Maureen Dowd’s NY Times column on Sunday veered away from her usual wickedly withering political commentary  - instead, she interviewed Father Pat O’Connor, a 79 year old Catholic priest about how to recognize a potentially problematic husband before you marry him. 

It occurred to me how much of Father O’Connor’s sage advice applied to making a decision about whether to take a new job.  He notes that it is important for young people to hear his thoughts before they fall seriously in love because once they fall in love, it’s too late.  “Infatuation trumps judgment.”  So too for job seekers - do your due diligence before you get seduced by the job title, the money or the career possibilities it might lead to - by then, you’re too emotionally invested. (more…)

TAGS: career change, career derailment, careers, Job Search, Marriage, Maureen Dowd

I recently wrote a column for MSN Money reviewing five personal finance books that actually said something new and worthwhile about money.

But there are three other, not-as-recent books I’d like to recommend. These aren’t directly about money, but each could make a big difference in your career and your lifetime earning power. The good news: your local library almost certainly has them, so you don’t necessarily have to rush out to Barnes & Noble to grab them.

1. “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi explains how to network the right way by focusing on connecting and helping others rather than on exclusively promoting yourself. Although Ferrazzi doesn’t talk about gender, he promotes what’s been considered a traditionally female way of relating: valuing relationships and connections over competition. This book inspired me to help some freelancer friends land jobs and gave me the nudge I needed to ask some of my well-connected friends for advice and help—which they were delighted to give. The advice is particularly relevant in a bad economy, when you may need all the friends you can get to help you land your next job.  When the going gets tough, the tough may get going—but the smart may quit and move on to something more sensible.
2. In “The Dip,” Seth Godin discusses when to quit and when to stick. Before you spend another week in a bad job or a dying industry, read this slim little book of uncommon good sense. Often the road to the top is a zig zag, and those who stay too long in the wrong place find themselves falling behind. Then again, sometimes success is just around the bend, and a little more effort may get you there. 
3. “Getting Things Done” by David Allen is a productivity system that makes sense—and that’s inspired a lively blogosphere that includes popular sites like 43folders.com, Zen Habits and LifeHacker.com. If you’re a knowledge worker, cranking out intangibles rather than widgets, you need a dynamic system to help you track and prioritize tasks. This system can help you stop feeling overwhelmed and yes, start Getting Things Done. 

TAGS: careers, change, networking, productivity