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Are Unpaid Internships a SCAM?

March 20, 2010 by sparktalk · Comments 

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

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“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

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Mastering the Art (and Science) of Thank-You Letters

March 19, 2010 by sparktalk · Comments 

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

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T.A.P. Q#459 – How Do I Approach A Stranger?

March 18, 2010 by sparktalk · Comments 

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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Got a career question you’d like answered? Send it to twitter@careerealism.com along with your Twitter account name (you must use Twitter for us to post your question).

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Ace the Career Fair

March 18, 2010 by sparktalk · Comments 

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

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Twitter is the New Tool for Job Seekers

March 17, 2010 by sparktalk · Comments 

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

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T.A.P. Q#458 – I’m Not ‘Warm & Fuzzy’ – Now What?

March 16, 2010 by sparktalk · Comments 

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?

CLICK HERE to see how experts answered this question on Twitter.

Got a career question you’d like answered? Send it to twitter@careerealism.com along with your Twitter account name (you must use Twitter for us to post your question).

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ATTN America: It’s Your Turn! Be the Career Coach

March 16, 2010 by sparktalk · Comments 

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

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7 Steps to Using the Power of Intuition in Your Job Search

March 16, 2010 by sparktalk · Comments 

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

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T.A.P. Q#457 – Best Tip to Stay Motivated

March 15, 2010 by sparktalk · Comments 

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.

CLICK HERE to see how experts answered this question on Twitter.

Got a career question you’d like answered? Send it to twitter@careerealism.com along with your Twitter account name (you must use Twitter for us to post your question).

Want to read more questions from our readers? Check out more T.A.P. questions here.

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