Every week I check dozens of “career” blogs and other online publications, looking for things that will help you find a job, get promoted, develop your skills, and keep everything in perspective and balance. Here’s the pick of the lot for this week. I’m pointing you to items about staying positive, the post-interview, job hunting for introverts, getting the job offer, and what to do about gaps on your resume.

From HR Wench: Staying positive (and sane) while job searching
“Staying positive (and sane) during a year-long-plus job search is not for the faint of heart.  Here are some things I have found helpful.”

Wally’s Comment: It’s brutally hard to stay positive and keep moving forward when things just aren’t going the way you want. The HR Wench shares her experience with that challenge in her own Wenchie way. Read for knowledge. Read for fun.

From Michael Wade at US News & World Report: Beware of Post-Interview Impressions
“The interview went off without a hitch. All the questions were well-handled. Vibrations were positive. A couple of interview panel members even showed the candidate where his office would be and asked him which desk he’d prefer. He left believing the job was his. He never heard from them again.”

Wally’s Comment: Michael Wade suggests that whether you were or were not chosen for a job you need to analyze what happened.

From Fortune: Job hunting for introverts
“If networking drives you nuts and you tend to think a while before you respond to interviewers’ questions, you may find a job search especially difficult. Here’s what to do.”

Wally’s Comment: Garrison Keillor called them “shy people.” It’s hard for shy people to do extrovert-type things. If you’re a shy person, here are some suggestions for making a job search work.

From HR Thoughts: Getting the Job Offer
“The hiring manager’s wish list is right before your very eyes. Look at the position description and position posting and most importantly, listen very carefully to the interview questions. For those astute enough to hear them, the questions are filled with clues and opportunities. Do your homework and listen for the question behind the question. Let’s take a look at two interview questions to show you what I mean.”

Wally’s Comment: This is pure tactics. How to zero in on what’s important and bypass what is not.

From Fortify Your Oasis: Gaps in Your CV / Resume
“I suspect that a patchy CV affects a high percentage of people. You know the sort of thing – obvious gaps cropping up here and there in your working history. A bad move followed by a major piece of bad luck followed by another move to an awful company, a lull in the market, and the next thing you know it looks like moths have attacked your CV. How do you cover off on this problem as you put yourself out there in the marketplace on paper? If you were just given the chance to talk to a potential employer, you could probably explain the patchiness away in an instant; but unfortunately, you have to let your CV do the talking for you.”

Wally’s Comment: This is one of Rowan Manahan’s “Golden Oldies,” a post from the past that’s worth repeating.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 19th, 2009 at 8:04 am and is filed under Tools and Strategies for Success. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.