what to do when an interview doesn’t go as planned by Alison Green on June 8, 2015 You’ve spent hours prepping for your job interview and you arrive ready to impress. But in an instant, your careful plans can fall to pieces if you’re thrown off by a change in the interview that you didn’t know to plan for. Here are five fairly common ways that an employer might inadvertently surprise you, […] Read the full article →
is it really a good idea to create a 30/60/90 plan for an interview? by Alison Green on June 3, 2015 A reader writes: I am interviewing for a management position where I would be overseeing the retail operations of an historic site, a fairly significant source of income for them. I used to work there as a volunteer, so I have a (positive) history with the organization and am familiar with a lot of their […] Read the full article →
overly nice hiring managers are sending me mixed messages about my chances by Alison Green on May 1, 2015 A reader writes: Over the past several months, I have been lucky enough to make it to second and third round interviews. At one recently, I was told unequivocally that I was one of two remaining candidates. Everyone was so nice that I was shocked when I wasn’t offered the position. Currently, I am awaiting […] Read the full article →
my interviewers keep yawning in my face by Alison Green on April 16, 2015 A reader writes: Here’s a new one that is baffling me. I’m seriously looking for work, and generally get called to interview every few resumes I submit. I treat every interview seriously, and prepare, bring work samples, dress professionally, arrive 5 minutes early, make good eye contact, firm handshake, ask great questions (they respond with […] Read the full article →
a job applicant’s sister contacted me with questions on her sister’s behalf by Alison Green on April 15, 2015 A reader writes: I recently quit my job in February to stay home with my daughter. I parted with my company on very good terms and have a great rapport with my old boss. We still talk frequently; I send updates on my daughter and we have plans to meet up for drinks at the […] Read the full article →
do I need to wear a suit to a job interview? by Alison Green on April 7, 2015 Do you need to wear a suit to a job interview? Probably. But maybe not. But if you’re unsure, then yes. Here’s the deal with suits and job interviews: You need to know the norms for interview dress for your own field. And not just your field in general, but your field in your particular geographic […] Read the full article →
how to prepare for an internal interview by Alison Green on April 6, 2015 Interviewing for a job at your current company might sound easier than interviewing at a strange company where you don’t know anyone. But internal interviews can be just as hard as external ones, and they come with some additional pitfalls of their own. Here’s what to expect if you’re interviewing for an internal position and […] Read the full article →
so you’ve gotten a job interview — what now? by Alison Green on March 30, 2015 You finally got the call you’ve been waiting for – an invitation to interview for a job you’re really excited about. What do you need to do now to ensure that you ace the interview? Here are four steps to take after getting an interview that will position you as strongly as possible to wow […] Read the full article →
when a job candidate asks, “so, what did you think of me?” by Alison Green on March 24, 2015 A reader writes: I had a weird situation today when interviewing a candidate and I was hoping to get your read on the situation. At the end of the interview, he asked us for an on-the-spot evaluation. I forget exactly how he worded it, but something like “What do you think of me so far?” […] Read the full article →
is over-selling yourself in an interview the norm? by Alison Green on March 13, 2015 A reader writes: I was interviewed by my company over a year ago, and I felt the interview went really well. Being a technology company, there were lots of questions about technologies I’d worked with before, and I answered them honestly and clearly. Now the yearly review came along and I had my meeting with […] Read the full article →