Career Tools: Recent Episodes
Manager Tools
Career Tools is a weekly podcast focused on specific actions you can take to grow and enhance your career, whether you are a manager or not. Career Tools won the Podcast Awards Best Business podcast in 2010 and was nominated every other year it has been eligible. Whether you are interested in jump-starting a stalled career, or sharpening your edge, Career Tools is the podcast for you. Go to http://www.manager-tools.com/testimonials to read what others are saying about the impact Career Tools has had on their careers and lives.
Part 2 of our guidance on professional note-taking - and what to do with your notes once you’ve taken them.
Our guidance on professional note-taking - and what to do with your notes once you've taken them.
Our guidance on what to do if you’re being asked to work in an office after working at home and you’d prefer not to.
How to approach brainstorming if you’re a High C or you’re facilitating a group with a High C.
How to approach brainstorming if you’re a High S or you’re facilitating a group with a High S.
How to approach brainstorming if you're a High I or you're facilitating a group with a High I.
How to approach brainstorming if you're a High D or you're facilitating a group with a High D.
In this guidance, we'll help you understand how you can use a stakeholder or influence map as a personal tool for improving your relationships.
Our guidance on answering the interview question, "Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult colleague or team member?" and similar questions.
Part two of our guidance for High C’s on mitigating their weaknesses and improving their time management skills.
Our guidance for High C’s on mitigating their weaknesses and improving their time management skills.
Part 2 of our guidance for High S's on mitigating their weaknesses and improving their time management skills.
Part 1 of our guidance for High S's on mitigating their weaknesses and improving their time management skills.
Part 2 of our guidance for High I's on mitigating their weaknesses and improving their time management skills.
Part 1 of our guidance for High I's on mitigating their weaknesses and improving their time management skills.
Part 2 of our guidance for High D's on mitigating their weaknesses and improving their time management skills.
Part 1 of our guidance for High D's on mitigating their weaknesses and improving their time management skills.
Part 2 of our guidance on the concept of Minimum Viable Skill Level and how to apply it to your career.
Part 1 of our guidance on the concept of Minimum Viable Skill Level and how to apply it to your career.
Lots of folks ask us how to ask for a promotion. But it's often not the right question to ask.
Time management, priority management, calendar management: it's a challenge in the modern digital workspace. But there are a couple of simple ways to do it a lot better than everyone else - which will make you look like you've mastered it.
Part 2 of our guidance on the actions to take between accepting an offer and starting a new job.
Part 1 of our guidance on the actions to take between accepting an offer and starting a new job.
Our Hall Of Fame guidance giving examples of Manager Tools' ‘MT Goals': Goals that are Measurable and Time-Based.
Our guidance on orienting your career towards the customers of your company for career success.
Our guidance on some of the questions you have about things your manager can and cannot do.
Our guidance on some of the questions you have about things you manager can and cannot do.
When you get blocked for growth at your company, it's natural to think you could interview for a higher level job somewhere else. But it's a lot harder than it sounds.
The common wisdom is to avoid admitting your were wrong. But the common wisdom is what's wrong. It's better to know what you did wrong and admit it than try to hide your mistakes.
Part 2 of our guidance on the common enemy strategy, why you should avoid it, and how to do so.
Part 1 of our guidance on the common enemy strategy, why you should avoid it, and how to do so.
Part 2 of our guidance on deciding whether your goal should be efficiency or effectiveness.
Part 1 of our guidance on deciding whether your goal should be efficiency or effectiveness.
Our Hall Of Fame guidance giving examples of Manager Tools' ‘MT Goals': Goals that are Measurable and Time-Based.
Part 2 of our guidance on increasing your value to the organization by becoming a problem solver rather than a problem identifier.
Part 1 of our guidance on increasing your value to the organization by becoming a problem solver rather than a problem identifier.
Part 3 of our guidance on working when you’re suffering from a mental or physical illness.
Part 3 of our guidance on working when you’re suffering from a mental or physical illness.
Part 2 of our guidance on working when you’re suffering from a mental or physical illness.
Part 2 of our guidance on working when you’re suffering from a mental or physical illness.
Our interview with Maggie Tucker, marketing executive and co-host of the friends on FIRE podcast.
Our guidance on Horstman’s First Law of Job Changes: Change When You Want To, Not When You Have To
We have launched our own DISC Profile: MTDISC. Here's what it is, why we did it, and what its benefits are.
Our guidance on using the metaphor of the Career Archipelago to concentrate your career efforts.
Our Hall Of Fame guidance giving examples of Manager Tools' ‘MT Goals': Goals that are Measurable and Time-Based.
Our guidance on understanding the purpose of the organization for individual contributors.
Part 2 of our guidance about ways to think about improving relationships using the communication matrix.
Part 1 of our guidance about ways to think about improving relationships using the communication matrix.
Our guidance for managers the common pitfalls for managerial resumes, and how to solve them.
Part 2 of our answers to six common questions about Toastmasters, and our recommendations of it.
