TransformingYourCareerTransformingYourself

" I am a senior at the university of Maryland. Back in October I received an offer to work for IBM at their federal consulting sector. I found out Friday they are withdrawing my offer two weeks before graduation." Fishbowl Consulting, April 30, 2023. Here is the  thread So far, two employees at Accenture responded with notices of openings in the federal consulting practice. They offered to help this new graduate loop in on those. What we know is that, sure, this soon-to-graduate can alert the University of Maryland career office about this development. But it is doubtful if that or anything else done to put IBM in a bad light will discourage other applications. After all, employment there is considered a "good job." We, that is those of us who were around to bear witness to the carnage of 2008 - 2009, also know this: A snatched-back job offers is often a signal it will be difficult to land another job in that category of skills. Already there can be a glut o...

"The nation’s spy chief, a longtime college president and top women in finance. The circle of people who associated with Jeffrey Epstein years after he was a convicted sex offender is wider than previously reported, according to a trove of documents that include his schedules." -  The Wall Street Journa l, April 30, 2023 Those documents hadn't been reported previously. They verify that the social reach of the late Epstein had been larger than the usual suspects such as Leon Black, Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, and Bill Clinton. The new additions include William Burns (CIA),  Kathryn Ruemmler (Goldman Sachs), and Leon Botstein (Bard College).  Heck, the investigation into what may have gone down at JPMorgan Chase in The Epstein Connection could turn up small potatoes, in comparsion. CEO Jamie Dimon might not be so roughed up in the media. Also, not unthinkable: A top reputational-restoration service could rebrand Black who has lost so much through his friendship wit...

  "What you study generally matters more than where you do." - in "Useless Studies," from THE ECONOMIST, April 8, 2023 (subscription required) The implications of this, of course, are profound. The most obvious takeaway could be to attend a state school (instead of an elite private one) and as long as you major in a discipline which is marketable you likely will have a successful career.  Without having to pay a king's ransom for tuition.  According to recent research the best bets are on: Economics Medicine Computing Math. The worst outcomes could come from concentrating on: Philosophy English Agriculture Social care Creative arts. So, it makes professional common sense that LinkedIn back off from having us list our alma mater on our profile. Instead we replace that with our core competence.  Connect the dots about earning a living in a more effective way. Intuitive coaching for job search, keeping the wolf from the door in semiretirement, struggling in profes...

"Once held up as the future of what media would look like, Vice Media has failed to live up to the lofty expectations that it — and the industry — set for the company ... Vice Media will cancel its acclaimed program 'Vice News Tonight' as part of a broad restructuring ..." -  CNN Business,  April 28, 2023 In addition, Vice is laying off. Although it has put itself up for sale it can't find a buyer. Buzzfeed isn't doing so hot either. Gawker 2.0 is already gone. And establishment media ranging from CNN to Fox seems to have lost its way.   Not so long ago those who declared themselves to be in the know pontificated that the media is the most powerful institution in the world. Those mandated that we had to learn how it chooses a story. We had to make friends with journalists and anchors. And we had to hire the best public relations representatives we could afford to pitch our stories. They were probably right. That was then. Now professional anonymous ne...

Most new graduates can't afford to hang around a year for their job to start. Anyway, there is the possibility of further delay or even (heavens forbid) the offer being rescinded. On Fishbowl Consulting an intern who has been offered a full-time permanent position at McKinsey has decided to hunt for other options. He asks for help in the search. Here is the thread. At stake is not only the money. Also, sitting around all that time means missing out on experience. In this labor market professionals are their experience and the results they helped generate. So, after a year of not working this young person would be less marketable than when a new graduate. Work gets you more work. Usually that more is better. Connect the dots about earning a living in a more effective way. Intuitive coaching for job search, keeping the wolf from the door in semiretirement, struggling in professional transitions, and starting your own business. 12 years coaching experience. 5 years experience creat...

  "Wall Street is all  bulled up on Microsoft after the company mentioned 'artificial intelligence' 50 times on its earnings call." -  Yahoo Finance , April 27, 2023 Right away the stock rose. At the time that was around 9%. Today, at 302.75, it's up another 7.38%. That brings it near to its 52-week high of 303.15. And that is despite the setback in the UK for the proposed merger with Activision. The market is agreeing with the assessments of generative AI as seminal a development in civilization as fire and the internet.  Businesses not already exploring how it could be a game-changer in their strategies and operations are being labeled "dinos." That includes even the traditionalist field of law firms, documents Reuters Legal.  I predict that prospects for assignments will demand the law firms competing for the account detail how AI will be used. That will be right up there with the issue of cybersecurity.  How many jobs will be lost?  Actually the mo...

  "Howard Stern: Tucker Carlson Forgot He Was Just a ‘Worker Bee’ For Rupert Murdoch" -  Mediaite , April 26, 2023 So was cable broadcasting genius Roger Ailes. That is, a mere worker bee. The Murdochs also sent that high money-maker packing after law firm Paul Weiss parachuted in to investigate alleged sexual misconduct. And that was that. Ailes relocated from the world headquarters for media - Manhattan - to Florida.  Over and over coaches such as myself explain to workers and vendors that they are expendable. No, don't assume you belong as an insider. No, don't entertain the fantasy that you cannot be replaced. In short, you are not special. There is that question: Is any talent unique? Maybe yes or maybe not. But with adequate resources any organization can search for and find who will fill the gap. That could even be made easier with the capabilities of generative AI. That star programmer?  AI ChatGPT  can probably do the coding faster - also mos...

Will anyone take seriously career advice ever gain?  The latest example of how that "guidance" has created labor unmarketability is the "Learn to Code" push. Insider is among the growing number of media centers documenting how software developers will be an extinct species. That's because, of course, of generative AI. AI ChatGPT and its competitors typically can produce code better and faster than humans. So, the "sure thing" of coding joins the solid discipline of writing and the investment in advanced degrees such as the M.B.A. as bad bets for making a living. Most of those I coach are finding refuge in self-employment. Those micro enterprises range from owning a laundry to selling used whatever. The growing mindset is: The less the sunk cost the better. Why jump through so many hoops, be they education or financing, to produce enough income? Incidentally, enough is becoming enough. It is no longer unthinkable that we will stop using the term "...

 CNN, Fox, Bud Light and more have been learning tough lessons about leveraging controversy for branding, rtings, revenues and profits.  At one time skilled players in communications coudl leverage controversy as a sure bet for getting, holding and growing attention. The classic case had been the success of Winston in the 1950s through the 1970s. From the get-go the brand took the number-two spot. The magic of the campaign came from the controversial use of the ungrammatical "like" instead of "as." That was then.  Now both organizations and careerists have to refocus from the reward perspective to the risks involved. The kinds of risk and the penalities for betting on the wrong horse keep growing. Here is my article published in the bible of communications - O'Dwyer's PR - on how controversy has become a wild card.    Controveries will, of course, dominate the 2024 general election year. How the political parties and the candidates manage it could determne ...