Career Development

Have you considered the importance of an online professional profile for your career search and career goals?

Looking for a new job, and developing long-term career prospects, is vastly different than it was even a few years ago –  and one of the most important driving factors is the increased reliance upon online application forms and professional social networking websites. Consider the process of applying for a job as it used to be and how it is now. It seems that the time when you would print out a resume copy and mail it to a potential employer is long gone, or is at least a very rare occurrence, and that is largely due to the use of electronic submissions and the potential to apply for some positions by email.

Along with these changes in the method of...

How do you react when a co-worker disagrees with you?  How do you address a lengthy email with a long list of unrealistic demands?  How do you approach a customer who appears to be upset or angry?

Communication is part of every job and every relationship. The process of communication is complex yet occurs in a split second or the moment a person decides to send a message – whether verbally or in writing. We all have natural reactions to circumstances and other people, but do those reactions produce the best response?

The answer is that our gut reactions or initial replies and responses do not always address situations or other people in the most appropriate manner possible, especially when strong emotional reactions are felt, which means the underlying issue or...

What's more important for your long-term career goals: Do you want to find a job and accept whatever comes along, or do you want to keep yourself focused on the big picture, search for a better job, and work towards building a successful career?

There is no question the job market is challenging, no matter what point in time it is as many industries are struggling to sustain employees and grow their businesses. Those of us who work in higher education, especially the field of distance learning, have watched this industry change dramatically over the past few years. And every month it seems you can read about another business or industry making layoffs, leaving many valued employees searching for new positions. I have seen this too as a resume writer, having written...

"Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings." -Samuel Johnson

There is one particular quality which makes everyone shine, one which shows through their work and even within their resume. Do you know what it is?

It is having a well-established sense of self-confidence. A person who is self-confident will approach their work with a measure of certainty; possessing self-awareness of the experience and knowledge or know-how needed to get the job done.

Even a resume will reflect that confidence through the word choice used and this will also come across through a person's tone during an interview. Being self-confident comes easily for some people, yet others struggle to try and sustain it. For most people this is a feeling that can...