Real-world advice for today's job market
Real-world advice for today's job market
I’ve heard hundreds of stories about people who’ve gone to multiple interviews, met hiring managers and team members, gotten their hopes up about what seemed like a slam dunk … only to be ‘ghosted’. No word back, not a phone call or even an email, despite polite messages requesting an update. What are you supposed to do when you’re ghosted? Read More
I’ll never understand how someone can sleep at night when they spend their time taking advantage of other people. Even more so, when the people they target are already vulnerable. There’s a particularly vile brand of scammer who targets people looking for a job; people who in many cases are already vulnerable and lacking confidence, and sometimes already feeling a financial pinch. Let’s take a closer look at job scams to see how they work, and how you can protect yourself.
As a candidate interviewing for jobs, you can harness the power of storytelling. It can be powerful, too; some of the best interview moments I remember are ones where I was drawn in by a compelling story that illustrated the point a candidate was making. Read More
The focus of most of my blogs is what happens between your last day at your last job, and your first day at your next one. Sometimes when you’re employed, though, you wonder ‘should I change jobs?’ Let’s look at four of the most common reasons people quit, and what (in most cases) I would recommend you do for each one. Read More
As a candidate working with a recruiter, it’s to your benefit to help them be as efficient as possible. There are aspects of this that you can’t control. The suitability of your experience and qualifications for the job I’m hiring for, for example. It’s either a good fit, or it’s not. There’s one thing you can control, though. That factor is: friction. Read More
How can you make a great first impression? The first few moments of any meeting can be anxiety-inducing for many people. Unless you’re a natural extravert who’s energized by social interaction, and small talk comes easily to you, greetings can feel strained and awkward. A job interview amps any tension up even further, because of the context. There’s a power imbalance at play, of course, and if a lot is riding on the meeting (the job is one you really want or need, or both), the pressure in that moment can be pretty high.
I’d like to share with you three areas where otherwise good candidates have made a poor first impression, so that you can avoid making the same mistakes.
Knowing the skills and strengths you bring to each of your jobs is more than just about having answers to the interview questions about them. That knowledge can also point you towards jobs that are a better fit for you, and also help you to write really excellent resumes and cover letters when you’re applying for them.
In a perfect world, every working person would be doing inventories of both skills and strengths on an ongoing basis. When embarking on an active job search, it’s essential.
In any target sport, hitting your mark is a matter of disciplined preparation, careful aim, and a perfect release. Targeting job applications is no different. If you take the time, each application you send will have a greater chance of hitting the bullseye and landing you an interview. Read More
As a candidate being interviewed, it’s in your best interest to be listening as closely as you can. But in an interview, in the context of being assessed and evaluated, there’s a lot going on. It’s very difficult to remain truly ‘in the moment’. It will be helpful for you to train yourself for active listening.
The resume is, clearly, one of the most important parts of any job search. When deciding whether you’re a good enough fit to spend time interviewing, recruiters base that decision on that document above all else. Words on a page can get you in the door, or they can close it forever. But does your resume get you screened in, or screened out? Read More