One on one help

Judy
Lytle

The Unicorn that is a Great Manager

I’ve had terrible managers, from those who can’t distinguish me from other members of my race, to those who intentionally tried to hold me back professionally, to those who have come into my office screaming about a politically charged topic only to become irate when I disagreed. I’ve also had...


Shomita Mathew

The value of a good mentor

I like this quote that I read written by Rene Olstead - “I encourage all of you to seek out teachers and mentors that challenge you to think for yourself and guide you to find your own voice.” My long journey on the path of academia has been peppered with numerous mentors many of whom have be...


Shu Chin
Ma

Breaking up is so hard...

One of the earliest and probably the most important professional relationships you will ever have is with your academic mentors. It shares many similarities with a parent-child relationship. We are the eager ducklings learning to dive into the pool of knowledge, with the help of gentle nudging an...


Sandlin
Seguin

Working with a Career Coach

It’s that time again, my contract is ending and I am back on the job market. I’m fairly optimistic this time, despite the fact that this is my third job hunt in as many years. I’ve developed a lot professionally, and built a stronger network. I am also able to learn from my past mistakes,...


Charlotte
Mitchell

New year, new goals?

At the start of a new year, many of us like to set new goals. Most of them are geared towards exercising more, eating healthier, or other things in our personal life, but how about setting a goal to improve yourself professionally this year? Whether your goals are personal or professional,...


Aníbal
Valentín-Acevedo

What to do (or not) with a PhD?

Finishing a PhD has been one of the most exciting and fulfilling goals I have achieved so far. However, the path was far from easy. I believe most of my peers will agree with me when I say that towards the end of our training, the path becomes not only highly demanding, but incredibly stressful...


Shu Chin
Ma

How to speak with confidence-part 1, public speaking and presentations

Does your stomach do flips when you hear the word “presentation”? Does your throat get drier than the Sahara desert when you have to speak to more than one person? Do you sweat profusely when you have to “network”? Do your legs wobble if you have to resolve perceived conflicts and unequivoca...


Sandlin
Seguin

Thanks to My Coach - I got a new job!

Last week, I accepted a new job that I am very excited about. Of course, anytime you can wrap up a job hunt is deeply gratifying, but this time in particular, I am thrilled with the outcome. I am taking a role as an eLearning Specialist at Tableau Software.  That’s a job title I’ve nev...


Aníbal
Valentín-Acevedo

What is your professional value?

Whether we are starting on a new job or have been in the same job for years, it is always essential to know what I like to call our professional value. In other words, professional value is defined by how competitive we are or how much people are willing to do (or pay) to make us part of their ...


Shu Chin
Ma

Cut the productivity clutter

I will be the first one to admit that I am mighty talented when it comes to finding ways to procrastinate or frivolously waste time on a daily basis. You’d think it was an Olympic sport. So, past the half way mark of 2015, I am finally getting around to my awfully neglected New Year’s resol...