I want to thank you for reading this line. I know if you just did, you must have some level of faith in me as your coach. Or, at a minimum, think I have something to offer to help you improve your career. So, again, thank for that and your attention in general. Today, I want to share some powerful perspectives with you. I genuinely believe, if you …

I get this one a lot. "Coach, I’m getting stock [or RSUs, ISOs, PIUs, Phantom, etc. etc.] as part of my compensation package. How do I value this? How do I gauge what the right amount is?" FYI…that’s Restricted Stock Units, Incentive Stock Options, Profit Interest Units, Phantom Stock (yes, it’s a thing) and several other variations of stock-ish ty…

Today, I’m running through the “You’re overqualified,” scenario which, unfortunately, all-too-many job seekers hear. I mean, if they think this, why are they even talking to you? It’s a veiled concern about your fit or salary or whatever. We all know it. But, does that mean we need to throw in the towel? You know I’m all about the art of the possib…

Coming at you today with a full-on lesson on career-building moves. 10 of them. This is an Andy-filled-smorgasbord of tips, tactics, strategies, and other not-easily-classifiable magic tricks to help you get ahead, stay ahead, and basically enjoy your career and life. It’s not a shorty. It’s not a shorty because no short cut ever gave you what you …

Every week, I meet individually with 15-18 people to help them with their job searches, interviews, and salary negotiations. Inevitably, I get questions such as… “Coach, I had this interview. The recruiter talked the entire time. Didn’t ask me a single question. What should I have done?” “Andy, the interviewer started the interview with ‘What quest…

Many want it. The good life. The few. They want the great life. The rest. What’s left. You guessed it. They pursue heights so high most people dismiss them as unattainable. Whichever group you’re in, I know you’ll eventually pursue some personal Mount Everest. You know the one I’m talking about. The one that, somewhere along the climb, makes you qu…

Today, I’m dropping one of those podcasts that was impossible to title properly to encapsulate the full impact of the resume writing and interviewing tips and the relationship between the two. It teaches how your résumé affects what questions a job interviewer will ask you. You’ll also be able to immediately detect, based on the questions the inter…

I spent every single day between December 3rd, 2022 and May 30th, 2023 working on something that really matters me—writing a book that’ll help you achieve a level of career attainment and satisfaction that matches your abilities. Of course, you didn’t know I was doing that. And, you won’t be able to hold my little beauty until August 6, 2024. (You …

Do you get exhausted trying to think about every question a job interviewer could ask? And preparing your interview responses? And trying to remember everything? Only to clam up or forget or sound like a robot? There is a better way… To make your interview stories powerful. To reduce your prep time. To not forgetting. I’ve got THE 5 steps I’d take.…

It’s still January, which means technically I’m trending if I talk about goal setting. Are you achieving yours? Goals that is? I’m not really a goal-setter per se, as much as I strive to be an accomplish-er. And, I guess now that I’ve written that previous sentence and am too lazy to go back and change it, I’ll just correct it here... I have never …

Today, I’m decoding job descriptions. If you’re wondering what that entails, that’s me doing some Andy x-ray vision and taking a run at predicting the future (interview, salary negotiation, etc.) simply by seeing a job description. I can even go backwards with what your resume should say. I’m an all-directions kinda guy that way. This is one of tho…

Today, we’re talking how to prove your value to employers. Easiest way to do that is to show them how you can help them achieve their goals. To do that, you need to know what their goals are. Good news for you is I’m old and wise and have lots of employer tread on my tires. Serving it up today. If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewar…

Lemme ask ya. Is there anything more confusing than job titles when it comes to job searching and your career planning? I think not. Have you ever wondered… Do job titles matter? Does anyone care? How do I explain my title when no one outside my company knows what system engineer III means? Should I apply for lower-level titles to increase my chanc…

Happy New Year! Let’s start the New Year with a BANG! Shall we? Full-fledged job search podcast today. 5 major tips (which actually means 18 tips by Andy math) on how to ramp up your job search results in 2024! I’m covering a major doozy from what I consider to be the 5 big phases on an effective search. Inside, I hit getting your requirements in o…

Happy Tuesday. You know what makes me sad? Podcast video titles. Lemme tell ya why. I have a podcast for you today. It’s a beauty (I think). I needed to attach a title to it because that’s a law in podcastland. I really wish I had unlimited characters and could give you a full brief about what’s in store for you when you click that link. The title …

“An object in motion is easier to redirect than a stationary one.” I’m sure I made up that quote sometime in my teens during one of my endless semesters of physics. I’m sure I’m not the first person to have that thought. I’m also sure it’s the end of the year. That means many job-seekers are either tired of searching or hesitating or reluctant to g…

I know job searching stinks. But, it’s a gift. You don’t need to agree with me at this moment. I know, however, someday, you will look back and know exactly why it had to happen THAT way. Until you know the answer to that previous statement, I have something to tide you over. It’s a life lesson, job searching, and a bunch of other things all rolled…

