Have you given much attention to your penmanship lately? Mine is horrible. Since much of what I write is electronic, I’m out of practice with a pen. On the occasions I actually put pen to paper the result borders on horrifying. My penmanship used to be pretty good. Now a preschooler could best me. It […]

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Yesterday my 2 year old son came running to me. “Mommy! Mommy! I put my car away!” Exciting stuff considering he rarely puts anything away without a lot of prompting. He beamed with pride. I gave him a supportive hug as I looked around the playroom. His car was where it should be, but the […]

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Let me give you a taste of a conversation I had today with someone looking for advice on an upcoming interview. His name isn’t really Tony, by the way. Me: “Tell me about the job you are interviewing for.” Tony: “From what I can tell (insert some guesses). It seems reasonable they would want (insert […]

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Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it gives life to a job search! Those who invite curiosity into their efforts are much more likely to experience a positive outcome. The curious job seeker wonders: What is going on in my community and how does it affect my profession? What does that new piece of […]

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I’ve read many cover letters and resumes and wondered, “who talks like this?” Some job seekers believe channeling their inner Shakespeare is the best way to impress a hiring manager.  Though that may win points on occasion, most times it blurs your message and puts you at risk of appearing insincere or fake. The goal […]

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Those who exercise know to get the best results every session should start with a warm up phase. Warming up helps prepare the body for what’s to come so optimal results are achieved. The warm up is only supposed to take a few minutes. If you have an hour to exercise and spend 45 minutes […]

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Many people are influenced by the attitudes and communication styles of others. I’m not immune. During a conversation I find myself emulating the other person. Within minutes I’m talking at the same speed, with the same level of enthusiasm, the same jargon and sometimes even the same accent. The accent bit is embarrassing. There have […]

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Ask anyone looking for work what they hate about the process and they are sure to give you a healthy list.  Most are quick to grumble about hiring assessments, extensive & redundant online applications, essay components, transcript requests for degrees obtained decades ago, etc. Employers are definitely having applicants jump through hoops these days. There […]

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No matter how much you believe the actions of another contributed to you losing a job, leave it out of your interview and networking discussions. Quite frankly, suggesting others are to blame for your current situation rarely rings true in the ears of those you hope to impress. For one, if the individual has been […]

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The other day I was listening to a program on networking strategies for job seekers. Some things were mentioned that gave me the squirms. Not because I disagreed with the message those giving the advice were attempting to convey, but because I’m well aware many people on the receiving end of advice take it as […]

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