Are you dressed to be a Project Manager?

It's holiday season and while you go through all these sales and cyber Monday, what you should wear at work is what you should shop.

Presenting yourself is as important as having the right certification, of course it all depends on your organizations environment and dress guidelines.

If you are new to this whole game and just have graduated from jeans and t-shirt routine, look around to see how others at work dress.

Here's an article that will help you understand the dynamics of dressing better and how you should do it.

(Pic courtesy)

Happy Holidays

It's my long weekend, yesterday was fantastic- enjoyed, ate, laughed and watched games.

So, while I stay late in bed, browse sites, enjoy my coffee and read "Portrait of a Lady" by Henry James, you go ahead and do what you like.

I spend so much time on the computer that at times, specially on holidays I like not to use it as much.

Stay warm and rested and see you on Monday.

Till then, enjoy the snow and to add your own in your website, click here.

(Pic Courtesy)

Thanksgiving- help your friend for real

This holiday season, I’m helping my friend Trang find a job.

Because the job scenario is challenging and that she will need sponsorship (She’s from Vietnam). We have a long history and our friendship happened by introduction through another of my closest friend. We went to the same school, while I was going my Grad, she was an undergrad there.

We soon, began going to the gym together, sharing the difficulties of being an international student in a new country, specially the financial part of it. We were part of potluck dinners and started driving together. She was in the car with me in my first drive in the highway here. That’s important.

We stayed friends over years and shared recipes (Trang bakes awesome cheesecakes), our lives and laughed our way through the hard times. So, if you know someone who can help her find a job, contact her directly through LinkedIn or simply email me and I can send her detailed resume.

If you want to help out your friend, make sure they have:

• Created a LinkedIn profile and keep it updated
• Has the recommendations ready
• Has an offline detailed resume ready
• Knows what he/she wants to work in
• Relocation options are pre-decided
• If you will personally recommend her ( like I’m personally recommending my friend, she’s in my blog and that should be proof enough)
• How can someone know more about her, before giving her a call- help your friend start a blog
• Social media profiles, it brings in more visibility. Of course the content has to be clean (be on twitter ). I’m still having hard time convincing Trang that she can do it, she should.
• And start building a network (always remember to start building your network before you need it).

So, help someone this year and thank your friends and family and your Project Team!

What are you doing this Thanksgiving?

It’s Thanksgiving week and if you are not from US, read here.

If you are ready to take the vacation, thinking of your next career move and planning for next year, this might be the best time to do it.

If you are an international student who moved to another country or simply someone who moved for work, this can be the perfect time to know your adopted country’s traditions. Whether for work or study it’s always wonderful to get an understanding the culture you are staying in. You will be part of the community and not feel alienated and that’s very important when you are miles away from home.

Here are some tips for you friends:

·Don’t limit yourself to make friends only with people from your native country, look beyond that.

·New friends will always help you make the transition in living in a new country easier and can help you more than you think. From where to get your drivers license to the job hunt.

·Occasions like Thanksgiving, provides you the opportunity to thank the people who have helped you in the time of need and help someone who need your guidance or expertise.

·Invite your friends for a simple dinner and watch a movie instead of buying individual gifts, if you want to keep this year low key.

·Try arranging a potluck dinner, when you have friends from all over the world, this can be very interesting. You learn about cultures and cuisines and who else will understand you more than friends who have had similar experience in a new country or otherwise.

·Accept invitations for Thanksgiving and experience a new culture this year.

So, what are you doing for thanksgiving this year?

I have had wonderful experience over the years staying in States and enjoyed the day at my friends place with authentic Thanksgiving tradition. So, this year, I am cooking my own Thanksgiving dinner and helping my friend Trang find a job. She is ready to graduate and I want her to know that I am here for her to help. Look for the next post on Wednesday to know read more about it and why I am helping her and how you can do it too.

(Pic Courtesy)

Agile Books

Want to know more Agile, browse through the list of best top 20 best Agile books.

Or simply read the 10 principles of Agile Time PM and understand the Decline and Fall of Agilists

Thanks to Jurgen Appelo.