Month: July 2020

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Call me maybe…The Telephone Interview

When I was a wee tot, I used to get a phone call with Santa Claus, usually in early December. I never knew when he would call, but I had to be ready if I was going to get him my list of Christmas presents that I desired early. I had to be ready, for the call could come at any time. Usually, my mom would tell me to pick up the phone and Santa would be on the other line. I tell this story to remember the first time I felt true anxiety. Usually I would have this list ready to go, but nearly every time my mind would go blank.

Was it the stress of the situation? Was it being put on the spot? Was it trying to figure out why Santa sounded so much like my grandfather on the phone? Continue reading “Call me maybe…The Telephone Interview”

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Where have you been all my life? Discussing your job history.

Now it is time to account for all of your misdeeds. You have provided a resume, filled out an application and have told the Hiring Manager about yourself. Inevitably, you are going to be asked this question early in the interview, and you are going to be asked it by every single person in the organization who talks to you in their interview process.

Continue reading “Where have you been all my life? Discussing your job history.”

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How to get out of a shitty job, part I.

We’ve all been there. The desperate part of the job search. You have sent out resumes. Talked to recruiters. Had phone interviews and maybe a few in-person ones. You have scowered every job site, newspaper and seen every ad on Craigslist that you have memorized a few and noticed which companies post on multiple job sites. Funds are getting lower, idle time is making your mind go to strange places. Perhaps you are reading this from the comfort of your sofa-cushion fort.

Continue reading “How to get out of a shitty job, part I.”
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Dick and Jane vs. Moby Dick – How Long should my resumé be?

In High School my Junior year, I remember having to read many books. For the most part, I don’t remember which books I was required to read exactly, but one particular one comes to mind when I think of Mrs. Bernstein’s 11th grade English Class. That damn Moby Dick!

NOTE: This is now the second and I promise the last reference in this blog to that infernal novel. (Yes, I am expanding upon my prior entry on resumé preparation.) I think this point is so important it deserves it’s own separate entry.

To get back to my story: that book is memorable because it was far too long, far too irrelevant and far too boring. For those of you who have never had to snooze through too many pages, let me set this up for you. Continue reading “Dick and Jane vs. Moby Dick – How Long should my resumé be?”