Money today. Inside, I’ve got a sweet video on the economic state of affairs and 3 glorious tips on how to get a pay raise. You can use these with your current employer or new employer. I’m not partial. I just care about you getting lots of dinero. I cover how to assess your future value based on your current trajectory, picking up additional respo…

Enjoy this podcast with salary negotiation tips for independent contractors. The tips work for everyone, but you know me. I like to make sure everyone is covered and contractors are just as near-and-dear to me as employees who are “full-timers.” If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places wh…

I wanted to bring you a nice, tight, powerful, perspective-filled video on how to approach a situation when an employer gives you a job offer below the advertised salary range. You might be thinking what gives? That is certainly one way to look at it. Not the only way of course. What happened? Any of a number of things. What can you do? Any of a nu…

Expected salary is ridiculous. Budgeted salary…sillier still. Just like advertised salary, unadvertised salary, and the-salary-we-hope-to-pay salary. How do I know this? Let’s see... Negotiated over 600 employment agreements and salaries as an executive recruiter. Wait. There’s more. Of the more-than 3,000 people I’ve personally coached as an inter…

Salary negotiation is tough stuff. Let's keep this simple. Here's a breakdown of the questions I answered and exactly when I answered them. Enjoy! 00:00:41 How to fill in salary expectation in the ATS (online job application)? 00:03:10 How to answer a recruiter who keeps pushing for an expected salary number? 00:06:30 What to tell a recruiter who's…

Sometimes you (think you’ve) hit a wall. There’s a person you’re speaking to and they just don’t want to pay you any more salary. Before you come to my Live Office Hours show and ask me what to do, I want you to ask yourself a question… “Can this person actually approve more compensation for me?” Essentially, is this someone who can say “No,” but c…

I’ve seen a lot of unhappy people in my day. Some happy ones of course. Some. Not enough. I’ll add to my pile a boat-load of indifferent people. These round-about numbers make me sad. If you’re indifferent or unhappy, I’d like to help you get happy. Let’s do that in today’s talk. That’s what today’s lesson is. A little talk. It’s not an 8-stepper w…

Your resume is a marketing document, not a work history document. Yes, you use your work history to market yourself, but 99.9% of the people I’ve encountered do it the wrong way. In my work history, for example, I’ve helped companies earn likely billions of dollars. I’ve built project management methodologies. I’ve built enough tools for 10 lifetim…

If you’ve ever been fired or laid off or let go from your job for any reason, it’s dreadful to explain when interviewing for a new job. Don’t fret. Your career happiness expert is here today with answers. Oh, I have more than just answers! I have techniques for any time you’re in “explanation mode” in an interview. I call it “defense mode” because …

I’m an open-minded person. BUT, if you want to convince me there is any faster route to getting a job interview, and ultimately an offer, other than boss hunting, you better come armed. It makes no difference whether you’re a recent college graduate like Venkata (the hero in today’s lesson) or a seasoned pro. Top to bottom and every which way in be…

Do you realize whenever you’re interviewing with a company, you’ll have FAR BETTER results when you treat every interaction as if you’re already a team? What do teams do? They work together to achieve a common goal. From the first screening interview all the way to your salary counteroffer, you’ll be amazed at what manifests when you approach it th…

Ever have trouble remembering your job interview answers? Actually, my real question to you is, “Why are you trying to remember your job interview answers?” My mind is like a steel trap and I’d never consider trying to remember all the words it takes to give you a (live-show) lesson. That’s just too much stuff. Not to mention, if I memorized it, I’…

Today, sweet podcast on THE job interview tactic that gets you hired. It’s the tactic that cuts right to the employer’s needs. Their needs + your solutions = job offer. That’s 9 semesters of higher math talkin’ right there and I have the Bachelor’s degree in EE to prove it. If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out …

I once had a client who would say to me, “But, Andy, I’m really bad at predicting the future.” She was referring to her ability to hire the right engineers for her company. She’d say they sounded great in the interviews. Then, she’d notice, after they were hired, they didn’t really have the traits she thought they did. This works both ways. Job can…

Are job interviews falling out of your pockets? As in, you’re walking down the street and one falls out of your pocket and you don’t even bother to bend over to pick it up? If so, have a nice Tuesday and I’ll see you next week! If not, let’s check a few things. Consistency? Elbow grease? Right targets? Right people? Shoving resume into Applicant Tr…

Need some interrogation methods on evaluating your potential boss? Like, trying to figure out whether you'll be dealing with a micro-manager? Or, if they're interested in turning you into a work-aholic? Maybe, gasp, they're a yes-man or yes-woman to their boss, which translates into a nightmare for you. So on. So forth. Etc. Etc. I’ve got an Andy-d…

