What are your career goals? There is one indisputable truth in life. If you want to accomplish something, the best way to guarantee success is to set goals.  We have numerous opportunities to set goals throughout our lives, plan a wedding, buy a house, pick furniture, and go on vacation. One of the best opportunities to set specific goals is when you're job searching. By writing it down or typing it out, you can plan each action that needs to happen to achieve your goal.  The concept of getting a new job is simple, but the process can be difficult and overwhelming. You can make it simpler by having a plan in place.  Start by answering this, "What are my career goals?"  What is a goal? A goal is something you want the future to hold. It can be a need or a want. It can be something that you want right now or something [...]

If you've been looking for a new job, I am sure you have skimmed LinkedIn. Why wouldn't you, with over 20,000 companies in the U.S, use LinkedIn for recruiting.  Not sure what recruiters are looking for? No worries, we are here to help! A well-designed LinkedIn profile can get a recruiter's attention and increase your chances of getting hired faster.  Why have a LinkedIn profile LinkedIn is all about networking. It helps make more meaningful connections and is a great way to introduce yourself to new career contacts.  Your profile should NOT look like your resume. They should complement each other. You have a chance to include all of the details of your past work history, and since it's a social platform, it's less formal than your resume. Use it to show off your personality and interests.  What recruiters want to see on LinkedIn A picture can say a thousand words, but your headshot only [...]

Have you ever thought about what makes a person successful and why some achieve easier than others? Over the years, we have seen numerous success tips to help and achieve the success we all crave. With all kinds of how-to's out there, it's hard to narrow down which ones actually work for you.  When we become clear on our definition of success, it paints a clearer picture of how we view our lives. With this insight, your goals become more direct, and our desire to achieve success increases.  Have a clear version of success  Obtaining clarity on this will change your mindset positively. This is a critical part of being and feeling successful.  We all have an understanding of what success means to us. However, we know this on an unconscious level, making it challenging to understand our truth. This is why it's so important to communicate with ourselves to find those answers.  Sit in [...]

One of the best ways to differentiate yourself in a job interview setting is to paint a picture of your skills. The way you demonstrate these skills may be different depending upon the type of skill. Let’s take a few moments to talk about two different kinds of skills, hard skills and soft skills, and how you may demonstrate these skills in a job interview.  Hard Skills:  Hard skills are often defined as concrete skills you use in job-specific situations. Hard skills are often learned formally through education, on-the-job training, or experience in using them regularly. Some examples of hard skills are things like using specific computer programs, using job-specific technical skills, speaking different languages, or sales or marketing skills.    As we have already alluded to, hard skills are job-specific, so tailoring these skills to the type of job you are applying for is important. For example, if you are applying to a marketing [...]

Applicants usually report one of two different reactions after walking out of their first job interview. They either feel they did exceptionally well or, unfortunately, that they completely failed. Does your mind race after an interview? It's normal to think about how your interview went, but how do you know if it went well? How can you tell how well you did in the first interview? There is no scientific method that can 100% predict the outcome of an interview. However, there are common trends with successful job interviews and that lead to an offer. Keep reading to see if you have seen any of these signs telling you your interview went well.  Long interview  Hiring managers and recruiters do not waste time. If they feel that you are not suitable for the position, they will probably stop the interview short. If your interview runs longer than expected, it can be taken as a good [...]

Are you being bullied at work? Have you witnessed workplace bullying? If you have, you're not alone. It is estimated that about 60 million people have either been bullied or witnessed bullying at their employer. While it is prevalent, it isn't always cut and dry. Let's focus on some steps you can take to identify bullying in your workplace and, if you do witness it, what steps you can take to address it.   Identifying Bullying at Work Workplace bullying isn't always cut and dry. It's easy to see if someone is yelling or being hostile, but there are many other types of workplace bullying. Let's take a look at some different types of workplace bullying:  The aggressive bully: When people think of bullying, they often think of the aggressive bully. The aggressive bully behaves in a hostile manner when things don't go their way. Typical behavior can include; yelling and screaming, name-calling, or talking in [...]

Every detail matters in a competitive job market. From your cover letter to your post-interview thank-you note. Taking advantage of all opportunities to stand out will help the sea of applicants. When competition is high, finding a new employer is more challenging, but that doesn't mean landing your next job is impossible. Use these tips to guide you during your job search in a competitive job market.  Five ways to stand out in a competitive job market Keep these tips in mind as you begin your job search during this time.  Patience When searching for a job, being patient is challenging, especially if you're unemployed. But patience is crucial right now.  Chances are, it will take longer than usual to get hired, so set your expectations accordingly and do what you can to not stress yourself out while searching for a job. Polish your presentation Now, perhaps more than ever, positively presenting yourself to potential [...]