Candidate Advice

Looking for Work While Following “Safer at Home” Guidelines

Life sure feels and definitely looks different here in Southern California than it did just two weeks ago. Many of us started working from home just a few days ago and, as the days passed, more and more of us lost our jobs. And others among us soon may lose ours, as a recession already is here....

Getting Through Challenging Times

So. Things now are, shall we say, a tad dicey. The coronavirus pandemic has caused the stock market to decline precipitously, and now many economists are predicting a global recession. Fun times, right? You may be worried that your employer will cut back. You may be an employer and worried that...

When the Boss Has Unreasonable Expectations

Most bosses have high expectations – as well they should. But sometimes a manager can be unreasonably demanding. There is nothing that raises stress levels more quickly, and nothing that pulls down morale and productivity more readily. The stress it induces can also lead to health problems....

How to Network at an Event

There’s an art to good networking, especially in a social setting. Some of us have a natural curiosity and enjoy the opportunity to meet new people, while others view it with a sense of dread, a necessary but tedious chore. However you look at it, there are good ways to network and not-so-good...
Having Difficult Conversations….with Your Boss

Having Difficult Conversations….with Your Boss

It’s natural – so work hierarchy goes – for a supervisor to call in a subordinate and have that conversation: You’re performance has been lacking lately. You come in to work late too often. You’ve missed two project deadlines in the last month. And...

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Embracing the Up, Backwards and Sideways Career

Embracing the Up, Backwards and Sideways Career

Content No one’s career moves straight up. Most successful people see their share of failure and even simple treading water (no movement up or down). Just a few examples of people who failed on their way up: Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper...

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Moving from Colleague to Manager

Moving from Colleague to Manager

Congratulations on your promotion to manager! Now you’re the supervisor….of your past colleagues! Moving from co-worker to boss can be, well, fraught. No longer can you be true buddies. No longer can you dish on the boss together because, well,...

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When You Have to Give Tough Love at Work

When You Have to Give Tough Love at Work

No matter if you’ve just become a manager or supervisor or you’ve been serving as one for a few years, there’s going to come a time – perhaps sooner than you think – where you’re going to have to provide some tough feedback to one of your team...

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Researching an Employer Before an Interview

Researching an Employer Before an Interview

We talk a lot here about how important it is to research a potential employer before a job interview. But we’ve never explained in detail about how and why you should do so. Take a look below for why researching an employer is valuable and how to...

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‘So, Tell Me a Little About Yourself.’

‘So, Tell Me a Little About Yourself.’

The following questions are so common, there’s no chance you’ve never heard them in a job interview: “Tell me about yourself.” “What’s your biggest strength/weakness?” “Why should I hire you over someone else?” Common interview questions, all. Yet...

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Striking a Friendly Balance at Work

Striking a Friendly Balance at Work

Work is a great place to make good friends. In fact, having at least one good friend at work is pretty much required in order for us to enjoy our jobs. Friends also make us more productive. What’s more, having a good work friend also may be...

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Dealing with “The Gap”

Dealing with “The Gap”

While most of us will work until about our mid-60s, not all of us will work all the time until then: most of us probably will have a gap in our work history either due to illness (ours or a family member’s), raising children, being laid...

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Acing the Phone or Video Interview

Acing the Phone or Video Interview

Many companies conduct preliminary screening interview with a phone or video interview before asking candidates in for an in-person interview. Such calls are real interviews and should be treated as such. (You won’t get a chance to shine in person...

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