I get asked these questions over and over: “Should I send separate thank-you notes to everyone who interviewed me? Can I just send one thank-you note to the hiring manager and ask him/her to thank others involved in the process?”

The answers are yes and no, respectively.

Send a separate thank-you note to everyone who interviewed you, whether it was an informal pre-interview phone call, an interview lunch meeting, or the final formal interview after a lengthy process. Continue reading →

A very effective and persuasive tactic when selling something is to promote its benefits as well as its features.

Very simply, features are what something has; benefits are what those features do for you.

For example, if you’re selling your used Oldsmobile, one of the features you might mention is its large trunk.

If you focus only on the feature, you’ll say, “This car has a large trunk.” (Yawn) But if you promote that feature with its benefit, you could say, “The trunk is huge. You can get three suitcases and your golf bag in there for a trip to Disneyland and still have plenty of room for all the souvenirs you’ll want to bring home!” See how that makes a more powerful impression? Continue reading →

Can You Tell Good Service From Bad; Recognise Value For Money; Compare Prices, Staff Efficiency, Product Range, Customer Service Between Rival Firms?

If so you might easily find work as a ‘Mystery Shopper’ and be paid to comment on service in shops, banks and building societies, hotels, cinemas, veterinary surgeries, restaurants, even on long distance flights and holidays. Continue reading →

There is a major difference between conventional resumes and executive resumes. Accomplishments are usually the center point of a conventional resume (i.e., indicating how much money was saved, how sales increased, what processes were proposed, planned, initiated, implemented, or streamlined). The executive resume, on the other hand, has more than one focus. It alludes to the executive’s ability to drive profits (accomplishments) and the capacity to lead (that is, to blend various “soft” skills) an organization. Continue reading →

As a job seeker, you shouldn’t overlook the importance of a cover letter. If written strategically, a cover letter increases your chances for consideration, and provides an opportunity to highlight your individuality.

A cover letter is much more than just a letter stating, “I read the job announcement in Sunday’s classified, please accept this letter as an application of interest”. It is a statement that tells the reader what they can expect from you if hired. Continue reading →

Hello Fellow Seekers!

I don’t know about you? but I’m pretty tired of hearing about how you can “follow your dream” in three or four easy steps. I’ve seen plenty of people leap before they sufficiently looked –and end up dissatisfied or broke, or both. I’ve also had clients come to me after reading a hot, new book or attending a workshop. And they still can’t figure out what it is they want to do for a living. Continue reading →

To survive and thrive in today’s competitive environment, it is not just what you know. You also need to be competent. You must stand out from the crowd – be memorable, impressive, credible, trusted and liked. Continue reading →

In the 1992 USA Presidential election, political strategist James Carville hung a sign in Bill Clinton’s Little Rock campaign office that read, “It’s still the economy, stupid.” His intent? Simply to keep everybody focused on the most important issue of the day. History clearly demonstrates he was right and George Bush Sr. was soundly defeated. Continue reading →

While most professionals hire a professional resume writer, some draft their own resume. People who write a lot for business usually have more success in putting together a sharp, focused presentation; still, anyone can learn the basic steps to prepare his or her own resume. Continue reading →

Deciding to leave a job isn’t easy. In fact, quitting a job requires courage, especially in today’s soft economy when the unemployment rate has reached 6.4%. However, in a tight job market, some people consider leaving their jobs without having another “lined up”.

When after a careful evaluation of emotional and financial considerations you determine that leaving your job is your best option, you may find that you will have a hard time getting support from your family, friends and colleagues. The moment you tell others that you are considering leaving your job, their immediate reaction will be, “Don’t leave your job if you don’t have another to go to.” Continue reading →