Creative job titles are becoming normal. I’ve come across job seekers with the title of “Chaos Manager,” “Strategy Partner,” “Growth Hacker,” “Sustainability Advocate” or “Director of Corporate Responsibility.” Many of those titles reflect recent business trends, such as those toward disruptive technology, collaboration, social responsibility, and marketing with stories (“Chief Storyteller”). Others are simply misguided att...

There are countless clubs, bars and other establishments that serve a wide array of beverages. While all those places have bartenders, there’s a more unique position that brings more to the table. Joey Houghtaling is a mixologist, travelling the country and the world to lend his expertise in the world of alcohol. Joey discusses his career path with Tim Muma, why it works for him, and how to get involved if it’s something yo...

CareerCast.com’s 2016 Jobs Rated Report was recently published for the 28th consecutive year, and it’s fascinating to peruse the findings.The popular job search website gathered data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a division of the US Department of Labor, to rank jobs based on four core criteria: work environment (physical and emotional requirements); income; job outlook (growth versus unemployment); and stress factor...

If you had to decide between going through an interview for a job you really want or having a tooth pulled, which would you choose? I wouldn’t be surprised if you opted for the tooth removal! At least it would be over with quickly, and you’d start feeling better soon.With the job interview, though, not only do you have to get through the period before the interview, but also you need to endure the interview itself and, hope...

On December 9, 2014, I learned that my steady, salaried job with Hertz was coming to an end. Our entire team was being laid off at the same time, and December 31 would be our last day. Right away I was faced with the question of whether to get a job or start a business.The knowledge that I would soon have to move forward without this job came to me first as welcome news. I’d been in the role for nearly four years. While I l...

It’s not uncommon for job seekers and salespeople to be waiting for the “perfect” opportunity before they take any action. The problem with waiting for “perfect” is that it may never come. In the meantime, opportunities that might not be as big or “perfect” but in their own right could lead to something pretty darn close are often passed by. Imagine the surfer who sits on their board all day long and never rides a wave. The...

Prepare your graduate school resume (some call it a graduate school CV) once you've decided to expand your knowledge and skills by earning a Master's Degree or PhD. This is a key part of the grad school application process. This is not the conventional job application resume that you might use to target a specific job opportunity. The graduate school wants to make sure that you can handle the advanced lessons and courses....

The calls often begin with an apologetic "never needed a programmer resume" admission: "I've never had to get a professional resume before." Or, "I never dreamed of hiring a professional resume writer. I've always been able to land a programming job." Or, "I never even had to look for jobs. They found me."Software wizards have seldom needed help from resume wizards. Programmers have a desired set of skills and it has often...

I’m so pleased to share this guest blog post from my IUAA colleague, Erin Bruce. She is a career coach and advocate for working moms who is also raising a Gen Z son so this new generation is especially close to her heart.They’re here! Generation Z, the iGeneration, Post-Millennials, Centennials, or Zees, are just a few of the names of the new generation that has entered post-secondary institutions this year. Gen Z consumers...

Far too many students go through college with unrealistic expectations. These students somehow expect to graduate with a good job, even though they do little or nothing to earn one. They avoid what is obvious to everyone around them and bury their heads in the sand. They don’t listen to their advisors, their parents or the career services professionals. Are you one of these students?When you never hit your stride, don’t...