January 2010

Say What?

Strange Work Requests

Fortunately, I work with fabulous co-workers who don’t create waves in the office with inappropriate requests. However, I recently heard a request in my recruiting network that nearly knocked my socks off…which in turn prompted me to write this blog. (I’m going to spare you the details for the sake of reputations, but I assure you it’s one for the record books!) Here are some interesting co-worker and job seeker requests that make you go…really? Be aware that these are not fabricated requests, and they come from bona fide office suggestion boxes from actual people. Continue reading “Say What?”

Toss those Resolutions and Grab the Goals

With the New Year in full effect, now is the time to seriously evaluate your job seeking strategies. As a business consultant, I often talk to job seekers whose key resolutions involve searching for a new job. I immediately encourage them to toss those resolutions into the garbage and try goal setting instead.

Goal setting also helps to give you long-term vision and short-term motivation. They focus your acquisition of knowledge and help you to organize your time and your resources so that you can make the very most of your life. Continue reading “Toss those Resolutions and Grab the Goals”

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

How not repeating mistakes can yield different results on the job search.
In a former life, I was a music teacher. During that time, a wise man told me, “Average music teachers tell their students that ‘practice makes perfect.’ Indeed, they are wrong. We should be teaching that perfect practice makes perfect.” Continue reading “Practice Does Not Make Perfect”

Seeking a Shawshank Redemption

Dealing with a criminal record while job seeking.

Finding a job these days is tough for everyone, but having a criminal offense on your record makes it an even more daunting task. In this “employer’s market” they have a certain leverage and opportunity to be extremely selective in hiring. With an abundance of job seekers employers must determine if hiring a candidate with an imperfect background is worth the risk of a law suit or perhaps exorbitant hikes in insurance premiums. Continue reading “Seeking a Shawshank Redemption”