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.
AI Bots in the Interview Process
Imagine this. You’re invited to a virtual interview. You log on, the interviewer appears on screen, and begins asking questions. But something seems off. The questions are standardized and seem scripted. The exchange feels impersonal. You are unable to read body language. The cadence of the interviewer’s voice is odd. The interview itself seems highly structured and time-boxed. You may not be interviewing with a person at all; instead, you might find yourself on the other side of the screen from an AI bot….
Be an Ally to the Unemployed in Your Life
Unemployment can be one of the most stressful and isolating experiences a person goes through. It affects not only finances but also self-esteem, mental health, and relationships. The current job market is rough. Every day, I hear from clients who have been ghosted after multiple rounds of interviews, who have been asked to do free spec work as part of the interview process, and who have encountered an astounding lack of respect for their time and effort. Looking for a job when you are unemployed can be an exhausting, soul-sucking experience. Suppose you want to support the people in your life who are currently navigating unemployment. In that case, there are some ground rules you should follow so that you will be perceived as helpful and empathetic, rather than clueless and insensitive….
STEM Grads Are Struggling
Over the last twenty years, degrees in STEM have been widely celebrated as tickets to promising, lucrative careers. Students were sold on the idea of coming out of college and earning $150K+ out of the gate. Governments, educators, and policymakers advanced this narrative, touting the value of STEM education in driving economic growth and innovation. However, the journey from the classroom to the workplace is rarely as straightforward as these narratives suggest. For many recent STEM graduates, the transition into the workforce is accompanied by a complex web of challenges, from mismatched expectations to shifting industry demands….
AI Is Coming for Your Job
Almost daily, the world takes another step toward artificial general intelligence. The most powerful AI models can do an astonishing array of tasks, from writing detailed reports to creating videos on demand. Your company’s CEO is comparison shopping right now. You cost many thousands of dollars plus healthcare, vacation days, and that annoying habit of having opinions. AI costs less than your annual coffee budget and never complains about needing a day off….
Should You Remove DEI Work from Your Resume?
In today’s anti-DEI world, is it possible that work-related to DEI initiatives are red flags to potential employers? The short answer is that it might be. However, aside from the moral imperative to stand behind this important work, it’s just never a good idea to omit accomplishments on your résumé. If your job title included DEI, changing it or leaving it off of your résumé is a deceit that is easy for a future employer to discover. If you have significant accomplishments from DEI work, you should leave those on, especially if you can talk in specific terms about how they helped your company get better results in its work….
Job Hopping: Does It Pay Off?
As the dynamics of the job market evolve, so does the perception of job hopping. Historically, job hopping, or frequently changing jobs, was often viewed negatively. It was seen as a sign of instability or a lack of commitment, particularly in the 1970s when it was even branded “Hobo Syndrome.” However, this perception has shifted, and job hopping is now more accepted, especially in certain industries and changing workforce dynamics….
The State of the Gender Pay Gap
Although women have seen gains in education over the last five decades, they continue to face a significant wage gap. Among workers, women outnumber men in the college-educated labor force and are more likely to obtain a graduate degree than men. Even so, women are paid less than men at every education level by an average of 17%….
New Challenges for Civil Servants
On January 28, the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent nearly all of its 3 million employees an email offering deferred resignations and warning that they may be laid off or reassigned if they choose to stay. The goal is to cut 75% of the federal workforce to improve government efficiency. The offer is available to all federal workers except for postal and military service members and “those in positions related to immigration enforcement and national security.” This attempt to cut federal workers regardless of their titles has sparked alarm for its potential impact on the range of services these agencies provide….
Career Trends for 2025
I know we are all bombarded with “new year, new you” messages everywhere during these first weeks of the new year. We all know that New Year’s resolutions are notoriously difficult to maintain and that most of them fall by the wayside by mid-February. So, I won’t advise you to make monumental shifts in your career management strategy. I want to point out that you are the CEO of your career, so it’s incumbent upon you to manage your career just as you would any team or project. In line with that, here are some trends to keep on top of for 2025….
What You Should Know about the Changing Tech Industry
Once the unstoppable engine of modern innovation, the tech industry has fallen from this lofty position. The emergence of AI will fundamentally upend the industry. AI is going to be leveraged to increase productivity in tech workers. Meta and Google are already building internal AI tools for coding and other functions….