December 30, 2002 - Finding an exciting job in the accounting field; Answering a typical job interview question; Transitioning a career change to computers/IT; Putting together proper "dress for success" attire.

December 9, 2002 - Mastering the art of resigning gracefully; Job-hunting strategies for the multi-talented; Answering three job interview questions; Checking references and work histories.

November 25, 2002 - Following up all job leads is essential to success; Knowing the proper do’s and don’ts of holiday parties; Dealing with pay cuts and short job stints on resume; Finding a way out of boring job to new career.

November 4, 2002 - Preparing your resume and cover letter properly; Dealing with excellent experience, but lack of a degree; Discussing job-hunting options with HR folks; Overcoming job-hunting obstacles after getting fired.

October 21, 2002 - Deciding whether a career in education is a good fit; Finding full-time employment over temporary positions; Successfully navigating panel job interviews; Understanding various options for a career in music.

October 7, 2002 - Applying practical marketing principles to job search; Determining the cause of receiving no interviews; Growing use of multiple types of background checks; Dealing with consequences of tuition reimbursement plan.

September 23, 2002 - Submitting cover letter and resume via email; Answering a very common job interview question; Dealing with workplace rumors of getting terminated; Providing salary history when you don’t have one.

September 9, 2002 - Getting started in a freelancing/consulting career; Positioning yourself for administrative assistant jobs; Improving chances of getting hired after interview; Finding successful self-employment for teen job-seeker.

August 26, 2002 - Developing a job-search plan; Writing a thank-you letter after phone interview; Dealing with a two-page resume; Getting help with making career change.

August 12, 2002 - Contemplating a career as a social worker; Committing "career suicide" by taking new job?; Striving to become a magazine or newspaper editor; Supplying a writing sample with job applications.

July 29, 2002 - Finding legitimate work-at-home career opportunities; Planning educational goals in bid to become college professor Deciphering an employer’s corporate culture; Deciding where it’s best to obtain a master’s degree.

July 15, 2002 - Wondering about the latest methods of job interviewing; Searching for an environmental job while stuck in retail; Using a SWOT Analysis to your advantage in interviews; Enlisting proper etiquette for sending thank you notes.

July 1, 2002 - Overcoming obstacles to re-establish job-search network; Rebuilding career two years after being fired from job; Wearing ethnic hair fashions to job interviews; Deciding on pros and cons of taking a survival job .

June 17, 2002 - Determining best way to handle a limited or weak salary history; Answering the perennial interview question of why you left previous job; Developing a portfolio that showcases entire range of talent; Researching job opportunities outside education for a mathematician.

June 3, 2002 - Using job-seeker research tools to locate specific types of companies; Dealing with follow-up after dropping off resume with employer; Overcoming months of unemployment when searching for new job; Researching jobs available for graduates with a degree in business administration.

May 20, 2002 - Graduating with international studies major, but no idea of career path; Keys to writing a cover letter after being retrenched from pervious job; Will taking great job offer - fourth job in four years - make job-seeker a job-hopper?; Rebounding back to job market after being fired for employee theft.

May 6, 2002 - Marketing help for teen interested in starting catering business; Helping a teen who doesn’t know what to do with his life; Switching majors to become a journalism major; Preparing and using career/job portfolios.

April 22, 2002 - Graduating with a degree in geography and needs help with careers/jobs; Attending graduate school to study for a career in forensic psychology; Zeroing in on a specialized career path in the social work field; Suggestions for improving the success of a job search stuck in neutral.

April 8, 2002 - Locating headhunters and recruiters; Figuring out problem with current job search; Finding a book with solid career information; Changing careers by discovering a fulfilling career path.

March 25, 2002 - Looking for career aptitude tests to help with career choice; Dealing with the issue of having no practical experience; Writing a thank you letter after a second round of interviews; Responding to questions about bad job experiences.

March 11, 2002 - Writing a compelling resume even when job doesn’t involves numbers; Expanding the definition of work experience on a resume; Deciding when to take high school education off a resume; Determining value of MBA for a position in marketing/public relations.

February 25, 2002 - Looking for help regarding interviews, but no job offers; Determining the best strategies for finding recruiters; Needs help finding job to match education and interests; Key facts and figures about a career in real estate.

February 11, 2002 - Career/Work values and job search strategies for undecided job-seeker; Searching for career passions, values, and career direction; Keys to writing thank you letters and interview follow-up; Strategies for finding and using job references.

January 28, 2002 - Job-seeker in need of job-search advice and strategies; Question of following up your resumes and cover letters; Job-searching from a distance... finding a job in another state; How to explain job terminations to prospective employers.

More Columns »   2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003

Dr. Randall S. Hansen is currently Webmaster of Quintessential Careers.

Dr. Hansen is an associate professor of marketing at the School of Business Administration, Stetson University. He has been a published career expert for the last 10 years and an employer and consultant with hiring/firing decisions for the past 15 years.

Through his experience as a professor of marketing, Dr. Hansen uses proven marketing techniques and applies them to job-hunting. He is currently working on such a book. Some of his work can be seen at his personal Web site.

He and Katharine Hansen co-wrote the very successful job-hunting book, Dynamic Cover Letters, published by Ten Speed Press. You can order copies from Barnes and Noble of this cover letter bible. He is also author of several career-related magazine and journal articles.

Finally, Dr. Hansen has been an employer and has firsthand experience in the hiring process. He also stays active in the field by reading magazine and journal articles and by talking with employers on a regular basis.

Copyright 1999 by Dr. Randall Hansen. All rights reserved.
The information on this page is general in nature, and does not constitute professional advice or counseling. All opinions expressed, if any, are those of Dr. Hansen.
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