Career Management Alliance Blog

Even though the unemployment rate continues to stay very high, many executives and business leaders are quietly, confidentially looking for new opportunities. In fact I have long predicted there will be an exodus as the economy and job market eventually, hopefully improves. You watch. Continue Reading »

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With unemployment holding at nearly 10%, many job seekers are contemplating a career change or transition to another industry to solve their job search problems.  While the grass may look greener in other careers or industries, get the facts. For example, you may believe that the bulk of job openings are for Registered Nurses. But, according to the US Labor Market Information Center, RNs are #5 on the Most Openings – All Education Levels list. Who edged them out? Cashiers, Retail Salespersons, Waiters and Waitresses, and Customer Service Representatives. Continue Reading »

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This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting Annapolis, Maryland.  It's a charming town that boasts a lovely waterfront, impressive shopping and the prestige of being home to the Naval Academy.  As I strolled through the downtown area and perused the storefronts featuring names like Annapolis Ice Cream and Boatyard Bar and Grill and Annapolis Sailing School, I got to thinking about how where we live can influence our career options, particularly when we are interested in starting a small business.

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The dictionary defines inventory as both a noun and a verb. The noun, inventory, is a detailed, itemized list, report, or record of things in one’s possession, especially a periodic survey of all goods and materials in stock. Continue Reading »

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I once kayaked down the Salt River with my son’s Boy Scout troop. Before we hit the river, we made sure everyone was prepared as possible; drinking water, hats, sun screen, life preservers, river maps, and advice from the river guides. Being the scouts that we are - we thought we had this preparation stuff Continue Reading »

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The job market may be slowly bouncing back, but layoffs still hover over many c-level and senior executives. Some of my clients who are layoff casualties (or about to be) saw the writing on the wall and began preparing in advance. Some are financially and emotionally prepared to move on, some aren’t. Continue Reading »

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“Canadian employers expect an upbeat hiring climate for the third quarter of 2010”

Manpower’s Employment Outlook Survey of more than 1,900 Canadian employers reveals a hiring climate that is trending upwards as we enter the second half of 2010. Since the start of the recession, we have been preoccupied with job losses. However, as the economy now recovers, a talent shortage is the next looming crisis in the business world.

During the economic downturn, many executives maintained their positions to safeguard their futures. These seasoned individuals will now gain the confidence to venture into retirement, opening up new opportunities for talented professionals. Continue Reading »

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As a military veteran myself, having a tool like this when I was transitioning would have been a great help! Military Transition to Civilian Success: The Complete Guide for Veterans and Their Families is a must for those in transition. Many authors have written on the subject on career transition, but few Continue Reading »

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On Monday, I shared a question from a job seeker who is trying to change fields, but is running into predictable problems, including the fact that she appears overqualified for her targeted jobs. I shared ideas about how to expand her network using social media to become a subject matter expert and possibly connect with someone who can help. Today, a few more ideas that don’t involve social media. Here is the question again: My career background is as an analyst…My previous employers have been smaller firms, under 50 employees.  Social media isn’t used very much by advisory firms that I’ve targeted as a good fit.  Much of that is due to FINRA compliance constraints that keep them from engaging clients online.  I’m still tweeting, but relying more on networking in-person and making connections on LinkedIn where employees of these firms and their connections are likely to be. Continue Reading »

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“The most effective technique career changers can use in their resumes and cover letters is TRANSFERABLE SKILLS, TRANSFERABLE SKILLS, TRANSFERABLE SKILLS,” writes regular contributor Maureen Crawford Hentz. “I recently gave a workshop specifically on this topic for career changers at the National Environmental Careers Conference. I was shocked at the number of competent, successful individuals who kept referring to themselves as ‘totally unqualified for a job in the environment.’ These were adults with four to 12 years of experience as managers, editors, and engineers.” Read Hentz’s full article, Career Changers’ Most Powerful Resume and Cover-Letter Tool: Transferable Skills, on how you can use transferable skills to portray yourself as qualified for a new career.

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