Volunteering can be a significant leg up in your job search. An ariticle in Fast Company, Volunteering Will Save Your Career (Or Put You In A New One), showed that 20% of hiring managers make decision based on volunteer work. It can serve the same basic function as an internship: it can grow your network and give you additional experience to put on your résumé. Read More
Recognizing Unique Networking Opportunities
Are you taking advantage of networking opportunities in your everyday life? You encounter these opportunities often but may miss them because they are not strictly job related. Any community where you have built a reputation is an opportunity to network – don’t let your best networking opportunities get away from you because haven’t recognized them as such. Read More
Three Ways To Present Temp Jobs On Your Resume
Much of the cautionary advice about presenting temporary employment on your resume suggests that it may raise a red flag to employers, or brand you as unreliable. However, freelancing, contracting and other short-term work do not have to show you in an unfavorable light. Read More
The 5 Core Competencies of Self-Promotion
Today our guest blogger is Matt Youngquist. Matt is the President of Career Horizons, serving Northwest individuals and organizations dealing with the unique challenges of job hunting and employment transition. Matt is a recognized expert in the field of career coaching, job hunting, and professional employment counseling. You can follow him on Twitter @mattyoungquist.
When it comes to ensuring ongoing career success, the operative word is marketability.
Marketability, not talent alone, is what is separating the big winners from the big losers in today’s world of work. And along these lines, I’ve been espousing an equation for years that will likely bore the dickens out of most people, but that I’m going to share anyway — since it sums up what I’ve learned after having the chance to observe thousands of people succeeding and failing on the front lines of the modern job market. That equation is Q+S=M, which stands for: 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
Look the Job
Image is important when you are job seeking or working. The image you put forth – be it in person, online, or through your work – communicates who you are and how you work. Read More
What Makes a Good LinkedIn Contact?
During the sign up process, LinkedIn will ask for a peek at your e-mail contact list. This is one of the easiest ways to see the public profiles of everyone you know on LinkedIn and if you feel comfortable with their privacy statement, you should do it. It the fastest way to populate your network. It also brings up an important area for caution with LinkedIn: who you network with.
Job Seeking for New College Grads
A challenging job market awaits the tens of thousands of college graduates who receive their diplomas this month. One recent estimate is that 17% of people ages 20 to 24 do not have a job and two million college graduates are unemployed. The good news is that the job market for recent college grads is improving, with hiring up 5% according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Even with less than ideal numbers, there is much new college graduates can do to find fulfilling employment.
Small Business Challenges, Your Opportunities
In order to bridge the gap between an employer’s needs and your own, try putting yourself in their shoes, and you’ll get a huge perspective shift. I recently sat in on a group discussion about the needs of a small advertising agency regarding client relationships and talent acquisition for the firm, and found the concerns surprisingly similar.
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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.