It's a tough job market out there, no question about that. I share your concerns about not having insurance, worries about paying bills, the increased price for food and climbing gas costs. Call me crazy, but this downturn will pass When? How? I don’t know, but tough times call for a tough, flexible attitude. There isn’t time for self-pity or feeling like a victim. I encourage you to find the emotional support you need to...

I’m packing my suitcase to attend my daughter’s college graduation. It seems like yesterday when she was deciding which college to attend and now, four years have flown by. During her college life, she would call with snippets of happenings about her classes, long hours at the library, writing a big paper, summer job prospects, preparing for study abroad, and the like. I’ll miss those conversations. Now, it’s time to step o...

The term of “branding” has been around for a while - especially in the marketing world. We know that branding isn’t just for ranchers and cowboys anymore. The Circle K ranch branded their cattle for ownership identification. Likewise, large companies established brands over the years for name recognition, products, and services. It might be the name of the company or product such as AT&T, 3M’s Scotch Magic Tape™ or Kleenex®...

Brett Favre’s resume profile might read: 17-year career in the NFL with 16 years as the Green Bay Packer’s quarterback. Broke most quarterback records in passing yards, touchdown passes, and wins along with all-time franchise records. Holds the all-time consecutive start record with 253 games and a Super Bowl win in 1996.Well, #4, you sure look like #1 in my playbook! And now that he announces his retirement, what lessons c...

As of July 2005, there were nearly 78.2 million “baby boomers” – a population represented by people born between 1946 and 1964 – living in the United States, many of whom have now retired or are nearing retirement. With the swell of retirements, employers have been preparing for the next wave of workers to replace them. Enter, Generation Y.What do we know about Generation Y? How do employers motivate and retain Generation Y...

You are commuting on freeways that are getting more congested and now, icy. Your cell phone continues to ring and interprets your day and maybe, your night. You work through lunch as a time saver. You were gone for two days and have numerous emails waiting for you. You have a dinner meeting, but it means you will miss your daughter’s basketball game. Can you relate?These auxiliary stresses that we might encounter can a...

All of us have a personality type, in fact, one of the sixteen possibilities according to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The personality typing instrument was developed by the mother and daughter team of Katharine Myers and Isabel Myers-Briggs Personality over 50 years ago and is used around the world. As you find yourself job searching, you will probably find yourself excelling at some of the tasks and shrinking with o...

Recently, one of my clients shared his experience with a phone interview that he was thrilled to receive. As the interview proceeded, Ben found he was talking to someone on a cell phone in rush hour traffic. The recruiter asked Ben to hold while he avoided rear ending the vehicle in front of him. Yes, you never know who is on the other end of the call, so remember the Boy Scout motto and “be prepared.” Phone interviews...

You created the resume. You composed the cover letter. You applied for the job opening and now you wait. Waiting…it’s a hard place to be when you desire action in your job search. Want to increase your chances for getting an interview? Make sure you have not overlooked the 10 Reasons You Are Not Getting Interviews.Spelling or grammatical errors in a resume or cover letter - Be sure to use spell check, proofread, read a...

“Out of work? Want to advance up the career ladder? Starting your own business? Hmm…time to create or fine tune your 30 second elevator speech.” An important element in a job search that is often overlooked or underrated is the ability to articulate who you are and what you offer a prospective employer. Think about the networking you do. So many opportunities can occur and you could extend your job search by striking...