Networking is tough. If you are in management long enough, you have definitely had the experience of someone who wants a job being extra clingy when it comes to making sure that their name is top of your mind. You know what they say, “all things in moderation”, but there comes a time when it crosses a line to both the uncomfortable and the unprofessional.
There are certainly cycles in life when it feels like others are “getting ahead” of you and you feel like you need to make a move. Maybe it has been a while since your last big promotion. Or you look on social media and four of your friends got a new job, three are having kids, two are getting married, and a partridge in a pear tree!
It’s no secret that it’s getting harder and harder to face the job market. Competition is fierce, AI is taking market share and the industries in need are constantly changing. All this to say that a “good enough” application package 20 years ago won’t get you a sniff today. Good has to become great and in some cases great as to become exceptional. So what does exceptional look like?
Interviews can be an incredibly stressful time! It can feel like your whole world is riding on this one hour but we have to stop and take a minute to acknowledge that this is one part of a large puzzle that will determine if you get the job.
While most in the private sector are used to a one to two page resume, those in the federal workforce have been accustomed to a much longer format than most human resource officials would recommend. Very recently that has changed and resumes will now be limited to two pages. This week we’ll dive into how to be a distiller of information in order to maximize the impact of your resume.
Depending on who you talk to there is a vast difference of opinions on cover letters. Do you need them? Are they worth your time? Some jobs require them, and some don’t. As someone who has served on many hiring panels in the federal government, I can tell you that the cover letter still holds tremendous value.