Careers & Employment Articles

When you start a new job, you probably realize the first three months are critical to your long-term success. Everybody's eye is on the "newbie" as you learn the ropes. "Does anybody want to go to lunch?" is the wrong thing to say in a run-during-lun...

A new resume can jump-start your career. Your network contacts may ask for a resume and some industries absolutely, positively demand a resume as the price of admission. When you begin thinking of your resume as a power source, the results can be ast...

A new resume can jump-start your career. Your network contacts may ask for a resume and some industries absolutely, positively demand a resume as the price of admission. Does your resume come across as wimpy as a lettuce leaf -- the kind that hides u...

A career consultant can diagnose and overhaul a troubled resume. But you can check off the basics yourself. Mistake #1. "The mystery applicant." No contact information. Fix: List a daytime phone number and email address, right at the top of the page....

These days, interviews don't come easily. When you get The Call, make the most of your time -- and go for it! 1. Investigate the company's culture, markets, and finances. But resist the temptation to show off what you've researched: "I just read that...

You've probably been taught not to stereotype people based on race, religion or sex. But when you make a career or business decision, do you still make decisions based on stereotypes? "Insurance sales reps must be gregarious." Hal, a successful insur...

Q. Right after I accepted my new position, the manager who hired me quit. I now have a boss "Sam" who's a classic bully. He has most of the office terrorized. Every question becomes a confrontation. Last week, he walked into the conference room as I ...

Don't get discouraged! A "no" answer to any of the questions will identify an area for development -- not a roadblock. I am available to help if you would like to discuss your options in greater detail. (1) Do you offer a clear, unambiguous benefit t...

Over the years, I have identified two kinds of midlife career changers: Jumpers and Clingers. Jumpers thrive on energy, enthusiasm and improbable luck. The last three times they leaped, a net appeared. They see no reason why the next jump should be a...

Q. I just finished a job interview. Everything went well. But I can't get excited about the job. The people were nice but frankly, I got bored. Should I withdraw my application or hang on to see what happens? A. Let me share a secret. I love country ...

Some people reserve the word "vocation" for religious calling. Contemporary career guides encourage us to think of a "life purpose" that guides and gives meaning to a life, regardless of career. See, for example, Mark Albion's book, Making a Life, Ma...

Those who watched HBO's Sex and the City (SATC, now available on DVD) know the last eight episodes were less about sex and more about city. And the last three episodes, taken together could serve as a case study for a decision faced by many clients S...

You've probably been taught not to stereotype people based on race, religion or sex. But when you make a career or other life choice, do you still make decisions based on stereotypes? Relocation Myths "Big cities are unfriendly." Any place will feel ...

Moving without a job will challenge your identity -- but for some people, it's the best way to go. Here are some ways to deal with the question. How will you answer the "What do you do?" question? Landlords and bankers want something more solid than,...

"I have lived in this city all my life. My family is here. I am pretty satisfied, but lately I'm getting restless. I want to move somewhere - anywhere. I was thinking of Seattle...:" Whenever I give a talk, somebody asks this question. If we're in Mi...

Salary negotiating is an important topic that must be addressed prior to your initial interview with a prospective employer. Knowing your bottom rate, and being able to live with it [or on it?] is an important thing for candidates to uncover before t...

In today's employment environment, HR managers are faced with the monumental duty of hiring and maintaining, as well as the ongoing development, of employees. But the single most difficult task lies first in hiring the right people. Not only are pro...

We have all heard in recent years that the need for a substantive policy of conducting pre-and post-employment background checks exists in more than just defense contractor and fiduciary-based enterprises. Today, with the overwhelming preponderance o...

An Employment Screening Outline Policy Development A policy of Factual Employment Screening; Personality Evaluation/testing; and/or Drug Testing should be developed and embedded into the core policy manual rather than exist as a supplement or bulleti...

Good question, considering that nowadays you can find many useful resources to help you write your own resume (including many located at http://www.impressive-resumes.com). A professionally written resume might be just what you need. On the other han...

As a former human resources professional it has always intrigued me as to why people were more 'successful' than others. By 'successful' we are referring to an innate ability of some people to set and achieve worthwhile challenges for themselves. He...

If you use your voice to get attention, you use your eyes to hold attention. People tend to believe you, trust you, and listen to what you say if you are looking at them. Direct eye contact is not just preferable; it is essential to effective privat...

Get Off the Treadmill - Exit Your Rat Race! We can all get in a rut from time to time. Who hasn't had a moment in their lives where you've asked yourself the question: "Why am I doing this?" Whether it's who you've become, the business you are in, y...

Every day millions of people let their inner fears stop them from creating the life of their dreams. No one will deny that it is scary to step out of your comfort zone, but once you challenge your fear and take action, you can attain great things. 1....

All of us involved with helping you get a new job, whether as third party recruiters or as representatives of a company, are evaluating you for employment are all receiving hundreds of emailed resumes a day. Having done professional search work for m...

"Stop being such a Pollyanna," a trusted, more experienced colleague counseled as we took the long route back to my office. He had just witnessed my project idea annihilated as co-workers eagerly argued why my idea wouldn't work, where it was flawed ...

I agree with Brooker T. Washington, "Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him." I agree with Mr. Washington because I've experienced trust. I've been on both the giving and recei...

In a time of economic downturn, international turmoil, company restructuring and corporate mergers run amok, thousands of people are either out of work or fearful of losing their jobs. Is there, then, such a thing as job security? No job, in itself, ...

One of the most emotionally crippling aspects of unemployment is the sense of powerlessness it engenders. Job layoff triggers financial pressures, emotional distress, family turmoil, and dashed career hopes. It is forced on us by unrelenting fate, a...

Older job hunters fear interviews where their age cannot be concealed and where an initial response of dismay on an interviewer's face, quickly hidden, confirms their anticipation of discrimination. The mature job seeker often prefers the anonymity o...