Shhhh… I hear your brand calling. More specifically, your professional reputation is whispering. If you hear “personal branding” and you immediately think bright, shiny and dazzling, you’re missing the whole point of branding. Branding is basic. Branding isn’t superficial. (Borrowing someone else’s brand, bedazzling it, and then calling it your own is superficial.) A strong […]
I’m totally ripping off Penelope Trunk by using this blog title. This week Penelope is hosting a 4-hour webinar on this topic. She’ll be covering things like uncovering your dream job, creating a three-month plan, and how to transform your resume into a superstar resume. Penelope has coached a few of my friends/acquaintances, so I […]
I look at a LOT of LinkedIn profiles — to critique and offer suggestions. No matter how much information is contained in a profile, my initial glance lasts an average of 30 seconds. So what am I looking for in those 30 seconds? In essence, it’s whether his/her personal brand is effectively communicated. My litmus […]
Here’s a case study of an off track personal brand: I know someone who is a great salesperson. She is masterful at developing relationships and asking for business. She has a lot of experience, is passionate about her work, and can work a room with grace and style. Her clients see her as a strong […]
I had to write about this today (even though I promised a while ago I’d write about it) because just today I received a shockingly bad example of why I hate resumes (yes, I think they are very, very ineffective). Here’s another reason I hate resumes — very few people land jobs because of one. […]
I hate resume rules. One page only. Don’t go back more than 10 years. Don’t include hobbies. List volunteer work separately. Account for all date gaps. A good resume has had a heavy dose of common sense applied to it. Your resume should be the best representation of your experience and background. Here are a […]
The email arrives in your in-box at 3:45 on a Friday afternoon. “After ten years of wonderful service to our organization, Madison Hall’s last day of employment will be June 20th. She will be exploring other career opportunities and we wish her well in her pursuits.” Opps. Was she fired? Did she leave voluntarily? Is […]
There’s been an interesting thread in one of my LinkedIn groups about a cover letter (The Daily Muse: 7/16/12) written by a recent grad promoting himself. Lots of professionals weighing in on whether they’d interview him based on the cover letter. My unscientific analysis — 70% turned off, 30% intrigued. The style is cheesy and […]
By 9:00 a.m. this morning, I had three articles on this subject cross my electronic path. All of them offering advice to the job interviewee on how to answer this important interview question. The general theme of the articles being that you have to answer this question by grabbing the interviewer’s attention so he/she will […]
Do you read job postings and think “Heck, I can do that”? You know, those job descriptions that emphasize good communication skills, the ability to present information, ability to work under pressure and maybe even be a good team player? Voice in your head says “That’s you. You can do all those things. You should […]
