is it a mistake to turn down an interview because you’re not enthusiastic about the job? by Alison Green on March 22, 2022 A reader writes: Is it a mistake to turn down an interview because you’re not passionate about the job? I’m a 28-year-old woman and at a stable, pretty well-earning point in my life after growing up poor. I allowed my LinkedIn to be open to opportunities, because I am. But I also like my job. […] Read the full article →
obnoxiously pushy recruiter wouldn’t let me decline a job interview, then snarked me when I turned down the job by Alison Green on March 8, 2022 A reader writes: I’m writing after one of the more frustrating attempts to decline a bad fit job interview I’ve ever had. For context: I’m an artist and in my “rent job” a contractor, although the pandemic made me realize my contractor path needs to seriously change and so I’m currently navigating that. A few […] Read the full article →
when recruiters ask, “how did the interview go?” by Alison Green on February 24, 2022 A reader writes: I’m currently interviewing for a position with a large tech company. I’ve had a phone screener, an interview with team members, and an interview with the head of the team. This all happened over the course of two weeks. A few days ago, the recruiter emailed me asking to set up a […] Read the full article →
can you end a job interview early if it’s not a good fit? by Alison Green on February 8, 2022 A reader writes: A few years ago I was in a situation that I’d like some insight on. I applied for a job that, based on the description, seemed like I was qualified for (a mix of admin and marketing work). However, once I got into the interview, I realized it was much more about […] Read the full article →
what should I do if I need more time to think of an answer to an interview question? by Alison Green on February 3, 2022 A reader writes: I recently remembered a piece of interviewing advice from my high school teacher a long time ago, and I was curious whether this is actually a good idea or if there’s a better strategy. This teacher said that during an interview, if you’re asked a question you didn’t expect and might need […] Read the full article →
my interviewer asked if I “needed” the job by Alison Green on February 2, 2022 A reader writes: I’m job searching and just interviewed today. It went really well, but they did ask me one question that tripped me up: They asked me if I needed the job. I do, but I stumbled on my answer a bit. I figured if I said yes, I would look desperate, but if […] Read the full article →
don’t trust the answers to “how would you describe your management style?” by Alison Green on January 20, 2022 When you’re interviewing for a job, you want to know what kind of manager you’d be working for. Here’s a question that isn’t that likely to tell you: “How would you describe your management style?” That question shows up over and over on lists of questions that job seekers should ask their prospective managers in […] 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 23, 2021 I’m on vacation. This post was originally published in 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 […] Read the full article →
CEO’s wife ruined my job prospects by Alison Green on September 22, 2021 I’m on vacation. This was originally published in 2017. A reader writes: I have been going through a very rigorous interviewing process for a permanent job in a firm where I have been undergoing a two-month post-college training program/paid internship which is very prestigious and only very few trainees are offered the permanent job. It […] Read the full article →
I accidentally threw condoms all over my interviewer’s desk by Alison Green on August 24, 2021 A reader writes: This week I finally landed my very first Big Post-Pandemic Interview! I studied hard, prepared extensively, and dug my circa-2019 interview clothes out of storage, along with my fancy business satchel and leather binder (the interview required me to bring a portfolio of prior work). I was ready to impress! I sat […] Read the full article →