There’s no question that job search is a tough job! This is particularly so in a slow economy like the one we’re experiencing now. Regardless of where you are in your career or how much experience you have, with competition for every opening being so rough, it is imperative that job seekers do everything they…
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…
What are you going to do if your job search does not produce the results you want? Motivated by the need to make money to pay bills, maybe you’ll decide to put some effort into finding contract or consulting work. You know you have marketable skills, so why not give freelancing or independent contracting a…
Despite the recent slight uptick in job growth, the graduating class of 2010 will face the toughest job search challenge of the past 20 years, maybe longer. Sadly, it will be harder for most new graduates to find work related to their degrees than in recent memory. While so many earlier generations were promised unlimited…
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…
There’s an amazing amount of injustice in the employment world these days, so please pardon my impatience and dissatisfaction with the government and employers that are making so many bad decisions, and the lives of so many so difficult! The welfare and well being of our children are at stake when over 23,000 teachers were…
You’ve been on the job for a while, and from your current position you don’t see much promise for the future. You like the company you work for, and the work you do, but aren’t feeling confident about your prospects for the career growth and advancement you thought were possible when you first applied for…
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…
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,…
Like millions of others, I spent some time this past weekend watching the NFL playoffs. Congrats to the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts, who will battle it out in the Super Bowl. Although I’m not the world’s biggest sports fan, I do enjoy watching teams try to execute their offensive and defensive strategies…
Visiting with friends during the holidays, and someone asked me if I thought it was too late for him to switch careers. As it was nearing midnight, I cracked wise, “Yes, it is too late, and there’s not much you can do about it tonight!” But it seems he was genuinely concerned about wanting to…
In many communities – urban and suburban – the current economic climate has necessitated cutbacks or elimination of services. In particular, public transportation systems around the country are taking a big hit. Routes are being altered, and in some cases eliminated. So for many, getting to work – or anyplace else for that matter –…
With the Winter Holiday Season upon us, occupying our thoughts, hearts and lives, I wanted to take a moment or two to encourage those who are out of work to keep looking and keep trying! “But who the heck is hiring, this time of year,” you ask? Maybe not as many employers are hiring right…
It’s a rare thing to be working alone, solo. While you may have myriad responsibilities that are yours and for which you must take ownership, you will be working with others as part of a team. And even if you’re self-employed, you may be working for yourself, but maybe not by yourself. Whether directly or…
In meeting with a group of recent and soon-to-be college graduates, I fielded a lot of questions about internships. Psych, Poli-Sci, Media & Communications majors, among others, shared equal interest in how to find, and get accepted into programs that would provide them a chance to gain experience and exposure to their chosen fields. Their…
That IS The Question! Whether ‘tis nobler to exhibit discretion when it comes to sharing your thoughts and experiences via Twitter, Facebook or other online social medium, or to just let it roll out your brain and onto the screens of your network of friends, family, admirers, and complete strangers. Because once it goes out,…
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…
Opinions about what belongs in a good resume are a little like belly buttons – everybody’s got one! Myself included. Career development specialists, employers, human resource professionals, corporate recruiters and head-hunters, hiring managers, department heads, and every successful job seeker, all believe they know the secrets that go into creating resumes that get results. And…
Throughout the country, state-provided resources for job seekers are drying up. Staff shortages, mandatory layoffs and furlough days that close facilities all impact the employment offices’ ability to provide comprehensive one-on-one services. It wasn’t that long ago that if you were out of work, you could have gone to your local unemployment office, talked to…
Here it is Labor Day! This is the day we honor and celebrate the hard working factory people of yesteryear, who fought and struggled for fair wages and hours. The growth of factory work during the Industrial Revolution paved the way for many of the rights and privileges workers of all stripes receive today. Competitive…
