Better than a Cover Letter

Cover letters seem to be going the way of, well, letters in general. Most are not well-written and most, quite frankly, go unread.

But there are two new versions of the old cover letter that are worth considering. They’re two faces of a single coin, and one of the two may work for you.

Poetical Science: The Woman who Envisioned the Modern Computer

The 19th century was a time of great change, and two cultural movements created dynamic tension throughout this fascinating period of world history. The Industrial Revolution transformed societies from agrarian economies to manufacturing economies within a few decades. Industrialization launched a dramatic increase in productivity and the standard of living for each country that became … Continue reading Poetical Science: The Woman who Envisioned the Modern Computer

How to Sabotage Meetings Like a Pro

A fascinating article appeared in Fortune Magazine online this week. It describes a document issued during WWII and declassified in the 1970s. It had been published in 1944 by the U.S. Office of Strategic Services, the agency that preceded the CIA. It remained buried in obscurity until a few years ago when a consultant named … Continue reading How to Sabotage Meetings Like a Pro

Be Late for Something Day is September 5 – oops.

The world is divided into two kinds of people: those who are on time, and those who are always late.  Sociologists have actually studied lateness  as it relates to cultures all over the world.  Whole countries can be classified according to their perception of time and lateness.  Traditionally, cultures are divided into monochronic (where time … Continue reading Be Late for Something Day is September 5 – oops.

Race Against the Machine

Technology is changing at such a rapid pace that some economists have predicted the “end of employment.” Computers are able to do many of the functions that humans used to perform, from security and crime fighting to journalism. (Many of the routine game summaries you read in the sports section are actually written by software … Continue reading Race Against the Machine

Are You a Team Player?

One of the most common phrases you’ll hear in a job interview is the ubiquitous “I’m a team player.” Like any personal quality, “team player” falls on a spectrum, but almost no one talks about it that way. This is one of those characteristics where one end of the spectrum is good and the other … Continue reading Are You a Team Player?