Nearly everyone, at some point in their career, will have to decide if they want to pursue a leadership role. However, many people focus their consideration […]
The post Are You Ready for a Leadership Role? Four Questions to Ask Yourself appeared first on Blog Job Hunting Career Management Solutions | CareerShift.
Are you one of the six out of 10 Americans who, according to Inc. Magazine, wants a new job in 2025? If so, do you have the tools to make that dream a reality? As a career coaching veteran with 20+ years of experience, I’ve helped thousands of professionals land better-paying jobsâeven during the ongoing white-collar recession. To help you succeed, Iâm sharing the five essential strategies that can transform your job search and help you secure a new role.
Bookmark this articleâitâs packed with actionable advice to help you unlock your career potential. Now, letâs dive into the five critical tools you need for success in todayâs competitive job market.
In a job market flooded with qualified candidates, your first task is to identify your UVA. This is how you articulate your ability to save or generate enough value for a company to justify the cost of hiring you.
Hereâs the key: Your UVA must demonstrate how you can provide a return of 130â140% of your salary. For instance, if youâre aiming for a $100,000 annual salary, you need to show how your work will generate $130,000â$140,000 in value. Without a clear UVA, youâll blend in with the crowd instead of standing out as the must-have candidate.
Job seekers often waste time applying to hundreds of positions online or using AI tools to submit applications en masse. This “spray and pray” approach rarely works.
Instead, become a job shopper by curating a targeted interview bucket list. Identify companies and hiring managers who align with your skills and career goals. By focusing your energy on a select list, you can strategically showcase your UVA to the right audience.
Networking is no longer enough. What you need is a backchanneling strategyâa method to connect directly with hiring managers at the companies on your interview bucket list.
Backchanneling allows you to tap into the hidden job market, cutting through the noise and bypassing gatekeepers. Itâs smarter, not harder, and itâs a game-changer in modern job searches.
When all candidates appear equally qualified, your connection story becomes your differentiator.
This story should convey why youâre passionate about the companyâs mission, products, and customers. Hiring managers are drawn to candidates who demonstrate genuine enthusiasm and alignment with their organization. Lead with your connection story during backchanneling efforts to establish trust and set the stage for sharing your UVA.
The job matching matrix is the ultimate job search hack for 2025. Itâs a simple yet powerful tool that compares your qualifications to the job description, line by line.
By presenting this matrix to hiring managers, you make their decision-making process easier. You eliminate guesswork by clearly outlining how your skills match their needs. Candidates who use this tool often find their interviews flow more naturally, making them stand out as the ideal hire.
If you donât have these five tools yet, donât worry. My team and I have created our Free Resource Center to help you master them. Inside, youâll find video training valued at thousands of dollarsâat no cost to you (that means no credit card required!). Youâll also gain access to my live podcast, where I answer questions and provide personalized advice three days a week.
The job market in 2025 will be challenging, but you donât have to face it unprepared. These strategies will shorten your job search, increase your earning potential, and position you for success.
Take the first step today. Explore the Free Resource Center, tune in to the live podcast, and unlock your potential. Together, we can make your job search smarter and more rewarding.
Good luckâgo get that new job!
Dermatologists are physicians who diagnose and treat patients with skin, mouth, hair, and nail disorders. After finishing medical school, they need to complete a year of clinical training, plus three to four years of residency in dermatology. Dermatologists who decide to practice a sub-specialty are required to go through an additional year of training.
According to the Medscape Dermatologist Compensation Report 2024, dermatologists are among the top earners of all physician specialties, with an average annual compensation of $479,000. This total compensation includes salary, bonus, and profit-sharing contributions.
Years In Practice
During the initial year of practice, a dermatologist’s salary is not as lucrative. Residents do not earn doctor-like salaries. According to ZipRecruiter, the median salary during the first year of practice is $376,749. A seasoned dermatologist can make well over $400,000.
Skills
Single-specialty group practices, multi-specialty group practices, and hospital employment are viable alternatives that dermatologists can opt for as a career path. The average salary for a dermatologist in outpatient care centers is $460,470 compared to an annual income of $302,940 when employed in a hospital.
