Job Seekers Toolkit

You can't go a day without seeing an article about the labor shortage, but you still aren't getting interviews. What gives? Listen in for a list of reasons why you may not be receiving a response when you apply for a job, and what to do instead.

What do losing weight and networking have in common? Well, they are both New Years Resolutions you will likely not keep. But not to worry, we have you covered with six tips to make your resolution stick. This is the year you finally build and nurture your network!

It's that time of year again - when we reflect on the past 12 months and start thinking about the year ahead. In this episode, we have for you three exercises that will set you up for success and get you ready to take on the new year’s endeavors!

Your turn! Asking thoughtful and relevant questions during the interview shows your enthusiasm and curiosity about the position and company. Listen in for three great questions to ask the hiring manager in your next interview.

Are you done with jumping from job to job? At some point in the first decade of your working life, you will probably tire of jumping around and start to think about the bigger picture. If this sounds like you, listen in to this month's episode for a list of strategies to make the shift from job to career.

First time working with a recruiter? Here are three tips to making a great first impression and nailing your initial screening interview.

Imagine that your career is a coast-to-coast road trip. There are many stops along the way, some occasional side roads, hills to climb, valleys to navigate and even some bad weather here and there. Much like the moves you make while driving your car, each step you take in your career needs to be with a purpose in mind. Keep from getting lost in unfamiliar territory by staying focused on your ultimate destination!

Summer may not be the ideal time for conducting a job search, but we've got a few tips to help you build momentum and generate interest during the seasonal slowdown.

This episode is for all you professionals working at large corporations or entities who wonder if you are missing something. We’ve assembled a list of traits and realities of working at a startup to help you think through this possible career move.

This week we’re honoring the graduating class of 2023 by sharing comments from our team of career coaches. We spend hundreds of hours every month reviewing resumes, preparing candidates for interviews, coaching on salary negotiations and hiring great talent. Additionally, we have all been early-career professionals and have lessons learned from those early days. We’ve collected our wisdom here. Remember, evolution happens when you heed advice from those who’ve stumbled before you.

Is your resume living in the past? It might be time for an upgrade! Listen in as we offer up a few tips to start fresh and look toward your future self rather than your past self.

Are you looking for a new position while already working 40+ hours a week? While much of the search process takes person-to-person contact, there are some pieces that can be automated. Listen in for five quick tips for conducting a passive job search.

Many of you who are thinking about switching positions this year may not have worked with a recruiter before. These super friendly people who seem to be interested in helping you with your career, often have a single motive in mind – getting paid. Now there are many very talented recruiters and staffing firms out there, but it's good to stay informed and keep an eye out for some common manipulative tactics and how to avoid them.

Is it time to ask for a raise? Listen in as we provide you with some framework for how to approach this subject with your manager and increase your potential for a successful outcome.

You've already let your family, friends and professional network know that you are looking for a job. Now it's time to expand your reach and gain access to an extended network. You need to get out there and meet new people not already in your "circle." Listen in for some fun options, as well as our guidelines for making the most of this indirect approach to looking for a job. 

Common courtesies such as please, thank you, follow up calls, acknowledgements, graceful exits, referrals, straightforward responses and open, honest communication may very well mean the difference between you and another candidate. Listen in for five quick ways you can remember your manners during your job search.

The greatest obstacle to getting a job is you. We can all find reasons NOT to accomplish our goals, and it's easy to blame many of those reasons on someone else. The first thing you need to do is accept responsibility for your situation and then take the necessary steps to change it. In other words, get out of your own way! In this episode we offer up a few tips for making the most of your time and removing self-imposed obstacles. 

When it comes to job search advice, you can count on every single person having an opinion. There is a LOT of information out there - and not all of it is valid content. In fact, some of it is just bad advice. Listen in for some of the most common pieces of bad advice that we encounter, and what to do instead!

Career development is an engaged activity and you must be active in your pursuit of a quality career - not just when you are looking for a new job. In this episode, we'll visit some common beliefs about career development and job searching. 

Happy New Year! If one of your 2023 goals is to find a new job or reenergize your career, now is a great time to make a change! You might be ready to jump right in and see what happens, but before you put your feelers out there, take some time to get your professional "house" in order. Here are five things to tackle in advance of launching your job search. 

It's officially the holiday season, and if you're unemployed or considering looking for a new position, now is a great time to build your professional and personal networks. Here are some easy tips for making the most of your holiday events!

