Career Management Articles
We have collected these articles to assist you whether you are looking for the perfect job, working to move up to the next level, or just looking for pointers on how to make the most of your career. Some of these articles have been published in our quarterly CareersConnect e-newsletter, others come from the pages of Contract Management magazine, and all are for the purpose of improving your future success as a contracts professional.
10 Key Job Search Tips For New Graduates
With a new class of college graduates preparing to earn their diplomas, millions of new grads are going to be trying to figure out how to find a job. Check out these 10 key tips they should know as they enter into what is still a tough job market.
By Alison Green
8 Red Flags Employers See on Your Résumé
Hiring managers spend only seconds skimming your résumé before making a quick decision about whether to reject you or consider you further. Therefore, your résumé should not contain any "red flags" that will turn off hiring managers during that short initial scan. These eight red flags that will often put you straight into the "no" pile without further consideration.
By Alison Green
5 Great Ways to Fail an Interview
No one goes into an interview intending to fail, especially since interviews are difficult for most people to land these days. However, job candidates will sometimes unintentionally set themselves up to fail, and will often have no idea they did so. Every single job seeker needs to make sure he or she has done everything within his or her power to convey to the interviewer that he or she is the right person for the job, and that includes considering these factors, which often go unnoticed during the interview process.
By Cheryl Palmer
5 Easy Ways to Make a Great First Impression
A student recently asked me: "Pete, how can I make a great first impression when I meet someone new?" A great question indeed, what you say is usually not nearly as important as how you say it. Most people underestimate the importance of making a positive first impression, while they overestimate their present ability to do so.
By Pete Leibman
5 Ways to Look Credible Even if You Lack Experience
A student asked me an interesting question recently after one of my stops on my college speaking tour: "Pete, how can I look credible if I'm just getting started in a new field?" It was a great question, so I took some time to think about it and write up a more thorough answer to share with others.
By Pete Leibman
7 Ways Job Searching Has Changed!
If you haven't searched for a job recently, you might be in for a rude shock the next time you do. The job search has changed dramatically, as the Internet and the economy have both altered how employers operate and what job seekers can expect.
By Alison Green
Get the Job!
On a given day, a recruiting team may pull hundreds of résumés from which they select the most available, capable, and affordable candidates for further consideration. Those that are noticed first generally have the right credentials—and they show it! Of course if you know you’re light on qualifications, give yourself a fighting chance by presenting a thoughtful, professional résumé that best represents your capabilities.
By Travis Authier Published in CareersConnect, November 2012
Perspectives on the Temporary Job Market for Contract Professionals
With the current job market continuing its cautiousness, the end of the presidential election, and Congress addressing the issue of sequestration, I believe that now the market for contracts and acquisition professionals will improve. I was recently asked a series of questions about the alternative of temporary contract employment. The following are my responses.
By Chuck Bates, C.P.M. Published in CareersConnect, November 2012
The Most Important Things to Know for Your Job Interview
One of the strongest differentials between job candidates who do well in interviews and job candidates who don't is whether and how they prepare ahead of time. Preparation is crucial to coming across well; if you simply wing it, you risk coming across poorly and losing the job. When you're preparing, these six aspects are the most important things to make sure you know.
By Alison Green Published in CareersConnect, November 2012
Don't Make These 10 Mistakes in Your Next Phone Interview
Have a phone interview coming up? Wondering how to excel in it so that you get offered an in-person interview? Here are 10 common mistakes to avoid...
By Alison Green
What Good is a Promotion Without a Raise?
As companies are trying to squeeze more and more out of their employees, you may find yourself in a situation where you are asked to take on higher-level responsibilities without a pay increase. In other words, a promotion with no raise.
By Cheryl Palmer
10 Reasons Your Résumé Isn’t Getting You Interviews
If you're sending out lots of résumés without getting many calls for interviews, it's time to realize that your résumé isn't doing its job. If you're like most people, you're making at least a few of the these mistakes—which will put your résumé promptly in the "no" pile.
By Alison Green Published in CareersConnect, August 2012
Résumé Building: Should This Go On My Résumé?
In our ever-changing world, it can be difficult to stay on top of all the changes. What's in today is out tomorrow and vice versa. If you have been fortunate not to have to look for a job in a while, you may not know what the trends are in résumé writing. And in this case, what you don't know could hurt you.
By Cheryl Palmer Published in CareersConnect, August 2012
The Right Kind of Confidence
The journalist David Brooks once famously opined that "Human beings are overconfidence machines." We aren't as smart as we think we are, nor are we as smart as we need to be. That's especially true when it comes to networking in a job search.