Part 1 of our answers to six common questions about Toastmasters, and our recommendations of it.
Our Hall Of Fame guidance giving examples of Manager Tools' ‘MT Goals': Goals that are Measurable and Time-Based.
Part 2 of our guidance on thinking about your Work From Home habits and what they say about you.
Part 1 of our guidance on thinking about your Work From Home habits and what they say about you.
Part 2 of our guidance on answering the question "Why Do You Want This Job" when you're over-qualified.
Part 1 of our guidance on answering the question "Why Do You Want This Job" when you're over-qualified.
The fifth episode in an ongoing series answering questions about what's normal at work.
Our guidance on encouraging your manager to allow or to continue to allow you to work remotely.
The fourth episode in an ongoing series answering questions about what's normal at work.
Our guidance on using getting up early as a strategy for increasing work/family balance.
Part 2 of our guidance recommending NOT announcing a colleague’s failure without a courtesy notification.
Part 1 of our guidance recommending NOT announcing a colleague’s failure without a courtesy notification.
This cast describes how to interview effectively during a downturn, particularly for difficult to fill positions.
This cast helps you word your request to your network for help with looking for a new opportunity.
Part 2 of our guidance on how to create and use a Career Management Document as a key part of your career management system.
This cast explains how to respond to the announcement of impending layoffs at your firm.
This cast explains how to improve an especially important relationship during economic downturns: your boss's peers.
This cast describes the reasons why leaving your company or industry in a downturn CAN be a bad idea, and recommends options to consider in those situations.
Part 3 of our guidance on project management, using the Manager Tools Work Management Spreadsheet.
Part 2 of our guidance on project management, using the Manager Tools Work Management Spreadsheet.
Part 1 of our guidance on project management, using the Manager Tools Work Management Spreadsheet.
Our guidance on the most important concept a laid off professional must know: Finances Rule.
Our guidance on your initial communications with a friend or associate whose career is at risk.
Our guidance on how to cut your costs and manage expenses during the global pandemic of 2020.
A rerelease of part 2 of our guidance on preparing for a staffing decision meeting, which addresses problems related to headcount and budget reductions that you may now be facing as a professional or manager because of coronavirus.
A rerelease of part 1 of our guidance on preparing for a staffing decision meeting, which addresses problems related to headcount and budget reductions that you may now be facing as a professional or manager because of coronavirus.
A rerelease of part 2 of our guidance on budget management in a downturn, which addresses problems related to headcount and budget reductions that you may now be facing as a professional or manager because of coronavirus.
A rerelease of part 1 of our guidance on budget management in a downturn, which addresses problems related to headcount and budget reductions that you may now be facing as a professional or manager because of coronavirus.
A rerelease of of our guidance on contributing to the team when working remotely, which addresses problems related to working from home and managing remote employees that you may now be facing because of coronavirus.
A rerelease of of our guidance on getting results when working remotely, which addresses problems related to working from home and managing remote employees that you may now be facing because of coronavirus.
A rerelease of part 2 of our guidance on how to work with a remotely located manager, which addresses problems related to working from home and managing remote employees that you may now be facing because of coronavirus.
A rerelease of part 1 of our guidance on how to work with a remotely located manager, which addresses problems related to working from home and managing remote employees that you may now be facing because of coronavirus.
A rerelease of part 2 of our guidance on managing distant team members, which addresses problems related to working from home and managing remote employees that you may now be facing because of coronavirus.
A rerelease of part 1 of our guidance on managing distant team members, which addresses problems related to working from home and managing remote employees that you may now be facing because of coronavirus.
A rerelease of our guidance on phone One on Ones, which addresses problems related to working from home and managing remote employees that you may now be facing because of coronavirus.
Our guidance on how to answer "Out Of All The Other Candidates, Why Should We Hire You?"
Our guidance on building relationships when working remotely or with remote team members.
Our Hall Of Fame guidance giving examples of Manager Tools' ‘MT Goals': Goals that are Measurable and Time-Based.
Part 2 of our guidance on using acceptance criteria as a means of work assignment success.
Part 1 of our guidance on using acceptance criteria as a means of work assignment success.
Part 2 of our guidance on giving multiple pieces of Feedback to your peer around one event.
Part 1 of our guidance on giving multiple pieces of Feedback to your peer around one event.
Our Hall of Fame guidance on what to do before, during and after any conference or training you attend.
Our guidance for individual contributors on how to create a succession plan and find a successor.
Our guidance on how to follow up after an industry event, training, or other event where you meet lots of new people.
If you're a manager, don't think for a moment that someone else is managing your career. Those days are long gone. YOU are managing your career. What you do - not only in job skills, but also in what we call "Transition Skills" - will be the primary determinant of your career success. You're not going to have the richest, most rewarding series of roles and opportunities by allowing someone in HR to know enough about you to get you where you need to be. And succession planning won't save you either.
Part 2 of our responses to listeners' recommendations to the Inaugural MT Case Study, and reveal what actually happened.
