Making the most out of your reference section

As part of the consulting I do, I have occasion to do or commission personal reference checking on candidates. In the last several months, I have run into a number of situations any job seeker should try to avoid.

The Setup

A very aggressive and seemingly capable candidate promptly provided me with a list of references at my request. As I made the calls and received rave reviews on the candidate, I started to get a sinking feeling. The responses were to…

I was jogging in the park the other day and noticed a number of professional dog walkers. They had many dogs under their care and the necessary tools of their trade. Nothing remarkable about that.

What struck me was a) the number of providers I saw on this one visit, b) their marketing efforts, and c) the range of services offered. Parked on the streets around the park were various types of mini-van and SUV, emblazoned with each dog walking entrepreneur’s web site address, phone number, slogan, a…

What is a Talent Investor?

A talent investor is an individual or entity that strategically allocates resources and support to identify, nurture, and develop the skills and potential of individuals, often in the fields of business, technology, or the arts, with the aim of maximizing their long-term success and impact.

Why invest in your talent?

It would be easy to abandon the fancy notions that placed such a high value on our talent in the late ’90s and dismiss the talent war as a pleasant anomaly. …

Almost all of the good things that have happened to me in my life were a result of managing and cultivating relationships. Most people get jobs through people they know. Opportunities are usually created through networks. However, many people make the mistake of focusing on quantity rather than quality when they network. They think that having met someone now qualifies that person as a contact. Perhaps. But, meeting someone and leaving a lasting impression are two different things. For most of u…

Have you ever thought about your career or the work you do as art…as a form of personal creative expression? We can easily summon an image of the painter, sculptor, musician, writer or inventor in their studio, engaged in the wonderful process of creating a masterpiece. (One of my dreams is to model my office on a Leonardo Da Vinci-type studio, but that’s another story.) Try applying this analogy to you and the work you do. Your career…past, present and future is a canvas upon which you are pain…

1. WORK ON YOUR RESUME

Most people work on their resumes only when forced to. Make the time now to update first your resume data. Second, try and capture your projects and accomplishments since the last time you did this. Don’t make a huge production of it. Just get it done.

2. ASSESS YOUR SITUATION

What is the state of your industry, organization, and your position today? DO NOT automatically assume that you are immune to unpleasant or surprise changes. What can and should you do about it?

3. WRITE…