bethesda, Md., when I was 10 years old. And now that I'm a career writer, it's my job to think about what the workplace will look like -- and what it will demand from us -- in 2025.

Until recently, I was a glass half-empty kind of girl. If 10 good things happened and one bad thing happened, guess what I would focus on? I put tremendous pressure on myself to achieve immediate success, and when my career didn't progress splendidly in all respects, I'd feel miserable.

A growing number of Americans struggle with job searches these days because a scandal destroyed their small employer-even though they played no role in its demise.

Solo entrepreneurs, freelancers and other self-employed professionals have always struggled to take vacations, and the recession is making it even harder. Being out of pocket can mean missing one of a diminishing number of business leads, and the rising tide of unemployed professionals has heightened competition for freelance work.

Many job seekers have been paying big bucks to have professionals rework their résumés, but when it comes to career counseling, free help abounds. By visiting a government-sponsored job center, your alma mater and even your local library, you can tap into a pool of professionals who will help you create or critique your résumé. By visiting a government-sponsored job center, your alma mater and even your local library, you can tap into a pool of professionals who will help you create or critique your résumé.

I've been pondering the future since my dad took me to visit the World Future Society headquarters in Bethesda, Md., when I was 10 years old. And now that I'm a career writer, it's my job to think about what the workplace will look like -- and what it will demand from us -- in 2025.

Last December, with unemployment at 7.2%, The Wall Street Journal enlisted eight people who had lost their jobs to write about their hunts in a new blog called "Laid Off and Looking." All eight had M.B.A. degrees; five had worked in finance at big banks. They had been unemployed for a median of nine months.

Q: I'm an intelligent, talented and creative person, but I'm lacking motivation to perform my job to the best of my abilities, and it is starting to show. I'm planning on leaving my firm for graduate school next year, but in the meantime, do you have any ideas on how I can regain my motivation at work? There are no upcoming projects which even hold the remotest level of interest for me, and based on my recent performance review, I would not likely be assigned them to begin with.

If you're gay or lesbian and you're closeted at your office, you're not alone. Despite major strides in acceptance over the last 15 years, many still struggle with the decision to come out at work. A recent Harris poll conducted with Out & Equal and Witeck-Combs Communications indicated that 44% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) participants feel unable to talk freely to co-workers about their partners, and up to 78% don't feel comfortable bringing their partners to corporate social functions.

You're a what? Futurist: Job options for business/economic majors.

Career Planning the Second Time Around

Angel Román, a group member, was interviewed and quoted in this article. Kudos!

If you have avoided social-networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook with the excuse that they are the domain of desperate job hunters or attention-seeking teenagers, it's time to reconsider.

Mentors can be essential, especially for people making career transformations. But unfortunately, a lot of mentor relationships fall apart after a few months because there is no formal structure to support them.

Internships-temporary positions that pay little or no salary-are typically designed for college students or recent graduates exploring potential career paths. But with unemployment at 9.5%, some older laid-off workers are taking on these stints to stay busy, gain new skills and expand their networks. In the meantime, they continue to job hunt and, in some cases, collect unemployment benefits.

I think it`s pretty undeniable that nepotism pays, but don`t worry if your daddy`s not a big executive. You`re in luck because you can create your own nepotism. You don`t need a blood relationship for someone in power to take an interest in you and put you on the fast-track. Here are ideas that can give you the same advantages as those born with great connections.

Ah yes, Networking. Today, it has become a common exercise in the workplace and a vital part of the advancement of most careers. Networking can be accomplished anywhere these days, whether it be outside on a sidewalk, or at an obvious networking cocktail event. If it is done successfully, it can help you meet a future mentor, move you effectively toward an initial interview, or even allow you to make a lasting first impression with your first boss. However, successful networking can often times be harder than it sounds. Sometimes, it is hard to know all the right things to say or do and how to turn a 15-minute conversation into a potential life-lasting connection. With that in mind, I have developed a basic 5-step guide that gives the basics on how to untangle this mystery and turn any previously nerve wracking networking event into an exciting time of opportunity.

There is a common misconception that networking is about "who you know". In the old school world of the privileged classes that was true. However, as the professional world has become more accessible to a broader array of people, this has changed. Networking is no longer about "who you know". Today, it is about "who knows you".

Longtime runner Ray Gobis posted a 3:09 at the Boston Marathon in April-his personal best. The cause wasn't a new training technique or the perfect weather. It was because Mr. Gobis got laid off.

Finding a job in a recession is tough, let alone one that suits your background and interests. But a strong fit is important. Chances are you won't be happy if, say, you're an introvert and vegetarian working as a sales rep for a foie gras purveyor.