3 Questions to Ask Prior to Taking a Job
You’ve been made an offer of employment! Hooray! Huzzah! You survived the evaluation of resumes, the gauntlet of interviews, and your patience and perseverance have been rewarded. You have every right to be excited, and probably a little relieved. However, before you say “yes” to the offer take some time to make sure you know what you will be getting. After all, you will (probably) stay with this company for some time. You want to make sure that time is well spent and positive. So when you hear from the company, graciously thank them and ask for some time to evaluate the offer. Generally,...
read moreGraciously Turning Down a Job Offer
Being offered a job is almost always cause for excitement. But sometimes, for one reason or another, a job offer will be more of a burden than a boon, and you are forced to graciously turn it down. The key word here is “graciously.” Keep just two things in mind – be very polite and be respectful. Being in the position of turning down a job offer falls into the category of a nice problem to have. Don’t mess it up. You don’t want to leave a bad impression. Your reputation is a valuable asset and your professional network is built on that reputation. Take care of both and you will thrive. Act...
read moreLinkedIn for Career Changers
I have worked with quite a few people to develop and optimize their LinkedIn profiles, and one of the questions that I often get is “how do I make this suitable for a new career?” Lots of clients come in concerned that, because they’re trying to move to a new position outside their comfort zone, they won’t be able to use LinkedIn to find new opportunities. I am here to tell you, today, that this simply is not true. You can use LinkedIn to find new opportunities regardless of where you are in your career process; you just need to know the right techniques for you! Here are a few of my...
read moreWhen Is It Time to Make a Change?
Career paths are not set in stone, and they do not fall into a person’s lap fully formed and ready to be followed through to their conclusion. Rather, careers are a process of trial and error. I imagine them like a closet full of clothing when getting ready for a dinner party. You have a general idea of what to wear; after all, this is a dinner party so you won’t be wearing your sweatpants and college t-shirt. But should you wear the black dress or the blue? Do you prefer the green striped tie, or the bright red one? Sometimes, the only way to decide is to try it on and determine if it fits...
read moreSalary Negotiation: Tips and Tricks
A number of studies have shown that job seekers—particularly those new to the job search process—choose not to negotiate salary when a job offer is made to them. In the current job search climate, where a job search can end up taking months, this is not surprising. The instinct would be to jump at the first job offer made to you. In addition, many new job seekers and career changers are simply unfamiliar with the tactics used in salary negotiation. Salary negotiation is an unspoken option, one not everyone knows about. However, knowing and negotiating for your value in the work place is a...
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