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What is a 1099 contractor?

By / July 7, 2020

A ‘1099 contractor’, also referred to as ‘self-employer’ or an ‘independent contractor’,  is a person who works independently.  This means that they they work for themselves, and not for an employer. Usually, 1099 contractors are paid on a freelance basis. They often work through a limited company or franchise, which they own themselves. However, some 1099 contractors may work through an umbrella company. If you’re considering becoming a contractor, I have highlighted the main disadvantages and advantages which you should consider before becoming one. Enjoy! Disadvantages of being a 1099 contractor Firstly, being self-employed often leads to a lack of …

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Book Review: Flourish by Martin Seligman (Impact of Positive Psychology)

By / July 7, 2020

Martin Seligman, the inventor of “positive psychology”, has dedicated most of his working life to positive psychology and to the understanding of human well-being. I must admit that, as an undergraduate psychology student, I never took a particular interest in positive psychology.  In fact, I’d almost forgotten it existed. That was, of course, until I stumbled across Martin Seligman’s book ‘Flourish’, which corrected the flaws of his earlier theory ‘Authentic happiness’ and introduced the new, and novel, idea of positive psychology. Positive psychology focuses on our well-being and how we can increase it. It is different to most other forms …

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Book Review: So Good They Can’t Ignore You

By / July 7, 2020

Over the last few days, I have spent some of my time reading and reviewing the fantastic work of  Cal Newport and his book ‘So Good They Can’t Ignore you’. At just over 200 pages, the book is a quick and easy read. Throughout the book, Newport cleverly and neatly introduces four simple rules that he believes will lead us all to successful and fulfilling careers. Of course, many of us believe that rules are made to be broken, but I think these might be some rules you’ll want to follow very closely. Rule 1) Don’t follow your passion (its …

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book

Book Review: Man’s Search for Meaning

By / July 7, 2020

Written by Austrian Neurologist-psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, Victor Frankl, ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ was in intense, reflective and incredibly insightful read. The first one hundred or so pages of the book describe Frankl’s harrowing and traumatic experiences in concentration camps during World War Two. I must say, I started to read this book whilst on a flight back from a six-month trip to Australia and New Zealand and I have never felt more grateful. Despite describing the worst suffering that one could imagine; the first section is written with grave consideration, to avoid being overly depressing and cynical. Frankl explains …

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The truly inspiring career path of Erika James

By / July 7, 2020

Erika James is the first women and the first African-American to be appointed as the dean of The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in its 139-year history. Pretty impressive, right? But how exactly did she get there? Erika James’ education and career Described as an “award-winning scholar and teacher and a strong proven leader“, Erika began her successful career at Pomona College, where she studied psychology. Back in those days, she dreamed of becoming a management or human resources consultant. However, after attending the University of Michigan, where she achieved a master’s degree and Ph.D. in organizational psychology, James was …

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Should you follow your passion at work?

By / June 30, 2020

It’s one of the most researched and debated questions out there – should we base our career on what we’re passionate about? On one hand, many strongly advocate that if you follow your passion, the rest (e.g., fulfillment, money and success) will follow. Whereas others place their feet firmly in the notion that following your passion really is terrible advice. Side A: passion is the key to success We spend so much of our lives at work, no one can deny that it is crucial that we enjoy it. Those on this side of the debate firmly believe that if …

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Six careers

Six things to consider when choosing your dream career

By / June 29, 2020

I don’t think that you need me to tell you that picking the right career is very important. It is possibly one of the most important decisions you’ll ever have to make. You’ll have to do it day in, day out. And, for a very long time. If you get choosing the right career for you correct the first-time round, then you save yourself a bit of time and stress. However, with most people going through an average of 5-7 careers in their life, if you’re in the wrong career right now, don’t sweat it. What we all know, is …

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Holland Codes

HOW are you intelligent? An introduction to the Holland Codes (RIASEC)

By / June 17, 2020

The question may not be “are you intelligent” but rather “HOW are you intelligent”. This is a question that is asked, and answered by the “Holland Occupational Themes” theory, aka the RIASEC work-personality types model. Holland’s six unique types The Holland Occupational Themes theory and its “Holland Codes” were introduced by American psychologist John L. Holland in the 1970’s. It is a type theory of personality that looks specifically at careers and vocational choice. Holland proposed that there are six unique personality types, which are determined by our interests and how we approach life situations. These six types are: Realistic …

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Career Counselors vs. Career Coaches: What’s the difference, and which do you need?

By / June 15, 2020

For most of us, deciding what career we want to do, or changing our career path, is a big thing that requires careful thought, consideration and planning. While some of us are happy to source our help from online resources, such as blog posts like mine (I hope!), others turn to seeking professional help that will aid them in their decision making. Our satisfaction with our job or career (remember, there’s a difference) will rub off onto many other aspects of our lives, such as our satisfaction at home and our well-being. As we typically spend the rest of our …

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Carl Jung

The 8 Jungian Cognitive Functions: Overview & Career Implications

By / June 12, 2020

A Glance into the History of the 8 Jungian Functions Carl Jung, the famous Swiss psychiatrist, proposed his model of the eight (8) functions in his work, Psychological Types (1921). He divided the functions into two groups, extraverted (tethered in the external world) and introverted (unfolded in the inner world). Jung’s work would later be built upon by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother Katharine Cook Briggs, who created a personality model we know today as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®). The Myers-Briggs approach used scales for Extraversion-Introversion, Sensing-Intuition and Thinking-Feeling based on Jung’s work and then added a fourth …

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