Job Search Toolkit
Discover the latest tips and tools related to career exploration, resumes, LinkedIn, networking, interviewing, salary negotiation, and more.
27 Tools Every New Remote Worker Needs
mega-list compiled by skillcrush, an online coding school. You may only use one or two of these tools but worth checking out to maintain solid communication with your remote and office-based co-workers.
5 Benefits to Ask For in Your Next Salary Negotiation
Whether you’re asking for a raise or negotiating a new contract, it’s important to research all of your options before entering such a discussion
7 Ways Women Can Opt Back into the Workforce
August 2013, Kerry Hannon, Contributor, Forbes.com.
Age Discrimination – How to Handle It in Your Job Search
September 26, 2014, Kathy Caprino, Contributor, Forbes.com. Kerry Hannon, AARP Jobs Expert, shares her take on age bias and highlights FlexProfessionals as an agency that has been successful placing seasoned workers into meaningful jobs.
Boston College Center for Work and Family
Links academic research and corporate best practices for creating workplace cultures that support the “dual agenda” of individual and organizational success.
Boston College Center On Aging and Work
promotes quality of employment as an imperative for the 21st century multi-generational workforce. The Center integrates evidence from research with insights from workplace experiences to inform innovative organizational decision-making.
Clifton Strengths Talent Assessment
A book and online tool that helps you identify your strengths across 34 areas to discover what you naturally do best, and help you maximize your skill areas. A basic report is included with the book or upgrade for an expanded report.
Designing Your Life
A website, book, and workbook on how to approach career exploration at any age, and with an emphasis on wayfinding and growth mindset.
Don’t Let Weak Technology Skills Stop You from Getting a Job – A 6 Step Plan to Achieve Proficiency
September 2016, Sheila Murphy. Follow these steps for a new, tech-savvy you.
Families and Work Institute
a nonprofit dedicated to providing research for living in today’s changing workplace, changing family and changing community.
From Federal to Private: Three Tips to Smooth the Transition
Blog by FlexProfessionals for job seekers moving from the federal to private workforce.
Glassdoor
lets you see what real employees have to say about companies that you are targeting. Find salary and other information too.
Great Jobs for Everyone 50+: Finding Work That Keeps You Happy and Healthy . . .and Pays the Bills
September 2012, by Kerry Hannon.
How to Answer the Question “Do You Have Any Questions?”
Cleverism, February 2018. This article includes some great questions to ask during an interview.
How to Land a Great Job When You Are Over 50
July 2018, Julie Halpert, www.cnbc.com. This article contains some good advice for finding meaningful work after 50.
How to Negotiate Salary: 37 Tips You Need to Know
Updated June 2024, The Daily Muse Editor. If you are like many women and don’t think of negotiating salary, this is an important read.
How to Respond to Difficult Questions/Concerns Raised in Interviews
FlexProfessionals, LLC. Refer to this handout for suggested language that will help you craft your response to common concerns specific to re-entry professionals expressed by employers during an interview.
How to Start the Conversation: Salary Negotiation Scripts
Aubrey Bach, Find the script that fits you best, then take a deep breath and start the negotiation conversation.
How to Work from Home and Stay Healthy
from Remote.co, a website dedicated to all things related to remote work, including forums for both remote workers and managers of remote employees
How to “Own” the Gap on Your Resume
September, 2023. Blog by Sheila Murphy, Partner & Co-founder of FlexProfessionals, on how to address a career gap on your resume.
idealist
A great site for those looking for mission-driven careers. It contains jobs, internships, volunteer opportunities, networking opportunities, and career advice.
In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in the New World of Work
Kerry Hannon, a nationally recognized workplace futurist, author, work flexibility advocate, and financial strategist. provides strategies and tips for navigating the post-pandemic workplace.
Institute for Career Transition
(ICT) partners with experienced professionals, providing private coaching and cohort-based learning opportunities to navigate a changing economic landscape.
Interview Checklist for FlexProfessionals Candidates Interviewing with Our Clients
January, 2023, FlexProfessionals, LLC. A handy, one-page checklist for job seekers interviewing with one of our business clients.
Job Search Tips for Former Federal Employees Transitioning to the Private Sector
This FlexProfessionals tip sheet provides guidance for federal employees transitioning to the private sector, including resume adjustments, networking strategies, and interview preparation to successfully navigate the shift.
Kerry Hannon
jobs expert, author, journalist and speaker — always has wonderful advice for seasoned professionals looking to engage in the workforce.
Kids are Back in School – Is This Your Year to Get Back to Work? Here are 5 Tips to Get Ready
September 2014, FlexProfessionals, LLC
The premier on-line resource for networking. Connect with former colleagues and current contacts. Find new connections. More and more recruiters use LinkedIn for passive recruiting. Do you have a LinkedIn profile? What does it say about your personal brand?
