Job searching, but dreading networking? Even the idea of networking makes many of us squirm with discomfort. This piece provides concrete steps and sample emails to help you build connections on LinkedIn. I like that the author, Katherine Nobles, provides different specific messages you can use depending on your degree of connection with the potential contact.

Part of my coaching work is helping clients prepare for job interviews. We look together for stories the client can prepare to share in interviews that demonstrate important skills and competencies. This post from Career Contessa provides a handy structure for telling (and remembering!) those stories. Following the acronym, STAR, you start by outlining the SITUATION. Then, you describe the TASK and then the ACTION you took. And most importantly, don’t forget to describe the RESULT. Click the link for the full article and explanation.