Blog
Debra Wheatman, President of Careers Done Write, provides expert insight to the job search process that puts your career in gear with tips for interviewing, networking, job search strategies and how to create a winning resume and cover letter.
Don’t Flub the Interview: How Focusing on the Company’s Pain Points Will Land You the Job
Think you can wing that job interview because it’s all about you? Think again. The real star of the show is the company’s business pain. As much as we love talking about ourselves, acing an interview requires laser focus on the challenges the hiring manager faces. So, let’s ditch the improvisation and get down to targeted prep. Here’s how….
What Salary Are You Seeking?
Although most of the questions in a job interview are designed to see if you would work well within the company culture, there are also practical questions. There has long been a pervading idea that discussing salary is somehow crass, as if the primary reason people work is something other than being able to support their families and pay their bills. In previous years, it was considered bad form for a candidate to inquire about the salary for the position. Thankfully, this has changed….
3 Interview Questions You Must Know How to Answer
Job interviews are stressful. Even in the most friendly, non-confrontational interview setting, it still feels like your education, experience, and even your very character are all being called into question, and if you suffer from interview anxiety, are shy, or get nervous easily, you could come off as unfriendly, inexperienced, and not suitable for the team. The best way to overcome interview jitters is to practice, practice, practice….
Interview Red Flags
Getting a new job can be an exciting and wonderful thing. Sometimes, in our haste to make a jump or to get back into the workforce, we ignore obvious signs that the workplace into which we are entering may be toxic. Here are some red flags that my clients have shared with me over the years. All of these are clear indicators of a potentially toxic culture….
Not Invited to Interview after Cognitive Assessment: Follow Up
A few weeks ago, I wrote about a client who had taken a cognitive test as part of a preliminary screening for a role for which he was more than qualified and how subsequent to that assessment, he was eliminated from consideration without there ever being an actual conversation between him and anyone at the hiring company. Thanks to you, my readers, and the advice/input you gave, he decided to follow up with them. Here’s how it went….
How to Handle a Rude Interviewer
What is the best way to handle a rude interviewer? The interview process should be a free-flowing discussion between two parties on ways to solve a business problem. Unfortunately, there are many bad managers out there and many, many people who have not received training on how to interview. This behavior does not merely sour candidates on certain companies, but it will impact the company’s brand….
Are You Asking the Right Questions?
Much of the career advice out there focuses on interview preparation for candidates, specifically on how best to formulate answers to typical questions. But the questions you pose during the interview are just as important—maybe even more important….
Great Interview Process, No Offer
What happened? I don’t get it. They contacted me, seemed so excited about me, and abruptly cut me off without any real explanation. I am so very discouraged and disappointed….
Prospective Employers: Information on a Need-to-Know Basis
The Great Resignation and the ensuing candidates’ market have exposed how broken the hiring process is. Employers opine on why they can’t find any qualified candidates while candidates wade through systems and processes that can best be described as Kafkaesque. And, despite there being far more open positions than there are candidates, employers continue to approach hiring as if it is an unequal relationship in which they call all the shots. Nothing could be further from the truth….
Myth Busters: Employer Edition
Last week I devoted my blog to dispelling some common myths to which job seekers still cling. This week, I turn my sights to the other side of the desk. And let me tell you, employers, you’ve got work to do. Your recruiting processes are broken; your hiring managers don’t know how to conduct an interview; they are indecisive. On top of all that, you seem to have a distorted perspective regarding sourcing and retaining talent. Here are some top examples….