Part 1 of our responses to listeners' recommendations to the Inaugural MT Case Study, and reveal what actually happened.
What are case studies? Taught in part with the Manager Tools Inaugural Interactive Case Study.
What are case studies? Taught in part with the Manager Tools Inaugural Interactive Case Study.
Part 2 of the last part of our guidance on presenting to an audience that has a different first language to you.
Part 1 of the last part of our guidance on presenting to an audience that has a different first language to you.
Chapter 2 of our guidance on presenting to an audience that has a different first language to you.
Part 2 of our guidance on presenting to an audience that has a different first language to you.
Part 1 of our guidance on presenting to an audience that has a different first language to you.
Power is necessary for organizational change and success, even if some of us would rather call it influence. But what is it? And how can I get some? And some more? It's not as hard as it sounds.
Power is necessary for organizational change and success, even if some of us would rather call it influence. But what is it? And how can I get some? And some more? It's not as hard as it sounds.
Power is necessary for organizational change and success, even if some of us would rather call it influence. But what is it? And how can I get some? And some more? It's not as hard as it sounds.
Power is necessary for organizational change and success, even if some of us would rather call it influence. But what is it? And how can I get some? And some more? It's not as hard as it sounds.
Our guidance on how to read a job ad and predict what interview questions will be asked.
Our guidance on what to do when you need experience to get a job and you don't have any.
Our guidance on understanding features and benefits, and how to use them in your resume and interviews.
Our guidance on presentation interviews, when you have no advance warning of the topic, time, and so on.
In this bonus podcast, Mark comments on the recent Wall Street Journal article that featured Manager Tools.
Our guidance on being able to give a Status on Demand (SoD) and the content of an SoD briefing.
Our guidance on what to do when people don't 'get the hint', or don't change behaviors after repeated conversations.
Time management is a fallacy, we like to say. Time doesn't need you to "manage" it - it's been getting along just fine without you for billions of years. We can't manage time. But what we CAN manage is what we do with that time.
Our guidance on keeping track of information during your job search - and why it is important.
Part 2 of our guidance on how to use social media when searching for a job, but remaining discreet.
Part 1 of our guidance on how to use social media when searching for a job, but remaining discreet.
Our guidance on the use of names when working with others with a different mother tongue.
Our guidance on what to learn when you're working abroad or with people who speak a different language to you.
This week, we're re-releasing one of our Hall of Fame casts on considering DiSC when greeting others.
Our guidance on making a proposal that someone else take part of your workload - the pre-work.
Understand how your resume is handled and adjust your expectations and actions accordingly.
Our guidance on the first stage of managing your own projects: breaking them down into something manageable.
The conclusion of our guidance on what to do if you’re laid off or fired and have no cushion.
The conclusion of our guidance on working out your goals in relation to those of your boss.
Part 4 of an example of our Effective Relationships Series - How to work with a boss who is a High I, if you are a High C.
Part 3 of an example of our Effective Relationships Series - How to work with a boss who is a High I, if you are a High C.
Part 2 of an example of our Effective Relationships Series - How to work with a boss who is a High I, if you are a High C.
Part 1 of an example of our Effective Relationships Series - How to work with a boss who is a High I, if you are a High C.
Our guidance on what to do, as a job candidate, when you don't hear back from the interviewing organization.
We often hear, "Interviews are a two way street." dIn this guidance, we're going to make clear what this means.
Create a digital or actual suspense file to keep track of future obligations and deliverables.
This cast gives an overview of how and when to volunteer in order to enhance your chances of promotion.
This cast gives an overview of what you need to do around your political situation if you want to get a promotion.
Our guidance on how to use your annual review in your promotion campaign. Promotions and pay raises don't just happen. People don't get better jobs, titles or perks because they turn up every day. The days when seniority meant something are gone, at least in the majority of organizations. If you want a promotion, you need to think of it as at least an 18 month campaign, starting with your annual review.
The conclusion of our guidance on getting promoted. This is the first in a long series on how to get promoted. There is one thing you need to do above all others when wanting a promotion, or any kind of improvement in your employment situation: get results.
Our guidance on how to weight the factors involved in making the decision about which company to work for.
Our guidance what specific areas to look at when looking at early openings in a rising market.
Trick questions, such as 'how many baseballs does it take to fill a jumbo jet' seem to be less fashionable than they once were. Perhaps everyone has realized how ineffective they are. In case you are presented with a hiring manager who has not here is how to answer them.
The conclusion of our podcast on choosing a company to work for based on the opportunities available.
The sixth part of our series on choosing a company to work for: the opportunities available.
Our guidance on dealing with your colleague’s return when you’ve been covering for them.
Our guidance on how to deal with specific situations on your resume which arise when you've been with a company a long time.
We continue to work through 20 example resumes and give you our analysis of what they say to a recruiter.
Our guidance on the constituents of an offer, and knowing when you have a complete one.
Our guidance on how to effectively email with people who have combination DiSC profiles.
