Archive: Lisa Quast
They're not just company picnics, they're business events
The days are getting longer in Seattle, and your company has scheduled a picnic for employees and their families this summer. You're thinking about hot dogs, apple pie, baseball and relaxing with your colleagues. Many people don't think twice about...
Things I wish I'd known before my first job
New college grad? Congratulations! Now it's time to find a job and begin your career. Feeling nervous? Don't worry -- starting a new job often strikes fear into the heart of even the strongest person. As one of my clients...
Is coffee affecting your performance at work?
At a recent seminar, the presenter -- a friend of mine -- seemed anxious on stage. He kept pacing back and forth and wiped sweat from his brow several times. At the break, I went up to him and asked,...
How to earn respect at the office
Last month, I discussed how employers can build a culture of respect. But how can employees earn respect at work? Someone I was coaching told me one of her development goals was to "earn the respect of more people at...
Are you the office jerk? Here's how to tell
At some point in our careers, we've all had to deal with people who act like jerks at the office. But what if the office jerk is actually you? I had a client who was having difficulty moving upward in...
How to transition from co-worker to manager
One of the more difficult career situations I've coached people through -- and been through myself -- is being promoted from within a department to become the manager of that group. As one client found out, going from a peer...
PR tricks for getting noticed at work -- the right way
I have a friend who's terrific at being his own public relations agent. Whether he's celebrating his latest promotion or cooking dinner for friends, he has a knack for showcasing what he's good at without sounding self-centered. What's his secret?...
To excel in your career, focus on the 4 C's
It used to be that the "three R's" (reading, writing and arithmetic) were sufficient for workers to succeed in their careers. But according to a recently released American Management Association (AMA) survey, that no longer holds true. The rapid pace...
Local experts' tips on polishing your LinkedIn profile
Seattle is a technology hub, and recruiters and hiring managers aren't hiding from it. They're using LinkedIn as a pre-interview tactic to narrow down candidates for job openings. To find out what they're looking for, I interviewed technology recruiters and...
Spring-clean your email habits
The other day after returning from lunch I listened to several voicemails. One message was from a client letting me know he had sent me an email. Later that afternoon, someone else texted to ask me to read the email...
The importance of building a culture of respect
Earning respect isn't always easy. Nor should respect be something only subordinates are forced to give managers. To better compete in this global economy, a key strategic objective of executive teams and human resources managers should be creating a culture...
Called out by the boss? How to handle it
Scenario 1: You're staring at your boss during your performance review and can't believe the criticism you're receiving. Scenario 2: You've just presented an idea during a staff meeting and your boss criticizes it in front of the entire department....
What to look for when choosing a career coach
While career coaches were almost unheard of 20 years ago, their use has grown rapidly over the past five to 10 years. Paid sports coaches have been around for a long time, but the profession of career coaching is still...
Dreaming of being a writer? Here's how to get started
Are you sitting at work thinking about your childhood dream of becoming a writer? Learn how to transition from working 9 to 5 to becoming a published author with these tips from award-winning author Pam Binder. Pam is a Seattleite...
Female flirting: how it can hurt AND help your career
To flirt or not to flirt at work? There aren't many studies on this topic, and the few that exist show conflicting information. What the results do show is the need for women to tread carefully when it comes to...
6 ways to overcome the mid-winter work 'blahs'
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we're all very familiar with the feelings that come from a prolonged lack of sun. They get especially terrible as we make our way through winter, causing many to lose steam at work. Sound familiar?...
What career women can learn from the Seahawks
Super Bowl 2013 is Sunday, Feb. 3, and I'm not embarrassed to admit I'm a female who loves, loves, loves football, especially when it comes to the Seattle Seahawks. My love of football developed at an early age from my...
Sometimes, money isn't the best motivator
It's that time of year again -- when managers go through the annual ritual of employee performance appraisals. During a strong economy, appraisals were also a time to recognize outstanding employee performance with fabulous benefits and perks, such as the...
Forget work/life balance; strive for happiness
I'm surprised at how often I'm asked for tips on balancing work and life. Whenever this question comes up, I like to ask people why they believe they need work/life balance -- and they usually look at me like I'm...
Finding a mentor is easier than you think
In my previous post, I discussed how the use of mentors can help thaw the "Seattle freeze" when it comes to networking and getting to know people in the area. Finding career mentors isn't always easy, however, and asking someone...
Thaw out the 'Seattle freeze' with mentoring
January is National Mentoring Month, so I decided to look at how mentoring others could help us thaw the "Seattle freeze" reputation we've so infamously earned. Julia Sommerfeld gave examples of our not-so-nice freeze-out attitude toward people who weren't born...
Turn 2013 into a year of ongoing career success
As we celebrate the Christmas season and New Year and reflect back on 2012, I decided to focus on ways to turn 2013 into a year of ongoing career success. How can you do this? By creating a career strategic...
Acknowledging emotions is key to surviving a layoff
"I can't believe I was let go. After all the downsizing over the last few years, I thought my job was safe. How could they do this to me right before Christmas?" said the weeping woman sitting in my office....
How to choose between two job offers
A former client -- I'll call her "Catherine" -- approached me with an unusual career problem in this ongoing economic recession. She was stressed out and didn't know what to do because she had two job opportunities, but couldn't decide...
Balancing holiday cheer and your career
"Now that it's December, I can't wait to decorate my cubicle!" exclaimed a friend while we sipped coffee. Our other friend rolled her eyes, shook her head and groaned, "That's exactly why I hate the holidays at work -- people...
Being irreplaceable at work can derail your career
Early in my career I was given an interesting piece of advice from an older, male co-worker who had been with the company for many years. "You need to learn to hold back some of your knowledge and not share...
Better listening skills could mean more promotions
I recently evaluated the difference in listening skills between my 7-year-old niece and a grown adult. My niece won. She told me exactly what I said in a previous conversation, while the other adult could barely remember the topic we...
Become a master of time management
A friend of mine recently told me about a problem she was having at work. "I always think I have enough time to get things done, but inevitably, something comes up and then I'm behind schedule on projects or tasks,"...
Karen Burns is the author of The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl, a career guide based on her 59 jobs over 40 years in 22 cities.
Lisa Quast is a certified career coach, mentor, business consultant, former corporate executive and author based in the Seattle area.
Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.
Former contributors
Matt Youngquist is the president of Career Horizons, a career counseling firm.
Natalie Singer is a Seattle writer, editor and small-business owner.
Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide."
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