Job Search

Though there are millions of users worldwide, Linkedin is still a mystery for many professionals.  What are the real benefits?  Many.  How does it actually advance your career or job search?  A lot.  How do I know?  I asked Donna Sweidan, a career coach and Linkedin pro to answer the questions I know you’re wondering…

Time out of the workforce can dampen the desire for senior-level jobs.  During my recruiting years I met so many returning professional women who wanted to work—but without the big responsibility and extensive travel required for jobs they held in their 20s and 30s.  A perhaps surprising number of these women had decided to pursue…

Here’s the definition of finding a job:  filling a gap for an employer.  Employers have needs that aren’t being taken care of by current employees.  Your resume has to fill the gap and show an employer where you would fit on their team. The summary statement is the most important way to show employers the…

In today’s job market landing an interview can be as difficult as getting an audience with the Pope.  When you’re lucky enough to get this opportunity to sell your fit for a job face-to-face, you need to prepare as carefully and professionally as you would for any major business presentation. Though scheduling an interview can…

Wondering why you aren’t being called for interviews?  Your cover letter could be the culprit. In tandem with your resume, a cover letter is a very important sales tool.  In this economy–or any economy—you need to actively and emphatically sell your fit for a job.  A resume alone does not do the trick. As quick…

One of my blog readers from the Philadelphia area sent me these two  questions that other women may be wondering about as well:“I have begun to make steady gains in the networking process through LinkedIn, and I signed up for a Networking function with Meeting Planners International.  Now that I’m making lots of connections, I…

My daughter and her college friends have many a chuckle with the “Damn You Auto Correct” web site that chronicles the weird text messages people inadvertently send.  They are indeed funny, and the fact that people write things like “typos thanks to i-phone” in their signature line, suggest that errors are more acceptable in today’s…

A few social butterflies in my circles know everyone there is to know, but many more women have a nice circle of friends and acquaintances and that’s that. The non-social butterfly camp of job seekers often tells me that they’ve run out of networking contacts.  They do the obvious—contact their inner circle of friends, family…

When employers ask you for references, it’s the moment that could make or break your chances for a job.  Especially if you choose a reference who gives you a lukewarm review. The first thing to know is that employers prefer to speak directly to a person rather than read a letter that glows brighter than…

Last week I had the good fortune to visit my daughter who has the good fortune of studying in Milan for a semester.  As she talked about the need to “blend in” with a new culture, I was reminded of parallels in the work world. For generations there has been the problem of the “ugly American”…