Almost everyone has asked another person to suggest a good auto mechanic, a great restaurant for the best pizza, or a reliable plumber. This is networking in everyday clothes. Networking is basic: it is asking for suggestions, advice, and referrals. Networking in job search mode is mandatory, since the vast majority (60-70%) of new positions are secured through networking, and 100% of unadvertised jobs are uncovered exclusively through networking. So, make a list of everyone you know,...

If your next interview begins with this opener, be happy! You have just been handed a precious gift: the opportunity to ensure that the interviewer hears what YOU want him to remember. Many candidates dread general or broad reaching questions, but I say... embrace them. This is your chance to tell your story: your concise, clear, compelling and memorable story. Almost any practiced candidate can respond well to questions about a specific topic or situation, but it is the rare job applicant...

Resumes simply refuse to go away.  Despite the fact that there are so many other ways (like blogs and personal websites) to become visible that are so much more fun and interesting than old fashioned resumes, hiring managers, search firms and human resources just keep on asking for them. 

It's really no mystery.  Resumes are an excellent way to screen candidates, to get a glimpse of how they communicate, how well they write, their attention to detail, their level of self-awareness, and their...

If it's been a while since you have reached out to people with whom you used to work and you feel a little awkward about it, you're not alone.  The first call is always the worst, but once you successfully complete that conversation, your awkwardness will soon disappear.  Just follow these five simple steps:

1. Start with your low-risk contacts first.  Choose the people with whom you had good relationships and will almost certainly take your call.  I used to begin my calls with a very...

Everyone's career story is different, and I hope readers will find a useful tidbit or two embedded in the chapters of my career story.  I'm in what might be called stage four of my career.  Stage one was the formative stage, during which I was extraordinarily fortunate to have learned from the best at companies like Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, and AT&T.  Stage two was the expanding and experimenting stage, spent at another array of great companies including McCann Erickson Advertising,...