Location
Salaries may vary for some reasons. Some major metropolitan areas have unusually high living costs and must offer substantial salaries or benefits to compensate. Many prairie states pay higher salaries to offset the disadvantage of their relatively harsh climate. Dermatologists from the Northwest have an average annual compensation range of $402,260 â $581,560 compared to those in other regions of the U.S.
Professional Reputation
Staffing firm Jackson & Coker reported an average salary of $327,260 for dermatologists, but an average of $65,452 in benefits raised total compensation to $392,712. Merritt Hawkins’ 2012 compensation survey found that 54% of bonuses were based on patient volumes, with 35% based on quality.
Here’s a more in-depth look at a few types of dermatologists:
Pediatric Dermatologists
Pediatric dermatologists are dermatologists who specialize in the treatment of skin diseases in children: conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, warts, dermatitis, or birthmarks. Many practicing pediatric dermatologists receive annual bonuses ranging from as low as $10,000 to as much as $150,000. Those who are working in the academic field get an average salary of $176,661 for assistant professors and $232,375 for full-time professors. A practicing pediatric dermatologist earns an average salary of $396,021 and reported a range salary from $340,894 to $462,260.
Cosmetic Dermatologist
The average salary for a cosmetic dermatologist in the U.S. is $376,749. However, the total compensation of a cosmetic dermatologist is very dependent on the quality of care.
Veterinary Dermatologist
A veterinary dermatologist is a veterinarian with advanced training in the treatment of a wide variety of animal skin diseases and disorders. Compensation may vary widely based on the level of experience in the field.
It is expected that experienced and more established dermatologists have the tendency to earn larger salaries. Indeed, the salary and compensation of a dermatologist is lucrative. This is the reason why a great number of young Americans envision a career as a dermatologist, in addition to wanting to help treat and cure individuals of skin, mouth, hair, and nail disorders.
However, it is also important to know that before you can earn hundreds of thousands a year, it is vital to go through several years of education, intense training, and additional learning to be a qualified and efficient dermatologist.
Overall, if you’re looking for a great, fulfilling career in the medical field, then dermatology could be the one.
Not sure what career is right for you? Take our FREE Career Decoder Quiz today!
Auto dealers have a lot of different insurance policies that they need to have in place in order to operate legally. This includes surety bonds. What do these bonds do? How do they work? And why are they needed? There are many things that go into purchasing a bond as an automotive dealer, but the…
Regroup and reprioritize your job search and/or career with information that you can actually use! As I’m sure you experienced, the week between Christmas and New Year is a void. Not much happens and it’s easy to lose track of what day it is. Sometimes, that carries over into early January. No worries. It happens. […]
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Heading into a new year means getting your job search on the right track. Whether you are unemployed or employed and looking, you’ll want to use these pieces of job search advice. Job Search In 2025 Looking for a new job in 2025 will be different than it was a year or more ago. I […]
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We work with people who are over 40 and looking for work, and we’ve seen a pattern in the âstrategiesâ of the older and unemployed. To put it simply, older job seekers have been beaten up, treated unfairly, and given so much (bad) advice that itâs hard to know what’s right, wrong, or even worth trying if you can get an interview.
We have one simple question we ask all of the older and unemployed professionals we coach: “Does it help you get hired or does it help you get eliminated?”
If you’re over 40 and unemployed, start asking yourself this question about everything you do in your job search. And remember, if what you are doing isnât working, change it! We want you to go to your next interview energized, confident, and prepared. We want you to get hired for a great job. So, we are going to give you the top three ways the older and unemployed overcompensate in interviews.
We once coached a gentleman who told us he had 22 years of experience three times within the first five minutes of talking to us. We explained that no jobs advertise âover 20 years of experience required,” and every time he said he had â22 years of experience,â he was reminding a hiring manager that he was older and probably more experienced than the manager he would be working for. So, 22 years of experience helps you get eliminatedânot hired!
We decided he would never say those words again in an interview and would only focus on the 5-8 years of experience he had that matched the position he was applying for.
