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Executive Job Search Advice

Save time. Look good. Get hired.

ChatGPT for Job Search

How to Use ChatGPT for Your Job Search

We have a new job search tool, ChatGPT. It’s a large language model (LLM) chatbot …

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Job Search Tools Posts
LinkedIn Career Explorer

10 Absolutely Ingenious Ways to Use LinkedIn Career Explorer

If you wonder, “What is LinkedIn Career Explorer?” you wouldn’t be alone. What Is LinkedIn …

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Job Search Strategy PostsResume Keyword Posts
LinkedIn name pronunciation

If You Aren’t Using LinkedIn Name Pronunciation, You’re Missing Out

Do you know about LinkedIn’s Name Pronunciation feature? I love it because it has obvious …

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DifferentiatorsLinkedIn Name Posts
LinkedIn People Also Viewed

LinkedIn’s Problematic “People Also Viewed” Feature

LinkedIn has a feature called People Also Viewed. What is People Also Viewed? It displays …

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LinkedIn Privacy Posts
Accomplishments for Resumes

3 Easy Templates for Resume Accomplishment Statements

Accomplishments for resumes make most people tear their hair out during job searches. However, it …

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Resume Accomplishments Posts
resume keywords

Awesome New Tool for Resume Keywords

Job seekers often ask me, “How do I identify resume keywords?” Until recently, that was …

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Resume Keyword Posts
Best LinkedIn Profiles

The Top 10 LinkedIn Profile Fields

I recently got a significant insight into the best LinkedIn profile fields for job seekers. …

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DifferentiatorLinkedIn — Top 10 Profile Fields
Reason for Leaving

Interviews — When Your Boss Is Your Reason for Leaving

One of my resume clients (let’s call them Pat) reported to the CEO of a …

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Interview Question Posts
LinkedIn Green Dot

The LinkedIn Green Dot — A Job Seeker’s Best Friend in 2023

By now, you’ve probably seen the LinkedIn green dot on profiles (see below). You might …

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DifferentiatorsLinkedIn Privacy Posts
How to Change Your Name on LinkedIn

How to Change Your Name on LinkedIn & Why You’d Want To

Your name and photograph comprise your personal brand’s foundation online (LinkedIn, social media, etc.). As …

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LinkedIn — Top 10 Profile FieldsLinkedIn Name Posts
LinkedIn profile photo

How to Find an Awesome Photographer for Your LinkedIn Profile Photo

Hiring a professional photographer for your LinkedIn profile photo can be confusing. To help, I …

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LinkedIn Profile Photo Posts
LinkedIn Public Profile

Do You Need a LinkedIn Public Profile in 2023?

My clients often have questions about LinkedIn public profiles. For instance, they ask: Is my …

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LinkedIn Privacy Posts
add company logo linkedin

Outsmart LinkedIn’s Ugly Tombstone Logo Box

If your profile displays unattractive gray boxes next to any of your jobs, it’s time …

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LinkedIn Profile Posts
Resume Education Section

Your Resume’s Education Section in 2023

Many job seekers want to know how to best show their educational background to recruiters …

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LinkedIn — Top 10 Profile Fields
Bad resume words

The 10 Most-Hated Resume Words

“What’s your least favorite resume word or phrase?” I asked this question on LinkedIn. An …

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DifferentiatorsResume Words Posts
Job Search Strategy

Use This 10X Job Search Strategy

Every once in a while, a picture comes along that shows a job search strategy …

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Job Search Strategy Posts
Lying on Resume

The Top 4 Resume Lies

Studies find lying in resumes is rampant. That said, it’s hard to know how much …

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Resume Optimization Posts
LinkedIn Resume Assistant

How to Use & Protect Yourself from LinkedIn Resume Assistant

Resume Assistant is a product integration between LinkedIn and its corporate overlord, Microsoft. *It was …

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LinkedIn Privacy Posts
non-compete agreement

Ask This Question About Non-Compete Agreements Before Taking Any Job

Non-compete agreements limit your ability to quit jobs and get raises. Would you want to …

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Job Offer Posts

How to Quit Your Job

You have a new job, or you’re just done. So now, like millions of others …

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Job Offer Posts
Google for Jobs

How Does Google for Jobs Work?