Part 2 of our series in which we take 20 example resumes and give you our analysis of what they say to a recruiter.
This is the fourth part of our guidance on how to deal with bad interviewers: those who are stony-faced.
This is the third part of our guidance on how to deal with bad interviewers; those that talk too much.
This is another chapter in our guidance on how to deal with bad interviewers: those that are distracted.
At the end of the ECC conference, we give a demonstration of the four DiSC styles and how they think of and treat email. It’s a great, fun day, and email is the highlight. On this cast, we'll discuss how to approach email for a High C.
This is the first part of our guidance on how to deal with bad interviewers; those that ask bad questions.
The conclusion of our guidance on how to obtain the requirements you need when working as an internal support provider.
Our guidance how to obtain the requirements you need when working as an internal support provider.
Our guidance how to deal with not being promoted, when your former team member is now your boss.
The conclusion of our guidance how to create accomplishments for your resume, and ten examples.
Our guidance on having a notebook and pen with you at all times, and what to do with it.
The conclusion of our guidance on how to interview when the interview is conducted over Skype.
This cast gives our guidance on how to deal with role-play exercises in assessment centers.
Mark recently had a chance to sit down and talk with Jim Collins about his most recent book, Great by Choice. You won't want to miss it.
This cast gives a guide balancing your professional countenance with your community relationships.
This cast gives a guide for when to develop the relationships you identified in the Developing Internal Relationships – The Where cast.
This cast gives a guide for when to develop the relationships you identified in the Developing Internal Relationships – The Where cast.
A short (8 min) extra cast where Mark introduces the Coaching Dilemma and solicits YOUR responses. What do you think is the correct answer to the dilemma?
This cast concludes our discussion on a framework for looking at where you need to develop internal relationships.
This cast gives a framework for looking at where you need to develop internal relationships.
This cast concludes our guidance on how to effectively anticipate in order to assist someone more fully.
This cast gives our guidance on how to effectively anticipate in order to assist someone more fully.
This cast concludes our guidance on how to stay up to date on what's going on in your company.
This cast gives our guidance on how to stay up to date on what's going on in your company.
This cast gives our guidance on how to make an initial change in your behavior once you understand DiSC.
This cast gives our guidance on what is the same and what's different about internal interviews.
This cast helps you word your request to your network for help with looking for a new opportunity.
This cast concludes our guidance on how to effectively work with your manager when he or she is geographically distant from you.
This cast gives our guidance on how to effectively work with your manager when he or she is geographically distant from you.
This cast concludes our guidance on what to do when you're about to be or have been fired.
This cast concludes our guidance on how to prepare for the coming hiring market upturn.
This cast gives our guidance on what to do when you have to attend a team building event.
This cast concludes our conversation on helping you deal with the situation when your boss finds faults with your work.
This cast helps you deal with the situation when your boss finds faults with your work.
This cast gives our guidance on what you do while you wait in reception for an interviewer.
This cast helps you deal with meeting a member of the business who is two or more levels above you in the organization hierarchy.
This cast gives our guidance on dealing with a personal crisis which is affecting your work.
This cast gives our guidance on dealing with a personal crisis which is affecting your work.
This cast concludes the discussion of our recommendations on what to do when preparing logistically for a presentation at hotel or offsite location.
This cast continues the discussion of our recommendations on what to do when preparing logistically for a presentation at hotel or offsite location.
This cast recommends what to do when preparing logistically for a presentation at hotel or offsite location.
This cast gives our guidance on how to deal with conflict with internal support providers.
This cast completes our series on how to create and use a Career Management Document as a key part of your career management system.
This cast tells you how to create and use a Career Management Document as a key part of your career management system.
This cast describes two simple communication behaviors to help determine roughly what someone's DiSC profile might be.
This cast describes how to effectively handle getting feedback through a 360 degree review.
This cast concludes our series on how you can approach your manager in order to get training budget.
This cast recommends what to do before, during and after any conference or training you attend.
Career Tools highly recommends internships for college students. In this cast, we conclude our conversation on why, and how to make the most of the experience.
Career Tools highly recommends internships for college students. In this cast, we tell you why, and how to make the most of the experience.
LinkedIn is an essential career tool. We're going to explain the first steps you must take to create your profile, and ways of using LinkedIn to support your career.
This cast describes how to engage the person sitting next to you when you are traveling professionally.
In this cast, we conclude our conversation on giving a decision briefing to your manager.
This cast recommends what every professional ought to know about your organization's basic financial health.
This cast describes how to determine your boss's preferred communication style, and how to be more effective knowing it.
This cast describes how to ask for advice, and increase your chances of not only being successful in obtaining advice from this person once, but many times.
This cast describes Career Tools' recommendations for how to attend a meeting when your boss asks you to go in his/her place.
This cast concludes our conversation on how to change jobs between states, countries or industries.
This cast concludes our Career Tools' recommendations for textual communications on portable devices.
This cast describes Career Tools' recommendations for textual communications on portable devices.
