Archive for the ‘Career Collective’ Category

Mid-Year Job Search Check-Up: Getting Un-Stuck

July 19th, 2011 by Susan P. Joyce

Are there things you know you should be doing for your job search, but you can’t seem to get started? Or finished? Do you feel like you are trying to run through a tar pit wearing water skis to get anything done?  

You are stuck, and July is the perfect time to get un-stuck.  Leap out of that tar pit, and leave those skis behind!

With your rivals for that great job taking it easy this summer, you vault into action and snag that job while they aren’t paying attention.

How to get un-stuck immediately so you can do all this leaping, vaulting, and snagging?  Try applying these 5 rules for making progress in landing your new job.

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Best Career Change Advice: Target & Plan

April 18th, 2011 by Susan P. Joyce

Looking back at my career, I have probably made more career changes than many people – at least 9 of them - from officer in the United States Marine Corps to president of my own company, including 2 layoffs.

And, I think it was a very educational process, but I wish I’d done a better job of planning and managing my crazy career.  So, here’s how you can learn from my mistakes… (more…)

Future of Job Search: 3 Predictions & 2 Wishes

January 3rd, 2011 by Susan P. Joyce

Looking into my foggy crystal ball, these are the trends I see for  2011, or “to infinity and beyond!” as our friend Buzz Lightyear would have described it.  I have 3 predictions to make and 2 fervent wishes.

First, the 3 predictions:

1.  Increasing use of mobile apps – iPad, iPhone, Droid, BlackBerry, etc.

If you have an iPhone, iPad, Droid, BlackBerry, etc., you can job search on the bus, in the dentist’s waiting room, in a restaurant while you wait for a friend or the check, etc.  You can also edit and send your resume, write a LinkedIn Recommendation for your colleague, check for local MeetUps, and on and on and on.

LinkedIn and Twitter have free mobile apps for iPad, iPhone, etc.  Two of my favorite job posting sources, Indeed and LinkUp for example, now have free mobile apps, so you can still job search even when you’re not at your computer.

And, the mapping app will help you find the location of that interview, while the traffic app helps you avoid the traffic jams and construction and the weather app keeps you informed of the latest blizzard or drenching rain storms. Plus, of course, the email and browser apps will keep you up to date on what’s going on in your digital world.

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Heat Up Your Job Search: Avoid Job Boards

June 17th, 2010 by Susan P. Joyce

When it’s time to find a job, these days most job seekers immediately head for job boards to see what’s being posted.  The assumption is that job boards have made finding a job very easy.  Just post your resume and apply for the jobs you find.  All set.  Quick and easy.  Right?

Well, not exactly!

What is wrong with using job boards?

A job board-centric job search is what I call a “reactive” job search because job seekers are only reacting to the jobs they find posted, and, thus, missing most of the job market. (more…)

Preparing for Career Success Starts with Interviewing the Employers

May 13th, 2010 by Susan P. Joyce

A recent study by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania showed that companies with high rates of employee satisfaction financially out-performed companies with lower employee satisfaction.

NOTE: That’s employee satisfaction, not customer satisfaction, which resulted in higher financial performance!

The connection with customer satisfaction is obvious – presumably, happy employees translate into happy customers.  Otherwise the financial performance would not be influenced.

So What?

How does knowing this help a job seeker to prepare for career success?

To perform at their best, job seekers need to be satisfied with their workplace and colleagues, regardless of the job.  Performing at their best usually, although not always, helps insure longevity with that employer, acceptable pay, and good health.

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Avoiding the Most Common Job Search Blunder

April 1st, 2010 by Susan P. Joyce

If I could bestow one gift on all job seekers, it would be the wisdom to avoid the most common job search blunder I see – not being focused and clear on what they want their next job to be and not sharing that with their network.

Figuring out what job you want and can do is NOT your network’s job to do for you.  That is YOUR job to do for your network!

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Just SO VERY Discouraged…

February 25th, 2010 by Susan P. Joyce

You have:

  • Revised your resume a thousand times, minimum.
  • Spent months online,  applying for thousands of jobs.
  • Dragged yourself to hundreds of networking meetings.  Or at least 5.

The result:  Nada.  Nothing.  No new job.  Waste of time and energy. 

Well, maybe, or maybe NOT!

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