Career Development

4 Ways To Balance Your Job Search It's not uncommon for job seekers to spend almost all of their time scrolling on their phones or sitting behind a computer searching through online job postings. If your job search has been unsuccessful up to this point, your time behind the screen could be a major factor in your lack of success. Engaging in a well-rounded job search strategy is essential to maximizing your chances of landing the right opportunity. While online applications are part of the process, relying solely on them can lead to frustration and burnout. Also, endlessly scrolling and applying to open positions is simply not the most effective use of your time out of the workforce. Here are some tips for balancing your activity during your job search. Make It A Point To Network Every Single Week The old adage, "It's not what you know, it's who you know," really is true. In most cases, a friend or colleague won't be able to get you a job for which y...

Interview Tips: Master Your Nonverbal Communication If you are going to an interview, there are a few key things you will want to consider. Many people think that knowing how to accurately answer questions is the only thing that needs to be practiced. In reality, you also need to master your nonverbal communication to demonstrate your best attributes to the interviewer. Nonverbal communication is one of the most important aspects of an interview. This includes factors such as your gestures, body language, facial expressions, and more. These communication signals are important because they send a multitude of messages to the interviewer. Many times, nonverbal communication is subconscious, but it is still something that people will notice. Just as you will control what you verbally say, you will want to control what you communicate nonverbally too. It is a good idea to have your verbal communication match your nonverbal communication. This means if you say you are confident that ...

What's A Personal Brand And Why Do You Need One? When you think about personal branding, a few questions might come to mind: What is a personal brand? Why do I need to develop my personal brand? How do I create a personal brand? Of course, you don't really “create" a personal brand. You already have one. Your personal brand is the unique combination of skills, experiences, and values that define how others perceive you. Simply put, it's what people say about you when you're not in the room. There's something you need to understand about personal branding before reading any further: As a professional, you're not an "employee." You are a service provider, a business-of-one. And every good business has a brand. Your personal brand is reflected in the way you communicate, the expertise you share, and even your online presence. Whether you actively shape it or not, your personal brand influences your career opportunities, professional relationsh...

Workplace Transparency: What It Means And How To Foster It At Every Level When you think of every company you've worked for throughout your career, how many of them would you describe as "transparent"? For most professionals, their real-world experiences with workplace transparency have been limited to open-door policies or weekly team meetings. But transparency in the workplace is much more than that. It's the foundation of trust, engagement, and long-term success. So, how can leaders cultivate transparency in their organizations? What strategies can employees use to promote openness and accountability? In this article, professionals from various industries share their insights on what workplace transparency really means and how it can be fostered and implemented effectively. Let’s explore expert perspectives on how transparency transforms workplaces for the better. Listening to the Frontlines for Continuous Improvement Early in my career as a project manag...

Empowering Business Teams To Own Their Software (With IT As A Strategic Partner) Who typically owns the software at your organization—IT or the business? Many organizations default to IT-led software ownership from historical practices, and then the software may simply be treated as another system to maintain. But in today’s digital world, software is no longer just part of the infrastructure but is a critical business asset that can drive revenue, customer experience, and competitive advantage. When IT owns the software, they traditionally see software as a system to maintain and focus on items such as security, scalability, and operational integrity. Decisions may be based more on technical efficiency, security, and maintenance, focusing on technical enhancements prioritizing long-term infrastructure costs. In the end, IT-led governance can inadvertently slow down rollouts of new features/functionality and responsiveness to market changes. Also, if IT owns all the software de...

How To Network With Executives In Your Job Search Networking with high-level executives can be intimidating, especially when you need their help during a job search. Many job seekers make the mistake of being too casual in their approach, sending messages like, "Hey, how are you? It’s been too long. Let’s catch up!" While this may seem friendly, it often comes across as disingenuous—especially in today’s highly competitive job market. Executives are incredibly busy, and with the current white-collar job recession , they are constantly bombarded with vague networking requests. If you want to get their attention and increase your chances of a response, you need to be direct, transparent, and respectful of their time. A Better Approach To Executive Networking Here’s an example of a more effective message when reaching out to an executive in your network: "Hi [Executive’s Name], I know we haven’t talked in a while, but I want to be upfront: I’m currently in the mid...

Why You Should Embrace Networking (Especially If You Hate It) After a long day at work, sometimes all you want to do is sit on the couch, eat a bag of chips, and zone out watching television. The thought of attending a networking event or sending messages on LinkedIn seems daunting. Not only do you have to give up free time, but you also may have to talk with strangers. With this type of mindset, it's easy to see why so many people are apprehensive about the concept of networking. However, when you avoid networking, you miss out on so many great opportunities. While networking can feel uncomfortable at first, it's actually a huge investment in yourself. Instead of seeing it as an obligation, think of it as a way to build meaningful connections that could open doors to new job opportunities, mentorship, and valuable industry insights. Many people avoid networking simply because they're not used to it, but like anything, practice makes perfect. Here are the top reason...

How To Conduct An Effective Informational Interview One thing that will help you gain interviews with your target companies is talking with more people who are “in the know.” Do this by conducting more interviews of your own. The informational interview is an effective way to build your network and gather information to move your career forward. Informational interviews can actually be quite fun. Meeting for coffee, or briefly in someone’s office, takes the pressure off both parties. The job seeker is simply asking for information, guidance, and advice. The person being interviewed is just providing that information and expertise. No one is saying, “Please give me a job!” And no one is making an offer. It’s just a chat. That’s right—this is not about asking for a job! Not right away, at least. As a job seeker, you should hope to get some questions answered relevant to the industry you are in, the company where your interviewee works, and the company’s competitors. You should ...

3 Most Common Reasons You Got Fired If you've ever been fired or laid off, you know it can be a traumatic experience, especially if you haven't been given a specific reason. Nobody really ever gets fired without a cause; there's always a reason for letting an employee go. There are multiple reasons why people are let go (reorganization, underperformance, being drunk at work, harassing co-workers, complaining about your boss on social media, breach of company's policies, etc.), but there are three that are most common in our experience, and two of them are almost completely avoidable. The good news? Understanding these common pitfalls can help you stay ahead of them and protect your career. Whether you’ve been let go before or just want to safeguard your job, knowing what leads to termination is the first step toward preventing it. Underperformance If you've been constantly making bad decisions or not reaching your performance objectives , then this is one ...