Always Interview on Fridays

When I was in college I remember going for an interview with the investment bank JP Morgan. I had no idea how I had gotten the interview but it was for something dealing with finance and statistical studies of Asian securities markets. I had gone to high school for awhile in Bangkok and thought it would be fun to have some sort of job involving Asia. I did an ”on campus interview” and a few weeks after submitting my resume they called and invited me to come speak with them for half a day in their offices in Chicago. [Read more]

Where to Find Government Jobs

When I say I’m excited about government jobs, I mean it. They’re better than many other jobs this day and age and often provide good benefits, pensions, and to some extent, employment security. In most cases, you’ll be in good shape on many levels if you can get a government job. There is tremendous competition for these jobs, in many cases. I worked in the Justice Department at one time, and to get a job there was incredibly difficult. Often, they received hundreds, if not thousands of applications for just one spot. Thankfully, there are a lot [Read more]

Education Jobs and Teacher Jobs

The field of education—including elementary schools, high schools, colleges, and universities—is a very exciting place to look for a job because of the tremendous number of jobs available. I’m excited to show you how to approach this sector. I think it will open up some doors in terms of how you think about looking for a job. Jobs in education tend to be scattered across an incredible number of sources. Many of these sources are university and school system websites. Because of this, it’s much easier to track down and apply for jobs at these institutions. You also have a better chance of actually getting these positions compared to those that are more widely advertised. In order to explore this thoroughly, let’s start broad with the federal government and work our way down to state governments, universities, and finally, local school systems. Education jobs encompass not just teaching positions, but also those inside educational institutions. I’ll cover each below. Education Jobs with the Federal and State Government [Read more]

Informal Networks and Referrals

Informal networks can make a massive difference in the quality of not only your job search but also your life. Too few people take the time to understand the importance of informal networks and referrals when it comes to getting your foot in the door with an employer. If you’re looking for jobs, networking can be a deciding factor in what job offers you will get. One of the crucial aspects of informal networking is recognizing the power of endorsements, and that’s really what a referral is. You see this happening all around you. For example, on [Read more]

10 Powerful Lessons from a Turkish Rug Trader

Several years ago I was staying at a beautiful hotel on the beach on a small Greek island.  The hotel was full of young people in their mid-20′s who appeared to be having the time of their lives.  I had chatted with the receptionist several times during that week when I was at the hotel.  The receptionist was my age and very attractive.  She had a boyfriend who would sit in the lobby and chat with her at night. I think she was very surprised by the fact that I kept coming home alone each evening.  When I would walk through the lobby each [Read more]

Job Opportunities Are Everywhere

The job market is tough, isn’t it? During times of economic uncertainty businesses lay people off, or undergo hiring freezes. People are losing their homes, the housing market is down, and people are scared. It seems like the world is getting tougher and tougher, and many of us wonder what the future will hold for our kids. If you are looking for a job or you were planning to start a business, it may now seem as though there are no opportunities out there at all. However, that is only one way to [Read more]

Bears, Foster Homes, Resourcefulness, Love, and Endless Opportunity

When I was around 12 years old, my mother decided to take my 5-year-old sister and me on a trip from Detroit to northern Michigan. There was not a lot of planning involved, and all we knew was that we were going to be gone for two weeks. There was no decision made about where we would be staying or what we were going to do once we got there. We simply got in the car early one morning in late summer and started driving north. After several hours of driving, my mother would stop at a [Read more]