You are starting to think about applying to a top-tier university; your grades are excellent, and you have enough extracurricular activities to choke a guidance counselor - making you well rounded. There are things you need to know to help you gain acceptance. The Ivy League schools take the best and the brightest, and competition is fierce. Students apply from all over the world; so needless to say, you need to be on your...

It’s that time of year; it only comes once a year. Yes! It’s your annual performance review. Really, it is the one time of year that you get to pat yourself on the back and provide examples of the things you have done over the course of the past year that justify a salary increase, and in some cases, a promotion. There are some things you can do to ensure that you receive the recognition you deserve; a lot of this is depend...

As a follow-up to my article on the importance of having a cover letter accompany your résumé, I am going to demonstrate here the mechanics of a well written cover letter. I hope that this provides some value and enables you to craft your own cover letter to generate interest on behalf of a potential hiring manager.The Salutation (The Hello): Get a name, any name. By hook or by crook try to get a name. Sometimes you can’t –...

Who wouldn’t love to be an interview guru? The person who is completely comfortable and prepared for the most rigorous of interviews – no matter what type – traditional or behavioral. Wouldn’t it be great to know exactly what the interviewer is looking for? Know what to say, how to say it, and how to connect with the interviewer so that you get the offer? In this post, I will discuss the following information:• Managing the...

Is it the time? Do you really think so? Even in this economy? Quit your job. There, I said it. Many of us think about it. You think to yourself “I would love to get out of here – permanently.” How do you determine when it’s time to go? I speak to many people who lament their current work situation; yet, they are loath to do anything about it; plus the economy stinks – there are no jobs. Why? From my experience it’s because...

As an HR professional I cannot tell you how many résumés I have received from candidates that were so unqualified, so out of reach, so uninteresting to me as a hiring manager as to make me look twice to see if I was putting them in the right pile for the right job. As a career strategist, I am surprised sometimes when a candidate says “I want to be an investment banker – of course not many of them say that anymore, but that...

So, you want to work from home? Great! Sounds awesome, right? You don’t have to go anywhere, you can just put yourself in front of a computer and there you are ready to go. Wrong. Working from home requires much more than a place to sit and crank out some work. Why? There are distractions at home. They are never ending. I know, because I work from home. It’s amazing how many things can pull you away from doing what you need...

Is it any wonder that the better you feel about yourself the more fulfilling your relationships are and the more empowered you feel in your work? It shouldn’t be! If you think about it, your own self-perception is the biggest driver of how others perceive you. It makes perfect sense that if you feel good, you project a positive and upbeat manner – other people area drawn to that. Human nature indicates that people like to b...

What is your personal and professional Plan B? Do you have one? If something were to happen today leaving you unemployed, would you have a Plan B? Would you be able to quickly evaluate the situation and know what your next steps are to focus and solidify a new position? Have you been keeping notes regarding your accomplishments, understand your strengths and areas for improvement to keep upward momentum going?With the chang...

Being a successful manager that is respected and well liked has more to do with common sense than people think. An effective manager also contributes to the organization’s success. Here is some information to help you develop or hone your style to facilitate a strong internal presence and enhance your likelihood for success:Presence: Do people run for cover when you walk into a room? Your body language plays a very importan...