Stop Obsessing About Having the Perfect Career Plan  

That was the headline that captured my attention in a Wall Street Journal article from 9/17/23. Basically, the premise is that while people for decades have pursued the mysterious “perfect career”, the reality is false advertising. Multiple global factors, coupled with the speed of technology and change, reinforce this point. The author ended with a great point, “Even though this (a …

What Did You Say? Why Does it Matter? 

Have you ever said something, and then either wondered if you said the right thing, or were pretty sure you didn’t say the right thing? Or, maybe you actually nailed it! You knew it as soon as the words started flowing out of your mouth!?!   I am in the process of supporting my son-in-law, Aaron, as he starts a …

Freedom in Your Job Search

When you saw the subject line for this brief, what was the first thing that popped into your mind? Perhaps it was, “YES! I’ll find out some tips to be freed from the dread of networking!” Or maybe you thought, “Hmmm, I wonder if there really is a way to avoid all those insane versions of my resume! I’m sick …

Do The Work You Need To Do

Have you ever done work, on a sustained basis, that you didn’t like or perhaps at which you weren’t that skilled? Or maybe even you didn’t mind it, but you knew it wasn’t what you were built to do?    Perhaps you had to do the work to provide for your family? Or you had to do it as the job was …

Finding Peace of Mind in Your Job Search

Here are some recent headlines/data affecting our employment. What impact, if any, should these have on your job search or career planning?  In addition to the bullets above, I could have easily come up with double the number of bullets from additional headlines/data. If you’re like many people scanning these, or similar, headlines and data points, it’s easy to become …

Joy in the Job Search?!?! 

Let’s play the simple word association game of naming the first word that comes to your mind when another word is given: for example, I say sun, you say moon.  I say light, you say dark.  I say up, you say down. Got it? As you can see in the examples, many times the first word we say is the …

Maintaining Your Authenticity While Using ChatGPT 

In today’s digital age, AI language models like ChatGPT have revolutionized various content creation and communication aspects. This includes rewriting resumes, crafting cover letters, and generating interview questions.  While leveraging ChatGPT can significantly enhance these processes, it is crucial to maintain authenticity to ensure that your personal voice and unique qualities shine through.  To support its Guides effectively, Crossroads conducts a monthly forum. …

Mastering the Interview with ChatGPT 

Job interviews can be nerve-wracking experiences, but with the assistance of ChatGPT, you can significantly enhance your preparation and boost your confidence. ChatGPT can assist you in mastering your interviews, from generating mock interview questions based on job descriptions to helping you practice answering behavioral interview questions.  In this post, we will explore three ways ChatGPT can significantly improve your …

Maximizing Your Job Search with ChatGPT 

Early in my career, I didn’t believe it was worth paying money to have someone “write” my resume. But, over time, I learned why it was worth the investment. So now, not only do we have professionals to help with our resume, we have artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT to help us throughout our job search.  Don’t get me …

Is He or She the “Right Supervisor?” – Angles Exist Everywhere

Have you ever looked at something, arrived at a conclusion or perspective, and then shifted your position to get a different angle and arrive at a completely different conclusion / perspective? I sure have! Whether it’s a physical object I’m looking at or an idea I’m contemplating, when I can get a different view of it, I inevitably see the …