By Peter Weddle Published in CareersConnect, August 2012
Do I Really Want This Job? Important Questions to Ask During Job Interviews and Salary Negotiations
At a time when competition for jobs is still stiff, it may seem counterintuitive to question whether or not the job you are being offered is a job that you want to accept. However, it may be worth your while to look before you leap so that you do not end up in a job that is so bad that you have a short tenure and appear to be a job hopper.
By Cheryl Palmer
5 Ways to Increase Your Employment Options
Have you ever wondered how to make yourself more appealing to employers? After all, the job market is still not back to pre-recession levels, and competition for most jobs is stiff. How can you distinguish yourself from so many qualified candidates? Why would employers give you a second look when they have their pick of potential hires?
By Cheryl Palmer
5 Don’ts of Salary Negotiation
With every bit of your energy poured into exceeding the countless expectations of today's hiring managers, you may be forgetting to prepare for negotiating your future salary. Check out the five most common mistakes to ensure you take the right steps when it's time to negotiate.
By Cheryl Palmer Published in CareersConnect, May 2012
8 Sure-fire Ways to Screw up Your Job Search
Is your job search not going the way you want it to? Without even knowing it, you could be making one of these eight critical job search mistakes. Take an honest assessment of your job search today. If you have made any of these mistakes, you can easily take the steps needed to get back on track!
By Matt LeBlanc Published in CareersConnect, May 2012
Job Search Budgeting
Maximize your job search efforts by budgeting how you are spending your time. It's so easy to lose sight of the big picture and spend your time unnecessarily. Check out the areas Weddle thinks are easy to lose your focus on, and learn how to correct this behavior by setting up a job search budget.
By Peter Weddle Published in CareersConnect, May 2012
5 Steps to Clean up Your Digital “Dirt”
According to Forbes magazine, the majority of employers now conduct Web searches on potential employees and view their social media profiles to screen them for employment. Whether you are actively or passively job searching, you need to know what employers will see when they search for you.
By Cheryl Palmer
Why Recruiters and Résumés Don’t Mix
Many years ago, before I really dove deep into the world of recruiting, I was under the impression that recruiters (and HR professionals in general) should be a go-to resource for résumé review. Boy, was I wrong. If I was looking for a job right this second, I would run away from 99.9 percent of the résumé advice given by 99.9 percent of the recruiters out there.
By Matt LeBlanc
5 Things to Never Say in an Interview
In this competitive job market, it is no small matter to land an interview. So when you do land an interview, clearly, you need to make the most of it. However, in order to do just that, you need to make sure you are not making any of the five most common interview mistakes.
By Cheryl Palmer Published in CareersConnect, February 2012
The Job Seeker With the Dragon Tattoo
By now, you've probably heard of Stieg Larsson's bestseller, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. While all of the plot's secrets are revealed by the end of the tale, one question is never addressed: what's the meaning of the dragon tattoo? The answer is especially important to job seekers.
By Peter Weddle Published in CareersConnect, February 2012
What’s the Secret to Landing a New Job?
Everyone thinks that they know a secret to landing a new job, but is there really a secret strategy? Actually, there is. Check out this article to learn how to stand out from the mass of candidates you are up against. Even better, this advice comes straight from the mind of a recruiter!
By Matt LeBlanc Published in CareersConnect, February 2012
Reference Check
It's always a good sign when an interviewer asks you at the end of the interview for your references. Employers don't waste their time checking references if they are not interested in you as a candidate. Since employers usually check references as a last step before making you an offer, it's important that you don't neglect this crucial step.
By Cheryl Palmer
The Standout Skill
Do you want an advantage in the job market? There is one skill that CEOs today believe is both in critically short supply and critically important to their organizations' success. If you have this skill, it is virtually certain that you will get the attention you deserve from employers—regardless of your profession, craft, or trade. What is this standout skill? Leadership.
By Peter Weddle
The Biggest Job Search Lie Ever Told
The holiday season is here and I have heard from more than one person that they are putting their job searches on hold because "no one hires at the end of the year."
By Matt LeBlanc
3 LinkedIn Strategies That Will Enhance Your Career Search
Like millions of other users, you are probably on LinkedIn to find new career opportunities. But you may not be clear on how to use LinkedIn to your best advantage.
By Cheryl Palmer Published in CareersConnect, November 2011
How to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions
More and more often, job interviewers are jettisoning traditional interview questions in favor of behavioral questions. Job seekers who aren’t prepared for these questions will often flub the interview entirely, so it’s crucial to know that they’re coming and to be prepared to answer them.
By Alison Green Published in CareersConnect, November 2011
10 Clues to Watch for in an Interview
If you're like most people, after you've had a job interview you replay the conversation over and over in your head, trying to figure out how you did. Were your answers okay? Did they like you? How likely are you to get the job?
