Shows / Career Tools
Career Tools
Career Tools is a weekly podcast focused on specific actions you can take to grow and enhance your career, whether you are a manager or not. Career Tools won the Podcast Awards Best Business podcast in 2010 and was nominated every other year it has been eligible. Whether you are interested in jump-starting a stalled career, or sharpening your edge, Career Tools is the podcast for you. Go to http://www.manager-tools.com/testimonials to read what others are saying about the impact Career Tools…
Episodes
- Career Tools
Horstman's Wager - 2025
This cast is about interview preparation, and the need for ethics and candor during the process.
- Career Tools
Horstman’s Wager (Part 2 of 2)
Today, we cover the 2nd in a two-part series on Horstman’s Wager. Last week we covered the basics as to why “Playing the Game” doesn’t…
- Career Tools
Horstman’s Wager (Part 1 of 2)
This cast is about interview preparation, and the need for ethics and candor during the process. We’ve been pleased by the demand for our interviewing…
- Career Tools
How to Handle Pre-employment Testing
More and more, companies are using psychological and behavioral tests as pre-employment screening devices. They supplement their interviewing processes in…
- Career Tools
How to Take Notes
This cast describes an effective way to take notes. If you go to meetings all the time… no, wait. BECAUSE you go to meetings all the time, you need an…
- Career Tools
How To Write Effectively (2026)
This cast teaches how to quickly improve your writing. Start communicating better: www.manager-tools.com/mtdisc, Join us in Chicago…
- Career Tools
Write More Effectively (Part 2 of 2)
Today, we finish up our two part series on writing effectively.
- Career Tools
Write More Effectively (Part 1 of 2)
This cast teaches how to improve your writing quickly.
- Career Tools
How to Write a Thank You Note
We’ve talked about thank you notes hundreds of times. They are fast becoming a nearly lost art. That’s too bad, because they are always…
- Career Tools
How to Handle the Interview Weakness Question (2025)
In this cast, we share one of the best interviewing answer templates you'll ever hear. It's simple, elegant, easy to deliver, and surprise, surprise: it…
- Career Tools
How to Handle the Interview Weakness Question
Mark recently blogged about the crazy advice being given - by the Wall Street Journal! - about how to handle the perennial interviewing question, “Tell…
- Career Tools
How to Politely Become Part of a Group (2026)
We've talked about the importance of interpersonal skills before, with casts on topics like handshakes, meal etiquette, and how to be effective in everyday…
- Career Tools
How to Politely Become Part of a Group
We’ve talked about the importance of interpersonal skills before, with casts on handshakes and meal etiquette. While for many, they might not sound like…
- Career Tools
Interviews - The Introduction
Well, once again, we’re barely getting this out in time to call it an October cast. But, I think you’ll find it worth the wait. This month, Mark…
- Career Tools
How to Apologize (Hall of Fame Guidance) (2026)
You're a professional, and that makes you human. You're human, and that makes you mess up. You mess up, and that means you apologize. Join us at an Effective…
- Career Tools
Do YOU Need to Apologize?
You’re a manager, and that makes you human. You’re human, and that makes you mess up. You mess up, and that means you apologize. It’s really…
- Career Tools
Contacting Recruiters
In a previous cast, we talked about how many managers don’t understand the importance of taking recruiters’ calls, and walked through step by step…
- Career Tools
Accomplishments - Connecting Resumes and Interviews
Most folks just don’t realize HOW important resumes are, and not just as pieces of paper. In our Resume Cast, we talked about the PURPOSE of resumes: to…
- Career Tools
Meal Etiquette (Part 2 of 2)
Can there possibly be anything more to say about business meal etiquette? Yep! Today we conclude our 2-part series on Meal Etiquette.
- Career Tools
Meal Etiquette (Part 1 of 2)
Good business practice demands good relationships - with customers, suppliers, team members, and bosses. And good relationships usually means breaking bread…
- Career Tools
Preparing For Your Review (Part 2 of 2)
Today we cover the 2nd part of our series on Preparing For Your Review. After you’ve listened to the podcast, I think you’ll agree that if you…
- Career Tools
How to Resign - Part 2 (2025)
At least once in your career, and perhaps as many as five times, you're going to have to resign from a position. And this is one of those tasks or…
- Career Tools
How to Resign - Part 1 (2025)
At least once in your career, and perhaps as many as five times, you're going to have to resign from a position. And this is one of those tasks or…
- Career Tools
How to Resign (Part 3 of 3)
Today’s show is the third and final part of our series on resigning. If you have to resign, distinguish yourself my resigning professionally. With the…
- Career Tools
Preparing for YOUR Review (Part 1 of 2)
We spent a lot of time at the end of last year talking about how to write someone else’s review. What should you do to prepare for your own? Think of it…
- Career Tools
How to Resign (Part 2 of 3)
Today, we follow-up with part 2 of our 3-part series on Resigning. Usually not a lot of fun contemplating, and certainly no more fun executing. However, IF you…
- Career Tools
How to Resign (Part 1 of 3)
Today’s show is an interesting one … At least once in your career, and perhaps as many as five times, you’re going to have to resign from a…
- Career Tools
Basics of Mentoring - Part 2 of 2
Today we cover the second in our 2-part series on mentoring. As a reminder, our 7 simple guidelines for mentoring are: Whom Should I Ask? How Long Should It…
- Career Tools
Basics of Mentoring - Part 1 of 2
Every week, we get questions about people’s resumes on the discussion boards. Our resume casts are some of the most wanted of all our work. It’s…
- Career Tools
Time Management (Part 2 of 2)
Today, we cover the second in a two-part series of podcasts on Time Management.
- Career Tools
Building a Network
If you’re a manager, don’t think for a moment that someone else is managing your career. Those days are long gone. YOU are managing your career…
- Career Tools
Secrets of a Great Handshake
The hand shake is the most important professional greetings in the world today. There are many cultures in the world, and there are places to bow, and places…
- Career Tools
Micro-Communications (2026)
Our guidance on micro-communications: the small behaviors that make an enormous difference in how you're perceived and how effective you are.
- Career Tools
Micro-Communications - Part 2
Last week, we discussed the "Listening" side of communications. This week, we cover the other side, the "Responding" side. Of course, responding when you're in…
- Career Tools
Micro-Communications
We talked recently about managerial communications, looking at the various ways you as a manager can deliver your message and the organization's messages to…
- Career Tools
Self Development
In this special podcast for our registered subscribers, we're going to share our first set of recommendations in self-development. We believe that you cannot…
- Career Tools
How to Prepare Your Resume (Your Resume Stinks!) - Part 1
Your resume, regardless of the baggage associated with it, is probably your most critical career management document. While it's not something you ought to…
- Career Tools
How to Prepare Your Resume (Your Resume Stinks!) (Hall Of Fame Guidance)
This week's podcast addresses a topic that many of you might be surprised about: your resume.
- Career Tools
Got Email? - Part 2 (2025)
In this podcast we talk about how to make your technology work for you, and how you can spend less time on email while getting more done.
- Career Tools
Got Email? - Part 1 (2025)
In this podcast we talk about how to make your technology work for you, and how you can spend less time on email while getting more done.
- Career Tools
Got Email?
Got Email? Of course - what manager doesn't? We know managers who get 200 (or more!) emails every day. Email is a necessary evil in the corporate management…
- Career Tools
Solution to a Stalled Technical Career
Mike and Mark discuss a friend's stalled technical career. What's the secret to reinvigorating his career?