I love this post from one of the smartest college students – if not the smartest – I know.  Ben Casnocha suggests that if you want to find out what someone really does for a living, ask him what he does ''on a day-to-day basis.'' According to Ben, typically when you ask someone, ''What do you do?'' you get a grand, idealized vision of what ...

To rally those who have lost their jobs or are facing possible job loss in the current devastated economic climate, Quintessential Careers has created Job Action Day. Job Action Day, which is today, aims to empower workers and job-seekers to take proactive steps to shore up their job and career outlook.  As a blogger in this space, ...

On his blog, Seth Godin responded to a reader who believes luck and randomness is just as critical to success as hard work and effort. Seth says: “Without a doubt, luck is involved. I don't think anyone would tell you otherwise. The choice one needs to make, though is this: either you believe that luck is dominant, in which case, why ...

I’ve encountered a lot of couples where one person has left his or her job to support the career of the other.  Typically, one spouse is an accomplished entrepreneur, so the other pitches in to help grow the business – often in a subordinate role. I’m wondering how many of you would do this if you had the chance.  It would ...

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about success at work, and how it means different things to different people.  When I first graduated college, I thought success was setting and then achieving a goal to reach a certain level.  But for someone who is naturally ambitious, this doesn’t really work.  Because once you reach that ...

Today, I’m talking with Gretchen Rubin, a self-proclaimed happiness guru.  I’ve been a longtime fan of Gretchen’s blog, and I’m pleased to report that she’s now working on a memoir, The Happiness Project, based on the year she spent test-driving every principle, tip, theory, and scientific study she could find on happiness. – ...

Last week, I participated on a T&D Magazine webcast with Bill Byham, the CEO of Development Dimensions International,  a leading human resources consulting firm.  It got me thinking about a great DDI white paper I saw recently written a white paper on the qualities that predict leadership success.  According to DDI, effective ...

A new episode of the 30/20 Vision Radio Show will air live on February 20, 2008 at BlogTalkRadio at 9PM ET.  As I reminder, I host this monthly radio show with my fellow authors Christine Hassler (20 Something Manifesto) and Lindsey Pollak (Getting from College to Career), and our goal is to provide ''big sister'' advice to men ...

My 30/20 Vision radio show co-host, Christine Hassler, has just released a new book for twenty-somethings called 20 Something Manifesto: Quarterlifers Speak Out about Who They Are, What They Want, and How to Get It.   Christine began her post-college life as a high-powered Hollywood agent, and after a series of personal and professional ...

Marketing guru Seth Godin has just set a bunch of us wondering if we really and truly are workaholics. I always thought I was.  After all, I’m driven to work 50+ hours a week.  It’s not enough just to be in the office, I actually have to be contributing something.  If I spend an entire day that’s completely unproductive, I feel ...