A free inside look at jobs and companies. Find jobs and see company salaries, reviews, and interviews posted anonymously by employees.
I know in today’s economic climate how tempting it can be to take advantage of any job offer that comes your way. Many career opportunities look great on paper and at times, out of sheer desperation to be among the employed, you tend to view these opportunities through rose-colored glasses.However, be careful. Here are the best ways to investigate if a job is the right fit or not.
Next to a root canal appointment, few things in life are as nerve inducing as the job interview. In this day and age, the face-to-face interview is typically the first time a prospective employee will speak to an actual person. This “actual” person literally has your career in the palm of their hand. They will determine, based on this portion of the hiring process, whether or not the process will continue or come to a screeching halt. Wow! No wonder you’re nervous. Right? Below are a few ideas that will go a long way toward taking some of the pressure off of you and making the most of your time with the interviewer.
Imagine for a moment, a marathon runner who has trained for years, only to stop short of the finish line. The runner has all but won the race, and a mere couple of inches are all that are needed to collect the trophy, applause and accolades they so richly deserve for all the hard work and self sacrifice they’ve put themselves through. But instead, the runner stands idly by, as one after another of the competitors cross the finish line. Doesn’t make much sense, does it?
The parallels between the job search and life itself can be quite indistinguishable. So much of what the job seeker goes through can easily be supported by adopting attitudes that relate directly to success in other parts of your life. Consider the following message and see if you agree.
With the holiday season upon us, you may be busy attending a lot of events, visiting different places, meeting new people or perhaps even trying out some new activities. As you encounter every day with a fresh perspective, keep in mind that all of these experiences may be an opportunity to help you land a wonderful new job.
An executive job seeker recently inquired: “How important do you think it is for me to have a LinkedIn profile?” I replied: VERY! I explained that recruiters, hiring decision makers and other executives and board members with influence and hiring authority are sleuthing around LinkedIn daily. More than 135 million professional members subscribe to LinkedIn!
Have you heard of ‘braincalming’ sessions? I just read about it in a recent blog post, Brainstorming vs. Briancalming, by Mitch Ditkoff where he espoused the value of ‘being silent’ with one’s thoughts. One of my favorite quotes in his post follows: “Me thinks, in today’s over-caffeinated, late-for-a-very-important-date business world, we have become addicted to the storm.”
On your resume, what is the limit on how much to write about an achievement? The answer is, ‘It depends.’ I suggest your goal is to culminate in Expanded Achievements Stories; so, don’t initially overwhelm yourself with rules of achievement length. Instead, focus on the aerial perspective of what you contributed, and then break the bigger picture down into smaller chunks. A quick checklist will help walk you through the process of achievement ‘ferreting.’
I witness it all the time: professionals and executives wanting to cast a ‘broad net’ for the job search in order to scoop up opportunities. This (generally) does not work because your ‘broad’ message will not sell you to a ‘specific’ audience.
In defining your target audience, beyond the type of role (position title) and industry to which you wish to market your value, the size of company can be instrumental in narrowing your message.
In a recent story at Workforce.com, NYC’s Most Powerful Women: How They Did It, Jeremy Smerd asserts: “The best career decisions sometimes come from ignoring the worst advice ….” In this article, he cites multiple examples of successful executives who dismissed advice to follow their instincts … and ultimately to create winning careers.
Follow us:
How To Deal With An Annoying Coworker by onTargetjobs February 22nd, 2012
How To Investigate "The Right Job" Vs. "Any Job" by Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, MRW February 22nd, 2012
How To Get Your Boss Fired by Donna Fuscaldo February 21st, 2012
How To Get The Most Out Of References In A Social Media World by Nancy Mann Jackson February 21st, 2012
How To Balance Two Jobs When They're Totally Different by Vickie Elmer February 20th, 2012