Career Lantern

Do you have an individual development plan, also known as an IDP? This podcast explains what an IDP is and why you need a personal one for your career. Does your employer require you to complete an IDP at work? If so, they may be using it improperly!

Should you send a thank you after a job interview? Some say yes, it’s expected and the polite and professional thing to do. Others say no, it’s an outdated, old-school custom that will make you look like a dinosaur. In today’s Career Lantern podcast, I’ll explore this debate using a logical and pragmatic approach. CareerLantern.com

As a thank you to my CareerLantern.com podcast listeners, I am offering the chance for three lucky listeners to receive a FREE paperback copy of my book The 6 Readiness Factors for Planning, Changing, or Advancing Your Career. Listen to this brief podcast to find out how. Do it now! This offer expires January 31, 2022. Again, thank you to all my listeners!

At some point in the hiring process, job applicants will usually be asked to provide a list of professional references. What is the best way to create and submit such a list? Who should be listed as a professional reference? What can you do to make the job of checking references easy for a potential employer? This podcast explores these topics and more, and offers practical suggestions.

Whether online or in-person, your next job interview might very well be with a panel. Many candidates are intimidated and almost panic at the thought of being grilled by a panel, but you can stay cool and calm! In this podcast we’ll discuss ideas on how to best handle this type of interview format. Agree? Disagree? Feel free to leave a comment and share your experience or thoughts!

Some career coaches suggest revising your resume each time you apply for a job. Others insist that if a resume is well-written, it need not be modified and it’s the cover letter that should be tailored for each position. So, who’s right? In this podcast, we’ll explore this debate. Agree? Disagree? Feel free to leave a comment and share your experience or thoughts!

At the end of a job interview, when the interviewers turn to you and ask, “Do you have any questions for us?” what will you say? What should you ask? What should you not ask? This is the point where a lot of candidates totally blow the interview! Here are some suggestions to help you handle that situation with ease!

Interviewers frequently look at the social media of their job applicants. Here are 5 common social media mistakes which might prevent you from being hired.

A recent study indicates that many high school graduates feel their diploma alone is enough for success. Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that about 1/3 of the high school class of 2018 did not go on to college. Is a diploma alone enough? Are they right? Is college really necessary?

You’ve probably heard about the importance of having a professional career network. But, do you really know what that involves? How does one develop a network? This podcast discusses career networking and offers practical suggestions on how you can develop your own.

During a job interview, have you ever been asked a question that begins with the phrase “Tell us about a time…” or something similar? If so, you need to know about STAR! The STAR method is an effective approach to handling behavioral questions and ensuring you hit all the key points. Also, be sure to check out my book The 6 Readiness Factors for Planning, Changing, or Advancing Your Career available from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Applying for a job? Have a job interview coming up? If so, should you expect a skill test? More and more employers are now using skill tests and assessments to determine whether applicants actually have the required skills.

Unhappy with how your career is going? Change things starting today! But how? This podcast offers suggestions on how to approach what may seem like an impossible task.

Have you been offered a telephone interview? How do you prepare? Here are 10 tips to help ensure that important call is a success!

Suppose you’re in a job interview for a position you really want. Things are going well when suddenly the interviewer asks an illegal or inappropriate job interview question. What options do you have?

Regardless of the field in which you work, every job interview typically includes a few of the same basic questions. Since you probably expect these generic questions, they should be easy to answer! Still, many job applicants come into their interviews totally unprepared to respond. Don’t let this happen to you! Nail those easy questions!

Everyone knows the importance of maintaining good eye contact during a job interview. Here are five common eye contact mistakes often made by candidates. Once you know what they are, you can be sure to avoid them! Also, be sure to check out my book The 6 Readiness Factors for Planning, Changing, or Advancing Your Career available from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Upon arriving for a job interview, you usually interact with several people before meeting with the actual interviewers. Afterwards, you may interact with them again. Why is that important? Sometimes, the job of these individuals is to report back to the interviewers about you!

Next time you go into a job interview, think about this: Suppose you are shopping for a wedding or portrait photographer. When you ask to see some samples, the photographer says,“I don’t have anything to show. Trust me, I’m good.” Would you hire this person? Yet, this is exactly what happens during many job interviews! This podcast discusses ideas for work samples to bring to a job interview, regardless of your field, which might help make you the candidate of choice.

When an interviewer looks at all the job applicants, what does he or she see? Most likely, clones! After all, to get invited to an interview each candidate had to have basically the same degree or education, work experience, skills, certification/license, and so forth. This podcast examines how the marketing concept of differentiation can be used to help you favorably stand out from all the other job applicants.