My Blog has moved to MaggieMistal.com!

As of September 1st, 2009, this "What If" career advice blog has moved to my new and improved website offering career coaching, free how-to career advice videos, and of course my weekly career tips blog. Please join me there now for my latest blog posts!

Change always comes bearing gifts. ~Price Pritchett

A New Approach To Your Dream Job

Today's job market is anything but stable. In order to manage your career effectively you need to allow for change and be ready to take advantage of the opportunities in a dynamic economy. To do that takes a new approach to figuring out your dream job - one that , according to author Dr. Katherine Brooks, involves Chaos theory and "Wise Wanderings". Here are the highlights from my interview with Dr. Brooks last week on Making a Living regarding her new book, "You Majored in What?":

--Change is constant. We have seen the pace of change quicken in our careers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average people are changing jobs an upwards of 8 times. Rather than react to change, it's important to adapt and plan for changes to come. For Dr. Brooks, Director of Liberal Arts Career Services at the University of Texas at Austin, Chaos theory is a better way of managing your career because it assumes change is a constant. It also helps you see the underlying order in chaos, even if it's not immediately apparent. Chaos theory is used to predict the weather and it can be use to predict your best career path. To do that, you have to be willing to do some wandering.
--Wandering to a wiser career path. According to Dr. Brooks, your past experiences can point to important threads or themes in your career. By writing down all of the different, interesting or significant things you've done and experienced, you can identify basic categories of your ideal career. Without organizing them, the goal is to capture proud moments, valuable life lessons, unique jobs, awards and unusual experiences that you've had both in and outside of work throughout your life. Then group these significant things that you've done or have had happen to you. For me, I wandered back through my past and identified that Career, Media, Coaching and Change were recurring themes. I had been wandering along a path of sorts all along even before formalizing my experience into the career coaching and radio hosting career I have today.
--Make the connection to your dream job. Dr. Brooks recommends that once you've identified your themes and skills, it's important to brainstorm how your skills might be of interest to an employer (or a customer if you have your own business). This is especially important for college students whose majors might not translate directly into a corporate job. For example, if you have a degree in history, you can study the history of the company you are interviewing for and point out key trends, goals and opportunities based on the lessons learned in your history courses.

Overall, we cannot expect that we will work in one industry for one employer in one line of work. That doesn't mean your career has to be chaotic. Rather your career can present a chance for you to learn and grow in new ways as evidenced by one of my favorite quotes - "Change always comes bearing gifts" (Price Prichett). What gifts can change bring for you?

Finding Joy In Your Career is Not a Luxury

Spending time doing what you love is not a luxury, it's a necessity. It's how the best in their fields got to where they are today -- just ask Deepak Chopra. I did. I interviewed him on Making a Living and he fervently said he will NOT do an activity if it doesn't bring him JOY. Think it's too risky or unrealistic for you to do the same? Think again.

If you truly want success, if you want to reach the heights of your potential, can you really afford to waste precious time on activities that suck the life out of you? You can make conscious choices and better focus your efforts. To help, here are some productivity tips from another guest on my show, Mitzi Weinman, founder of TimeFinder.net.

Don't just plan, anticipate.
Planning your day with a classic to do list is good but if you want to be most productive, you need to anticipate what could pop-up. For instance, for every meeting on your calendar, plan time before for preparation and after for follow-up. Unplanned tasks may land on your plate and if you leave space for them, you won't feel stretched for time.

Work from top to lowest priority.
If you get the most important tasks out of the way early in your day, you'll not only feel more accomplished, but also more comfortable leaving the office at day's end.

Schedule meetings later in the day.
Meetings can be productive but that time is best spent later in the day according to Mitzi. She recommends using your energy wisely by setting aside morning time for strategic or creative activities that require a lot of thought.

Is there a smart way you manage email, a busy schedule and family demands? Share your comments below and call Making a Living (866-675-6675) every Wednesday at 4 pm EST/1 pm PST. The career hotline is always open to discuss whatever career dilemma, goal or idea you want to discuss.

Tune in this Sunday 6am EST for a replay of Making a Living on SIRIUS 112 and XM 157. Try SIRIUS XM free!-- I give advice on standing out from the crowd in a competitive job market -- especially important for recent college graduates!