If you’re looking for a job, you’d be crazy to miss setting up alerts on …

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Job Search Tools Posts
job clubs

Job Clubs: The Top Habit of Successful Job Seekers

Get All the Answers About Job Clubs! This post describes what a job club is, …

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DifferentiatorsJob Search Strategy Posts
skills to put on your resume

10 Tools to Identify Skills to Put on Your Resume

To rock the job market and get interviews, you must be strategic about the skills …

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Resume Keyword Posts
Job search goal

The Best Job Search Goal to Use to Actually Get a Job

In the realm of possible job search goals, one beats all the others. The Best …

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Job Search Strategy Posts
How to find company email addresses

3 Easy Ways to Find Company Email Addresses

Have you found recruiters you want to contact, but you can’t find company email addresses …

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Job Search Tools Posts
how to find a good recruiter

How To Find a Good Recruiter

Last week, a Twitter friend asked me, “How do I find a recruiter?”  I’ve been …

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Working with Recruiters Posts
LinkedIn background photo

How to Use Canva to Make a Perfectly-Sized, Custom LinkedIn Background Photo

Every person who views your LinkedIn profile sees your background image.  The Case for a …

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LinkedIn Profile Posts
Interview research with Google

2 Best Tools for Interview Research

You know interview research benefits your job search and career in many ways. For instance, …

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DifferentiatorsInterview Prep & Follow-Up Posts
professional resume

The Top 10 Secrets Your Professional Resume Reveals

You might not know the secrets your resume reveals to recruiters and hiring managers. What? …

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Resumes & Recruiters Posts
ATS resume keywords

The Best ATS Resume Keyword

Savvy job seekers use ATS keywords to help recruiters find them. A Common Mistake People …

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Resume Keyword Posts
LinkedIn Recommendation Generator

Would You Use This Free LinkedIn Recommendation Generator?

A friend just pointed me to a free AI tool you can use as a …

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LinkedIn Skills & Recommendation Posts
pain letter

How to Ditch Your Pain Letter for an Opportunity Letter

Career advice from Liz Ryan tells you that writing a pain letter to accompany your …

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Cover Letter PostsDifferentiators
LinkedIn Headline Examples

10 Easy Tips to Improve Your LinkedIn Headline & SEO

What should your LinkedIn headline say when you’re looking for a job? That’s a good …

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LinkedIn — Top 10 Profile FieldsLinkedIn SEO Posts
dates on resume

The ATS Doesn’t Care How You Write Dates on Your Resume

I saw a blog post last week about writing dates on resumes.  It suggested that …

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Resume Structure & Format Posts
LinkedIn PDF

How to Create a PDF of Your LinkedIn Profile

Do you keep a LinkedIn PDF file with your old profiles?  Have you ever wished …

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LinkedIn Profile Posts
faze or phase

How to Use Phase and Faze

You’re writing a cover or thank you letter. You mention a challenge and say: “This …

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Cover Letter PostsDifferentiators
does a resume need a cover letter

Everything About Cover Letters That Matters

Does a resume need a cover letter? It’s a good question. Career experts and writers …

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Cover Letter Posts
LinkedIn visibility

Following Companies on LinkedIn Helps Recruiters Find You

Are you following companies on LinkedIn? If you are, I have good news and bad …

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DifferentiatorsLinkedIn SEO Posts
Is LinkedIn Premium Worth It?

Is LinkedIn Career Premium Worth It?

“What is LinkedIn Career Premium, and is LinkedIn Premium worth it?” Have you ever asked …

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LinkedIn — Top 10 Profile FieldsLinkedIn SEO Posts
resume heat map

How to Use Bold Font on Your Resume

Beyond choosing a font for your resume, you have to decide when to use the …

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Resume FontsResume Structure & Format Posts
Interview thank you email

Interview Thank-You Winner

The interview thank-you stumps many people. Thus, when one of my clients sent me a …

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Interview Thank-You Posts
interview thank you email

Interview Thank-You Email or Letter or Note?

The debate over sending an interview thank-you email versus a letter or a note probably …

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Interview Thank-You Posts
Skills Portion of Resume

Do You Always Have to Put a Skills Section on Your Resume?

Let’s talk about the Skills portion of your resume. You know, the section job seekers …

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Resume Keyword Posts
Three LinkedIn Profile Picture Tips

The 3 Best LinkedIn Profile Picture Tips

Photofeeler, a Boulder, Colorado startup, researches LinkedIn and other social media profile pictures. Because of …

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DifferentiatorsLinkedIn — Top 10 Profile FieldsLinkedIn Profile Photo Posts
accomplishments for resume

How to Quantify Resume Accomplishments

Do you know that the most powerful way to write accomplishments for your resume is …

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DifferentiatorsResume Accomplishments Posts
how to connect with the hiring manager

How to Connect to Anyone — But Especially Hiring Managers

Last month, a reader wanted to know how to connect with a hiring manager who …

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Connecting with People Posts
LinkedIn Profile Picture Discrimination

Do You Always Have to Use Your Picture on Your LinkedIn Profile?

Have you ever asked yourself, “Does LinkedIn profile picture discrimination exist?” Or, “Will using a …

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LinkedIn Profile Photo Posts
What is an Oxford Comma?

The Oxford Comma on Your Resume

“What is an Oxford comma?” you ask. Take a look at this brief, charming TEDEd …

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Resume Optimization Posts
Leverage my skills

Are You Using “Leverage” Correctly on Your Resume?

