There is much advice on how to deal with a lowball offer from a prospective employer. We talk about how to avoid being on the receiving end of a lowball offer, and how to negotiate your way out of one. But what we don’t talk about all that often is how candidates sometimes lowball themselves. This is a tactic often borne out of desperation, and one that should be avoided at all costs. When unemployment protracts an...

How do you answer the interview question, 'What's a major mistake you've made on the job?' This post is the fourth in a series of excerpts from my upcoming eBook, Get That Job! The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Job Interview. How to answer the interview question, 'Tell me about a major mistake you made.' The intention here is to see whether you are open to admitting, taking responsibility for and lea...

I was asked the same interview prep question three times last week. They all more or less went like this: “I have a simple question. I was let go from my job this week. The reason was because: A) I had a conflict with my boss that came to a head. Or B) I was a whistleblower on a wrong practice my department was doing and instead of fixing it they let me go. Or C) My department was moved to Cincinnati...

How do you answer the interview question, 'Why did you leave that job?' This post is the third in a series of excerpts from my upcoming eBook, Get That Job! The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Interview, to be published January 4, 2017. You can pre-order it as an eBook now or get the softcover in January. Does your departure indicate a problem that could derail your interview? If you left and immediately sta...

As a career coach I am often asked by clients if I think they should take a job offer. Just because you get a job offer doesn’t mean that you have to accept it. To help you make your decision, create a list of important criteria for taking or turning down a job. Your list might include salary, benefits, commute time, do you like the people you will be working with, is the new job challenging, is the company stable,...

Every executive job search has much in common with every other job search. The rules of the game don’t fundamentally change according to industry, geography, or job status. Despite the commonalities, however, executives in particular are on a slightly different road than other job seekers. The difference manifests itself in two ways. First, executives face some special challenges of their own, challenges that do...

I’m sure you’ve heard some of these from well-meaning friends and family. What worked back in the era of the 3 martini lunch—or in the era when MTV still played music—doesn’t work today. If you hear any of these bits of advice, you have my permission, and encouragement, to ignore them! Drop your resume off in person. Companies follow strict protocol for resume submission. I don’t know...

By now you’ve probably heard about Mariah Carey’s unfortunate performance on New Year’s Eve. Some of the things that occurred reminded me of similar things that can happen if you are unprepared for an interview. And while you most likely won’t be interviewing in front of a million or more people, here are five takeaways that can help you be prepared for your live performance. 1. Know your material...

Dear Deb: Debra WheatmanI have recently re-entered the job market, after being in my previous position for nearly ten years. One of the reasons that I stayed in that role for so long was that it offered enormous flexibility of schedule. I have a special needs child, and I really need the ability to work from home as needed to accommodate things like doctors’ appointments, therapy sessions, and meetings with school....

Securing a coveted interview with a potential employer means you have passed the first test to getting your foot in the door with a new organization. Congratulations! While being asked to interview is an achievement in itself, now is the time to prepare to wow the interviewer(s) with your knowledge of the business, relevant experience, and ability to meld with the company’s corporate culture. The following are some si...