I will be the first to admit that there wasn’t a pandemic portion of my career coach training way back when. We’re all in new territory, and anyone who says they know exactly what to do right now is a liar. Now that we got that out of the way! What Other People Think As I said in my previous blog post, there is no such thing as job security. That also implies that there are no recession-proof jobs. Nothing...

I’ve got a list of productive things I’d like to tackle while the coronavirus storm blusters onward: Clean out drawers. Organize computer files. Design new client resources. Learn how to groom my dog. Paint my home office. Try new recipes. All of these are activities I don’t normally have time for. You’ve probably got a list of your own. Part of my change coping strategy is to “do.” S...

I hear a lot of unfounded ideas of how to find a job that is right for you. Nothing breaks my heart more than people accidentally getting in their own way! And that’s exactly what career myths are: lies we’ve been told that are keeping up from achieving happiness. So far I’ve dispelled several myths about careers: changing careers is risky, you can’t make a living doing what you love, you always...

You didn’t land your dream job this year, but that’s okay. You had other things going on. If anything, it’s made your resolve to find a new job even stronger. Nothing at work has changed, except your patience to tolerate uninteresting projects and a continuously increasing workload. You don’t want so much to land a new job—you need to get a new job this coming year. You’re sick of bein...

You’ve been practicing your answers to the typical questions for your next big interview, but what about the inevitable “Do you have any questions for us?” portion? Asking the right questions gives you not only more information about the company, but it will show that you’re 1) insightful and a critical thinker and 2) eager for the job, a real team player. Basing your questions off of how the inte...

Many of us at one time or another have been baited and switched. You know, when you’re applying for one job with a certain job title, description, and salary, and at some point during the hiring process the company will change one or more of those. For example, Jade applies for a marketing manager position that pays $95,000 a year. That’s what the advert says; that’s what she and her interviewer discussed....

“Find your passion.” The phrase conjures up some mixed feelings. On one hand, we imagine Future Me living our best life, one where we’re smiling at work and making real and important change happen. There’s a glossy filter on this fantasy. And on the other hand, we feel a small bubble of panic rise from our stomachs; I haven’t found my passion yet—was is wrong with me? Or I thought I found...

People often ask me for insider scoop on what to expect in the coming year when it comes to the job market. While of course the future isn’t entirely predictable, I’ve been noticing some trends that may help you out. Expect a wildly unpredictable hiring timeline (and process). At the beginning of the process, you might apply for a job and the employer sets up an interview within days. You might be asked to...

Maybe you get a “normal” interview, full of questions like “What are your strengths?” or “How do you like to unwind?” Maybe you have to come up with a solution to a hypothetical or real problem. But a standard interview isn’t a given anymore. With so many applicants and with money and time on the line, recruiters and hiring managers have more pressure to “hire right”...

I talk a lot on this blog about specific things to do while job searching. (Have you updated your LinkedIn profile yet??) But there’s another aspect about the job hunt that is less talked about, though it’s getting more attention recently: self-care. If you’re looking for a new job, it’s a pretty safe bet that you are experiencing some changes in your life. Whatever the circumstance is, the challe...