When you get right down to it, your career is shaped largely by just a few key decisions, conversations and actions. I call these "key career moments."

Take a look at my full Monster article - Make the Most of Key Career Moments to learn more.

You know, there isn’t a lot of room these days for the old-fashioned door-knocking job search and sales method. Or is there?

I have a client who, in his past, won his 2 jobs simply by showing up at reception and asking to speak to someone. They didn’t offer him a job then and there, obviously, but he got his foot in the door.

Currently (as I write this), he is interviewing at a company with the perfect job for him - simply because he did a bit of homework, and showed up at their office. He …

Sharp readers are going to catch me stating the obvious on occasion...that's ok. Often, the most obvious is really a profound truth. Here is one that can make your life a lot more pleasant, and increase your chances of success:

Try and work and do business with people you like and respect.

Being successful in your work, career and business dealings to a large extent is about putting yourself in situations that fit.

Cultural fit. Environmental fit. Job fit. And, people fit. If you can't stand…

Back in Boston, 2001, I walked into a book store looking for a replacement journal and found, well, something special. Moleskine. The black cover. Cloth bookmark. And the history. Used by Van Gogh, Matisse, Hemingway, and others. Well, I was sold. With a shelf full of full Moleskine journals later, I have been hooked ever since.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a happy Mac user. However, I have never found a better or more gratifying substitute for writing my thoughts, ideas, inspirations or …

Checking off the boxes to being hired

Some interview questions are more important than others. Why should we hire you is the most important interview question. The question comes in two basic forms:

• Why should we hire you? Or, why you over someone else?

• What would you bring to our company?

Common Mistakes in Answering the Why Should We Hire You Question

I rarely see people do well with the why should we hire you question. Here are the most common mistakes:

• Candidate doesn’t spend enough time on the qu…

Such an innocent sounding question…No! It is a trap, and one that most people fall into. This common opener in interviews is not an invitation to recite your resume. Nor, spend 2 minutes talking about your favorite 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. There is no hard and fast rule as to how long it should be, but let’s say up to a minute.

• Interviewers are known to make …