job hunting

Bullet Points: “I am a lousy copywriter, but I am a good editor.”

The Hired Guns on February 8, 2012

bullet points, David Ogilvy, job hunting Comment

Letters of Note reprints a key letter from advertising legend David Ogilvy. “I am terrified of producing a lousy advertisement. This causes me to throw away the first 20 attempts.”
30 Tumblrs to Remembr [Time]
8 Outdated Gadgets You Must Toss [Inc.]
Money.com rounds up 25 companies that each have at least 700 openings and talks with their recruiters to find out what qualities they want to see in candidates.
In the rigorously bro culture of today’s Silicon Valley, patterned socks are a major fashion statement. [NYT]

Six Mantras for a Rock-Solid Resume

Kenneth Hein on January 11, 2012

job hunting, resumes Comment

In his new series for us, Kenneth Hein will survey the best ways that job seekers can promote themselves and their brands, both with the tried and true and with newer methods. Either way, Kenneth will be drawing on the hard-won experience and knowledge he gained, first as a journalist on the marketing and advertising beat and then working as a marketer himself.

As the “writer” among my friends, I have always been on the receiving end of “Dude, what do you think of this?” From love poems to term papers (back in the day) to cover letters and resumes (today), I am the go-to guy. And, of course, my experience with resumes has only grown more after having looked at hundreds of them over the course of my career in communications.

Lately, a month hasn’t gone by without an acquaintance reaching out to me to doctor their resume. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve found myself repeating the same mantras. Whether it’s someone who works in politics, production, or public relations, there are some very basic facts about resumes that most people tend to forget. Don’t be one of the forgetful. Here are six mantras to remember:

Helping Friends Find Work During the Holidays

The Hired Guns on December 13, 2011

job hunting Comment

Ornate bicycle rickshaws and iPads and other fancy presents are all well and good, but for lots of people right now, what they really want is a job. Lenroy Jones of the Lexington Herald-Leader has some ideas on gifts to help job hunters stay inspired during the holidays, which can be a rough time if you’re out of work or just at the wrong place in the career.

As our own Allison Hemming puts it in the article, “even the smallest rejection or setback can knock the long- and even short-term unemployed off their game.”

Some of the ideas: gift cards for the salon or the all-important coffee shop, volunteering your time to help them fine-tune interview techniques or even helping pay for coaching to help your friends get their work life back on track.

[Photo: Gabriela Pinto/Flickr]

Job Hunting But Feel Like Sloughing Off? Use the Holidays to Your Advantage.

The Hired Guns on December 12, 2011

holidays, job hunting, resume Comment

With all the other distractions at this time of year, it can be hard to keep going strong on a job search. But the consultant Lynn Taylor has some compelling reasons why this time of year can actually benefit those gunning for a new job, especially if they’re willing to be a little clever in how they go about their hunt.

Just like that hard-to-take lull in mid-summer, the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s requires a little more patience and persistence when it comes to waiting for people to return calls, take meetings, and make decisions.

And even if you don’t end up with a new job to celebrate exactly when January 1 rolls around, this period is still a great time to revise your resume, dust off your website or Twitter account, and get some good plotting in before 2012 rolls in.

Bullet Points: White Lies, Stress Interviews, and Other Job-Hunt Dangers

The Hired Guns on November 22, 2011

bullet points, job hunting, job interviews Comment

We already covered what speakers can learn from Gov. Rick Perry’s recent flub. Brazen Careerist has more on what political debates in general can teach about successful job interviews.
Don’t be the first interview of the day and other tips on selling yourself effectively to potential employers. [USA Today]
It has to be said: a hat reading “Take this job and shove it” should never be part of your job-interview wardrobe (yes, that really happened). [Thomas.net]
Daniel Bukszpan of CNBC takes on a touchy issue: telling white lies during interviews.
Dealing with so-called “stress interviews,” during which candidates face a panel of interviewers. [Post and Courier]

Why Great References Are the Gift That Keeps on Giving

Allison Hemming on November 14, 2011

job hunting, job references Comment

References are gold. You can expect to hold ten or more jobs between college graduation and retirement, and that means that you’re likely to be asking references to vouch for you a lot over the duration of your career. Keeping track of your references and staying in a relationship with them for the long haul isn’t just good networking, it’s just about a necessity for getting hired in the future.

The (Slightly) Frothier Job Market

The Hired Guns on November 8, 2011

job hunting Comment

“Job churn” was up in September, and this is an encouraging sign of life for the job market and the economy in general. As Economix reports, when companies feel comfortable hiring as well as firing, then it’s a good sign that we might be pulling away from the death spiral of having workers leave without being replaced.

September’s number of “quitters” (i.e. those who left their job voluntarily), was also relatively strong — at over two million, it’s the highest number it’s been since November 2008.

Use Public Speaking Skills to Nail Your Next Job Interview

Joel Schwartzberg on October 31, 2011

job hunting, job interviews, presentation skills Comment

This is the second post in a series from the speaker, teacher, and consultant Joel Schwartzberg, who is covering methods to improve presentation skills at all stages of your career. A slightly different version of this post appeared earlier in the Huffington Post.

A job interview isn’t all that different from a public speech, except that in interviews you get to sit down, listen more than speak, and be the world’s expert on the topic (hint: it’s you). But one thing is true for both interviewing and speech-making: How you say something is just as important as what you say.

The “what” can be coached only so much, but the “how” is completely coachable. Here are some unique, real-world tips I’ve picked up over nearly two decades as a media industry executive, a national champion public speaker, a public speaking instructor, a collegiate speech and debate coach… and a failed Wheel of Fortune contestant. But don’t hold the Wheel thing against me — I just didn’t buy enough vowels.

The Salary Tutor: Did Your Co-worker Steal Your Raise?

Jim Hopkinson on October 27, 2011

career management, human resources, job hunting, salary negotiation Comment

Jim Hopkinson, the author of Salary Tutor, is writing a series of post designed to help you negotiate during some of the most important — and stressful — points in your career. A slightly different version of this post appeared on Jim’s website.

The person sitting next to you at work has been acting peculiar. Nothing dramatic . . . after all, you’ve shared the same workspace for years, worked on several successful projects together, and survived a round of layoffs in 2009, coming out fine on the other side.

But it’s the little things . . .

Gunsworthy

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Bullet Points: “I am a lousy copywriter, but I am a good editor.”

Six Mantras for a Rock-Solid Resume

Helping Friends Find Work During the Holidays

Job Hunting But Feel Like Sloughing Off? Use the Holidays to Your Advantage.

Bullet Points: White Lies, Stress Interviews, and Other Job-Hunt Dangers

Why Great References Are the Gift That Keeps on Giving

The (Slightly) Frothier Job Market

Use Public Speaking Skills to Nail Your Next Job Interview

The Salary Tutor: Did Your Co-worker Steal Your Raise?

Gunsworthy

THG @SXSW: Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You
by Jim Hopkinson

Why Modern Marketers Need to Do More Than Just “Love Data”
by Tom Burg

THG @SXSW: Revealing Design’s True Power
by Jeff Gothelf

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