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What not to do in an interview.
A group of hiring managers recently shared their biggest job-interview-candidate peeves. These are their replies, listed in order of frequency mentioned: “I’m always disappointed when candidates have no questions to ask me during interviews.” This frustration was mentioned several times, and conveys to interviewers that the candidate didn’t prepare for interview basics, and also that she doesn’t care much about the opportunity. Bringing along a list of questions and a notepad to record information is a quick fix for this faux pas. “Not listening to questions, and responding with...
read moreThe College Debt Dilemma And Tips To Solve It
College is back in session, and second by second, students are racking up more debt. As of this year, 43.3 million Americans owe a total of $1.26 trillion on student loans, and with an average monthly of payment $351. Graduates this year will pick up their diplomas owing, on average, $37,172. Former Colorado State University professor Richard Gutowski, Ph.D., knows this situation intimately, having taught and advised college students for decades. He’s put his best guidance in his book, “Debt is a Four-Letter Word: The College Experience”, and shares these tips for scholars and parents who...
read moreOver 40? You’re just getting started! What I learned from Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Checking out at a store a recently, the clerk asked if I qualified for their senior discount. “You have to be at least 55”, she said. After I’d finished flinching (this was the first time I’d been asked that), I proudly told her that no, I didn’t qualify, and that I still had one more year of non-senior-discount life to go. Then last week I was exposed to a different perspective on aging. A girlfriend and I had made the 10-hour drive to De Smet, South Dakota, to experience some parts of my idol Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life. There we were, standing in the Surveyor’s House (one of Laura ‘s...
read moreThe 4 C’s Journey.
I’ve been feeling inept about some things lately. Even after investing years of effort into researching and preparing for a new line of business (which I’ve finally launched—hooray!) I find myself a bit lost about how to proceed. I mentioned my lack of self-assuredness to a fellow entrepreneur a few weeks ago, and he nonchalantly commented, “Oh, that’s because you’re not at the confidence stage yet. You’re earlier on in the process.” He then went on to describe the 4 C’s Formula, which he’d learned in his Strategic Coach training program, developed by Dan Sullivan. It goes like this: The...
read moreLinkedIn: Focus on Your Strengths
Having worked with hundreds of clients to improve their profiles, expand their networks, and leverage their connections, I have noticed that many people are nervous talking about their strengths. When we reach the summary section, skills section, or experience descriptions, many clients immediately cringe from my suggestion of expanding the verbiage to include more strengths. Generally speaking, individuals fall into two camps: they either say they “don’t want to brag” or they “don’t have any strengths.” For those who don’t want to brag, my response is fairly simple: it isn’t bragging, it’s...
read moreThe Best (and Worst) Ways to Ask For a Raise
Asking for a raise is one of the more nerve-wracking things you can do in a job. If you phrase your request poorly, or react poorly to a denial, that can have ramifications for your position as a whole. However, if you ask for a raise in the right way, and at the right time, it can have big benefits for you. You’ll either be granted the raise you request, or you’ll make it known that you’re tuned into the company, that you’re assertive in your professional desires, and that you have the initiative to pursue your career goals. Before we dive into how to ask for a raise, however, I’d like to...
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