does a cover letter have to sound like an infomercial? by Alison Green on October 25, 2010 A reader writes: I really appreciate your blog and your candor, and I have used your advice many times during my job search. In fact, the interview chapter from your e-book made a huge difference on my last interview and I really felt like I was on equal footing with my interviewer. It resulted in […] Read the full article →
can I accept a job knowing I plan to leave it in a few months? by Alison Green on October 23, 2010 A reader writes: I have recently been offered a job with a company locally and have accepted it. However the hiring process a extensive background investigation is needed and will not be able to start this position until the January of 2011. I have more recently been offered a another job a couple of hours […] Read the full article →
should you work for free? by Alison Green on October 22, 2010 Should you work for free? I want to know what you think. But wait, it’s not that simple. Here are six separate scenarios. Would you work for free in any of these situations? Why or why not? 1. Doing some work for free, for a limited time period, in order to get experience in a field […] Read the full article →
something nice — and interview guide is getting results! by Alison Green on October 22, 2010 A reader writes: I follow your blog religiously and I love it, although I’m a lurker and don’t comment (yet). I just wanted to send you a quick note to say that I have sent out your interview guide twice to friends of mine who have had upcoming job interviews. They both told me that […] Read the full article →
my new favorite interview question by Alison Green on October 21, 2010 This has become my new favorite question to ask job candidates: Tell me about something you achieved that you think someone else in your same job would not have gotten done. It’s basically the flip side of what I tell job-seekers to do on their resumes. It’s an awesome question, because you can immediately see […] Read the full article →
don’t check references? here’s a horror story for you by Alison Green on October 20, 2010 This post is for anyone who has ever said or secretly thought that reference-checking is a waste of time. Not long ago, I had a job candidate on the verge of being hired. He had wowed everyone in the interview and clearly had the skills to the do the job well. Something was strange about his […] Read the full article →
using confidential resume posting? read this caution by Alison Green on October 20, 2010 My friend Kat, who’s doing some I.T. recruiting, offers up this PSA about a common mistake people make when posting confidential resumes on online job boards: The omission of people’s city, state and zip in a confidential resume means that they are not searchable once entered into a database. I understand that people like to post […] Read the full article →
when I asked for a raise, my boss responded, “who should I fire?” by Alison Green on October 19, 2010 A reader writes: I’m in the media world. I’m emphasizing this because it seems that every attempt at getting advice use it seems that every attempt at getting advice for any work-related issue ends with “Hey, it’s media, the rules don’t apply.” Maybe you can help me. My boss is a monster. Exceptionally inappropriate, emotionally […] Read the full article →
would Hunter S. Thompson’s cover letter get him an interview? by Alison Green on October 18, 2010 Have you seen the old cover letter from Hunter S. Thompson that’s been going around, written before he was famous? Some choice quotes: “I stepped into a dung-hole the last time I took a job with a paper I didn’t know anything about (see enclosed clippings) and I’m not quite ready to go charging up […] Read the full article →
will people think it’s irresponsible that I quit my job? by Alison Green on October 18, 2010 A reader writes: I am in a competitive field in a competitive market. I am also a second-year MBA student. I joined a brand-name non-profit right before the recession started and instantly knew the position was a poor fit. Unfortunately, I felt stuck due the increasing unemployment. I’ve stuck around around for almost two years […] Read the full article →