March 2013

can you walk out of an interview before it starts?

A reader writes: I have a unique situation that I ran into and would like your perspective on it. I went to an interview, and as soon as I opened the door, I knew it was not the place for me. I already had some reservations going in, but was trying to keep an open […]

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turning down an interview at a dysfunctional organization

A reader writes: I recently interviewed with a nonprofit organization and was asked to come back for a second interview with their chief philanthropy officer. During the first interview, I found out that a local colleague had done some work with the capital campaign. I followed up with him to get the inside scoop. Unfortunately, […]

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asking your interviewer what’s next in the hiring process

A reader writes: What is your take on the candidate asking the interviewer, “What is next in the hiring process” or “Where do we go from here” types of questions? In short, I’m having a large disagreement with someone about the opinion and thinking behind this type of question. This person thinks that as a […]

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open thread

It’s our monthly open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything you want to talk about. If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet, but this is a chance to talk to other readers.

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fast answer Friday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s fast answer Friday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Should I interview my ex for a job managing me? I’m assisting in the hiring for an open position at my company. Unless I change departments (which is feasible), this new hire will be my direct supervisor. I’m mid-level […]

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can you ask to meet future coworkers before accepting a new job?

A reader writes: Is it appropriate to ask to get to know future coworkers before accepting a new job? I have a second interview coming up shortly with the president of the company. During my initial interview, the panel of nine interviewers w­­ere all very nice and welcoming, except for one person … the person […]

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can you have blue hair at a job interview?

A reader writes: I’m in the middle of applying for a job at a very large company, where I would do a fair amount of client-facing work. It’s a big deal for me. I’ve been a huge fan of this company for years. I haven’t even submitted my application yet, so I don’t know that […]

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terse answer Thursday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s terse answer Thursday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. How soon is too soon to reject a candidate? I have a question about hiring timelines. Sometimes we screen a candidate, and know pretty much immediately that the person won’t be a good fit. But I feel like it […]

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