Are Unpaid Internships a SCAM?
Dear J.T. & Dale: What do you think about the concept of unpaid internships? It has always been a pet peeve of mine. It’s a two-sided problem, where as long as students accept unpaid internships, companies can get away with offering them. The way companies get around this being illegal is that they say the compensation is school credit. I say BAH! Am I being unreasonable? — Marissa Read more
“Sorry You Got Sick…But, You’re Fired.”
March 20, 2010 by sparktalk · Comments Off
Dear J.T. & Dale: Last summer I was seriously injured in an automobile accident. I survived and have fully recovered. Six weeks after the accident, my employer sent me a letter saying, “Sorry about your accident, but the firm must go on,” and terminated me. I was devastated! I am now ready to look for work but am terrified that I’ll end up working for another jerk. I’m trying not to take this personally, but it’s very hard. What will I tell potential employers at interviews? I don’t want to sound bitter or break into tears, but what he did was very hurtful. — Shay Read more
Mastering the Art (and Science) of Thank-You Letters
By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Laura Labovich
After interviews, job seekers typically send nondescript, cookie-cutter thank-you notes: “It was a pleasure meeting you and I appreciate the time you spent speaking with me. I know that I can add significant value to your team,” but, these letters are often disregarded and turn out to be a waste of time. Read more
T.A.P. Q#459 – How Do I Approach A Stranger?
Dear experts,
I found a company in my town that I would love to work for. I have searched my LinkedIn connections and haven’t been able to find anyone who knows someone who works there. Do you have suggestions for reaching out to a stranger? How do I increase the chances he/she will bother to speak to me? I really want to work there!
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Ace the Career Fair
By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Emily Bennington
With so many potential employers in one spot, you definitely want to make a good impression, right? So when thinking about your approach to an upcoming career fair, it may help to start by putting yourself in the shoes of the campus recruiter. In other words… Read more
Twitter is the New Tool for Job Seekers
By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Jessica Miller-Merrell
Being in the job search is tough and as a job seeker you are not alone, especially with the more than 15 million who are out of work and in the job hunt. People don’t prepare for the job search although they should at least six months in advance. This provides you an opportunity to grow and build your network using both traditional (face to face networking) and non-traditional methods (social media networking). Read more
T.A.P. Q#458 – I’m Not ‘Warm & Fuzzy’ – Now What?
Dear Experts,
I just found out that I didn’t get a promotion I was up for. My mentor in the company took me out to lunch after I got the news. She told me, “They said you just aren’t warm and fuzzy enough to be a manager.” I was shocked. I am an exceptional worker and have the best performance in my group. I don’t see how being a softy is more valuable than saving the company the kind of money I save them. Part of the reason I’m so successful is because I don’t get all caught up in that touchy-feely crap so many other employees feel they need to be happy at work. To me, you should come to work, do your job and leave the emotion at home. It’s worked for me great until now. So my question is: Should I start looking for a new job where I’ll get promoted without having to be ‘warm and fuzzy’ or is this something I’m going to run into more at the higher levels of management?
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ATTN America: It’s Your Turn! Be the Career Coach
By CAREEREALISM Founder, J.T. O’Donnell
As part of the syndicated column I co-author weekly, I get roughly 5-10 e-mails/day asking for advice. This is not as easy as it sounds. Why? Read more
7 Steps to Using the Power of Intuition in Your Job Search
By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Melissa Martin
Have you had that experience of suddenly having a huge hunch something is about to happen, and to your surprise, that intuition was eventually translated into reality? Read more
T.A.P. Q#457 – Best Tip to Stay Motivated
Dear Experts,
I’ve been job searching for 6 months now. I now dread getting up every morning because I know I have to log on and look for work. I’ve tried everything. I know I need to keep at it, but it’s hard. What suggestions do you have to stay motivated?
Sincerely,
Someone who’s confidence is going, going..gone.
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