I recently received a note from a prospective client. An executive in his late 50¡äs, he took early retirement from his company and was looking for his *next* thing to do. He explained he had applied for hundreds of executive positions and almost as many minimum wage positions with his resume, but that he had not been called in for one interview. His frustration, ¡°I can¡¯t help that I am over 50.¡±What a frustrating situat...

Do you think of Twitter like this badge describes – as a pointless exercise? It may be time to rethink! Have you ever considered the skills you use to leverage Twitter well? It is not rocket science, but it does require key abilities, and not everyone has them.Sending tweets that inspire people to read, retweet and reply requires an ability to communicate in the short form. It turns out this may be much more valuable than y...

Sometimes, I receive questions via my contact form from people who are not interested in a quote for a resume transformation or coaching services. Some people just have a job search question and want an answer! Since I cannot respond to each inquiry individually, I decided to start answering some of the questions that are of general interest here. You are welcome to submit a question via my contact form, and please note tha...

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” – Mark Twain, in The Success Principles, by Jack CanfieldIt seems obvious – you can’t be successful until you get started. Earlier this week, I wrote about how making a plan for your job hunt is a big step in the right direction. You can...

Today, I spoke to a client. He mentioned that, since he had decided to hire me and we had a plan in place to move forward, he felt much better about his job search plans and not so hurried or hectic. I told him I thought that was a great topic for a blog post!Do you find that just having a plan makes it easier to think about a big task? Sometimes, making the plan work involves partnering with an expert. I am a big proponent...

This month’s question relates to preparing for success...What should job seekers do now to prepare for interviews? Let’s face it, sometimes a long-time job search winds up in an interview scheduled with little lead time. Be sure to follow the links listed below for answers that may include information regarding:• References (Whom to ask? Do references even matter, when everyone is busy Googling?)• Interview preparation/rese...

It’s only recently that I have personally taken advantage of DVR technology. Yes, I watched shows when they were on live AND sat through commercials. We didn’t even have cable (believe it), so using the VCR to record and replay shows wasn’t a good option – the reception was not good enough make it worthwhile.So, when TV went digital and the converter box for those without cable didn’t give me access to ABC, it was time to e...

Have you ever watched small kids play soccer? It can be a real trip! (Pun intended.) While watching a game last weekend, I thought of 3 lessons job seekers can learn...Do you know which way you should be kicking?In the game I watched, there is no goalie in the box. So, sometimes it is tough for the kids to remember which way they should be kicking. (This is complicated by the fact that they switch sides during the game.) Ev...

Is it socially acceptable to go up to random people on the street and invite them to coffee? Typically, no. You need to have a reason to meet, and it is up to you to come up with the reason before you do the inviting!Research is a key factor for successful networking. I like to tell my clients, “Don’t look for a job, look for a company.” Similarly, networkers should not first try to identify a list of people to meet, but r...

As you might imagine, I receive a lot of inquiries from blog readers about my services for job seekers. Sometimes, the communication between us reminds me of just how much help some job seekers need.Recently, a very savvy, high-level professional with a stellar work history contacted me asking for help with her resume and with moving to a digital format. I replied, delighted to hear from someone who was asking me about a di...