Education is a way to accelerate your career - a strategy that may offer you a competitive edge during gloomy economic times. Who may want to consider continuing their education as a job search strategy? ◦ Disaffected college graduates, e.g., Liberal Arts majors who are still searching, and those unhappy with their vocational majors...◦ Experienced professionals whose jobs have become obsolete or have been off-s...
Reflecting on my short-lived career as a 7th-grade science teacher, I've become a champion of the unicellular Paramecium as a role model for job seekers and career changers. Amoebas and paramecium, members of the Protista kingdom captured my imagination more than 10 years ago; their image has informed my conversations with clients ever since.Let's consider why these animalcules, a living organism of the lowest order, may se...
Earlier in November, I volunteered to organize the resume consulting services offered at a Job Fair held in the suburbs of Philadelphia. It was sometimes fun and consistently challenging to meet so many people. Within a six-hour period, I must have spoken with 40-50 curious candidates; each one presented a unique story and a somewhat fragile sense of themselves. I ended the day wondering if these brief encounters would hav...
If you're reading this article, you probably understand that job successful job seekers talk about what they have accomplished in previous positions, and present a "mini-business plan" to relate to the needs of a prospective employer. Review the following list to be sure you are prepared to nail behavioral interviews:You have clearly and concisely described one - two "success stories" for each of your previous employers, us...
A few tips to help you move-on and out...without selling-out:
1. RESUMES
Replace meaningless "Objective" statements with a strong "Profile"
Consider blending internship and work experience into functional categories
Begin sentences with "action verbs;" avoid "responsible for…"2. COVER LETTERS
A cover letter cannot be generic - it must be responsive to the needs/requirements of the job
K-I-S-S - find a way to k...
Are you an idealist who has publicly resolved to change careers, return to work, or join the full-time workforce for the first time? Idealists come in many flavors, e.g.:
"Boomers" leaving corporate life in favor of community-based work;
Women who have deferred their careers and need to maintain work/life balance;
Recent college grads: independent, reluctant to leave college life, and unsure of how to find a job t...