Search Consultant Patricia Duarte and I have been having a Twitter conversation about using the word …

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Resume Words Posts
location linkedin profile

Use the Location Where You Want to Work on Your LinkedIn Profile

According to a Lending Tree survey, 39% of Americans want to move to a new …

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DifferentiatorsLinkedIn — Top 10 Profile FieldsLinkedIn SEO Posts
piqued my interest

Writing “You Peaked My Interest” Might Lose the Interview

Cover letters eliminate you from consideration for jobs far more often than they compel your …

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Cover Letter PostsDifferentiators
how to request recommendation on linkedin

Awesome Request for a LinkedIn Recommendation

If you’ve ever wondered how to request a recommendation on LinkedIn, you’re smart. Testimonials are …

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LinkedIn Skills & Recommendation Posts
Add awards

4 Places to Add Awards & Honors to Your LinkedIn Profile

OK, you haven’t won an Oscar (yet), but it’s still good to know how to …

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LinkedIn Profile Posts
hiring manager viewed my linkedin profile

The Hiring Manager Viewed Your LinkedIn Profile — Should You Connect?

A job seeker recently wrote to me because a hiring manager had viewed her LinkedIn …

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LinkedIn Connections Posts
job offer rescinded after salary negotiation

You Negotiated Your Job Offer & They Pulled It. Now What?

Have you ever heard of a job offer rescinded after a salary negotiation? If yes, …

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Job Offer Posts
Address on Resume

The Real Reason to Not Put Your Address on Your Resume

Address on resume — yes or no? It’s a smart question to ask. Here’s what …

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Resumes & Recruiters Posts
executive power words

Executive Resumes — 100 Research Proven Power Words — Infographic

Executive power words. They belong on executive resumes. We know they’re mostly verbs — words …

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Resume Words Posts
how to ask for a reference after being fired

How to Ask for a Reference After Being Fired

If you just lost your job, then you might be wondering about how to ask …

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Employment References Posts
how to unfriend on linkedin

How to Unfriend Someone on LinkedIn

How do you unfriend someone on LinkedIn? Good question! But first: When Should You Unfriend …

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LinkedIn Connections Posts
How to Abbreviate Million

How to Abbreviate Million on Your Resume

Don’t abbreviate the word million. Spell it out.  Many people want to abbreviate million, but …

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Resume Optimization Posts
LinkedIn Name

Your Name on LinkedIn — 5 Tips to Increase Profile Views

Your LinkedIn name is the first thing people see about you on the site. That’s …

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LinkedIn Name Posts
how to connect with recruiters on linkedin

How to Connect with Recruiters on LinkedIn

Earlier this week, one of my resume clients asked me, “Should I connect with recruiters …

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LinkedIn Connections PostsWorking with Recruiters Posts
cover letter resend

I Made a Mistake on My Cover Letter

A reader recently sent me this note: “I made a mistake on my cover letter, …

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Cover Letter Posts
Job interview thank you note

How to Lose the Job with Your Interview Thank-You

Do you know that your interview thank-you can cost you the job? When I did …

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Interview Thank-You Posts
LinkedIn algorithm

LinkedIn’s Search Algorithm Favors the Employed

My clients want recruiters to find them on LinkedIn. So I test the LinkedIn algorithm …

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LinkedIn SEO Posts
pay cut

Cover Letters — When You’ll Take a Pay Cut

Recent research found that 58% of people have taken a pay cut for more satisfying …

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Cover Letter Posts
creative resumes

Recruiters Don’t Want Creative Resumes

While the media loves to feature stories about creative resumes that land dream jobs for …

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Resumes & Recruiters Posts

LinkedIn Skills Endorsements Accelerate Your Job Search

I have tracked how much LinkedIn Skills matter for profile SEO for years. LinkedIn Skills …

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LinkedIn SEO PostsLinkedIn Skills & Recommendation Posts
Best interview Thank-You Letter After Interview

Best Thank-You Letter After an Interview

A few years ago, I received the best thank-you letter after conduting an interview ever. …

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Interview Thank-You Posts
recommended font for resume

5 Reasons Why Calibri is Still the Best Resume Font in 2023

Do you want to know if there is a recommended font for resumes? Yes, there …

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Resume Fonts
LinkedIn Connection Request

How to Invite 2nd-Level Connections to Your LinkedIn Network

Have you ever wondered, “What do I write in a LinkedIn connection request?” Well, one …

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LinkedIn — Top 10 Profile FieldsLinkedIn Connections Posts
contacting recruiters on LinkedIn

How to Contact Recruiters Who View Your LinkedIn Profile

One of my LinkedIn connections sent me this question about contacting recruiters on LinkedIn today: …

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Working with Recruiters Posts
business headshot

The Best Headshot Tip Ever

Every professional needs a business headshot that conveys their branding. If you’re an art director, you …

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LinkedIn Profile Photo Posts
What do you know about our company?

