In general, I tell people that it never hurts to apply for a job, and when in doubt, go ahead and apply for a position (unless, of course, you meet less than about 75% of the qualifications). In real life, though, people don’t have time to apply to each position they see. To prioritize whether … Continue reading
Should I ask about advancement?
One of the many questions job seekers ask when they are in a job interview is about opportunities for promotion or advancement. Normally, asking about opportunities for advancement is a good thing because it shows ambition and a desire to stay with the organization–unless there is just no opportunity for that in a teeny tiny … Continue reading
Emotions in the Job Search
It’s a little like dating. You have found your dream job or organization– but will they like you back, enough to hire you? If they reject you, does that make you a bad person or a failure? Putting yourself out there by networking, applying, and interviewing for jobs makes you very vulnerable to rejection, the … Continue reading
Push Me, Pull You: Handling Multiple Offers and Interviews
Timing is everything in the job search. This statement is true when it comes to applying before a job deadline, applying early and often, getting your references to reply quickly, and most of all when dealing with job interviews and offers. If you are lucky enough to have had multiple job interviews, you will likely … Continue reading
Second Round Interviews
Second round interviews are sometimes more in-depth than the first round. In many cases, the first round or screening interview is with HR, and has some general questions (tell me about yourself, what are your strengths and weaknesses etc.). The second round is usually with the hiring manager and/or the team you’ll be working with. … Continue reading
It’s not over until it’s over
There are many phases in the job search process, all of which are a time-consuming emotional roller coaster ride for many. The problem is that many people get excited that they’ve been called for an interview, a second interview, even a reference check, and presume that means they’ve got the job, only to find that … Continue reading
The Job Board-Linkedin Mashup
I heavily emphasize Linkedin in all my advice to job seekers, but there are limits on what it can do. At this point, it’s not that awesome as a job board. You can, in fact, use Linkedin as a job board by looking under “Jobs” and also looking for Jobs conversations/postings in the groups you … Continue reading
What I learned from Google+ Circles and Linkedin Maps
I just joined Google+ (I like being an early adopter of social media stuff). It prompted me to categorize my contacts into Circles (similar to Facebook friends lists or Linkedin contacts tags, but it seems like it has a lot more functionality compared to those two features). It was a fun little project putting my … Continue reading
Guest Post from Lavie Margolin: “80% of jobs are not advertised” is just not true
Lavie Margolin is a Career Coach and the author of Lion Cub Job Search: Practical Job Search Assistance for Practical Job Seekers. As sole proprietor of Lion Cub Job Search, his role is to act as a coach, educator and helping hand to professionals. Lavie earned his B.S. in Marketing from Yeshiva University. He has … Continue reading
Cover Letter Concepts
There is a lot of confusion about cover letters. Cover letters are not: * An opportunity to write about your life story and life philosophy * A chance to write about tell your entire career history * A place to explain why you left each of your past employers or to focus in detail about … Continue reading