Ascend Career and Life Strategies Blog
Bad Advice – 5 erroneous career tips that are guaranteed to impede your path to success
Part of my job as a career coach is to stay up-to-speed on what employers are looking for and to follow the current best practices when it comes to hiring and selecting top candidates. But in a world where anyone with a keyboard and internet connection can proclaim...
When Should Interns Be Paid?
Internships provide recent college graduates and those transitioning to new careers with the opportunity for real-life job training and can even lead to full-time jobs. Employers, meanwhile, can use internship programs to scout out new talent and get temporary help...
Where Do the Majority of Available Jobs Exist?
According the U.S. Department of Labor, 70-80 percent of all available jobs are never advertised. Companies will almost always try to fill a position by looking internally or by word-of-mouth before placing an ad online or even contacting a recruiter. Add in the jobs...
How to Land Your Next Job Using Your Smartphone
Just about everything today has gone mobile. You can deposit your checks, chat face-to-face with friends far away, and read your favorite books and magazines—all from your smartphone. Even the most brick-and-mortar businesses like Macy’s and McDonald’s have developed...
Summer Job Search Tips for Teens and Young Adults
In the late 1970s, more than 70 percent of teens had summer jobs. This summer, only about 40 percent will. Though the challenging economy is partly to blame, less than 10 percent of unemployed teens even wanted a job last summer. However, early jobs can teach critical...
The Best Jobs for Working Parents
According to a recent survey by career website FlexJobs, an overwhelming majority of parents (96%) say having a traditional full-time job conflicts with important parts of taking care of their families. Finding the right job as a working parent is no easy task. It can...
The Top Skills Employers Desire in College Grads for 2014
According to a 2013 study by American Express and Gen Y research firm Millennial Branding, managers have an overall negative view of young workers, and point to their lack of soft skills regarding communication and interpersonal interactions, time management abilities...
Creating a Scanner-Friendly Resume
One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions people make each year is to find a new or better job. But just as tools, technology, and standards change across any industry, the same holds true for how employees are now qualified and hired. You’ve probably heard this...
The Hottest Industries in Colorado for 2014
More than four years after the recovery officially started, it appears the state economy is finally on track as Colorado should continue to enjoy robust job gains in 2014. Colorado is expected to be among the top five states for job growth in 2014, with a gain of...
Should You Turn Your Hobby Into a Career?
Do you have a hobby or a passion -- something you really enjoy doing in your spare time? Do you love gardening, caring for animals, fitness, or the outdoors? Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you could spend more time on your hobby and less time at your...