Journey Inside the Mind of a Career Coach

Recently I was featured on the Personal Branding Blog by Dan Schawbel - a great resource for tips on becoming known for your passion and expertise.

Dan interviewed me about career coaching, from the qualifications you need, to what makes a successful career coach, to how to keep your brand name out there and get new clients.

Read my interview on the Personal Branding Blog

For more branding tips and to ask your career questions, tune into my segment on Living Today with Mario Bosquez - Tuesdays at 3:30pm EST on SIRIUS 112 and XM 157. Call in at 1-866-675-6675. Free 7-Day Trial of SIRIUS!

What do you want to be known for? How are you branding yourself? What tools and resources have worked for your marketing strategy? Share your comments below.

Work Life Balance Reality Check

It seems there's always a reason to be busy. When the economy is good, we're busy because there's too much work coming in. When the economy is bad, we're busy because we have to do more with less. Even the actual word business implies that to be productive we have to always be busy (i.e. "busy-ness"). Is there any room for work life balance in this busy work world we've created?

For that answer and a reality check on the state of work life balance in the current economy, I interviewed work life expert Cali Williams Yost this week on Making a Living. According to a recent study conducted by Work+Life Fit, Inc., work life flexibility survives and is here to stay as employers surveyed continue to give access to flexible work options the same amount or more than they have in the past.

So flexibility exists, the question is how do you get it? To answer that question, Cali and I discussed some key steps.

--Take Ownership of Your Schedule. Most people would have better work life balance if they made more conscious decisions about where they are spending their time. Cali suggests putting down all of your work and personal commitments into one calendar so you can truly see what you've committed to. Once you know where your time is going, you can be more conscious about spending time on top priority work and personal activities.
--Be Proactive. If you want a flexible work arrangement, its best if you go to your boss with options. Most managers are too busy themselves to focus on how to best manage your work/life. You know your job best so come up with a better, faster or cheaper way to get work done in a way that fits your flexible schedule and your boss will be more apt to say yes.
--Think Fit not Balance. Cali is famous for revolutionizing the way we look at work and life. She says that balance presents an all or nothing approach that is unrealistic for most people. She recommends instead to focus on finding the right fit between work and life that suits your needs not some 50/50 standard.

There's more to making a great living than just being busy. In fact, if it's not about being busy at all. It's about making conscious choices about how you spend your work and personal time so you are always doing what's most important to you!

For more work life tips join me for the next Making a Living with Maggie on Wednesday at 4pm EST. I'll be talking about ways you can be most productive and work smarter not harder.

An Easier Way to Land Your Next Job

Landing your next great opportunity doesn't need to involve an endless array of resume revisions, phone screens and interviews.

There is an easier quicker way using less official channels and Marci Alboher was on Making a Living with Maggie this week to share her insights on this back door approach. According to Marci, a regular New York Times Contributor and Author of Working the New Economy blog, some of the best job opportunities are landed through contacts made at social events where people share a common interest whether that be kayaking or poker. Because the activity isn't work related, it gives people a chance to get to know each other's interpersonal style which is key part of working well together.

Marci also stressed how important it is to become visible to your network for what you do best. To do that she suggested proactively looking for ways to help the people in your network using your expertise. For instance if you're a graphic designer and learn about a friend's new business venture, offer to help with some of the organization's marketing materials. It's an easy way to demonstrate your abilities to someone who could be in a position to hire you at some point. One word of caution, it "takes a longer courtship" as Marci puts it, to land a job in through unofficial channels. But considering that Marci landed a New York Times column through a monthly poker group of other journalists, it sounds like time well spent.

For a replay of Making a Living with Maggie, tune in this Sunday at 6am EST. Use this FREE trial of SIRIUS Radio!

You'll also hear a very inspiring day in the life interview with Laura Howard. A former entertainment executive, Laura decided to combine her passion for food with her work and is now a very successful ice cream entrepreneur and founder of Laloo's Goat Milk Ice Cream.

Here's to you Making a Great Living!

Leadership 101 - Are you ready to be in charge?

Power and authority have a bad connotation. Because of that many people shy away from taking charge at work. But what about servant leadership - being in charge as a way to be of tremendous service to people. It's not a concept I created but one I'm educating my clients and radio listeners about.

