February 2016

Seems everyone wants or expects someone or something else to get them a job. Apparently, the internet does that for us or their resume will do it for them or just get someone else to do it for you. Apparently, this is what everyone has come to expect. It must be true because I read it online, offered by “how-to” mavens, who claim they can help; all parroting the same talking points. They all say you need a better resume, and a bigger, better and wider online social media presence - that’s all it takes. Or, they come up with some silly and overused catch-phrase about self-branding - it’s all very gimmicky and so easy. Sorry, but the age of online instant info that’s resulted in assumed instant gratification, does not yet extend to the jobs market – it doesn’t work

Often, when we are seeking something, we’re told maybe or some other conditional word like perhaps, possibly or potentially. Sometimes these words are appropriate and the topic under discussion is conditional, although they are also offered in lieu of a real and definitive answer. This is important during a dialogue and interactive conversation, when questions are posed and answers are reciprocated. So if your questions aren’t adequately answered, you owe it to yourself to press for a more complete and substantive response. During an interview, two parties meet; one to present a job opportunity and the other to present their qualifications and ability to perform the job – pretty simple isn’t it? Yet everyone seems to want to complicate what should be a straight-forward process of evaluation and elimination - but I digress. If you are the job seeker, the interviewee,

The good jobs, the ones we all strive for are fewer and harder to get than ever. This means, conversely, that you need to be better prepared than others, more on your game and at your best. If you do not recognize this, you obviously haven’t been in the current jobs market or you’re simply going through the motions with your fingers crossed, or, you think you’re extra special and a good job is going to find you. Regardless, any claim you make about your employment history, duties, accomplishments and anything you put on your resume needs to be verifiable. I am not talking about a job you had for three weeks that you selected not to put on your resume; this is trivia and unnecessary minutiae, in my view. But let me share an easy example. I read an article

There are some things you should never do during an interview, yet I see people willingly doing or saying the dumbest things during an interview process. While I can think of a long list of suggestions of what you should do, let me suggest some of the most basic and potentially damaging things you should never do during an interview. Never go to an interview without having done some research or without having at least a basic understanding of the company or organization. With the internet as a resource, there’s no excuse for not being prepared and, in almost every interview situation, you will be asked either what you know about the company or what it is about the company that interests you. Never assume that you are the only person or candidate being considered for a particular position. You are among