Career Advice

I’ll be straight up with this – I think New Year’s resolutions should be renamed, “Set Up to Fail.” And setting career goals for the New Year? Hmm, not sure about that one either, especially in today’s job climate.If you’ve read my posts, you know I tend to be in the “glass is half-empty” camp. But there’s nothing wrong with setting some realistic goals. Last year, I wrote, “Set 2010 Career Goals, Then Be Flexible,” which was just a reminder that sometimes “life happens when you’re busy making other plans.” And Andrew’s “6 Cures for the Post Holiday Work Trauma” is a good way to ease yourself back into work after the hols.So, how about setting some let’s-get-real career goals for 2011?·         Get Over Yourself – It’s highly unlikely that even though you believe you were a shining star in 2010 and deserve some … [Read more...] about The "Let’s Get Real" Career Goals for 2011

This post is supported by leading CRM software. Working away from the office is increasingly becoming the norm. As technology improves, there is less need for staff to come into an office on a regular basis, especially if their work involves travelling to meet clients. Likewise, working from home (remote working or telecommuting) is becoming easier to achieve thanks to technological improvements. It also saves money for companies, as they do not have to expand office space to take on new staff – and some don't even bother having any central office space at all. Here are a few ways to ensure you work effectively:1.    Online calendars: Cloud computing means that all the information and documents you need are held on virtual servers on the internet, rather than on a single computer. Facilities such as online calendars held this way means staff can access such information, wherever they are. It enables them to make instant decisions, based on the schedules of … [Read more...] about 7 Tips to Work Away From the Office

After holding three different jobs over the course of five years, job seeker Tom was told by a well-respected NYC-based career counselor that he had a serious problem."You need a 'stick' job," she proclaimed.She urged Tom not to take another job until he found a gig he could see himself staying with for more than three years. At the time, her logic seemed made sense, so Tom set out to find a job he could endure.But that was years ago, when employees were expected to stay with one job for most or all of their career. Now the rules of the job hunt have changed. Employers often seek out candidates who are on the move, honing their skills and seeking out the best opportunities, even if it means collecting employee handbooks in the process.Should you become the employee with 10 years of experience at one firm—or the professional who has worked for three different companies during the last 10 years? Let's look at the pros and cons of having a "stick" job as opposed to being a job … [Read more...] about Stick Job vs. Long-Term Job: Which Is Better?

There are times in your life when you need a little support. I'm not referring only to those times when you are out of work and need to find a job, fast (like many of us in today's economy). I'm talking about those times when you need a second, unbiased opinion about something. Those times when you'd like to know how other people in the industry are reacting to the latest industry news. Even those times when you find yourself stranded for the night in an unfamiliar city and need someone to call who can explain the subway system, recommend a good place to get something to eat, or point you in the direction of a decent local chiropractor for the back injury you sustained while toting suitcases around. When most of us think of support networks, we may think of women who need a network of friends and relatives who can fill in as emergency child care providers or commiserate over lost loves. We may even think of people who are in support groups, such as AA, who need to find a group of … [Read more...] about The External Benefits of a Strong Network

When you are trying to write about your work experience, you might hit a road block if you have large gaps between your work experience. Instead of leaving a gap, write about what you were doing during that time.  Just because you might not have been paid doesn’t mean you weren’t doing valuable, career-advancing things.If you are looking to put a positive spin on a resume gap, drop phrases such as: maternity leave, family management, full-time parent, world traveler, student, or community service specialist.  If you are lucky enough to get the interview, informing the interviewer that you kept busy and were productive during your "gaps." If those periods of time were filled with several smaller jobs, you can cater your job history to the target job at hand. If you were working two jobs, the first of which was as a babysitter while the second was as a secretary, consider the job for which you are applying and which of the two jobs would be more appropriated … [Read more...] about Filling in Resume Gaps

The resume of tomorrow won’t be paper. Heck, it won’t even look like a digital version of today’s resume. It will be a demonstration of your skills, a sales piece that tells the reader, “You have to talk to this guy. He’s that good.” And, it won’t be just for job seekers. The resume of tomorrow will be an integral part of selling any person online as a job seeker, a consultant, a contractor, or a business owner.Putting together tomorrow’s resume will take more than the weekend’s worth of effort you put in now when you think to yourself, “I need to get a job. Guess it’s time to update my resume.” It’ll take years of work to assemble, and you’ll need the buy-in and backing of those around you.The keys to the resume of tomorrow are...1. A hook – The resume of tomorrow needs to catch someone’s attention. With the economy being not the best it’s ever been. Many people are back in school, … [Read more...] about 6 Keys to the Resume of Tomorrow

This is a particularly challenging time of year at work – holidays, end of year, taxes, oh my. Some days it’s a challenge just to “keep a civil tongue in your head” as they say.  So if you aren’t fortunate enough to have saved up some vacation time this month, what can you do? Put the whole holiday madness aside for a while (“Stress Buster and Holiday Survival Guide”) and try to focus on the job at hand. I’m going to assume that you aren’t on the verge of either: A.     Punching out your cubicle neighbor for humming “Jingle Bells,” orB.     Taking up or starting smoking again just to go to the “Butt Hut,” orC.     Having a psychotic or any other type of disassociative  episode orD.     Fill in the blank (bad, bad , bad meltdown.) So how do you back yourself off of the precipice and get down to work? Jobacle has given you … [Read more...] about Give Yourself a “Time Out” at Work

If tweaking and revamping your resume hasn’t helped you land a single interview, your resume may no longer be cutting it. Maybe it’s time to call in the big guns: a professional resume writer.But hiring a writer over the Internet is a scary task. In a world of scams and horror stories, how can you know you’re hiring someone who will help—not hurt—your job search? With a million “accredited” resume writing associations out there, how should you cut through the clutter?Here’s how to make sure you hire a quality resume writer:Ask if they understand your industry.It’s often said that a good writer can write about anything. While that might be true, when it comes to your resume, you want a writer with a general understanding of your industry. At first glance, all resumes look the same. But in reality, each individual industry calls for different jargon, a unique style and a specialized look. To give yourself the best odds of success, … [Read more...] about Tips for Hiring a Professional Resume Writer