Good at Your Job

December 3, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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When you like what you do and you’re happy doing it, you’ll be pretty good at it and others will likely think so too. When the economy is strong and you’re good at what you do, have a positive attitude, and make a positive difference to the intended end user, you’ll keep your job and have a pretty decent chance of getting another one. When the economy is weak, your talent and tenacity, work ethic Continue reading →

What Does It Take?

November 26, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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What does it take to advance in an interview? There are many personality attributes that impact the outcome of that first interview: Your energy, your self awareness, your level of preparation, your curiosity, and your sense of optimism. Those elements, if positive, in combination with being a reasonable match to the opportunity, should move you through to the next round. What does it take to improve your odds of keeping your job or getting another? Continue reading →

Show Stopping Mistakes

November 19, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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Without intending, you might be making some big mistakes when looking for a job. Here’s a heads-up that can keep you out of serious trouble: Don’t bash your former company, boss, or co-workers, no matter how unfairly you feel you were treated. If you have a bona fide complaint, take it to the EEOC and let them sort it out. If you don’t have a case , but you’re angry and want everyone to know Continue reading →

Door Openers for New Graduates

November 12, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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Q: I’m frustrated. I graduated college in May, thinking that my degree would open doors of opportunity. Well, it hasn’t. If a door opens, it shuts immediately because I don’t have the experience the companies are looking for. How am I supposed to have experience if I’ve just finished college? A: Many new graduates are sharing that same frustration. How can you get experience when you can’t get hired because you don’t have any experience? Continue reading →

3 Words for When You’re Talented and Adrift

October 29, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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This story is  an example of many  I have heard from talented people  who, despite their many gifts, are adrift when trying to find a future as challenging as it is personally rewarding. I’m lost and I need help. I don’t know what I want to do and I don’t how to figure it out. I’m floundering, doing different jobs, hoping I’d find the right work, the right place and the right people, and nothing’s Continue reading →

Been blindsided lately?

October 1, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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It’s noon and you’re driving to a crosstown lunch meeting with a key client. You were late leaving the office and now you’re stuck in traffic. It’s hot, you’re frustrated and agitated and focused on one thing only: getting to the restaurant before you lose the client and the account. The car in front of you is barely moving so you lean on the horn and pull out to pass it and ka-bam! You’re hit Continue reading →

If You Want Them to Do a Good Job, Give Them Feedback

September 17, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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Joe hadn’t received performance feedback in several years. When it finally came he wasn’t prepared and took it like a kick in the gut. “You have to be kidding! All this time, I don’t hear anything, and this is what you have to tell me? That people have a problem with me? A problem? They ought to be lovin’ me; they owe their jobs to me. This is the thanks I get? We’ll just see Continue reading →

Unspoken Messages

September 10, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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If you don’t think that body language has power all its own, read this employer’s account of an interview he recently conducted: “The applicant’s resume described a real go-getter who had accomplished a great deal in a short period of time. His academic credentials were as impressive as his letters of recommendation. You can imagine my surprise and disappointment when he settled into the chair across from me. The live version of the paper hero Continue reading →

The Cautionary Tale of Sam Smiley

August 27, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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Sam Smiley went into sales because everyone told him he’d be a natural. He was affable, caring, beloved by old ladies and gents, wee babies and young nannies. Sam took to sales like a duck to water until business fell off and he had to sink or swim. No matter how much Sam sweet-talked his customers and asked about their children, he wasn’t able to meet his sales targets. Now he’s going to lose his Continue reading →

No-fail Prep Strategies for Any Interview or Networking Meeting

August 13, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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If you have a networking meeting or an important interview coming up, you want to be ready. And, there’s no time like the present to brush up on your preparation strategies. Go to the company’s web site; review their history and their mission statement. Learn their product mix, business locations, and if they’re global, where they are headquartered. Read profiles of their senior officers and if they publish an annual report, look it over. If Continue reading →

Stuck at a Career Crossroads

June 11, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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Two people are stuck at a career intersection. Each wants more than he has and doesn’t know which way to turn. Sam is quick, spontaneous, and always in motion. He’s bright and loves a challenge, particularly if it combines mental and physical dexterity. He won’t stay with something long, so once he gets what he’s after, he moves on to whatever’s next. Sam is dutiful and respectful; absent minded and inattentive. He’s always apologizing for Continue reading →

Over…Under… Just get out of the way

June 4, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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You are driving us to distraction. You are the people who over-promise and under-deliver. You fall short of our expectations because you created and inflated them. You disappoint, frustrate, and spend more emotional capital then you have, and then you’re surprised when there’s nothing left in the Bank of I Trusted You. You’re optimistic and well meaning, that’s for sure, and in your effort to please us, you agree to meet our demands and objectives Continue reading →

I Can’t Leave – Part 1

May 5, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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“I’ve had it with this company. They don’t appreciate me. This may be a dumb thing to do because I don’t have another job to go to, but I’m leaving here and everyone knows why.” It may be a dumb thing to do. Before you get all riled up at my response, I didn’t say you’re dumb. I’m just repeating what you said to me. Here’s what else I heard you say: You give considerably Continue reading →

More Questions from Readers

January 8, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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Q: I’ve heard that I’m supposed to send a thank you note after every interview. I think that’s nonsense. Interviewers don’t give me anything so why should I thank them? A: You’re not the only one who questions the notion of sending thank you letters to prospective employers, so this is a good opportunity to reframe the issue. The purpose of the letter is to move the interview process forward. Open with a “thank you for Continue reading →

Sticky Interviews

January 1, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Health tell us that memorable stories, stories that stick, are simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, and emotional. The Heath brothers may not have consciously applied that perspective to the art of interviewing, but its well worth the effort. An interview that works is memorable. It is complexity simplified; a conversation between equals that is grounded by unexpected clarity and purpose. It’s concrete; the speaker succinctly describing a learning experience in Continue reading →

More Q&A

December 25, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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Q: What’s the best way to answer the “tell me about yourself” question? Should I start with where I’m from? Where I went to school? Or what my work experience has been? A: Answer with how you can make a difference to the employer who’s sitting in front of you. . That’s what she wants to know. If she wants something more or something else she’ll promptly say so. Q: I get the feeling that Continue reading →

Questions from Readers

December 18, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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Thanks for your calls, emails, and the questions you’re asking. Here are a few examples: Q: I have a question about my resume. I’ve worked for many companies, held both hourly and salaried positions, volunteered for countless committees, and traveled to every state in the US. Because I’ve accomplished so much I can’t possibly include it all in a two- page resume. I figure it’ll take about five pages if I use small type. How Continue reading →

You Get to Decide

December 4, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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“I love this company. The people are great and I really like what I do. Everyone is friendly, smart, and considerate. And I’m worried sick. Why? I think our jobs are going to be outsourced and no one’s going to tell us until the day the doors close.” What are your options? “I don’t have any because it hasn’t happened yet, so I can’t do anything. I’m sure something bad is around the corner and Continue reading →

The Checklist

November 26, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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Whether you’re looking for a job or just thinking about it, you have work to do before you head out to your first interview. Here’s a quick list of gotta-do’s before you get going: Self-assessment: This is your starting point. You need to clarify what you do well and enjoy doing before you start interviewing. Validate your perspective with those who know and can assess your performance. If they give you a thumbs-up, ask them Continue reading →