This “Tag, You’re It” quiz was sent over by Andrew at Jobacle.com.  Andrew says that our careers all have their ups and downs, and when we share the ride with the world, everyone sees that they are not alone. He thought my answers might be of interest to readers, so here goes!

Worst Boss

It would have to be my boss in my first full-time PR gig.  I don’t know if I made a bad first impression or was unconsciously obnoxious to her or what, but this woman loathed me.  In addition to having unclear and often conflicting expectations, she would periodically call me into her office and berate me, saying that my career was self-destructing and that no one in the office liked me.  One time, I got so upset I had to leave the building.  The worst part of it was, my boss saved her poison just for me.  She was sweet as pie to everyone else. 

Best Boss

The honor goes to one of my early bosses at Edelman.  She led by example, and taught me so many things about how to survive and succeed in the business world.  I remember her taking the time to sit down with me and formulate long-range career goals, goals that would not just help achieve the job at hand, but would also facilitate my professional development. She always valued my contributions, even though I was an underling, and gave me the freedom to manage projects in a way that meshed with my natural style.  

Most Innovative Colleague

I really admire colleagues who start out in a well-defined and crowded area (like career counseling), and create a marketable niche for themselves.  Some examples: Penelope Trunk used her bold and unapologetic writing style to create a blog brand, Abby Wilner coined the phrase “quarterlife crisis” and transformed herself into a generational consultant, and Jason Alba drew upon his experiences job hunting to develop the perfect networking application.  

Most Rewarding Task

It’s a tie between finishing a 100,000 word book, and successfully pulling off a huge media event with dozens of moving parts.

Best Item You "Permanently Borrowed"

A co-worker’s copy of Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People.  

Most Embarrassing Moment

I’m assuming you want one that is career-related?  Most recently, during a panel discussion in front of a few hundred people, I called one of the speakers by the wrong name.  I wondered why no one answered my question, and then I realized it was because they had no idea who I was talking about.

Lowest Pay

In high school, I got paid $6 an hour to run and be the hostess at children’s birthday parties.

Worst Holiday Gift

This is a good one.  How about the cheap metal compass I got in one of those Secret Santa exchanges?

Bonus: Your Typical Day

In my consulting role as a VP at Edelman, I oversee Web marketing and online community engagement projects, consult with Fortune 500 clients on their interactive strategy, and develop systems that make our group operate more efficiently.  I spend two and a half work days a week in my office in downtown Chicago attending meetings and brainstorms, coordinating teams, answering questions by e-mail, and developing program plans.  During the days in my home office, I’ll spend a few hours on the phone doing a media interview or talking to a source for one of my books.  Sometimes I’ll have lunch with a colleague in the career advice field.  I spend the remainder of the time researching and writing book chapters and developing presentation materials for my corporate and university seminars.