No matter how you look at it, hunting a job is hard work. In fact, there's nothing easy about it, particularly in troubled times. There is never a smooth path between effort and reward. Setbacks and frustration are the order of the day. Success requires discipline, consistency of effort, energy and a big dose of positive thinking.
"It's easy to get discouraged, because in this market, getting hired will take longer than you thought," declares Tory Johnson, chief executive officer of Women For H…
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Added by Ramon Greenwood on August 12, 2009 at 10:49am —
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Common Sense Career Advice
by
Ramon Greenwood
It is wise to spend some time examining the question as to why people make bad decisions because there's an inescapable correlation between the quality of one's decisions at work and the total of one's career success.
"Think Again: Why Good Leaders Make Bad Decisions and How To Keep It From Happening To You", a new book co-authored by Sydney Finkelstein, a professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, provides some keen insight on the issue.
M…
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Added by Ramon Greenwood on April 6, 2009 at 12:17pm —
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Interviews can be stressful part of the job search process. A way to alleviate some of that stress is to make sure that you are well prepared. Below are some common questions that people often feel tense about and sometimes need some coaching on how they might best answer them.
1) What are your strengths/weaknesses?
2) Why are you leaving your current position?
3) What are your salary expectations?
The first question above is a bit of a tricky one and the interviewer is looking for an answer…
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Added by Laura Whitelaw on March 15, 2009 at 6:01pm —
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"Create a vision and never let the environment, other people's beliefs, or the limits of what has been done in the past shape your decisions. Ignore conventional wisdom." - Anthony Robbins
Almost every news item these days is about job losses, bailouts and stimulus packages...pretty despairing stuff. This past January, 129,000 Canadians lost their jobs; Bombardier announced recently that it was laying off 1,320 employees; Chrysler is thinking of temporarily closing down some of its plants. One…
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Added by Daisy Wright on March 12, 2009 at 12:50pm —
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There is an old saying that goes, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. So, how do you tap into the hidden job market if the people you know aren’t able to help you connect with a job in the career of your choice? Well, they probably know someone that does. Have you heard of the six degrees of separation? The six degrees of separation is a theory that you are only six people away from knowing everyone on the planet. In fact a trivia game was created a few years ago called, “The Six Degree…
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Added by Laura Whitelaw on March 10, 2009 at 3:48pm —
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15 Seconds....
That's how long the average reviewer spends on your resume, before making an interview/no interview decision. That's
IF your resume gets beyond a database search.
To put it in perspective, think about what you can do in 15 seconds: Brush your teeth, kiss your significant other, uncork a bottle of wine, pour a beer, load the washing machine, pour coffee, tie your shoes, put on your shirt, tie your tie, or watch Monty Python's Slapping Fish Dance.
So how can you…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on September 19, 2008 at 9:52pm —
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This question is asked at the end of most interviews, and it gives the candidate a chance to shine and stand out from the pack. Do you come loaded with questions, or do you end an interview saying that all your questions were answered?
Most candidates clam up at this point, giving the impression that they are uninterested or unprepared. It’s a huge mistake.
A more effective strategy is to come loaded with questions, so you’ll always have a few left for the end of each interview. You’ll want di…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on September 18, 2008 at 5:21pm —
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Yes, I’m a Twit, though still a baby twit. I’m a baby Twit because I’m new to another Social Networking phenomena, Twitter.
Twitter lets you tell the world what you are doing in 140 characters or less. You can send short SMS (text messages) to the world through Twitter, plus use it to automatically update your FaceBook status.
Why would anyone who’s not in school care? That’s what I wondered. I tried it out, and thought it was silly. I looked at Twitter as something my kids, in the text messag…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on September 16, 2008 at 9:30pm —
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When I’m asked for resume advice, I’ll often first ask…what's your resume’s hit ratio, or response rate? Usually, this question is answered by the sound of crickets.
It surprises me, especially Finance and Technology professionals whose professional lives revolve around measuring and interpreting data, don’t think to measure the effectiveness of their resume. Isn’t it natural to track how well your resume works for you?
At a minimum, couldn’t you easily track how many callbacks, interviews, an…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on September 15, 2008 at 1:34am —
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I’m amazed I actually have to write this article.
Why do fewer than 10% of all candidates blow off the easiest way to stand out? It’s so simple…the thank you note. Yet so few take advantage of writing a simple thank you…so it’s a huge advantage to those who do.
