Career counselors frequently instruct clients to explore jobs as part of an overall decision-making process. There is a new online tool that makes the process of job investigation much easier and more fun: Inside Jobs. The site profiles 15,000 jobs and offers a “Career Center” that contains lists of jobs clustered in interesting ways: Jobs [...] ... Read more

Most successful professionals have worked very hard to make it into the $100k+ Club. Now that they have made it, it should be easy for them to stay there. So, why are so many asking for and accepting less than they are worth? I think that the answer is simple. The incessant talk of the recession, combined with technology overload and the online networking bandwagon have sucked the life out of them. If you are a six-figure professional, you must have done something right to get yourself in this prestigious tax bracket. Isn’t it time for you to stand up and believe in yourself again? Here are four ideas to help you get things back in your control. Stop letting this fast-paced world intent on stressing and shocking your senses get away with it.             ... Read more

Job search success. Everyone wants it. To find the perfect role at a good salary. Let’s keep a focus on that brass ring and review some of the newest tactics which lead to job search success. There is an old saying, “The devil is in the details” and that is certainly true here, for we’ll be reviewing some little-known tactics of using Linkedin for a successful job search. Today’s very brief lesson has to do with “tags”. … Read more

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Today we celebrate our six year birthday/anniversary. The last six years have been a roller-coaster ride… it has been extremely fast, with highs and lows (although none of the lows were like the lows in my job search). When I realized the idea for this online job search organizer I got a second chance at a career.  I was depressed, my job search was going nowhere, I was losing hope, and didn’t see any end in sight. Then, this idea came, I pursued it, and we launched JibberJobber.com on May 15, 2006.  It was going to be a side project while I pursued my hunt for my dream job. The hunt failed, though.  Here’s a list of some things we’ve done in the last six years:     ... Read more

The Harvard Business Review published an article on April 3, 2012 by Michael Fertik entitled, “Your Future Employer is Watching You Online. You Should be Too.”  Before I read this article, I had not fully considered all the different ways employers might be researching candidates. I had seen statistics, which  Fertik also shares, that more than 75% of employers actively research candidates online (note this was a December 2009 statistic from Microsoft and is probably higher now), and that more than 70% of employers have decided not to hire a candidate based on what they have found online. I assumed that recruiters were looking at major social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn; but according to this HBS article, recruiters dig much more deeply, looking through “shopping profiles, online gaming sites, classifieds and auction sites (think eBay and craigslist) – and even in virtual worlds like SecondLife!” ... Read more

How good a fit is the job you have now? The one you’re pursuing or interviewing for? While we’re at it, how good a fit is the company itself–your current employer or the one you’re aiming for next? If you haven’t asked yourself these questions yet, you really should. Failure to identify the answers can lead to failure in the job because it or the company isn’t a good fit for you, or vice-versa. A few years ago I took training to become a Certified Job Search Strategist (CJSS). The core training resource was a book called Job Search Magic, by Susan Whitcomb. I’ve used that book and its principles countless times since then to help clients focus their job search effectively. In view of the current challenging economy and changing work world, I thought it was time to revisit some of its ideas that you might not be familiar with... ... Read more

I kind of disregard the stats about how people find jobs.  I think the survey is too old, and too general.  It all boils down to networking anyway, no matter how you look at the stats.  I tend to say anywhere from 60 – 95% of jobs are found through networking … with a number of variables (like, the type of job, industry, etc.). I think informational interviews are the bomb.  THE BOMB.  Most people bomb them, though, because they don’t know what they are doing. I also think Micheal Webb developed one of the best systems to find a job I’ve ever heard of.  It’s simple… very simple.  But it is too scary for most people, because it involves picking up the phone and talking to … people! AAAAAH, people!!! Scary! It’s much more comfortable to just hide from your job search doing things like applying online, and “networking” online, etc.  But folks, if you want to end the unemployment, get good at picking up the phone. David, one of my favorite JibberJobber users, sent me an  article on Recruiter.com titled Cold Call Your Way to a New Job.  It is short, and brilliant. The length of the article doesn’t matter.  Getting a book on cold calling won’t necesarily help you, if you aren’t willing to actually pick up the phone and call.  You have to do this... ... Read more

Could you be the next Scott Thompson – fired for lying on your resume? Few people hold such high-visibility jobs as Thompson, until recently the CEO of Yahoo. So you might not think a little white lie – a stretching of the truth – will matter on your resume. You might think no one will notice or no one will check. You know you can do the job – so what’s the harm? Well, for one thing, it’s a lie. For another, it’s the beginning of a slippery slope. First you lie on the resume, then that lie gets repeated in a company bio and becomes permanently attached to your name. The more widespread, the easier it is to check, and the more likely it will be spotted by someone who knows it for a lie. The risk is not worth the potential reward – and it’s the wrong thing to do. Most people who think about lying on resumes are, in my opinion, insecure about their credentials. They are sure their “issue” – whatever it is (lack of a degree, lack of a specific degree, a gap in employment, a lower-level job title) – will make it impossible for them to get the job they really want. They want to be competitive against other candidates who – they are certain! – have all the right stuff. My advice: Focus on what you DO have, not what you don’t. Emphasize your successes and be able to tell a compelling story about your challenges and accomplishments. Be confident in your value! And find ways to make that “issue” less obvious on your resume. (Hint: Hire a professional resume writer!) No, you can’t make yourself qualified for jobs for which you don’t have the required credentials. But the key issue is not the credential, it’s the mindset and confidence. Did Scott Thompson really think a degree in computer science from 25 or 30 years ago made him more qualified to lead a technology company than simply having an accounting degree? Chances are, no. But when he first perpetrated that lie, he believed that he needed it to land the job he wanted. It was all downhill – down the slippery slope – from there. ... Read more

Early on in her career Ellen Covner, like many other professional women, noticed that working with men could be a very mixed experience. She also learned that group and workplace dynamics often had a style and language all their own that did not promote cooperation, creativity and “drive.” She came to realize that as important as it was to be self-supporting and have a good income, money was not a sufficient motivator to stay in a “good job.” After 20+ years practicing health law in major hospitals and law firms, she was ready for new challenges. She wanted a change that would ... Read more