I applied for a job, they rejected me, then asked me to work for free by Alison Green on April 1, 2012 A reader writes: I recently applied to a company who was looking for someone with my exact background. The position is a perfect match, no exaggeration, so I applied. They wrote me back the next day saying they had interviewed good candidates already and were not taking any new applications. OK, no harm, no foul. […] Read the full article →
employer keeps rescheduling our phone interview – should I even bother? by Alison Green on February 1, 2012 A reader writes: I am very frustrated. For the second time in two weeks, I’ve had my phone interview cancelled by the employer, just hours before the interview time. This is after twice staying up to “study” and getting bad sleep due to nerves, and also scheduling child care for my baby during the interview. The woman emailed asking […] Read the full article →
when a prospective employer wants your social media passwords by Alison Green on January 17, 2012 A reader writes: I saw this article today and it made me wonder about hiring practices. In a nutshell, it’s talking about that thorny situation of social media and its use in hiring decisions. A lot of the info there is very 2006-era “duh-tastic” but one thing caught my eye: Some companies are apparently requesting usernames and passwords […] Read the full article →
rude recruiters, job-hunting librarians, and more by Alison Green on August 22, 2011 A random assortment of stuff — 1. I loved reading all the comments about people’s secret fantasy careers — and especially seeing how drawn a lot of people are to careers that might look mundane to others. If you haven’t read them yet, do! It’s a fascinating read. 2. Speaking of things I enjoyed recently, […] Read the full article →
ending an interview early when your interviewer is a jerk by Alison Green on July 13, 2011 A reader writes: I’ve read your “run, don’t walk” advice when you find yourself in a job interview with someone you would never work with in a million years. But I still look back in anguish at an incident that happened a few years ago. I had flown to another state for a job interview […] Read the full article →
should a candidate ever give a company feedback on its hiring process? by Alison Green on July 6, 2011 A reader writes: I am currently job hunting and have interest from several amazing companies and consider myself very lucky. I’ve always been a good interviewee, and have never really had a bad interview, just ones that didn’t seem like a good fit. Well, until a few weeks ago. I was contacted by a senior […] Read the full article →
crazy hiring managers who act like Caligula by Alison Green on June 14, 2011 A reader writes: As a current graduate student, I am searching for a part-time job or internship. Normally when I submit a job application, I attach both my cover letter and resume (and anything else asked for) in pdf format and write a brief note in the email about all of my materials being attached, […] Read the full article →
did I offend my interviewer? by Alison Green on June 11, 2011 A reader writes: Is asking an interviewer, “Is there anything you would change about the organization” inappropriate? A previous employer was not a pleasant fella to work for, and the organization was chaotic. After putting up with that for ten years I wanted to assess whether or not I was setting myself up for the […] Read the full article →
interviewer was offended when I asked why the job was open by Alison Green on March 7, 2011 A reader writes: Any advice on how to “save” an interview when the hiring manager indicates your question is offensive? Case in point: at a recent interview, I was asked if I had any questions about the position and I responded with, “Why is this position available? Is is because of company growth? Someone left […] Read the full article →
interviewers who suck: our next installment by Alison Green on September 9, 2010 I know you guys like interview horror stories — because you’re sadists? — so here’s a great one for you. A reader writes: I interviewed with a company this morning for an entry-level position. HR called me yesterday to schedule an interview with me for 10 am today. I arrived at the interview approximately 3 […] Read the full article →