Just last week, I had leadership experts Gail Steinel and Mike Policano on "Making a Living with Maggie" talking about their book, Excuse Me, Aren't YOU in Charge? These two are not just theorists. Gail in fact was a pioneer for women leadership in the consulting industry, recognized twice by Consulting Magazine as a Top 25 Consultant. I experienced Gail's leadership firsthand - when she was head of Arthur Andersen's Business Consulting Practice where I was an employee.

Here's what I learned from Gail about being a great leader:
--Be accessible. - Gail is the type of leader who remembered your name and would stop and talk to you in the hallway. She was never too busy to make time for her employees.
--Support your people's ideas and passions. - In their book, Gail mentions one particular leadership experience that stuck with me - where she supported an employee who wanted to build a new recruiting strategy. Gail encouraged the employee to get involved and the young woman ended up winning an employee-of-the-year award.
--Be honest. - I saw Gail lead during Andersen's best times and it's demise with the Enron debacle. She was always upfront with honest answers and I always felt I could trust her. For leaders today this is perhaps the biggest lesson - be someone your people can really trust and your best employees will always stick with you.

Find out more about leadership 101 on Gail and Mike's blog! And share your greatest leadership moments here - what's the best quality you've seen in a leader? Do you consider yourself to be a servant leader?

And tune into Making a Living with Maggie this Wed, 4pm EST. I'll share ways to be at your best and ready for an accidental interview! Not sure what I mean, tune in with this free 7-day SIRIUS trial!

Working with People in Their Dream Jobs

When you work with passionate people, you get better results! People who are in their ideal careers are more motivated, more innovative and more fun than people just in a job for a paycheck.

If you need further convincing, check out my latest post on MarthaStewart.com on the Radio Blog! You'll get the see the amazing work of two of my career coaching clients - Designer Trisha Ginter and Photographer Ann Wilkinson and my travel writer husband Craig (also pursuing his ideal career.)

Every customer, every recruiter, every employer wants to hire people who are in their ideal careers. It's the best way to create lasting job security and Trisha, Ann and Craig are all great examples. Hope you enjoy reading it and Happy 4th of July!

What do you think? Do you agree that if you follow your passion, success will follow you? Post your comments and experiences working with talented people!

Leaving a Legacy Thru Your Career - Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and Michael Jackson

Just turn on the TV or the computer and you will see countless stories, articles and comments on the passings this week of Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and Michael Jackson.

I've heard several people ask, "Why do we get so impacted by people we didn't really know?" To me, it's because we take it personally. Seeing their passing makes us once again realize that someday we too will pass. This is tough to swallow especially for people who aren't living life the way they want.

I often see this as a career coach. People seek out my services at key moments in their lives - like a milestone birthday. They are frustrated because their life and career is not as far along or as fulfilling as they thought it would be. The good news is that these people reach out to me because they are ready to take action with their careers - choosing to no longer be passive recipients of what happens but defining and going after what they truly want.

If there's a shared legacy that Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and Michael Jackson leave - it's that they were tireless in creating the careers they wanted. No one sought them out to offer them lives of fame and riches. In fact, if you read the biographies of these individuals you will see that it was their hard work and dedication that made them the icons we miss today.

If you're feeling impact from the passing of these talented people, perhaps it's because it's time for you to fully express your own talents. Think about it and I'll leave you with a sentiment. It's from one of my favorite dream the impossible dream stories, Man of La Mancha so that you too can take action to further define your own legacy, "It's not why did he [or she] die, but why did he [or she] live."

What is your impossible dream? Are you living it? Share your comments here - studies have show that by writing down what you want and putting it out there, you increase your chances of success by 10 times. Now let's hear it!

A Fun Side to Unemployment?

My previous post about travel being good for your career sparked me to do additional research on the topic. Interestingly I came across a related phenomenon -"Funemployment." According to a recent article on SFWeekly.com, some of the jobless in San Francisco are actually viewing unemployment as an opportunity to volunteer, travel, freelance and consider career shifts. (Notably these are folks who have savings and/or severance who did not get caught up in the real estate crisis.)

Alexis Mansinne, profiled in the article, had been an event planner for Dwell magazine until she was laid-off. Though shocked by her pink slip, Ms. Mansinne decided to take a refreshing perspective on her situation (helped by the 50 weeks of unemployment benefits she was about to receive) and see it as a chance to take a more "socially redeeming career path". She started a blog (Funemployment.blogspot.com) to share her thoughts on how to take advantage of being unemployed and has since decided to go back to school to become a school guidance counselor.