Nothing says, âEven though Iâm new to your business, Iâll probably tell you how you can improve your systems and, oh yeah, Iâll be hard to train, too,â more effectively than this statement. Itâs like arriving at your interview in a yellow Corvette with your top three buttons undone (we are talking about dudes here), a thick gold chain, and too much cologne.
Remember, you are not there to be the most qualified candidate; you are there to be the perfect candidate. And, the perfect candidate has the right experience and appears to be moldable and trainable.
Unfortunately, your personal experience doesnât count in any of these categories. We have coached and talked to many older and unemployed professionals who were in need of a job. They had really heartbreaking circumstances. Things like needing to buy medication for sick children or just needing to pay rent. The advice we gave them was don’t play the pity card. Yes, it will generate some compassion from a hiring manager, but it won’t get you hired.
The truth is, hiring managers would love to help you if they could but they have to hire for experience, education, and fit, so focus on these and these only.
Being over 40 and unemployed can feel like an uphill battle, but itâs a challenge you can overcome with the right mindset and strategies. Remember, the key to success isnât overcompensating or leaning on your personal struggles; itâs about presenting yourself as the perfect fit for the role.
Highlight the skills and experiences that align directly with the job requirements, demonstrate your adaptability, and approach every opportunity with confidence and professionalism. Stay focused on what helps you get hired, adjust your approach as needed, and trust that your experience, when framed correctly, can be your greatest asset. With perseverance and a clear strategy, your next career opportunity is within reach.
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Being laid off multiple times can feel overwhelming, especially when it happens back to back. It’s a scenario that leaves many professionals struggling to articulate their experiences during job interviews. The truth is, while itâs natural to internalize blame, being laid off isnât necessarily a reflection of your abilities or worth. Hereâs how to reframe your perspective and confidently explain your situation.
The initial reaction to a layoff is often self-doubt. You might think, âIf I was good enough, they would have kept me.â But layoffs often have more to do with external factors than personal performance. Market shifts, company restructuring, or declining relevance of certain skill sets are common reasons people are let go.
When it happens a second time, the self-doubt can deepen. You might think, âLightning doesnât strike twiceâthis must be my fault.â However, the reality is that back-to-back layoffs often follow a pattern. For example, if you transitioned to a similar role after your first layoff, the second company may have faced the same challenges, leading to another layoff.
Hereâs a common scenario:
This cycle doesnât mean youâre at fault. Instead, it highlights an opportunity to analyze the circumstances and make more strategic career moves.
When asked about consecutive layoffs in an interview, your goal is to show accountability and growth. Hereâs how you can craft your response:
1. Acknowledge the experience
Start with an honest reflection, framing it as a learning opportunity.
“If you had told me three years ago that Iâd experience two layoffs back to back, I wouldnât have believed you. But looking back, Iâve gained clarity about what happened and what Iâve learned from it.”
2. Analyze the situation
Demonstrate that youâve thoughtfully considered the circumstances and identified patterns.
“At my first company, there were signs that my departmentâs role was becoming less relevant. I stayed until I was laid off, and then quickly found a similar job. Unfortunately, I didnât realize that my new employer was facing the same challenges. That led to a similar outcome.”
3. Show accountability and growth
Explain how youâve adapted and what steps youâll take moving forward.
“Looking back, I can see two key lessons. First, I should have started exploring new opportunities as soon as I saw signs of instability at my first employer. Second, I should have broadened my job search to include roles where my skills could align with more stable, forward-looking organizations. These experiences have helped me refine my career strategy, and Iâm committed to finding a role where I can make a long-term impact.”
This response conveys intelligence, accountability, and a commitment to growthâqualities any employer values.
This approach is rooted in the “Experience + Learn = Grow” framework, which ensures your answers are structured, articulate, and professional. It’s the best way to answer those tough behavioral questions in job interviews.
Using this method, you can:
If youâre ready to master tough interview questions like this, Work It DAILY offers the tools you need. Sign up for a 7-day free trial to access our interview prep program and learn how to craft responses that position you as a must-have candidate.
