Unknowingly, He began the day with a slow but steady march to demoralize his team. It began with a bit of arrogance as he poured his coffee; not looking back at the people who he knew were looking at him.  The way that he dismissed input in meetings and focused on the facts. He rarely smiled, a nod perhaps; it was hard to tell if he was pleased or displeased.

He sucked the energy out of a room.

His employees didn’t know how to read him. So, they talked about him. Disgruntled, demoralized employees love to talk.  

Then, everything changed. Business changed.

Reorganization was broad and swift. Bonuses, that had been consistently paid for years were not paid. Job responsibilities and titles were changed, there was a reduction in force.

There is no ‘last in, first out’ credo in the leadership ranks. The higher you go up the ladder, the decision to keep or cut ties with an employee is complicated. It has a great deal to do with leadership style, personality,...

What’s Your Story? 

You must be able to communicate who you are to an employer. The only way to get this right is to prepare and practice. Remember that when you land the interview, it is showtime.  Be good to yourself. Don’t wing it. You have one shot. A redo is rare.

Employers are getting better at interviewing. A bad hire costs too much.  The hiring process is a ‘get to know you’. The employer needs to know three things:

1. Can this person do the job?
2. Will this person fit in to our culture?
3. Is this person verifiable?

 Preparing for the Interview Questions

 Situational & Behavioral

 Situational questions are what most interviewees are prepared to answer. The questions are expected.  Situational questions are about your technical ability, your experience doing the job. The ability to explain exactly what you do and how you do it is not as easy as it sounds.

You...