Category: Careers

Overqualified

by candacemoody

In a tight labor market, there’s only one thing worse than not getting the job of your dreams; not getting the job you could have done in your sleep. There are many reasons that jobseekers consider jobs for which they are overqualified. In a recession, high level jobs may be scarce and competition intense. When you transition from one industry or career to another, you may be forced into looking for entry level jobs in the new field, no matter how far you had advanced in your former career. Baby Boomers are opting for jobs that offer more time for family and quality of life. Others, seeking more meaning in their careers, are looking for opportunities in mission based companies or non-profits, even if the jobs pay less.

How to Succeed at Your New Job

by candacemoody

E is for EXCEL. If you know you’re good at something, Glickman says, you should take every opportunity to offer your expertise to the team. This is especially true if you’re good at something people don’t like to do. Offering to proof a large and complex document or to organize an event is a way to make friends among your team members or develop a great reputation with people you don’t know well.

The Five Floors of a Relationship

by candacemoody

The Floor One relationship is usually transactional in nature. We encounter dozens of people a week with whom we exchange simple greetings: the barista at Starbucks, the mailman, the clerk who checks us out at the market. We ask “How are you today” without really expecting much of an answer, and others respond with “Fine, thanks” no matter what they’re really feeling or thinking.

Consider the Source

by candacemoody

Honest feedback is a rare commodity; very few people will trust someone enough to open up and tell you exactly what they think. When you hear a piece of honest, thoughtful criticism, you should be grateful. Criticism is a gift; knowing where you stand is valuable intelligence, even when that knowledge stings. Here are some tips for dealing with criticism.

Summer Reading List

by candacemoody

I love hearing from other bloggers – they offer great suggestions for reposts. Many people (including me) are taking time off this week, so I welcome the chance to offer a repost of a list of great reading for people in a job search. These 50 book suggestions come with short reviews and recaps, and all of them will be available at your local library. Enjoy!

Informational Interviewing

by candacemoody

Effective informational interviewing starts with a specific job target in mind. Once you’ve done your research and know something about your goal and the industry, you can start to seek out professionals that will be willing to meet with you. You can choose to meet with people doing the job or the hiring managers. You may benefit by speaking with both. From the professional in the field, you’ll get perspective on what the job involves on a daily basis, trends in the industry, and how the job matches up with your interests and abilities. From the hiring manager, you’ll learn what companies look for in candidates, how they evaluate skills and education, and what a typical career path might look like.

Innies vs. Outies: Introverts in the Workplace

by candacemoody

If you’re an introvert in business, you probably feel different every day. Not differently; just different. I’ve met many introverts who feel that they get less attention, less credit, even fewer promotions than their extraverted peers.