Participating in your organizations 401k or similar savings plan is commonly espoused advice yet it isn’t always the best fit. Yes, many companies have generous matching but they also have vesting periods that can take years. If you are an entry level worker, you probably won’t stay at your first job very long so a 5 year vesting plan isn’t the best fit. If your company has no vesting period that’s great. If it does, make sure your going to be around long enough to take full advantage. If you think you may leave sooner than the vesting period, there are other investment options that may be more beneficial.
Posted on July 6th, 2009 under All Posts •
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The traditional view states that a resume should be one page. While this is ideal for a recent graduate or entry level job seeker, it doesn’t quite cut it for experienced professionals. Your resume should be as long as needs to be. If you have strong material then go ahead and utilize two or even three pages (for executive level positions). If you plan on utilizing more than one page though, you must use the entire next page. A half full page looks sloppy and unprofessional.
Posted on June 14th, 2009 under All Posts •
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When it comes to job negotiations most of us tend to think in terms of salary only. There’s no doubt salary is important but don’t overlook some less obvious but sanity maintaining benefits that need to be negotiated too.
1. Time off- How much time off is your employer offering and how much do you think you may possibly need? Try to think of all the different situations that come up over the years that might require you to be away from work for some time. If your employer is already offering generous time off then great, but if not consider asking for a fair amount of paid or non-paid time off.
2. Flex time/ Work from home- Working from home and flex time are more popular than ever and the benefits like increased productivity and less burnout are becoming more widely known. If it’s possible to complete your work from home or work nontraditional hours ask your employer for this option.
Posted on May 25th, 2009 under All Posts •
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Interviewers sometimes ask this question to ascertain your ability to create and implement innovative ideas or to manage unexpected difficult situations. Try to think of time in which you developed and implemented a change or improved upon something at your organization.
You want to ensure that the interviewer understands that you do not need to be directed to take initiative or leadership roles.
Posted on May 10th, 2009 under All Posts •
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With all the new job searching tools out there, it’s easy to think you’re doing everything possible with your job search. I’ve noticed that once people start using new tools like Indeed (which is great), they overlook the best place for job listings which is the actual organization’s website.
I know it’s hard to believe but so many job listings show up nowhere on the web other than the company website. Every job seeker needs to have a list of desired employers that they check back with everyday for any new postings. If you don’t have an extensive list of desired employers, make one. You should be aware of every employer in your desired field.
Posted on May 2nd, 2009 under All Posts •
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I was talking with a friend the other day and he was giving me an update on how his job search is coming along. One of the things we joked about was the plethora of anonymous or “confidential” job postings on job boards.
While there may be a few legitimate reasons for an organization to post anonymously, it’s generally a red flag that something is wrong. Maybe the organization has high turnover and they don’t want potential employees to see their constant job postings in every corner of the web or maybe it’s a crummy job and they don’t want to scare off potential hires until they can give them a job pitch.
I’ve looked into some of these postings under the guise of a job seeker and in my experience they were all awful and some weren’t even jobs. One of the postings I applied to wasn’t even for the advertised job but for a book (for sale of course) on how to get the type of job advertised in the posting! Some of the jobs were work at home jobs that are better classified as business opportunities…and calling them that is a stretch. Most though were just flat out undesirable jobs at companies with less than stellar reputations.
If an employer won’t give job specifics or even mention their own name, they aren’t worth your time. Move on.
Posted on April 20th, 2009 under All Posts •
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Receiving a job after a long and exhausting search can feel like a blessing from above. But before you accept, make sure you are not so excited that you jump up and say yes without first negotiating your salary.
Times are tough for employers right now so salaries aren’t going to be what they were in 2005 but that doesn’t you shouldn’t try to earn what you believe you’re worth. In addition to following the same salary negotiation principles you would during normal times, make sure you especially stress the value that you will be bringing to the organization. Spell out exactly what you plan on doing for the organization such as increased sales or productivity and why it would be in their interest to provide you compensation which falls in your desired range.
Posted on April 3rd, 2009 under All Posts •
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Whether your sprucing up your resume or trying to win over a hiring manager in an interview, make sure you put some of your past accomplishments into numbers. Quantifying your accomplishments is an easy way for a hiring manager to skim your resume and see some concrete successes. How much did you increase efficiency, sales, or your students test scores by ? Make sure the interviewer knows exactly what you’ve done before and what they can expect of you if hired.
Posted on March 17th, 2009 under All Posts •
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This question is an easy one. The interviewer simply wants to know if the challenges you seek coincide with the challenges and opportunities the job presents. Your knowledge of the position and organization should allow you to present an answer which matches the job. Detail some examples of some challenges you would like to face and some contributions you will make. Share with the interviewer why the position your interviewing for matches up well with your strengths along with areas where the job will help you grow and develop. Make sure you have a solid understanding of the position so as to give a complete and well thought out answer.
Posted on March 4th, 2009 under All Posts, Interview Questions •
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Getting laid off is tough and can leave you feeling less than enthused about soon to be expired job. The best thing you can do is continue to work to the best of your abilities and be the professional you know you are.
Here are a few tips.
1. Work hard and wrap things up- If possible, finish up any projects before your last day. For things that can’t be wrapped up in time, leave a detailed progress for your manager.
2. Don’t burn any bridges- I know it can be tough but refrain from saying anything negative about your company or anyone you worked with.
3. Say thanks and goodbye- Thank everyone you worked with and let them know you appreciated their contributions. Providing your contact information is not only a nice gesture but it helps build up your network which is always invaluable.
Posted on February 18th, 2009 under All Posts •
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