• Getting a great reference from your employer is an essential tool in your job search and an asset in managing your career. I even believe it is a right, assuming you were a good employee to have access to timely, thoughtful references. So, it would be natural to assume that if one of your references didn’t wholeheartedly recommend you for a job, it was a bad reference. Actually, they may have done you a favour. When is a bad reference a good thing?

Why job fit matters with employer referenc…

Making your resume stand out

You… “I add value.” “I have great interpersonal and communication skills.” “I am organized and hard working.” Hiring person… “Yawn.” That’s what the person sitting across the table from you in the interview is doing. And if someone is reading your resume or LinkedIn profile, their eyes probably skipped right over these all too common ideas. If you are in a networking meeting or informational interview, you might have blown your chance to make that important impression…

Letting your career and your life work together

If the concept of work life balance sounds like an important and worthy goal, here are the steps I suggest you incorporate into your job search to help ensure that the job you land next is consistent with your priorities.

What Do You Mean by Work / Life Balance?

As with all labelled concepts, you need to define what you mean. Sure, the general concept is understood, but what does it specifically mean to you?

Without some definition, it is difficult for…

Getting in touch with the executive level

If you are at a job level where companies retain executive search firms to hire their talent, you need to understand how to connect with executive recruiters. The key to understanding how to connect with executive recruiters and the more reputable contingent recruitment agencies is to understand their motivations for talking to you. There are six reasons why an executive recruiter will connect with you.

Rule # 1: They work for their corporate client, not y…

Summer career development

Summer in this part of the world. Please be aware that the summer does not have to be a wasteland of activity for your career and professional goals.

It is very possible to make profound progress on the development of your career, your job search plans or your career change goals during these two months. Consider 4 types of activity:

The Internal

You have complete control over this. From doing work like analyzing what you have accomplished, where you fit, what your interes…

Resume Problem Shooting

Someone posted their resume on a job board database, was getting a lot of views, but no results and had a question about what to do about it. Putting aside the obvious recommendation, which is to ensure that you should be pursuing other avenues than just resume databases, here is some more specific feedback: There may be other factors at work of course, but the reality is that an effective resume is a focused, results-oriented, easily scannable and readable resume. If you …