by Karen Alphonse | Nov 12, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Management
Q: How does the gender gap affect working women today? Have any strides been made since the Women’s Liberation movement to make women’s workforce issues a matter of public debate? A: Women have certainly made strides in terms of their visibility and the variety of... by Karen Alphonse | Oct 29, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Q: I am definitely overqualified for my present role. I hold an advanced education degree and have been in the workforce for more than 25 years. I took this job two years ago to keep myself productive. Now, I regret the choice. My immediate supervisor is a lifer... by Karen Alphonse | Oct 22, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Q: I have heard so many different suggestions of what to include on my resume. What do you suggest? A: Focus on accomplishments, money and mission. By accomplishments, I mean anything that pushed your organization ahead and for which you can honestly claim... by Karen Alphonse | Oct 15, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Q: I have been in the workplace for the past 30 years, and I have many leadership skills. I was laid off during a downsizing after 15 years with that organization, and it has been more than three years since I my last paycheck. It is also difficult finding a job... by Karen Alphonse | Oct 1, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Q: What do recruiters look for in cover letters and resumes that will give an applicant a significant edge over others? A: Kristina DeLuca has an interesting blog seeking responses to this very question. To her blog, many respondents advise showcasing the following... by Karen Alphonse | Sep 17, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Q: I am older than 50, and I am having a difficult time accepting repeat rejections during my job search. It is frustrating and difficult to find meaningful work. What is an older employee to do in this economy? A: Your issue is well documented. A New York Times... by Karen Alphonse | Aug 19, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Question: I hear what you need to get a senior-level job these days is an “Executive Profile,” not a resume. A friend described the profile as a detailed document describing the information usually contained on a resume and more. Can you elaborate? Answer: We have... by Karen Alphonse | Aug 13, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Q: After applying for a new, professional job for quite some time, I finally have an offer from a well-known, regional insurance company. However, the offer is making me angry. I will be hired on a contract basis for the first year and am expected to generate at... by Karen Alphonse | Aug 6, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Q: I have been crushed by the lack of response to my resume. My more than 33-year career has been as a corporate executive, an entrepreneur and an adjunct professor, so I am very taken back at the seeming lack of interest. After circulating the current version of my... by Karen Alphonse | Jul 30, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Q: I have been a professor for the past 15 years and would like to serve the not-for-profit sector in a leadership capacity. I have tried everything from applying online and following up on job board posts to responding to newspaper ads. Nothing has even resulted in... by Karen Alphonse | Jul 23, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Q: I live and work in South Carolina and want to relocate to the North East for family reasons. My spouse and I have family in New Hampshire, and, for the sake of our two children, we would like to find solid positions in that general area. I feel as though my... by Karen Alphonse | Jul 16, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Question: I am finding that in my current role, there seems to be a glass ceiling regardless of having earned three promotions during my tenure. Complicating this issue is that I live in a state with a poor reputation for education which concerns us for our two sons.... by Karen Alphonse | Jul 9, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Question: I have been in the financial services sector for the past fifteen years working for a number of big name companies operating mostly out of New York City. I would like to take on a not-for-profit leadership role that taps my three core strengths of client... by Karen Alphonse | Jun 25, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Question: I was hired to take charge of diversity and inclusivity initiatives at a higher education institution. Because of politics, I resigned a few months ago and am now having difficulty securing another role. What do you suggest? Answer: There seem to be at... by Karen Alphonse | Jun 4, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Question: I am feeling a strong sense of rejection. I keep submitting applications, and then I hear nothing. It has been difficult keeping an upbeat spirit when I translate no news as bad news. What do you suggest? Answer: Rejection has a number of faces. ... by Karen Alphonse | May 28, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Question: I am sick and tired of working on my resume. It is full of gaps, and I am feeling very frustrated with it. Do you have any ideas about how I can get a handle on this process? Answer: The more I do this work, the more I realize that your resume is truly a... by Karen Alphonse | May 21, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Question: I am a college student, and I have not yet held any full-time jobs. On my current resume, I describe my internships as “unpaid.” Is this correct? Answer: That is technically correct. However, it may not be the most compelling way to describe your... by Karen Alphonse | May 14, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Question: I have been preparing myself for leadership for quite some time and am constantly looking for great opportunities. I have identified an Executive Director position that looks like a “dream job” for me. Is the fact that I have been a Chief... by Karen Alphonse | May 7, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Question: At my prior job, I held two interim roles. One was that of Interim Executive Director for which I eventually interviewed as a permanent position, but I was not offered the job. When I showed my resume to another recruiter, he began to question me about... by Karen Alphonse | Apr 30, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Question: I am preparing a reference list for my job search. So far, I list five male supervisors. What should I be considering when comprising my list? Answer: As a recruiter, I check for 360-degree completeness on a reference list. That is, I want to see on that...