It’s not uncommon for experienced workers to be told they aren’t getting a job because they are overqualified. Expressing a willingness to work below past level and beneath past salary oftentimes is not the best strategy for dealing with this situation. Instead, it’s important to understand what specific concerns the hiring manager is raising. Deep experience should not be a liability but actually an asset in your job search. To bring it out, you need to address the underlying reasons directly. Read More
Video Friday: Efficient Job Searching from Home
Job seekers are sometimes challenged by the distractions of working from home. In today’s video, three quick tips for efficiency, when your job is looking for a job and your office is your house. Read More
Networking No-Nos
Successful job seekers work hard to grow their network. So the last thing any job seeker wants to do is ruin a first impression or annoy contacts with blunders or missteps. To have a robust and thriving network, it’s critical you treat your contacts right, building good will with every encounter. Read More
Interview Fail: Signs Your Interview is Not Going Well
Most job seekers have had the experience of coming out of an interview feeling it went great, only to learn later that it did not. There are ways to tell an interview is not going well, and ways to correct on the spot in hopes of a better outcome. Read More
Job Search Magic Combination: Optimism and Action
A positive mindset is critical to job search success. Optimism and confidence come through in every job search related communication and interaction, from networking to cover letters to interviewing. The winning combination is optimism coupled with action. Read More
Making the Most of the Temp Trend
As the economy slowly recovers, companies are adding temps rather than full time employees, while they wait for things to stabilize. A Wall Street Journal article hints this may be a long term trend. Job seekers should be very open to temp or contract work and make the most of it, viewing it as a different, but still very acceptable way to find fulfilling work. Read More
Answering “Why Should We Hire You?”
On a episode of “America’s Got Talent”, a contestant was asked “Why should America vote for you?” The contestant tearfully replied something along the lines of “Because I want it so much, it would mean so much to me.” While this answer works for a TV talent show, it is NOT the response you want to give when asked in a job interview “Why should we hire you?” Hires are not made based on how much the applicant wants the job. Hires are based on the value the candidate can create for the employer. Here are some dos and don’ts for answering this very common interview question. Read More
Do Looks Matter?
Could your looks get in the way of your job search? It’s a question a lot of people are asking after a Newsweek article which said essentially looks matter. According to the Newsweek survey of hiring managers, looks were the third most important factor after experience and confidence. So what’s a job seeker to do? Read More
Job Search Strategies for Mature Workers
Being over 50 and looking for work can be a scary proposition. A New York Times article details the fears and realities of looking for work at a time in life when many expected to be thinking their upcoming retirement, not job search. Although the article painted a grim picture, the reality is, a job search at 50+ does not have to be frustrating or fruitless. There is a great deal mature workers can do to make the most of the opportunity and end up with fulfilling employment. Read More
Break Your Addiction to Job Boards
Fortune Magazine has made it official: Job Boards are not the most effective way for most people to find employment. The article notes it would be more effective to have lunch with one good contact than to send 50 resumes for openings through job boards. Read More