Why write a Thank You note? Here’s 5 reasons:
1. Thank Yous remind the hiring manager who you are
2. Thank Yous show the hiring manager that you REALLY want the job
3. Thank Yous give you an opportunity to highlight why you can uniquel…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on September 13, 2008 at 7:30pm —
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And so does yours…. I don’t even have to see it to know it stinks. How can I know this?
Because it’s a resume, and resumes stink. They don’t work well in today’s world because they only work one direction….you to the employer. Resumes don’t grab the employer's attention, and don’t allow the employer to communicate back to you. So what’s a better way? The same way I’m reaching you!
Hats off to marketing guru Seth Godin, because he “gets it”. I’ll explain tactics of how to create this in later p…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on September 11, 2008 at 6:12pm —
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This U.S. News & World Report article (
Five Tips on Finding a New Job) provides a great overview of how to be successful in today’s job search market.
The article talks about the importance of personal branding, Social Networking, Blogging, and promoting yourself as a Subject Matter Expert as specific job search strategies.
I disagree with how they describe tactics of leveraging your network. T…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on September 6, 2008 at 7:00pm —
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I’m quoting this blog entry by Seth Godin, author of a dozen brilliant marketing books and Seth’s Blog.
Seth’s comments are simple, yet remarkable. Incredibly encouraging and powerful. Our greatest opportunities are borne from our greatest problems. Think about it….the greatest inventions and companies are founded because they solve a problem.
Try not to view the upcoming recession, the Real Estate…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on September 4, 2008 at 3:53am —
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Want to communicate your subject matter expertise to a targeted audience, or would a scatter shot approach be more effective?
If you want a tightly targeted audience, that will have a high likelihood of facing problems that you are uniquely qualified to solve, then check out Facebook’s groups, one of its most powerful features.
Facebook is all about database segmentation, to allow highly targeted marketing. So why not use the same features that financial services, auto, and CPG companies see i…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on September 2, 2008 at 6:02pm —
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This week, we get inside the head of
Justin Roy, Chief Operating Officer of
SullivanKreiss, one of the nation’s largest recruiters of Architects and Building/Design Engineers.
Justin is responsible for the management of recruiting operations, along with client and project development. He has extensive experience with all aspects of executive-level, key management, and technical…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on August 29, 2008 at 7:09pm —
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www.Razume.com is an interesting social resume tool that allows job seekers to post resumes for public review and comment. I'm a featured resume reviewer for Razume.
Career Coaches, Recruiters and Resume Writers tear your resume to digital shreds, giving job seekers free feedback. It's good for the job seeker who gets free advice, and it's good for the reviewer, who gets publicity.
Your name and personal information is blocked, so no nosy co-workers or bosses can see that you're "polishin' up…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on August 29, 2008 at 6:20pm —
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Ever get all excited for an interview, only to be frustrated that it didn’t go as well as planned? Maybe your experience wasn’t portrayed in its best light, or your many accomplishments weren’t valued.
How can you avoid this outcome, and take control of the interview?
It’s really not that hard….partially it’s how you approach the interview, and partially how you employ some interview tactics.
Change your approach:
So how do you change your…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on August 24, 2008 at 8:00pm —
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I'm a life and career coach, and if you're looking for someone to coach you about something in your life or career, I may be a good match for you.
Then again, maybe not.
Coaching, as you can imagine, is not a one-size-fits-all service. That's why it's important to know before you start shopping for a coach what specifically you want. For example:
* Are you having trouble in your job search?
* Are you thinking about changing careers and have no idea where to start?
* Are you looking to advance…
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Added by Heather Mundell on August 12, 2008 at 3:19pm —
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So what’s all the fuss over Web 2.0?
Web 2.0 is the interactive web, where users provide the content. Why does that matter to a job seeker?
Because Web 2.0 gives every job seeker the opportunity to promote subject matter expertise. Web 2.0 gives multiple formats and platforms and tools to allow job seekers to announce to the world “I know my stuff!”.…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on June 16, 2008 at 2:00am —
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There’s been a controversy going on within the LinkedIN crowd for years.
Is it more effective for your job search to build a LinkedIN network of close personal connections? Or instead, build a network with a broad reach, but weak connections?
It depends on your purpose, and networking style. If you’re reading this blog, chances are your purpose is to change careers or jobs. Also think about how your network can be beneficial AFTER you land your new job.
So let’s consider your networking style…
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Added by Phil Rosenberg on June 9, 2008 at 12:15am —
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Career Advice: How To Win The Chase For A Job
How To Answer Three Uncomfortable Interview Questions
7 Career Survival Tips for Turbulent Times
Turn Your 15 Seconds into Interviews
How to Find the Right Career Coach
