You have met them; you have been annoyed by them; you may have suffered because of them. They are the folks that always find problems; they tell you why it won't work; they always have an excuse for something that hasn't even happened yet and might never happen at all. These folks just bring down the energy of the room when they walk in the door. • They complain about the free food and drinks the company or coworkers prov...

Have you ever walked into a retail store with the intention of ‘just browsing’? Really, you do not need anything; you are just window shopping, passing the time. Suddenly, a salesperson approaches; she engages you in polite conversation. Before you know it, you have an entire fitting room filled with things. You are trying the articles on feverishly searching for the ‘perfect outfit’. Your salesperson is providing her input...

You have sent out hundreds and hundreds of résumés with barely a response. You reason that it’s the economy and some other factors that you are simply not aware of. How can this be? No response whatsoever? You have accomplished a lot; you were well liked in your last role and did a number of things for the company that even resulted in a promotion. So what’s going on? I will tell you. It has nothing to do with you. It’s you...

How much value does sending your résumé to a hiring manager on the bottom of a shoebox, or in a lipstick tube add? Creativity might be the way to land that desired interview. Especially in today’s tight economic market with jobs becoming scarce, applicants are using creative measures to get in front of hiring managers. I found an article on CNN some time ago about extreme approaches to landing the interview. Some of them, w...

The New Year is a time of hope. Many of us make resolutions and look forward to starting fresh. I always think of it as a time to plan ahead and consider the positive things that the future holds. For those of you in job search mode or transitioning from one career to something new, this time can be filled with uncertainty, and dare I say it – dread; it need not be though. Here are some (hopefully) uplifting thoughts and ti...

When it comes to analyzing the job offer there are some key things that you should be reviewing to determine whether or not the position is right. Of course if you have made it this far, chances are you like the company and they like you. But how much do they really like you? Is it worthwhile to leave (if you are currently employed) or accept vs. continuing the search for something more suitable?Since you are not going to a...

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...

Did you recently get passed up for a big (or not so big) promotion? Did you ask for something at work and were flatly turned down? It happens – to all of us at some point. Things do not always go your way, and rejection is part of life – all aspects of life – both personal and professional. How you handle the rejection at work can serve as the cornerstone for short- and long-term success. It’s time to ‘man-up’ as they say.O...

Many people find it daunting to begin the process of searching for new employment. Maybe you don’t know where to begin. Maybe you haven’t looked for a new position in more than 15 years, or maybe you have just become complacent where you are and haven’t thought about looking in a really long time. Whatever your reasons for pursuing a new position, your success now hinges on establishing some guidelines and developing a plan...

The New Year is quickly approaching and certainly this is the time that we all establish those resolutions – you know, your commitment to yourself for self improvement or something else that you vow to accomplish. Many of us commit to developing a career plan – ‘a roadmap’ as I call it to identify and secure a new professional position. Here are my Top Tips for a productive and positive search into 2010:Manage your applicat...