do I need to do something creative to get a job? by Alison Green on April 28, 2020 A reader writes: I finished my master’s degree about six months ago and have been searching for a job ever since. I’m currently working an unpaid internship in the field I want to work in, but it is unlikely to lead to a full-time, paid position. I have been continuing to apply to various positions […] Read the full article →
you won’t need to explain your current work gap by Alison Green on April 8, 2020 I keep hearing from people asking about the best way to explain a layoff right now, or a work gap on their resume caused by the current outbreak. You will not need to explain it. Everyone will get it. Many of your interviewers will have been in the same situation themselves. If they weren’t, they’ll […] Read the full article →
can you even job search right now? by Alison Green on April 6, 2020 Job hunting can be difficult at the best of times. It’s absolutely dismal right now. With layoffs climbing into the millions, workers are being abandoned into an economy where, in many fields, it feels impossible to find a job anytime soon. There’s never been a more depressing time to be a work advice columnist. Today […] Read the full article →
is this the wrong time to apply for jobs? by Alison Green on March 18, 2020 A reader writes: I recently saw a job posting that looks like a great next step in my career, but I’m unsure if this is the right time to apply for and maybe even start new jobs. Things are so uncertain and, well, I am feeling like leaving my current job would be risky until […] Read the full article →
the salted coffee, the phantom pigeon, and other interview mortifications by Alison Green on January 30, 2020 Last week I asked you to share stories of bombed interviews and other job search mortifications. Here are some of the stand-outs. 1. “I was interviewing for basically a dream job and was asked, ‘What accomplishment are you most proud of?’ I proceeded talked about how proud I was for maintaining a healthy long term […] Read the full article →
let’s talk about bombed interviews and other job search mortifications by Alison Green on January 23, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: Today I had the worst job interview of my entire life. I am a young graduate professional who had the opportunity for a job that would have put my in a great position financially and mentally. It wasn’t a dream job, because those don’t exist, […] Read the full article →
should I really follow up on my job applications a week after applying? by Alison Green on November 26, 2019 A reader writes: I’m currently in the super fun (not) process of job hunting after university. I’m in the UK and am using a number of different hiring websites. I’ve applied to a lot of different jobs on those sites. On one site, I got an email from one of those websites telling me it […] Read the full article →
job postings that list “happy” and “high self-esteem” as requirements by Alison Green on November 5, 2019 A reader writes: I’m curious to hear your opinion on something I’ve seen recently in job postings. Twice this week I’ve come across job descriptions indicating that the companies in question only hire happy people. These were job postings at two separate companies. The first one stated they were looking for someone happy (happy was […] Read the full article →
how can I avoid ending up in another horrible job? by Alison Green on October 29, 2019 A reader writes: How do I ensure I don’t end up in a toxic work environment again? Based on my experiences, some companies are really good at hiding their toxicity during the interview process. My past two jobs have been at incredibly unhealthy organizations with high turnover, and I’m starting to lose faith that there […] Read the full article →
is contract-to-hire worth it? by Alison Green on October 24, 2019 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’ve been at my current job for about three and a half years, and have been in my current position for almost two of those. In theory, I know that I should really like my job; it involves some of the tasks that I am […] Read the full article →