Last week I attended a talk by Bryan Starbuck (on Twitter @BryanStarbuck), a serial tech startup entrepreneur and a former Microsoft Engineering Manager, about how to transition from a big company (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, etc.) employee to a career at startups. Bryan provided great insights and practical advice for people interested in this process. I’d like to share with you a summary of this talk and the main takeaways. Read More
How Job Search has Changed and Ways to Keep Up
One of the most baffling things about job search is that we are not trained for it. If you’re new to the job market, you don’t really know the process. If you’ve job searched before, things have probably changed a lot since the last time you were looking for a job. Here are some of the key changes that job seekers need to be aware of in order to lead a successful search. Read More
What Have You Been Up To Since Your Last Job?
A common situation many job seekers face is having an employment gap on their resume. A gap could be due to either being out of work, or taking a job that does not require your qualifications and education and does not align with your career development. While having a period of time during which you were not working is nothing to be ashamed of, you need to be prepared to confidently discuss it, if it comes up in an interview.
If you have had a lengthy job search, answering that you have been looking for another job is not going to impress the interviewer. Read More
Don’t Let Your Appearance Hurt Your Job Search
We may not think about the impressions we make with our appearance very often. Most people are pretty set in the way they dress, the way they wear their hair, and their taste in fashion. But during a job search, you meet new people more often and are reguarly creating a first impressions. Are your looks holding you back? Now may be a good time to take a deeper look. Read More
What I Learned from 50+ Mock Interviews
Today’s guest blog is by Bilal Aslam, who recently launched WiserProfile, giving you personalized feedback on your LinkedIn profile. Bilal is a technical visionary with 5 years of experience at Microsoft, currently an engineer on Windows Azure. Recently, Bilal was the VP of Engineering at emptyspaceads, a seed-stage startup. His passions include data mining and distributed systems.
One of my friends Gayle runs an awesome company (CareerCup) which provides phone and in-person technical interview coaching for A-list companies like Microsoft, Google and Amazon. I have been doing mock interviews for CareerCup for more than two years now. While I don’t remember the exact number of mock interviews I have done, it’s in the neighborhood of 50+. Candidates have run the gamut from hopeless to brilliant. Read More
Creating a Job Search Strategy
If you plan to find a job sooner rather than later, and hope to succeed even in a struggling economy, you need a strategy for that success. A job search without a strategy can quickly become random and non-productive. Applying scattershot for jobs, following up on leads without prioritizing, lacking goals and ways to measure progress often plunges a job seeker into frustration. With a strategy, progress is planned and steady, and good results follow. Read More
Countdown to 2012 for Job Seekers
During the holiday season, December is a time of anticipation and surprises. Some are counting down to a special holiday; others eagerly await the New Year. However, for many job seekers, December may feel like an inactive time. But there is actually a lot you can be doing this month that will pay off in the New Year.
As part of the fun and excitement, Jobfully is offering “Countdown to the New Year” – a month of daily surprises and activities to launch you into 2012 ready to land that job you want. Read More
Video Friday: Preparing for a Phone Interview
Being prepared for your interviews can help you present yourself confidently and make the best impression. Watch this video and learn how to be best prepared for your phone interviews. Read More
Preparing Your References
Great references are still very important and can make the difference in whether or not you get that coveted job. Making sure your references are adequately prepared is an important thing you can do to make sure the back end of the job search process goes smoothly. Read More
Answering “What’s Your Biggest Weakness?”
Hiring managers love the question “What’s your biggest weakness?” because it tells them at least three different things about you:
- Are you self-aware?
- Are you honest?
- Is your “flaw” something they can live with?
If you answer “I work too hard for my own good” or “I’m my own worst critic,” you don’t show honesty or self-awareness and you don’t give the interviewer a clue about whether your flaw will work OK with the job they need to get done. So it’s important you give an honest answer, one that shows you know yourself, are addressing your weakness and have no problem so big it will interfere with your work. Read More