Out of work? Want to advance up the career ladder? Starting your own business? Hmm…time to create or fine tune your 30-second elevator speech. An important element in a job search that is often overlooked or underrated is the ability to articulate who you are and what you offer a prospective employer or potential client. Think about the networking you do. So many opportunities can occur and you could extend your job search...

It comes once a year, that month of January…new year, new calendar, new ideas, new goals and sometimes, old ways. We want a fresh start, a clean slate to our new year, but we can sabotage ourselves by bringing the old baggage of what has failed us before. Do you know what I mean? We want to clean up our desk and use the newly purchased organizing system. We plan to get in shape and use the new health membership we gifted o...

Like an artist with a blank canvas ready for self-expression, your resume is a self-portrait of you. It portrays your professional work, your accomplishments, your skills, your education…it’s a self-reflection. Before you create your masterpiece, consider some of these tips for resume writing:1. One Size Does Not Fit All - Have a few versions of your resume. You can easily rearrange the sections for emphasis or adjust the...

You created the resume. You composed the cover letter. You bought the suit to dress for success. You applied for various job openings and now you wait. You wait for the phone to ring inviting you to interview. You wait to learn of job leads. Waiting…it’s a hard place to be in a job search. The in-between time in a job search can be a lonely, isolating time. Suddenly, it seems like everyone is working except you. Th...

Change is all around us...changing your mind, changing seasons, changing fashion, changing gas prices and changing jobs. Change can be predictable. Change can be cyclical. Change can be erratic. Change can be unpredictable. Change is inevitable. How are you with change? Many of today’s employees are like a corked bottle bobbing in a sea of change...changing job description, changing ownership, changing global markets...

Writing a cover letter to accompany a resume, for some, can conjure up bad memories from high school or college composition class. With sweaty palms, they reach for the Thesaurus and Dictionary. That feeling of uncertainty begins to cloud their thoughts and words as they ponder, "What do I want to say? Why should they hire me? What makes me a worthwhile candidate?"My advice to clients who are job searching is to keep i...

While filling up our car at a gas station to return home from Phoenix recently, a homeless man approached me and asked if I had a cigarette. I said, "No, I don’t smoke." He smiled and said, "That’s good." The brief encounter made me reflect on the uncertain times we have experienced in the financial world and the existence of homelessness. Funny how the two worlds of investment banking (Wall Street) and homelessness (li...

I created my first resume as I was graduating from college and preparing to apply for my first professional job. Some people have filled out applications or been hired without one, but very quickly are finding that if a potential employer requires a resume, you better have one. Today, high school students are learning the resume basics and creating one to sum up their high school work experiences, volunteerism, activities...

It’s been said that women are the Mothers of Invention. Nothing could be truer as we see an increasing number of women as entrepreneurs in today’s workplace. At a website for entrepreneurial women, www.entwomen.com, they state "a laptop, a bathrobe, and a cup o’Joe - what else do you need?" Well, it sounds good, but speaking from personal experience, it’s not quite that simple. Ask any woman who has her own business or...

Thinking about becoming an entrepreneur? Do you have the right stuff? Here are a few things to consider: Find Your Niche • Know "thyself"” – What are you skills and strengths? What are your weaknesses? • Get creative • Get curious about the market • Do research, survey, read, and observe Develop a Business Plan This can be a new challenge but is an essential foundation before launching any business. Developin...