When I was planning a move to Portland in 2009, “Portlandia” didn’t exist and I had no friends in the city that I could ask for help. At that time, I found limited information on Portland aside from the “Lonely Planet” guide I picked up. Needless to say, things have changed. Today, you can find… Read more »
Why You Absolutely Must Embrace the Cover Letter
Oh, the cover letter. Often cursed, often agonized over. Many people sigh, “What’s the point? No one reads them anyway.” I am here to not only defend this job search staple, but to invite you to embrace it as well. Here’s why: People in charge of hiring do read cover letters. I hear from countless recruiters and managers that a… Read more »
Navigating the Job Search as a Woman
It’s no lie that women have a long road ahead to achieve equality in the workforce. The Bureau of Labor Statistics published figures in January that looked at weekly earnings of women versus men and found that women earn 83% of what men are paid. If you’re a woman or you know a woman looking for… Read more »
5 Ways to Make Networking Part of Your Career
The hidden job market is not a myth. Some estimates put the number of unadvertised jobs as high as 80%. Talk to hiring managers, human resource directors, and career counselors. They will tell you that most openings, especially for professional positions, never appear on a job board. Positions go unadvertised because employers hire people they know or… Read more »
Five Signs You’re Stuck in Your Career (And What You Can Do About It)
Readers often talk to me about their jobs, careers, and search for a more meaningful life. The common theme I hear in my conversations with many of you is this: You feel stuck. The best decisions we can make for ourselves are also often the hardest. This is why we sometimes feel stuck in a… Read more »
Fighting Back When You’re 50+ and Unemployed
Are employers passing on you because you’re over 50? You bet. According to a recent survey by AARP, about two-thirds of older workers say they have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace. How do you fight back? Here are some ideas: Don’t start a blog about looking for work You might as well slap a big… Read more »
Stop Buying People Coffee (or Asking to Pick Their Brain)
Would you ask your boss, a leader in your field, or a coworker to a business meeting without an agenda, a time limit, and an outcome in mind? Of course you wouldn’t. You think about your goals for the conversation. You also identify the results you want. And you consider the other person’s needs and… Read more »
Got Interview Jitters? Strike a Power Pose!
Did you know that your words account for only seven percent of how people judge you? It’s true. Body language and presentation are the most significant ways people make assumptions about who you are. In a job interview, planning and preparation are important, but nothing compares to showing confidence as you head into that room. Your… Read more »
How to Write a Resume Employers Will Love
It’s easy to get stuck on tactical questions when you create your resume. I’ve known friends and colleagues to agonize about whether or not to include an objective statement, add college graduation dates, or mention hobbies. How you organize your resume and what you say about yourself matters a great deal, especially if you face… Read more »
The Top 10 Portland Job Search Questions
In every job search, we look for answers to questions so that we don’t make any mistakes that could jeopardize getting that new job. Here are the top 10 questions I’ve been asked during my time as the editor of Mac’s List: 1. Do Portland employers even consider out of state workers? Yes, of course… Read more »
Do You Know These 9 Networking Secrets?
I enjoy meeting new people, so I’ve learned a lot in my career about how to work a room and make connections and build relationships. Although I consider myself good at networking, as with any skill, I’m always looking to improve. Several years ago, I attended a conference for public relations agency owners and heard an impressive presentation on… Read more »
How to Talk About Your Job Search
Expect to talk about your job search A LOT when looking for employment; at networking events, with friends, family, and even chance encounters at the store or dog park. Make every moment count with every connection by practicing the way you talk about your job search. Here are four ways to make those conversations more… Read more »
10 Reasons You Want to Work and Live in Portland, Oregon
For all its job search hassle, Portland is worth the extra work. From the coast to the mountains, the opportunities for fun before, during, and after work are endless. I want you to stay motivated in your job search, so here are 10 reasons I believe you want to work and live in Portland (in… Read more »
Keep Portland Weird: It’s Good for Your Career
Signs of change are everywhere in the workplace. Few employers now offer the comfortable bargain of the old industrial economy: lifetime employment and a pension as long as you do as you’re told and you follow all the rules. Even if you wanted to spend your career with just one company, fewer firms will offer… Read more »
Four Tips for a Successful Phone Interview
Employers often screen applicants with a phone interview. Not only are they making sure you’re sane and reasonably intelligent, they also want to make sure both the candidate and employer are on the same page regarding location, salary, availability, and qualifications. A phone interview can be an easy task to under think, given the informality of… Read more »
How to Answer Weird Interview Questions
It’s not an urban legend… many employers ask weird interview questions to catch you off guard and test your ability to think on the fly. Succeeding in your next interview may depend on how well you can answer the question: “What would you do if you found a penguin in the freezer?” Each year, Glassdoor.com releases… Read more »
4 Must-Ask Questions for Your Next Informational Interview
I had the good fortune on Wednesday to attend the Communicators Conference sponsored by the Portland Metro Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and the Oregon-Columbia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. One of the conference highlights for me: Michelle Lantow, chief administrative officer for New Season’s Market, told how she found her dream job by having coffee with… Read more »
Don’t Make These 4 Mistakes in Your Portland Job Search
Editor’s note: A version of this article originally appeared on The University of Oregon’s Career Center blog. I graduated from the University of Oregon with a packed resume in 2011, including five internships, and figured all my career dreams would fall into place with ease. But after sending out resumes and cover letters for six months,… Read more »
4 Steps to Work-Life Balance
A review of Careerealism: The Smart Approach to a Satisfying Career, by J.T. O’Donnell When you meet someone new—whether it’s at a party, a work function, or anywhere else—one of the first questions you’ll probably ask them is what they do for a living. It’s a question, the answer to which can shape how you view… Read more »
How to Answer “What Are Your Weaknesses?”
