Career Talk JDR

Archive for the ‘Career Advice’ Category

When clients hire me to train their staff in “soft skills,” they often ask me to teach “communications skills.”   They want their people to be able to create and give presentations, write coherently, speak courteously to help desk clients or identify business requirements by effectively interviewing end-users. When I am hired to do Change Management for [...]

Over many years of consulting primarily for IT organizations I have noticed a pattern into which most IT groups fall.  They have poor or even contentious relationships – with internal customers, vendors, and sometimes even between groups within IT. And most IT people will say, “So?  What we are supposed to do is technical stuff, relationships [...]

With cyberattacks on the rise in 2009, the FBI now considers such attacks to be the third greatest risk for our country, following nuclear war and weapons of mass destruction.  The fear of “Cybergeddon” has lead to government agencies and private companies alike recruiting experts in the field of security.  Obama is in the process [...]

Since online job marketing and searching has become so popular, some of the old rules of resume writing have changed.  Resume experts used to advise that you add your own personal flare and character to the resume.  These days, any formatting used to add such character can wreak havoc on your resume when it is [...]

These days, the news is filled with negative stories about the economy and employment.  You hear a lot about the less than 10% of people out of work, but very little focus on the 90% who have jobs.  The media also reports often about the companies with mass layoffs, but rarely mention companies who are [...]

As many know these days, maintaining a top resume can mean the difference between snagging an interview and ending up in the trash can.  However, what if you have been unemployed for a period of time and that is the first thing seen on your chronological resume?  There are a few ways of handling your [...]

The first day on a new job can be very nerve racking, but it is important to remember that your first impressions can be lasting ones.  So how do you cool your nerves and ace that first day on the job?   First off, if you can, take a little time off before starting the new job [...]

We thought that this was a great compilation of 2009 research for IT professionals, so we wanted to share it.    This slideshow was published by www.networkworld.com and the original information can be found at http://www.networkworld.com/slideshows/2009/010509-salary-hiring.html. This information on www.networkworld.com also includes an interactive map where you can Get a regional view of hot skills and salaries here:  http://www.networkworld.com/slideshows/2009/010509-salary-hiring.html#slide8 Original source [...]

I have job seekers on a regular basis approach me, asking if they should redo their resume. After a careful review, I’m impressed at how well they’ve put together the resume: aesthetically pleasing, solid hook, right level of detail supporting the hook, no gaps in employment history, etc. (By the way, if your resume is [...]

How many times have you heard the word overqualified?  Anytime I see a manager applying for a lesser position, I immediately assume this person is looking to take any available job until he or she can find a better one.    Tip: If you truly want the lower level position, downplay the upper level responsibilities and [...]