What do you do with your time between jobs? After you’ve run through all the domestic busy-making you can make with cleaning, decluttering and other garden variety household chores, sooner or later you’ll want to take a deep breath and face the inevitable with a closer look. Besides taking classes and volunteering, what are some of the creative ways to acquire new skills related to your expertise?
Read More
Debunking The Myths Of Networking
Thanks to Sandy Jones-Kaminski the socially weary job-seeker has a new supporter. Here is a sample of her wisdom regarding the myths of networking:
Myth #1: Networking means you’re looking to use people to achieve selfish goals, or opportunistically ask people for help.
Increase Your Potential With Trips Off The Beaten Track
“Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods. You will be certain to find something you have never seen before.”
~ Alexander Graham Bell
Habit and routine play a positive role in life, to be sure. They help us move forward without wasting energy on mundane recurring choices. But too often they take on a life of their own.
Read More
Reality Check On Periods Of Unemployment
It’s not just you. If news of the economy showing signs of better health seem a little too rosy, this article from the latest issue of The Atlantic: How a new jobless era will transform America, will put things in perspective.
Read More
Say Yes Until It’s REALLY Time to Say No
One of the things I’ve noticed over my years in my work is the amount of energy people invest in saying no. The form varies (No, I can’t. No, that’s not realistic. No, that’s not likely. No, they’ll never want to.), but at the heart of it all lies one central theme – a negative assessment of potential and possibility.
Read More
Stay Engaged, Find a Role Model
Over time, as you do the work of “working on yourself”, the fluctuations in energy and concentration wear on even the hardiest among us. At heart we know we have to put ourselves in front of people, lots of people, repeatedly. You can benefit from balancing periods of social engagement with times of more relaxed involvement that treat your mind to new ideas, replenish your energy, and refresh your world view.
Read More
So What Did You Actually Accomplish? 5 Steps to Make Your Resume Shine
If I had a dollar for each time in the past year I’ve heard friends and relatives say they need to find a new job…well… you get the picture. Nevertheless, many are frustrated, discouraged, and just plain tired of the job-seeking process, however necessary it may be. A major obstacle that leaves many job-seekers stuck in their tracks is building a winning resume. A task that more often than not, feels more like a major construction job than a simple modification. The truth is, revitalizing your resume doesn’t have to be difficult, or an obstacle that slows you down as long as you’re revamping it with the correct focus in mind.
Interview Invitation: Tell Me About Yourself
I’m impressed with how well this video demonstrates techniques for covering the talking points that everyone will deal with during a job interview. John Heaney walks you through the following points:
Get Unstuck With a 7-day Goal
Do you ever find yourself feeling stuck? You know you need to move forward, but somehow you’ve managed to sink your wheels into the mud and all momentum is lost. It can be a frustrating, draining experience.
Read More
Got a Missing Ingredient? Check Your Assumptions at the Door: A Thought Experiment for Job Seekers
Imagine the following scenario: A hiring manager is conferring with his staff regarding two finalists for a position. He asks them which one would be the better fit for their department. One by one they give their opinions. Then the hiring manager says: “It’s clear that either one of them could do a good job. Both of them could do the job in their sleep, but we need someone who can represent the department in a favorable light, someone who is calm and diplomatic.”
Read More