Even before I checked my calendar on Monday morning, I knew the appointment would be there. Passed over for promotion again, Ralph wanted specifics on why I hadn’t chosen him for the position. This was not a new conversation. I thought of Ralph as my chicken and egg dilemma. Ralph was the chicken. He believed he would make a great Team Leader, and when I promoted him, he would step up and show me how well he could lead. My position was that of egg. Prove to me you have leadership skills by demonstrating leadership in the job you have now, and I’ll consider giving you the next position. Continue reading →

Here’s a list of the top 10 tips you can use to advance your career:

1. Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know.” If you don’t know something, say so; don’t try to fake it.Â

2. Take responsibility for your actions. If you’re at fault, admit it and take the blame. If you’re wrong, apologize.

3. Never gossip. Gossip can hurt the careers of two people: the person being talked about, and the person doing the talking. Continue reading →

Have you ever gone through the interview process, felt confident that you’d performed extremely well, and then heard these dreadful words:Â “I’m sorry, but we feel you’re overqualified for this position.”

Arrggh!!

When I was told that after an interview, several thoughts went through my frustration-fogged mind… What kind of crazy excuse is that for not hiring me? So what if I’m ‘overqualified’ — don’t employers always want to hire the person with the best qualifications? If I’m willing to take this job, overqualified or not, why is that a problem? This isn’t fair! What’s the real reason they don’t want to hire me? Continue reading →

In one of my past lives I held a Top Secret clearance as a Civil Service employee working for the Air Force. So I am familiar with background checks. But many job seekers are not. Here’s a little background on background checks…

More companies are doing background checks on potential employees these days than ever before. Why? Here are justa few of the reasons: Continue reading →

One of the most common forms of background check performed by companies hiring new employees is the reference check. They typically request that candidates provide them with three names of previous bosses. If you don’t have three former bosses, then provide co-workers, teachers, college professors and/or professional colleagues as character references. Continue reading →

Many job seekers miss a golden opportunity when they are asked towards the end of an interview if they have any questions. If they feel the interviewer adequately explained the position, they make the mistake of answering “No” to this question. But this is the perfect time to find out if you really want to work for this person! After all, even a wonderful job can turn into a miserable experience if you don’t get along with the person you work for. Continue reading →

Interning is about more than earning money during summer break. It’s a wonderful way to gain work experience and lay the foundation for your future career. But to get the most out of it, you have to do more than just land the job, show up for work and collect your paycheck. Here are some tips that will help you get the full benefits of interning: Continue reading →

Are you a new graduate with little or no work experience? Sometimes it can be tough to get a job without experience, and how do you get more experience if you can’t get a job?

Well, your chances are better than you think. Even if your work experience is a little weak, you’ve probably got life experience that will help you. After all, it’s not really your job history that employers are interested in — it’s your talents, abilities, knowledge, work ethic and attitude. It’s likely that you’ve developed and fine-tuned these traits through your school work, volunteer activities, and interactions with people throughout your entire life. Continue reading →

The phrase “reinventing yourself” seems to be popping up all over lately. Just a few days ago a friend asked me how he could do it without starting completely over. His concern was, “How do I move in a new career direction without sacrificing all the skills and experience I’ve worked so hard to achieve?” The underlying question is, “Is this even possible?” Continue reading →

I’ve never worked for a boss I didn’t like or respect. Sure, some were better than others, but I never considered quitting my job because of a bad boss. Unfortunately, many employees aren’t so lucky.

If your boss is a total butthead, someone you’ll never get along with, admire or respect no matter how hard you try, there are a few things you can do.

Wait. Is your boss close to retirement or promotion–or even better–termination? If so, try to bide your time and wait until that happy event happens. Continue reading →