Archive: September 2011
Tide still rising for Seattle tech jobs
If there ever was a time for Seattle-area job seekers to add high-tech skills to their resumes, it would be right now. In just the last week alone, several developments in the gaming, software engineering and IT fields have pointed...
How to keep the conference high alive after you get home
I spent this past weekend at the most inspiring writing workshop I've attended in I don't know how long. [Flickr photo by jemsweb] No matter how energizing a professional event, though, my usual MO is to slip back into...
Cool seasonal jobs still heating up this fall
On blustery, early-autumn days such as this, it's easy for outdoor-loving job seekers to shift their gaze from their LinkedIn profiles to the Cascades beckoning on the eastern horizon. Ski season is rapidly approaching, promising seasonal work at the region's...
Where should federal dollars be spent for worker training?
Much of the debate in the Other Washington these days is about what the federal government can or cannot do to help boost the economy. The debate is crucially important for the country, but it rarely has much impact at...
Interview bling: Yea or nay?
According to the internets, job applicants who wear too big of an engagement rock to an interview may be doing so at their own peril. [Flickr photo by chris.corwin] As the latest "what will they discriminate against next?" story...
Helping businesses help themselves to create jobs
There's no denying that this has been a tough month for the idea that government can provide assistance in creating new jobs. In spite of a substantial rebound on Wall Street following the Great Recession, the unemployment rate still stands...
Part-time is still better than 'no-time'
When an employment search drags on for enough months, many job seekers turn to part-time work to help pay the bills and fill in gaps in their resumes. This may be a financial necessity for those with mortgages to pay...
Quitting the job you just started for a better one
A Seattle area reader I'll call "Mark" recently wrote me about a sticky employment situation he found himself in: "I have been doing consistent contract work with one employer for several years. I just signed the paperwork for a new...
A divisive decade helped unite job seekers
I don't have to ask you what you were doing this morning 10 years ago today; I already know the answer. Like everyone, you were trying to go about a typical Tuesday, only you probably spent most of it either...
Going to work sick: Sometimes you have no choice
On Monday, the Seattle City Council is expected to pass a bill requiring local businesses to grant their employees paid sick leave. [Flickr photo by ghindo] As the Seattle Times reported yesterday: Advocates say the law will enhance public...
How to nurture your network contacts
Don't you hate it when a friend who hasn't spoken to you in years suddenly resurfaces in your life only to ask for a favor? Nothing sours a relationship like being inconsiderate of other people's time. Now think about the...
Tips for corporate newbies
Last week, a reader who spent his entire career working in public service wrote me in a panic. After spending a year at home with his young son, this reader (let's call him "Julius") had returned to work, this...
What if you don't know what you want to do?
Discovering what you want to do is a process; there's no quick answer. If you're serious about finding your dream job and willing to put in some hard work, however, the ROI is priceless. Here's where to start.
When the boss cries in front of you
Crying at work is back in the news. This time, it's because Dick Cheney suggests in his new memoir that former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is a bit of an on-the-job sobber. Much can be said about how those...
A little enthusiasm goes a long way
In your last job interview, did you really want the job? Sure, you needed the income, along with the benefits and the cocoon of security that comes with being fully employed. But did you really want that job? And did...
Resume 'updates' should last all year long
So here we are on the edge of the big first weekend in September. Do you have any major plans? Reassessing career goals? Adding new skill sets? Emphasizing major job-specific accomplishments? Wait, did you say you were barbecuing instead? No,...
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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