Your path to a
successful career

Your potential employer has determined that you’re a finalist for the position, and has requested that you submit professional references. Choose wisely; your professional references provide one of the final pieces of information an employer needs to make a hiring decision.

Hiring managers and recruiters increasingly use the video interview format with candidates for entry-level through C-suite positions. Opting for a video interview expedites scheduling, reduces travel costs and helps hiring managers and recruiters fill positions more quickly.

Whether you’re five months into your career or 15 years deep, everyone struggles with how to put their best foot forward on a resume. Resume writing best practices aren’t always black and white, so it can be difficult to identify what will work best for you.

Congratulations, you got the job offer that you were waiting for! But, the employer offered a lower salary than you expected. The offer doesn’t reflect the value you will bring your new employer, but you may lack the nerve to negotiate for a better compensation package or worry how you’ll appear if you try. Arm yourself ahead of time with the right information and strategies to negotiate with confidence. Negotiation is a skill, and like any other, you can improve your game with practice.

Your body language, or non-verbal communication, may unintentionally convey a different meaning than the words you say. In any professional situation, your posture, hand and arm gestures and tone of voice affect your message and may impact business and job opportunities.

Communicating a consistent, strong personal brand is important — whether you’re looking for a new job, seeking a promotion, cultivating new business or advancing your career.

Your personal brand is a holistic representation of who you are personally and professionally. It is not a single statement or tagline; rather, it encompasses your strengths, expertise, the results and impact you achieve and unique methods you employ to produce quality work. It also includes your character, ethics, principles and behavior.

The end of the year is a popular time to take stock of where you are in your career. If you determine that you are ready to make a professional change and embark on a job search, it’s important to stay in your current position while you look. You are more attractive to potential employers when you are employed than when you are between jobs.

When pursuing job opportunities and balancing multiple interviews and offers with several companies, chances are, you’ll be at a different stage of the hiring process with each one. You then have to maneuver through, hoping that when you reach the job offer stage, all will finalize at the same time and you can easily make an informed decision about your next move. What do you do when that doesn’t happen?

You’ve just heard from a potential employer that you made it to the next round of interviews. Then, you find out that it’s going to be a panel interview. Anticipating a group interview is certain to provoke anxiety, even in a seasoned professional. Being interviewed by a group isn’t easy – but you can be successful if you take the time to do some extra preparation.

Now that summer is over, it is the perfect time to focus on your personal brand and professional image, starting with your LinkedIn profile. Your profile is often the first impression a potential client, partner or prospective employer will have of you in today’s virtual world. Is your profile a true reflection of who you are? Does it showcase your skills and expertise? Are your key accomplishments and contributions clear? Do you come across as an expert or a leader?