There are two effective methods to respond to interview questions: the short variation and the long variation. When a question is open-ended, I always suggest to candidates that they say, “Let me give you the short variation. If we need to explore some aspect of the answer more fully, I’d be happy to go into…

Your resume can be organized in one of two simple formats: summary or chronological. The summary (or functional) resume distills your total work experience into major areas of expertise, and targets the reader’s interest relating to your collected capabilities.The chronological resume presents your capabilities and accomplishments within the structure of your previous employers. (Actually, it…

To get the most mileage out of your resume, you’ll want to stress certain elements of your experience. By doing so, you’ll represent your qualifications in the most prosperous light, and help give the employer a better understanding of your possible value to his or her organization. To build a stronger case for your candidacy,…

Reality Check: Given the selection of more than one candidate of similar capabilities, hiring managers will always prefer to interview the one with the most artfully fabricated and appealing resume. For that reason, candidates with first-rate qualifications are quite often unnoticed. And companies end up hiring from a more shallow pool of talent; a pool…

There are many genuinely personal factors to change your employment situation. However, from a purely strategic point of view, there are four superb reasons to change occupations within the same (or similar) profession three times during your first ten years of employment:   Reason #1: Shifting jobs gives you a greater base of experience: After…

If your intent to make a job adjustment is sincere, and nothing will change your choice to leave, you should still sustain your guard.   Why? Because unless you realize how to diffuse your current employer’s retaliation, you may end up psychologically offended, or right back at the position you expected to leave.   The…

Let’s presume your employment interview went good, and there’s sincere and mutual interest on each side. You now need to determine two things: first, whether the new position is right for you; and if so, what sort of offer you’d be prepared to accept. To help in the decision-making process, take the subsequent test as…

Benefits will be a core element in your selection whether to accept a new position. Having said that, few people take the time to really grasp their financial decisions, mostly because there are so many concealed variables, such as cost of living, benefits, and so forth. To help you put your choices into perspective, use…

Would you throw your life savings—every single dollar—into a single stock? Most likely not; it’s far too risky to put all your eggs in one investment basket. And yet, you’d be astounded how many people regulate their careers with a single-stock mentality. They toil away, year after year, investing their abilities in a narrow field…