And one very dangerous thing you should never do. — Getting laid off has become a rite of passage for professionals, so if it’s happening to you, you’re not alone. Here are five steps to give you back control and one dangerous thing to avoid as you navigate what can feel like a dangerous passage. First: decide if you’re getting back in the game or taking a break. Whichever you choose, go all…

And everyone has one sooner or later. — You know someone who has a story about “this crazy-person-I-dated-once.” You may have your own story. The good news is that, like optical illusions, you can’t unsee it once you see their game. It can inoculate you from dating other crazies. Crazy bosses are similar, yet with a few key differences. For one thing, we don’t always get to choose…

The chief of human resources for one of the biggest firms in the world agrees — Do you recognize this scene from an iconic 1998 movie? Joe Fox: It wasn’t… personal. Kathleen Kelly: What is that supposed to mean? I am so sick of that. All that means is that it wasn’t personal to you. But it was personal to me. It’s *personal* to a lot of…

Are these things really great or even necessary? — In my high school, a pay phone was on a brick wall between the gym, auditorium, and open-plan lunch room. Students used it to call their parents and for the occasional drama response. It was a pay phone. Innocuous and functional. Sophomore year, I used it to panic-call my mom…

Insights from over 10 years and 10,000 clients as a career coach — I was scared to death of my best friend’s dad. Annie’s dad didn’t do anything to deserve my mortal fear. He just had one of those personalities. For starters, he didn’t talk much, and on the rare occasions I saw him around their house — my second home — he…

And a few lessons learned for yours. — Maya* was a workaholic, and her employer of a decade had been more than happy to take advantage of that fact. A match made in heaven. Sort of. The first sign that workaholism was ending and something else was kicking off was when Maya began to feel bored. A decade…

Secrets revealed and lessons learned living through layoffs — Deana*, Maya*, and Bill* were all looking down the barrel of a layoff. Here are their stories. Should you wait in the truck? Most people would probably tell you Bill was a jerk. …

The forthcoming ban that will change your career and paycheck — At the only holiday “party” I go to anymore, these words were on repeat in every conversation pod. I bet you’ve heard them or spoken them… “Did you see the video of …” …The movie star speeding down a residential street? (RIP Anne Heche.) A delivery person taking a “Your package is delivered!” picture with their phone…

The problem with saying this is not childish, it’s dangerous. — “He’s a problem child.” The speaker rolled his eyes a little as he said the words “problem child” as if to suggest, “Among my many responsibilities, I now have to deal with this person.” “Problem child.” Have you ever heard that term used to describe someone at work? Or maybe…