Posts Tagged: job search
5 Career “Super Foods”
Posted in Career Advice Job Hunting Networking on July 9, 2010 at 11:37 am
As you can probably tell from reading my blog, I love lists. Top 10 These. Absolute 5 Thats. Well, I recently came across a fantastic list of 10 Everyday Super Foods, described by WebMD as “multitaskers,” such as nuts, blueberries and salmon, that are packed with multiple nutrients to help you stay healthy, promote wellness and weight control and taste good, too.
This got me thinking: What are the “Everyday Super Foods” for career success? What people, practices, tools and habits give you the biggest bang for your buck? Here is my list, and I hope you’ll share more “Career Super Foods” in the Comments.
1. Daily Goals. We often talk about annual goals or life goals, but successful people set — and achieve — small goals all the time (we sometimes call them priorities or to-do lists). Especially when you have a big goal — such as getting a new job, writing a book or launching a business — set small, daily goals that will keep you moving forward. Big goals are important, but small goals get the job done.
2. News. One of the most popular tips in my book, Getting from College to Career, is to read a newspaper every single day. Whether you read the headlines on your laptop, your phone, in an e-newsletter or a printed copy of the paper, it’s crucial that you keep up with world news, national news and the news of the particular industry you want to join. We live in the Information Age, so the most informed people are the ones who are most likely to succeed.
Read the rest of this post on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com…
Tags: Career Advice, Job Hunting, job search, Networking
10 Meal Etiquette Tips for Job Seekers
Posted in Etiquette Job Hunting Job Interviews on April 26, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Last week I hosted an etiquette dinner at a college in New York City. Students came in their best business casual attire, networked during a “mocktail” hour and then sat down to a formal business dinner. Believe it or not, we had a lot of fun talking about which fork to use when and how to properly butter your bread.
It’s likely that you’ll be asked to have a meal during the job interview process, so be sure to brush up on your etiquette skills as these students did. Below are my top 10 etiquette rules for job interview-related meals. Some of these are common sense and some are a little more complicated, so review them carefully. When in doubt, take a peek around the table and watch what your hosts are doing for clues.
1. Always use basic good manners. Say please and thank you, don’t reach (ask for items to be passed to you), keep your elbows off the table and don’t speak with your mouth full. A good tip is to take small bites so you’ll never have a big chunk of food in your mouth when an interviewer or client asks you a question!
2. Do not start to eat until every at the table has been served.
3. Use silverware from the outside in. The spoon and fork at the top of your plate are for coffee and dessert.
4. Be sure to sip from the correct glass and eat the right roll. Your place setting is arranged with your bread plate to the left of your plate and your beverage to the right. I like to remember this by thinking “BMW,” like the car: Bread, Meal, Water.
5. Bread should be buttered by breaking off one piece at a time and buttering that piece. Do not cut your bread into lots of pieces or butter the whole slice or roll at once.
Read the rest of this post on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com…
Tags: Etiquette, job search
Podcast: View from the Other Side: Interview with a Former Campus Recruiter
Posted in Career Advice First Job Out of College Job Hunting Job Interviews on April 15, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Have you ever wanted to know what goes on inside the mind of a campus recruiter? Here’s your chance!
Listen in on my conversation with Joy Schwartz, a former campus recruiter who is now a university career counselor. She’ll share the inside scoop from the other side of the job fair booth, answering such questions as:
- What are some of the biggest mistakes students make in the campus recruiting process?
- What can students do to stand out in the recruiting process?
- What is the most important question in a job interview?
- What is the best way for candidates to follow up with recruiters?
Click here to listen to this podcast on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com, and please share your thoughts in the Comments section below. You can also check out Joy’s blog at JoySchwartz.com.
On MyPath.com: Job Opportunities with Women-Owned Businesses
Posted in Career Advice Job Hunting Recommended Resources Women on January 28, 2010 at 9:09 am
I recently came across a study by the Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute predicting that about one-third of new jobs created over the next eight years will be at small businesses owned by women.
