You've been practicing what to say at an interview, but have you considered what signals your body language is sending? Research suggests up to 93 percent of communication isn't transmitted via our words, but is broadcast through our actions and attitude. Patti Wood, author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma, suggests the following tips to help you wow your interviewer:Palm-to-palm co...

Landing a job requires a lot more than just the right degree, experience or series of technical skills. “Soft” skills, otherwise known as emotional intelligence, may make a difference between an employee who can do the job and one who does it well. Soft skills include: leadership, written and verbal communication, problem solving, motivation, interpersonal skills and creativity. They aren’t usually skills we learn in school...

You have that pit in the bottom of your stomach every time you need to talk to your boss. If he or she doesn’t seem to like you, what can you do? You have a few choices. 1) throw your hands up and hope you win the lottery soon or 2) try to figure out why you’re not a favorite in the office and make changes so you can earn some favor with the boss.Unless a windfall or a new job is in the offing, it’s time to make changes. Yo...

News of events related to the scandal involving General David Patraeus and his affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell reminds us that even the powerful and successful succumb to poor professional judgment. What’s one important lesson for “regular people” to learn? It appears as if inappropriate emails created a paper trail that led to this story breaking in the news. Some agencies reported that Patraeus and Broadwell mi...

It's a spooky time of year. Ghoulish decorations, goblins, and jack-o-lanterns abound, reminding us that it's time to stock up on bowls of candy for greedy trick-or-treaters. It's also a good reminder to make sure that you aren't frightening off hiring managers and squandering opportunities to land jobs. Is it time to dress up your job search strategy? You don't need to transform into someone else altogether, but if you hav...

If you’re in an active job search, you know using technology to your advantage is key to your success. You’re encouraged to use social media to expand your network and demonstrate your expertise. Your resume needs to overcome applicant tracking systems to win an interview, and video interviews are becoming the norm for busy companies seeking efficient mechanisms to screen and select the best candidates. Something you may be...

Everyone knows how to introduce themselves, right? It's just like those name tags organizers pass out at networking events, "Hello, my name is…" Unfortunately, a lot of job seekers have a tough time getting beyond that very basic introduction. Sure, they can chat about where they grew up or their favorite book or movie, but when it comes time to say something smart and relevant about their job search interests, it gets a li...

Are you dissatisfied with your job, or reading the writing on the wall that suggests it may be time to think of your own exit strategy? If so, you are in good company. A Mercer’s What’s Working™ survey last year, conducted over two quarters, included 2,400 workers in the U.S. They found, “nearly one in three (32%) U.S. workers is seriously considering leaving his or her organization at the present time, up sharply from 23%...

Temporary and contingent workers are on the rise. The independent workforce has grown to 16.9 million from 16 million in the past year, according to research by MBO Partners, which provides business services to consultants. As companies realize that they can hire contractors for certain services instead of paying for full-time workers, more people will find themselves becoming freelancers, either by choice or by necessity.T...

You may not be surprised to learn the best time to find a job is when you already have a job. Recent ERE.net research shows that some employers consider passive candidates—people not actively looking for work because they're employed—one of the best sources of hires. When you consider that no job is forever, and the fact that the average employee will have between 10 and 15 jobs in a career, it's wise to take action to posi...