The article also mentions another interesting blog, Unemploymentality.com and one of it's founders, Tania Khadder who's quoted as saying, "Being unemployed, took my attention, which was spread over a lot of different things, and gave it focus. In a way, it derailed my financial plan. But it accelerated my professional plan." Ms. Khadder's plan is to attend graduate school focused on public policy.

I realize that no one wishes to be unemployed and that many are struggling to pay for even basic expenses even with unemployment checks. For those however who do have the means to invest in themselves and their futures careerwise, many are having fun exploring their interests, talents and passions. Share your thoughts on the upside to unemployment - positive perspectives welcome!

Travel to Boost Your Career

Is it a good or bad idea to take a trip after you've been laid-off? Some people think it's a great mental health break while others think it's a foolish waste of resources. Weigh in and share your comments below. Read on for both sides of the argument and to see where I stand:

Bad Idea: Sit Tight and Save Up VS. Great Idea: Take Time Out to Travel

Share your comments on whether traveling is a smart move after a layoff and why you think that way. And tune into my career talk radio show this month for my interview with journalist Melanie Nayer on the benefits of a travel sabbatical in between jobs!

Career Advice for Business Owners (from NY Times Best Selling Author Christine Comaford)

Earlier this year, I interviewed Christine Comaford, author of Rules for Renegades on my radio show about building a mighty venture. Christine has consulted to the White House, 700 of the Fortune 1000, and over 100 small businesses. She has neither a high school diploma nor college degree but she has built and sold five of her own businesses and served as a board director or in-the-trenches advisor to 36 startups.

Here are her key tips on one business building killer: Lack of Reliable Revenue.

Not having reliable revenue systems spells death to more businesses than I could count in a lifetime. To begin with, it totally drains you of much-needed energy and kills your creativity day after day. When it comes to growing your business, CASH IS KING, and the best way to generate cash for your business FAST is by generating profitable SALES. To increase your sales, you need to learn to disqualify sales leads.

Here’s the 1-2-3 for creating healthier leads.

1. Set your objective for prospecting. Shifting your objective from getting the appointment to determining whether the prospect qualifies for an appointment is key. Next, eliminate your fear of rejection; it’s easier to do this when you aren’t begging for sales meetings. Instead of begging for meetings, identify your target prospects using specifics, such as price point, budgets, decision-making ability and schedules. Only make appointments with prospects who need, want, and can afford what you are selling and are willing to buy from you now.

2. Start separating real leads from unlikely ones. This type of prospecting is essentially a practice of sorting and identifying by talking to as many people as you can in the shortest amount of time. This involves learning how to disqualify a low probability prospect and maintain control of the interaction. Remember, whoever asks the questions is in control. Here are a few key reminders to keep in mind when you make calls: A) I work with high probability prospects only. I disqualify everyone else. B) “No” is just as good as “yes.” C) When in doubt, I disqualify.

3. Stay focused. Fear is what keeps most of us chasing sales leads that we know aren’t high probability. Here are three ways to stay on track and further cement this learning into your sales process. A) You are training prospects when you disqualify them. B) Deal with discomfort by acknowledging it and pushing through it anyway. C) Remind yourself often that this is the disqualification game.

Remember, you have no power to make a high probability prospect. You do have the power to disqualify – and THAT is the key to creating a healthier list of prospects, clients, and ultimately the future of your successful and well-financed business.

Thanks Christine! For more on this subject, Visit the "Resources" section of her Mighty Ventures Web site for free financing, sales, marketing, and operational documents, templates, and white papers and see Christine's Results Now Webinar.

Have a business you need to build revenue for? Share your challenges here and success stories too. Being your own boss is a dream for many, let's make it a reality! Looking forward to your comments.

Maximizing Results with a Career Coach

I am honored to write this guest blog for my Career Coach Maggie Mistal. I have been inspired and motivated by Maggie throughout the coaching process. The experience has been extremely valuable in helping me launch LSR Coaching and Consulting, LLC in only a few months after leaving my corporate career. The accelerated timing is due entirely to my coaching with Maggie.

