Executive Career Coaching - Job Search Debugged

Category: Interview

Telephone interview questions to ask

By , December 3, 2011
  • Objective: Determine, do I want a face to face interview?
  • Strategy: Create a real connection
  • Tactic: Ask questions to demonstrate company knowledge, outcomes they can expect and your serious interest.

Telephone interviews for executive job seekers are daunting, filled with land mines and, the results, difficult to interpret. Make it simple with a clear objective and understanding the interviewer’s objective. Continue reading 'Telephone interview questions to ask'»

Competition doesn’t matter

By , October 4, 2011

Commonly accepted wisdom says, if you want to succeed, you need to know your competition. As with most things common, it is rarely true for those who want to excel rather than merely participate. There are those who say, it is good to know what your competition knows, work as smart as your competition, and find an edge over (an offering which is better than) your competition. Continue reading 'Competition doesn’t matter'»

LGBT Career support

By , February 15, 2011

Advice for LGBT Job seekers

Objective: Work in a GLBT friendly environment
Strategy: Look before you leap
Tactic: Learn if the company values diversity

“Be yourself. People like people with self-confidence. Be honest. If you disagree, then disagree. Take the track that you are who you are because of your experiences. Approach the interview not as black or white, gay or straight, but as a candidate who wants to learn as much about the job as possible.” Teresa T., VP Human Resources

Gail, an out lesbian, loved her work and her team. She knew a promotion to Director was right for her and she refused to accept the company’s intolerance of her sexual orientation as an obstacle. She felt if only she put in more hours, solved more key problems, they would see the error of their ways. Instead, they assigned her an escort for trips to the rest room. She finally quit. Continue reading 'LGBT Career support'»

Is this why you are still unemployed?

By , December 22, 2010

Don’t spit the dummy.
None of  that is important for your job search.

It’s easy to get angry. The media feeds us fodder for frustration. The statistics are horrible. Over 10% unemployment with no end in sight. We hear of bankruptcies, foreclosures and all manner of frightening financial predictions.

Continue reading 'Is this why you are still unemployed?'»

Overqualified doesn’t mean unemployable

By , December 14, 2010


Scale the ‘Overqualified’ hurdle

Few comments by employers are as demoralizing to executive candidates than, “We like you but you are overqualified for this job.” This post addresses what employers actually believe and gives you the career advice you need to overcome their objections. Continue reading 'Overqualified doesn’t mean unemployable'»

Job Security – Advanced techniques

By , December 13, 2010

Combat Agism, unemployment, and career stagnation.

Jobs are like busses, if you get on the right one, you arrive at your destination

Abstract: Executive career planning for job security – Visibility, choosing the right employer, your professional brand and importance of a Personal Board of Directors. Continue reading 'Job Security – Advanced techniques'»

No second interview? Do you talk too much?

By , November 24, 2010

Songs are only three minutes long for a reason.

If songs were much longer we wouldn’t remember them or we’d lose interest. The format has been tried, tampered with and proven for decades. Can we learn a networking principle from that? Continue reading 'No second interview? Do you talk too much?'»

Get control over your job search

By , November 24, 2010

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR JOB SEARCH FOR  2011.

The new year looms and seems only moments away. 2011 can be your best year ever.  All it takes is good planning and assessing what works and getting rid of what doesn’t. Ok, and some luck and the stars aligning. But do your part. Recognize that what you have been doing is not working or you’d have a new job or promotion. Time to revise your process and control what you can. Continue reading 'Get control over your job search'»

Bragging rights

By , November 16, 2010

The beauty of it all… I love my job.

I encourage my clients to keep a brag book for their accomplishments, small as well as noteworthy. This simple effort keeps self esteem up and focus high. No reason not to drink my own cool aid.  This page is my personal brag book. Come back often to read about new accomplishments.

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Continue reading 'Bragging rights'»

Laid off and demoralized?

By , October 29, 2010

Layoff blues got you down?

You didn’t do anything wrong and there was nothing you could do to prevent it, but you are unemployed. In fact, you know if you had been running the show, layoffs would not have been an option. But, you weren’t and the decisions were out of your control.

Of course you are angry, maybe even a little depressed. For sure your self confidence has taken a hit. You did a terrific job and you still find yourself out of a job. That just doesn’t seem fair.

Continue reading 'Laid off and demoralized?'»

Hire a career coach to soar past the competition

By , October 25, 2010

Why hire a career coach?

Career advice is everywhere. Blogs abound from folks who set themselves up as career and job search experts. Seems like everywhere you look, there’s a new job search slant with a new voice. Some folks charge for it, some folks offer it for free. Price is rarely an indicator of quality. What matters is the adviser’s track record. Have they been an executive? Been involved in hiring executives? How long have they coached? Have they success to point to? Do they work with people with your specific skill set? How do their references check out?

And most important, who is the target audience for all those blogs and newsletters? Executives visit a very different landscape from individual contributors which means most of the online advice is not appropriate.

Hiring a career coach is like boarding a bus; if you chose the right one, you reach your destination. Do you know your objectives? As a career coach I find the difference between success and failure is knowing the objective before you get started. That’s why I start most coaching clients with a go/no-go list to map their real and intangible decision points. Continue reading 'Hire a career coach to soar past the competition'»

Why Boomers don’t get hired

By , October 5, 2010
Are you angry because you feel your age prevents you from landing an executive job? Is it your age or is it something else? Many people over 50 have jobs. Even those over 60 are gainfully employed. Why not you?

My friend Phil is over 65 yet he is constantly courted for his expertise and recently accepted a spot as a CEO in an early stage company. He has had no gaps in his career for over 20 years. Why? Because he is well networked and people know of his accomplishments. In a nutshell, those are the keys to continuous employment.

FREE EXECUTIVE COACHING FOUND HERE. What can you do to improve your chances of getting back to work as an executive? Here’s career advice that is field tested and proven to work. The comments made below are not meant to blame the victim, they are honest reflections of what employers see and how they react. I didn’t script them, I only interview hiring authorities and report. Continue reading 'Why Boomers don’t get hired'»

JOB SEARCH DENIAL CHECK LIST

By , September 18, 2010

TACTICS TO AVOID DEALING WITH THE FACT YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED AND THERE IS A ZERO BALANCE IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT Continue reading 'JOB SEARCH DENIAL CHECK LIST'»

Stealth job search hazards and techniques

By , July 30, 2010

You boss has done it so why are you punished you when you do a stealth job search?

Networking and the stealth job search, hazard among hazards. The typical job search is conducted while you are still employed. Unless you included your employer in your decision, you operate in stealth mode. Continue reading 'Stealth job search hazards and techniques'»

Why will I get hired?

By , July 17, 2010


They like me, they really like me.

Executive employment is not a mystery yet candidates sometimes miss the point. They get so wound up on ‘what I have to offer’ they miss what companies ‘buy.’

Companies hire people to maximize revenue and profitability. No matter how it is dressed up, no matter how we protest, regardless of the niche, the bottom line is the bottom line. We talk about growing a company, succeeding in our space, becoming the standard, beating the competition and releasing new products, but the true desired outcomes are revenue generation and profitability. Continue reading 'Why will I get hired?'»

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