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.
The backlash of #MeToo
Those of us who are old enough will remember that in 1991, Clarence Thomas was confirmed and appointed to the Supreme Court, despite the compelling and riveting testimony of Anita Hill. The all-male Senate Judiciary Committee confirmed him, in the face of credible evidence that he had sexually harassed Ms. Hill. The backlash from this…
Share at your own risk
A common interview tactic is to present top candidates with a business problem and invite them back to present how they would solve said problem. The idea here is that the interviewers get to see how a candidate might perform within the context of the hiring company, and the hiring team can better assess the…
End of Year Gift Giving
Hi Deb: I dread the end of the year. There are endless office parties and niceties that, although technically optional, feel mandatory. For example, I am invited to my department’s holiday party, the company-wide holiday party, and another product team’s holiday party. Both my team’s and my product team’s parties require that I bring a…
The admissions essay—a.k.a. Lazy Recruiting
The numbers are out. The job market is hot. Top candidates are in high demand. The current market is one in which Lazy Recruiting—a top peeve of mine—has no place. And yet, it continues to be SOP at many hiring companies. Lazy Recruiting has many facets. In its most common form, Lazy Recruiting is when…
Is career advice a form of gaslighting?
I came across an article recently that had a unique take on the kinds of career advice that is typically given to women. The main concept of the article is that women are being sold on the idea that it is up to them to change workplace culture and to make the workplace more encouraging…
Be “that person”
Do you want to create a personal brand that will have all your coworkers talking about you? Would you like to have the glory that goes along with being that person? Do you desire to avoid responsibility and accountability, while taking credit for accomplishments? Whether you’re already accomplished at this or you’re a newbie, this…
You and your fancy words!
I’ve been a lifelong, avid reader. I devour both fiction and nonfiction, and I read on a variety of subjects. One of the things reading affords you with is the exposure to the rich and varied tapestry that is the English language. As a result, I have always scored very highly on any assessment of…
Get real and optimize your hiring strategy.
You’ve noticed. The job market has changed. A few short years ago, you were able to sit back and let the resumes of highly qualified candidates roll in. Between 2008-2014, you could require all sorts of criteria for candidates, and you could put them through a myriad of exercises, assessments, and interviews. But today, the…
Identify the untapped talent of your team members
Employees are critical to the success of most businesses. They are the profit makers of any company, without whom delivering products and services to customers would be impossible. Savvy managers understand that success is dependent upon teamwork. But are you sure that you’re making the most of the talents your team members have? Each individual…
Top Resume Turn-offs
I talk with lots of job seekers. I speak with lots of hiring managers. And I see lots of resumes. And I see lots of major turn-offs. Your resume, if it is being read by an actual human, is likely to be scanned for a mere six seconds. That means that you have very little…