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.
Be Bold, Brash & Audacious and Stay on the Air
When you stay ready, keep showing up, and hold fast to your standards, you position yourself to seize the moment that can change everything. The world may not believe in your vision at first, but conviction paired with audacious execution can turn even the boldest idea into history….
Ridiculous Demands from Hiring Companies
This job market is tough, and the job descriptions and requirements are becoming more absurd. There seems to be a pervasive attitude among some hiring companies and managers that the best way to source talent is to insult, degrade, belittle, and humiliate candidates via their inane processes and demands. A visit to the /antiwork or /recruitinghell subreddits will enlighten the casual reader on the craziness that is out there. And “crazy” doesn’t even begin to describe some of what’s going on. Companies wanting 10 years of experience with software that’s been around for 5, demanding 5 years of experience for entry-level roles, and insisting that candidates must work unreasonable hours are nothing new. But we have now reached a new level of incongruity. Here are some real-world examples of what is happening out in the trenches….
Experienced Professionals and Long-Term Unemployment
The current job market is a tough one. Across many industries, most noticeably the tech sector, hiring has slowed, and employers are prioritizing skills over credentials. Candidates face fiercer competition, especially for mid- and senior-level roles, and protracted job searches. As of August 2025, about 25.7% of all unemployed persons in the U.S. had been jobless for 27 weeks or longer. For seasoned professionals who have spent years, even decades, building careers, long-term unemployment presents a significant challenge and a severe blow to the ego….
Optimize Your Resume for AI
It is a fact of corporate life that, when applying for jobs, we must engage with ATS systems. They are the gatekeepers between candidates and employers, and they can scan resumes to filter candidates based on keywords, formatting, and relevance within seconds. To improve your chances of getting noticed, it’s essential to understand how they work and optimize your resume accordingly….
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….
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….
Recent Grads Face a Tough Employment Market
This year’s college graduates are entering a tougher job market than last year’s. The Federal Reserve reports that the unemployment rate for recent grads was 5.8% as of March, up from 4.6% a year ago. The share of new graduates working jobs that don’t require their degrees — a situation known as “underemployment” — hit 41.2% in March, rising from 40.6% that same month in 2024. Although young grads have lower unemployment rates than the broader labor market, The Atlantic points out that this gap has narrowed to a record low, making some newly minted grads question the benefits of a bachelor’s degree….
De-center Work and Live Better
The idea of work and what it entails has changed, yet the workweek has only become longer. The 1960s were characterized by rapid workforce growth, economic transformation from automation, and policy attention to poverty alleviation through―Great Society programs. The deindustrialization of the 1980s, along with the ensuing Digital Age, the capacity for connectedness has made it possible for us to be accessible and able to work anywhere, anytime. In the past century, the American conception of work has shifted from jobs to careers to callings—from necessity to status to meaning….
Consensus vs. Agreement: What It Means for Better Business and Hiring Decisions
“Agreement” and “consensus” are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings—especially in the context of decision-making. Consensus is reached when most people in a group support or can live with a decision, even if they do not fully agree with every aspect. This differs from unanimous agreement, which requires full support from every individual. In consensus, the final decision is acceptable to all involved, but the depth of agreement may vary. Everyone agrees to move forward, even if it is not their personal first choice….