4/16/09: Top Career Posts this Week
Every week I check dozens of “career” blogs and other online publications, looking for things that will help you find a job, get promoted, develop your skills, and keep everything in perspective and balance. Here’s the pick of the lot for this week. I’m pointing you to items about standing out at job fairs, interviews from beginning to end, things recruiters won’t tell you, and ways to build your self-confidence.
From Forbes: How To Stand Out At A Job Fair
“It will be jammed with job-seekers–so follow these steps to set yourself apart as someone to hire.”
Wally’s Comment: I once got a job because the person in it decided to “stand out” when the CEO came to town by wearing a lime green leisure suit. Even back then it was a bad idea. You can pay attention to the tips here or you can leave the opportunities to others.
From Fortify Your Oasis: When does a job interview begin?
“There has been much talk in the blogosphere about the rocket scientist who tweeted ‘Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.’ to the whole world and was spotted by a Cisco Channel Manager. Or the PR guy from NY who, with brain surgeon levels of forethought, tweeted about what an unpleasant place [I'm paraphrasing] he thought Memphis was just prior to giving a talk … in Memphis. You’ve got to be very careful in the online world and I have written about this issue before. But what about the offline world? True story.”
Wally’s Comment: OK, you’ve been to the fair and landed an interview. When does it start? Rowan Manahan has a story and some advice that will help you figure that out.
From the Wall Street Journal: The Interview That’ll Bag a Job
“At an interview, you want to stand out for the right reasons. To do so, you’ll need to leave your baggage and anxiety at the door.”
Wally’s Comment: We’re back to standing out for the right reasons. In today’s job market, simply landing the interview is an achievement. Don’t blow it.
From CareerRealism: 10 Things Recruiters Won’t Tell You (But I Will)
“Recruiters have one job: Find the right person for the position. Their performance is evaluated on how efficiently and effectively they match top talent to job requirements. Ironically, in the current economy, recruiters are finding their jobs harder than ever. I’m serious. There’s too much talent for them to weed through. What used to be ‘finding a needle in a haystack’ has now become ‘finding a needle in ten haystacks.’
Wally’s Comment: It always helps to know something about the person on the other side of the desk. Here’s a post that will help.
From the Career Encourager: 10 Ways to Instantly Build Self Confidence
“Self confidence is the difference between feeling unstoppable and feeling scared out of your wits. Although many of the factors affecting self confidence are beyond your control, there are a number of things you can consciously do to build self confidence.”
Wally’s Comment: This is the perfect post to end with. In today’s world, self-confidence is important. And there are simple ways you can give yours a boost. Read this post and find out what they are.