3 Necessary Follow-Ups to Get the Job – Arnie Fertig

Jan 302017
 
Make an impression without being a nuisance.

Use a company event as a networking opportunity to meet people in your field.

If you know anything about sports, you know that follow through is key to success. No good golfer stops the swing as the club hits the ball, no baseball batter freezes at the split second when the bat hits the ball, and the lesson carries through in sport after sport.

[See: How to Follow Up on a Job Application Without Being Annoying.]

Similarly, in your job search it is important to follow up at every stage if you expect to be the stellar candidate who gets the job offer. Here are some key things you need to do to keep your job search up to date and moving forward.

Continue reading »

This 60-Year-Old Theory Can Help You Nail Your Next Job Interview – Liz Alexander

Jan 232017
 
You need to showcase the higher-order thinking skills computers haven’t mastered and your peers aren’t highlighting.

This 60-Year-Old Theory

Day by day, year by year, machines are taking over basic tasks like data collection and processing, leaving the higher-order stuff to humans. The more automation eats away at the edges of our jobs, the more we’ll need to show we’re still masters of the type of thinking skills robots can’t yet do.

That trend is pushing a framework developed more than six decades ago back into the fore. In 1956, the education theorist Benjamin Bloom and his colleagues developed what’s since become known as Bloom’s Taxonomy, a hierarchy of six types of cognitive goals they believed education should address. In 2017, it’s looking more relevant than ever.

Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Take Bloom On Your Next Job Interview

The framework makes it easy to identify the differences between knowing, understanding, and applying information—and, subsequently, to pinpointing the type of contribution that’s most important to companies and hiring managers. Get your head around Bloom’s Taxonomy, in other words, and you’ll stand a better shot at discussing your skills and experience on a job interview in terms that can set you apart.

Capture1

Continue reading »

It’s Time for Interns to Stop Hating on Coffee Runs – Samantha Subar

Jan 172017
 

The Leadership Insiders network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in business contribute answers to timely questions about careers and leadership. Today’s answer to the question, “How do you turn an internship into a full-time job?” is written by Samantha Subar, global public relations manager at Spredfast.

On the first day of my internship, I was handed a laptop, emailed a contract, and shown to my desk. That’s all—no new-hire orientation, no manual. The rest was up to me.

That was nearly three years ago. The trajectory of my eight-month internship relied entirely on my own ambition, and quite frankly, my desire to land a job. I found that there are three basic practices that interns should adopt in order to land a full-time offer:

Follow the leader

It won’t be difficult to identify the individuals you admire at your company. Do some calendar stalking and you will find the leaders—their schedules will be packed with meetings. Ask to join those meetings—as many as they will allow you to attend—and then sit in and listen. Try to absorb the dialogue taking place inside the room, understand what’s working, and note what isn’t.

Continue reading »

This Is the Easiest Way to Expand Your Job Search Network Instantly – Abby Wolfe

Jan 032017
 

the-easiest-way-kpgMy partner, Chris, is a huge beer nerd. For a long time, he’d get together every few weeks with fellow craft beer fans to try bottles from all over the world. For years, beer was just Chris’ hobby. Because when he wasn’t hanging with the crew or concocting his own homebrews, he worked full-time at a criminal justice facility.

And while he loved the field he was in (he could—and still does—talk my ear off about incarceration theory and statistics), he hated the bureaucracy and was miserable. He dreaded going in each morning and returned home more bitter than when he’d left.

Then, a year ago, one of his closest beer buddies, Niall, came to the rescue. He had two friends who owned a market in his neighborhood, and they were looking for a new supervisor and beverage director. And because he knew Chris was so unhappy at work, he put them in touch.

They decided to give Chris a chance, even though his food service experience was limited to an ice cream shop. Fast-forward to today, and he just helped them open up a new store—at which they asked him to be the general manager.

Why am I telling you this? No, it’s surprisingly not because I enjoy saying, “My boyfriend is a beer and wine director.” (Which I do—the free samples are awesome.) It’s because this experience taught me two big things about one of the activites I used to dread most—networking. And now, I want to share them with you.

Continue reading »

  •  January 3, 2017
  •  Posted by at 2:58 pm
  •   Comments Off on This Is the Easiest Way to Expand Your Job Search Network Instantly – Abby Wolfe
  •   Career Success, Social Skills

5 Things Job Applicants Can Expect in 2017 – Ray Bixler

Dec 192016
 
5-things-jpb
With unemployment dropping, companies are aggressively hunting for the best talent.

After another strong jobs report, which shows the unemployment rate is down to 4.6 percent, job candidates will have the chance to press their advantage – but only if they know the new rules of the game. It pays to be prepared. Here are five key trends that job seekers will encounter in 2017 – and tips on how to navigate this new terrain.

[See: 10 Things New Grads Can Do Right Now to Get a Job.]

A Need for Speed. The job-search process is moving faster than ever. Companies are paying close attention to how fast job applicants respond to their questions and complete any necessary assessments, and they are sometimes using this information to rule candidates in – or out. For example, our research shows that the reference response rate is a factor in predicting turnover, along with the overall rating those references provide. Job applicants who take longer to provide references, or whose references don’t respond in time to a request on behalf of a potential employer, may be perceived as less likely to last for the long term. Potential employers know this and are factoring it into their decision-making.