If you are considering hiring a career coach, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:
• First, you need to hire a qualified coach. Maggie is an excellent example and offers a complimentary consultation to determine if she is the right fit for you.
• Second, be prepared to work hard. A career coach will guide you and will have discovery exercises to help you. The experience is only valuable, however, if you complete the exercises and really put your self into the work entailed.
• Third, be creative in the ways you “try on” a new career. Be prepared to network and research your career interests. With my new business, networking is an important aspect of my marketing plan. I wish I would have started networking years ago because it would have made getting started much easier. It is never too late to start though! I started networking about four months ago and recently conducted a well received mini-workshop at one of my networking meetings. There are many ways to network such as Chambers of Commerce, groups for your profession, Toastmasters, economic clubs, etc. Try various avenues to see what is most comfortable for you.

Through my coaching with Maggie, I realized my dream of starting an attention coaching business shortly after taking a voluntary buy-out from the automotive industry. My business is in a relatively new field that coaches people to overcome challenges associate with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or Attention Deficit Disorder although someone doesn’t need a diagnosis to benefit. Clients have been motivated to improve academic performance and develop time-saving routines at home among other results. To learn more, visit me at www.MyAttentionCoach.com.

Thanks Laura! And share what results you'd like to see materialize more quickly in your own career! Is there a business you'd like to start? Are you thinking about coaching as a career? What strategies have worked for you to get faster results in reaching your career goals?

Career Advice for Working Moms

According to Harvard Business Publishing, 75% of women of child-bearing age (24 to 44) have a job or want one. As a career coach, I help many moms work smarter not harder. Use these simple strategies to keep your career on track while still being a super mom:

1. Keep networking. With all the demands on their time, most moms find they network less and less. By losing touch with your company or your industry you run the risk of missing out on opportunities. Instead, resolve to attend a minimum of 3 networking events a year and choose wisely. High profile events, industry-wide events and company events are great. Don’t forget your child’s games and practices too. Learn what other moms and dads do for a living and share contacts. Your next great career connection might be closer than you think.

2. Advocate for yourself. The fastest climbers up the corporate ladder are not the ones who do the most work. Rather they work strategically, focusing on work that impacts the bottom-line and gets them noticed. Whether you’re VP or mailroom clerk, you have the chance to make a difference. Don’t just do what you’re told. Come up with new ideas and strategies to get work done and save the company money. And let the higher-ups know about it when you catch them in the elevator.

3. Delegate. Getting it done right doesn't always mean doing it yourself. In fact, if you want to get more done in less time you need to delegate effectively. That means finding resources who are qualified, whom you can train to do work for you. Interns are a great option. They are eager to learn and don’t mind doing a lot of different tasks. But always make sure to have the delegatee repeat back the assignment; that way you can avoid any miscommunication and ensure the assignment is done right.

For Moms returning to work, check out my recent video on How to Rejoin the Workforce After a Break from Motherhood.

And if you have a working Mom you'd like to thank, share your comments here. I thank my Mom for showing me how to make a great living doing what you love. You see, she went to medical school after having 3 kids and with the support of my Dad and grandparents, achieved her dream too. Tell me about your Mom and what she taught you about having a great life and career. Happy Mother's Day!

Don't Wait Too Long to Follow Your Dreams

This weekend I sang my heart out off-Broadway in NYC. The show, entitled "Follow Your Dreams" included me singing jazz classics - each with an inspirational message, as well as a mini-workshop where the emcee took the audience through a fun, interactive dream building session. All of this backed up by a fabulous trio of musicians on bass, piano and trumpet. To check out the bass and trumpet player, visit The Jazz Conceptions Orchestra.

As part of my "walk the talk" philosophy, it's been important to not only tell others to go after their dreams but to be an example myself. I am happy to report that many said it was my best performance yet! I've also made it a point to have others in the show who are walking examples of living the dream. This includes the band as well as the emcee for the show, Craig.

A former financial services consultant, Craig was laid-off in January. For some, losing a job is a negative but for Craig it has been a blessing in disguise. (It was for me too - read my layoff into a positive story.) Resident travel writer for RealHoboken.com for the past 3 years, Craig traveled the world with consulting and published many of his travel adventures. Now with 20 stories in his portfolio, Craig is taking a chance on his dream of becoming a full-time writer.

