Over the years, a number of people have reached out to me with concerns about their resume - in some caes, resumes I wrote for them. They went to a website that offered a free resume critique and got back harsh criticism that worried them.

Do you really want AI to evaluate your resume - AI that was created for the express purpose of convincing you that you need that company’s resume services? And if you select a more human approach - how can you make sure the human evaluating your resume actually knows what they’re talking about?

In this episode of The Exclusive Career Coach podcast, I talk about three scenarios for getting a resume review - and how “free” isn’t free at all.

Today’s topic is how to become a thought leader on LinkedIn. In this episode, I talk about the reasons you might want to become a thought leader, what constitutes thought leadership on LinkedIn, how much time you can expect this to take, and how to structure that time for maximum efficiency.

Here’s the scenario: You’ve been promoted in your current unit. You are now mnaging people who used to be your peers - at least one of whom may have also applied for the promotion. How do yo transition from a colleague to a manager? Here are nine suggstions for leading those you used to work alongside.

Here’s what I see on almost every resume that comes my way: Either there isn’t an achievement in sight, or the few achievements that are there are mixed in with bulleted job duties - and they are weakly written. Job duties tell the employr WHAT yo did. Achievements, on the other hand, tell an emplyer HOW WELL you did your job.

As most of you know, the first 90 days in a new job are critical for your long-term success - not only in that role, but for your future with the organization. Here are key steps to take in the first 90 days to set yourself up for success - at the Individual Contributor, New Manager, New Director/Senior Manager, and VP/C-Suite levels.

First, a confession: When I started seeing articles and comments about “dry promotions,” I didn’t know what that was.

In case some of you are in that same boat, here’s a definition:

“A promotion without a salary increase.”

As American businesses seek innovative ways to cut costs in a tightening economy, employers may be enticed to promote employees but withhold a salary increase.

In this episode, I cover reasons why employers offer dry promotions and the upsides and downsides of accepting one. I also provide negotiation tips for getting something, if not pay.

Today, we’re talking about how to develop your elevator pitch. This is your 15-to-30 second “commercial” about yourself, which you will need for use in a variety of settings, including:

-Introducing yourself at a networking meeting

-Selling yourself to a potential employer

-Selling yourself, your company, or your product/service to a potential customer

If you’re not familiar with the concept, the idea is that you could say your elevator pitch while going from one floor to the next on an elevator.

Elevator pitches come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on how you’re using them.

In this episode, I dig into Elevator Pitch do’s and don’ts, as well as 5 networking situations you may find yourself in and how to execute your Elevator Pitch in each.

Last week, I focused on Verbal Communications Skills to Enhance Promotability; today I’m covering Written Communication Skills - with the same goal in mind. I’m giving you an assessment - questions to ask yourself, as well as specific strategies to improve an area of your written communication skills.

Today, I want to give you strategies to improve your verbal communication skills - specifically, with an eye to enhancing your promotability. I’m giving you an assessment of your verbal communication skills, as well as four areas of communication where people tend to struggle, and strategies to help improve each area.

Today’s topic is the most important leadership qualities employers are looking for - and derailers to avoid. I’ve divided the list into leadership skills for leading an organization, leadership skills for leading teams, and leadership skills for leading yourself. I’ve also identified the #1 derailer, which can be a result of a lack of any of the leadership skills I’ve identified.

Today, we’re talking about the obstacles you may face if you are planning to job search this year. I’ve teased out six things you’ll want to take into consideration as you look for your next great role.

There is a lot of confusion about the current job market – perhaps the most I’ve ever heard of outside of the 2008 recession. I wanted to bring you some facts today – as well as a translation of those facts into action steps you can take to increase your chances of success.

Here are five economic trends that will shape the job market for 2024:

If you are planning to job search this year, there are some important things to know, especially if you haven’t been in the job market for a while. I want to focus on 5 things I think are important for you to understand about the current job market and hiring process.

I can’t believe this is episode #300! In honor, I am offering My Best Career Advice, Academy Award style, in each category I cover.

As those of you who listen to the podcast regularly know, I seldom have guests on the podcast – and only when they are fantastic and will add value to you listeners. Today’s guest, Amy Green Smith, is a perfect example of this. We’re talking about People Pleasing – something many of you are very familiar with. Amy tells us when it is okay to people-please in the workplace – and how to know if you’re doing it for the right reasons. She gives several scenarios to help us understand people pleasing, when it’s right, and when it isn’t.

If you’ve been a faithful listener of the podcast for some time, you’ll know that I do a special episode each year during Thanksgiving week.

It started out as five unusual things to be thankful for that weren’t specific to me. Somewhere along the way, they became MY five things. The hope has always been that you will look at the circumstances of your life through a different lens after listening to my list.

Today, we’re covering interview etiquette — what to do, and what not to do. I’ve talked about several of these points on previous episodes, so I’m including links to those here.

Body language, or nonverbal communication, can make or break your interview. No matter what is coming out of your mouth, a trained interviewer will pay attention to what you are saying with your facial expressions, arms, posture, and general demeanor. If what you are saying is at odds with your body language, a trained interviewer will believe your body language. The caveat here: Be yourself. Here then, are 11 tips for conveying appropriate body language during a job interview.

When it comes to networking, it’s not about introverts being socially awkward. It’s about the drain on their energy. It’s about having to initiate a conversation (they generally DON’T want to do this). It’s about small talk, which seems pointless to them. I’d like to offer the flip side of networking for introverts, followed by 13 tips for you introverts to…if not love networking, at least not hate it so much. Maybe even enjoy it a little.

Today, I’m diving into 14 reasons why people fail to prepare themselves for a successful attempt at a promotion. For the purposes of this episode, I’m talking specifically about internal promotions – although many, if not all, of these strategies will apply if you are seeking a higher position with a new company.