Stepping Up Your Job Search

Social networking, that is, posting your profile and participating on sites such as Facebook or LinkedIn, has had a significant impact on work and job searching. This impact has been the focus of many recent studies that yielded two interesting findings.  More »

When I graduated from high school, I vowed to never take a math course in college. I grew tired and frustrated with the subject and got totally lost amid the numbers, barely squeaking by each year. If your experience was similar, don't let it prevent you from entering a field that requires a lot of math knowledge: You still have time to get it.  More »

It's a jungle out there in the working world. Employers aren't as loyal to their workers as they were a few decades ago. And many, if not most, employees are more likely to just jump ship and look for new jobs if they don't feel they're getting what they want out of their current ones. That's why it's important to keep a brag sheet that can summarize your accomplishments.  More »

Chances are you've heard or seen the phrase hidden job market, which refers to the unadvertised job openings you don't find on major job boards or in print. To tap that market, networking can pay off big. Here are three ways to build your network and land that next job.  More »

Hiedi from Springfield, MO asks: When we hand in a resume to a company, why do we need to also fill out an application? Don't they have exactly the same information? After all, a resume seems to be just a more detailed application. Read more to find out why employers do this.  More »

As Pongo Resume marks its fifth anniversary this summer, the company's CEO reflects on the reasons behind the company's founding, about how it has stayed true to its mission, and what it can accomplish over the next five years.  More »

Being your own boss is an almost-universal fantasy, and owning a small business can indeed be exhilarating. But many business owners (myself included) eventually decide to get the hell out and run back to those long-lost friends: a steady paycheck and employer-paid benefits. So how do you apply for a non-executive position when your last job title was Owner, Operator, President, and CEO. Here are some tips.  More »

You have a stellar resume that highlights your skills and major career accomplishments, and grabbed the attention of employer. That led you to an interview, which went very well, but the hiring manager delivers the bad news a week later: You didn't get the job. Yet you'd like some feedback from the employer. Well, you might get it.  More »

Age discrimination is a very real phenomenon that can mean longer periods of unemployment for older workers, along with the frustration and depression that so often follow. An organization that routinely avoids hiring people older than 40, 50, 60 (or any arbitrary cutoff point) is probably breaking the law. Still, it's a huge mistake to assume that, just because you've reached a certain birthday, age discrimination is the one and only reason you're not getting hired. Might it possibly be that you've become an angry old fart?  More »

Have you ever taken a salary cut with a new job? For many, the thought of accepting less money to move on to something better is repulsive, especially if their lifestyle is, shall we say, a bit on the extravagant side. But there are times in your job search when you might have to swallow your pride and take a hit in the wallet.  More »