Tag Archives: Mistakes

What Should I Include?

May 21, 2013 by Joyce Richman
No comments
“I’m confused. What’s more important to include in a resume: an objective or a summary? Is it better to include references or say they’re available upon request? Is it smarter to name prominent people (I know a few) as my references or list people who really know me? It is wiser to include all my years of experience or just my best years?” No wonder you’re confused, you’re all options and no answers. Let’s sort Continue reading →

Start & Stop

July 24, 2012 by Joyce Richman
No comments
If you want to start doing something, you need to stop doing what was getting in the way. Some of these ideas might get you going or encourage you to adopt a few starts and stops of your own: Start focusing on long- term objectives and figure out strategies to get there. Stop focusing on short- term goals at the expense of what’s important, long term. Start focusing on your total presence, your confidence, capabilities, Continue reading →

Tell Your Story

July 17, 2012 by Joyce Richman
No comments
The interviewer asks you to describe your strengths. You respond by reciting a ready list of tidy, scouts-honor phrases. “I’m loyal, honest, hard-working….” Are you making points with the interviewer? Probably not. She’s heard the same or something similar from everyone she’s asked. Rather than parrot words that may be true but sound like the National Anthem of all Job Seekers, advance your candidacy. Describe your attributes in ways that demonstrate your understanding of what Continue reading →

Rude Behavior

May 8, 2012 by Joyce Richman
No comments
Bummer. You’ve spent weeks practicing answers to the toughest questions, days improving your resume, hours finding the right thing to wear, only to learn you weren’t made a job offer because the interviewer said you had bad manners. “Bad manners! Can you believe it?” slumped the client. “Tell me what happened”, I said politely, while correcting my posture and rejecting an overwhelming urge to remove a piece of celery from a niche somewhere between my Continue reading →

What can you learn from these seven snapshots?

January 25, 2011 by Joyce Richman
No comments
#1 – I’ve been turned down by an employer who obviously doesn’t know talent when he sees it. For example, he asked me technical questions that I couldn’t answer. So I made up stuff that sounded pretty good, considering I didn’t know what I was talking about. He didn’t seem to appreciate my answers, or my jokes. Instead, he peered at me from over his glasses and read his questions off a long sheet of Continue reading →

Career Warnings

October 12, 2010 by Joyce Richman
No comments
Warning to Workaholics on Vacation No beach is warm enough, no pool deep enough, no book long enough to keep you from the next call, the next report, the next conquest. No companion is fun enough, no escapade strange enough, no catacomb deep enough, to keep you from the next deal and the next plane that gets you to where the heat is hot enough, the mountain high enough, the trial tribulation enough, to make Continue reading →

Own Your Mistakes: Actions Bring Consequences

April 20, 2010 by Joyce Richman
No comments
If you’re like many hard drivers, you can be more than a little defensive when criticized for something you’ve said or done. “What do you mean, I’m defensive? I’m just explaining what happened and why I did what I did!” “That’s what I mean, you’re acting defensive. Just admit that you were rude this morning. I was in the middle of an important presentation and you cut me off.” “Rude? How was I rude? You Continue reading →

Placing Our Challenges in a Time Capsule

December 29, 2009 by Joyce Richman
No comments
Time Capsules. Why would anyone in 2110 be interested in what we did or thought in 2010 if no one seems to care about what we’re thinking or doing right now. “That? We did that.” “Been there, done that.” “Oh no, not that!” Are they likely to be intrigued by the artifacts of our technology? Influenced by the incivility of our interactions? Impressed by the chaotic management of our business processes? We haven’t done a Continue reading →

Are You a Greater Risk Than a Reward?

November 4, 2009 by Joyce Richman
No comments
How’s this for a cautionary tale? “He is so blatant in his demands it’s just breathtaking. That’s his style; impolite, self centered, arrogant, dismissive. I’m not alone in this opinion but I may be the only one willing to take what he dishes out. I’ve been working here ten years, the last five, for him. I’m one of the few still standing. He intimidates everyone, including our company’s President. We’ve had constant churn since he Continue reading →

Don’t Just Work Hard and Be Smart: Work Smart!

November 4, 2009 by Joyce Richman
No comments
Carolyn (not her real name) comes to work tied up in knots and goes home the same way. She’s worried that she won’t have enough time to get her job done. She’s worried that someone will ask her a question that she can’t answer. She’s worried that she’ll never be as smart as she needs to be. If Carolyn were the only victim of her angst, that would be difficult enough. But she isn’t. Everyone Continue reading →

Never Drop the Ball in Your Job Search

August 17, 2009 by Joyce Richman
No comments
This caller wanted to be sure that other job seekers didn’t make the same mistakes he did so he shared his story… “I’d been looking for work for several months, first staying local, then extending my search well beyond the Triad, all in an effort to snag something, anything that would work. I had just about run out of hope when I got a call, then another, one interview, two interviews, two companies then three! Continue reading →

Managing Up Mistakes

July 14, 2009 by Joyce Richman
No comments
Tad was so busy managing up to his boss his subordinates fired him. “You’re kidding me! What happened?” Well, it’s the cautionary tale of a high-achieving, very focused fellow who knew the only place he wanted to go was up. With a combination of good grades, dazzling smile, and an ingratiating personality he easily gained acceptance to his first choice in undergraduate and graduate schools. He was first in his class and first of his Continue reading →

Basic Interviewing Mistakes

July 7, 2009 by Joyce Richman
No comments
In life, little things can become big things. In job search, little things are the big things. Last week I described some big mistakes that job seekers make and asked you to compare them to the do’s and don’ts you’ve been practicing. Here are a few more, just to keep you thinking: What to wear: How to dress is a matter of concern to many interviewees who ask what they should wear if it’s casual Continue reading →