We’ve all been there. We’ve breezed through the job interview, and then we get the dreaded question… “Tell me… what are your weaknesses?” It’s a tricky question. You want to choose an authentic answer. But you can’t hurt your candidacy. The trick is to respond just like politician; briefly respond to the sticky question, then pivot… Read more »
The Minimalist Guide to Informational Interviews
A review of The 20-Minute Networking Meeting, by Marcia Ballinger and Nathan A. Perez What’s the best way to find a job? Some people still believe there’s only one approach: spot an opening on a job site, write a brief email with a resume attached, and hit the send button. We all know someone who has found… Read more »
Impress the Hiring Manager by Making Them #1
It’s the rare day when Portland career counselor Vicki Lind gets a finger-wag from one of her clients. But that’s what was happening that day. The wobbly digit came from Cris, a straight-talking New Yorker seeking a non-profit job in Portland. In an mock-interview, Cris was asked how she would handle a difference of opinion with her… Read more »
8 Interview Secrets Employers Won’t Tell You
Have you been asked to interview for a job? Congratulations! As you prepare, don’t forget to consider the hiring process from the perspective of the employer. You’ll be a much stronger candidate if you remember that a company has a set of problems that you may be ideally suited to solve. As you sit down… Read more »
5 Ways to Cure the Portland Job Search Blues
Readers always tell me that Mac’s List gives them hope about finding work in Portland. But with so many people competing for every position, I know it isn’t easy to land a job here. This week I’ve had at least 10 conversations with people looking for work in Portland and I hear you – you’re frustrated… Read more »
How to Improve Your Marketability in a Changing Job Market
A review of Forget Job Security: Build Your Marketability, by Dawn Rasmussen Job security is dead. Loyalty to a company no longer matters. Short-term employees are now the norm in many industries. And every day employers ask workers for new ways to improve efficiency, productivity, and profits. Most Americans struggle to cope with these changes, says Dawn… Read more »
10 Killer Mistakes To Avoid in an Informational Interview
Informational interviews are one of the best ways to clarify your career goals, grow a professional network, and uncover hidden jobs that never get posted publicly. Having conversations with other professionals can help you answer practical questions about the job market in your field, open up your network and help you make new contacts, and put you… Read more »
How to Bounce Back from a Bad Interview
Horrible. Awful. Failure. As I stepped out of a recent job interview, my thoughts were a thesaurus of negativity. Before the door even closed behind me, I had already written off the possibility of a callback. I’m sure this kind of reaction isn’t uncommon. Many people find public speaking nerve-wracking, and the stress is only amplified by how much… Read more »
How to Network Like an Extrovert (Even if You’re Shy)
My colleagues at Mac’s List and I share a singular interest: we enjoy going to receptions, association lunches and other public events and talking to strangers… lots and lots of them. We recognize that many people have a different feeling about meeting and chatting up new people. Plenty of people don’t like to network because… Read more »
The Power of Saying “Yes” in Your Job Search
I spent this past Saturday talking to students at the Northwest Returnee Conference on Education Abroad (NWRC), a conference for college students who have recently returned from studying or interning abroad. I have always been passionate about education and international travel, so when an event combines my two favorite topics you can imagine my excitement. I’ve… Read more »
A Recruiter’s Guide to Winning a Job Interview
I work as a recruiter—my job is to find and hire the right people for different organizations. This job has given me a unique insight into the interview process—what works, what doesn’t, and how jobseekers can make a great, hire-this-person-right-now impression. I want to help you land the job of your dreams, so here are… Read more »