Confessions of a Job Seeker (and Recruiter)

Recruiter Chris Brablc fresh off his own job search shared the highlights of what he learned from the process for both sides of the job-search fence.

Cover letters still matter. They were a differentiator for him on several occassions.
Stalk a company. More and more advice says to target a company then break into the social networks [...]

Update Your LinkedIn Profile Status Often, but Don’t Self Promote

Blatant self-promotion is bad form on social networks, said social marketing expert Veronica Fielding in the article “How to Build and Nurture a LinkedIn Profile Network” for TheLadders. Updating your profile’s status, however, with informative article links, industry event notices and posting community-centric information regularly is a great way to stay visible and be viewed [...]

How to Write a LinkedIn Profile Summary

There are two things you can be sure of when executive recruiters discover your LinkedIn profile: They expect to see a summary, and they expect to learn a little about who you are, wrote Kris Dunn, HR expert and blogger of  HR Capitalist.
Job titles and dates of employment alone on LinkedIn will not cut it. [...]

Your Need for a Job Won’t Get You One

The best way to get a new job is to stop looking for one in the traditional way – sending out resumes, waiting for interviews and hassling recruiters. Become a resource – a treasure trove of information – not a nuisance on the job search, said executive career coach Darrell W. Gurney in the article [...]

The Power of Employment References and Job Referrals

Referrals and references remain the strongest tool available to job seekers.
Seventy percent of jobs are obtained via referral according to the U.S. Department of Labor and the article “How to Get Job References Without Asking,” on TheLadders.
Referrals do not automatically mean you have the job or that you will guarantee you an interview, but they [...]

When Job Promotions Are Hard to Find, Move Laterally

Want to position yourself to move up the corporate ladder? Consider extending your experience within the company by shifting titles and responsibilities laterally to another department, Cindy Nicola, a recruiting VP at video game company Electronic Arts (EA) told The Wall Street Journal. Opportunities for promotion usually occur when individuals leave a company or retire [...]

How to Reject an Offer and Save the Relationship

Can you mend relations with a company who offered you a job, but you then rejected? This question was recently asked to The Wall Street Journal by the wife of an individual who received two job offers, accepted one, but now believes he should have taken the other one.
The rejected company told her husband he [...]

Bite Your Tongue In an Exit Interview

When it comes to the exit interview, bite your tongue, suppress your ego and stay focused on how you will be remembered, said Lee Miller, a career coach and the former head of human resources at TV Guidein the article, “Resign with Class,” on TheLadders.
Despite your inclination to talk about everything that might be wrong [...]

Ask Not What Your Network Can Do For You

Ask not what your network can do for you. Ask what you can do for your network.
Your network will return the favor when you need it, but only if you’ve developed a wellspring of goodwill and generosity among your peers, Clark Christensen, a senior-level executive in Coca-Cola Financial Management, in a feature article for TheLadders, [...]

Job Interview Follow Up Do’s and Don’ts

After a job interview or less formal networking meeting set up by a recruiter, you probably look forward to a response from the person with whom you met.
If you’re dealing with a recruiter, it doesn’t always happen right away. But don’t take offense; take action, said career expert Silvana Carpanelli Hayes on The Glasshammer blog. [...]