A successful job search involves an ever-widening network. Think of your network as having three levels:
Follow up is one of the most important parts of networking. It doesn’t matter if you are in a formal interview or talking with an acquaintance on your softball team, follow-up is crucial to engaging and building. In the last part of our series on informational interviews, we explore follow-up for this type of networking. Read More
We talked about the problem of having a job search target that is too narrow. But equally problematic is having a target that is too broad, or a scattershot attempt to land any jobs. Instinct tells you that having a big target gives you a better chance of hitting something. Yet with job search, a huge target is not the best way to assure success. Here are some of the reasons why:
How do you assure you’ve got the right size target? Read More
The numbers show smaller companies may be a good channel for job seekers so you want to pay attention to them in your job search. But getting hired at a smaller company requires different techniques. Here are some tips to improve your chances of getting in the door at a small company or start-up. Read More
When I was in the midst of my search for an internship, I was excited to see an email from a company that I had just submitted my resume to. I was immediately asked for writing samples from my portfolio. Unfortunately, my portfolio was scattered all over the place and it took a considerable amount of time to find and then format them. I learned the hard way that organizing ahead of time would have saved me a lot of stress and would have made the process a breeze. Learn from my mistakes with this step-by-step guide that will help you stay organized. Read More
“What do you know about us?” It’s a common but puzzling question that gets asked at many interviews. Last week we talked about how to research companies. Today, how to present the information you gathered in a way that shows you did your research and highlights why your skills and background would be an asset to the company. Read More
Job seekers are well aware that networking is critical, but it can be intimidating. Even people who enjoy being social can find themselves tongue-tied when they have a goal in mind other than just chatting. Read More
You got the interview, now what? Time to dig in and learn all you can so you can shine in the face-to-face meeting. Having good background on the company will make you look interested and prepared, but the research will give you valuable knowledge that will help confirm that this is in fact a place you want to work. Read More
Preparing for an interview can be an exhaustive process. Do you have the proper wardrobe? Do you know how to get to the office? Do you know every piece of your resume and why you put it on there? If you have all of this down, you probably feel pretty prepared, but you forgot something. Do you have effective stories to tell? Read More
Nancy Kasmar, MS, SPHR, CCP is the Practice Lead for Compensation and Benefits Consulting at Washington Employers, a member-based organization providing real-time business results through strategic workforce performance solutions. She is a subject matter expert on compensation and assists members in attracting, retaining, and motivating their employees.
The groundwork for negotiating a salary offer in your new job begins when you start the interview process. You need to do your homework before you get to the job offer stage, so you are ready to negotiate for that higher salary when the opportunity presents itself. Here are some tips for improving your next job offer, and a short illustration about why you need to negotiate. Read More
