Hiring managers are looking for relevant experience, sure, but they are also looking at a candidate’s fit with the team, management, and the company culture. If any of those things feel “off” during the interview, the candidate will have a hard time convincing the hiring team that his/her skills can overcome their reservations.

Every candidate is selling what they can do to an audience that is looking to buy. Like cars in a dealer showroom, they all are transportation, but each has different features that are needs or wants for different audiences. Your job as a candidate is to figure out what you can do and what “features” you have that would be of interest to the buyer…

So how do you position yourself when you have been let go from your job? What do you put on your resume or say to someone that asks you about it? This is going to be situational depending on what happened.

While there is not a direct correlation between the amount of time one puts into a job search and success, my anecdotal experience is that the more you put in, the more progress you will make.

Networking and becoming a referral can be a powerful tool in your job search, but job seekers are often stymied on how to find people to network with. You are told to find people using the internet. But how? Follow what recruiters do. Sourcing is a significant part of the job for most recruiters.

Unconscious bias is everywhere people. While we may not want to acknowledge it, hiring managers bring their unconscious biases to the hiring process all the time.

What they are searching for in financial freedom is the ability to have money in the bank so that they have more choices in their life. Money equals choices. Choices about what to do and how to do it.

There are three things that interviewers do consider: what is said, how it is said (tone) and body language. If any of the three seem “off”, it could cost the person the role. Be mindful about your body language; it is one thing can eliminate as an obstacle in a successful job search.

Part of the reason why resumes are mediocre and applicants do poorly in interviews is that they do not really understand their “why” for a new job.