In the last installment Watch Your Q’s and A’s, we talked about the differences between skills, qualifications and accomplishments. Now it’s time to take inventory of those skills. Taking stock of what you know how to do and where each skill can best be applied enables you to tell employers you have what they need…
Without minimizing the importance of being able to answer tough interview questions with concise answers, today’s column is about the other Q’s and A’s: Qualifications and Accomplishments. Qualifications and Accomplishments are the resume headings misused most frequently during job search document preparation. This happens primarily because the information revealed by both these and other headings…
Recently, I heard from Katrina, a French-born marketing assistant living in Ohio, who has spent most of her life in the United States. She has lived in many diverse locations around the globe, has traveled extensively, and considers herself industry-wise because of her world-wide exposure to her field. Katrina told me she attended college in…
When Leonard Nimoy as Star Trek’s Mr. Spock first uttered the words “Live long and prosper” in 1967 he was not referring to the length of one’s career. Although by extension, longevity in one’s chosen profession isn’t a bad thing to wish on anyone. And when the original series aired, the supposition was that most…
What happens when the conveyance you depend on for getting to work or looking for work is not functioning? Do you have a contingency plan for such situations? Have you given thought to how you would get around if your personal vehicle or local transit system wasn’t running? Last week in the San Francisco area,…
This week, I wanted to talk a bit about the analysis of your interaction with prospective employers, and their response to you and your efforts to gain employment. There is no hard-and-fast science at work here, though there are some very workable theories for the analysis and understanding of employer responses to your submissions. However,…
Patience is a virtue, and a necessity! The hardest part of any job search is the waiting. After dutifully contacting numerous employers with openings well suited to your skills and experience, you hear … nothing. Nada. Zip. Bupkis! No calls, no emails, no smoke signals. You have followed every instruction, sent every required document, without…
Did you hold on to your dreams? Do you recall when you were young and all the adults around you would ask what you wanted to be when you grew up? Did you chase those dreams into a real vocation? Did those dreams change over time? Did youthful exuberance borne of naiveté give way to…
There are lots of good resources for job seekers, but there are few as useful as industry specific directories. For almost any professional endeavor these publications reveal vast amounts of useful information for job seekers and others already working in those fields. Most industry specific directories are published at least annually, and some are updated…
It is not uncommon for adults to take pride in their personal histories and the experiences that have shaped them into who they are at this point in their lives. Our accomplishments and the goals we have attained empower us to continue our careers, try things in new and different ways and continue to grow. …
When you are out of work, control isn’t something you generally feel. But when you’re looking for work, you have more control than you may think! There are many aspects to the job search where you, the job seeker, are in control. And while you may need to exercise caution and respect exerting that control,…
A great concept, right? Frequently, however, it is overrated, or at the very least, an illusion. We attempt to have control over our lives, and just when we assume things are within our control, something happens that necessitates change. Unless you live in an hermetically sealed bubble, on a daily basis we are subject to…
There are all sorts of interviewers. Some are much better inquisitors than others. There are those who ask pertinent and relevant questions that delve into your knowledge and experience, and who understand the nuances their questions imply; and there others who ask traditional questions. And there are those who ask the “off-the-wall” questions just to…
These days, it’s more important than ever to talk with the people in your network and ask them about openings where they work. In doing so, your next job may be closer than you think because increasingly employers are sourcing appropriate candidates through the networks of their current employees. And more and more employers are…
Ah, the resume. The most used and abused document in one’s job search arsenal. I’ve seen great resumes, and I’ve seen really poor ones. You can have the best skills, and the most extensive work experience, regardless of your industry, but if the written content of your resume is not organized and presented properly it…
Recently, I read an article from Bloomberg Business Week about how many employers believe it to be more important for prospective hires to have a strong cultural match with a company’s existing staff, than it is for applicants to just have strong skills. Really? I guess I didn’t get the memo on this edict. When…
One of the things I think some people take for granted is the freedom with which we can make change to our work lives in this country. If you’re not happy on the job, feel you could be making more money, or have more control over the work, you are free to leave your job…
Happy New Year! The phrase “The Coast Is Clear” was frequently used to advise seamen that the fog had lifted and the shore could be seen from out at sea, or that the oceans and shipping lanes were clear for smooth venturing onto open water. Metaphorically, and on dry land, it also implies that it…
An old friend got in touch recently to ask about some people in my contacts list on one of my social networks. She was digging through other friends lists as well in an effort to find familiar names from our common past. Her interest, as it turns out, was to make a late stage career…
When clients tell me they aren’t sure how they did during an interview, they usually talk about all the things they claim they told their inquisitor. Granted, knowing what to say is important. But frequently, the success of an interview can hinge on what you don’t say. And sometimes, what you don’t tell your interviewer…