As a woman small business owner myself, I was really intrigued by this news. It also reminded me that many students and young professionals miss out on great opportunities because they overlook the potential to get a job at a (man- or woman-owned) small business.
In this week’s podcast, I share my thoughts on the opportunities available in small businesses, how to find these opportunities and the pros and cons of working for a smaller organization.
As always, I look forward to your feedback and comments!
Tags: career, job search, MyPath
You Have More Experience Than You Think (Part I)
Posted in Career Advice First Job Out of College Generation Y Job Hunting on September 28, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Remember those days when your first assignment back at school in September was to write an essay about everything you did that summer? In recalling those memories, I started to think about the way people recount and catalog their experiences.
When young professionals in particular think about their accomplishments, they don’t often view their experiences and skills as relevant to their job search. But many seemingly non-professional experiences are more relevant than you might think.
I recently wrote about how even the most professionally inactive summers may have qualities applicable to your job search. To find out why summer jobs, self-improvement and summer socials are important, read my blog post, Slacked off This Summer? Time to Turn up the Heat! on The Huffington Post.
As I was writing that post, I realized that most young people are indeed more experienced than they think. We all know that jobs and internships are relevant, but it’s important to take inventory of all your talents and experiences so you don’t freeze up when writing your resume, interviewing for your dream job or filling out your LinkedIn profile. Whether you’re crafting a cover letter for a new job or negotiating a higher salary a current one, it’s important to take inventory and gain confidence in your experiences and abilities.
How far back should you go in your analysis? As a general rule, resume-relevant experience goes back four years for students and recent grads, unless you’ve done something super impressive like winning an Olympic medal or starting your own business, which you should always mention. Read more on the timeline for recalling your achievements in my blog post, Career Q&A: Is it lame to put high school achievements on my resume?
I’ve put together a laundry list of valuable experiences and skills that may not automatically come to mind when conducting your job search. Here are the first five as a teaser — stay tuned for the rest in days to come: (more…)
Tags: Career Advice, job search
Guest Post: Résumé Tips for a Bad Economy
Posted in Career Advice Economic Crisis Job Hunting Recommended Resources Resumes on February 20, 2009 at 12:30 am
It’s Friday! Today I’m happy to share a guest post from Lauren Randa Hasson, better known as the Résumé Girl. Lauren has great energy, great tips and a great blog. If you’re a college student or recent grad looking for resume help, check out her services. (She even offers a free initial consultation. Take advantage!)
After writing a recent post about resumes, I wanted to share advice from an expert on the topic. Lauren was gracious enough to provide a guest post with 10 tips designed to help you improve your resume — a crucial element of finding a job in the current economy. Over to you, Lauren…
Resume Tips for a Bad Economy
Résumé writing in a bad economy means taking extra steps to make sure you get noticed. Sending out more résumés does not necessarily improve your chances. But submitting résumés that are well written could mean the difference between getting the job or not. Here are The Résumé Girl’s top ten tips for résumé writing in a bad economy:
Tip #1: Include a List of Your Qualifications Right Up Front
Tell the reader who you are and what you want right away. Don’t make them search your résumé for this information because, unfortunately, they won’t. They’ll move on to the next. In the first section of your résumé, reiterate the key points in your cover letter. Be specific as to the kind of position you’re looking for. After all, they will only spend a few seconds with your résumé. Do them a favor and give them a cheat sheet.
Tip #2: Customize Your Section Headings for the Position
It might sound tedious, but customizing the section headings of your résumé is a great way to highlight the relevance of your résumé for the reader. For example, instead of writing “Work Experience,” tailor it to the job you’re applying for by highlighting the type of experience it is, like “Public Relations Experience.” If you do, even the busiest reader will take notice! You can also use this method to highlight your different levels of relevant experience. For example, you can list your “In-House Experience” separately from your “Agency Experience.”
