In an ever-changing economic market, or riding the wave through industry changes, you just never know when you might need to rely on your professional network to help bail you out of a rough patch. Maintaining a professional network is like having car insurance – it’s a pretty big risk to drive without it. Your network is your safety net. And like insurance, it requires an investment that can’t lapse. Without it, the costs...

There will never be more than 24 hours in a day. No matter how much we hope, wish or pray, it just can’t happen. The issue with casually brushing something off to do “later,” at an undetermined “better time,” is that it often becomes assurance it won’t get done at all.For many people, procrastination seems like it is done unconsciously, but it really is a conscious decision or choice not to do something. When you make the d...

It happens all the time. A candidate has 8–10 years of experience doing something and wants to change into an entirely new role and new field. The requirements to compete for a senior-level role in the new arena are extremely high and impossible to match when there is no specific evidence of performance in the same function. Although the circumstances may seem the same, being capable and being competitive are two entirely d...

There are professionals who match people to jobs or business opportunities and others who connect people with similar interests. Professional associations or academic institutions may match mentors with mentees. All around us are opportunities to link people with people, or people to information. The success of these referrals is typically predicated on how much the referring party knows about each of the others.Everyone wa...

At the risk of severely dating myself or alienating my readers, I‘ll start with a confession: I still expect people to do what they say they will do. I know, I know, I know. Call me a dreamer.Recently, after a series of disappointments due to people not following through on commitments, I asked someone what they thought about this apparent trend. I was told to “change my expectations.” At first, it seemed like a puzzling re...

It is surprising that many people still rely on their resume to tell their story for them and spend little time preparing for an interview. The old-school thinking that “the resume will get me in the door and, once there, I’ll wing it” is no longer effective.Preparing your answers for the most frequently asked interview questions is a good start, but if you don’t know the context of the role you are vying for, or are unawar...

Titles don’t necessarily reflect the same level of responsibility, nor do they mean the same thing across industries. The context of the positions you have held does/should make a difference to someone who is determining if you are a fit or not. More experience in one area doesn’t necessarily make up for a shortcoming in another. The following considerations need to be taken into account when filling a role, from the candid...

Even though times are tough, asking for a job because you are desperate is not a good look. Employers need convincing evidence for investing time and money in you. This requires knowledge of the company and considerable preparation before you speak with them. The old days of winging your way through an interview are long gone. But first, you need to know why you want the job you are pursuing and how it fits into your life p...

If the last bus was leaving in two minutes and you were still contemplating where you were going, how long would it take you to make a decision whether to get on that bus? If you did get on the bus, what’s the likelihood you would be on the right bus headed in the right direction? It seems to me that most people would no sooner jump on a bus without a destination in mind than drive with their eyes closed. Why, then, do peop...

There are still many people under the impression that because the economy is picking up, it is easy to get a job. The qualifier, of course, is whether any job will do. If you are expecting to get your dream job, then it may be time to face some harsh realities about how that is most likely to happen.The first step in capturing your dream job is becoming clear about what that means. If you have not already articulated your s...