Establishing your brand in a cover letter can be a tricky thing. You want to be creative, yet professional. So if the prose is stifled, the reader can actually feel how the writer struggled with every word, every sentence, and every thought.Here are a few tips to help get the creative juices flowing and extend a brand that conveys confidence and your capabilities:Don’t over do it. You don’t have to fill the document with do...

Many job search candidates spend innumerable hours pursuing employment opportunities; yet many do not achieve the desired results. Having worked with thousands of people trying to obtain positions of increased responsibility in their chosen industry or field, I have encountered the following common mistakes, resulting in failure to achieve optimal outcomes:No organized search strategy: You need a plan. Keep yourself organiz...

Reflecting on the clients that I have had the pleasure to work with I thought it appropriate to provide some observations regarding career search. One thing that immediately hampers a job search is poor feelings of self-worth. The power of positive thinking is something that should not be dismissed as unimportant. The happier you feel, the more that feeling will make you feel happy; and it will spread to those that come in...

One of the toughest challenges job seekers face is figuring out how to make a career transition. Sometimes transition is forced; maybe jobs in your industry or area are dwindling. Other times, you want to do something different – explore new options. Whatever the situation, HOW to transition is a critical sticking point. Having worked with clients at various levels of their careers, transition is an area that comes up time...

Negotiating is an art, no doubt. Done correctly it will lead to victory. Done poorly it could lead to failure.When it comes to negotiating salary and other benefits in the workplace, nothing makes people more uncomfortable. He who talks money first loses as they say. Why? Well, it’s because the minute you reference your previous salary, the other side has a distinct advantage. If you reference a desired salary, you may put...

What word is this? Resume Without the appropriate context, we don't know. If I put it in a sentence, "If you want the job you better brush up your resume" you immediately know what I am talking about. If I say, "Hey, you better resume your job search before all the good jobs are gone," again you know. I can even say "Hey, if you want to resume your job search, you better brush up your resume." Now I used two words t...

When we are young people ask us, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a common enough question. Our parents, grandparents, teachers, and friends all serve to influence our decisions. Sometimes circumstances force us to choose a particular path. How may times have you heard someone say, “Well I wanted to be a dentist, dancer, actor, or sportscaster,” or something else? But they didn’t become any of those things ow...

How many times have you seen a job posting and thought to yourself – “I have the PERFECT background for this position!” So, you apply; nothing happens – no email, no call – nothing. You are dumbfounded; why wouldn’t you get a call? Can’t they see? Your background fits the position like a glove. I am sure that you would be a perfect fit; but what does your résumé convey? What does the hiring manager see when she opens up th...

It is a well known fact using job boards exclusively as you conduct a job search will leave you confounded and frustrated. Sure you might be qualified for the positions for which you are applying – but posting your résumé online is like trying to find a needle in a haystack – a really, really big haystack.So what exactly is this thing called ‘the hidden job market’? The hidden job market consists of openings not directly ad...

Just recently I did a webinar regarding “Creating a Killer Resume.” Before the event we conducted an impromptu poll. Respondents were asked to rate their own resumes; they were given the following choices: 1. Below average 2. Average 3. Pretty good 4. Perfect This is what we found... More than half of the people (56%) selected average, in other words more than half of the respondents felt their resume was OK....