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Stop Dreading Meetings with Your Boss
Tweet Share on Facebook February 4, 2011 CommentI was walking down the streets of San Francisco recently, and behind me I heard two people talking about the worst meeting of their week. Not surprisingly, as I slowed my gait to hear what that meeting was, I learned that more than any other meeting, they both dreaded their one-on-one meetings with their boss.
“What a shame,” I thought. A regular check-in with your boss should be the best hour of the week.
Here are some ways to turn that one-on-one meeting with your boss into a positive experience:
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Use Passion to Stand Out as a Job Candidate
Tweet Share on Facebook February 3, 2011 Comment (3)If you’re in the job search, you know how stiff the competition is. It’s not enough to simply have what it takes to do the job. You have to make yourself stand out from the hordes of other job seekers. And one way to do that is by showing you have passion.
But beyond jumping up and down in your seat and waving your hands in the air (an iffy approach at best), how do you make a solid case for the passion you’ll bring to the job?
Ask what you love. Then ask why.
You can start by identifying what I call your “Passion Factors,” the underlying themes that are present when you feel energized and engaged. When you understand your Passion Factors, you can show how the potential job would be a source of energy for you.
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Questions You Should Answer on Your Resume
Tweet Share on Facebook February 3, 2011 Comment (1)In the recruiting field, we're in a unique position to hear the questions and objections raised by employers in response to a candidate's resume. Left unanswered, the questions could mean the candidate doesn’t get called in for the interview. Most of these issues can be easily addressed with a few tweaks to your resume.
Here are most frequent questions I get from employers evaluating resumes:
1. Can you clarify the dates of employment? Employment date questions come up when you only list the years of employment. If you were in your last position for ten years, then including months probably is not necessary. If you’re a candidate who has moved companies every two or three years, which is becoming more the norm, it makes more sense to list the months of your employment on your resume.
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How to Get Media Coverage as an Expert in Your Field
Tweet Share on Facebook February 2, 2011 Comment (5)Job descriptions containing the term “credibility” have doubled since 2009, according to Indeed.com. That tells us employers are looking for credible job candidates, employees who are trusted for their expertise.
How can you establish yourself as an expert in your field? One way is by being recognized by metropolitan newspapers, journals, news magazines, or your local television news. Mentioning you were quoted in The Wall Street Journal or appeared on a major network or cable television station boosts your credibility and introduces you to a new audience.
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5 Smart Ways to Use Twitter in Your Job Search
Tweet Share on Facebook February 1, 2011 Comment (1)What’s your experience on Twitter? If you’re like many people, you created a Twitter name, hopped on, and then quickly hopped off, dismissing the social networking site as pointless, trivial, or hard to follow.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. What if you heard Twitter could be a helpful tool to build social credibility during a job search? Or to help you establish a strong personal brand and become better known in your industry?
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How to Make the Most of an Absentee Boss
Tweet Share on Facebook February 1, 2011 CommentWhat happens when your boss is checked out? Most people dream of a hands-off boss, but the reality is that a detached boss can be detrimental to your career. Perhaps he’s counting down to retirement or battling an illness. Or maybe he's just burnt out. Either way, it’s frustrating to have your eye on the future while your boss has his eye on the door.
If your boss isn’t around enough, here are a few tactics to turn a seemingly negative work situation into a positive:
Make things easy. If your superior is on auto-pilot, do what you can to make her life easier. Pick up extra work that helps her remain disengaged. Keep your status reports brief and handle as much as you can without involving her, while making sure to involve her when necessary.