This cast concludes our conversation on recommendations for what to do when you make a mistake.
This cast describes Career Tools' recommendations for what to do when you make a mistake.
This cast concludes Career Tool's recommendations for answering questions about your career history.
This cast describes Career Tool's recommendations for answering questions about your career history.
This cast describes the importance of external interviewing in career management, and how to begin to handle the interview.
This cast concludes our conversation on how to choose the right chart for your data and message in a presentation.
This cast describes how to choose the right chart for your data and message in a presentation.
This cast describes Career Tools' general recommendations for being effective at a Career Fair.
This cast concludes our conversation on when it's okay to disagree with your boss, and how to do it.
This cast describes what to expect of our bosses when it comes to confidentiality of our communications with them.
This cast is another in the series of how to answer the big 4 questions that recruiters ask.
This cast continues the series of the four questions recruiters will ask you with the second question: "what are you looking for?"
This cast recommends keeping an ongoing Delta File of changes you will make in the future.
This cast recommends that Generation Y professionals keep their parents out of their careers.
This cast describes how to effectively answer the "What's your current situation?" question from a recruiter.
This cast describes how to be effective when you are one of several speakers to a larger audience.
This cast explains how to respond to the announcement of impending layoffs at your firm. This is a long overdue cast, based on comments we get by email and on the forums. Far too many of us respond POORLY to an announcement or rumor of impending layoffs where we work. In fact, it's worse than that . . . MOST of us respond TERRIBLY, and HURT OUR CAREERS in doing so. But there's a better way, and there's a playbook to follow, and guess what? Career Tools has it, and that's what this cast shares.
This cast explains how to respond to requests for 360 degree input. 360 reviews are a powerful - and growing - part of the Human Resources toolbox. They help leadership teams find out what managers and other professionals "really" are like based on input from the people most likely to "know" them: their boss, their peers, and their directs (if they have any), and in some cases other related personnel. Why NOT ask the consumers of a manager's behaviors whether or not he is a good manager? Unfortunately, 360 reviews, as powerful as they are - and done well Manager Tools strongly recommends them - they are fraught with danger. Here's how to navigate them successfully.
The Internet and the explosion of communication media and media forms and software have changed the way most of us in our careers will interact with the press. All of us need some simple guidelines for our relationships with the press, if for no other reason than risk mitigation. We have a lot of straightforward ideas to share, some of which will surprise many of our listeners. Think about that: simple straightforward guidance that surprises...a clear indication that attention must be paid.
In this cast, we're going to describe how to use the two most common audio-visual tools: slides and flip charts.
Most of us do a poor job of managing our time - whoops, that's managing our priorities. None of us actually manage time, right? Time can't be managed. But what we DO with our time we CAN manage. One way we manage our priorities is we choose to schedule those things that we believe are in line with our priorities. An example of that is putting meetings on our calendars that help us accomplish our projects and responsibilities. Makes sense. When we schedule a meeting, we're saying, this is worthy of my attention. We're managing what we attend to, we're managing our attention. But unfortunately many of us, no matter how good we are at scheduling those things to which we wish to attend, also are terrible at managing those things that distract us from our priorities. But if we're going to have plenty of time for what we want to accomplish, we better not only schedule things well, but we ought to avoid distractions. And most of us are terrible at that. This cast recommends specific actions to take to reduce the pain of distractions on our effectiveness.
It seems that a lot of people still don't realize that we're all managing our own careers now. Yes, your organization has some say and power in the equation. But that ability to influence our choices is often misunderstood as managing what job we're in, why we're in it, and what other jobs we can have.
And one of the situations that confuses us is when our organization asks us to interview for a job without us applying for it. Maybe we really want the job, maybe we would have never considered it. But when they ask US - when the COMPANY seems to know more than we do, and we don't know what the invite MEANS ... it's confusing. And that's why Career Tools is here: to explain what to do and why.
In this cast, we finish our conversation on how to work with an angry and demeaning boss.
In this cast, we continue with part 4 of our conversation on how to work with an angry and demeaning boss.
In this cast, we continue with part 3 of our conversation on how to work with an angry and demeaning boss.
In this cast, we continue our conversation on how to work with an angry and demeaning boss.
In case you missed it, here is part 1 of the series: Bad Boss #1 - The Angry and Demeaning Boss, Part 1
This cast explains how to work with an angry and demeaning boss.
We wish we didn’t have to do casts like this, but angry and demeaning bosses are a fact of life. And, for most of us, it doesn’t matter how great a boss WE are if we WORK FOR someone who is angry, demeaning, and generally unprofessional. Despite our recommendations to focus on your team, because that’s where the leverage is, OUR boss still exists. And if she’s a jerk, we’ve got to adapt. Here’s how.
This cast recommends a simple approach to speed up your fitting in to a new organization and role.
This cast explains how to improve an especially important relationship during economic downturns: your boss's peers.
This cast describes a recruiting “technique” called the “Dangle”, and how to combat it.
