Tesar-Reynes

When times get tough the resume tends to become plastic. We see titles being changed, jobs being dropped out, graduation dates erased and the early part of careers completely excised.

In my eyes, each of the above has a different penalty. If a person does not include early career information or grad date, there is no harm done. They have not really misrepresented themselves and I can ask them to fill in the information.

The people that get nailed are those who willingly alter their past by creating new job titles/responsibilities and leave out entire pieces of their job history. The resume reads well, but if we catch it, the person will never be presented by us to a client. …

I’m happy to reports some good news. Last week I signed an offer letter for a Social Media Specialist position with a local BtoB firm. A strange sense of accomplishment and duty came over me while I read the letter. My mind kept wandering to thoughts of the next few years of my career.

I pictured the office I’d be working at and what it would feel like to walk through its doors in the morning. I could see myself saying hello to new co-workers as I made my way towards my desk. I imagined logging into my computer, checking emails, and corresponding with account executives and other contacts.

I could see myself knocking on our president’s door. My head would gesture towards her with a friendly nod as she talked busily on the phone …

There seems to be a few things that are in common with many of the people I talk to today. They are fearful, frustrated and reinventing themselves.

I just talked to a person who spent many years in the QSR industry and they have honed a new concept store that will be opened by the end of the year.

Recently I ran into another person who is going into personal career training to help Baby Boomers transition into a new way of making a living.

We are dealing with someone we knew years ago who is trying to buy small distressed agencies and grow a local midwestern network. I had lunch last month with an old candidate who has propelled herself up the organization by becoming …

You’ve been through your first interview. You did well and the company wants you to come back for another. But what should you expect? You know you’re in the running for the job. This could be the next big step in your career, and you want to come as well prepared to the interview as possible.

A job offer means security. It means a step up the ladder. It means a promise that you’ll be able to make a better living for you and your family.

That’s the opportunity presented to me at the moment. I interviewed for a Social Media Specialist position with a BtoB firm last week and have been asked to return for a second interview. There’s one problem – I’ve never been on a second interview before!

So I scoured the Internet for some 2nd job interview …

I have an entrepreneurial spirit. Often, I daydream of starting my own business and making Business Week’s list of America’s Best Young Entrepreneurs. The young men and women who populate this year’s finalists look like rock stars to me. One of them, Shama Kabani, caught my attention because she made her mark by starting a business specializing in exactly what I do – Social Media Marketing.

This girl is 24 years old and she already owns a company that expects revenues of $280,000 in only its second year of operation. Her business, …

After being out of work for a while, the idea of any money versus no money becomes pretty clear. The problem lies in negotiating with a potential employer for a lower salary. When working with a search firm, a person has a sense of perimeters. When going into a job negotiation solo, there is a sense of flying blind.

Two questions you may have are:

1. If I ask for too much, will I price myself out of the job?

2. If I price myself too low, do I come off as damaged merchandise or desperate?

There is no good answer. Two suggestions:

1. Bounce the question off a trusted recruiter you know.

2. Ask the interviewer what the salary range is for the job spec.

…

I am working on a search where the right candidate will probably have to relocate to the New York Tri-State area. Most of the people I have talked to are, knee-jerk, saying no. Too many of them are under water on their mortgage.

They intuitively knew that a future employer wasn’t going to bail them out of their mess. It is sort of a catch-22. “I got to get out of here and find a job; but I can’t get out of here to find a job.”

The only short term answer I know is either commute to the new opportunity or rent your home and then rent on the other end.

Hands down, the Economist is my favorite publication. Simply put, it keeps me informed. The writers don’t try and sway my opinion with guilt or emotion. They use only logic and sound reasoning, with a dash of British wit. I love British humor, so it’s right up my alley.

The video above was produced by the weekly news source in partnership with Xplane, an information design consultancy. I found the video on AdMaven, an interactive advertising blog from fellow Chicagoan and blogger Nick Kinports. For those who complain that the Economist is for pretentious educated people, the video shows they can dumb it down effectively.

As the video highlights, the model for information and entertainment …