Talent Tips: All Levels

Talent Tip #100: Your Resumé: A Chance to Tell a Clear, Logical Story About Your Career

February 20, 2018

 First of all, can you believe this is our 100th Talent Tip? I wanted to arrange a confetti drop for everyone, but logistics proved to be a challenge.  On the occasion of our 100th Talent Tip, I thought we would cover one of our favorite topics — resumés!

I look at dozens of resumés each day. What never ceases to amaze me is how daggum confusing many of them are. I usually think, “How hard is it to put together a…

Talent Tip # 99: Want to Be Fashionable? Stop Wearing Fanny Packs (And Stop Asking Candidates for Salary History)

January 23, 2018

If you follow fashion, you know that off-the-shoulder necklines, fanny packs, and male rompers are going out of style in 2018.

If you are like me (fashionably clueless), you are surprised to learn that fanny packs had even staged a comeback (once in style was too much, amirite?). And you are even more surprised to learn that male rompers are even a thing. (Apparently they are nicknamed “RompHims.” Get it? Instead of “Romp-Hers.” I wish you could see the look…

Talent Tip #98: What NOT to Wear To an Interview

December 26, 2017

As you may recall, last month’s Talent Tip was about topics to avoid during your interviews with candidates. One astute reader suggested that it would be useful to flip the script and address about what candidates shouldn’t wear to interviews. Thanks for the idea, Meg!

Let’s face it: interviewing is tough.

You don’t know what challenging questions will be thrown at you. You aren’t sure how you’ll stack up against the competition. You’re worried about having sweaty palms. And you…

Talent Tip #97: For the Love of Lawsuits: What NOT to Ask Candidates During Interviews

November 14, 2017

As you know, I love to compare interviewing to dating. The similarities are plentiful. It’s all about getting to know someone well enough to determine whether you want to spend the foreseeable future with him.

When I was single, my father offered this sage dating advice:

“On your first date, make sure to ask if the guy is on any drugs — prescribed or illicit. The answer will provide insight about his health and his nefarious activities! Also,…

Talent Tip #94: Burning Bridges and Lessons from Peter Gibbons 

August 22, 2017

Have you ever wanted to tell your boss to take a long walk off a short cliff or post something incendiary on social media about your former employer? Have you daydreamed of walking out of the office for a lunch break never to return? Did the movie Office Space strike a chord with you?

We’ve all been there. You’re so frustrated that you’re tempted to burn a bridge.

I’ve witnessed the destruction of many-a-bridge in my career, and they all…

Talent Tip #93: Looking Outside the Talent Box

July 26, 2017

By Claire Kittle Dixon and Lauren Skiver

Have you caught yourself with a staff vacancy asking, “Why doesn’t a candidate with the perfect background and experience apply?”

It certainly would make your job (and ours) easier to find candidates whose backgrounds perfectly match our job openings.  But, as a number of organizations we’ve partnered with have found, thinking outside of the talent box can prove incredibly fruitful—especially for openings that are challenging to fill. Not only can it expand your…

Talent Tip #92: The Yellow State/Blue State Phenomenon and the Benefit of Virtual Hiring

June 21, 2017

Forget the red state/blue state debate for a minute. If you’re in the market for talent, you really need to be thinking about the yellow state/blue state phenomenon.

The map above (courtesy of United Van Lines) illustrates whether states are experiencing inbound, outbound, or balanced migration. For those of you in the blue states, congrats! Finding talent is likely a bit easier for you than your friends in the yellow states. But all is not lost for you, my yellow-hued pals!…

Talent Tip #90: What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do: Four Steps to Figure Out Your Next Career Move

April 18, 2017

This month’s tip was written by Lauren Skiver, Talent Market’s Talent Manager 

Being in the talent business, we have a lot of conversations that revolve around the question, “What do you want to do next?”

It’s a tough question. Some people knew at five years old what they wanted to be when they grew up (I’m married to one of those!). But for the rest of us, it’s all trial and error. And living in an age with endless career…

Talent Tip #89: Becoming Billy Shakespeare: Crafting a Powerful Cover Letter

March 26, 2017

I read a lot of cover letters.

With most of them, I feel as though I’m reading standard newspaper AP fare.  Nothing earth-shattering, but it gets the job done.  Others are harder to digest — it’s more like reading furniture assembly instructions…in a language I don’t speak.

But every once in a while I come across a cover letter that captivates me like a great piece of literature. It accomplishes exactly what it should: it makes me want to keep…

Talent Tip #88: Looking for Love: Valentine’s Tips for Job Seekers

February 21, 2017

Talent Tip #88: Looking for Love: Valentine’s Tips for Job Seekers  

Ahh, Valentine’s Day. I enjoy the holiday if only because it gives me the opportunity to make subtle overtures to my husband when diamond commercials come on. It’s worth it to see that moment of panic in his eyes as he thinks, “Crap. All I got her was a “Hoodie-Footie.”

Since it’s the season to look for love, let’s turn our attention to job seekers. I often hear…