Bob went for his interview at a major market radio station excited and grateful that he was being considered to fill a rare and much coveted on-air news position. He felt prepared to meet the station’s news director, and had done a lot of research about this station, its lengthy ratings dominance, its audience and…
Among the issues I get to frequently talk to job seekers about is how to transition from one career to another. For many shifting gears and their career focus, there is an almost natural progression that might emanate from the development of new skills or successfully tackling a progression of more difficult responsibilities. For others,…
Ah yes, the end of the year. Now is the time year when almost anyone with an audience looks back on the past twelve months to reflect on the best of this, and most important of that. Brief perspectives such as the “top ten list” can be very handy in providing a close-up view of…
There was a time not too long ago when job seekers routinely sent out their job search documents to unknown recipients. More times than not job announcements instructed job seekers to send their resumes and cover letters to blind addresses – Post Office boxes or routing numbers in care of the newspaper that ran the…
Over the last 10-15 years there have been a lot of changes in the way we look for work. Some of these changes have been subtle, while others have been more dramatic. But at the core of a search job seekers must still get their work histories and skills in front of decision makers. And…
This is a question every job seeker eventually needs to ask her/himself. “How far am I willing to go for my job?” Certainly most folks want to go as far in their careers as they possibly can, but this is more a question of physical and geographic distance than of accomplishment. How far are you…
Are you judged by the company you keep? When it comes to your job search, frequently the answer is Yes! Networking with the right people can mean the difference between success and failure in your hunt for the right job. But for many job seekers, where to meet the right people is the problem. If…
Statistics from the US Department of Labor indicate that those entering the workforce now will likely change careers at least five times in the course of their working lives. Not just change jobs, but change careers. Some will discover that they are not cut out for the careers they planned, or they have burned out…
What do the following scenarios have in common? Making a new contact at a networking event A job interview Sending out your resume A date that went better than expected When you say, “I’ll call you later.” These and so many other circumstances involving your career and your personal life require that you “make a…
Listen and repeat! For many years, high school students had that phrase drilled into their heads when they were learning a foreign language. Regardless of the foreign language being studied, the prerecorded voice of the instructors in the widely used ALM series preceded each expression with “Listen and repeat.” In those days, students learned key…
I’ve admitted in this space on multiple occasions that I don’t have a crystal ball and have no idea what the future will really hold. Thinking about the economy, the ongoing high unemployment rate, wars, natural disasters, it is hard to stay optimistic. But over the past few weeks, my outlook on things seemed to…
Not if you’re getting your education from vocational schools, according to a new study recently released from the US Government Accounting Office. Having received a number of complaints, the Feds investigated a number of private vocational schools, often referred to as “career colleges,” for making false claims and using deceptive recruiting practices. Generally, the claims…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