First he started by taking a Vocation Vacation where he spent two intense days being mentored by a professional travel writer. Next he put himself "out there" as a writer by appearing on Fox & Friends for a career change segment. He also took me up on an offer of career coaching, writing out his day-in-the-life vision as a professional writer. Now four months later, Craig's dream career is becoming reality. He is writing for travel and cultural blogs as well as pursuing several ghost writing opportunities. He has room to grow to get back to his Wall Street level salary but he's excited to use this time to invest in his dream career.

One of the songs I sang in the show was made famous by Madeleine Peyroux, called Don't Wait Too Long. It says, "Take a chance, play your part!" Well Craig is not only taking a chance on his career, he is also playing his part in inspiring others. Thank you for walking the talk Craig!

If you've taken a chance on a new career, share it here. How did you do it? It's okay if you're not there yet. Just share what part you would most like to play in life and career. Don't Wait Too Long because "time can slip away."

It's Never Too Late to Follow Your Dreams

Have you ever felt uninspired? Have you ever thought about passion and purpose only to feel as if you don't really have much of either? If so, you are definitely not alone. Many of my clients come to me for help uncovering their true aspirations. (To read my article on Finding Your Purpose, click here.)

The key is to recognize that 1) you DEFINITELY do have passion and purpose. It may only be a a little burning pilot light but deep within you there is a knowing of who you are and what you're in this life to become. And 2) sometimes you need a spark to fan that flame into a beautiful, blazing fire.

For me that pilot light was burning for my desire to sing. I love helping people with careers but part of me always dreamt of being a singer. I never thought it was something I could make a living at so I didn't sing at all. Until recently.

About 2 years ago, a colleague was coaching me about writing and said, "You should take a writing class." Immediately a thought sprang to mind from deep within, "If you're going to take a writing class, you have to take a singing class FIRST. You want to be a singer not a writer." It was an epiphany!

I immediately started surfing the web to find a singing coach but there were so many options, I didn't know which to choose. I emailed a contact I had met at SIRIUS XM who was a career opera singer for recommendations. Coincidentally, she gave voice lessons and also needed some career coaching, so we set up a barter.

It was as if my little pilot light of a dream had sparked into a flame! I started taking lessons and after about a year and a half of building my skills and confidence, I was ready for my first cabaret show. That was last July. To see a clip, click here.

That show was one of the scariest and most rewarding things I've ever done. I'm also convinced it sparked many other great opportunities in my career. After my first cabaret show I was asked to do more career talk radio on SIRIUS XM. To tune into for free to my weekly radio show, click here. And after my second show in October of last year, I was asked to make my first appearance on CNN as a career expert. To see a clip, click here.

Now this coming Saturday, April 25th from 4-5pm I'm putting on my Follow Your Dreams cabaret once again. I've been blessed with a fabulous trio of musicians trained at none other than Juilliard! All the songs I sing have an inspirational message and you even get the chance to think about and share your own dreams as part of the show. To learn more, click here.

I recently saw an off-Broadway show on the life of the "first lady of song" Ella Fitzgerald. Seeing that show inspired me and fanned the flames even more. It's my hope that if you're in need of a little inspiration, that you'll join me next Saturday at Don't Tell Mama in NYC from 4-5pm. Life don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!

Government Career Advice Q & A

My radio interview this week with Stewart Liff, author of Managing Your Government Career sparked some great listener emails. Stewart was kind enough to respond to the additional questions with the inside scoop on landing a government job!

Question: How do you get around the system? No doubt there are many of us with great credentials but otherwise shouldn't waste our time due to gaps in our employment, bad employers or firms that have been merged, purged, bought and sold so that we can't provide references. Is this a lost cause? If so, are there still opportunities to work for the government without the paperwork? Consulting? Appointments by elected officials?

Answer: There are several ways to work for the government. The most direct way is to become a government employee. If you do not have references to cover the immediate past, this will not disqualify you for government employment, as they are not really taken into account until the end of of the selection process. At that point, if they like you well enough to tentatively select you, the odds are that a gap in your employment will not be a concern, particularly if it is driven by the economy, which everyone understands has had an adverse impact on many people. Consulting opportunities certainly exist with the government, but there are a wide variety of rules and regulations that govern this process. You can 1) try and consult directly with the government, which often involves having to either bid for government contracts that are announced to the public; 2) get on a GSA schedule as an approved vendor; or 3) work for a company that consults with with the government. Political appointments are generally at a high level and often, but not always go to people who were involved in the most recent Presidential campaign.

