Videos | Kontrary by Rebecca Thorman – Careers, Business, and Life Advice

Can you have any job you want?

by Rebecca Thorman on January 2528 Comments

Alexandra Levit has just published the book, New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a Bright New Career, which is a great resource if you’re looking for a job or trying to find more happiness in your career. And it got me thinking, one of the myths I see over and over is that job-seekers or those looking to switch careers don’t think they have the skills or experience they need.

What a cop-out.

Of course, any career has a set of knowledge specific to that field. As an architect you probably have some technical knowledge about the size of a door jamb as well as general education about your specialization, like hospitals.

Is free good enough?

by Rebecca Thorman on October 1319 Comments

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Just because something’s cheap, does that mean you should buy it? If it’s free, should you use it? The recession means a proliferation of cheap and free, but that often means sacrifice. The social network Facebook is free, but at the sacrifice of quality customer service (not that I don’t love Facebook).

My belief is that everything and everyone is connected, so cheapest is not good enough. It’s why I don’t shop at WalMart, I try to buy organic food, I pay more for a hybrid, and make other conscious buying decisions. If it’s cheap at the same time, that’s all the better.

Is Gen Y losing religion?

by Rebecca Thorman on July 2033 Comments

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A recent study reports that Americans are changing religion. A lot. Some people talk about practicing religion a la carte, while others talk about leaving church entirely and finding a new kind of community as a result. Either way, things seem to be changing.

What do you think? Is Gen Y losing religion? Do you believe in God, but don’t attend church? Is there a difference between religion and faith?

How to start a video blog – the definitive guide

by Rebecca Thorman on May 0651 Comments

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A lot of bloggers are more proficient in words than in person, so it’s not surprising that many haven’t taken the leap to video blogging. But they should. Video posts provide a great, unique way to connect with your readership. I’m still learning, but here are six tips that helped me get started:

1. Watch a lot of videos.
Write down what you find appealing and what you don’t like. I tend to like short videos with lots of personality. Pay attention to the video content, length, and the format.

Check out these places to start: Gary Vaynerchuk (Wine, Marketing), Ill Doctrine (Hip-Hop, Political), Startup Lucky (Entrepreneurship), Design for Mankind’s Dialogue (Art/Design), Momversation (Lifestyle & Mom Blogging), Brazen Careerist (Contest Announcements), Sam Davidson (Social Change & Motivation), and Shama TV (New Media Marketing).

Generation Y doesn’t need a reference

by Rebecca Thorman on April 0855 Comments

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This post contains video. If you’re reading via email or RSS, please click through.

This video is a response to the comments I received on my post, ‘Don’t Burn Bridges’ is Bad Career Advice, that was also featured on Brazen Careerist.

One frequent comment talked about the idea that you will someday need a reference from a previous employer to get a job. I argue that you may not need that type of reference, especially for “cool jobs.”

When is it okay to quit your job?

by Rebecca Thorman on February 2535 Comments

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You don’t like your new job. Should you stay or should you go?

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Job-hopping works when you show value

by Rebecca Thorman on February 2325 Comments

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Several people were worried what employers would think if they job-hopped, especially in the recession. But really, too many people don’t know how to talk about their experience in a way that shows value and meaningful experience.

Do you know how to translate your experience into value? Are you staying at a job that you’ve grown out of because you’re worried what future employers will think? Are you just scared?