Since “What Color Is Your Parachute?” by Richard Nelson Bolles was published 31 years ago, it’s become known to many as the job-hunters’ bible. The book, published by Ten Speed Press, has topped business bestseller lists and a new, revised edition is reissued annually. But does this book really deserve its iconic status? With unemployment
Have you ever fallen victim to a career-killing move? You know the feeling — realizing that what you’ve just said to a client may have been inappropriate, or the outfit you’re wearing might look better on the beach than in the boardroom? Or, perhaps you hit the “reply to all” button on your e-mail, instead
Job hunters who feel they made mistakes in interviews often fail to use one of the most effective tools at their disposal: a follow-up phone call. You may think that trying to bolster a shaky performance will only make matters worse, but you may be surprised at the results you get. Here’s what happened to
I want to share a helluva problem that I’ve been dealing with recently. Papers filed by my wife in our divorce proceeding became public and grossly misrepresented many aspects of my employment contract with General Electric. I’m not going to get into a public fight refuting every allegation in that filing. But some charges have
Are you mentally putting up roadblocks to your search? A top human-resources executive left his employer of 20 years to consult independently, but he didn’t do well, so he began job hunting. I’m a career-management consultant. We met and he became a client after he had been searching for 10 months. He was 50 years
Job-hunting requires investigating every opportunity, giving Oscar-winning performances and not taking rejection personally. I was laid off twice in 11 months and looking for work, first in Los Angeles and then in New York, was harder than my toughest job. For the record, that was working on the canning line in a salmon cannery for
What is the world’s easiest job? The answer will depend on the individual, career counselors say. What seems “easy” to one person may be excruciating for another.
Many people fantasize about changing careers, but few actually follow through. It just seems too daunting. These days, though, a lot of people don’t have much choice. Maybe their industry’s days seem numbered, and they figure they better start planning now. Or maybe they already have been hit by a layoff.
Haven’t worked for “the man” yet? No matter how far along you are in your career, you may be able to change course to boost your income. In 1999, after five years as a college-football coach in Chicago, Jerry Bowden took up a career in public relations, seeking an increase in pay and job security.
The ability to conduct an effective interview is a critical skill for all hiring managers. Knowing how to screen for the right candidate will save you the headache of a bad hire and help you assemble an all-star team, says career coach Cynthia Shapiro, author of the book “Corporate Confidential.” The goal of every hiring
Are you self-employed and attempting to re-enter the workforce as a W-2 employee?
Most graduate students have the skills it takes to succeed in business – some just need help navigating the world outside of the Ivory Tower. “Most of them are wrestling with academic life verses non-academic life,” says Paula Foster, creator of WRK4US, a job-help listserve for academics considering alternative careers. “Because the academic world is
The following sample interview questions and answers are for the types of questions you should expect during an interview for a business development research analyst position.
It’s pointless filling a job that a candidate can’t do and won’t be able to keep. Likewise, an employer will not want to have to dismiss someone they have recently employed, and undergo expensive recruiting again.
What is a Resume? A resume is a summary of a person’s business or professional qualifications, educational background and work experience for a particular position. The purpose of a resume is to market capabilities, qualifications and credentials to potential employers.
“Where do you want to work?” This is such a big question, of which the possibilities are seemingly endless for those who are relatively new to the workforce. But in reality, the type of environment you’ll excel in actually has a lot to do with your personality. In other words, you’re not as lost as
Whether you’re casually or doggedly conducting your job search, know that with each resume and job application you submit, your online persona becomes fair game for prospective employers hoping to gain greater insight into who you are and what sort of life you lead. But, what if you haven’t even applied for any jobs? It’s
As the saying goes, you have to earn money to make money – and that is never more true than during a job search. In fact, in a study conducted by the Princeton Survey Research Association, approximately 59 percent of hiring managers suggest spending as much time and money on personal image as on perfecting
If a job interview doesn’t cause you even the slightest amount of stress, check your pulse – you might not be human. Job interviews are at the top of the list of stress inducers, and the ups and downs of the interview process can kick your hormones into high gear. The best way to reduce
