Success after being fired

What’s your strategy for recovering after being fired?
Your Rant: FIRED FIRED FIRED-I give up
911 Repair: I’ve received many e-mails from people who not only land on their feet after a firing or a layoff, they actually end up in an even better place. I’ve included a series of success stories below. For more, check out [...]

Passion reducers and what you can do about them

DEAR WW: I’m starting to notice that I’m having trouble waking up in the morning to go to work. I’ve never had this problem before. What do you do when the passion disappears? PASSIONLESS
DEAR PASSIONLESS:
Your e-mail reminded me of a supermarket cashier in Oakland, Calif. This cashier was so popular that people would line up [...]

What to do if you realize that you are a jerk

I’ve seen a lot of articles about trying to work with jerks. Heck, I’ve even written a couple of ‘em. But I’ve not seem many articles that talk about how to deal with a jerk who you know intimately-yourself. What can you do if you are the jerk?This is probably the most embarrassing missive I’ve [...]

How to get the most out of your references

Dear WW: A job interviewer asked me for references. Is it best to approach people first, or is it as waste of time because they probably won’t be contacted anyway? GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST
Dear GHOST,
A friend of mine was driving her car with her three-year old. She asked if he’d like to go to Herfie’s, [...]

I see red flags all over my own job interviews!

What’s your strategy for dealing with a tough past in an interview? 
Your Rant: I’m stuck in a crummy job because of my checkered past. Is there anything that you can do to cover up stupid stuff from your past?
911 Repair,
Wesley Fitzpatrick was granted a temporary restraining order against a woman whom he said had been stalking [...]

Margaret Dikel interview

911 Repair: Plato said “Know thyself” and given all the free and inexpensive assessments available today on the web, it’s never been easier to follow his advice. We talked to Margaret Dikel, the author of the first online job guide, The Riley Guide (rileyguide.com), about these online tools. Margaret has been reviewing online career resources [...]

Interview Lester Rosen on bad references

911 Repair: Blanche Dubois depended on the kindness of strangers and anyone looking for work relies on a kind appraisal when strangers ask for a reference. According to my email, many references are anything but. We turned to Lester Rosen a lawyer, president of Employment Screening Resources (ESRcheck.com) and co-chair of the National Association of [...]

I hate my self defeating thoughts-I’ll never get promoted.

What’s your strategy for positive thinking at work?
Your Rant: All of the self-help books I’ve read say that you have to eliminate those self-defeating thoughts. I don’t even know how to begin doing this but I’m tired of holding myself back at work. 
911 Repair,
Remember the days when you could walk down the street without [...]

My integrity needs a boost

What are your strategies for maintaining your integrity at work?
Your Rant: I hate to admit it, but my integrity is nothing to write home about. I’m embarrassed at how I’ve operated more out of expediency than doing what’s right. What should I do?
911 Repair,
Did you hear about the recent hubbub over video cameras in [...]

Red flags, how to handle problems in your past

What is your strategy for coping with problems in your past?
Your Rant: I’ve had a few weak spots in my career that I’m not exactly proud of, and these keep coming up in job interviews. Is there a way to guide an interview around the difficult parts of your past?
911 Repair,
Speaking of job interviews, [...]