People write to me all the time, seeking advice in securing their next position. Typical advice is to research the company, research the hiring manager, and above all, practice your interviewing skills. All of this, while important, comprises only 20% of the total challenge. In other words, your content is 20%, and your presentation is 80%. So, what are these ten things you should avoid? Here’s my list:1. Dirty, torn, or c...

There are a variety of ways you can look to save money for yourself and others, particularly if you're interested in helping fund your children's college education. Mark Stratis, senior financial planner for Szarka Financial, joins Tim Muma to discuss the details and benefits of a 529. Mark explains how this goes beyond your traditional savings and the bevy of options it gives you from start to finish. The information...

As we head into graduation season, most grads-to-be are feeling a mixture of anticipation and anxiety as they prepare to launch into the real world. But there’s a percentage who likely have another emotion blended in: panic.If you are graduating this spring and still job hunting, it can seem as though everyone else has their future lined up, and it’s hard not to panic and be jealous of those who have already snagged a posit...

Almost every career expert can agree that networking is essential for careerists. With that advice, some may feel like you can’t get enough of a good thing. Running here and there, and attending every event possible is not the best strategy. Savvy networkers know when to pass on a networking event. The following are a few examples.When the group is not relevant.Not every event is going to support your career goal. If the s...

There are many unknowns we come across when searching for a new role. This fact underlies feelings of both the anxiety associated with change and the excitement of a new adventure. With every change there is an element of risk and potential for growth.To lessen the anxiety and risk, while optimizing growth potential and reward, it's a good idea to gain control of perspective by managing our job hunt expectations. Consider t...

Time management…it seems like it should be simple, but for so many it is one of the greatest challenges.It’s every job hunter’s hidden secret. While you might claim you’re spending every minute reading job postings and tweaking your resume, it’s not actually true. Don’t worry — even the most hard-pressed job seekers can’t physically handle the stress of dedicating EVERY free minute to the hunt.It’s smarter to tailor your ap...

As a career coach and a mom with college-aged children readying themselves for the workforce, I hear from a lot of parents and recent grads with questions about how to best prepare for the “real world.” They want to know exactly what young adults can do today to position themselves powerfully to hit the ground running and land their first bona fide professional role right out of school. I have my own thoughts about that,...

Invite Your Boss to LunchThe Chamber of Commerce in Bloomington, IN has a vibrant program – hYPe, which stands for helping young professionals excel. In this multi-generational workforce it’s imperative for professionals of all ages to collaborate well in the proverbial workplace sandbox in order for organizations to succeed. We’ve heard the complaints respective to each age group but in the end – the most effective profess...

Social media. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and over 400 other recognized social media sites have helped to create a smaller world than ever before. While concerns grow over privacy rights and whether etiquette and ethics can keep pace with this constantly evolving milieu, there is no question that social media is a pervasive in our daily lives. Online networking, it seems, is rapidly becoming the communication medium of...

Remember when you were in school, and your English teacher assigned an essay? Everyone groaned and complained. Maybe some people opined that writing a five paragraph essay was a waste of time and not something that you’d ever have to do out in the “real world.”Then you got out into that “real world” and you quickly learned that your English teacher had a point. Everything we do hinges on effectively communicating with other...