As a small child, I was impressed by those who could effortlessly toss several objects into the air and continue their co-existent flight for elongated periods of time. I marveled in particular those especially talented people who could do this with a wide variety of...
11 Strategies for Building Your Self-Confidence
Employers want to hire self-confident people because they are likeable and believable, and an indicator of how they might be in the role and in their organization. Employers ask themselves ‘can I trust this person to deliver?’ and ‘will this person reflect well on us...
My Perspective on the Fundamentals of Non-Discrimination Policies
I recently gave an interview about the need for non-discrimination policies in the workplace. The questions reminded me of why we need to protect our workers in both the public and private sectors. The biggest remaining question is, however, what can we strive for?...
Advice to Advance Your Career in Government
This is the first article of a five-part series on how to maximize your career in government. Whether you are looking for a promotion or a new job assignment the five insights I will share will provide you with a competitive edge. So many government employees see no...
LIFE – A Simple Complexity
I am quite enjoying being in my fifties. The stage of your life when all of the elements, if not quite come together, get as close are they are probably going to. It is the brow of the hill of life. You are old enough to look back and be reflective and wise, but still...
Accountability in the Public Sector
When we were young, my sisters and I would roll our eyes as we were forced to hear my father recite one of his favorite aphorisms: accidents don’t just happen; they are caused. These lectures were generally preceded by incidents we described as accidents. As a man of...
The Price and Cost of Free Speech
Once upon a time, colleges and universities were the place to explore and express new ideas, and to have vigorous debate and discourse, often about highly polarizing issues that included abortion, war, civil rights, and religion. There was intensity and passion,...
USAJOBS Already Knows Your Questions
By Leia O’Connell, MSW Contributor, Career Coach Fresh out of college (many years ago), I remember starting my first real job search with little to no guidance. The basics of how to use a job search engine were obvious, but I did not truly understand the mechanics of...
PSSX: The Public Safety Stock Exchange
As most of us know well, England voted and chose to leave the European Union in what became known as “Brexit”. An immediate reaction to that decision was an immediate and significant decline in the financial markets around the world. Yet, in just the few weeks...