Thoughts on Career Development, Communication Strategies, Job Search, Ruminations and more
Jul 25 2010
Regardless of the type of relationship you are trying to establish, the first days truly are the hardest. This is particularly true when you start a new job. Even if you are a veteran in your field and think you are prepared to do the work that is expected, you are thrust into a multitude [...]
Jul 12 2010
Recently my client Jessica and I were discussing salaries and raises. Her primary question wasn’t IF she should ask for a raise, but if under her current circumstances was Now a good time? Although Jessica’s situation may be somewhat unique – everyone’s situation is a bit different – I thought there was some good information [...]
Jun 14 2010
Have you ever read a feature (online or in print) that claimed to offer two views of the same idea, topic or product? There are all kinds of examples of this “two sides of same coin” column in a wide variety of publications. But upon reading them, frequently the questions asked are not the same [...]
May 15 2010
One of the least favored exercises of employers is the process of annual reviews. Having a sit-down with the entire staff (thankfully not all at once) to discuss personal advances, achievements, goals met, and future targets, as well as problem areas and shortcomings, is frequently a nerve wracking process for the employer, department managers and [...]
Apr 05 2010
The concept of up-selling (trying to sell the customer more than just what they asked for), has been around for a long while. Whether it’s the waitress asking, “Do you want fries with that?”, or the appliance vendor asking if you want the matching stand for the plasma TV, offering more to the customer than [...]
Feb 22 2010
If you’re an employee, the title of this piece may seem like an oxymoron. Jobs rarely turn out as they were described in their recruitment announcements. They often lack complete information and merely elude to on-the-job realities. And then there’s the catch all phrase, “… and other duties as assigned,” that necessitate your ability to [...]
Feb 08 2010
Recently while providing feedback to job seekers about their resumes at a local job search preparation event, I was surprised by the overall quality of information delivered by many of those in attendance. It seemed that many candidates I spoke with were trying, often successfully, to convey not just what they did on their jobs, [...]
Oct 19 2009
Recently I attended a very large, and very crowded free outdoor 3-day music festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Moving between six stages of exceptional talent proved to be an arduous and exhausting experience; that thankfully wouldn’t diminish the inspiration and invigoration fueled by the great music.
But I was thinking that it might have [...]
Aug 10 2009
I’m a firm believer in quality customer service! I believe that in order for any business to build its brand, retain its existing customers and find new ones, it must be responsive to what the customer says about them and asks of them.
This does not mean that a business must take action to every comment [...]
Jun 01 2009
The gentleman sitting next to me on a recent cross-country flight was in a talkative mood, so after learning that he was a small business owner, I got him to discuss his hiring practices. He proudly told me that in addition to recent college graduates, and experienced professionals, he regularly hires applicants from disadvantaged and [...]
May 19 2009
There are an awful lot of things that get in the way of our success, whether the objective is looking for and finding work, or any other personally important endeavor. Fear of rejection and failure in the job search are among the most cited concerns voiced by job seekers. “What if I don’t get the [...]
Apr 20 2009
A client recently called to say she had just returned from an interview with a company where she really wanted to work, and that she felt her interview went very well. I asked why she felt so confident that she had a good interview, and she said, “I had no trouble answering all their questions, [...]
Apr 06 2009
One of the questions I get asked most often is: “Do I need to customize my resume for each job that I apply for?”
Unless you are applying for only one specific kind of job with little variance to the functions you want to perform (and even then so), the answer is Yes, you do need [...]