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When the bottom drops out of your career

Q: “Two years ago, my immediate boss, with whom I had a great relationship, was forced to resign. Shortly thereafter, I had a serious conflict with a colleague who was extremely close to our department vice president. After that incident, my career went downhill, although I had previously received high performance ratings and a promotion. I began to look for another job, but the economy took a nosedive and my wife was diagnosed with cancer, so leaving was completely out of the question. Now my wife is well again, and the economy has improved. But after having my self-esteem pounded on a daily basis, I no longer feel confident that anyone will hire me. Can you offer any advice?” Hopeless

How to work through creative differences

Sometimes conflict emerges on a creative project that has no perfect vision. Beth Noymer Levine, author of Jock Talk, says that whether the hangup is over the title of a report or the décor in the office, you should remember these three things.