Get the Feedback You Need to Get Better at Your Job

I have a 23-year old client who is doing a one year, post-graduate fellowship. During our call this morning he told me that while he enjoys his work it can be slow and that his bosses don’t give him as much work as he’d like. In fact, they expect him to take initiative and suggest work he thinks needs to be done. While he has some ideas for new projects he struggles with how to initiate conversations with his boss who seems so busy with more important work.

Changing Course, Moving Up, Starting Out, Telling Your StoryAllison ChestonOctober 10, 2016Bosses, Career Change, Career Development, Career Management, College to Career, Feedback, millennial careers, Networking, Social Media Management., Career PlanningComment

Graduating from College and No Job In Sight

Dear Ms. Cheston,

I am graduating from college this May with a B.S. in Public Health from Syracuse University, but I’m no longer sure I want to go into this field. While I’ve taken some business courses as well, I don’t know what to look for in a job, and when I apply to jobs online, I never receive a call back. As I move closer to graduation, I am nervous that I don’t have a job lined up for after graduation. Please help! I’m getting desperate.

Starting OutAllison ChestonMarch 2, 2016Career Development, Career Management, College to Career, first job, Interviewing, Job Search, LinkedIn, millennial careers, Networking, online job search, Resumes, Social Media Management., Career PlanningComment

5 Ways to Develop Yourself as a Leader Early in Your Career

Leadership is one of those terms that is so ubiquitous it’s hard to define. Everyone aspires to be a leader, feels pressure to be a leader, is building their leadership capabilities. Every company is looking for leaders. Sure there are natural leaders, those with charisma to burn whose disciples will follow them anywhere. But leadership is not just the purview of those with rare talents; most people can become leaders if they take an interest and a methodical approach.

I Found My Career on Twitter

A question I frequently hear from job-seekers at all stages is, “Why do I need to be on Twitter?” Twitter is a platform for interests of all kinds, and many users abuse its power by over-tweeting—so its value is sometimes misunderstood. But Twitter is an amazing career and job search tool, and can be used to help you pinpoint what you’re interested in and who can help you find the right job. Here’s how.

Changing Course, Moving Up, Starting Out, Telling Your StoryAllison ChestonSeptember 12, 2014Career Change, Career Development, Career Management, College to Career, Executive Careers, Job Search, millennial careers, Networking, Social Media Management., Career, Career PlanningComment

Finding Your Career Should Be Messy

I’m helping my son, a college sophomore, find a summer internship. I’ve mentioned before in these pages that I find college sophomores to be ideal clients. For one thing, they’re over the shock of the newness of college. With established friendships and some newfound maturity, life at school is a bit more predictable. They’ve had the benefit of a year’s worth of classes that hopefully provided a window into some new subject areas. And at most schools, by the end of sophomore year students must declare a major.

Changing Course, Moving Up, Starting Out, Telling Your StoryAllison ChestonApril 1, 2014Career Development, College to Career, Internships, Job Search, LinkedIn, LinkedIn profile, millennial careers, Networking, Resumes, Social Media Management., Career PlanningComment

Make the Holiday Break Count: College to Career Checklist

Whether you’re a college freshman or a junior, the holiday break is an important time to start planning for your summer internship. Banks and consulting firms do their internship hiring in January and February, but even if you’re interested in non-profit, government, start-ups or something non-traditional, now’s the time to get started. Here’s how:

Starting OutAllison ChestonDecember 17, 2013Career Development, Career Management, College to Career, holiday break, Internships, Job Search, LinkedIn, millennial careers, Networking, Resumes, Social Media Management., Career PlanningComment

What Works in Any Job Market

I just read a depressing statistic about the job market for new grads. According to a new study by Rutgers University, U.S. college graduates from 2011 have almost half of the graduates from 2010 to compete with in the job market.

Changing Course, Moving Up, Starting Out, Telling Your StoryAllison ChestonJune 8, 2011Career Development, Career Management, College to Career, millennial careers, Networking, new college grads, Social Media Management., Career Planning, College GradsComment

To Whom it May Concern

Imagine you’re a senior person at a company and you’re looking for the right person to work for you. You’ve been looking at resumes all day long, and you’re tired and looking for some inspiration. You open yet another email, hoping for “the one”, and it’s addressed to: To Whom it May Concern.

Changing Course, Moving Up, Starting Out, Telling Your StoryAllison ChestonMarch 9, 2011Career Management, Interviewing, millennial careers, Resumes, Social Media Management.Comment

Your Job Search: Don’t Let the Medium Get in the Way of the Message

Every day I read an informative article on using Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for job searching. What worries me about it is the same thing that worries me about job boards: these vehicles can mask a poorly executed job search by making you think you are using your time wisely.

Changing Course, Moving Up, Starting Out, Telling Your StoryAllison ChestonMarch 9, 2009Back to Work, Career Management, Networking, Resumes, Social Media Management., Career PlanningComment

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