July 13, 2008

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with clients who tell me that they are certain something is wrong with them because they always seem to ‘fall out of love’ with their jobs.

Their story goes something like this: (more…)

July 7, 2008

A recent article in the NY Times discusses how your talent’s potential is limited when they are told their skills and abilities are confined to what they already possess. (more…)

June 18, 2008

Hello all!

A quiz I use to help people assess their career development and job search skills is now available on-line. The test is FREE and it doesn’t require your e-mail or to sign up for a thing. Just 24 questions that tell you how prepared you are to find career success and satisfaction in today’s workplace.

So, if you’ve got 2 minutes and want to see how employable you are, just give some honest ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers and you’ll find out! Here’s the link….

May 21, 2008

This winter it hit me - reality shows have taken over our country. Okay, so many of you are laughing right now and saying, “Uh, where have you been the last few years?” But honestly, I had been hoping this wasn’t the case. Here’s what opened my eyes to it all…

I was working with a team of college interns on a special project. We were discussing the staggering statistic I had heard which was 80%+ of young people between the ages of 16-24 expected to be rich and famous some day. I asked for their input, expecting to hear something like, “Oh no, not us.” But instead, I got, “Oh ya, every young person dreams about it. We sit around on the weekends and brainstorm reality shows we could star in.” - and they meant it!

That’s when I knew it was time to go back to the drawing board and create something that could help Americans get a handle on their career realities. Don’t worry, I didn’t go negative. I’m not a tough love kind of coach. But, I did work hard to create an approach that can help people tune out the hype and tune in to what works for them. CAREEREALISM offers unsatisfied workers a chance to get organized and focused on achieving career satisfaction. In short, it’s a crash (yet comprehensive!) course on how to create career success on your terms.

CAREERALISM is a book. Technically, it is a new-and-improved version of a guidebook I self-published a few year back for my private clients. It costs$19.95 and is available in most on-line retailers. BUT, if you buy it on my site, there’s a special bonus: Every purchase includes a FREE resume review by one of our professional development specialists as well as personalized feedback on how to improve your job search efforts. How’s that for value?!

So, if someone you know is living a career reality drama (okay, who isn’t?!?), I’d be grateful if you would recommend they check out CAREEREALISM. We look forward to helping them create their own happy ending.

April 18, 2008

I just completed a podcast for my advice column with Dale on the subject of improving your chances of getting job interviews. With the economy tanking, unemployment at a 3-year high, and consumer confidence at an all-time low, job searching becomes frenetic. Unfortunately, most folks work harder not smarter. This 10 minute audio explains how to improve your chances of getting noticed, and more importantly, getting a phone call.

Check it out at www.jtanddale.com, and while your are there, be sure to subscribe to get our blog posts weekly by e-mail!

April 5, 2008

I just finished watching the news which explained that 80,000 jobs have been lost since January, the unemployment rate is the highest it’s been in three years, consumer confidence is at an all-time low, more layoffs are expected as spending decreases, and Americans are starting to skip making payments that are ruining their credit scores (which many employers now check as part of the hiring process). Hmmm – happy Friday!

This made me think about how many people are questioning their career decisions right now, and that led to me write this post… (more…)

March 28, 2008

Blogging is fast becoming one of the best ways to create and enhance your career identity. (Don’t believe me? Then listen to the podcast in this blog post to learn more: Career Identity Tools You Must Use) And now, finding the best blogs to read and contribute to just got a lot easier.

Guy Kawasaki, the highly successful author and entrepreneur, has launched a new site, www.alltop.com, which organizes and presents the ‘best of the blogs’ in a targeted list of categories. I’m a big fan of blogs as a way to gain knowledge and collaborate with others, so I was particularly excited to see the visually appealing way in which his site lets visitors stay up-to-date on the latest posts from their favorite bloggers.

Be sure to check out Alltop.com on a regular basis and I guarantee you’ll feel more in-the-know. And while you are there, click on “J.T. & Dale Talk Jobs” - a personal favorite!

March 19, 2008

March 17, 2008

I saw this video on the topic of undercover job searching today and it got me thinking about some of the job search realities I coach my clients on regularly. Here are 3 THINGS you should consider if you are trying to find a new, better job. (more…)

Back in November, I was offered the chance to right a post for Careerbuilder.com on the subject of how to keep yourself employable. I had no idea at the time that this information would become so timely.

Recession-proofing your job is a HOT topic these days. Everyone wants to know how to keep their job while still being able to look for a better one.

In my experience, there are four basic rules to making yourself valuable to employers over your career.  See if you are doing what it takes to remain a hot commodity long-term by reading this article.

Four Secrets to Always Being Employable