Job Search Articles and Advice

Humility is an important and desired character trait, especially for those who are in (or seeking) leadership...

There are many questions that you are likely to be asked during an interview. They are so universal that you can...

As if being pregnant is not enough of a challenge for a person, imagine also being pregnant while conducting a job...

With the advent of behavior based interviewing and other like methods, interviewers have tried to expose the hiring...

One of the biggest complaints I hear from job seekers is the length of time the hiring process sometimes takes. You...

Nerves, if not managed properly, can prove fatal to an individual’s job search, especially during the interview. It is...

There are many questions that an interviewer might present to you during the course of an interview. While perhaps not...

It is common to hear from Hiring Managers about how close the finalists were for an open position. Often, the feedback...

For most Job Seekers, the focus is solely on finding a position that you hope to stay at for a long-term. Of course,...

If you have reached the reference stage in the job search process, then things are looking up. Typically, if you are...

A Hiring Manager is likely to ask you a variety of questions regarding your work experience and skills. You will...

There is a lot of material out there for interviewers, to help them understand why a conversational type of interview...

After an interview has been completed and the job seeker has returned home, the questions from friends and family will...

Traditionally, the view of the job interview is that it is a way for an employer to evaluate the candidates for an...

For many people, the thought of starting or participating in “small talk” is a nerve-wracking proposition. For those...

There is perhaps nothing more nerve wracking than the night before a big job interview. If it is truly a position that...

An experienced job seeker will know the tone of the interview after the initial greeting between the Hiring Manager...

A common frustration of job seekers who have received some rejection during their search, is the lack of feedback...

Core interviews have been pretty consistent since the introduction of behavior-based interview questions a couple of...

In towns all over Western New York, there are employers struggling to stay open or complete available work due to...

For those seeking a position leading others, there is more to securing this type of role than just having previous...

We all know how important the interview is in the hiring process. Beyond your resume, cover letter, and phone screen...

From a job seeker perspective, a prospective employer would be at an offer decision after the first interview. While...

As a Job Seeker, you have become accustomed to hearing about the razor thin margin between candidates. Inevitably,...

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a challenging situation for Job Seekers over the last six months. Luckily, the trend...

The title of this column may seem a little odd to some. You may be asking yourself, what do you mean wanting it too...

We have discussed in these pages, many times, how you have to interview well to obtain the position you are seeking. ...

Over the last couple of years, we have regularly examined what are the most frequently asked questions that a Hiring...

At some point in the Phone Screen or Interview, probably towards the beginning, you will provide a brief review of...

In this edition of the Frequently Asked Questions series we will examine a popular goal question…”Where Do You See...

For some employers, the traditional phone screen and interview process is not enough information for them. They...

For some Interviewers, this question is merely a matter of routine because they ask it of all interviewed candidates...

Recently I had an interesting conversation with a Human Resource Professional who happened to be playing the role of...

Today we will explore a question that I almost always ask when conducting an interview…”What Would Others Say about...

Perhaps it is just the change of societal norms, but there seems to be a belief that sending your Interviewer a thank...

The actual interview is an area where candidates probably do not place enough attention on when seeking a skilled...

We have had it drilled into our heads to arrive early for an interview. So, a prepared job seeker will plan out their...

A Job Seeker is wired to prepare for questions, situations, and assessments that are directly related to the position...

I am a person who believes in preparation and in order to assist me with this, I prepare lists to follow. Prior to a...

Traditionally when you are at the end of an interview the tables are reversed and it is your turn to ask any questions...

As we continue our series examining the questions Interviewers most frequently ask, we will, this time, focus on “What...

An underrated but crucial part of any interview is the time allotted to the Job Seeker to ask questions of the person...

As a savvy Job Seeker, you know that it is important to anticipate what questions you may be asked, prepare your...

In the continuation of the series focused on “frequently asked interview questions”, today we break down a question...

“What Do You Know about the Organization?” is a question that many Interviewers will ask a candidate. If it is not...

There are a number of reasons to ask questions during an interview. Sometimes the reason is obvious, such as to gather...

(Frequently Asked Questions in an Interview) In this issue, we focus on one of my favorite questions as an...

Since the origin of the job interview, using humor has traditionally been considered a big chance not worth...

Once you have crossed the hurdle of generating positive attention with your Cover Letter and Resume, most positions...

I hope that the title for this weeks’ article did not cause anyone to faint in disbelief. For many Job Seekers, the...

Interviewing is generally not a lot of fun (I know…he can really state the obvious). The process of having to be...

With school back in session across Western New York, most students are spending weeknights with their head down...

(Frequently Asked Questions in an Interview) There are very few jobs where a person does not face any obstacles,...

This edition features a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) focused on an inquiry that is generally considered the ice...

Employers are continuing the process of adjusting their interview style away from the very traditional review of your...

One of the hardest things for a person to do is to keep a secret. We seem to have a natural inclination to want to...

This is the aspect of the interview that usually results in cringes from a Job Seeker.  Many sigh when this topic is...

