Surviving Competency Based Interviews

If you think that job interviews are an art rather than a science you’re not alone – most interviewers would agree.However, a different kind of assessment, the competency-based interview, is becoming increasingly popular because many think it’s more accurate and reliable than the traditional job interview we all know and love.

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Getting to the Bottom Of CEO Compensation

Since markets turned shaky, a new round of jawflapping about the unseemliness of executive compensation practices has gathered steam. One business magazine that shall remain nameless even called it “The Great CEO Pay Heist.” Of particular fanfare was Apple’s bestowal on Steve Jobs of a stock-option package valued at $548 million. Something clearly has come

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Get Management Advice From an Unlikely Source

Maybe it’s the English major in me, but over the years I’ve derived more practical wisdom and guidance from the world’s great works of literature than from self-help, career and management advice books. I’m an employment counselor by vocation. I’m no snob — I glean words to live and work by wherever I find them.

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Three Keys to Acing Sales-Job Interviews

You’ve sent your resume to numerous employers for account-management roles. The phone rings, and you have an in-person interview for a sales role at a top company. First, congratulations on your upcoming interview. More importantly, in this competitive environment, how do you prepare? Every day I coach candidates on techniques to help them ace their

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Building Credibility: Key for a Fast Start

Having changed employers and roles several times over the course of my career, I’ve learned that getting off to a fast start in a new position hinges on building credibility in the new role. To do so, you need to deliver early but enduring results. Planning your first few weeks on the job is the

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Strategies for Making Your Dream Job a Reality

Fantasies can come true. Just ask Ann Krcik, a rock climber who dreamed about quitting her marketing-operations job to work with fellow adventurers in the great outdoors. She made the leap by launching a Salt Lake City, Utah, firm that represents “extreme” athletes, signing them up to appear in commercials, and as models and motivational

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Moving From the Military Into a Civilian Job

Switching from a military to a civilian career is a big step. It also can be extremely difficult. Military officers may be highly qualified for many business positions. However, their backgrounds are so different from those of typical executives that employers often can’t tell if — and where — they’d fit. To start with, military

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Tips for Negotiating Salary with Your Employees

Employers benefit from having both formal performance review and compensation review cycles. Many companies have a semiannual performance review cycle. One of the two reviews often coincides with the normal annual salary review while the other is used sparingly for special or off-cycle salary adjustments. This formal process is helpful because it allows the employer

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