Question: Are there professionals we can hire to do the paperwork for us? How much? For the working person, it may well be worth $500 to $1,000 when we don't have the time to do it ourselves.

Answer: I'm sure there are, especially retired Human Resources experts. However, the most important part of the application process is your resume, which you should develop on your own. Once that is completed you can use that for every job announcement you are interested in (although you should customize it for different jobs.) Beyond that, all you would have to do is either answer several questions designed to identify your knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) or respond to a series of multiple choice questions. Once you have applied for a few jobs, the process will pretty much be the same and the amount of work involved in submitting your application should drop precipitously.

Question: Does the government use recruiters/headhunters?

Answer: Not that I am aware. The people who get the best jobs with the government follow the strategies I've laid out in "Managing your Government Career." They apply only for the jobs that are a good fit for them, they submit a first-class application that distinguishes themselves from the competition and they come to the interview on time and well prepared.

Thanks to Stewart Liff for sharing his insights. If you have a career or industry you'd like to learn more about, share your comments here. Life's too short not to do work you love! Here's to us all Making a Great Living.

Ready to work for Uncle Sam? Government Careers and How to Land Them

Interested in one of the 48000 job openings with Uncle Sam and almost 26000 employment opportunities for students?

Tune in today for my special "Where the Government Jobs Are" segment on Making a Living with Maggie at 4pm EST/1pm PST on Martha Stewart Living Radio SIRIUS 112/XM 157. My guest will be Stewart Liff, author of Managing Your Government Career.

According to Stewart who began his government career in 1974, you need to put together a solid package of information to land a government job - from detailed work history, to education transcripts, to salary information. It's this information that the hiring manager will use to decide which government level you fit into and if you have the necessary experience.

Also most challenging for people not used to applying for government careers are the additional questions you need to answer as part of the application. Supplemental Qualification Statements (SQS) can contain over 100 detailed questions about your skills and experience.

It may take patience to apply for a government job but once you land one, you can make a difference. As evidenced by my guest later today Stewart Liff - winner of the President's Rank Award for Meritorious Service. Join me today and learn more about how you can make a great living working for Uncle Sam!

Have you applied for a government job or been in a government career? What tips have worked for you in landing a job and building a fulfilling career within federal, state or local government? What are the pros and cons of this path? Share your advice!

Real Life Success Story - Using the Downturn to Springboard into a New Career

When times are uncertain, it can feel safest to hunker down and wait out the storm. It's an approach many are taking, just being thankful for having a job at all. My concern with this approach are the missed opportunities. People who were never really happy in their careers to begin with, are now settling for a less than rewarding career path.

Perhaps its time to take a different approach. Perhaps it's time to see opportunity in change. In my webinar earlier this week, this was the central message and for my clients, many are now seeing this as the perfect time to reinvent themselves and their careers.

If you feel the same, join me this Wednesday, April 8th for a very special Making a Living with Maggie on Martha Stewart Living Radio SIRIUS 112 and XM 157 (listen free here). One of my very own clients. Laura Rolands of myattentioncoach.com will be on hand to share her very real story of successful career change, using the economic downturn as a springboard.

Together Laura and I will share tips and advice to help you move your career forward in new and interesting ways. Tune in and join the conversation during this live radio broadcast and call in with your specific career questions at 1-866-675-6675.

You'll not only learn something new when it comes to managing your career but also get the inspiration and motivation you need to make your ideal career a reality now!

What success story would you like to see happen in your career? Already made a career change and want to share your story - comment here, now!

Landing Your Dream Job in a Recession

Many thanks to my colleague and fellow career coach Allison Cheston for the opportunity to guest post on her blog for Examiner.com. Allison has appeared on my radio show and is a career change expert and authority on executive search.

My guest post, "Landing Your Dream Job in a Recession: Why Now is No Time to Settle" is available now on Allison's Career Change blog. Here is a sample tip from that post: To land a job you have to be the best at what you do. Employers have their pick of candidates. In order to stand out, you must focus on positions where you are particularly talented. Each one of us is a unique individual with a unique set of skills and talents. Align those talents with your dream job and you will stand out from the crowd.

Click here to read more of my tips and advice on how to go after your ideal career!

What's your dream job? What would you LOVE to be doing right now? What do you need to make it a reality?