How To

Whatever you do, have an answer to the question — why have you been out of work so long? Whatever you say, don’t answer, ‘Looking for a job.’ When interviewing candidates who have been out of work for extended periods of time, a human resources manager will almost always ask this question: “Why have you … Read More

Understanding the typical schedule and purpose of each round can prepare you to face each and give you an advantage in the hiring process.   Before you hear the words, “You’re hired,” you will typically sit through three separate interview sessions … at least. You prepared for the first interview. So you’re prepared for the … Read More

Put to the test? Follow these tips from recruiters who’ve used pre-employment assessments as a factor in the hiring process. When you are being considered for a job, your potential employer evaluates myriad factors: your education, your experience and your successes, to name just a few. How about your personality? Increasingly, organizations are turning to … Read More

The most important prop in your job search is one of the most overlooked. When hundreds — or, in many cases, thousands — of job seekers gather in one place, the pressure to stand out can be overwhelming. You can arm yourself with resumes and samples from your portfolio, but the props you’ll need must … Read More

Don’t get mad. Get gracious. A follow-up letter after you don’t get the job is so rare, you will stand out and it may lead to another job. This is the letter to write when you don’t get the job. Read More

Kelly, a job seeker in Southern California, was surprised by the importance placed on having an online presence, but she wasn’t caught off guard. “Kelly’s” experience during the Great Recession has been different from some of the horror stories you might have heard on the news. Instead of wallowing in unemployment for a long time … Read More

Leverage your alumni association to find and win a job, but know the rules about what is and isn’t fair play. “Jamal,” a young finance executive, just two years out of business school, applied for a business analyst position at a large bank. He met with the bank’s recruiter at a job fair in Los … Read More

A recruiter for CDW shares the tactics his company now considers its most fertile source of new candidates – Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. CDW is a leading provider of technology products and services that employs more than 6,000 people. The company, based in Vernon Hills, Ill., just outside Chicago, does a lot of hiring. And … Read More

Steve Jobs’ 5 principles of job success As I was researching the material for my new book, ” The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs ” (McGraw-Hill), I realized that many of the principles responsible for Jobs’ breakthrough success at Apple apply equally to the management of one’s job search career. If you are searching for … Read More