Talent Alley

The scariest part of the job hunt for many job seekers is the moment after they actually receive an offer. They’ve just focused months of effort refining their resume, expanding their professional network and honing their interview skills, and suddenly discover that their job seeking skills are no longer relevant. Now they need to excel at [...]

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It’s getting tougher and tougher to make your resume stand out on a recruiter’s or hiring manager’s desk. Most resumes adopt similar formats, and virtually all are created in Microsoft Word, using its default fonts, so making your resume stand apart requires some creativity. Since your job search is really just a personal marketing exercise, [...]

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I’ve received a number of questions and comments about my previous post in the Toughest Interview Questions series: Why Should I Hire You? that suggest that some more detail and explanation is in order. The reason the question is so difficult for job seekers, and so revealing for employers, is that it requires the candidate [...]

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Looking for work in a miserable economy can be traumatic, ego-bruising and depressing. Even highly experienced and skilled individuals will likely face repeated rejection as they try to find a new job, leading to self-doubt, despondency and despair. I was reminded of the frustration that job seekers face when I received a phone call this [...]

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There are times when job seekers are their own worst enemy. Doug Hardman the CEO of Sparkbase, a local technology company, shared a recent series of email communications he had with a prospective hire for an internal marketing position that illustrate how a job candidate can destroy their job prospects with reflexive and imprudent email [...]

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Telephone interviews are nerve-racking. Candidates receive no visual feedback – either positive or negative – from their interrogators, feel pressured to perform and all too often are unprepared to provide the answers that will elevate them to the next level of the job hunting process. When you don’t get an invitation to meet face to [...]

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I received an email this morning from the CEO of a local technology company who is in the process of hiring a controller for his company. He forwarded an email from a prospective candidate whose career halting initial message was: PLease see attached resume . My slasry requirements would be in the middle of your [...]

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It is a near certainty that job seekers today will encounter the dreaded telephone interview during their job search. Knowing what to expect and how to prepare for the telephone interview can provide job seekers with an enormous advantage, but too many candidates make common mistakes that knock them out of consideration before getting a [...]

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Let’s face it, the person you need to impress the most during the job interview process is the manager you’re going to be working for. They are the only ones who can say those magic words,” You’re hired. When can you start?” From the hiring manager’s perspective they are looking to determine three things. Are [...]

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Most first job interviews are conducted via telephone. Once your resume has caught the hiring manager’s attention, and they believe that your qualifications match their needs, they will typically call you to determine quickly if you have the potential to fit into their organization. It’s essential that you be ready for that first call because [...]

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