Over a decade ago, I began my journey helping females and males consider non-traditional careers. I worked for a St. Paul, MN-based non-profit helping women enter and succeed in blue collar jobs in the trades. My role was to assess women’s readiness to enter the six-week pre-apprenticeship training program and then help them find jobs once they finished. I conducted lengthy interviews to determine their level of interest...

If your goal is to climb the career ladder, you need to continuously market yourself. Successful marketing is necessary during networking, interviewing, and moving ahead in your career. Never stop selling your skills, abilities, and accomplishments once you land a new job. Keep learning new skills to maintain your marketability. Lifelong learningMoving ahead in your career requires you to continually update and enhance your...

Are you tired of working for someone else? Do you want a flexible schedule? These are a couple of the reasons why individuals pursue their independence by becoming a consultant. Other reasons include being laid off or a desire to find their passion.Currently there are over 80,000 consultants and this number is growing every year. A consultant typically provides a service; is an expert in a special area. A good consultant...

Salary negotiation requires preparation and good timing. It’s important to determine your salary needs and research the market value for the job you want. Timing is critical for negotiation. Discussing salary requirements too early in the interview process can jeopardize your chances of getting the salary you deserve. Failure to negotiate could result in losing thousands of dollars over the life of your career.Market ValueT...

During your job search, whenever possible, try to move the salary discussion further back in the interview process to help keep from being eliminated. This will help hiring managers to see the real value you bring before you talk money. One way to get around salary requirements in an online application is simply fill in "1," with the expectation that a hiring decision maker will still be interested in you based on experienc...

New resumes look different, read different, and are different. Examples of the newer documents include white papers and press release resumes. White papers establish a job seekers expertise and credibility on a specific topic, product or technology. Press release resumes are written in a press releaase format.Resumes move to #2 position. Connections are being made online through various social media channels in tandem with...

After a networking meeting, it's important to follow up with a thank you letter. Start out by thanking the individual with whom you met. State the specific advice and leads you were given. Say you will keep in touch and do keep in touch! Add the individual to your contact management system. Follow up with your network every month with an update on your search, pass along an article or other piece of information the individ...

I'm always touting the importance of networking and try to practice what I preach. I've been flying across the country presenting worshops and try to strike up a conversation with whomever is sitting next to me on the airplane. Of course, I try to gauge whether or not they're open to talking. If they whip out their book and don't exchange pleasantries, I leave them alone. On a recent trip to Lansing, Michigan, I sat next to...