Jodi Glickman Brown · Career Coaching & Development Expert

Last week, I wrote a post on How to Ask for a Reference Letter which gave three steps for asking for (and getting!) a great letter of recommendation. The second, and arguably most important step, is to provide a template for your reviewer of what you’d like included in the letter.

Recently, an elementary school teacher told me that her former principal had failed to respond to her request for a letter of recommendation. I asked if she had included a template for her principal of what to say, to which she replied no, and then admitted sheepishly, "Honestly, I wouldn’t have any idea how to …

In the 2009 film “Up in the Air,” Natalie Keener decides she can no longer stomach being part of a corporate firing squad and quits her firm. Her mentor, played by George Clooney, behaves just as we would expect from the magnanimous gent we all know him to be: he writes a glowing reference letter on her behalf, addressed simply “to whom it may concern.”

In the real world, getting a reference letter is far more difficult and often a source of much anxiety. Whom to ask, how to ask, what to say? But even if you don’t have a benevolent benefactor at your back, getting an outstanding referen…

Last week, I wrote a post about exiting a conversation gracefully that generated some buzz. Beyond commenting on the strategies and tips to help you get out of those awkward moments, many of you rightfully pointed out that breaking into conversations was just as perplexing, especially at networking events, conferences, and other forced-conversation forums.

There are two strategies that I recommend to ease in and out of group conversations effortlessly. Both begin with a polite interruption followed by a quick retreat. The first one takes some chutzpah, aiming itself at the whole group, wh…

Last week, my husband Eric was caught in the crosshairs of an overzealous museum curator eager to impart his knowledge about twentieth-century model trains. For what seemed like an eternity, Eric feigned interest as he searched for a way to end the conversation.

Fortunately, there is a way to exit gracefully.

We have all been in Eric’s place, stuck in a tedious, boring or uncomfortable conversation, at work functions or social gatherings. Common courtesy dictates that you don’t cut someone off mid-conversation and I personally know of no way to politely let someone know that you find…

People often think of the elevator pitch as something you use when you’re interviewing for a new job or trying to raise capital for a new venture. Seldom do people who are gainfully employed think about their own personal story, or elevator pitch, as something they need to keep working on once you’ve won the post.

The elevator pitch, however, is no less important once you’ve got the job as it is when you’re looking. In fact, your personal 30-second spiel about who you are, how you’re different, and why you’re memorable is arguably more important once you’ve landed that great position an…

It’s hard to argue that a primetime network T.V. show that debuts after the Super Bowl has any mission other than to entertain the masses. It’s perhaps unfair then to ascribe any responsibility to the Undercover Boss other than the blatantly obvious—we all knew what we were getting—another reality show.

In reality T.V., however, there is an endgame separate and apart from mere entertainment. The Bachelor promises love, American Idol fortune and fame, and The Apprentice, a dream job with The Donald. In the case of the Undercover Boss: the chance for an executive to “garner an up-close …

Perhaps President Barack Obama can help save the economy in more ways than one: by following his leadership example, employees at all levels can communicate better, lead better, and be more valuable to bosses and colleagues – all of which may help save your careers.

President Obama may have the most powerful job in the world – but the way he conducts himself provides important lessons that can be used by workers at any level. Whether you’re trying to accelerate your career or just hang onto the job you have now, here are five things you can do to “Obamafy” your career:

1. *Be Ge…