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How to Move Forward With Action or Dream
Tweet Share on Facebook September 17, 2009 Comment (3)When it comes to creating a career that energizes and inspires you, there are two key pieces of the puzzle: You need to dream, and you need to take action.
Think about pursuing your passion for a minute. Which of these feels like your comfort zone? Are you more inclined to sit and dream about what could be, or do you feel more in your element just getting down to business and taking action?
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Can You Change Your Mind After Turning Down an Offer?
Tweet Share on Facebook September 17, 2009 Comment (2)I received an excellent job offer from another company about 2 months ago. I really liked the position and they were very eager to bring me on board.
I turned down the offer because I wanted more money (a part was greed, a part was overconfidence, a part was fear of leaving my job ... yada yada yada) and the company was going through some issues. It is publicly traded and the company as a whole is hurting, but the division making me the offer was standing strong.
I took a new position in my current company, and realize that I made a terrible mistake in not taking the other offer.
I know that the other company has not filled the slot; one of the contacts there keeps in touch with me. -
5 Resume Tips for Job Hoppers
Tweet Share on Facebook September 16, 2009 Comment (45)Here’s a depressing truth: When hiring managers first scan incoming resumes, they're looking for reasons to eliminate them. One major eliminator is job hopping. Yes, employers do still want to see signs of “loyalty,” even if they don’t show much of that in return.
So, if you’ve had multiple shorter-than-a-year jobs, your resume may be going straight to the trash can. Try these tips:
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Why It's OK to Practice For Work
Tweet Share on Facebook September 15, 2009 Comment (6)This has always confounded me.
In sports, teams practice daily for the weekly game. Plays are repeated over and over until the players get them right.
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How Employers Choose From Among Many Great Candidates
Tweet Share on Facebook September 14, 2009 Comment (11)I wrote recently about the fact that lots of great job candidates are getting rejected these days because there are more good candidates than there are jobs available in this job market. When I have tons of great candidates and only one slot to fill, it's a certainty that lots are going to get rejected. My point was that job seekers shouldn't beat themselves up because it's (probably) not them—it's the market.
In response, a few people asked how employers do make a decision when they have so many great candidates to choose from. Is it random selection?
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When Sensitivity Training Makes Us Too Sensitive
Tweet Share on Facebook September 11, 2009 CommentDiversity training workshops often emphasize the importance of being sensitive to the subtle messages sent by others. All of those non-verbals and sub-verbals are supposed to be grasped along with the body language and whatever cultural differences that may come into play—lest one wind up on a witness stand.
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How to Make a Bad Job Less Bad
Tweet Share on Facebook September 10, 2009 Comment (2)So many working people out there feel frustrated and stuck in their careers. They feel trapped in jobs that don’t fit, unable to make a change. Eventually, a negative perspective starts to permeate everything.
I see that a lot. By the time people come to me their frustration has often reached a boiling point. They typically want change yesterday and are up to their eyeballs in bad attitude. They need to improve their current situation while they lay the groundwork for something new.
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When You're Looking for a Paycheck, Not Personal Fulfillment
Tweet Share on Facebook September 10, 2009 Comment (6)Is "getting paid" a good enough reason to want to work somewhere? Personally, I'm not looking for much in an employer beyond a regular paycheck and health insurance; any sort of personal fulfillment I want in life I seek in my personal time. To me, a job is nothing more than a means to an end. I struggle in interviews with the "why do you want to work here?" question because the true answer (that they are hiring for a job I am capable of performing, offering pay suitable for my financial needs, and are geographically close to where I live) is generally considered to be the worst answer one can give. Do I need to pretend to care about the company itself, or that I have personal goals that incorporate a career somehow? If so, why?
Here's the secret: When someone asks the "Why do you want to work here" question, what they really want to know is, "If I hire you, are you going to be here in a few years, or is this just a job and you'll keep looking for something better?"
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How to Stay Positive During a Long Job Search
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2009 Comment (6)With a tough summer of job hunting behind you, you may be dreading the prospect of a tough autumn of job hunting ahead of you.
If so, you could not be blamed. It’s hard to keep banging away at something that doesn’t show results. Even worse, the hopelessness, anger, and depression you may be feeling can actually be harmful. Potential employers can smell desperation a mile away. It is, sorry to say, a turnoff.
[See 7 reasons you're not finding a job.]
So, right now your biggest problem may be staying positive. Try this:
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The School Speech You Didn't Hear From Obama
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2009 Comment (2)Some of you may have heard President Obama's school speech. Others passed. That's OK. It's a free country. But since many of us have very short attention spans, I would like to give you my own school speech--a briefer and blunter version.
As you grow up, remember these things:
