Author: Michael Mayher

Let’s say you worked hard, have done your best and were able to fend off other contenders for that new job you were seeking; you’ve been made an offer, great and congratulations. What’s that you say? You want to think about it? Okay, but don’t take too long. Consider this; any smart manager worth his or her salt has a back-up Plan B, a secondary candidate. True, there is no prize for second place when pursuing a single job position but, until there is an acceptance and signed job offer, the race is not over. While you may be relishing your supposed victory, the process is not concluded in the mind of a clever hiring manager. If they’re smart and if they have a choice, they have not bet all their money or chips on you alone. And I assure you

The short answer is it all depends. Most people have a presence on Facebook, for example, as well as on other social media. No one in our modern society should be surprised that, by having a public presence, you’ve chosen to abrogate a measure of your privacy. But deep down we already know this, and recent events have only validated the rumors, and the conspiracy theorists many ridiculed in the past were correct all along. Although I am writing with everyone in mind I am aiming more specifically at young people, who are trying to establish and launch their careers. Clearly, among many there is a shortsighted and naïve perception that it’s no big deal, that everyone posts stuff. Nobody considers whether it can haunt them later. I recall doing some really stupid stuff when I was young but, fortunately, there

If you are nervous about the interview process, you are no different than most who seek employment, regardless of experience or position. The more they want the job the higher level of anxiety they may be feeling. I don’t know many people who like to interview, much less look forward to it. But there are those who feel more confident than others. Confidence by itself isn’t enough to get you a job offer, but it clearly is helpful to your efforts when observed by a hiring manager. And just for the sake of mention, an over-inflated ego, hubris or arrogance is not synonymous nor a substitute for confidence. It is likely that when you are competing for employment you’re not alone and, in fact, a company you seek to work for might have received a hundred or more resumes. But this

Some readers see the title and think, “What, resignation prep, is that a joke?” Resigning from one job to move on to another is an afterthought for most people. However, among experienced recruiters, we know the process is not yet finished when a job offer has been accepted. No, we still have to get the person we’ve represented through their resignation; we know there is still potential for things to go wrong and kill the deal. So what does this mean for you, the applicant, who has just emerged from a strenuous interview process. After all you’ve won, you got the job, the rest is easy isn’t it? Not so fast. I’ve worked with a lot of people who dismissed my advice and found that, when it was time to leave their current job, they experienced just as much, and sometimes

No, I am not describing a prison term although some people feel incarcerated with jobs that are taking them nowhere, leaving them stuck, chained in place, withering away their full potential. I know there are those who might say in the current overall jobs market you should be happy just to have a job. Sorry, but I don’t belong to that crowd. I’m cursed or blessed, depending on your perspective, with being an optimist. I think in terms of potential opportunities that can improve and elevate one’s station in life. I consider most obstacles to be distractions and bumps along the road of life, to be avoided or overcome. Three to five years is my general guideline when I advise people about their career forecasting, development, occasional self-appraisal and progression planning. Even if you are gainfully employed and relatively happy, I think

At face value, it’s obvious the interviewer and interviewee are not positioned equally. So, when you get the call and it’s your turn, you can either step up and show your best, or just show up. If you think you will have little influence over the situation, then you won’t. An interview is an opportunity over which you can and should exert influence. After all, this isn’t just about them and their company, it’s also about you also. If you attend the interview only as a bystander, just there and only reacting to that which is asked of you, the reality is that you’re not even trying. If you seek to maintain your dignity and to be treated with the same respect you show to the interviewer, there is one sure way (among many) to raise your stock in the eyes

It is a simple and sad fact that most people do very little interview prep before they show up, all nervous and sweaty. I suggest part of the reason for their anxiety could be because they’ve shown up having invested little or no time in learning about the very company for whom they seek to work and, therefore, have good reason to be nervous. I recognize that interview styles and methods vary, and everyone does things slightly different from one another, however, you can never really know what to expect when you walk through the door. On the other hand, some things are predictable and somewhat ritualistic. If you are aware of this you can capitalize on it and thus gain advantage over others, who show up for their interview, go through the motions, but do little or nothing more. I

In my last blog entry I shared the most basic guidelines for a sensible way of looking at the subject of money and for what to aim. In fact, I suggest you step back and view it from a wider angle. There is and should be a balance and trade-off consideration. For example, if it’s a great job you may be a bit more flexible on your monetary demands and vice versa. But let’s say you get a verbal offer and the hiring manager floats a test balloon to see your reaction. If the money comes in lower than you wished or expected, your first reaction might be to counter immediately and begin the back and forth banter. However, not before you ask more questions and learn about the entire package. Anytime there is a bonus structure or benefits at stake

Ah, money! It shouldn’t be the primary motivator for any job seeker, but it ranks up there near the top. I maintain that too many people get it bass ackwards and are easily lured to the money component; but that’s not what this blog entry is about. In many jobs there simply is not a lot of room for you to negotiate salary or wider aspects of compensation; for example, in retail, union scale, government jobs and many others there are limitations and/or no room for discussion. You’re presented with a salary scale and an offer, take it or leave it. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least make an attempt, it is an important consideration. When is the right time to ask or discuss money and how can you best approach the subject? First let’s talk about a few don’ts. It

What happens if, during the interview process for reasons of bad timing, there could be something that might conflict with your ability to start a new job? You worry about saying anything that will jeopardize your chances of maintaining a good impression, especially if you are to be the one selected to receive a job offer. Perhaps you already had plans to attend a wedding out of town or have a vacation    planned in advance; reservations are made, airline tickets are bought and paid for. Or you have some exams coming up or a certification training class that will boost your value to a company, but you find yourself in the midst of the interview process. There are positive signs and they imply that if selected they’d like for you to start immediately. So what do you do, miss this opportunity?