the power dynamics in job interviews will mess you up by Alison Green on April 16, 2018 One of the most frequent themes in my inbox in the decade I’ve been writing Ask a Manager has been rude and power-tripping behavior from prospective employers during the interview process. And in letter after letter, people have written about feeling obligated to suck it up and deal with it because they think their interviewers […] Read the full article →
why do offices say they’re “fast-paced” when they’re not? by Alison Green on April 3, 2018 A reader writes: I’ve been chatting with my old boss from our local government organization as they’re considering hiring me back as a consultant for a brief period. I’ve just read their job description for the role, and it made me laugh out loud as they’ve described their office as a “fast-paced environment.” From my […] Read the full article →
do I need to give interviewers a great reason for why I’m looking to leave my current job? by Alison Green on March 15, 2018 A reader writes: I’m looking to leave my current position. I’ve been lucky enough to receive positive responses on informational interviews I’ve gone on and applications I’ve sent out so far, but I’m curious about how important it is to have a great “reason” to want to leave for something else. I enjoy the industry […] Read the full article →
is it okay to turn down a job in the middle of the interview? by Alison Green on February 28, 2018 A reader writes: I recently had an interview with a small company. The hiring manager brought me in and we talked for about an hour. It went very well! She followed up the very same day, saying their owner lived out of state but she would love for him to meet me and set up […] Read the full article →
how can I avoid taking a job in an open-plan office? by Alison Green on February 8, 2018 A reader writes: I moved away from my favorite city in the time of the Great Recession to a job several hours away. I have mixed feelings about this job, but I’ve learned a lot and the compensation has been great. Unfortunately they are moving to a VERY aggressive form of hoteling or “hot desking,” […] Read the full article →
how to answer when an interviewer asks “what do you do outside of work?” by Alison Green on February 6, 2018 A reader writes: I have been job searching for entirely far too long. I get quite a few interviews but no offers, so I hired a consultant to help me with interviewing techniques. She says I should never mention in interviews that I have a child because, for example, one of the interviewers might be […] Read the full article →
I need to gain skills overnight for an interview for a stretch job by Alison Green on January 29, 2018 A reader writes: I applied, and got an interview for, a job that looks really interesting (and would be awesome for my skill development) but that I felt was a bit of a stretch. I was hoping to get an interview but didn’t think I would, and now I need to gain/improve technical skills practically […] Read the full article →
I don’t think I’d be good at the job I’m interviewing for by Alison Green on January 18, 2018 A reader writes: How can I stop myself from focusing on the aspects of a job I know I won’t be good at? The organization has contacted me for an interview, which means they think I’m qualified. But I’m scared they’re going to smell my fear — fear that they’re interviewing someone for a public-facing […] Read the full article →
what are the best questions to ask in a job interview? by Alison Green on January 9, 2018 I’ve long been surprised by how many people don’t ask good questions when their interviewer gives them the opportunity. A surprising number of candidates don’t have many questions at all, or simply use the time to try to further pitch themselves for the job. To me, this is crazy – after all, this is a […] Read the full article →
do I really have to wear high heels to a job interview? by Alison Green on December 11, 2017 A reader writes: I am a college student employed through work-study. Once a month, my employer holds a training session for all student assistants to update us on new procedures, etc. Our most recent meeting focused on employment after college, because many assistants graduate this year. This training included mock interviews accompanied by an evaluation. […] Read the full article →