Being laid off multiple times doesnât define your careerâitâs how you respond and grow that truly matters. Use these strategies to turn past challenges into a compelling story of resilience and adaptability.
Good luck! Go get ’em.
It has always been important to upskill or reskill, but today’s economic and job uncertainty has further hammered that point home. Whether you’re looking for a new job in 2025, making a career change, or planning to grow in your current job, all professionals should make a plan for upskilling or reskilling.
According to the Future of Jobs Report, of the employees who remain in their roles, about 40% can expect that the core skills for that position will change and 50% of employees will need upskilling. The report also states that many employers are aware of the value of investing in their employees and that on average employers expect to offer upskilling and reskilling to just over 70% of employees by 2025.
Even if employers do step up their upskilling offerings, one fact remains: Professionals should take personal responsibility for their own upskilling or reskilling plan!
Here are some ways to develop your upskilling or reskilling plan.
No matter what position you’re in as a professional, there’s always a need for picking up new skills.
Those looking for a new job or trying to make a career change need to gain new skills in order to make themselves attractive candidates to potential employers, especially in this competitive job market. In addition, even if you don’t have all the skills required for a position, there are some employers who are equally impressed with the initiative to gain the skills, and they may be willing to take a chance on the right candidate.
For those who are employed, it’s important to anticipate how your job may change in the coming years and plan accordingly. It’s also important to take into account your personal goals for career growth and development. There are always goals that can be accomplished.
Professionals today are lucky to live in an era where there are so many courses and professional certifications available online. If you do some research, you’ll likely find a course geared towards the skills that you’re looking to acquire.
The main consideration is the time and financial investment that you must put into acquiring these new skills. Like anything in life, you have to sacrifice a little upfront to achieve long-term gains.
Professionals with jobs should consider scheduling a career discussion with their boss to start a conversation about goals for the year ahead and plans for upskilling. The company may take an interest in your initiative to upskill and offer some financial assistance. There are also some companies that offer financial assistance and schedule flexibility as part of their employee benefits packages.
If you’re unemployed or not in a position to get assistance, then do a careful search of what’s available. Sometimes companies open up courses for free or at a discounted rate for a limited time. Sites like LinkedIn and Coursera have diverse offerings at multiple price points.
It’s ultimately up to the individual to determine how much they’re willing to invest for a potential long-term gain.
Sometimes the best advice comes from people who have been there and done that.
It’s smart to turn to your network if you have a question about upskilling or reskilling because if your professional network is large enough, chances are you can find someone with solid advice about potential strategies or courses.
Connections could also introduce you to new connections that are better suited to address your particular situation. So not only do you gain some much-needed advice, but you also make a new connection that could come in handy someday.
This is just another reason why it’s important to constantly build your networkâbecause it can help you on every step of the career journey.
While learning new skills to accomplish your career goals is a top priority, it can also be rewarding to learn new skills just for your own personal satisfaction.
Perhaps you’re a financial advisor with an interest in graphic design. By learning more about things that you enjoy or intrigue you, the more personal satisfaction and happiness you’ll receive. And you never know when one of these skills could be leveraged into something that may grow your career, or even help you start a side business.
Learning new skills has a way of opening up new doors, even ones that you didn’t see coming. Upskilling not only boosts your confidence but also enhances your adaptability in a rapidly changing job market. It signals to employers that you’re proactive, resourceful, and invested in your professional growth. With every new skill mastered, youâre not just adding to your resume; youâre reshaping your future and expanding your potential. Take the first step todayâyour next opportunity might just be waiting for the skills youâre about to learn.
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When it comes to applying for jobs, cover letters have long been a staple of the process. But letâs face it: traditional cover letters are a thing of the past. If you’re still using a “To Whom It May Concern” template to summarize your resume, stop. The traditional cover letter is dead, and itâs time to embrace a new approachâone that truly connects with potential employers.
Welcome to the era of disruptive cover letters.
The old-school cover letter, often just a regurgitation of your resume, rarely gets read. Why? Many hiring managers now assume these cover letters are auto-generated by AI tools like ChatGPT, making them impersonal and uninspiring. Employers want authenticity, and a generic summary doesnât deliver.
