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An interviewer asks 4 receptionist candidates this question. “We value a calm, quiet reception area so we don’t like the phone to ring constantly. How will you handle this need?”

Candidate #1: “Hire me. I will rip the phone out of the wall. No more ringing.”

Candidate #2: “Hire me. After talking to me, your callers will never phone back. Guaranteed quiet.”

Candidate#3: “Hire me. I’m experienced and will answer all calls within three rings. ”

Candidate #4: “Hire me. I’ll answer your calls quickly because I’m fully trained and experienced with your phone system. I also know its automatic call distribution option, and can help implement it, which will reduce the number of calls coming in. It will be calm and quiet, plus I’ll be more available for direct customer service.”  Read more...

The primary purpose of a cover letter is to convince the employer to read your resume.

Many job seekers mistakenly use cover letters to try and convince employers to hire them. They write long letters detailing their skills and experience and how they apply to the employer’s situation.

Less is more when it comes to cover letters. With often hundreds of candidates for a single position, employers have stacks of resumes and cover letters to read. Drowning in information overload, they can find themselves skimming or even skipping documents.

Wouldn’t it be great if resumes came with flags that popped up and said  “I match what you are looking for in these ways! Read my resume for more information!”  Read more...

If you’re looking for inspiration to recharge your career, look no farther than Apolo Ohno’s 1500 meter Olympic performance. At 27, an age considered long in the tooth for a speedskater, Ohno not only won a silver medal, he proved he’s just as competitive as his younger rivals.

In the current economy, many seasoned employees are finding their careers plateaued or their job prospects slimming as they face stiff competition in the workplace. Here are four strategies that contributed to Apolo Ohno’s recent success and how you can apply them to your career.

Commit yourself. Ohno purposefully committed to a third Olympics because of his love for the sport, the Vancouver location, and his personal passion for excellence. That commitment fueled his drive forward through good days and bad.  Read more...

The anatomy of a job interview

Attend this workshop if you are a job seeker or your current position includes interviewing job candidates.  Learn why understanding both sides of the interview table  is critical to everyone’s success.    Read more...

Revitalize Your Resume!

Does your resume show how qualified and capable you really are? Learn to make it stand out from the crowd using simple and effective techniques from our job and career search expert, Emily Bardeen. Bring along a copy of your resume, even if it’s out of date, and an example of the kind of job you are interested in.

Participants will receive Emily’s e-book  Do This! Quick Resume Tips for Job Hunters in a Hurry.  Read more...

We’re one week into the New Year – the time when resolutions can start to fade. If this year you’re absolutely determined to do something about your career, take heart! Avoid becoming a career couch potato with your choice of four creative activities designed to inspire you to keep moving. They’re fun, easy – and they work! Betcha can’t try just one.  Read more...

‘Tis the season of giving and I’m interested in knowing what gifts you’ve given yourself. Not the kind you buy.  I’m thinking kind of more like…..homegrown.

Like bravery, for example. This year, did you step out of your comfort zone in ways you’ve never done before? Or maybe persistence.   Do you find that now you just keep going when things are rough and not even think about giving up?

Perhaps you gave yourself the gift of focus  -  zeroing in on what’s really important to you  – and letting the rest go? Or how about patience? The calmness that comes when you accept that your timeline isn’t everyone else’s is a powerful gift.

Did you give yourself joy?  Read more...

Have you ever noticed how sometimes perfectly normal and intelligent people create non-existent problems to avoid their career issues? Like my wonderful sister, who is known for her love of laundry. Seriously.

To help you avoid “Doing the Laundry”, follow these three simple rules:

1. Show Up

My sister, the most brilliant, best big sister ever, decided to become an architect. She applied to Ivy League Schools and didn’t get in ANYWHERE. It was shocking – like the magnetic poles reversing. She had never failed at anything. But she hadn’t taken drafting or calculus — no wonder she didn’t get in.

She hadn’t shown up.

Be clear on what is required to achieve your goal – and fulfill each requirement!  Read more...

What do you do when someone asks for help getting a job in your organization? Most people want to help. On the other hand, helping is risky. How do you help someone get a job but protect your own hard-earned political capital?
 
A friend of mine asked me this after her efforts to help a former colleague monumentally backfired. A VP who had been laid off from her previous company contacted her about an open position in her current firm. My friend’s actions to help him turned into a political disaster for her when she passed his resume on to her boss –and her boss was applying for the same position.

   Read more...

A woman of child-bearing age who couldn’t get pregnant in biblical times is like a person today who is able to work but can’t find a job.  Through no fault of their own, each loses their place in society and is at risk for losing their sense of self-worth.  

Hannah went through terrible times until she finally asked for help. The story of how God helped Hannah with her troubles gives hope to those facing the anxiety of unemployment. 

1 Samuel (1:4-20)

Poor Hannah! She wants a baby desperately, and yet she can’t conceive. Her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, has plenty of sons and daughters. As members of the same household, surely Hannah is expected to help care for the children. What a bitter pill to swallow.  Read more...