What to Worry About With References (It’s Not What You Think)

When it comes to references, you may be spending way too much time worrying about what you can’t control and too little time working on what you can. With that in mind, let’s put reference checks and checkers in perspective so you can put your energy where it counts. For starters, a company representative will likely check your references If you are one of the top candidates for a job opening. If you’re not in Continue reading →

Four Completely Avoidable Mistakes by Job Seekers

Job seekers, you, like the rest of us, are human (that was never in doubt) and like the rest of us, you can make mistakes. Here are some of the avoidable mistakes I see you making that not only trip you up, they cause your job search to take longer than necessary. You don’t know what you’re looking for and expect the interviewer to figure it out for you. They don’t. They won’t. Hear that Continue reading →

Get Organized in 3 Easy Steps

If you’re among the  “organizationally challenged” you can understand the dilemma this job seeker finds himself: “I was excited. I had an interview. The first one I’d landed in over a month. I didn’t know how to find the company so I called their switchboard to get directions.  That was smart, right? Except my call somehow went through to the president of the company. He was very patient with me, even when I couldn’t find Continue reading →

Sharpen Your Communication Skills

Sharpen your writing and speaking skills folks, because the lights are on and they’re shining on you. With every resume, cover letter, telephone call, networking meeting and interview, you’re presenting your skills and abilities in the two ways most of us have learned to communicate; you’re either writing or talking. You better be good at both. A worried reader comments that, “Introverts like me don’t have a chance against extraverted competition.” Instead of focusing on your Continue reading →

Resume Your Resume

We haven’t had a heart to heart about resumes in a while and it’s high time that we did. What you’re sending out isn’t getting the response you deserve. Here are just a few of the reasons why that’s happening: You may not know the difference between a resume and a promotional piece. You’re using the dump and stir method (dump it all in, stir it around, and let the reader figure it out). You’re Continue reading →

Stand Out In Less Than 30 Seconds

Earlier I answered questions from a frustrated job seeker who, despite stellar credentials and carpet-bombing the area with resumes, hadn’t landed his first interview. We spent some time together discussing his resume, and I provided the candid feedback he requested. It wasn’t pretty. His resume was too long, too wordy, and too hard on the eyes. It contained too much jargon, and was written in a format many interviewers reject outright. Yep, those last five Continue reading →

Common Mistakes with Resumes and Interviews

I’m often asked to describe the “one greatest error job seekers make when looking for work”. Well, you’re already ahead of me if you figured that there’s more than one, so, I’ll go through a short list of some of the more common mistakes and missteps, and you determine if you’re in the midst of making any of them. Let’s start with resumes. Many job seekers, in an effort to be all things to all Continue reading →

Handling Lay Offs & Being Fired on Your Resume

Whether you’ve been fired, laid off, or asked to leave your job without knowing why, you’re left with bigger problems than having nothing to do on Monday. The following questions address those concerns: Q: I was fired from my last job. Do I need to indicate that on my resume? A: A resume is a condensed version of your work history that lists the companies you’ve worked, the positions you’ve held, and the jobs that Continue reading →

Three Rules for Resume Writing

What are three rules that every good resume writer should follow? On average, a company representative takes about twenty seconds to review your resume. Therefore, keep it brief and on point, saying as much as you can in as few words as possible. Outline the essentials without elaboration.  Be succinct! Start with your current position and go back in time. If you did it more than 15 years ago, summarize it. Include three accomplishments for Continue reading →