the destructive myth of the “dream job” by Alison Green on May 13, 2019 When you write a work advice column, you hear from a lot of people who think they’ve found their “dream job” – often based on little more than an ad. They write to me wanting to know how to get hired at the dream job, or how to get over not being hired, or excited […] Read the full article →
my boss found out I’m job-hunting by Alison Green on April 23, 2019 A reader writes: I’m a few years into my current job and decided that I want to move into a different field that is tangentially related to my current field. After a long job search process and many interview rounds, it’s finally down to me and just one other candidate for a position in the […] Read the full article →
how bad is it to leave a job after less than a year? by Alison Green on March 7, 2019 A reader writes: I took a new job just less than a year ago that I was incredibly excited about. It wasn’t exciting for the pay or benefits, but I really wanted to work at this organization that I had very strongly admired for years. Since day one, I have felt deflated by the job. […] Read the full article →
how do I rebuild my career after destroying it in my 30s? by Alison Green on February 19, 2019 A reader writes: I was relatively successful in my twenties. I got a job right out of college and climbed the ladder, going from an assistant position to a director position, all at the same workplace. I even accomplished some pretty amazing things—many of which are still in place. My personal life exploded in my […] Read the full article →
how do I not lose hope in a highly competitive field? by Alison Green on February 13, 2019 A reader writes: I’m in a very competitive, very niche academic field. I’m writing because I wonder if you and your readers can tell me how to keep going when I’m losing hope as this roller coaster of a search keeps on rolling. I have been applying for jobs since last year, and I have […] Read the full article →
don’t send chocolate or lottery tickets to hiring managers by Alison Green on February 4, 2019 I wrote a piece for Slate today about gimmicks in job searching — the reasons some candidates feel compelled to use them, some of the weirdest stunts people have tried, and why they really, really, really don’t work. (And yes, I mentioned last week’s lottery ticket sender.) You can read it here. Read the full article →
should I apply to jobs I’m not fully qualified for? by Alison Green on January 24, 2019 A reader writes: I’ve gotten advice from a lot of other blogs, friends, and family that I should be applying to jobs even if I’m only about 50-75% qualified, and I was wondering what your opinion was. I’ve been applying to jobs that I believe I could do, but for which I don’t have all […] Read the full article →
did this recruiter lie to me? and why can’t I get hired by this company? by Alison Green on October 25, 2018 A reader writes: For the past six months, I have been searching for a job after a long-term contract job ended. I am 56, with years of experience in communications and administrative work and a masters degree in library science. I very much want to work for a local company which specializes in information for […] Read the full article →
can informational interviews actually be useful? by Alison Green on October 23, 2018 If you’ve ever read any job search advice, you’ve probably come across the recommendation to do “informational interviews,” especially if you’re early in your career or trying to switch fields. But what are informational interviews? What are the best informational interview questions to ask? And can they really help you? The answer is … maybe. […] Read the full article →
do internal candidates have a better chance at the job? by Alison Green on September 27, 2018 A reader writes: I am currently in the running for a fantastic job at a dream company. I was approached about the job by a recruiter. The feedback from the first face-to-face interview was that I was the strongest candidate and the company decided not to proceed with any of the other external applicants and, […] Read the full article →