According to the FirstGov.gov Web site, three of the most popular New Year’s resolutions are losing weight, saving money and getting a better job.So why is it that, come February 1, most of us are still chubby, broke and not doing work we love? Could there be a better way to finally get a new job this new year?The answer is...maybe. It all depends on you. After all, the best advice in the world is useless if you don’t follo...

Three weeks ago I surveyed 159 job seekers by email to get their answers to this question: "What one thing could I do to make your job search easier?" I received a ton of responses, with so many questions and problems that it would take 10 or 20 articles to answer them all. But time is short and attention spans are shorter. So, I picked two common job search problems to answer here. Ready? Problem #1. "How c...

Think you’re qualified for that job you want? Prove it! If you do, it’s a sure bet that you’ll get hired faster. Here’s how to do it by improving your resume and job interview skills in just one afternoon … 1. First, prove the claims in your resume Sadly, most resumes are full of puffed-up language and empty assertions –enough to make a hiring manager tear his or her hair out. To illustrate, here’s examp...

Want to lose weight? Find a hot stock tip? Get a new job? In these and most cases, we humans almost always seek out the newest advice. We want the latest and freshest ideas. We crave novelty. Yet...sometimes the best advice is also the oldest. Which may explain why the Bible, the I Ching and the Bhagavad-Gita have been in print and read around the world for thousands of years. With that in mind, I’d like to sh...

If you're looking for a job, think like a goose.Experiments have shown that geese flying in a V formation can travel about 70% farther than birds flying solo. Geese function more efficiently together than they do all by themselves.Are you looking for a job all by yourself?If so, know this: There's a limit to how much you can accomplish alone. But there's no limit to how much you can do as part of a team.Think about it. Bill...

As a professional resume writer, here's a question I've been asked at least twice a day for the past 10 years: "My job search isn't working – what should I do?"I've had to answer that question 10,950 times since 1996 (do the math). My answer is always the same, and it's always simple: "Find out what you're doing wrong. Then fix it."To find out what's wrong with your job search -- so you can fix it -- ask yourself the follow...

If you walk into a car dealer and announce, “I want a car,” what kind of reply will you get?The sales rep will say, “Sure. What are you looking for?” Then he'll ask for more details -- the make, model, color, price you’re willing to pay, etc.It’s never enough to say, “I want a car.” You have to be specific. Otherwise, nobody can help you.Why, then, do so many people say, “I want a job,” and then fail to get more specific th...

Got a difficult problem in your job search? Say, a lack of networking contacts? Or trouble answering interview questions?Well, you've got company. Problems in a job search are as common as potholes in March.But ... have you ever written your problem down on a piece of paper?I'll bet you haven't.Because, when you write problems down, you take an immediate, huge leap towards solving them. Think about it: Every great invention...

Most people spend more time writing a grocery list than they do creating a list of companies to work for. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense, does it? Let me ask you point blank: do you have a written list of companies you want to work for? If not, you have company. Roughly 98 of every 100 job seekers I've spoken to in the last 10 years couldn't name three ideal employers. (But they could name at least three it...

If you're not getting many interviews and job offers, have you ever stopped to wonder why? One man did, and asked me for input. Dale from St. Paul writes: "How do I respond to companies that require a four year degree? Twice in my life I was #1 in sales for national companies. Yet, I cannot seem to get in the front door because I only have an associate's degree." I called Dale to discuss how he could produce more j...