Networking – the mere mention of the word sends most job seekers cowering under a pile of help wanted ads, praying that an employer is looking for them, so they do not have to expose themselves to this high stress, ego-threatening activity. The sad reality is that the vast majority of job opportunities (some statistics say as high as 85%) will never appear in the help wanted section of a newspaper or posted on any job board...

Job seekers frequently ask how to shorten their three/four-page résumé: “I’ve done so much and have so many skills; I just hate to leave anything off.” A good place to start is by coming to the realization that when it comes to advertising what you are “selling” (your knowledge, skills and experience) it’s not about you. One of my clients was faced with this dilemma when we first began working together. He was trying to sec...

A few years ago I drove past a billboard that read “Look Better Naked.” The advertisement was for a fitness club. That’s good advertising! Too often businesses advertise their product or service by describing what they are offering. This business cut to the chase – they found my pain point and positioned themselves as the solution.Too often job seekers approach employers (their prospective customers) by trying to “sell” the...

A guy walks into an advertising agency and says to the designer “I need a brochure to advertise my business. How much will that cost?”“I would be delighted to have you as a client, but first I have a couple of questions.”“What does your business do?” “Don’t know yet,” says the man.“What buying audience are you targeting?”“Don’t know that yet either,” says the man.“What sets your business apart from the competition?”“Haven’t...

When I first began my career as a résumé writer and job search coach, a more experienced colleague shared the following observation: “People look for work the way they live their life.” I was not sure what she meant by that, but after working with job seekers for the last 20 years, I see this truth played out over and over again.I just finished meeting with an awesome young man who graduated from college two years ago with...

A close friend called me today to about a job opportunity she felt would be a good match for her husband’s skills and experience. The job was in southern West Virginia and they currently live in central Pennsylvania. She began by asking for my help in updating her husband’s résumé, but within minutes she was describing to me how overwhelmed she felt with the impact of a decision they had not yet made. How would they sell th...

After having spent nearly 10 years as a wife and mother (a "career path" I chose right out of college), I suddenly found myself single and unemployed with children to support, no professional experience, and very little self-confidence. As fate would have it, I began a journey into the scary world of dating again, as well as seeking employment. As I look back on that time (one that had a happy conclusion), I recognize a gre...

Job seekers are bombarded with daily advice from well meaning friends, relatives, and professionals covering every topic from résumés and cover letters, to online networking, job boards, and visual CVs. As a professional résumé writer and job search coach, even I get overwhelmed – feeling like I am running as fast as I can to keep up with the latest and greatest tools and techniques, and then discovering the next week that...

About six weeks ago I began working with a client on developing a new, achievement-focused résumé. After consulting with her by phone for well over an hour, it became apparent that this individual needed more time to gather her thoughts and review her experience so she could identify her challenges and achievements. With that in mind, we scheduled a follow-up session and I emailed her a basic questionnaire to help trigger s...

Once I recovered from a ten-year marriage that ended (much like being fired when the employer decides you are no longer an asset to the company) – I decided I had gone long enough without a steady relationship and joined a dating service. During the course of a year I had 42 blind dates – and just like a job seeker who racks up plenty of interviews (but few offers), I learned a lot about what it takes to succeed.Networking...