This cast explains the SECOND most important behavior or habit to ensure your success as a project team member.
It’s one thing to manage a project. But far more of us are ON projects, not managing them. How can we do this while still getting “all of our real work done”?
We have a series of recommendations – this is the second one. ;-)
This cast explains an effective way to maintain relationships with professional recruiters.
In today’s slow economy, we don’t want to NEED a recruiter and then discover none of them remember us. Almost no one but smart senior executives reach out proactively – but you can do it too. Here’s how.
This cast describes the reasons why leaving your company or industry in a downturn CAN be a bad idea, and recommends options to consider in those situations.
Too many professionals fail to realize that leaving their company or industry during a downturn has a long-term consequence – executives are expected to have experience navigating all the way through a slowdown.
This cast explains an important career search question, and how to answer it: "What do you want to do, and where do you want to do it?" You're going to be asked this question, and you have to know how to answer it, without limiting yourself. It's one of those fleeting career moments whose outcome is defined likely BEFORE the moment arrives.
This cast makes the case for the most important thing you do at the beginning of your professional life: get good grades in College/University. This is the first in a series of what surely will be many Career Tools casts about college and university as preparation for one’s professional adult life. As with so many other [...]
This cast describes a simple way to handle the interviewing question, “What’s your location preference?”
This cast describes your initial communications with a friend or associate whose career is at risk, for whatever reason. We read in the Wall Street Journal this week about a bank failure in the US due to the mortgage/debt crisis the markets are facing. As it turns out, we have several Manager Tools members there, [...]
Manager Tools will present a FREE, one day Career Crisis Skills Conference, on 18 October, to help those affected by the financial and credit market troubles. We will conduct the training/seminar at the Marriott East Side in Manhattan (map, sw corner 49th and Lex), from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be room for 300 attendees [...]
This cast describes steps to take when you realize early in a job that you don’t like it. One of the things that has changed as individuals have had to take over their own career management is more mistakes made by younger professionals. Years ago, larger organizations had a more complete HR approach, and managed their [...]
This cast describes a simple verbal tool for addressing tension, conflict or other ineffective emotions in the workplace. Mark has finally gotten around to writing this cast down! Every time Mark teaches this technique to an executive or manager, he turns to Mike and says, “we gotta make this a cast.” And then he doesn’t. When [...]
For years pundits have been predicting that technology (videoconferencing, etc.) will lead to the decline and death of business travel. We here at Manager Tools don’t agree. We're human, and humans do better with face to face connections to ensure a complex project does well.
In this cast, we cover part 3 of our conversation with John Lucht, premier executive recruiter and author of "Rites of Passage".
In this cast, we cover part 2 of our conversation with John Lucht, premier executive recruiter and author of “Rites of Passage”. Note: John’s website can be found here: RiteSite.com
In today’s cast, we conclude our conversation on Myspace and social networks. As always, if you’re new to Manager Tools and haven’t listened to the first part, you may wish to go back and listen to that first.
We have a special treat for you … as a matter of fact, today we’re publishing the very first podcast with someone other than Mark and Mike. Mark and Mike recently had an opportunity to meet with John Lucht. In this show, you get to hear the first part of the 90 minute interview. If [...]
This cast gives guidance for managers’ use of Social Networking Sites like MySpace and FaceBook. If you’re one of our younger listeners, members, or premium subscribers, with less than 5 years in the workforce, chances are you have a MySpace or a FaceBook page. You stay in touch with friends, let people know what you’re [...]
This cast tells you how to handle requests for your references when engaged in a job search. Even though “References Available Upon Request” is no longer a good idea, reference CHECKING is on the rise and will only increase in the coming years. It seems like since resumes don’t include the age-old line — the why [...]
We’re all in meetings all the time, right? So how come there’s not an instruction manual? We all complain about them. But no one seems able or willing to do something about it. We will. We shared - 3 years ago - our recommendations on how to RUN an Effective Meeting. [...]
This show describes a couple of simple techniques to help you remember people’s names. Whether we like it or not, other people are part of our professional lives. And, as Dale Carnegie sagely noted, “A person’s name, to that person, is the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” But how to remember [...]
This podcast is the second of two on the subtleties associated with being interviewed during a meal.
This podcast details all the subtleties associated with being interviewed during a meal. We have NO EXCUSE for why we didn’t do this podcast 2 years ago. We get this question all the time, so much so that we’re making it part of the standard weekly show rather than restricting it to the interview tool. [...]
This cast updates one of our most popular casts Your Resume Stinks [October 31, 2005] with learnings from our community and some timely recommendations regarding recent trends. And, in this cast, we make a very exciting New Product Announcement!
The Link: Manager Tools Resume Service Description
This cast explains how to introduce one person to another in social and business settings. We surprised some of our members a couple of years ago when we included podcasts on how to attend a party, and how to introduce oneself to someone else. Some saw this as “etiquette”, which the modern business world had, [...]
This week, we conclude our conversation on the Manager Tools Annual Layoff Immunization Guidelines.
