When I counsel clients on their job search during the holiday season, they often tell me that they plan to put their search on hold because they think that everyone is out of town and no one is hiring during this season.

Actually, December can be a great time to step up your search campaign because so many applicants believe this mis-perception of the market. (more…)

Freelancing is when you provide your skills and expertise to other persons/companies and organizations on a contract basis.

There are definite steps that can be taken to ensure that you build a solid foundation for your freelance business. (more…)

References are people and/or letters of recommendation that support your application for a job opening. They provide information about your skills, abilities, character, and other pertinent employment related data.A reference document includes the names of three to five professional, and possibly personal, individuals whom prospective employers may contact to ask about your qualifications, give you a favorable recommendation, and speak about the accuracy of your resume and cover letter. (more…)

How does Apple get all those millions of people to enthusiastically lay down hundreds of dollars for iPods and iPhones, and thousands for MacBooks? Marketing. Apple is extraordinarily effective at communicating that their products will meet or exceed the desires, needs and expectations of their target audience.

And what is your job search, after all, if not a marketing campaign? (more…)

For many, the start of a new year means the start of a new job search using the internet to research employers. For up coming college graduates in particular, it is opportunity to get a head start in getting their careers off the ground using online resources. At the same time, many employers are also researching potential job candidates through Google, Myspace.com and Facebook.com and what they are finding could be used as reasons not to hire you. (more…)

There’s nothing worse than being out of work and, if you’re over 40, the impact can be greater especially if you encounter prospective employers who tend to overlook you in preference to younger applicants.

But don’t despair. Follow these three tips and you might find yourself back in work sooner than you anticipated. (more…)

Many young executives like to ask for career success tips. I usually start by saying career success doesn’t come in a day. Yet, day-in day-out I see young people entering the working life pushing themselves as if they will make CEO in a year. They have a tendency to compare their progress with their contemporaries. You should not and must not compare your career success to your contemporaries. (more…)

In this time of fast-changing workplace, employees need the skills and competencies to ensure future success, and to manage new work and life realities. Organizations need flexible employees, who can effectively manage change and adapt to new organizational directions. The key to achieving these goals, for both the individual and the organization, is a career plan. It is, perhaps, the most important document you will ever write. (more…)

If you are 55, 48, or even 40 and looking for a job, you are probably wondering if age discrimination will affect you during the hiring process. According to ExecuNet, 84% of executives say that age discrimination is a serious problem, and 65% have encountered it in a job search (an increase of 7% just since 2001). Is there anything you can do? (more…)

When people are looking for a job, they tend to spend a lot of time writing and revising their resumes and preparing to answer job interview questions. However, even employers who accept resumes from applicants are going to ask job candidates to fill out an application prior to making an offer.

Unfortunately, many people overlook getting prepared to fill out a job application form. Too often, people with excellent skills, great resumes and professional interviewing techniques disqualify themselves from jobs because they do not fill out job applications correctly. Filling out job applications is an important part of getting a new job, and it is necessary to make sure that you are just as prepared to fill out these forms as you are to answer tough job interview questions. (more…)

One of the latest trends in career management is to have a career coach. It’s not really a new concept. Executives have known for years the value of investing in the expertise of a career professional. You may still wonder, “What’s a career coach?” and more importantly, “Do I need one?” (more…)

The title of this article may be a little bit deceiving. There really is no “secret” to securing great seasonal jobs and temporary employment, but there is a healthy dose of common sense and assertiveness recommended for landing temporary employment over the winter months. When to look If you’re shopping for a part-time holiday gig without any leads or connections, then the sooner you start looking, the better. That is, unless you you’re prepared to wrap up and pass out TV dinners and paper towel greeting cards to your family and friends again this year. Trust us, frozen Salisbury steak makes a worse present than socks and David Hasselhoff CDs. (more…)