why do interviewers expect you to have already researched their company? by Alison Green on July 7, 2021 A reader writes: Why do interviewers put so much emphasis on your knowledge not of the role, but of them as a business? Most companies have quite generic web sites that don’t really tell you much that distinguishes them from their competitors, so it’s actually very difficult to learn much that is meaningful online. But […] Read the full article →
is this job description full of red flags? by Alison Green on June 9, 2021 A reader writes: I’m a content marketer with a good amount of experience launching new programs successfully. At the beginning of this year, I connected with a VP of marketing at a start-up. Shortly after, “George” contacted me and said he needed someone to launch a content marketing program and thought I would be a […] Read the full article →
my interviewer asked about my personal finances by Alison Green on May 27, 2021 A reader writes: Is it normal for a hiring manager to ask, somewhat insistently, how a candidate has been supporting herself financially during a period of unemployment? If it’s not normal, which is my suspicion, what could possibly be behind this? I work in a niche field and was laid off last year in a […] Read the full article →
was my “probably not, but maybe” response to a recruiter appropriate? by Alison Green on April 29, 2021 A reader writes: What’s the line between when it’s appropriate to completely ignore a message from a recruiter vs. when it’s reasonable to respond with a description of concerns that would need to be addressed? I recently ended up writing a missive in response to a job I probably won’t take (located in my neighborhood, […] Read the full article →
I’m a woman — does my interview attire have to be feminine? by Alison Green on April 21, 2021 A reader writes: I am a young woman about to graduate college and enter the workforce. I am also a lesbian and very uncomfortable with feminine clothing. In a perfect world, my professional attire would be near-identical to what is expected for a man. I’ve never had to interview for a job before, as all […] Read the full article →
how to screen out micromanagers in a job interview by Alison Green on April 15, 2021 A reader writes: I am part of the interview team in finding a replacement for our ex-manager. And our department would really like this person to not be another micromanager. Any ideas for questions I could ask? Or any red flags in the interviewee’s answers/demeanor to watch out for? I answer this question over at […] Read the full article →
my interviewer said I lacked “real world work experience” — what does that mean? by Alison Green on April 5, 2021 A reader writes: I’m a recent grad. All my work experience so far has been on-campus jobs such as tutoring or being an assistant in my department’s office. Recently I was thrown off by a comment an interviewer made. I was being interviewed by the executive director and the marketing manager together. The marketing manager […] Read the full article →
do you really need to say “I want this job” in interviews? by Alison Green on April 5, 2021 A reader writes: I’ve been reading a lot of career advice and I see a lot of people say that in an interview, it’s vital for you to directly say that you want the job. I have always assumed it’s implied that I want the job based on the fact that I am interviewing. I […] Read the full article →
I flew out for an interview — and they ended it after one question by Alison Green on March 15, 2021 A reader writes: I went on an interview for a position in another state that I was really excited about. I work in a niche field and jobs rarely open. I prepared well, researched the company, and prepared answers about how my experiences align with their core values. I felt great. I had to fork […] Read the full article →
employer rejected me, then sent a list of everything I did wrong by Alison Green on March 2, 2021 A reader writes: I’m a younger person who is job searching for something full-time for the first time. Haven’t been having a lot of luck of course due to the state of the world, but I recently got an interview where I made it all the way to the final round and was rejected. At […] Read the full article →