Ask a Manager

No matter what field you’re in, if you’re interviewing for jobs, you’re likely to encounter interviewers who ask some version of, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” It might sound like a straightforward question on the surface, but job seekers routinely struggle over how to best answer it. Often the struggle is because […]

A reader writes: If companies would rather hire people who are currently employed, why do they make it so hard to interview around a job? I clearly state that in my cover letter than I’m currently a “Junior Teapot Designer at Hatter & Hare” and email is the best way to reach me, yet I’ve […]

A reader writes: I was wondering whether you could offer advice on how much to disclose to an interviewer. I graduated last summer, and after 10 months of interning/temping and applying for jobs, I’ve finally started receiving invitations to interview and in one case a job offer. Now, most people will think I’m insane to […]

A reader writes: I applied for a job that I thought I’d be a good fit for. It turned out that I was applying to a recruiter, and he phoned me the next day and wanted to meet. We had a coffee meeting at one of the outlets the company I was applying to is […]

A reader writes: I have a unique situation that I ran into and would like your perspective on it. I went to an interview, and as soon as I opened the door, I knew it was not the place for me. I already had some reservations going in, but was trying to keep an open […]

A reader writes: I recently interviewed with a nonprofit organization and was asked to come back for a second interview with their chief philanthropy officer. During the first interview, I found out that a local colleague had done some work with the capital campaign. I followed up with him to get the inside scoop. Unfortunately, […]

A reader writes: A year ago, after a long tenure at a large corporation, I decided it was time for a change. The company had been undergoing significant turmoil, and a number of my peers had already been laid off or had left on their own. The position that I took is at a very […]

A reader writes: What is your take on the candidate asking the interviewer, “What is next in the hiring process” or “Where do we go from here” types of questions? In short, I’m having a large disagreement with someone about the opinion and thinking behind this type of question. This person thinks that as a […]