Career Coaching Blog

How to Answer 'Tell Me About Yourself' in an Interview

Interviewing-How to Answer-Tell Me About Yourself
The 'Tell me about yourself' question is the most common opener in interviews and is not an invitation to recite your resume. Nor, spend two minutes talking about your favourite hobby. This is an opportunity – a predictable opportunity, to craft an engaging, intriguing executive summary of who you are and why you are there in the interview and start the interview with confidence and momentum. Learn how to do that in this article.

Read more…

What's Your Professional Theme this year?

table-with-paints-brushes-and-small-paintings

I have a simple strategy for how to dramatically level-up your career growth, well-being, and success as a manager, executive or other professional. Here it is: Take stock of your career situation and the road ahead by first identifying the current career energies driving you now, and second, defining your professional theme(s) or career theme for the coming year.

In order to make progress, take more ownership, and be more intentional about your professional journey, taking stock of your situati…

Read more…

Executive Search: Dealing with Confidential Hiring Processes

photo-1460794418188-1bb7dba2720d

As a potential candidate in an executive search, you may find yourself in a confidential hiring process. That might be with a job posting that does not reveal the hiring company. You might also receive a call from a recruiter, or search firm one day to talk about an opportunity, but they will hold back on the company name. If this makes you nervous, I can understand how you feel. However, there are several good reasons why a company might want to conduct a confidential search.

What is a Confident…

Read more…

The Three Components to Building Professional Reputation

3 Components of Professional Reputation

Your professional reputation is in your sphere of control. In this deep-dive article, I will help you understand the three core components of your reputation and provide tips on how you can build, shape, improve and nurture your professional reputation.

What is Professional Reputation

Professional reputation means being held in high esteem. Being well regarded, and respected by the people in a position to know and have an opinion about you. Your professional reputation is all about the equity you’…

Read more…

Timing Resignation with Annual Bonus Payout

photo-1502570149819-b2260483d302

If you are preparing to make a career move or contemplating a move and you have an annual bonus payment coming up, how to time your resignation with the payout is an important question. The obvious goal is to line up your resignation such that you receive your annual bonus payout. Learn how to do that in this article.

If you leave early (prior to payout), can you expect to get all or some of your bonus earned?

If you have a discretionary bonus, the short answer to the question is no, probably not.…

Read more…

How to Future Proof Your Career Against Ultimatums Like the In-Office Edict from Elon Musk

mac-keyboard-command-option-keys

What would you do if you were faced with a "take it or leave it" announcement that dramatically impacted your job and work life?

Elon Musk reportedly sent an email to Tesla’s salaried employees requiring their physical presence in the office ... or else. This ‘take it or leave it’ edict raises an interesting career management lesson and question.

How immune and resilient would you be in the face of the "comply or resign/take offered severance" scenario. 

This isn’t far-fetched. Here are some common…

Read more…