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Professional Buzz

Professional Buzz

Professional Buzz is a blog warehousing relevant information, tips and tools for students and professionals looking for career development and advice. Topics range from leadership and management skills to interpersonal communication and innovation in the workplace. The blog is written and curated by Associate Dean of the Graduate College, Anne Converse Willkomm – drawing on her academic and professional experience to provide insight into the latest professional trends, challenges and skills needed to thrive in today’s everchanging workplace.

Categories

Professional Development & Career TipsLeadership & Management SkillsInterpersonal CommunicationInnovation in the Workplace
Image of a scroll-looking resume

Master Resume

For years I have advised students to use what I call a master resume. What do you include on the master resume? Everything! It does not need to be formatted in a certain way or look pretty, but every job and every responsibility should be included.

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Red and Black image of the words From Me 2 We

Moving From Me to We

I was having a conversation with a colleague the other day about organizational collaboration and how people often get caught up in their own positions, their own collective group of employees, their own departments, etc.

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Dreucker's Five Most Important Questions - Book Review

Drucker’s Five Most Important Questions – Book Review

Not too long ago, I picked up Five Most Important Questions: Enduring Wisdom for Today ’s Leaders by Peter F. Drucker, Frances Hesselbein, and Joan Snyder Kuhl, published by John Wiley & Sons in 2015.

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Game Theory & Interpersonal Communication

Applying Game Theory in Communication & Business

According to Investopedia.com, “Game theory is the process of modeling the strategic interaction between two or more players in a situation containing set rules and outcomes.” Interpersonal communication, like a game, is – or at least should be strategic.

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Do Not Burn Bridges

Don't Burn Those Bridges

My first job out of college was for a natural healthcare product manufacturer. I was hired to set up a Human Resources Department and do a “little” accounts receivable.

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Choosing a Grad School

Thoughts on Choosing a Graduate Program

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), there were an estimated 802,000 Master’s degrees conferred during this year. By Spring of 2020, that number will be just under 900,000. 

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Interview with Milt Silver

Interview with Milt Silver

Today, I had the pleasure of interviewing Professor Emeritus, Milton “Milt” Silver. I usually see Milt in the afternoon as he walks by my office to refill his coffee mug.

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Researching Your Next Job

Researching Your Next Job

Looking for a new job is a little bit like buying a new car. Before you decide which car, you do your research, which makes/models will best suit your needs, which manufacturer gets the best safety ratings, which dealer is offering the best incentives, what colors are available, etc.

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Soft Skills Wanted

Soft Skills Wanted

For years, employers have focused on technical skills when making hires, however, that trend is changing. In a recent Forbes article, “9 Skills Bosses See Lacking in New Graduates” Karsten Strauss discussed some interesting data compiled by PayScale.

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