With the stock market fluctuating as much as it has been and the global economy struggling, it can be hard to think in terms of possibility rather than lack. I've started to listen more selectively to the news so that it doesn't get me down every time I watch. Here's the deal: Worrying about things does not help; taking action to do something about challenges or issues does. When I work with clients, I encourage them to ma...

Why Looks Really Do MatterCongratulations, you landed the interview! Now - you need to make a great impression.Are you digging through your closet? Asking everyone you know what you should wear? What kind of tie do you put on? What should you do with your hair? If you’re getting differing opinions, here are some simple guidelines to help - plus two things not everyone considers but employers do notice:1. Dress for the job y...

The "R" word tends to scare people in the workplace. We think we'd better hold onto our jobs, or if we're looking for a new job we think the task is going to be that much more daunting. People get fearful and freaked out. It doesn't have to be that way! Yes a recession affects the economy and therefore the hiring decisions employers are going to make. But if you approach your job search from a place of fear or desperation i...

Sometimes focusing too intently on a subject can cloud the issue and make it more confusing, not less. If your adult child is having trouble zoning in on the ‘perfect career,’ suggest that he or she employ brainstorming as a technique to find some viable career options. Whether your son or daughter is in a career that they want to leave or are newbies to the world of employment, brainstorming can help them determine a caree...

It’s not what you know, but who you know. Your career-seeking young adult has most certainly heard it all before! There is some definite truth to the statement, though. If your adult son or daughter is running circles trying to make a break in their chosen career field, they may need to look no farther than their own innermost circle.Sometimes we assume that those closest to us know what it is we do or what we strive to do...

Guiding your young adult in the business world takes know-how. Help your young career seeker stay on top of their game by offering these tips to help them shine at their next career fair or in-person networking event:Fine-tune their resume.1. Encourage your son or daughter to clearly list out their career objective. Every detail they list on their resume should somehow speak to that objective, from education to computer ski...

It’s a tricky period, the time frame between college graduation and making it in the ‘real world.’ Young adults aren’t quite sure what exactly to do for their career, much less their life.Well, guess what?! They are just like the rest of the working public. It is estimated that most adults change careers, not just jobs, at least five times in their working life. Knowing that, it is a shame that so many young adults go throu...

Networking is still one of the greatest ways for your young adult to find a job. Resumes from referrals tend to land at the top of the applications stack and are typically reviewed first. If you are in the predicament of helping your college graduate or young adult find their own way in the working world, here are some quick tips to pass on to help them network in a group or one-on-one setting:• Be clear. Have your son or d...

So you've landed a job interview. Congratulations! Now, are you ready? Whether you've been on a dozen interviews (or none!), your key to success is preparedness. See how to put focus on your strong points and downplay your weak ones, and make an impression that will have them saying, "You're hired!" Read on for ten great tips from my years of career counseling.1: Relax, you'll be more authentic and confident if you do.The b...

Many of my career coaching clients require assistant with their maketing materials, and most commonly their business card. A business card...is it just a little piece of paper, no more important than a scribbled sticky note, or something you typically use as a bookmark?Wrong. A business card is a representation of the person from whom it came. Consider your own card. You took time, care, and spent your hard earned dollars h...