Should You Use Canva for Your Resume?

Creating your resume in Canva can feel like manifesting a makeover. What can seem like a plain and boring document suddenly looks colorful and eye-catching. So as a career coach, when I meet with clients who’ve spiced things up by making a Canva resume, I hate breaking the news that their fancy new document probably…

The Right Way to Read an Entry-Level Job Description

So you’ve found an entry-level job description that looks promising. How do you make sure it’s worth your time to apply? The job description can tell you a lot, not just about the role, but about the company and culture. Take the time to read the job description carefully. Then, use the job description to…

Don’t “Do What You Love,” Do What Lets You Have the Life You Want

When it comes to career advice, we’ve all heard, “Do what you love and you’ll never work another day in your life.” Or picked up Marsha Sinetar’s book proclaiming, “Do what you love, the money will follow.” Or thought of Lana Del Ray explaining that “doing what you love is freedom. Loving what you do is happiness.”…

How to Show Off Your Soft Skills to Employers – With Samples

Tell a story on your resume and cover letter to demonstrate your personal qualities. What are soft skills?  When employers are searching for candidates on Handshake, they’re usually looking for hard skills: specific competencies like Python, Spanish, or Photoshop.  Your soft skills, on the other hand, are about personal qualities that influence how you do your work. For…

This One Easy Habit Will Make You Better (and Happier) at Work

One of my mom’s favorite stories to tell us as children was the tale of the traveler and the three bricklayers. In the story, the traveler meets the bricklayers, who are hard at work, and asks them what they’re doing. One of my mom’s favorite stories to tell us as children was the tale of…

47 Online Classes That’ll Help Your Career (and They’re Free!)

Learning a new skill helps your career. Period. And it’s true no matter who you are. Looking for a new job? A unique skill could easily set you apart from the hundreds of other applicants. Worked in the same position for a long time? Expertise in a new field could be the factor that gets…

How to Develop a Strong Work Ethic

Will Hunting, they boy genius from the movie Good Will Hunting, said that when it came to organic chemistry, he could "always just play". He also said that Beethoven saw a piano at a young age and could "just play". Well good for them! What about the rest of us? Can we too achieve greatness?…

Why Work in Government?

Every July 4th we celebrate our founding of our nation and it seems like a good time to discuss career opportunities in government. Career opportunities in government range from cybersecurity to environmental safety to public health. Public servants are passionate about making a difference in the world and keen to help our government tackle complex…

How to Make a Potential Employer Fall in Love With You

Looking for ways to impress a potential employer? Want to make your resume or job application stand out from the pack? During one two-week time period, a Human Resources staff member in a small manufacturing company shared that she reviewed 485 resumes and applications for 18 different positions. They then interviewed 23 candidates and brought six back…

5 Social Media Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Job seekers are savvier about social media than you might think. In a 2019 survey conducted by employment screening services firm JDP, 84% of respondents said that they believed social media had an impact on hiring decisions. Perhaps as a result, 50% reported that they had removed old social media profiles or posts to safeguard…