Joyce Lain Kennedy
Joyce Lain Kennedy, author of the nationally syndicated "Careers Now" column, has been an expert in the employment field for nearly four decades. She is the original careers columnist in syndication and her work is now distributed twice weekly by Tribune Media Services.
Kennedy estimates she has received more than 3.5 million letters from readers and has answered more than 5,500 queries in her columns since 1968. The vast majority of her reader mail now comes by e-mail to Kennedy at her Web site, www.sunfeatures.com. Her advice on jobs and career management issues addresses the problems experienced by virtually all working people: job search, layoff, discrimination, specialization, keeping up with technology in the workplace and networking both on land and online.
She began her writing career by offering advice to teenagers and young adults before broadening the scope of her column, which now relates to all ages. Kennedy is the bestselling author of seven career guides, including "Resumés for Dummies," "Cover Letters for Dummies" and "Job Interviewing for Dummies."
A former resident of Washington, D.C., and New York, Kennedy grew up in St. Louis, and earned a business administration degree from Washington University. She now resides in a suburb of San Diego.
Joyce Lain Kennedy Samples
Victory over vampires: handling bad-news people at work
DEAR JOYCE: My new job is a grinder. Read a book, a specific book, and follow its advice. Take it from clinical psychologist Albert J. Bernstein, "Emotional vampires are in the next cube, down the hall or upstairs in the corner office.
Is working remotely on the way out?
DEAR JOYCE: I'm a single mom working from home three days a week. Today more Americans are working from home at least one day a week than ever before: more than 9 percent of U.S. workers, compared with 7 percent in 1997.
In job interview, put best face on a weakness
DEAR JOYCE: A recent segment of the TV show "Brain Games" compared results when twin women candidates were interviewed for the same job. Candidate A was the winner. Yes and no.
Read federal job announcements thoroughly
DEAR JOYCE: Recently you said you think this is a good time to apply for federal jobs despite the sequestration.
Women: Create your own stiletto network
DEAR JOYCE: When I, a woman, tried to run for local public office, I found out that it's still an old boy's club. You could start one.
Before accepting offer, due diligence required
DEAR JOYCE: I took a job too quickly because I was desperate. Without commenting on your current mental and physical stress, I can only state the obvious: research a better map before heading into a new job.
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