Love her or hate her, you can’t deny that Joan Rivers has shown amazing staying power in the fickle world of show business. I was never a fan or Rivers or her comedy, but the new documentary Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work got such good reviews that I thought I’d check it out.

I’m glad I did. The film was fascinating, funny and offered major insight into what it takes to survive for 50-plus years in Hollywood — one of the toughest career paths there is. Here are some of my takeaways:

Persevere, persevere, persevere. From tremendous career highs (substituting regularly for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show) to devastating lows (being blackballed by Carson when she left to host her own show, which ultimately failed), Rivers never, ever, ever, ever, ever gives up. I’m not sure many of us could handle the many rejections, public humiliations and personal and professional traumas Rivers has endured, but every time she faces a challenge she dusts herself off and gets right back to work.

Do what you love. Perhaps perseverance is easier when you love what you do for a living. According to Rivers, she knew her entire life that she wanted to be in show business, even describing it as a “calling.” While Rivers’ passion borders on compulsion, I was still inspired by her absolute love of performing, the deep effort she puts into it day after day and the sheer joy she feels on stage.

Read the rest of this post on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com…

TAGS: career advice, Joan Rivers, Movies

Another summer weekend, another article about the tough job market for recent college grads. This week’s installment appeared in The New York Times Style section in the form of “Say Hello to Underachieving” by Alex Williams.

I’m very glad this topic is still on the radar screens of major media reporters. I just wish the articles would include some helpful suggestions for young people who find themselves in the tough position of facing the longest recession period since the 1930s. The Comments section of the Times article certainly included a lot of — ahem — suggestions, but I’m not a big fan of snark. So, I thought I’d share my three cents on how college students and recent grads can still improve their resumes without a traditionally “good” summer job or internship.

1. Volunteer. In fairness, in addition to the snarky remarks, the Comments section of the Times piece was filled with the suggestion to volunteer, and that advice is spot-on. I’ve written many times about the value of volunteering and it’s even more important this summer.

Although future employers will understand why you might not have a superstar internship on your resume for the infamous summer of 2009, they won’t understand why you don’t have any volunteer experience during that time period. Volunteer for Meals on Wheels, a political candidate, a soup kitchen, a Little League team, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, an animal shelter, anything. Search for thousands of opportunities at Idealist.org.

2. Take on a Project. I just finished reading the memoir Julie and Julia, which has been made into an upcoming movie starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. The book is about a young woman with a boring temp job and dreams of becoming an actress who decides on a whim to spend a year cooking every recipe in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking and writing a blog about it. A little weird? Yes. A challenging, unique project that takes commitment, determination, creativity and confidence? Also check. If I were a recruiter for a cookbook publisher, restaurant chain or the Food Network, I’d call Julie in for an interview.

Can you spend the summer taking on a project related to your area of career interest? A business major could read through every book on the summer’s Wall Street Journal business best seller list and review each book on Amazon.com. An aspiring film industry worker could watch every film on the American Film Institute’s lit of 100 best films of all time. An aspiring curator could tour every museum in a 200 mile radius. If you choose a worthwhile, valuable project, it could lead to a job (or a book deal).

3. Start a Small Business. My friends over at Gradspot.com just featured a great post outlining four businesses that are easy to start and manage, including dog walking, tutoring, computer programming and babysitting/nannying. These are all resume-worthy summer pursuits and can lead to great opportunities for networking, skill building and, of course, moneymaking. I’d add to this list jewelry making, graphic design, lawn mowing, gardening, house painting, social media consulting (you would not believe the number of people who ask me if I know of a college student who would teach them how to use Facebook or Twitter) and bartending (if you’re of legal age). Employers are often impressed by the hard work and leadership it takes to launch and run a business on your own, especially in hard times.

Do you have more suggestions for making the most of an jobless summer? Please share in the comments!

This post originally appeared on the Lindsey Pollak Career Blog.