By Alison Green
Interview Tips for the 40+ Crowd
Looking for a job can be stressful, even more so for older executives. While 15 to 20 years of work experience are valuable, sometimes they can work against you. Recruiters may fear that you are too set in your ways and don't have the flexibility needed for the job. They may also worry that you have lost your creative and passionate streaks with time.
By Nikita Garia
Résumé Building: Don't Let Your Résumé Date You
Your résumé is the first impression a potential employer will have of you as a professional. Therefore it's important to project the best possible image of yourself and what you have to offer potential employers through your résumé. One of the best ways to ensure a great image is to be careful not to date yourself.
By April Silverthorn Southward Published in CareersConnect, August 2011
10 Tips for Advancing Your Government Career
Despite daunting cutbacks and budget deficits, experts suggest government professionals can still map out a successful career. Among their suggestions: Take the initiative to learn new skills; have regular face time with the boss; and be an active networker inside and outside the organization.
By Heather Kerrigan Published in CareersConnect, August 2011
Are You Really Making a Great First Impression?
It's never too early to make a bad impression. A cover letter or introductory email is often the first thing a potential employer sees when reviewing a job applicant. It's the first opportunity to impress recruiters and hiring managers and, therefore, the first opportunity to disappoint them. Everything from copy mistakes to inappropriate jokes in a cover letter could derail an application.
By Sindhu Sundar Published in CareersConnect, August 2011
Do You Bring Excellence To Your Career?
What is career excellence and what can it do for your future?
By Pete Leibman
Have You Made Any of These 7 Deadly Job Interview Sins?
Today, the job market is tougher than ever before. In order to make a transition into your next job you must interview very carefully. However, all too often people make mistakes during the process, many of which are deadly. Safe check your interviewing strategy now!
By Pete Leibman
The iPhone Proposition
Apple’s iPhone has captured the popular imagination. Even among those who own a competitor’s phone, the iPhone has come to symbolize sleek styling, innovative features, and ever more useful capabilities. That perception and the reality it celebrates are a perfect model for those of us who are in transition and looking for a new job or employed but searching for a better opportunity.
By Peter Weddle Published in CareersConnect, May 2011
To Get Your Dream Job, Does Size Matter?
Do you want to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? To get your dream job, you have to first identify the organizations you would ideally want to work for. As you identify your target market of ideal employers, you also have to consider the size of the organization you want to work for. Working for an employer with 27 total employees will be a very different experience than working for an employer with 27,000 total employees.
By Pete Leibman Published in CareersConnect, May 2011
Why Do We Find it Hard to Delegate?
Delegation is a task that so many employees, especially mangers, fail miserably at. While on the job hunt you should spend some time working to perfect this trait, as it could help to set you apart from applicants. Think this doesn't apply to you, how often have you thought to yourself that you could do something faster or better; or that it would take too long to tell someone else how to do it and that you should just do it yourself?
By Marty Stanley Published in CareersConnect, May 2011
Two Halves Are Better Than One
In a job search today, half of the game is mental. So is the other half. You can't will yourself into a new or better job. Employers have a say in the outcome. However, you can will yourself into a position where employers will make the right decision for you.
By Peter Weddle
Seven Questions Employers Have That They Won’t Ask You
If you want to get your dream job, you need to understand what is going on in the minds of the people in a position to hire you. No matter what organization you want to work for, and no matter what type of work you want to do, every employer and hiring person is secretly asking themselves seven questions about every job candidate and potential new hire.
By Pete Leibman
Résumé Building: Creating a Résumé for 2011
Writing your résumé can easily become an overwhelming task, especially in 2011. Today’s recruiters expect your résumé to be up-to-date with the market’s current standards, and for many the only way to achieve this is to start over from scratch. To take some of the guesswork out of the process, review the following article, and then begin the process of creating a résumé for 2011!
By April Silverthorn Southward Published in CareersConnect, February 2011
The 9 Greatest Myths Plaguing Students & New Professionals
It’s funny; when I look back at my life there are so many things I wish I had known early on. It was just recently that I realized many of us were actually warned about things early on, but since we were not provided with the information on how the issue would affect us long-term, we never really heard the message.
By April Silverthorn Southward Published in CareersConnect, February 2011
Increased Workload? Improve Productivity to Achieve More with Less Time
Let's face it, we are all overloaded to some extent! For many of you that means your job search is pushed to the back burner. Take a moment to consider some things that can help to make you more productive, and maybe, just maybe, can help you get your job search back front and center.
By Joelle Jay Published in CareersConnect, February 2011
7 Secrets on How to Answer “The Weakness Question” Like a Pro
Weakness is something that we like to act as if we are immune to. However, as many of us have come to realize, we all have weaknesses and it’s in our best interests to accept and work on these issues. That being said, so many people struggle with “the weakness question” when interviewing; read over this article to learn the secrets to answering the question in your next interview.
