By Jim Wiederhold

This time of the year, many people on the job hunt close up shop for the year, certain that no forward progress can be made between Thanksgiving and the New Year. This is simply not true. We all may be eager to put 2020 behind us, but there is still good work to be done to build a fulfilling life and career.

By Danielle Mellema

Entrepreneurs and small business owners are seeing the benefits of the still-growing podcasting trend. Podcast hosting is a (generally) low-cost way is to kill many birds with one stone—you can share your expertise, learn from others, deepen your network, position yourself as a thought-leader in your industry, and build a community with similar goals, interests, or ideals.

By Jim Wiederhold

Here’s a scenario I get asked about often:

You’re in the acute care market. With COVID-19 challenges and hospitals only just now starting to hire again, you look outside the acute care market for job opportunities. But you know from watching colleagues take time away from acute care and attempt to return, that it isn’t always possible.

By Claire Sakaoka

As freelancers and solopreneurs, we are always looking for ways to either cut overhead or create more time in the day. Or very often – BOTH. And when you are busy, creating and managing social media accounts fall to the bottom of your list. Admit it, at least one day a week, the thought crosses your mind, “I should be posting to __________.”

By Jim Wiederhold

Great news for those in a career transition: After many uncertain months, recruiters and
executives in my network are reporting that hiring is starting to pick back up. It’s not back to
normal, but it’s heading in the right direction.

By Jim Wiederhold - Right now, the job market is experiencing significant changes. People are finding themselves unemployed in increasing number who never thought they would lose their job. And with so many people looking for only a handful of open positions, it’s a terribly competitive situation.

By Jim Wiederhold - When I meet with people who are starting their career transition journey, I often ask if they have a record of their accomplishments from their previous positions. Most often, people assure me that the information is stored “in their head.”

By Jim Wiederhold

Over the years, I’ve worked with many executives who were separated from their organizations for a variety of reasons, and the number of reasons continues to grow. Today, executives are let go not just for poor job performance but personality fit, relationships, business decisions, and company politics. Having dealt with these exit stories in all categories, it’s clear that people aren’t being given feedback—and aren’t asking for it.

By Jim Wiederhold

In a time where communities are keeping their social distance and offices are closed in favor of working from home, networking looks different than it did a few months ago. People are rightfully distracted by COVID-19 and the economic challenge of our current situation. With reasonable expectations and a genuine desire to help your connections, you can continue to grow and deepen your network—even in these uncertain times.

By Jim Wiederhold

Career transition—whether anticipated or unexpected—can be a trying time in a person’s life. But in the transition process, there are lessons you can learn, skills you can develop, and habits you can form that will make you a better person, a stronger leader, and will serve you well as you continue to progress in your career.

By Claire Sakaoka

With a background in public relations, I’m trained in not only how to communicate during a crisis, but also how to make lemonade out lemons. I was taught to look for the most consumable angle when delivering news. A way to subtly communicate our company’s positive attributes and/or mitigate potentially damaging messages. This is the lens in which I view the media.

By Jim Wiederhold

Networking is so often thought of as something that no one really wants to do, but that everyone knows they have to do in order to succeed in their careers. But I don’t think most people realize the true value of it.

70% of people looking for a job find it through networking. In my experience, that is absolutely true. In fact, I think that percentage is likely even higher.

“So the worst has happened. You’ve been told that you’re going to be let go, and now you wonder how am I going to position myself to get my next position or move on in my career so that I’m still perceived as credible?” asks Claire Faucett Sakaoka, owner of engage5w. Sakaoka provides concrete tips on how to manage your story to maximize your chances of success.

Why is it that some people thrive and others survive in business? Much of it comes back to their network. A network is like a garden. You have to water it on a consistent basis for it to grow. However, most of us put our heads down and focus on daily tasks. We say that we are too busy to network. We end up neglecting our networking garden and focus mainly on what others can do for us. Unfortunately, this self-referenced behavior is the equivalent of spraying Roundup® on your lush networking garden that you worked so hard to create. So what’s the cure?

The Internet has changed the game for job seekers. The paper resume has been swapped out for a LinkedIn profile. Face-to-face meetings have been replaced with Facetime. Your local word-of-mouth reputation is small potatoes next to someone with a well-developed online presence. When it comes to the Internet, you are who Google says you are.

Fact: 92 percent of recruiters “Google” potential candidates according to a social recruiting survey.  LinkedIn is the clear favorite, with 94 percent of recruiters searching it to find top talent.  Potential employers also look at Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and really anything that search engines render when your name is entered.

How can you take control of your online reputation?

Three tips to rule.

When it comes to successful branding and marketing, content is king. Content can come in many forms— posts on social media sites, blogs, email newsletters, YouTube videos, etc. Quality content keeps your audience engaged, interested, and informed.

The problem: Many people have trouble producing high quality, relevant content on a consistent basis. It can feel time-consuming, laborious, and overwhelming when so many other priorities demand your attention, but if you want your branding efforts to be successful, you must commit to creating content.