Career Articles
Robin Ryan, known as America’s Top Career Expert, is a prolific writer of articles and books. She has four #1 Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling career books with four others top sellers.
She currently publishes a column in Forbes.com covering a wide range of job search and career topics. Below is a selection of her most recent and popular articles.
The articles below are also organized by topics for Resumes and Cover Letters, LinkedIn, and Interviewing.
LinkedIn Job Search Strategy You Should Be Using But Probably Aren’t
Are you overlooking an excellent way to network on LinkedIn when searching for a job? Connecting with your college alumni can be very effective.
How To Close An Interview To Land The Job
“How do you end an interview?” asked Ken, an over 50-year-old. “Should I be bold and just say hire me, no one is better? Will I sound too cocky or demanding and lose the job?” Good questions…
One LinkedIn Trick That Enables Recruiters To Find You
At first LinkedIn’s #OpenToWork tag feature was ignored. But now it is being frequently used. Here is how to use this feature to get recruiters’ attention without telling the universe you are job hunting.
A New Way To Answer The ‘What’s Your Greatest Weakness?’ Interview Question
One of the most challenging interview questions is, “What’s your greatest weakness?” Here’s a new approach for answering this question strongly.
Want Recruiters To Find You On LinkedIn? Do Two Critical Things
Yesterday, Pete, a sales director in his late fifties, called to say he was discouraged that no employers were reaching out to him through LinkedIn. He knew that his friend Steve had received several calls from recruiters via his LinkedIn profile to discuss a job possibility, but no one contacted
15 Job Search Strategies That Work
Elizabeth called yesterday inquiring about career counseling services saying, “I read about all these job opportunities available now, but my job search is going nowhere. It’s been over ten years since I looked for a new job. I must be doing something wrong, but I don’t know what.” After a
Before Your Interview, Do This To Ensure You Land The Job
Too many job hunters say they don’t know how to get insider information before applying for a job or heading into an interview. It may be easier than you think to get that scoop if you use a few effective techniques to learn what the hiring manager cares about. For
Most Job Hunters Fail When Answering this Question
A recent discussion with an HR Director at T-Mobile centered around defining the top mistakes people make in the interview. He said: “I judge candidates by the questions they ask. That’s what’s most revealing to me. I want someone focused on succeeding in the job and not just centered on
Critical Job Interview Mistake You Cannot Recover From
I talked to a couple of HR directors, and we got to talking about serious mistakes individuals make in the job interview. When I pointed out one of the errors I saw, everyone in the group said, “Yes, that’s the one you can never recover from.” With so many people
How To Write An Impressive LinkedIn Work Experience Section
Too many people on LinkedIn have outdated profiles. It’s a big mistake. Here’s how to create an up-to-date and impactful work experience section.
HR Reveals What You Should (and Shouldn’t) Wear to a Job Interview
A frequent question that comes up when I’m teaching Job Interview Skills is, “What should I wear to the interview?” A recent class I led had a few Baby Boomers, both men and women, saying that with the business causal environment, they wondered what does “professional look like?” One student said,
Here Is A LinkedIn Secret Weapon To Land A Job
Kathleen contacted me because this over-50-year-old professional needed career assistance. Her husband had gotten an executive position in a new state, and they were moving halfway across the country for his opportunity. That meant that she was going to be leaving her program manager position behind as her job had
How To Create An Impressive LinkedIn Personal Brand
Not everyone using LinkedIn is looking for a job. Today, John sought my help as he is the CEO and Founder of his own company. His goal was to take the skeleton profile he’d had up for years and make it a fantastic marketing tool for himself, mentioning his products
Answers To Tough Employer Job Interview Questions
“Interviews seemed to be a lot harder than I remember,” says Nick, an over-50 executive who called for Interview Prep Coaching. “I was so unprepared for some of their very difficult questions. I know I blew it.” With more employers hiring and more jobs being listed every day, the interview
Age Discrimination Worries? Resume Changes You Should Make
“I’m over 60 and I worry that I’m not landing a job because of my age,” said Ann, a Senior HR Director who called me seeking resume writing and LinkedIn Profile writing help. “I have been in HR my whole career,” she continued. “I know that age discrimination is a
Salary Negotiations Can Be Tricky In Today’s Job Market: Here’s How To Secure Top Dollar From An Employer
The largest salary increase you are likely to obtain in your career comes when you quit your job and go to work for another employer, but only if you avoid the minefield of mistakes people often make. Whether you are a Baby Boomer, a Xer, or a Millennial, just thinking
How To Hire A Resume Writer And Not Get Duped
Sarah called today because she said her friend’s friend in HR recommended me. She had previously paid $500 to have her resume “professionally written.” She lost her job back in March. To date, she has not had one response from the resume. The company that created it blamed the economy
What Employers Want To See In Your Resume And Most People Aren’t Doing It
Resume Writing is never easy. You must understand how to craft your resume to quickly grab an employer’s attention in 20 seconds or less. Most people make this critical mistake. They write long, drawn-out job descriptions. This revelation came as a surprise to several of the over 50 year olds
Time To Update Your Resume — Here’s One Secret To Use
Valerie, 59, is a human resources manager, working at a prominent company, who had asked for my help in writing her resume. She said, “I think now is the right time to polish up my resume. I see resumes all the time. Thousands have passed through my hands, but when
Resume Quiz To See If Employers Will Respond To Your Resume
Writing a persuasive resume is challenging for most people. Yet, a top-quality resume that effectively sells your skills and accomplishments to an employer is essential to your success. Is yours good enough to grab a recruiter’s attention? Employers report that when candidates apply for a job, many send in a
HR Advice On How To Write Your LinkedIn About Section
Some people just freeze when it comes to writing their LinkedIn About section. This advice from HR professionals will help you start and finish.
LinkedIn Photo Tips To Look Your Best
“It’s astounding how many people have a really poor photo of themselves on LinkedIn. It is so unprofessional,” said Sophia, an HR Specialist I had a recent discussion with. “I see so many people who pick any old picture to put up. I guess they don’t see themselves like we
Best Way To Open An Interview To Secure A Job Offer
“We would like you to come in for an interview.” Those wonderful words are what every job hunter wants to hear. Kathy, 55, an HR Manager, called me immediately after she got off the phone with the recruiter. She said, “This job opportunity is ideal for me. I’ve been inside
Employers Ignoring Your Resume? 5 Mistakes To Avoid
I recently worked with Dave, an over 50 client who had his resume written by a service, and they made his resume look sharp, eye-catching, colorful, and very creative in appeal. Unfortunately, he said, “I’ve gotten no results. What’s wrong?” Sadly, a great deal. On examination, the resume writer didn’t