We received lots of comments and email regarding our show regarding the first rule of layoffs. While our recommendation struck some folks the wrong way - “finances rule??” - those who HAD been laid off told us we were dead solid perfect. The fact is, we did not expect three years ago to get [...]
This cast describes a simple way to handle a group interview. Interviewing is one of the real tragedies in most companies. It’s so easy to do it well (once you get over the Horstman Curve), but so few are willing to take the time. Oh, sure, everyone wants to complain about lousy output (low [...]
This is the second of our casts that describe our recommendations about calendar management.
This cast reveals the most important concept a laid off manager must know: Finances Rule. it is the first in a series designed to help both prepare for and navigate through a layoff. Most of us fear being laid off. It’s a good fear to have, frankly - being laid off is a difficult [...]
This cast describes how to leave an effective voicemail. If you’ve ever gotten a voicemail which sounded like, “[your name], this is [their name], call me,” you know why we’re doing this cast. Phone manners have been steadily decreasing for decades. When boys used to call for Mark’s daughter Kate, they would slouch verbally through, “Is [...]
This cast describes how to answer the interviewing question, “Describe Your Leadership Style.” This is perhaps the third most important interviewing question, after, “Tell me about yourself,” and behavioral questions. It can be a tough one if you haven’t done some thinking about how you lead and motivate others, and why others perform well when [...]
Today, we cover the 2nd in a two-part series on Horstman’s Wager. Last week we covered the basics as to why “Playing the Game” doesn’t work … today we get into the details of the dreaded Horstman’s Wager MATRIX. During the show, we refer to the printed matrix included in the slides for [...]
This cast is about interview preparation, and the need for ethics and candor during the process. We’ve been pleased by the demand for our interviewing product - close to 1,000 purchases so far, and the early feedback has been quite powerful. If you would like to read what folks are saying, you can see that [...]
More and more, companies are using psychological and behavioral tests as pre-employment screening devices. They supplement their interviewing processes in order to ensure less false-positives.This is wise, in our judgment, based on what we see of interviewing. Too many companies don’t screen rigorously enough, and have started enlisting more cerebral and/or technical techniques [...]
This cast describes an effective way to take notes. If you go to meetings all the time… no, wait. BECAUSE you go to meetings all the time, you need an effective way to take notes. There are certainly a LOT of different ways to do so, but if you ask a hundred or so executives, [...]
We’ve talked about thank you notes hundreds of times. They are fast becoming a nearly lost art. That’s too bad, because they are always appreciated. We know too many managers and professionals who keep them for years! Mark often talks about the basket under his desk full of cards, which [...]
Mark recently blogged about the crazy advice being given - by the Wall Street Journal! - about how to handle the perennial interviewing question, “Tell me about a weakness.” He was stunned by how wrong some of the suggestions were, as well as the implication that a clever interviewee could trick the interviewing manager [...]
We’ve talked about the importance of interpersonal skills before, with casts on handshakes and meal etiquette. While for many, they might not sound like managerial subjects, the fact is that career management skills are part of the modern manager’s repertoire. And, as surely you’ve read, business gets done at dinner, at parties, at [...]
Well, once again, we’re barely getting this out in time to call it an October cast. But, I think you’ll find it worth the wait. This month, Mark and I want to share a cast from our upcoming Interviewing techniques product. This particular cast is one out of 14 casts on Interviewing. [...]
You’re a manager, and that makes you human. You’re human, and that makes you mess up. You mess up, and that means you apologize. It’s really that simple. So how come no one seems to apologize anymore? Unfortunately, for all kinds of reasons, the art of apologizing has fallen from favor. We [...]
In a previous cast, we talked about how many managers don’t understand the importance of taking recruiters’ calls, and walked through step by step (hey, this is Manager Tools) how to handle those calls. What to say, and what to learn, and how to proceed. But there’s another side to the recruiting relationship, isn’t [...]
Most folks just don't realize HOW important resumes are, and not just as pieces of paper. In our Resume Cast (Your Resume Stinks), we talked about the PURPOSE of resumes: to create an interview. Now just imagine...wouldn't it be great if its value didn't end there? It doesn't! yes, the resume itself gets you the chance to sell yourself, but buried in the resume are the PERFECT seeds of success, if you've followed our guidance. Listen in to an interesting cast about how your resume and your interviews can be perfectly connected.
Can there possibly be anything more to say about business meal etiquette? Yep! Today we conclude our 2-part series on Meal Etiquette.
Good business practice demands good relationships - with customers, suppliers, team members, and bosses. And good relationships usually means breaking bread together. So, are you up to speed on how to have a business meal? Or even worse, HOST the meal yourself?You are? GOOD! Then you already know when to start talking business, and whether it's different at breakfast, lunch and dinner. You know how much alcohol to drink, and how many glasses of wine there are in a bottle. And the ideal way to pay for a meal, or what to do when the check comes. If you know all THAT, then we bet you also know where to seat your guests, and yourself, whether there are 2 or three of you. And, of course, what to order, and what NOT to order. Soup, you say? NO.And if you're not sure... that's why there's a Manager Tools podcast covering all that and more.
