Job searching in the holidays is not easy. It’s hard to stay positive and upbeat when you are feeling the pressure to find work. And yet, you need to have the right attitude in order to project an image of confidence that others will remember. Which leads to my tip: Instead of talking about the struggles of the job hunt, you need to find other things to discuss.There is a simple technique I teach clients to make networking...

First, let me mention that some great advice is being shared as part of Job Action Day 2009 by a slew of really talented career advisors. When asked what I thought the secret to getting hired in this down economy was, I decided to share 4 things I’ve actually seen work for job seekers in the last month. That’s right – all the actions below were instrumental in getting people I know hired in this recession.Here they are:Dayd...

Today, 90%+ of all jobs require a resume. It’s the marketing brochure for your business-of-one. Personally, I’ve never liked writing resumes. Here’s why:• They are subjective. It’s hard to decide what to put on a resume about yourself.• There’s no way to know if you are doing it right. Everyone has a different opinion as to what should be included and how it should be formatted.• They are text-intensive. (Yawn!) People get...

I recently attended a dinner party where the attendees ranged in age from 23 to 68. Not surprisingly, the conversation turned to the recession and horrible job market. The more ’seasoned’ workers at the table started to rant about their circumstances. The dialog drifted from the lack of raises given out at their companies to the various friends whose spouses had lost their jobs and how it was making finances tight in their...

Two weeks ago, a fellow blogger e-mailed me about the launch of his company’s new social media platform for Gen Y workers. He said, “It’s like LinkedIn for young people.” While I didn’t say it directly to him, my first reaction was: What’s the point? I couldn’t see how connecting a bunch of young folks who lacked work history or professional connections was valuable. The power of using LinkedIn is to ‘link’ with a person wh...

I just spent the last 3 days co-chairing my first charity event. It was part of a large triathlon called Timberman with more than 2500 athletes in attendance. Over the course of the weekend, 85 amazing individuals competed in races that ravaged their bodies as they swam, biked and ran for hours on end for charity. These heroic triathletes helped us raise $50,000 - all of which is going directly towards granting the wishes o...

I read this post by a colleague, Heather Huhman, over her blog where she had it out with an angry job seeker who thought references don’t mean anything. (Ironically, his nasty attitude explains why he most likely hasn’t been hired.) AND, earlier in the week, another colleague, Alison Green, wrote about the 4 biggest myths about job references on her blog. Like Heather and Alison, I am regularly asked whether references m...

Okay, so you weren’t the brightest bulb in school. Perhaps, you spent more time partying then you did in the library? Well, good news! A new study pioneered in part by a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, Angela Duckworth, says one trait is a better predictor of success than intelligence.So, what could possibly be more important than genius? Well, this trait also begins with a “g” but it represents resilience,...

In the Current Economy, Your Answer Will Determine the Quality, Quantity & Quickness of Job Offers You ReceiveI knew of two employees - Mark and Sarah. They both did the same kind of work, had the same level of education and the same amount of experience. One day, an unexpected shift in the economy forced their employer to lay them off. Both Mark and Sarah found themselves looking for jobs. It took Mark a year to find a new...

Yikes! Hey college students and young professionals - have you seen the lead story on WSJ’s CareerJournal today? Not to mention, their follow up punch to the gut - an excerpt from a book that refers to you as ‘trophy kids’ and discusses why your egos are going to get the best of you in the workplace.Don’t worry...CAREEREALISM is coming to your rescue! The following tips are for college students and recent grads (all 2.5+M o...