WE'VE GOT THIS

It's nearing year end and the holidays are around the corner -in the back of your mind is the nagging question -what should I be doing to move my job search forward? Keep it simple as there are many competing demands this time of year. Family, friend, neighborhood and work parties all present opportunities to talk about your job search and the work you might be doing to refresh your skills.  It's a great time to try the new short elevator pitch you have been thinking about.  Or talk to a friend of friend about the steps you have taken to be ready to be back at work. Alison Doyle at thebalance.com shares some holiday networking tips here . Follow and subscribe to online blogs, twitter feeds, Linkedin and Facebook groups to learn more about industries,  jobs, executives and companies. Information helps you be ready for that one opportunity you are looking for.  Better yet,  Click here  to subscribe to our blog. We know you have worked at getting you...

Are you wondering if your technology skills are up to date? While out of the workforce we have used technology at home or in our volunteer and part-time roles. Many of us have learned to use the software and apps our children are using to communicate. How do we ensure our technology skills are up to date and even if they are up to date do we know how to use the software used by our new or potential employer. With two young adults in our house I have learned to use google calendar to share our schedules, email, text, snapchat, share stories on instagram, tweet, use Messenger & Facebook; I can even have an emoji only conversation.  If you haven't tried this technology don't be fearful of it. Download the apps, put your settings on private (for now?) and give it a try! But how does this translate to the office? Think about the software you have used before, are those skills up-to-date? Have you heard about Tableau or cloud based programs such as Slack, Asana and Trello. A...

You have decided to return to the workforce and are checking off the boxes for the many to-do items like resume, references, networking, elevator pitch, technology skill refreshing, social media presence, etc. You are getting better at telling people you are looking for a job. Then comes the dreaded question, "What do you want to do?" Maybe you are one of the lucky ones with a specialized background in law or accounting, for example, and you want to return to that arena. Although there is still work to do, at least the focus is narrow. On the other hand, if you are like so many others without a specialized background or clear path, the "what do you want to do" question is often followed by a long pause. You have the elevator pitch on your skills, background, and the type of position you are looking for. BUT, can you really answer that question honestly? Perhaps now is the time to pause and reflect on what it is you really want to do for your career. If you...