Tip #3: List Your Most Relevant Qualifications First
Many jobseekers believe that their work experience needs to be listed in chronological order. However, listing your most relevant qualifications first will keep the reader from getting bogged down with filler information that doesn’t apply to the position and catch their eye. If you don’t have any relevant experience, put your education immediately following your summary of qualifications. (more…)
Tags: Career Advice, Job Hunting, job search, resume
Career Q&A: How to make your resume stand out in a crowd
Posted in Career Advice Career Q&A Job Hunting Resumes on February 12, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Q: I’ve been applying for jobs since September and have not been called for a single interview. I’ve taken my resume to Career Services for a review and some tips, but still nothing. How can I make my resume stand out in a crowd?
A: You’ve taken the right first step, which is having an expert — in your case, career services — review your resume and make sure it’s the best it can be. However, having a good resume is not enough these days. Employers are being bombarded with resumes, so the real way to stand out is to promote yourself beyond sending in a resume. You have to go the extra mile to get noticed.
Depending on your situation and the types of jobs you’re applying for, here are some suggestions: (more…)
Tags: Career Advice, Job Hunting, job search, resume
On CareerTV: “Feed Your Future” Recession-proof your job search”
Posted in Career Advice Economic Crisis First Job Out of College Generation Y Internships Job Hunting Networking Recommended Resources on February 8, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Many thanks to CareerTV for interviewing me for a new segment, “Feed Your Future,” sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers. If you’re a student at UT-Austin, please come to the LIVE event on Monday, February 9th at McCombs School of Business. Click here for more information on this FREE event.
To watch the video, click here.
Free “extra help” for your job hunt: Forte Foundation Virtual Campus
Posted in Uncategorized on November 16, 2008 at 3:08 pm
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, I’m sure it won’t surprise you that I was the kind of student who went to “extra help” sessions after class. I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity to do well and get a good grade. This was especially true in classes like Calculus, where I felt totally overwhelmed during regular class hours (okay, and maybe a little distracted by the cute hockey player who sat next to me).
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your job hunt or career management (particularly in this very challenging economy), there are places you can turn for extra help after hours. I’ve written before about the fact that university career services offices provide free job search and career help to all students and alumni, but I’m aware that these offices can be overbooked and, of course, only open during the day.
If you need more help, more resources and more advice, and you need all of this late at night or on the weekends (and, let’s be honest, it’s hard to fit in a job search when you have classes and/or a full-time job) , here is a new resource I recommend: (more…)
I’ll be blogging for Job Action Day on Monday
Posted in Career Advice Economic Crisis Recommended Resources on October 31, 2008 at 12:07 pm
I’m happy to announce that Quintessential Careers’ founder and publisher Randall S. Hansen has invited me to participate in Job Action Day 2008, which is set for this Monday, November 3rd. I’m thrilled to be included in this “day for job-seekers and workers to confront the current economic crisis head-on and take action steps to improve their careers.” (Read the full press release here.)
Other career bloggers selected to participate include:
Alexandra Levit: Alexandra Levit’s Water Cooler Wisdom
Barbara Safani: CareerSolvers
Career Manangement Alliance Blog
Curt Rosengren: The M.A.P. Maker [Meaning Abundance & Passion]
Darrell Gurney: In The Line of Hire
Diane Danielson: THE WOMEN’SDISH with Diane & Friends
Jacob Share: JobMob
Louise Fletcher: blueskyresumesblog
Maggie Mistal: what if…
Miriam Salpeter: Keppie Careers Blog
Rich Milgram: EmploymentMetrix.com
Steven Rothberg: CollegeRecruiter.com Blog
Wendy Terwelp: Rock Your Career
Willy Franzen: One Day, One Job
I hope you’ll support Job Action Day by reading and commenting on the blogs from these terrific career professionals. Be sure to come back to this blog on Monday to read my contribution!
