Top 11 Browseworthy Professional Development Links of 2009

Earlier this year I started collecting “browseworthy” links related to professional development, job search and entrepreneurship. As we move towards the close of 2009, I thought I’d share my top 11 of the over 50 sites I’ve shared this year. Happy browsing!

1. A few weeks ago I found a great site for intrinsically motivated professionals, The Personal MBA. The site’s about statement starts: MBA programs don’t have a monopoly on business knowledge: you can teach yourself everything you need to know to succeed in life and at work. Of course I’m a fan. Good places to start: Are You an Implementer or an Enabler? and How to Get a Valuable Education Without Mortgaging Your Life.

2. Girls Just Want to Have Funds - Tagline: Breaking Financial Ceilings, one stileto at a time. This site offers tools and articles for women interested in maintaining organizing their financial power. If you are in constant dislike of your job because it doesn’t pay you enough, I invite you to look for resources that will help you manage what you do have. This will keep you from applying the same flawed fiscal management once you do get a raise or an new position with a different company at a higher salary.

Quick Quote: We value budgeting, investing, frugality and remain mindful of our spending habits. Move over and make way for women who are in control of their financial destinies and not afraid to say it.

Articles to check out: How to Make a Layoff Payoff and Find Your Passion: Love Your Work: Tips Galore.

3. A Year of Change. It’s a free e-book when you subscribe www.thechangeblog.com. I was first attracted to this site after finding an article on work-life balance. This multi-author blog has lots of great articles. Must reads: 10 Steps to Creative Career Change and A Simple Story About Remembering Your Value.

4. While browsing through posts from my Linked In groups I came across DivaToolbox.com. In addition to career related information the toolbox hosts articles on family, money, and business. Great find: Be Fierce at Work and Five Things Every Newly Self-Employed Woman Should Know

5. I am an extreme fan of any underdog story, I cry when I watch Rudy (keep that between you and me). I love this Famous Failures short video posted on YouTube. It thrills me to know that one  of the greatest athletes ever was cut from the high school basketball team because it shows the power of determination, drive and refusal to let other people’s perspective limit you.

6. Entrepreneur.com is a great resources for anyone fueled by their passion and inspired by the economy to start their own business. To get started check out this post on the benefits of launching your solo pursuits while you still have a day job: You Don’t Have to Quit Your Day Job. There is even a site just for women: Women Entrepreneur.com. And be sure to add their Entrepreneur Connect to your social networking list.

7. Want to know how they got that job? Check out the interviews at HowIGotMyJob.com. The interviews discuss how they learned about the job, the interview process and the offer process. And the jobs range from Director of Content Marketing to Patient Care Specialist to Assistant to a Banquet Chef. And yours truly is even included in the line up! You can check out the interview on how I landed a job as an e-learning designer here.

8. 360° Reach – Personal Brand Assessment: Want to get an idea of how other people see your brand? This site offers articles and tips for building and evaluating your brand. Whether you are an employee or an entrepreneur, you’ll find the something to help you craft your personal brand. Best Bet: The 360° Reach Basic – it’s a free tool that let’s you do a self assessment and survey your colleagues, managers, friends, clients, business associates, anyone in your network so you get a complete picture of what your brand really is.

9. Seven Ways to Handle Your Dysfunctional Office: Everybody has been here at some point. I remember having a heart to heart with a former boss where it became quite evident that I had two choices: Become dysfunctional to fit in with the team or leave them to their own dysfunction and preserve my sanity and self esteem. Four months later I chose to leave. I spent the four months leading up to my exit trying a few of the strategies outlined in this article. If you are surrounded by dysfunction (and not the cause of it) apply a few of the tactics outline in the article to see of you turn the situation around or at the lease maintain until you have another opportunity.

10. Five Lies You Tell Yourself About Productivity: This is one of those articles you almost don’t want to read especially if you are quite comfortable with your “lies.” The lie that I live:  I CAN MULTI-TASK. And I do most days, what working single mother hasn’t successfully mastered the art of doing three or for things at once. But this article does make me consider how effective my divided attention is and the value of doing smaller task as they come up.

11. Two things we know for sure about about change: It is required for growth and it can be difficult.  This article posted on SparkPlug CEO (one of my personal favorite blogs) offers four ways to address change. Check out: Knowing When It’s Time for a Change and Embracing It.