Recent Articles from Shawna Simcik
LinkedIn endorsements — pros and cons
When LinkedIn first introduced the endorsement function, there was plenty of distress and uproar. We’ve all received endorsements for skills we didn’t know we had from people who don’t even know us. Though I think I could navigate compensation and benefits, I’ve never done it, so I was mystified...
Beat the job-search blues
The holiday glow has worn off and the guilt of taking a few weeks off to spend with your family and to over-indulge is kicking in. Your new year’s resolution of finding a job is still lingering and you realize you are still unemployed, but don’t worry you are not alone. So, can we just be real for...
Five ways to ensure you don’t get hired
No wonder you can’t find a job – you are only tapping into one-third of the job market. So, go ahead sit there and keep hitting submit. This type of reactive search, alone in your house, can lead to symptoms of depression, loneliness and increased feelings of rejection. Get out and network! Networ...
Job loss: A family affair
Losing your job and looking for another one can be such a very tricky time in your life. Many of us, for better or worse, retreat into ourselves. Keeping your job loss a secret from your wife/husband or your kids is the worst thing that you can do because losing a job affects everyone in a family....
Five critical career skills
We often hear from companies that critical thinking is one of the most important skills in today’s workplace. Jury duty allowed me to hone these skills and reminded me that thinking critically is nothing more than deciding if a claim is true, partially true or false. Think critically when you are...
Seven ways to jumpstart your job search
Unemployed people are facing some historic numbers and formidable competition; however, when faced with this difficult situation, focus on areas that you are able to change, make a difference, and this in turn will increase your chances for success. Despite the odds, people are still landing jobs...
Holiday job-search don’ts
So many of us do not take advantage of the opportunities that are afforded to us during the holidays, or we fall victim to the holiday job-search blunders. It’s easy to talk about the benefits of continuing your job search during the holidays: Less competition with fewer people actively looking, e...
Top five tips for negotiating a great job package
Remember, negotiating is at least 50 percent about attitude. You are going to have to live with these people for at least 40 hours a week for the foreseeable future, so it is imperative that the negotiation process creates a positive relationship. This doesn’t mean you should meekly accept anythin...
So, what do you say when you’ve lost your job?
So, what do you say to people when you’ve lost your job?
First, take the time to think through your message before hitting the market. You can craft a message that will position yourself in a positive light. Keep these five recommendations in mind as you prepare your message.
Avoiding interview blunders
Interviewing is one of the most important steps in the recruiting proces. It allows the employer to see you in action and ask additional questions about your qualifications, skills and ensure a good fit within their culture. As a jobseeker, you've made it past the first barrier – the dreaded phone...
Five steps to job-search success
Most jobseekers fear networking. They would rather crawl under a blanket, sit behind their computer, submit job application after application and hope and pray that someone will call. So, why is networking so darn difficult? I submit that most networking fails because people have forgotten its gol...
Three great ways to job search with Twitter
Introducing Twitter to a job seeker in career transition is similar to saying the word “walk” to a golden retriever in a high-pitched voice. The head tilts to the side quizzically. “Really? Are you joking? Twitter is for Chris Brown and Kim Kardashian.” Actually, no. Twitter is a fabulous, free resource to support a career […]