should I apply for jobs that don’t sound great? by Alison Green on August 20, 2018 A reader writes: I am moving back to North Carolina from Texas, and will be living with my parents until I can find a new job. I’ve been with my current company in Texas for over four years, and it is my first job out of college. Because of this, I feel like I don’t […] Read the full article →
stop obsessively re-reading that email from your job interviewer … it doesn’t mean anything by Alison Green on July 23, 2018 The job search process can feel shrouded in mystery. Figuring out whether or not an employer is interested in you, or how good your chances are, or when you might reasonably expect to hear back after your interview, can feel like a maddening guessing game. And when the stakes are so high and the process so […] Read the full article →
should I go around HR and contact the hiring manager directly? by Alison Green on July 16, 2018 A reader writes: I’m currently job searching and when I learn about an opening, I’ll often reach out directly to department heads as opposed to HR. However, sometimes after these directors/VP’s email me back saying they’ve forwarded along my resume to HR, it goes no further. I like being proactive and cutting out the middleman […] Read the full article →
how do I handle changing my name and job because of a stalker? by Alison Green on June 19, 2018 A reader writes: For a few years, I worked as a voice actor. A few of the shows I worked on generated rather passionate fan followings. While that was certainly exciting for me as an actor, it also proved troublesome for my “real world” job working in academic libraries. I used my real name when I […] Read the full article →
people keep sending me job postings that are way below my skill level by Alison Green on June 18, 2018 A reader writes: I work in a director level position at a medium-sized nonprofit (not sure if my field is relevant to this question). Often times, I will receive emails and calls directly from friends and former colleagues with open positions in my area, or recruiters will contact me having been given my information from […] Read the full article →
what’s up with job ads that include “sense of humor”? by Alison Green on June 7, 2018 A reader writes: Would you consider it a red flag if a job spec lists “a sense of humor” as a desirable trait? I’ve only ever seen in one job listing, but I’ve heard it many times as a new hire, and in my case it’s always been code for “the manager is a bully, […] Read the full article →
can you contact a hiring manager with questions before applying for a job? by Alison Green on May 23, 2018 I’m traveling to do some book promotion this week, so I’m running some reprints this week. This was originally published in 2012. A reader writes: Is it ever advisable to reach out to a hiring manager before applying to a position? For example, if you’re hoping for clarification of what they’re looking for in a […] Read the full article →
what’s the best day of the week to apply for a job? by Alison Green on May 23, 2018 A reader writes: Is there is a certain day and time of the week that is best for applying to online job postings? For example, is it better to apply Monday morning versus Friday afternoon? I was thinking that a Friday afternoon application might be overlooked because of the weekend (applications sent in Monday morning […] Read the full article →
when writing to a hiring manager, should I mention a shared hobby? by Alison Green on May 7, 2018 A reader writes: I graduated with a master’s degree a few months ago, and have been looking for a job in my field ever since. I always thought that this degree would make my job search very swift and straightforward, as it’s in a red-hot field that generates more buzzwords than any other these days. […] Read the full article →
is it more effective to introduce myself to a company with a cold email rather than apply for a specific opening? by Alison Green on March 28, 2018 A reader writes: I am working with a career counseling service that is giving me all kinds of resume and job seeking advice. I told them the kind of job/company I want to work for, and there are two main employers that fit the criteria in my area. Both employers have recently posted the exact […] Read the full article →