It's easy to be incredibly busy when you are looking for a job. Job boards will suck the time away - and the life out of you - as you hope for that perfect job to surface (and that you'll be the only who sees it). In this week's episode, we discuss the difference between being busy and being productive during your search, and how you can stop filling your time with mundane tasks. 

If you’ve ever that “I can’t imagine doing this for the rest of my life” feeling about your job, then consider this episode as your motivation to take the leap and start searching for a more fulfilling career. Listen in for six tips on making the transition as smooth as possible.

Have you FINALLY landed your dream job? The search may be over, but your work is just beginning - now it's time to make yourself indispensable! Listen in as we explore five ways to make your dream job last. 

This week we're exploring some tips we've gathered on how to get through the interview process with success. Some of these may seem like no brainers, but we can all use a refresher now and again. Here are our seven tips on showing well during the interview!

Relocating and starting a new job is one of the toughest projects you can take on - and it starts well in advance of packing the moving truck. Listen in to this week's episode for seven steps you can take to think through this process strategically. 

Have you ever wondered how some people just glide through their careers with ease? They never seem to be stuck, they never seem to have a hard time looking for a new job, or never appear to be in desperate need of a new one. They never get into a position where they have to make a quick change. Their careers simply move fluidly from one position to the next. If you want that to be you, listen in for our five tips for sliding into your next position without “looking for a job.”

The pandemic has wreaked havoc on many of our careers--lay-offs, job elimination, furloughs, illness--you name it. As a job seeker, you can expect some unique pandemic-related questions in your interviews. In this last episode of our Tough Interview Questions Series, we'll address how to talk about issues like a gap in your resume, job-hopping, or the desire for a remote work schedule. 

The hardest part of the interview process can often be preparing for situational and behavioral questions. The reason for this is that you don't really have a clue what will be asked. How in the world do you prepare for the unknown? This week we're sharing some tips on becoming a storyteller, and a tried and true framework for keeping your responses in check.  

This week we're coaching you on a subject that trips up even the most experienced professionals. Listen in as we talk about how to approach the dreaded salary topic, and the different types of questions you may encounter in an interview. 

This week we're talking about how best to address why you left a previous position, or why you want to leave your current one. There are many ways to approach this question based on a number of scenarios, so listen in for tips and sample responses!

This week we're kicking off our Tough Interview Questions Series! Over the next few episodes we'll address some of the most common (and tricky) interview questions you may encounter, starting with "What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?"

As you work hard to move from a staff level role into a leadership role, it's only natural to want to bring all your skills, training and capabilities into the new position. After all, it has taken a lot of time and effort to acquire these skills, and you want to prove to people that you have them all. While the effort is admirable, it really won’t serve you well as you progress in your career. Here are a five reasons why you shouldn’t try to bring every aspect of your past professional life into your new role. 

We've all been coached that the interview is NOT about you--it's about making sure your future employer believes you are the answer to all of their problems, right? Yes, but there ARE ways to inquire about salary, benefits, work schedule and other details during the interview process without sounding completely self serving. Listen in for our tips on navigating these sticky questions. 

This week we're getting back to basics. Stop making these silly mistakes and you'll improve your chances of getting an offer! Listen in for the 10 bonehead moves that keep you from getting the job, and how to avoid them. 

Do you want to be happier at work? Take charge of your career direction! This exercise will help pinpoint your personal values and define your professional path. 

How do you quit your position with grace? Here is our step-by-step approach for resigning in a positive manner.

Listen in as we explore the direct, and indirect, meaning behind the question, "Tell me a little about yourself," and how you can best prepare for it. 

Managing multiple job offers can be stressful! Here is some guidance to help you navigate the juggling act. 

Listen in for some easy adjustments you can make to your resume to help you stand out from the crowd. 

Each week we talk to dozens of talented professionals who are looking for a new position. They are frustrated, tired and confused about why they haven't been hired yet. If you can relate, listen in for six reasons you may not be getting the job. 

Books, blogs and videos talk about preparation and practice to make sure you interview well. They are right. But to really distinguish yourself, you must prepare for each interviewer uniquely. Here are a few tips to help set yourself apart from other candidates and nail that interview. 

Whether you're on the hunt for a new job, or just looking to expand your network and influence, here are some rules for successful social networking. 

Consistently successful individuals have three things in common--competence, confidence and character. Join us as we explore each of these characteristics in more detail and share how you can use them to increase your employability factor. 

Let’s face it, unless you are a professional arbitrator, you probably don’t practice salary negotiations very often. Here are five basic techniques for talking through compensation with an employer.