Tag Archives: Make Your Case

Respect, Honesty, & Loyalty

October 17, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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Respect, honesty, and loyalty are value- laden words that mean different things to different people for different reasons: “My boss doesn’t respect me”, she said. “He’s hurtful, he makes me angry and I don’t want him anywhere near me.” He doesn’t respect her. From what she said and how she said it I assumed he used foul language and called her demeaning and humiliating names. I asked her for some examples of what he had Continue reading →

Rude Behavior 2

May 15, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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Last week I described a job candidate I’ll call Sam, who was flabbergasted to find he’d been eliminated from competition because the interviewer viewed his behavior as unacceptable. This is Sam’s version of what happened: Sam had a busy morning and as a result, was late getting to his interview. When he arrived, the receptionist asked him to wait for an escort to Human Resources. Several minutes passed before he was accompanied to the interviewer’s Continue reading →

Woah, Time Out!

March 27, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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Last week I described a job seeker who’s currently employed and absolutely miserable. She blames her distress on her boss. She describes him as “arrogant, dismissive, rude, and insulting” and vows not to take it anymore. Her solution? “I’m leaving. I have no idea what I’m going to do next but whatever it is, it can’t be worse than what I have here.” Erin (not her real name) says she likes her work and is Continue reading →

Readers Respond to “No Excuses” Article

August 18, 2010 by Joyce Richman
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My August 8, 2010 career column in the Greensboro News & Record, entitled, “Excuses Get You Nowhere,” generated a few responses that I wanted to share with blog readers.  First, a few summary bullet points of the column if you don’t have time to click through to the News & Record: Excuses, no matter how valid, justified or prevalent, are your own worst enemy in finding a job. Take your excuses and find a way Continue reading →

Advice for the Advice-Giver

June 1, 2010 by Joyce Richman
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If you’re a frequent reader, you know that I typically offer advice to job seekers, providing strategies for getting and keeping jobs. I often suggest they contact you, as possible references, networking contacts, and prospective employers, and in turn, ask that when you offer your wisdom and perspective you’re doing it to help them stay on the road and out of the ruts they inevitably encounter. It occurred to me that you might want a Continue reading →

Bottom Line: You Didn’t Have a Bad Reference, It’s the Interview

March 30, 2010 by Joyce Richman
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Q:  I recently lost my job and have not been able to find another. I left my last job on not good terms with my former employer and I think they’re giving me a bad reference. I’ve had a couple of interviews with different companies and was told each time that I’d be getting a second interview. When I wouldn’t hear back I’d call and they’d tell me the position had been filled. Is there Continue reading →

Job Search After a Felony

February 23, 2010 by Joyce Richman
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Q: “I’ve recently been released from prison and want to get back into my profession. I’ve been trying to re hone my skills but given my felony record am I just spinning my wheels? What do I say when I’m asked about the lapse in my employment? A. You’re not spinning your wheels, you will find employment, and you will have some real challenges ahead. Let’s start with the first hurdles to overcome, and go Continue reading →

Networking Your Way Into a New Career

November 17, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Networking: the expression is abused, misused and under-explained. What is it and why should you care? Networking is the best way to find a job, change jobs, or even change careers. Doing it right takes time, patience, and persistence. Doing it wrong is a waste of effort, energy, and opportunity. Networking means having focused conversations with individuals who can directly or indirectly influence the direction of your career search. Networking means finding people whose character Continue reading →

Be A Team Player

September 21, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Most people consider themselves team players. Many of their team-mates disagree. Patrick Lencioni, in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, does a deep dive into what produces highly functional teams as well as what creates dysfunction.  He lists behaviors that derail the best of intentions as 1. Absence of trust. 2. Fear of conflict. 3. Lack of commitment 4. Avoidance of accountability and 5. Inattention to results. In For Your Improvement, A Guide Continue reading →

Know Who You Are

September 10, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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In your quest to find the right job you’ll need to maximize every interaction and leverage every opportunity. You can do that if you know who you are, what you want, and a good match when you see one. To know who you are requires an understanding what’s important to you and an inventory of your intrinsic beliefs and extrinsic rewards; what you do best (strengths); what you want to accomplish (potential); and how you’re Continue reading →

Do’s and Don’ts in Your Career

September 7, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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If you like self-help articles that give you five ways to do this and five ways to do that, today’s column doubles your pleasure or diminishes your fun: Ten ways to get derailed and ten ways to stay on track. 1. If you expect your workmates to understand your bad moods, tolerate foul language, and ignore big blunders, you’re in for a bumpy ride: they can’t, they don’t and they won’t. Instead, clean up your Continue reading →

Get Out There With the Right Foot Forward

August 31, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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It’s competitive out there, the market is tight, and you want to be at your best when you interview. Attitude counts.  If you mentally argue with interviewers or imagine them as barriers to the job you want you’ll undermine whatever you say or do. Instead, think partnership. Think together you can make this happen, for the company and for your career. Put your best foot forward: Lead with your strengths. Match your strengths to opportunities. Continue reading →

Tips for your Job Search

August 24, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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“It’s been more than three weeks since I sent my resume to a local company and I haven’t heard a peep out of them. The ad didn’t say whom I should call to follow up so I’ve tried several different departments and I haven’t heard anything.  By now I’ve called several more times and I’ve started leaving messages that indicate how irritated I am at their obvious indifference to my search. Give me a break! Continue reading →

Sharpen Your Writing and Speaking Skills

August 20, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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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 Continue reading →

Always Have a Plan B

August 13, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Today’s job market requires a great deal from employees: patience, drive, self-awareness, cultural sensitivity, business acumen, flexibility, adaptability, versatility, resiliency, and that’s just for starters. Today’s workforce has become increasingly aware of and responsive to what employers want and they do their best to deliver it. What many need and don’t have is a good, reliable Plan B. “It’s tough enough having Plan A, why do we need a Plan B?” Circumstances change, people change, Continue reading →

Don’t Burn Bridges Better Left Standing

August 10, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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Three employees are headed toward what’s next and appear to be having some trouble leaving behind what was. They’re stuck at a prickly juncture on route to an unfamiliar place. Each wants to even a score: “I was recently let go from my job and I’m still reeling from the experience. I feel like I was set up to fail. I want to write a letter to the plant manager letting him know just what Continue reading →

Asking for Honest Feedback

August 3, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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You can repeat your mistakes or learn from them. That’s up to you. Life’s lessons are many and varied. Some are easier to understand than others. When it comes to interviewing it’s hard to know what comment, question, response, smile, frown, or explanation got in the way of your winning first prize. There are too many X’s and Y’s, too many unknowns, and too little opportunity to find out what worked and what didn’t. To Continue reading →

A Cautionary Tale

July 9, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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I typically dedicate this column to active job seekers, providing strategies, techniques, and best practices to enable them to reach the kind of outcomes that will be personally and professionally satisfying. I got a call last week from Alex (not even close to his real name) who asked that I tell you his story. It’s not about how he’s looking for a job. It’s about why. Alex was fired four weeks ago. He wants to Continue reading →

Basic Interviewing Mistakes

July 7, 2009 by Joyce Richman
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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 →