Smart Interview Answers or Smarty Pants Answers?

This article has some good approaches to answering those old-fashioned and usually useless questions you may get asked in a job interview. If you’re interested in the job, don’t let a few ridiculous questions tempt you to cop an attitude or try to turn the tables on the interviewer. Not …

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Hidden Job Market Networking: 3 Deadly Job Search Phrases

Here are 3 phrases that can slow down your job search success:    * That won’t work for me. * I already know that. * I don’t need to do that. These are job search success killers because job search is very different today — because the world is very different. You may need to rethink old strategies and even (gasp!) getting a little outside your comfort zone. Speaking of outside your comfort zone, consider this: pick …

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Hidden Job Market Networking: How to Pay to Play

Actively networking and making connections are essential and significant elements of your job search strategy today. Social networking is important, but must be augmented with face-to-face or at least voice-to-voice connecting. The etiquette is “ask for the help–ask for the check.”  That can get expensive unless you get creative. And the good news is “creative” is not only acceptable, it can often make you stand out. These days it is quite acceptable to ask someone to join you for coffee — on you. You could even offer to bring coffee …

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Hidden Job Market Networking: 8 Conversation No-No’s

I know you wouldn’t do these things on purpose. But sometimes we can feel the pressure of being in a job search, or maybe nervousness because of the meeting you’re attending or the person you’re talking to. Maybe you’re like me in that when you get nervous, or a little tongue tied, you might start babbling. It’s like when you’re running really fast down a hill. You know you’re about to go down in disgrace and you won’t …

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Hidden Job Market Networking: Secret to Get into a New Industry

Here is a strategy that can be extremely useful when you would like to change industries. It will help you in your job search networking and, as a bonus, when you interview. I had to develop this technique because throughout my career, after about 18 months in a position, I wanted a new one! Especially if it could be an entirely new industry or function. If you don’t know this how your experience can be useful in a new position or industry, trust me they won’t be able to figure it out! And it really isn’t enough to just tell them your skills are “transferrable.” By the …

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Hidden Job Market Networking: Why you must meet people outside your function

It goes without saying that as a job seeker you must create networking opportunities with those at the right level and in the right position to hire you. At the same time, you can significantly accelerate your search by networking with people who might not initially seem to fit that criteria.  Consider networking with people who are outside your function and at least one level above you on the org chart. …

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