Career In Progress: For Me, Every Job REALLY Is Temporary

By Susan Pogorzelski

When I was in school, I was taught that trial and error didn’t exist in the professional world. Life, it seemed, was supposed to be sequential: after high school, you went to college or directly into the workforce, found your area of study, graduated from college, got a job in your field, and spent the next twenty-plus years in the same position.

Sometimes I wish that finding the right career path and pursuing a passion was that easy, but I’ve been finding that, more often than not, it might be just that difficult, as maybe the same rule of thought can’t be applied to everyone. Read more

Technorati Tags: 20orsomething, career, career advice, college, grad, job search, temporary, temporary work, twentyorsomething, twentysomething

Younger Job Seekers: 3 Reasons Why Your Application Will Be Put in the Circular File (a.k.a. Waste Basket)

By J.T. O’Donnell

Two years ago, when I first started hiring interns, an eager application came in my e-mail inbox. I was excited. The college junior wrote a nice note explaining how he had heard about my internship and then attached a cover letter and resume for me to review. I immediately opened the cover letter and was impressed. The formatting was proper and the sentences were relatively well-written. I actually consider myself more lenient with college applicants because I know they aren’t experienced in applying for jobs, so some of the word choices and tone didn’t bother me as they would other hiring managers. But then…. Read more

Technorati Tags: careeerrealism, CAREEREALISM, college grad, cover letter, Entry-level, examiner, Heather Huhman, internship, j.t. o'donnell, job search, recen grad, resume, student

Ugg! How Do I Explain THAT On Interviews?!?

Do any of these apply to you:

• You got fired for poor performance but don’t agree with management about it.
• You’ve got a DWI or felony conviction on your record.
• You quit your last job in a rage and left them hanging.
• Your last boss was a total jerk and let you go because you couldn’t get along.
• You were caught stealing and were let go.
• You were accused of sexual harassment (but never convicted) and was let go.
• You jumped jobs for several years and then got laid off and can’t explain why you can’t stay employed long-term. Read more

Technorati Tags: dwi, felony, fired, interview, interview question, laid off, lay offs, quit, what to say on interview

Do You Job Search Like Blindfolded Cyclist?

By J.T. O’Donnell

Carla is a smart gal. (Actually, her real name isn’t Carla, I’m protecting her identity.) I’ve known her for years. She’s logical, patient and consistent. She’s well-organized too. Unfortunately, she got laid off recently. Actually, over 10% of her company’s workforce was let go. So, the good news is she’s not taking it personally. However, when I asked her how the job search was going, I was disappointed to hear her response: Read more

Technorati Tags: 10 steps, career advice, find a job, job search, job seeker, key steps, process, ten steps

A List: What’s Your Favorite Career Inspiration Movie?

By J.T. O’Donnell

I love movies. Especially, funny ones. I’ve never been into horror or gore flicks. And after having kids, I tend to shy away from anything depressing. I’m an optimist by nature and trying to stay that way. Thus, when there’s time for a movie in my life, it’s usually a comedy…and I’m talking bad boy/girl humor at that. I’m sure I’m going to lose a few readers when Read more

Technorati Tags: career advice, career movies, dodgeball, inspiration, job search, movies, old school, superbad

3 GOOD THINGS A Recession Does for Careers

Are you sick of hearing bad news about the economy and job market? Well then, this post is for you.

I’m not trying to discount the fact that a lot of people are suffering professionally these days. Yet, the reality is a recession actually has some short-term and long-term upsides when it comes to Read more

Technorati Tags: careeerrealism, career advice, career help, CAREEREALISM, job search, recession

College Degree a Waste of $$$? 20/20 Says, For Many Americans, YES!

We all know a college degree is not cheap. But, what if you found out your diploma was potentially overpriced for the amount of time AND money you spent getting it? A recent 20/20 segment sheds some harsh reality on the real return on the investment in a college education for some Americans. This is a Read more

Technorati Tags: 20/20, career advice, CAREEREALISM, careerrealism, college, college degree, college grad, college student, diploma, investment

CAREEREALISM TV: Creating a Strong Career Identity

On this week’s episode, nationally syndicated career strategist, J.T. O’Donnell, shares why you need to pay attention to creating a strong career identity. If you aren’t developing a good personal brand, then you are missing out on the best job opportunities. She answers viewers questions that included:

• How do I reach out to companies I want to work for when A) I don’t know anyone there, and B) they aren’t hiring.

• What should I say in the e-mail when I send my resume to a company?

• How do I get hiring managers to pay attention to me?

Watch today to learn how you can build a brand that will get you the results you are looking for.

Technorati Tags: Am I Money?, career identity, career story, cover letteer, interview bucket list, job search, personal brand, resume

How to Get Strangers to Refer You for Jobs

This week, I wrote an article called, “She’s The BEST Employee I NEVER Met” for Mashable.com. In it, I explain how and why I referred a person I’ve never met for a job. I also explain how the use of social media tools like LinkedIn. com and Twitter.com are making this possible.

The reality is Read more

Technorati Tags: CAREEREALISM, careerrealism, job opportunities, job search, linkedin, mashable, references, referrals, We're On Twitter...

PODCAST: Career Identity = The #1 Factor in Career Success

What Does YOUR Career Identity Say About You?

Or, are you thinking, “Career Identity…What’s THAT?”

A Career Identity is your professional persona. It is how you present yourself in the workplace and it has a major impact on your ability to achieve your career goals. Also known as Personal Branding, this is a hot topic when it comes to job search and career development. These days, employers expect candidates to have a strong understanding of their strengths and how they can leverage them for greater success. For example, if you can’t articulate your Career Story (one of the tools needed for a strong Career Identity), then you could be missing out on valuable career advancement opportunities.

Technorati Tags: Am I Money?, careeerealism, careeerrealism, career identity, career story, personal branding, ustream

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