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…
You’re out of work, spending a lot of time in front of the computer looking for job leads. You go to networking and chamber of commerce events, attend job fairs, and try to be where you meet potential employers. But this has been going on too long and its getting old fast! And though you’ve…
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…
One of the questions I frequently get asked is: Do I really need to send a Thank You note after an interview? The Thank You letter has almost disappeared as a message of appreciation in today’s fast paced age of computers, email, and online social networking. But communicating your gratitude is no less important today…
On a New York commuter train last week the two strangers sitting across from me became engaged in a career discussion. The gentleman, casually dressed, older, appeared close to retirement age; the woman also casually dressed, appeared to be in her early 30’s. It was just simple commuter banter – small talk. The man was…
Increasingly employers frown on fraternization between coworkers, and include specific references and the consequences to such behavior in their employee manuals. More and more employers just don’t want to deal with the potential sexual harassment issues that can erupt when relationships between coworkers don’t work out. Despite the good intentions of employees, sometimes what starts…
“Have Gun – Will Travel reads the card of man.” So went the lines of the theme song (and title) to the popular western starring Richard Boone as Paladin, a soldier of fortune and gun for hire that ran on CBS from 1957 through 1963. Here was a guy who liberally passed out business cards…
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…
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…
Attention Employers! Like most business operators today, you are concerned with the maximizing resources, particularly your best assets. You have a staff of wonderful, talented people who have shown you great loyalty and devotion. Without this human capital you could never have achieved your success! But times are hard! Though you don’t want to, you…
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,…
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…
For many people, introducing one’s self to a complete stranger is a very painful experience. Believe me, I know! It’s much easier for me to address a room full of people (strangers or not), than to introduce myself to someone I don’t know!! But to overcome my discomfort talking with strangers took commitment and determination. …
Recently I met with a small business owner and we discussed recruiting for his growing business. When I asked him if he did any of his recruiting online and if he looked at resumes posted on job search sites, he answered with a very enthusiastic “Yes!”. He told me he has been successful in filling…
In school, were you the one who always had a better/different way of doing things? When the teacher was explaining that 2 + 2 = 4, were you the one who said the same result could be achieved by adding 3 +1? Or by subtracting 1 from 5? If you’re still looking at things a…
Whether you are a new graduate looking for your first major gig, or an experienced professional who has been laid off, open and honest communication with your network of family, friends and industry peers is your best bet for making headway in your job search. It is not uncommon to feel withdrawn when you’re out…
An Objective statement on your resume, and reiterated in your cover letter is a concise way for you to communicate your career goals. Too often Objective statements are written as flowery batches of verbiage that convey little or nothing about the job seeker’s real aspirations. Once upon a time it was OK to use a…
