Archive: August 2011
What to do when your company gets a new leader
Now that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has stepped down, it's natural that employees might feel anxious about the company's future and their place in it, despite the fact that replacement Tim Cook has a long history with Apple. [Flickr photo...
Chances are, you're talking to the wrong people
How many times have you counted on contacts at a prospective employer only to find out they're useless when you really need them? Have you ever tried to get information on a company's hiring process or interview questions, for example, or asked someone to pass along your resume to the hiring manager, but gotten nowhere?
New vacancies often require new training
Last week, a small ray of hope shined down on the bleak local job landscape, like a Seattle sunbreak on a cloudy spring day. The Employment Security Department's twice-yearly Job-Vacancy Survey was released, showing that spring 2011 job vacancies were...
HR to job seekers: We're not looking at your Facebook page
A fresh study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management found that when it comes to evaluating new hires, HR professionals rarely factor a candidate's Facebook, Twitter, or other social media accounts into the equation. There are several reasons for...
Making the most of trick interview questions
Glassdoor had a fun blog post yesterday on the peculiar interview questions new job seekers sometimes find themselves faced with. Among the questions on Glassdoor's list: "How do you rob a bank?" "What was your first AOL screen name?"...
Answering the unanswerable salary question
There comes a point in every job interview where you get a question that feels like a no-win proposition -- an open-ended query that puts you on the spot and can possibly be the deciding factor in whether or not...
WorkSource's new OCE&E building offers one-stop shopping
Back in 2009, the last time I was out of work, I have to admit that one of my least favorite job-search chores was making visits to my local WorkSource office. The staff was always very helpful and impeccably nice...
Why applying online first is a waste of time
I recently gave a presentation called Career Search Optimization to professionals in transition, emphasizing the need to become more strategic if they want to find their ideal job. Many, if not all, job seekers are so focused on advertised openings that they often miss out on what's most important to them. Here are five reasons why you shouldn't apply online first.
Startup job fair to run riot through Seattle
For entrepreneurial-minded people, perhaps nothing else in the English language gets the heart beating faster than the word "startup." (OK, maybe "profit" ranks a bit higher.) For those looking for fame and fortune, few places are as exciting as a...
Forget plan C -- what new entrepreneurs need is a reality check
I'm still miffed about an article from Sunday's New York Times. Called "Maybe It's Time for Plan C," the story highlights a number of recession-casualties-turned-entrepreneur who decided to follow their proverbial bliss and open a bakery/clothing boutique/bed and breakfast,...
Major help for the college major quandary
At this time of year, many young high school grads and rising college freshmen are wrestling with the same question: What are they going to choose as a major? Personally, I made use of my journalism degree immediately and have...
Living paycheck to paycheck? You're not alone
According to a new CareerBuilder survey, four in 10 U.S. workers say they live paycheck to paycheck most or all of the time. [Flickr photo by Mark Strozier] To arrive at this disheartening figure, CareerBuilder polled nearly 5,300 U.S....
A guide to coworking etiquette
Here on NWjobs, we've sung the praises of coworking -- independent workers coming together in shared workspaces -- on more than one occasion. Today happens to be International Coworking Day, with a celebratory local event scheduled at Gasworks Park this...
How to make the right contacts, part 2
In my last column, I gave you two tips for developing relationships with key contacts who could help with your job search. These influential connections have the potential to give you everything from guidance and contact information to internal referrals...
Underemployed and returning to the networking trenches
One of the key tenets of my Hire Ground advice to job seekers has always been to remain positive. Grumbling and negativity can spread like a plague and lead to desperation, which is deadly to any serious employment search. That...
The biggest email mistakes workers make
A fun Forbes article on 10 of the most common email gaffes in the workplace has been making the internet rounds. [Flickr photo by paul_irish] Three email abusers mentioned in the article rank high on my own email peeve...
How to make the right contacts
In my last post, I discussed the importance of leveraging your connections to help you meet people at the companies you're targeting in your job search. For some job seekers, this raises the question: "What if I don't have the right contacts?"
Four easy ways to build community at work
From a social standpoint, office settings can make for some pretty awkward encounters. [Flickr photo by naotakem] Sure, employers try their darnedest to bring teams together with company picnics, holiday parties, and other morale events. But as anyone who's...
Are you leveraging your connections?
Too many times, job seekers new to the game think it's all about the numbers and try to meet as many people as possible. While I advocate expanding your reach and number of connections, I'd like to stress the importance of quality versus quantity when it comes to professional relationships.
Karen Burns is the author of The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl, a career guide based on her 59 jobs over 40 years in 22 cities.
Lisa Quast is a certified career coach, mentor, business consultant, former corporate executive and author based in the Seattle area.
Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.
Former contributors
Matt Youngquist is the president of Career Horizons, a career counseling firm.
Natalie Singer is a Seattle writer, editor and small-business owner.
Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide."
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