Online Career Tips

By Susan Adams, Forbes.com
Special to Online Career Tips

When Sarah Stamboulie worked in human resources at Morgan Stanley and then at Cantor Fitzgerald, she routinely checked job applicants’ references. They were not always positive. “You know it’s bad when you ask about the person, and then there’s that pause,” she says. “Or they might say, ‘Is attendance important to you?’” Or they claim that their company policy prevents them from talking about the person. “If you get three of those, you’re like, this person is not good,” says Stamboulie, who is now a career coach in New York.

By Grace Williamson
Sr. Manager Corporate and Strategic Relationships, Government Contracting and Professional Services at American Public University

There is a great deal of work that goes into writing a polished resume and an engaging cover letter to attract the interest of hiring managers. Sometimes, candidates can be overeager and can endanger their chances of being offered a position, simply due to the manner in which they end the interview. It is common practice for hiring managers to ask prospective candidates if they have any questions as they are closing the interview. Here are three questions you should ask, and one you shouldn’t, to help you stand out as a professional candidate heads above the rest of the competition.

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By Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes.com
Special to Online Career Tips

As a dedicated job seeker, you’ve probably spent hours writing, tailoring and blasting your perfectly polished resume. You’re confident you have done everything right: The flawless document is confined to one page; includes a clear objective; and lists a plethora of soft skills.

But as it turns out, contrary to popular belief, those features don’t necessarily make for an ideal resume.

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By Stacey Gordon, Forbes.com
Special to Online Career Tips

Know Your Strengths (and Weaknesses)

It is important to be honest with yourself about exactly what skills you possess. This is the time to take a long, hard look at your work history to determine what your experience really includes.

If you do not have a long work history to review, take stock of what you have done in school. Did you work on a specific project that can be compared to a job function? Maybe you have volunteer experience you can use to fill in gaps.

Ask yourself, “What am I good at? What tasks do I enjoy doing? When am I most happy in my work?” Then write them down. Seems simple enough, but without this step, your job search has no direction. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses helps you to create a job search strategy.

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