The greatest satisfaction in my work comes from seeing others thrive in theirs. Whether it’s helping my clients, or you, dear reader, land the job, navigate the work culture, communicate professional skills, or begin the search for something new, I’m thrilled to be of service – helping you do your very best.Doing your best is one of the key ingredients for success and personal freedom, according to author Don Miguel Ruiz. I...

With summer intern season about to begin, I wanted to share helpful advice I’ve been reading about making internships truly beneficial for both interns and organizations. What you do to help interns succeed will impact them far beyond this summer. And their contributions can make a real difference to your operations.Start Off On the Right Foot“On the first day of the job, an intern is most likely going to feel a little nerv...

Over the years, both as a coach and recruiter, I have heard the following refrains when it comes to interviewing:“I had all the right answers but I did not make to the next round”.“The interview went really well and it has been two weeks since I heard anything”.“My top priority when I interview is to get the offer. Then I will decide if I want the job”.The organization’s response? “The fit wasn’t there.”Before continuing,...

According to a January 2015 report on Gallup, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the total number of new business startups and business closures per year — the birth and death rates of American companies — have crossed for the first time since the measurement began. Reportedly, 400,000 new employer businesses with one or more employees are being born annually nationwide, while 470,000 per year are dying.Clearly, there’s a...

Although many students go to college with the goal of landing a good job at graduation, most colleges don’t care all that much about student employment goals. In fact, to ensure their survival, many colleges have very different goals: - Recruit enough new students to fill the class for next year - Keep students in school (paying tuition) as long as possible - Obtain donations from alumni - Seek money from all other possibl...

Resume clients often give me a copy of an outdated resume to serve as a starting point for creating a new, more powerful resume targeted to their current job search. Lately, some preventable writing and proofreading mistakes have been cropping up in those old resumes crop over and over again.For example, Marine Corps has appeared in more than one resume without the “s” in Corps. The word “corp.” is an abbreviation for “corp...

After a speech, I often encounter someone from the audience who approaches me and asks: “What do you think of my resume?” I smile and ask: “What job are you applying for?” More often than not, they respond with: “Nothing in particular. I just want to know what you think of it?”I give it a cursory look for achievement metrics and style points and usually say, “It’s fine as is; but I could give you a better critique if you we...

The other day, I was reading an article on LinkedIn about gender equality at the executive level. It was written by a female executive who noted that there are very few female C-level executives in any size company and that diversity only helps companies to succeed. The article was in no way inflammatory, and it was very well written. However, a quick scan of the comment section was horrifying.I am alternately amazed and d...

We’ve all heard and read the millennial-bashing. Millennial employees want free food; they want unlimited vacation; they want to run the company two days after they arrive; they want to be coddled and given a trophy. If you’ve read my blog before, you know that I’m definitely not in the millennial-bashing camp.Why am I always so bullish on this generation? Because if you look past the stereotypes, you quickly see that mille...

Success is measured by your results. You’ve had this ingrained in you:. It follows that if you didn’t get an offer after your interview, you failed. Your self-esteem takes a hit and maybe even depression sets in. “Nobody wants me.”You make all about you. You all have heard about how much a “bad hire” costs the company. Well it costs you as well. Your zeal to get the offer by overselling yourself with the “right answer...