How to Crush, “What Do You Know About our Company?”

Recent research indicates that how you answer the interview question, “What do you know about …

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DifferentiatorsInterview Prep & Follow-Up PostsInterview Question Posts
How many words should a resume be?

How to Size Your Resume to Recruiters’ Needs

I opened a resume file the other night that scared me. It used a tiny …

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Resume Structure & Format Posts
linkedin contact information

LinkedIn Contact Information — Almost Everyone’s Huge Mistake

Recruiters spend their lives on LinkedIn looking for people to hire. When they find and …

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DifferentiatorsLinkedIn Profile Posts
how to add credentials to LinkedIn

How to Add Credentials to Your Name on LinkedIn

It often makes sense for you to add credentials to your name on LinkedIn. If …

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LinkedIn Name Posts
questions to ask at the end of an interview

Get to “Yes” with These 5 Interview Wrap-Up Questions

You’ve made it through the interview. You can feel it coming to an end. Take …

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Interview Question Posts
linkedin profile url

How to Customize Your LinkedIn Profile’s URL [Video]

How ugly is the standard-issue LinkedIn profile URL? Pretty bad. Mine used to look like …

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LinkedIn Privacy Posts
linkedin anonymous

How to View Profiles in LinkedIn Anonymous Mode

Let’s say you’re curious about the people at a potential employer or competitor. You want …

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LinkedIn Privacy Posts
interview preparation

2023 Job Interview Preparation with Glassdoor, Reddit & MORE

You just scheduled an interview with a company where you want to work. Congratulations! Now …

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Interview Prep & Follow-Up Posts
summary of accomplishments

5 Easy Accomplishment Statements for Your 2023 Resume

If you want your resume to get interviews, then share a summary of accomplishments for …

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Resume Accomplishments Posts
Career Networking

24 Calls to Make to Your Career Network in 2022

Do you get tongue twisted or terrified when it’s time to call your career network? …

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Connecting with People Posts

Connect with Professors on LinkedIn for 3+ Career Benefits

“Connect with professors on LinkedIn,” says former recruiter and current social media strategist, Rich DeMatteo. …

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LinkedIn Connections Posts
LinkedIn network

How to Grow Your LinkedIn Network Fast, 0 to 500+

Are you focused on getting a job? And you don’t have much of a LinkedIn …

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LinkedIn Connections Posts
Progressively responsible

The 3 Least Effective Words on Your 2023 Resume

Do you want to know how to turn off a recruiter or hiring manager just …

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Resume Words Posts
Twitter bio ideas

10 Twitter Bio Ideas — Get Found by Recruiters in 2023

Job hunting? Yes. Resume done? Yes. LinkedIn profile polished? Yes. Facebook profile built? Yes. Now …

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Working with Recruiters Posts
how many words in a sentence

How to Write Your Best Resume Ever with Shorter Sentences

How many words in a sentence? It’s a good question that doesn’t get asked often …

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Resume Optimization Posts
Another word for utilize

What is Another Word for Utilize?

The words you utilize in your resume matter. The words you use on your resume …

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Resume Words Posts
I applied for a job and haven't heard back

79% of Companies Offer This Resource to Get You an Interview

“I applied for a job and haven’t heard back. Now what?” 2-Column Cover Letter Analysis …

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DifferentiatorsJob Search Strategy Posts
employment reference check

4 Reasons Why Employers Check References

If your job interviews go well, the next step in the hiring process is often …

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Employment References Posts
multicultural competench

Multicultural Competence — A 2023 Best Job Skill

Recruiters avoid candidates with long tenures (7-plus years) at their current companies. They worry about …

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Interview Question PostsResumes & Recruiters Posts
credentials on resume

How to Place Credentials on Your Resume

Resume credentials confuse many people. Have you earned professional credentials that are: Well-known Respected in …

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Resume Structure & Format Posts
lowball job offer

How to Increase a Lowball Job Offer

What can you do if you receive a lowball job offer you don’t want to …

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Job Offer Posts
employment references

How to Use Performance Reviews as Quick Job References

Checking employment references can slow a job offer down, but they provide critical information employers …

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Employment References Posts
Career Networking

How to Network with Colleagues

A recent study found that people with solid career networking skills have better work lives. …

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Connecting with People Posts
after the interview tips

How to Keep Momentum After Your Interview

Bottom line, when you don’t hear back after a job interview, it is because the …

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Interview Prep & Follow-Up Posts
Reference USA

How to Use the Reference USA Database to Find a Job in 2023

Reference USA (now Reference Solutions), a 43-million active business online database, is a big data …

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Job Search Tools Posts
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