“Tell Me about Yourself” Revisited
One of the most dreaded requests job seekers struggle with while networking, and during job interviewing, is “Tell me about yourself.” As my recruiter friend Skip Freeman noted in his 2012 blog post titled Beware The ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ Job Interview Question, a poor response to this request in a job interview can have …
Save Time and Money When Interviewing Candidates
Do you want to save time and money on interviewing? If your answer is yes, then read the rest of the article to find out how.
Time has changed and technology has changed but companies are struggling to keep up with technology and still prefer to do things such as interviewing candidates the old way. …
Inexpensive Resources to Help You Build a Polished Brand
In an age of extreme competitiveness, you may find yourself contending with your peers, job applicants and other business owners for coveted opportunities. And while you may be the most qualified, without the right packaging, you will not make it past the initial stages. The simple truth is that hiring managers are swapped with resumes …
Job Interview: Are You Willing to Run Errands?
You’re in a job interview for a higher-level position, and the recruiter asks you whether you’re willing to run errands, cover the phones or stock shelves. The right answer is really simple. Be truthful.
If the idea of performing menial chores outside your job description makes you sick to your stomach and tears at the …
Why I Won’t Interview You
Last year I was hiring for an administrative role within my office and received approximately 60 resumes. Sixty applications to go through, 5 minutes per application, 5 total hours of just looking at applications. This scenario was not going to happen as I did not have 5 hours to dedicate to screening application materials. Today …
Oh Boy…Time to Look For a New Job!
I’ve coached hundreds of clients in job search and don’t think I’ve ever heard any of them exclaim that they were excited to be looking for a job. It’s an oxymoron – the term excitement and ‘job search’ just don’t go hand-in-hand. But, what is more important is what job search frequently connects us to …
Importance of Keeping a List of Companies You Applied To
When you are actively looking for a job, you generally apply to so many companies that you even forget which ones you applied unless you hear back from them within a month. However, if you write down all of the companies you sent your resume and keep a list, you can follow-up on your application …
Job Search Lessons from College Football
Last week I travelled to see my alma mater play a conference game with my son’s alma mater. Although my team was a 15 point underdog, I was confident they could “beat the spread” and maybe even win the game. We decided to make a nominal wager to make it interesting!
After the kickoff, my …
There Are Two Types of Americans: Employed and Unemployed
The title of this blog is of course oversimplified but I wanted to emphasize the vast difference between the two sides. As a career coach, I spend a lot of time with people who are not employed, whether they’re my private clients or attendees at the various job-search networking groups I support and frequent.
On …
How to Sell Your Soft Skills During Job Interviews
During the interview process, many candidates feel pressured to only focus on their hard skills. While it’s important to highlight these skills, it’s even more impressive when you can explain to the interviewer your soft skills and strengths that relate to the position.
Soft skills are the qualities that can set you apart from other …