KrisPlantrich

When things are crazy-busy and I am trying to fit one more thing on my plate, or when I want to forge ahead with something new but am not sure how, I sometimes think of the story of The Shoe Maker’s Elves . The magical elves would come in during the night and make beautiful shoes and take care of all of the old man’s work. When I’m that busy I would welcome their visit. But unfortunately elves will not be coming into my home at night to finish my chores either will a personal assistant just... Read Full Story

I usually write an article on resolutions at the beginning of the year but decided not to do so this year, until yesterday when I had two conversations on goals. The first conversation was a consult with a potential client and the second was a discussion I had with a friend later in the evening. The consult went well, we got to know each other a bit, discussed his background and issues at work that led this man to contact me, and then we started to discuss his goals and that is where things... Read Full Story

With December being another busy month for graduates, I thought I’d repost this article to give courage and say congratulations to those taking finals this week and graduating soon! Well done!! It’s June and again that time of the year, when new graduates receive their diplomas and launch themselves into a career search. For many new graduates that didn’t begin preparing for their search while still in school, the question they ask is, “I’ve graduated…now what?” For the students that took... Read Full Story

During my time with a client, I feel like I get to know them pretty well by the time we have finished with the resume package or coaching sessions. We spend time talking about the concerns, and difficulties of their job search. The recurring comment I hear from clients is their nerves or maybe their confidence level often gets in the way when trying to expand their contact list. Clients have many reasons why they are not aggressively seeking new contacts, getting reacquainted with old or... Read Full Story

I just read Nick Corcodilos’ new article entitled, “Rude Employers: Yahoo Fires CEO Carol Bartz, phones it in”, from his “Ask the Headhunter” blog. The article quickly reminds us that rude and disingenuous companies will be remembered for their poor treatment of employees. It also sends a strong message to job seekers considering working for such a company. Because of the internet, Yahoo’s classless actions will not be soon forgotten. This rude behavior will remembered, and is something for... Read Full Story

My new client Sandy called me recently with a question about knowing whether her skills can be used for a position in a different field. She feels it would be a good move for her and loves the idea of the new position, but has no idea if the move is possible and if it will offer a similar (or higher) salary and benefits to what she currently is receiving. Sandy’s question was, “How can I know that I can make the change successfully?” Unfortunately there are no guarantees with any career... Read Full Story

Seal Island – off the coast of South Africa, holds up to 60,000 seals and is a perfect place to research great white shark habits. Yes, “Shark Week” on the Discovery Channel just wrapped up, but not before I watched a few shark related programs and before getting Lady Gaga’s song, “Show me Your Teeth” stuck in my head forever! What I repeatedly heard is that sharks are intentional in their hunt and they are successful 50% of the time. Depending on the type of shark and their environment... Read Full Story

Making the decision to change careers is definitely a stressful process. Changes are made for many different reasons; job dissatisfaction, economy fluctuations, income, and lack of advancement are all incentives to make career changes. Once the decision has been made, measures should be taken to make the transition a smooth, lucrative and rewarding experience. Below are five points to consider before ever leaving your current job. Proper assessment of each point will help you facilitate an... Read Full Story

In every step of the job search process follow-up is vital for being seen and heard, and for building relationships based on integrity. Follow-up processes begin with your success in networking. If there isn’t consistency in your follow-up actions, others may be hesitant to promote, refer or recommend you to their employers. When someone in your network provides you with information on potential opportunities, be sure to act on it quickly to demonstrate your interest and appreciation. And... Read Full Story

Weeds finally began peeking through my garden floor a few weeks ago. They usually come up just before the perennials and in Michigan it is a sign that things are finally unthawing and warm sunny days are not far away. Although weeds usually drive me crazy by the end of the summer, I am always excited to see any sign of life at the early entrance of spring. Typical for Michigan, we have jumped from 40’s to 70’s in just a couple of weeks and the gardens, trees and weeds have exploded with... Read Full Story