Instead of rehashing your qualifications, your cover letter should tell a storyâone that resonates with the employer and highlights why youâre excited about their company.
Disruptive cover letters are a game-changing strategy designed to help you stand out. Unlike traditional cover letters, they donât look like cover letters at all. They focus on storytelling and creating an emotional connection with the employer.
Hereâs how they work:
Humans are wired for stories. Social media and viral content prove that stories evoke emotions, make ideas memorable, and create connections. In a competitive job market, storytelling is the surest way to set yourself apart from other candidates and stand out to employers by fostering an emotional bond with the hiring team.
If you want to go above and beyond, consider turning your disruptive cover letter into a video. A video cover letter allows you to share your connection story in a personal, dynamic way. Imagine starting your video with:
âLet me tell you the story of how I discovered your company and why Iâm passionate about joining your teamâ¦â
These video introductions get candidates noticed and land them interviews.
Creating a disruptive cover letter isnât as daunting as it sounds. Once you master the framework, itâs easy to adapt for multiple companies by tweaking key details.
Want to learn how to craft your own disruptive cover letter? Work It DAILY offers a step-by-step guide to help you create impactful cover letters and even video versions. Sign up for a free 7-day trial and start transforming the way you approach job applications.
The key takeaway from todayâs cover letter trends: itâs not just about showcasing your skills; itâs about evoking emotion and building a connection. With a disruptive cover letter, youâll stand out from the crowd and leave a lasting impression.
So, ditch the traditional cover letter and embrace the future. Your dream job is just a story away!
In the fast-paced world where expectations are high, there is one simple yet powerful tool that is overlooked more than it should be: appreciation. Did you know that showing appreciation is one of the most impactful things you can do for someone else?
Think back to the last time you were traveling through an airport and saw a uniformed veteran. Did you pause to say, âThank you for your service?â Itâs a simple gesture that carries immense meaning so imagine the pride the veteran feels. Or when you were little, did you make breakfast for your mom on Motherâs Day? Looking back, I admit my first attempt wasnât exactly a culinary masterpiece, but she lovingly ate every bite. Why? Because my mom cherished and appreciated my efforts to make her day special. I had the biggest smile and my heart swelled with pride! These gestures of gratitude make others feel seen and valued.
Those same principles apply in the workplace. Small, intentional acts of appreciation can have a ripple effect boosting morale and strengthening relationships across the team. When employees feel appreciated and valued, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their work. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and commitment to their role, which then can reduce turnover.
Appreciating the team fosters a positive team culture where team members feel supported and recognized for their contributions which can lead to improved collaboration as team members are more likely to support each other. They can feel more comfortable sharing ideas and perspectives which can stimulate innovation and continuous improvement within the team leading to new approaches and efficiencies. It helps to acknowledge and recognize their hard work, dedication, and achievements. It validates their efforts and contributions, which boosts their morale. When employees feel appreciated, theyâre more likely to strive for excellence and go the extra mile.
There are numerous ways to show appreciation to the team. Itâs important to personalize the approach and consider the organizational culture, team dynamics, and each team memberâs preferences to make the appreciation gestures meaningful. In addition to celebrating Employee Appreciation Day (the first Friday in March), some other ways are:
Donât underestimate the power of simply saying âthank youâ to acknowledge and recognize efforts and support. It doesnât cost anything but its impact is immeasurable conveying acknowledgment and respect which can lead to improved relationships. Promoting positive interactions can create a culture of appreciation and gratitude that reinforces that their work matters. Iâve adopted the habit of saying thank you and expressing gratitude daily to each team member.
There are multiple ways to show your appreciation. Whatever you choose, I think the most important aspect is the appreciation to be sincere and genuine, which makes it meaningful. Sometimes Iâll write a handwritten thank-you note. Itâs that extra step that typically isnât expected but is greatly appreciated and will make that person feel incredibly special. One of my favorite ways to show my appreciation is by baking for the team. They know that itâs something personal that Iâve given of myself each time I bake. And if Iâve baked their favorite items (albeit chocolate chip cookies, brownies, or apple pie) can make their day.