Today we cover the 2nd part of our series on Preparing For Your Review. After you've listened to the podcast, I think you'll agree that if you follow this simple process you will be in a position to not only get the best possible review possible this year, you will also have all the information you need to improve your performance (and your next review!) over the coming year.
Today's show is the third and final part of our series on resigning. If you have to resign, distinguish yourself my resigning professionally. With the completion of this series, you now know how!
We spent a lot of time at the end of last year talking about how to write someone else’s review.What should you do to prepare for your own?Think of it this way. Suppose you had three folks working for you, and one of the three spent a couple of hours over the previous months preparing for their time with you. They had reviewed the entire year, prepared better information for you for their review, and had taken their time writing their self-evaluation, including specific data to support their points.Wouldn’t that be impressive? If there were a close call to be made, might it go in your direction?In this cast, we walk you through everything YOU need to do to prepare for YOUR review with YOUR boss.And if you think it’s too early, think again – the timeline is THREE MONTHS! ;-)And, by the way, during the show we promised a couple of things. You'll find all of these in the Manager Tools website under Tools section under Preparing for Your Review Documents (http://www.manager-tools.com/preparing_for_your_review_documents/). 1) A complete transcript of the entire show 2) A Powerpoint presentation (in PDF form) with a detailed outline of the review preparation process 3) A detailed note-taking form to guide you through the process. Folks, no note-taking required ... we've done all the work for you. As we discussed on the discussion boards, these are examples of what you'll get with our premium membership program ... which will be announced shortly!Note: So everyone can get a look at the documents associated with this podcast, we're making this month's member-only cast available to ALL listeners. Enjoy!
Today, we follow-up with part 2 of our 3-part series on Resigning. Usually not a lot of fun contemplating, and certainly no more fun executing. However, IF you have to do it, there IS a professional way to resign. You CAN leave your job and feel good about HOW you did it, AND leave a great impression on the way out. Now, how often does that happen in your workplace today?
Today's show is an interesting one ... At least once in your career, and perhaps as many as five times, you're going to have to resign from a position. And this is another one of those tasks or responsibilities that no one talks about, no one knows how to do, and therefore many do it poorly. It's not hard to do well, and in this series of casts, we make it a simple step by step process. If you're thinking that you already know how, consider that we recommend you need SIX WEEKS to do it well.
Today we cover the second in our 2-part series on mentoring. Also, June 26th represents the 1-year Anniversary of Manager Tools. We previously discussed having a special second part of today's podcast where we would discuss our thoughts about this last year, as well as discuss our plans for the coming year. Unfortunately, the "discussion" was an hour long! So, rather than bundle it with this podcast and create an incredibly large download, we will release an additional podcast in the next day or two with that discussion. Look for it in your podcast player of choice shortly!
Every week, we get questions about people's resumes on the discussion boards. Our resume casts are some of the most wanted of all our work. It's pretty obvious that more and more folks are tuned into their own careers, and how to manage them. That's a good thing, as we've said before, because no one else is managing it for you. And, because so few people manage their careers at all, it only takes a little to get a competitive advantage.
If you're a manager, don't think for a moment that someone else is managing your career. Those days are long gone. YOU are managing your career. What you do - not only in job skills, but also in what we call "Transition Skills" - will be the primary determinant of your career success. You're not going to have the richest, most rewarding series of roles and opportunities by allowing someone in HR to know enough about you to get you where you need to be. And succession planning won't save you either.
The hand shake is the most important professional greetings in the world today. There are many cultures in the world, and there are places to bow, and places to hug, and places where cheek-kissing is perfectly appropriate. The handshake, though is the preferred greeting for most of our audience.
Last week, we discussed the "Listening" side of communications. This week, we cover the other side, the "Responding" side. Of course, responding when you're in agreement is the easy part. However, how do you respond when you disagree or there is potential conflict? That, my friend, is what this week's podcast is about!
We talked recently about managerial communications, looking at the various ways you as a manager can deliver your message and the organization's messages to your team. There's more to talk about there, but we're going to tackle a different type of communication this time.
In this special podcast for our registered subscribers, we're going to share our first set of recommendations in self-development. We believe that you cannot consider yourself an effective, professional manager unless you engage in regular reading. To that end, we have a suite of recommended reading, both periodicals and books, and some suggestions on how to fit them into your schedule.
This week's podcast addresses a topic that many of you might be surprised about: your resume.
Got Email? Of course - what manager doesn't? We know managers who get 200 (or more!) emails every day. Email is a necessary evil in the corporate management world, and highly effective managers know how to get the most out of their email WITHOUT spending too much time on it. In our latest podcast, we talk about how to make your technology work for you, and how you can spend less time on email while getting more done.
Mike and Mark discuss a friend's stalled technical career. What's the secret to reinvigorating his career?