I’m on a company’s do-not-hire list by Alison Green on September 22, 2016 A reader writes: About a year ago, I decided to apply for a sales position with a local software company. I got the interview and it was horrible. I was nervous and hadn’t slept well the night before and just did terribly, in my opinion. I did not get the job but was encouraged to […] Read the full article →
how honest should you be in job interviews? by Alison Green on September 21, 2016 A reader writes: How honest and open should you be in an interview? For example, yesterday I had an in-person interview where both my interviewers were concerned that the job would not be a good match for my interests and skills. I deflected their concern at first, then later admitted that I shared it. Do […] Read the full article →
don’t pretend to have a question just so you can talk about yourself — in interviews and in life by Alison Green on September 1, 2016 When your interviewer asks what questions you have for them, this is your cue to ask legitimate, genuine questions that you have about the work (or the company, or the team, or so forth). It is not appropriate for you to use the time as a sales pitch, by asking questions that are thinly disguised opportunities […] Read the full article →
how to answer behavioral interview questions when you don’t have good examples by Alison Green on September 1, 2016 A reader writes: I recently interviewed at a not-for-profit for a client-facing role. To prepare, I read up on the organization, their programs, and the clients they serve. I also rehearsed answers to possible behavioral questions that would address my experience in this area (e.g., “tell me about a time you handled an angry client”). […] Read the full article →
company wants to have tea with my family as part of an international interview by Alison Green on August 29, 2016 A reader writes: I’m going on a final interview in another country next week, and they’re flying out my whole family so we can decide together if we want to expatriate. They’ve been very accommodating and have been wooing me, which I appreciate. My problem is this: we’re taking a red-eye, overnight, from the west […] Read the full article →
I’m interviewing for a job that the last three people have been fired from by Alison Green on August 24, 2016 A reader writes: I just started a new job about six months ago. When I got here, I noticed a lot of staffing changes. Apparently the company has had a high turnover of both firing and people leaving after only a year or two. Subsequently, I have gone without direct supervision, since my boss resigned […] Read the full article →
should I be wary of a company that offered me a job after only one interview? by Alison Green on August 22, 2016 A reader writes: I was called in for a mid-level job at a global Fortune 500 corporation. They only wanted one 90-minute interview (full of STAR questions.) Granted, the interviewers are based overseas, so perhaps geography plays here. Still, any concern working for a company that is okay with just a single interview? There are […] Read the full article →
should I express my frustration with this interview process? by Alison Green on July 6, 2016 A reader writes: I submitted an application for an early career nonprofit sector fellowship program on April. The website for the program stated that applications received by that date would have a decision by May 16. A couple weeks later, I was offered a first interview with a program alumna and was provided with her […] Read the full article →
how do I explain that I don’t want a management job anymore? by Alison Green on June 29, 2016 A reader writes: About a year ago, I was promoted to a supervisor role, which I have since realized is not a good fit for me. As a result, I’m looking to return to a senior analyst role, but I am finding a lot of resistance from prospective employers. In a recent interview for a […] Read the full article →
is this company’s high-pressure hiring process normal? by Alison Green on June 6, 2016 A reader writes: I was laid off from my job last month, so I’ve been actively looking for a new job. I’ve spent the last two weeks interviewing for a sales position with a company that has about 1,000 employees. The interview process was a face-to-face with the hiring manager, phone interviews with two other […] Read the full article →