Career Management Alliance Blog

There is no denying that this year has been extremely difficult for many of us. Many people have been out of work and many still looking for work. However, I’d like to advise you to take some time today and over the next few days to especially focus on what you do have! Often times when we are challenged financially, we realize that the true treasures in life we already have -- our families and friends.

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I’ve blogged before about the fact that I kept a diary for many years. And at the close of each year I used to re-read my diary to reflect on what had happened over the course of the year to look at my successes and failures, beginnings and ends. I always spotted a few entries where I would think to myself “What was I thinking” and others that brought back a wonderful memory of an experience on a particular day. So I thought it made sense to look back on my posts from 2009 and pick out a few that hold the most meaning for me. These “top 10″ were not necessarily my most popular posts but they were all posts that connected me to some important part of my life, my past, or  family and  friends, so they have special meaning to me. And hopefully there is a nugget or two of job search advice that you can use as you forge ahead into 2010. Happy New Year! Continue Reading »

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My mom has always loved to read. She’s 82 now and is still buying books and reading every day. When my sons were younger, they used to laugh because it would be 90 degrees outside and they would say, “There’s Gramma, still in the hot house, sitting in the hot kitchen, drinking hot tea, and reading!” There was a period of time when I took her to the library every month to get her stack of books, usually 10 or 12, all fiction. She followed authors and dragged the 3 inch binder with us to the library with the alphabetized list of authors and the books they wrote by title and year. Now she pretty much buys the books she wants or gets them from friends. When she finds one that she particularly  likes, she will pass it on to me. Continue Reading »

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December 31, 2009. The end of a decade. The last two years alone may have seemed like a decade to many who find themselves among the unemployed.

Tomorrow heralds a new decade and the opportunity to do something new and different. If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s this ...

--corporate loyalty is gone;

--you are only as valuable as your latest contribution;

--networking is no longer about who you know but about who knows you; and

--if the Board isn’t happy, the CFO’s neck is on the chopping block.

The beginning of the decade arrived as a seller’s market. If you were walking, talking, and breathing, you were a candidate for almost any position. Companies were that desperate. Seems like just a distant, vague memory doesn’t it?

Continue Reading »

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2009 is over.  The entire decade is over. It’s all history.  I hope you did stuff you were proud of.  I did a few things I’m proud of, and have a few projects that will roll over to next year. I even have a project I’ll rollover for anytime next decade. The point is, no matter what you wanted to do, no matter what your good intentions were, it’s too late to count them for this last year or decade. Continue Reading »

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Anonymous writes: I have been on two separate job interviews, and still have not landed a job. I dress for success, project a happy attitude, and show up for the interview on time. I research the company I am interviewing for, have a pleasing personality, and I am enthusiastic about joining their company. My question is this: What am I doing wrong? Continue Reading »

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No matter what its length, your resume must capture attention on the first page, preferably the first third of the first page. Given that employers screen resumes for between 2.5 and 20 seconds, a resume must quickly capture the reader’s interest. “As long as the resume grabs the attention of the hiring manager, it is the right length,” says Marnie McCown-Guard. “Whatever the length of the resume, the critical factor is to make absolutely certain that your reader’s interest is piqued within the first half of the first page,” cautions Laurie J. Smith, president of Creative Keystrokes Executive Resume Service.

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Green jobs are predicted by many to be one of the fastest-growing segments in the US economy for the future decades (Global Insight, 2008, report to The United States Conference of Mayors and the Mayors Climate Protection Center).  In fact, the O*NET Center (US Department of Labor) has identified 215 “green” occupations in 12 major industrial sectors, with more to be added. These facts came to my attention as the result of reading “Building Windmills in the Green Economy” by Dr. Janet E. Wall in the most recent NCDA Career Developments publication (Winter 2009). Her article is available to NCDA members exclusively. Continue Reading »

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Every strong brand embraces the 3 Cs - the cornerstone of personal branding. With these three qualities in your back pocket and a far-reaching brand communications plan, your executive brand will be protected and will continue to work for you. Do you know what they are? See my post over at my Executive Career Brand blog, Health Insurance for Your Personal Brand – The 3 Cs.

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It's that time again - the end of one year and the beginning of another. Many make New Year's Resolutions fully intending to keep them, but seldom do. Whether it's to lose weight, save more money, be nicer to in-laws,... Continue Reading »

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