List of the Best Skills for Resumes
July 2024, Alison Doyle. This is the most comprehensive list of skills, including soft skills, that we have found. Well organized and includes both hard and soft skills.
Negotiation in 7 Easy Steps
By Linda Descano, CFA®, President and CEO, Women & Co, Forget “negotiating” entirely and focus on “influencing”
Overwork: Transforming the Daily Grind in a Quest for a Better Life
September 2024, Brigid Schulte. From the New York Times bestselling author of Overwhelmed, a deeply reported exploration of why American work isn’t working and how our lives can be made more meaningful.
O’Net Interest Profiler
free self-assessment tool that is a part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network (O*Net). The profiler will identify your broad interest areas so you can use the results to explore the world of work. This tool is especially useful to job seekers re-entering the workforce or looking to change careers.
Pivotplanet
For an hourly fee, you can hire an expert in a career field of interest to mentor you and offer advice on the ins and outs of his/her field of expertise.
Profile Samples
January 2023, FlexProfessionals, LLC. It is important to have a profile or summary of what you bring to the table at the top of your resume. Here are a few examples to get you started.
Regional Job Search and Support Resources - VA, MD, DC, MA
This resource list, compiled by FlexProfessionals, includes regional job support and job search education providers in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Boston.
Resume Formatting and Editing Tips
January 2023, FlexProfessionals, LLC. This is a useful one-page tickler to help you properly format and edit your resume.
Resume Tips for Federal to Public Sector Transitions
Resume tips offered by Virginia Career Works Arlington/Alexandria Region for job seekers transitioning from federal government roles to civilian positions
Sample Interview Questions
January, 2023, FlexProfessionals, LLC. After researching hundreds of interview questions, we compiled and organized some of the most common questions for your reference.
Sample Resume 1 – Re-Entry
Januray 2023, FlexProfessionals, LLC. A simple, succinct one-page resume of a re-entry candidate. Yours should look different, but this will give you some ideas.
The American Association of University Women
(AAUW) offers a free online webinar on salary negotiation. Their goal is to train 10 million women in salary negotiation by 2022 to help close the pay gap.
The Encore Network
an organization and movement dedicated to tapping the skills and experience of those in midlife and beyond to improve communities of the world.
The Jimmy Falon Effect: 10 Qualities of Great Networkers
May 2015, Ariella Coombs, CAREEREALISM. A fun article with some good points about what makes someone successful at networking.
The Most Important Interview Question of All Time
August 2014, Steven Tulman, LinkedIn Pulse. Learn why one simple questions can lead to many other probing questions that give the interviewer many insights into how you perform.
The Occupational Information Network (O*NET)
This robust database is available at no cost and contains in-depth intelligence about industries and occupations. It is a great resource for exploring and researching occupations that match your skillset.
The PayScale Salary Negotiation Guide
compilation of expert advice, with dozens of articles from career and finance experts that answer your questions on how to negotiate salary.
The Second Most Important Interview Question
August 2014, Steven Tulman, LinkedIn Pulse. This question paves the way for a conversation that can help the interviewer understand what motivates you, how well you work with others, how difficult you are to manage, and more.
The Work-Life Equation Podcast, Episode 1: Returning to Work as a Parent
In this podcast by Bright Horizons, Sheila Murphy, Partner/Co-Founder of FlexProfessionals, talks about returning to work after parental leave or a longer career break.
University of South Carolina Personal Qualities Worksheet
help you narrow down your top 3-5 traits that you consistently convey, no matter the job or activity.
Vault – Career Intelligence
A website for researching industries, job titles and potential career paths.
Video and Phone Interview Tips
Januray 2023, FlexProfessionals LLC. Practical, easy to use tips for interviewing successfully via phone and video.
Want a Job? Learn How to Work the Room!
March 2014, Mary Eileen Williams. Some useful tips for working a room at a networking event.
What Color is Your Parachute?
August 2013, Richard N. Bolles. This practical guide will help identify your passions and careers through which you can embrace them. It is also full of job search tips and guidance.
What Should I Do with the Rest of My Life?
March 2010, by Bruce Frankel. Through intimate narratives, this book introduces unforgettable everyday people who embraced a new sense of possibility late in life with almost unimaginable success, passion, and purpose.
What’s Next? Finding Your Passion and Your Dream Job in Your Forties, Fifties, and Beyond
April 2014, by Kerry Hannon.
What’s Next? Follow Your Passion and Find Your Dream Job
April 2010, Kerry Hannon. This book is filled with inspiring stories from real people who have changed careers mid-life.
Work and Family Researchers Network
international membership organization of work and family researchers whose mission is to promote understanding of work and family issues among global stakeholders.
Work-Life Equation Podcasts
By Bright Horizons, these informative podcasts (20-25 minutes) cover topics related to parenting, caregiving, and balancing work with everyday life.
