Posts

Turning adversity into prosperity – the power of courage.

Guest Editor : Allan Sparkes CV, VA Inspirational Speaker, Author – The Cost of Bravery

Job Seeking is a very lonely affair. Isolation, loneliness and depression are common side effects of a job seeker’s day, particularly for those candidates who have been on the hunt for more than 6 months. I regularly receive personal emails from Job Seekers who ask me to address this  unspoken and uncomfortable subject in my blog.

I am very honoured and proud to introduce you to an expert in this area, a real Australian hero and Ambassador for www.beyondblue.org.

 

Allan Sparkes offers great insight, advice and encouragement on adversity and his guest contribution is far better than anything I could ever pen for you. I encourage you to read his guest blog post and his book, and if you find this contribution valuable or if you know of a friend or co-worker who is suffering from depression or adversity as a result of recent job loss, please share it.  Read more

May the bridges I burn light the way

I regularly read career advice articles about coping with a bad boss or how to fire someone in the most appropriate way. What I can’t find much on are insights and tips about ending a work relationship with a person who’s not your manager or your employee, or ending a personal relationship that adds no value or drags you down.

You know what I mean?!  I am talking about the LinkedIn contacts or the Facebooker or the personal friends or the co-workers with a not so positive vibe or influence on your life. Read more

Taking a Firm Stance On Grammar

This is my shortest blog post ever!

From the smartest dyslexic alive. Courtesy Stephen Fry

Hit PLAY – Enjoy and Hunt wisely!

Uli

Are you missing out again…? Due to poor strategy or execution?

Smart guys have a strategy and a back-up plan and know how to double check their execution to ensure that they land the job. Check the collection of common job seeker mistakes to avoid missing out. Read more

Networking, Networking, Networking and why it might not work for you…!

It is not just recently that experts and career consultants have been consistently talking about networking. It almost seems like it is the No. 1 topic in LinkedIn, Plaxo and other forums.

 

I guess it’s fair to say that they all can’t be wrong about the fact that networking is the No. 1 tool for Job Seekers and career changers, not to mention Sales Professionals who want to land their next big deal.

 

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Decipher the Job Ads to land the right job!

When you read job advertisements, you know that they’re not all created equally. Some include far too much detail, while others leave a lot up to the imagination. As with everything, it is up to you to pick out what’s important when applying for a job.

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Job Hopping Stigma – Adjust your view – or search until it is too late!

I think it’s time for the business world to get new spectacles so they can adjust or correct their view on the fast paced and ever changing world of job seekers. Don’t worry! I’m not talking about teaching an old dog new tricks.

I am talking about the ‘job hopper’ stigma. Read more

Breaking out of the job seeking rut!

Guest blogger:  Melony dos Remedios

We may not realise it, but we are all creatures of habit. We eat the same breakfast. We drive the same way to work every day. We travel to the same holiday destinations every year. We drink the same double shot soy skinny latte from the same café. The list goes on and on!

 

Some of these habits are helpful, such as brushing your teeth every day or going for your morning walk. Others – such as that nightly bag of chips on the couch while you watch TV – not so good. Read more

Kickstart your network expansion and lift your profile

Developing a strong professional network has always been an important and powerful strategy used by effective job seekers in all fields. Networking is often the No. 1 missing tool in a job seekers toolbox, and this is even more true with ‘mature age’ candidates in the Age Group 45-55. This group often started their networking activities too late in their career or haven’t adapted to new ways of networking.

 

 

So, what do you do when your number of network contacts is low and which solution do you turn to when your attempts to reach out for new network contacts fall on deaf ears? How do you deal with 7 or more months of unemployment and 100s of unanswered applications resulting in zero or near zero job interviews? Read more

When the writing is on the wall – Redundancy and other worries ….

Getting the flick in today’s job market is not uncommon and it affects almost every profession and industry. It can be like being evicted from your home in a storm. The horrific head winds facing job seekers today will make finding shelter with a new employer all the harder.
I am a big advocate of loyalty to your employer but sometimes you have to read the signals and work out if you should stick around to fight the battle or get the hell out of there on your own terms. There are many signals that may show you if you are likely ‘on the list’, so learn to read the signs to figure out when it’s time to bail and stabilise your career. Read more