Continue reading »

Your Career Q & A: Applying for Jobs Before Graduation – Martin Yate

Dec 052016
 

your-career-q-a

 

“I’m nearing graduation and wondering if I should start applying for an entry-level job now or wait until after graduation. I’d appreciate any advice you can give me”.  – Anonymous

The short answer is: the sooner you start applying, the better. Put your degree on your resume, with “(anticipated)” before your graduation date.

But before you rush off to update your resume, let’s look a little more deeply into this question that’s important to every college student. Being aware of the challenges that you—as an entry-level candidate—present to the people who hold your future in their hands gives you the ability to minimize them:

Continue reading »

What You Can Do Now To Ace a Job Interview – Val DiFebo

Nov 212016
 

The Fortune 500 Insiders network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in business contribute answers to timely questions about careers and leadership. Today’s answer to the question to: “What’s the most important question to ask job candidates in an interview and why?” is written by Val DiFebo, CEO of Deutsch New York.

what-you-can-doThere is no one question a candidate can answer that will seal the deal and show me how they will approach a job. It’s how they answer a series of questions; how they tell the story of their own career experience and the questions they ask in return that show me what someone will bring to the table.

One way I like to start off with is to ask candidates: “Tell me your story.” I don’t like to read their resume and just infer a story – I want to hear someone lay out and share their own narrative with me: what they love; how they’ve tackled challenges with an out-of-the-box approach; what’s led them to sit at my desk and ask for this job. I’m hoping to uncover their sense of curiosity, their passion – two non-negotiable qualities at a company like ours.

By the time someone has reached my office, their skill set is not the question. They have already established themselves as a candidate with the talent and experience necessary to do the job – I’m not looking to see if they can handle a role; I’m looking to see how they will handle it: do they approach every challenge with the same linear thinking, using mainstream methods time after time? Or are they rolling with the punches, letting outside influences pique their curiosity and drive them to unearth fresh solutions to every hurdle they face?

Continue reading »

Keys to Career Success for Millennials, From Successful Millennials – Leah Arnold-Smeets

Nov 142016
 

keys-to-career-successMillennials are the largest living generation in the U.S., and they just so happen to dominate the workforce, too. While it’s a definitely a good thing that so many millennials are hungry for career success, it also means that it’s that much harder for them to get ahead of the pack in their careers. If you’re one of these 20- or 30-something professionals looking for some tips on getting ahead, here are a few to get you started.

Be a Winner at Working Hard

According to fellow millennial Nicole Smartt, who is the co-owner and vice president of Star Staffing and author of From Receptionist to Boss: Real-life Advice for Getting Ahead at Work, “One of the biggest things younger workers can do to get ahead is be an exemplary leader, take on extra tasks and ask what more [they] can do.” More specifically, Smartt recommends that millennials be winners at working hard and constantly “learn, grow, and improve.”

Although I don’t necessarily agree with Smartt when she tells millennials to “never clock out,” she does win me over with her advice that career success is all about who you know.

“Become an owner of your career through connections,” she says. “Find the right people/mentors who match your goals, attitude and energy level.”

Continue reading »

  •  November 14, 2016
  •  Posted by at 10:59 am
  •   Comments Off on Keys to Career Success for Millennials, From Successful Millennials – Leah Arnold-Smeets
  •   Career Success, Social Skills

Better Listening Skills Could Mean More Promotions — Here’s How – Lisa Quast

Nov 072016
 

better-listeningI recently had the opportunity to compare the difference in listening skills between my 7-year-old niece and a grown adult (my sister). My niece won.

My niece told me exactly what I had said in a previous conversation, while my sister could barely remember the topic we discussed. That’s when my niece reminded us of a very important lesson.

With a very serious look on her face she informed us: “My teacher told us that listening is the most important skill we need to succeed in life. She also said it’s a way to show respect to the person talking.”

Then she put her hands on her hips and looked at my sister. “How come you weren’t paying attention to what Auntie Lisa was saying, Mommy?”

As I stood there doubled over laughing while my sister rolled her eyes at me, it made me think about how often adults fail to listen to others – at home and especially at work.

Continue reading »

  •  November 7, 2016
  •  Posted by at 9:54 am
  •   Comments Off on Better Listening Skills Could Mean More Promotions — Here’s How – Lisa Quast
  •   Career Success, Social Skills

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: Why You Need Both to Succeed – Ransom Patterson

Oct 312016
 

Imagine two people are interviewing for a job. On paper, both candidates are very qualified. They both have degrees from prestigious schools, high GPAs, and a few years of relevant work experience.

Going into the interview, both are well-prepared. They’ve practiced all the common interview questions, dressed for success, and are ready to throw down.

After speaking to both of them, however, the interviewer’s decision isn’t even a hard one. One candidate clearly outshone the other – hiring them was a no-brainer. How can this be?

Simple. One candidate used the interview to demonstrate their soft skills. The other had never even heard that term.

Many students think that getting a job is all about qualifications and technical skills. Those don’t hurt (indeed, they’re essential), but things like how well you work in a team, how well you communicate, and how well you understand other people’s emotions are just as important.

The things I just listed are all soft skills. They’re harder to quantify than hard skills like programming, writing, or accounting, and they’re also more difficult to learn formally.

If you’ve ever taken a business class or read a business publication, you’ve probably heard these two terms thrown around. Understanding and cultivating both are essential to succeeding not just in school and work, but in life.

Today’s post will clear up the ambiguity surrounding hard and soft skills. We’ll cover what they are, which ones employers value (hint: it depends on the job), and how you can cultivate both of them (especially soft skills).

Continue reading »

 Older Entries  Newer Entries