Dress for the job you want

With the culture of business casual practically taking over America’s corporations – what does “dressing for success” actually mean? Not coming to work dressed like a complete slob (or lunatic) is obvious – yet, what does dressing for the job have to do with what I want?

People dress for moods and attitudes. Not for jobs. I don’t think you can. Your career (just like your style) morphs with you – and who knows what that will look like at any given time. A lot of people tout this advice because it provides a sense of control. And, if you are smart, you should willingly relinquish some control in order to be in better control of your life.

Dressing like a corporate banker doesn’t guarantee you’ll be a corporate banker – just have loads of credit card debt.

Don’t feel that wanting a job in advertising gives you the stylistic permission to be as fashionably adventurous as you want while still expecting people to take you seriously.

Good careers are not predicated on dressing for the job you eventually see yourself in. It doesn’t make sense. Dress for the work you are doing. Don’t waste time developing a job costume for a career you might not even have.

The only difference between you and the boss is the pay check and self awareness. Looking important and being important are two different things.

Do people take first impressions and appearances for granted? Yes. Nevertheless, trying to look the part before you are the part is not only a little presumptuous, but vastly short sighted as well. It’s an interesting (but kiddie pool shallow) concept.

There are plenty of broke fashionistas working in a dentist’s office.

Don’t quit a job without notice

Day after day after day, people come to one of my most popular posts and comment about quitting a job without giving notice to their boss. It almost sounds like an unspoken professional phenomenon.

So, if so many people are doing it, why is it such a big deal? Hell, quit your job – no letter, no notice – and get on with it.

Yet, it still bothers people. Primarily, I think it bothers people because there is some half-hearted desire to feel justified in giving crappy employers their just desserts. Oh, yeah – people feel 10 times better once they quit a horrific job, but it still doesn’t stop them googling “quit without notice” and arriving at TWS.

Therefore, I don’t get it. Let’s stop telling people to not be assholes and quit their jobs without notice. They’ll do it no matter what. They will relish in the enjoyment that is the double edged sword of not having a job and not having a job they hate.

Will some regret such actions? Of course.

But, probably not as much as people who stay in hellish jobs and never quit because they’re too afraid to do anything else.

But, if anyone has any stories about not hiring a potential employee because they quit their last job without notice – I’d love to hear ‘em.

It’ll break up the monotony.

Start a blog

I may get into trouble on this one. In fact, I’ve been guilty of this advice numerous amounts of times. Yet, since I’ve started blogging – I’ve learned a blog is not a blog by itself.

Unless it’s a crappy one.

Entering the blogosphere is about continuing your conversation online, adding a 3rd dimension to your “idea” portfolio. Yet, honestly, I do not think many people are able to do this effectively or with any confidence.

It’s one thing to have a blog about project management – but it’s entirely another to fold that conversation into something of tangible value for project managers.

Blogs are not necessarily a means to end, but they are for some people. That’s where such job advice originates. Career advisers suggest that you start a blog on the industry you are in (or interested in being in), but they also neglect to tell you the hard work blogging requires.

Even if you include the people who blog because they simply enjoy it – it’s still a lot of damn work.

Then, there are those who think they should get paid to blog. That’s fine if you can create that situation, but let’s not be so egotistical as to think people should pay to read whatever the hell you’re thinking (or writing).

Getting paid for blogging might make it a tinge bit easier, but even then – you are better off blogging because you want to (not because you are getting paid to).

(Fantastic) bloggers just don’t sit at a computer and type - even if that is the end result. Like I said: blogging -real blogging- is a lot of damn work. It’s just like any other job that requires you to be intellectually engaged, honest and insightful.

You can just turn it on once the Mac boots up.

Don’t start a blog for your career, start it as part of your career. And, even then, do it because you enjoy it – not for the possible magic poof of a career.