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.
From Desks to Toolbelts
For decades, the American Dream followed a linear script: graduate high school, secure a four-year degree, and climb the corporate ladder toward a corner office. Skilled trades—plumbing, electrical work, HVAC, and carpentry—were often framed as "Plan B" options for those who weren't cut out for academia. However, as we move through 2026, a cultural and economic shift is underway. Prestige is no longer found in the cubicle or on a Teams call; it is being rediscovered on the job site….
The Burgeoning Issue of Fake Candidates
Just ten years ago, AI seemed like a far-off, futuristic theory. Now, it is a ubiquitous reality. Almost every press release, business journal, and job posting references AI or emphasizes the importance of being knowledgeable about leveraging it. As any job seeker knows, AI is being used extensively in the recruitment space, with companies using it for screening, interviewing, and onboarding candidates. This technology has also given rise to the phenomenon of the fake job candidate. What was previously limited to embellished resumes or inflated experience has evolved into sophisticated forms of deception, including identity theft, interview impersonation, falsified credentials, and rampant scams. This can create significant financial, security, and reputational risks that extend far beyond merely making a bad hire….
Eight Trends that Will Shape the Workforce in the New Year
The 2026 job market is poised for transformation. As companies adapt to rapid shifts in technology, changing employee expectations, and external factors such as globalization, the new year is set to break the old rules. Some trends we will see will be evolutionary. Others will be revolutionary. Regardless, these dramatic changes will fundamentally reshape the way companies hire and source talent, and how people actually work….
Top Hiring Trends of 2025
The end of the year is here, and it’s time for my annual retrospective. External factors such as technological acceleration, shifting worker expectations, and economic uncertainty shaped the job market in 2025. In sharp contrast to 2021 and 2022, hiring became much more selective. Some would say that the process became absurd, with protracted interviews, projects, presentations, and assessments. Candidates waited, sometimes for months, to hear whether they had secured the job. Employers still wanted to attract and retain talent in this challenging market, and those that embraced more flexible talent strategies were better positioned to compete for that top talent….
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….
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%….
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….
An Open Letter to Gen Z and Those Who Employ Them
Dear GenZ:
I see you in the headlines. They’re saying that you’re “challenging” and “difficult” to work with. They say you’re lazy and don’t take direction well. You lack work ethic, and you have attitudes, And you’re getting fired at a rate higher than your counterparts from other generations....