Appreciation shouldnât be a one-time act but a consistent practice promoting recognition so individuals feel valued, respected, and motivated to perform their best. Take a moment today to thank your team for their hard work, which might be the spark that propels them to even greater success!
For more information about how the overlooked power of appreciation and gratitude can transform teams, follow me on LinkedIn!
Are you a prime candidate for a mid-level or senior-level leadership role? If so, you have to shake up the way you tailor your resume for that position.
The way recruiters and hiring managers look for leadership candidates is a bit different than the way they search for candidates in other roles. Theyâre not just looking for technical skills. They want to see evidence of your ability to inspire teams, drive results, and lead through challenges.
Your resume needs to tell a compelling story about your leadership journey, showcasing both your achievements and the impact youâve made on organizations. Before you apply for that leadership position, make sure you leverage these seven strategies to tailor your resume for maximum impact.
As you may know, the computer databases, or applicant tracking systems, that store and analyze incoming resumes for job board, employer, and recruiter sites count the number of times certain words are used in your resume. These keywords are industry-specific and unique to each role in each company. Your resume ranks higher if you include more of these words in the document.
Each time you apply for a new role, you need to tweak your summary to highlight the right skills and keywords relevant to the position. You also need to emphasize the right capabilities.
When you apply for a leadership role, it is imperative to showcase your skills and experience with strategy creation. In lower-level jobs, you have to demonstrate your tactical execution strengths; in director-level plus positions, designing and implementing strategic plans is absolutely critical.
Instead of writing a typical summary on your resume, change your top fold to an experience summary, which is a list of 6-8 hard or transferable skills needed for the specific job you’re applying for.
Here are some tips to make your experience summary stand out for a leadership position:
A well-crafted experience summary gives hiring managers an immediate sense of your suitability for a leadership position and ensures you stand out as a candidate.
One of a resume’s key tasks is to tell the story of your career. Yours must convey the importance and relevance of each position change you’ve made while simultaneously clarifying the key challenges you faced in the role.
Most job seekers assume that recruiters read resumes the same way that they do. However, that’s not the case.
Many recruiters read a resume “out of order” (aka in pieces and parts) to see the big picture of the prospective candidate’s career. This often includes reading achievement statements differently than you do.
Before reading them in their entirety, some recruiters briefly review the first few words of each bulleted statement to test the waters, so to speak. They also do this to see if the accomplishments are more tactically or strategically focused. It’s imperative that you front-load your achievements with the strategic focus they’re looking for, assuming you have that experience.
It’s always vital to include up-to-date listings of your educational credentials, including certifications, relevant affiliations, and professional development coursework. However, you shouldn’t overlook other details that can bolster the leadership focus of your resume.
This is a quick change but a critical one: make sure you insert the exact title of the position you’re pursuing into your resume as its title. This will add more keywords to your resume, and, more importantly, it will shape the perception of your resume’s readers to see you as qualified for the position you are targeting.
Now, this won’t work if you apply for a leadership role for which you have few qualifications. However, if you are well-qualified for the position you’re targeting and meet 75% or more of the role requirements, then this is a wise and appropriate thing to do.
Whether you call it a tagline or personal branding statement, these single-line headlines are the perfect length to encapsulate the problem you solve for employers. These kinds of statements are big-picture by nature, so they encompass the whole of your career rather than just your most recent role.
All of the foregoing are content shifts you need to make in your resume to properly position yourself as a leadership candidate. In addition, consider overhauling your resume’s âlook and feel” to call attention to executive-level experience. Use a clean, professional design with consistent formatting to exude sophistication and clarity. Incorporate subtle elements, such as bold section headers and plenty of white space, to emphasize key achievements without overwhelming the content. Finally, ensure your resume aligns with your personal brand and reflects the qualities you bring to a leadership role.
If you’re looking to land a leadership role, we can help!
Become a member today and learn how to earn more, stress less, and truly love what you do.