By Pete Leibman
4 Ways to Break Into Any Industry
One question that we are asked again and again is, “How do I break into the contract management profession?” While the answer is quite complicated, I recently stumbled across the following article which is a great outline of the steps those wishing to get into the contact management field need to take.
By Pete Leibman
9 HUGE Job Search Mistakes
It's easy to take a wrong-turn in your job search, especially if you don't take a step back to really look at your approach. Take a couple of minutes to review this article to ensure that you aren't making any of these nine common job search mistakes.
By Pete Leibman Published in CareersConnect, November 2010
How to Nail Your Next Interview
All too often, when we "prepare" ourselves for an interview, we fail to focus on anything other than common interview etiquette. It's time to reevaluate your preparation strategy and take a more active approach in order to nail your next interview.
By April Silverthorn Southward Published in CareersConnect, November 2010
Link-up with LinkedIn–Part 2 UPDATED
Back in August, I wrote an article explaining why you need to join the LinkedIn network and the basics of setting up a profile. For part two of the article, we dive deeper into exactly how to use the site, not only for your job search, but to benefit your career as well.
By April Silverthorn Southward Published in CareersConnect, November 2010
ContractManagementJobs.com Optimized Search Capabilities
You asked us to optimize the search capabilities of our site and we did! Our upgrades allow you to quickly and easily find the postings that match exactly what you’re looking for.
By April Silverthorn Southward Published in CareersConnect, August 2010
Link-up with LinkedIn
Have you created your professional profile on LinkedIn? It’s time to stop procrastinating and time to join if you want to make a career move. If you’re baffled by the service, don’t worry, we have outlined the basics to creating your professional profile and making the most of the professional networking site.
By April Silverthorn Southward Published in CareersConnect, August 2010
Résumé Building: How to Include NCMA’s Programs on Your Résumé
Writing your résumé can easily become an overwhelming task, especially with all of the information available about résumé creation on the Internet. To take some of the guesswork out of the process, NCMA has established these suggestions for how to list your certification(s), award(s), training, and professional affiliation(s) on your résumé. Listing this information on your résumé is a smart way to set yourself apart for other applicants and-when following the steps below-it will only take a few minutes of your time.
By April Silverthorn Southward Published in CareersConnect, August 2010
Career Victories
The challenge of recreating your résumé is not an easy task. It’s actually a chore that makes most of us cringe simply at the thought. Typically, the most difficult part of this process is recalling our career achievements. Peter Weddle suggests that rather than daunt ourselves with our career achievements, we should focus on our career victories.
By Peter Weddle Published in CareersConnect, August 2010
Do You Apply Your Job Searching Energy Effectively?
Actively looking for a job requires quite a bit of your time and energy. So, it is best to make sure that the time you are investing is going to be well worth it. Review the points discussed in this article to make sure you are maximizing your job search efforts by making a great first impression on potential employers.
By April Silverthorn Southward Published in CareersConnect, May 2010
The 50-50 Job Search
Making a full-time job out of searching for your next position does not work in today’s complex job market. Instead, you need to focus on developing yourself in order to establish the effective job search strategy which will enable you to find your next position. Click here to continue reading
By Peter Weddle Published in CareersConnect, May 2010
Things We Wish We Had Known
While we cannot change the events that have led up to this economic downturn, it’s important to consider what we can do in the aftermath. We can take a couple of lessons away from this disaster, and pass them along to future generations to help ensure that the same career mistakes are not repeated in the future.
By Peter Weddle Published in CareersConnect, May 2010
You’ve Got to Work Strong to Work
In today’s world of work, many of us still think that working hard will save us from receiving a pink slip. So, we invest all of our energy into working hard, but will this really save you? The simple answer is no; learn why working strong and investing in your career, rather than your job, is the best approach to finding the career security we all desire.
By Peter Weddle
Online Professional Networking
Creating and managing an online professional network has become a necessity. As a job seeker, this tool is very important to your future career success. The network that you build can not only assist in finding you a job, but it can also serve as a list of references. When a potential employer sees that you are connected to someone they know and trust you are going to peak their interest. Ensure that you are taking the correct steps in your online professional networking both now and in your new position.
By Gary H. Jacobs Published in CareersConnect, February 2010
Starting Fires
Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone knows the best way to move forward in the aftermath. Many employers want to know that you are willing to admit that you have made mistakes and that you have overcame and learned from those mistakes. Begin to refine your skills and prepare for a question that is sure to come up in your next interview.
By Ralph Heath Published in CareersConnect, February 2010
Have You Focused on the Details of Your Job Search?
In a tough job market, it is really the little things that will set you apart from other potential candidates. Don’t forget proper job seeker etiquette when on the job hunt. Brush up with these reminders and refocus your job hunt strategy.
By April Silverthorn Southward Published in CareersConnect, February 2010