Dear J.T. & Dale: I am currently in my first year as a teacher. Many of the things I was assured would happen during the year did not transpire. On top of that, my position is being eliminated for next year, so I had to start looking for a new job, both in this district and in others. I was one of two final candidates for a job in my current district. When asked by the principal during the final interview if I would say “yes” right away if offered the job, I hesitated. The next day, I found out I didn’t get it. I was crushed. Should I have handled it differently? — Carolyn Read the rest of this entry »

This week, myself and a fellow HR writer put out a challenge to managers and employees across America.

The question is…

Do you know how to give a really, truly great compliment to someone at work you don’t like?

This challenge is designed to help people understand the difference between appreciation vs. compliments (read my article that describes the big difference between the two HERE), Read the rest of this entry »

DALE: Today’s adventure in job searching comes from Carol of Baton Rouge, who describes herself as as “one of the lucky ones.” Here’s her summary of what transpired…

My employer decided he wanted someone with more “credentials.” He was a jerk who could barely pay his bills. My check bounced a few times. He was impossible.

This new job fell into my lap – I know this sounds new agey, but I think it was karma. I had put the word out on the street that I was looking. I soon had two interviews. Both guys I interviewed with offered on the same day. This job felt right and has been a perfect fit. I found it in three days even knowing Baton Rouge after Hurricane Katrina has been a tough market for support staff. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I’m 26 years old, and there is a company in my city that I would give anything to work for. They just posted a job that I know I could do. The problem is that I’m sure thousands of people are going to apply. Sadly, neither myself nor any of my friends and family knows someone who works there, which means a personal introduction is out. And they stress in the job posting “no phone calls.” So, how do I make myself stand out? — Colin Read the rest of this entry »