Here’s the next of my search-killing phrases: “I’m a results-oriented professional…” or this variation: “Proven results in…” These are used all the time in résumés and cover letters, or even in oral 30-second pitches…and they do absolutely nothing for you. Remember the adult voices on all the Charlie Brown specials, …
Here’s the next in my series on search killer phrases. “I can work in any industry”, or providing in your message 2 or 3 different industries as your targets. Candidates who say this may think they are keeping their search open, but they are actually closing it down. It has the same problem as “I …
Here’s a quote from a column by Michael Port, the NY Times bestselling author of Book Yourself Solid, in the December issue of Entrepreneur magazine. The title of the column: “Keep Your Cards To Yourself.” “Don’t share your business card. Take some contrarian sales advice: Never give out another business card again (unless someone asks for it, …
Many job seekers make the mistake of thinking that the holiday season is a terrible time to be looking. They assume that no one is going to hire during this season and that they are wasting their time. As a result, they put their search on hold from Thanksgiving until New Year’s. That’s great …
A question I received: “I’ve got a pretty good job right now. As a Contractor working for a Recruiting company, I am “rented” to a new startup company. The work scope is pleasing; I like, and do well at what they want. Work is solid for at least another six months I believe. Question: How …
This is a question that was posed: “The more you know about a company’s culture, the easier it can be to tell what what you can offer to them if there is a match. I wanted to know how you would go about finding which company is the right fit in an industry: Company websites …
What would you do with this situation? I spoke at a Career Campaign event in NYC. A week or two afterward I had a long conversation with one of the attendees. He complained about how difficult it was to find interviews, and I asked what he had been doing to move his search forward. “Going …
OK, I’m probably dating myself here…remember those Wendy’s commercials in the 1980’s, when a little old lady ordered competitors burgers, only to exclaim “Where’s the beef?” I’m reminded of those ads when I see resumes that say things like “results-oriented”, “highly motivated”, “outstanding communication skills”, and one of my favorites, “proven results in …” These are …
Here’s a comment from one of my readers: “I say “WOW” to the comment “have the courage to walk away from the position you don’t want”. (From Career Tips, March 2009.) I find it interesting that one wouldn’t know if they wanted the position prior to the interview. However, I have found that once you’re on the job you …
I find that a large percentage of job seekers have misconceptions about networking that hold them back in their search. Take this email I received, for example: “I have been out of work for 7 months and I have not been on one interview for a job. I am networking, I have joined groups such …