A number of years ago, I wrote about the importance of your body language in conveying the message you desire (you can...

Phone interviews can be a real challenge. During an in-person interview, a Job Seeker relies on so many senses beyond...

It is quite common, after an offer, to have to undergo some testing (such as a drug screen or a background check)...

We have all been there, at one point or another, in our working career.  You are in an interview that you have been...

Making a great first impression is a crucial part of your job search. Why? Because changing a person’s or company’s...

A national office supply company has made its marketing campaign around it for years…the concept of the “easy button”....

It is easy to become (or feel) emotionally raw while being interviewed. The stress of finding a new job (or even worse...

I don’t know if you have been caught up in the craze the last couple of years, but it has been hard not to see the...

For some, it may be the “luck of the draw”, or a failure to acknowledge holes in a persons’ job search.   For others,...

It would be almost impossible to go through your entire job search without saying “No” at some point to a prospective...

In today’s world, Interviewers arrive at each interview expecting you to be fully prepared for each question that they...

During the course of your interactions with a prospective employer, you will interact with several different...

The title of this week’s column may seem like a really curious one. What do you mean…Joe? An interview without...

Many Job Seekers have the mistaken belief that participating in an interview is a one-way conversation.  You are asked...

Tom Petty once sang about how “the waiting is the hardest part”.  He wasn’t referring to a job search when he penned...

(Frequently Asked Questions in an Interview) There are some interview questions that deal directly with assessing the...

There are many questions that are considered standards, in that I mean they are asked year-after-year and really are...

Ongoing change has become commonplace in today’s work environment.  The days where you could often do the same thing...

This edition features a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) focused on an inquiry that is an absolute staple of any sales...

The time between the interview and when you hear from a prospective employer can be an excruciating experience for a...

This Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) is often the opening question in an interview. Don’t, however, allow its...

In 2012, we are entering a whole different era of interviewing.  The focus is shifting away from skills and...

These are the type of interview questions that often completely frustrate a Job Seeker. When reflecting on the...

A common complaint from Job Seekers is the poor communication they experience from a prospective employer.  There is...

Being interviewed can be a tough and stressful time…I know that…almost no one loves to do it! To a Job Seeker in an...

This week, we continue our on-going series where we attempt to solve the riddle of the interview questions you are...

Very often, especially for management type positions, an Interviewer will ask the candidate to outline his or her...

Many studies have shown that one of the primary reasons an employee decides to stay or leave a company is his//her...

Unless you are a passive Job Seeker being aggressively pursued by your prospective employer, effective follow-up will...

It may seem odd or curious to you (as a job seeker) when faced with a Recruiter who contains only a minimum level of...

For whatever reason, Job Seekers seem to be very tempted to want to bring items, besides themselves, to an interview....

It is probably the worst fear of anyone in the process of being interviewed. What I am referring to is putting “your...

It is a classic Job Seeker error… A Job Seeker will spend considerable time preparing for any question that an...

It does not seem like that long ago when a person would interview with one person, or perhaps two, prior to a hiring...

To some, it seems quaint and unnecessary to send a follow-up note with a Thank You.  Sometimes, it even seems like...

This edition features a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) focused on a question that is generally considered the closing...

A primary reason for the interview is for the Job Seeker and the Interviewer to exchange information while getting to...

It seems every time we add to this series on Frequently Asked Interview Questions, we describe what could be the...

A common concern amongst job seekers is what to ask in the interview that will be impressive to the Interviewer. It is...

If you are like me, then you are inherently pessimistic about how an interview went. I don’t think I have ever felt...

A common piece of advice that people have for candidates focuses on the need to “sell yourself”. While this is true,...

As we are in the midst of the August “Dog Days” of summer, it is very easy to fall into some common job search traps...

The question about relocation is one that probably does not come up in Western New York as much as perhaps in other...

In the past, I have written about the importance of avoiding the perception of “job hopping” in your work history. The...

The title of this week’s column is more than just the title to a famous Temptations song in the mid '60s. It is also a...

It is really not rocket science what employers want out of the average employee, yet sometimes it so difficult to find...

In today’s work environment, so much involves working with other people in order to accomplish goals. With our...

These questions can come in many variations. It may simply be asking you to describe your supervisor, or maybe it is...

This open-ended question should generate excitement in a savvy Job Seeker. The reason for this reaction is that this...

This question will obviously be asked more in a position of supervision or management. The idea of what is someone’s...

It is amazing how such a simple question can be so challenging. As a Job Seeker, you have reviewed lots of...

As we continue our series of articles focusing on the questions most Job Seekers will face during the interview...

In many ways, the employment field and Hiring Managers have their own vocabulary. Many times what they say to you has...

Following-up is a necessary and important part of the job search process. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most...

Most Hiring Managers have interviewed for a number of years. Over that time, they most likely have developed the same...

Have you ever thought about all the communication signals you send without verbally saying anything? It is important...

What do you think is the best way to prepare for an interview? 1. I study a company’s financial performance. 2. I...