TAGS: Generation Y, Job hunting, volunteering

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Cleo Thompson, Executive Producer of ‘“Closing the Gender Gap: Challenges, Opportunities and the Future”.  She had the vision to take her firm’s commitment to women more public and to make it accessible to others though a film.

This thought-provoking film includes interviews with thought leaders from business, academia and politics who encourage businesses to think strategically about the issues that impact women in the workplace now and in the future as a business imperative.

PwC’s Global CEO Sam DiPiazza comments:

“There is no doubt that the global economic picture in 2050 will look very different from today. In addition to economic change, we are going through a period of huge social transformation. The leading companies of the world in 2050 will be those that have found ways to create opportunities for women throughout the organization all the way to the top. They have no choice – the fierce battle for talent means they need to use every resource they have to its full potential – and that includes women.”

Very impressive indeed when a global company renowned for its emphasis on talent management takes the lead to educate other organizations about the importance of retaining and promoting women as a business strategy. Not just a “nice to do” but a “must do”.

I have talked with many women who work for firms that still do not provide the tools and resources to support women who aspire to senior and executive roles. And even some of the firms that do, don’t take the next step ─ to hold executives accountable for results. If you work for a company that hasn’t made the right kinds of investment in women, I suggest you share the link to the film with your colleagues.

And for companies who have started on the journey, there is no doubt that the economic crisis will provide a temptation to cut back on gender initiatives in place currently. Don’t wait until it is too late; share the link to the PwC’ film with whomever holds the purse strings in your firm. You may be able to help them to stave off a bad decision with the solid information the film offers.

Thanks, PwC!

TAGS: business case for advancing women, investing in women, women's initiatives

I was never a fan of Sex in the City, but based on box office revenues this past week-end a lot of women are.  Apparently Lauren Hutton is not one of them.  The morning DJ on my local oldies radio station, KRTH, said Hutton “lost it” on the Today Show so I decided to find out what that was all about. You can watch the segment by clicking here and decide for yourself.  Personally, I think she has strong feelings but wouldn’t say she lost it.  It’s a little like saying Hillary had a melt down in New Hampshire.  Why is it when a woman expresses strong feelings men can’t handle it?  If you really listen to Hutton, there are kernels of truth in what she says.  Is Sex and the City a realistic representation of women’s lives in 2008?  Is it purely entertainment?  Is it encouragement to women who are 40 + ? Or, as Hutton suggests, is it a manifestation of how men view women?  It’s your call. 

TAGS: Lauren Hutton, Sex in the City, The Today Show, women and anger

“Sex and the City” made its debut last week (no doubt you heard about it!) but “what’s your point, honey? ” also opened.  Yes, the crowd admittedly was smaller but no less enthusiastic.

The independent film, written, directed and produced byAmy Sewell and Susan Toffler is insightful, powerful and funny.  It tells the stories of seven young women who were selected by CosmoGirl magazine as possible candidates for the White House in 2024 – the contest was designed to create more interest in politics among young women.  These young women are diverse and engaging; they are candid about their personal lives and professional aspirations and I don’t think you can watch the movie without liking each and every one of them. 

Adding to the movie’s charm are the hard hitting “documentary” style questions posed by three younger girls, for example, “Why don’t we have a woman in the White House?” and, “Would you vote for a qualified woman?”

Not surprisingly, Sewell and Toffler weren’t able to secure big studio money to back the film – F-word movies (“feminist” that is) don’t do well, Sewell was told.. So their plan is to distribute the film via DVD (available via their website) and encourage people to invite guests to watch with them. 

As far as I’m concerned, either before or after your girls’ field trip to see “Sex and the City”, stay home with your friends to watch the feel good movie of the year.  The shoes won’t be as fashionista but the ideas will definitely get you talking!

TAGS: Cultural diversity, dealing with family expectations, look and sound of leadership, Political debates, Politics, Raising Girls, Self-trust, women, women role models