The key to a perfect elevator speech that will captivate your listener in about 30 seconds is practice, practice, and more practice. The old cliche, “practice makes perfect,” is a good one. But as with all things, there is always a cautionary note. It is not “practice,” but “good practice makes perfect.” And it does […]
The First Step to a Great Elevator Speech
To have an effective elevator speech, you must do the most obvious. You must write it out and get it on paper, first and foremost. As to what you must write, you need to answer the question, “So, what do you do?” Your written answer should be 4 but no more than 6 sentences. Generally […]
How Important is the Cover Letter to a Human Resources Professional?
I recently read some interesting results from a number of surveys done by the Society for Human Resources Management regarding cover letters, resumes and avenues for getting hired. Results validated some of what I had always thought to be true, but also contradicted some of my other beliefs. Before I discuss some of the findings, […]
The Key to Good Networking is Having Something Offer First – Maybe.
Just a quick post on networking. Do you need to bring “something” to the table in order to be effective in networking? After all if you have nothing to offer than you are simply a user, right! And who wants to help a user. A lot of people I think do not pursue their networking […]
Every Day is a Networking Opportunity
Interesting story in the news today, evidently a gentleman who had been unemployed for the last 2 years finally got a job. Congratulations to that person, I hope he does well. But as I read the details of the story, I kept wondering about a few things. This person was laid off and his primary […]
When You are Most Desperate is When You Must be at the Top of Your Game.
Are you desperate for a job? A valid question, I think, in today’s environment. I read a news report that asked if being unemployed was going to become a permanently subsidized condition. I wonder at what point desperation turns to numbness? When does job hunting becomes no different a “rut†than those joyless, lifeless jobs […]
Take a Break, Find a Hobby, Start Networking!
Some days – you just have to take a break. And that is hard. Being unemployed, or about to be unemployed, or thinking you might be unemployed soon – man – the last thing you want to do is take a break. But brother, or sister, you just have to. I know days seem to […]
Be Optimistic
The other day I read an article on CNN Money on the difficulties of finding a job. As I read through that article I wondered if some are not making it seem worse than it is – as bad as it is! Stay with me. If you are one of the unemployed or soon to […]
Mary’s Story – How to Find to a New Job 65% Faster with Guerilla Tactics
Mary Berman, from Farmington Hills, Michigan, had been looking for work since February 2009 before starting her Guerrilla Job Search, in mid-September. Â Up to that point, 20 weeks of job hunting had produced zero job interviews. Â Just 7 weeks later, she accepted a job on Thursday, November 12, as a marketing executive assistant. […]
Networking Is An Active Verb
In my last post, I offered some ideas on how and where to begin building your network. Let’s continue to explore networking as a key component to your job hunt strategy. If you signed up for my newsletter, then you already know that a common thread that runs through the 5 best ways to find a […]
Ideas on Networking
I think that its not an understatement to say that most meaningful jobs are gained through some sort of a network. There will always be a lot of good folks who do get great jobs through the help wanteds or some placement service, no doubt. Still, networking and getting interviews based on personal recommendations is […]