Many well qualified and extremely able candidates fail at job interviews simply because they are unaware of the conventions of the job interview and the expectations of the interviewer.

Successful candidates, on the other hand, manage to impress prospective employers precisely because they know how to present themselves.

Thus, they study the job advertisement; they analyse what is required in the way of skills qualifications and experience; they assess their own suitability for the job; and finally, they present themselves in a thoughtful and carefully prepared manner. Continue reading →

Is there a company in your area that you’d love to work for? Do you assume that, because you don’t see them advertising in the classifieds or posting jobs on their website, they have no openings? That may or may not be the case. That truth is, only about one-fifth of job openings are actually advertised!

Here’s how to tap into the huge “invisible” job market. Continue reading →

In our ever changing world where job competition is rampant it can be difficult to understand one’s strengths and what one wants to do in life.

If you feel uncertain about your career path you’re not alone. Most college and high school students are unsure what path to take in their future or even what is their chosen career niche. Unfortunately, this uncertainty comes through in job interviews. This is a chance you can’t afford to take in today’s competitive market. Continue reading →

Anyone can find a job. That’s right, I said “anyone”. And I meant it. But the caveat is: I didn’t say what kind of job. You can go out and start flipping burgers, and whine about the tough breaks life handed you when your company down-sized, or you can reach higher, and go for that job you really want, and know you have the experience and enthusiasm for.

Reaching higher means being on your toes, in every sense of the words. You’ll have to stretch yourself too- make that extra effort to overcome the obstacles in your way. Nobody said getting the right job would be easy. But it’s there, waiting, if you’re willing to reach. Continue reading →

Peter Humleker had it made. As the general manager of a successful car dealership, he was earning an impressive income. The only problem? He hated what he was doing.

“I was making a living off of manipulating and misleading people, taking advantage of them with ugly games and lies,” Peter said. “It’s how I was taught to make sales, and I was very good at it.”

Eventually, his feelings of success were overcome by feelings of remorse. Continue reading →

For far too long, we moderns have relied on our analytical/logical brain to make important life decisions. It is my belief that our imaginative/creative brain holds the key to better, smarter and more soulful decisions. This is because the right side of the brain, which loves creativity—taps into your intuitive nature. Take your career for instance. How could following your intuition make you more successful? Because you will be following your true internal compass—one that leads you to the best career and a more fulfilled life.

The word intuition means “in to you” in Latin. Florence Scovel, a theologian, once said, “Intuition is the spiritual faculty that doesn’t explain; it seemingly points the way.” It’s also been said that intuition is your divine Spirit talking to you. If we stop for a moment and acknowledge this, we realize the incredible perspective we have. Continue reading →

When all is not well with work, what do you do? Do you quickly get frustrated and feel discontent? Do you look at each situation as a tiresome challenge or as an opportunity to learn something new? Have you ever considered looking at work problems from a spiritual point of view?

When you look at work from a spiritual perspective, you will see that there are lessons for you to learn. Let’s look at a couple of situations that you or someone you know may have encountered. We will look at each scenario from a typical perspective and from a spiritual perspective. Continue reading →

You’ve heard the real estate cliché: the three factors that determine a property’s value are location, location, location.

Well, here’s an instant cliché about creating value on the job: to succeed, you need to work, work, work.

But there’s more to success than 80-hour workweeks.

You have to do the right things in the right amount to get ahead, according to employment expert Ramon Greenwood. He’s a former Senior Vice President at American Express and author of the book, “How to Land Your First Job and Make a Success of It.” He operates CommonSenseAtWork.com. Continue reading →

Family is the driving force of our lives. You need family to support you and in most homes you need money to support your family. You work to support your family but you usually end up spending little time with them because of your 9-5 job. According to a Gallop poll 70% of Americans hate their jobs.

Life is funny sometimes. Its so easy to find yourself in a job you don’t love, in a career that doesn’t drive you or longing for passion in our work. Sometimes we find ourselves there after even a long road of education in a field we were certain was the right choice for us.

The good thing about life is that it is forever changing; sometimes due to circumstances and sometimes due to personal choices. I would argue that we have many more personal choices that we think we do. For every reason someone gives me that they cant make a change, I can give them two reasons they need to. Continue reading →

In my last column, I explored Jim Collins’ “hedgehog” principle, and how powerfully this can be used to attract great employees. After many dozens of CEO interviews, I’m convinced that leaders with well-defined hedgehogs deploy the most successful hiring models.

Recent job growth figures mean that more firms are competing for the same talent. This causes additional pressure on us to determine how we can minimize attrition of our best people. Continue reading →