Coming at you today with a more-powerful-than-usual talk about success. Hard work might get you there. Might. But, after working with and observing about a bajillion people, I’ve learned why some just seem to have it all and others live in a state of wonderment. Perspective. That one thing actually changes the way you approach, well, everything. Pe…

Are you getting job interviews? Any? Let me give you a hand. In today's podcast, I teach the concepts and tactics that get recruiters and hiring officials and whomever else is reviewing your resume to WANT to speak with you. It’s not just a do-this and do-that lesson. I go into, as I usually do, the WHYS and WHEREFORES and other important factors t…

This week’s podcast is a blitz of tough job interview questions and answers. There are a lot, so here’s a breakdown if you need to skip around or comeback to some to prepare for that big interview! 00:00 Welcome 00:22 If you could change anything about the job description what would it be? 02:28 What are you most proud of in your non-work life 05:4…

We’re not in a recession at the moment, but I don’t like to be late to the party. Even if we enter a recession, I don’t want you to panic for a few reasons. First, panic doesn’t do anyone any good. Second, you have me. Third, there are always opportunities for you regardless of whether your world is zigging or zagging. You just need the right persp…

If you’re struggling to reach the heights you know you can, there are some mindset and tactical approaches you can take to make a huge difference. Dialing in the right drivers helps too. Today’s podcast is about how who you want to be and why you want to be can shape the way you use your talents and skills to become all you can be. You’ll also get …

There’s Mount Olympus Mons. The tallest mountain in the solar system. True. Or, if you haven’t been to Mars to climb that doozie, perhaps you wanna hike up Mount Everest here on Earth. I hear Asia is lovely this time of year. Honestly, though, I just care about climbing Mount Andy. Maybe you want to focus on climbing Mount Whatever-Your-Name-Is. Th…

“Show me the money,” said every job candidate ever! More is always better. We don’t need to be greedy and money isn’t everything, but it’s something. All I care about is you get paid what you deserve or at least what makes you happy. Today, I’ve got two wonderful Jedi-mind tricks where the employers won’t know what else to do but give you more mone…

Can you just tell me what you want so I can eliminate you from this wonderful position because I can’t satisfy your needs? Good. Grief. Why do employer’s ask stupid questions. Maybe, if I was going easy on them, I’d ask, “Why do employers not ask questions the right way?” I mean, the way that’d yield the actual info they need to make a good decisio…

Ever want to dig into how a company actually operates? As in, how they truly behave? That’d be a good thing to do if you’re job interviewing, I’d think. You don’t want to be joining a company you won’t like! First question: Do you even know what kind of culture works for you? Let’s say you do. Can you get over your freshly-inflicted bruises that te…

Job searching stinks. There’s just no two ways about it. It makes no difference how awesome you are at your job. Job searching is rough. It’s unnatural. Today’s podcast is on some job search tips and also the Andy-formula for everyday stress-self-management! If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these ot…

Evaluating potential employees has confused companies for all time. Most of this confusion stems from looking at the wrong things and in the wrong order. Take a listen to this week’s podcast to get the data-backed view of how to hire right! If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I…

Got asked a great question a few weeks back at Live Office Hours. The person asked if he should stay at his company or transition every 3-4 years. He has aspirations of being a CEO at some point in the future and was wondering whether the variety or longevity would better position him. Have you ever wondered this? You might be thinking, well, Andy,…

When interviewing with a senior executive, you need to be ready for different types of encounters. Whether the interviewer asks you, “What questions do you have for me?” or “Why should be hire you?” or “How will you make us a better company?” or “Tell me how you did that project?” the good ol’ storytelling tactics you typically use to explain your …

What’s up with “TESTS” in job interviews? As if job interviews aren’t rough enough, why, for the love of all that is holy, would employers push us job seekers over the edge with tests? These “tests” come in all shapes and sizes. Most of them are ridiculous, but, since I don’t universally run hiring for the world, we’ll need to deal with them. (Feel…

Skills. You have ‘em. I know you do. Can you demonstrate them? Do you know which ones to shine the light on? It’s important. Always. Just more important now. Inflation is hovering around 6%. Unemployment is roughly 3.6%. Our US Fed is trying to manage inflation by raising interest rates. We’re trying the disinflation thing which means a slowdown in…

Does your resume say, “Hi, my name’s [whatever your name is]. I’m a [whatever you are]?” Or, does your resume say, “Hi Ms. Recruiter. This is how your company is about to change—for the better? You’ve been waiting for me. I’m here now.” You might be wondering, Coach, how am I supposed to say the latter if I don’t know what the company wants? To whi…

I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere between the time I was born and today the world started operating at Mach speed. On the one hand, I’m not quite sure how I survived as a child without a cell phone, walked to the park, played with my friends, and managed to make it home alive all by myself. Now, it’s hard to be alone anywhere, without ac…