I’m often asked how important a cover letter is when submitting a resume for a position, or if one is even necessary at all. My answer is: “It depends.”Who is receiving your resume? If it’s being sent to a recruiter, or you are applying to an online system, you can be virtually guaranteed that a cover letter would not be even looked at, much less read. The volume of resumes that go through a normal recruiting process makes...

So often, I have people that are looking for a new job, network with me but they can’t tell me what kind of position they are seeking. Sometimes they only know they don’t want to do the same thing as their previous position, or they don’t want to ‘limit’ their options, or they just don’t know what’s available. They tell me they are “open right now”.I can’t help you if you can’t tell me what it is you want!That may sound obv...

Looking for a new job? Be smart online! Your activity on the internet may make or break your chances of getting a job you want. Too often people sabotage their job search by leaving a trail online of careless, controversial, or foolish posts, pictures, or comments. Others use their time online to create an image that screams “Hire me!”Here are five rules to follow to help insure your success:1. Maximize your LinkedIn profil...

If you’ve been reading much on this site or reading virtually any other job search advice, you know that networking is critical to landing a new job. However, most people only begin building a network once they are unemployed. Better late than never. Networking can be far more effective, though, if you have an extensive address book of professional contacts that you’ve been building over time.Begin building your network as...

It’s a difficult time in the job market and I’ve been talking to many more people lately that are in dire straits. The lack of income for a longer than expected timeframe has taken it’s toll on budgets, mortgages, and unfortunately...marriages. Savings have been used up, unemployment is running out, and debts are piling up. The financial stress often carries over into interviews and it sabotages the chance of getting a job...

I teach an 8-week job search class, and one of the most common comments I get from participants is that they don’t feel like they’re being as productive in their search as they could be. For most people, when they are in a job, they have a task to accomplish, a schedule they keep, a routine they go through each day, and someone that’s placed expectations on them to get certain things done. When they become unemployed, there...

From the outset...it must be understood that THE best way to land a new job is through networking, and networking is most effective over the phone and face-to-face.However, for many people, the thought of actually taking the initiative to call someone they don’t know is overwhelming and often is just not going to happen. For those people, contact online and by email is much more palatable and realistic. Here are some point...

One challenge in a job search is that it seems there are a hundred things to do and you have to do all of them, all the time. That’s mostly true. The more avenues you can pursue, and the better job you can do pursuing them, the higher the likelihood you will find a new position sooner. However, if there were one thing you could give the greatest focus to that might have the greatest impact...what would that be?Attitude!Main...

Is your job search taking longer than expected? Most are right now. Certainly the difficult job market is making things harder. However, a great number of people could speed up the process by asking themselves five critical questions.Take time, think them through, be honest, and your job search may improve dramatically!1. What makes me unique? Companies are seeing dozens or hundreds of resumes for each opening. They interv...

When looking for a new job, most people certainly look for opportunities that fit their skill sets, interests, and salary requirements. Often, however, the culture of the organizations they are pursuing is very low on their list of considerations. So what? The culture of an organization will make or break your career, success, and well being. It should be as important a consideration as the jobs’ responsibilities, title, a...