by Angela Copeland | Nov 14, 2014 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Secrets to a Successful Military Transition.”
This week is a special one. With Veterans Day this past Tuesday, it has been important to honor our military personnel. In addition to thanking them for their service, former military members face an issue many people overlook: underemployment.
Underemployment is defined by Merriam-Webster as “having less than full-time, regular, or adequate employment.” This can happen when someone is only working part time, but desires to work full time. It can also happen when an employee is overqualified for their position.
When separating from the military, servicemen and servicewomen are offered transition assistance. Unfortunately, this is often just not enough. Once in the civilian world, they often find themselves lost with where to turn.
In fact, rather than feeling the private sector opening up for them, they often feel it closing down. On more than one occasion, a veteran has told me they felt they were not selected for a job due to their military career. It seems that many employers have misconceptions about what sorts of jobs military members held, or what emotional issues they may or may not have after service.
To learn what you can do to make your military transition a successful one, read my entire Memphis Daily News column here.
by Angela Copeland | Nov 7, 2014 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Reinventing Your Career.” In it, I discuss where to begin when you’re starting over.
The desire to want to change careers is a common experience. Turning that desire into reality is a different story. Navigating dramatic shifts in one’s career can be both complex and confusing. The frustration causes many people to drop the idea altogether.
Often, one’s first instinct is to go back to school. It’s important to be 100 percent certain about your choice before making such a life-changing decision. Additional advanced degrees cost both a significant amount of time and money. The last thing you want is to spend years in school, only to find out you picked the wrong path. Remember that many people don’t work in the field they studied in school. This may be an option to consider, depending on the career you select.
The first step is to know yourself. Take inventory of all your skills and interests. Make a list of what you’ve learned at previous jobs and in school. Then, list your hobbies. Include volunteer work you do and projects you work on for fun. And don’t forget any side work you may do for extra money. Chances are, you have skills and interests that cross over multiple industries and branch into new ones.
To learn all the steps to reinventing yourself and your career, read my entire Memphis Daily News column here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 31, 2014 | Advice, Media
Happy Halloween! My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Job Search Nightmare.” In it, I discuss the scariest parts of your job search and what you can do to cope.
With Halloween upon us, we’re talking about our fears. Finding a job can be a scary thought for many people. But what is it about the process that unnerves us?
According to Glassdoor.com, research shows over 90 percent of Americans are afraid of something about the job search process. Some candidates become nervous that they’ll arrive late. Others worry about what to wear. Many people are afraid of feeling like they’re bragging. Some are afraid of being underqualified and others are scared of being overqualified. Some fear they’ll be judged for their age – either for being too old or too young.
Sound familiar?
My own job search nightmare happened years ago when I flew to Pittsburgh for an interview.
To learn about my job search nightmare and how to cope with your fears, read my entire Memphis Daily News column here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 24, 2014 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Timing Is Everything.” In it, I discuss how timing may be impacting your job search, and what you can do about it.
Timing is everything; at least, it can be. Whether it’s in life, relationships, or job seeking, timing can strongly influence the outcome of a situation.
When you’re searching for a new career, there are many things you should do, such as update your resume and cover letter. You want to keep your LinkedIn profile current, and have a nice suit on hand for interviews. You should spend time growing your network and applying for jobs.
But, once you have the basics covered, what should you do if things still aren’t coming together? Many struggling job seekers beat themselves up for not being good enough or trying hard enough.
Although you always want to do your best, take a step back and try to evaluate the situation from an unbiased point of view. Are there outside factors that may be impacting your results?
To learn what factors may be impacting your search and what you can do about it, read my entire Memphis Daily News column here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 17, 2014 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Promotions and Advanced Opportunities.” In it, I discuss my thoughts on Nadella’s recent comments regarding putting yourself up for career advancement.
In the past week, Satya Nadella’s words have been all over the internet, television and newspaper. You may have seen the Microsoft CEO’s original statements, his later retractions or commentary from outsiders.
In case you didn’t, Nadella was asked to advise women interested in career advancement who are uncomfortable “putting themselves up for promotions or advanced opportunities.” He shocked many people when he said, “It’s not really about asking for the raise but knowing and having faith that the system will actually give you the right raises as you go along. And that I think might be one of the additional ‘superpowers’ that, quite frankly, women who don’t ask for a raise have. Because that’s good karma.”
To make matters worse, this conversation happened during a public forum at a women’s computing conference.
Although his statements disappoint me, they’re not surprising. To learn why it’s so important to be your own advocate (man or woman), read my entire Memphis Daily News column here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 10, 2014 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Joining the Team.”
As football and basketball seasons start up again, questions have started to arise about working in professional sports. Let’s be honest. Who wouldn’t want to get up and go to work for their favorite sports franchise? Every day would be fun and exciting – and we might even meet a few of the players!
Over the years, I’ve met a number of folks who’ve spent the majority of their career in professional sports, whether it was the NBA, PGA or MLB. I noticed three common themes among those people. They all work extremely hard. They all travel – a lot. And, they’re all thrilled to be working in pro sports. It was a life dream that they each worked on for many years.
This week, I had the opportunity to interview UCLA’s Director of Alumni Career Resources, David E. Cooley, for my podcast. As a long time Los Angeles resident and career coach, David has often worked with clients who also have an interest breaking into sports.
To learn how to get your foot in the door with pro sports, and what to expect, check out my entire column here.
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