my interviewer asked if I “needed” the job by Alison Green on February 2, 2022 A reader writes: I’m job searching and just interviewed today. It went really well, but they did ask me one question that tripped me up: They asked me if I needed the job. I do, but I stumbled on my answer a bit. I figured if I said yes, I would look desperate, but if […] Read the full article →
don’t trust the answers to “how would you describe your management style?” by Alison Green on January 20, 2022 When you’re interviewing for a job, you want to know what kind of manager you’d be working for. Here’s a question that isn’t that likely to tell you: “How would you describe your management style?” That question shows up over and over on lists of questions that job seekers should ask their prospective managers in […] Read the full article →
don’t pretend to have a question just so you can talk about yourself — in interviews and in life by Alison Green on September 23, 2021 I’m on vacation. This post was originally published in 2016. When your interviewer asks what questions you have for them, this is your cue to ask legitimate, genuine questions that you have about the work (or the company, or the team, or so forth). It is not appropriate for you to use the time as a […] Read the full article →
CEO’s wife ruined my job prospects by Alison Green on September 22, 2021 I’m on vacation. This was originally published in 2017. A reader writes: I have been going through a very rigorous interviewing process for a permanent job in a firm where I have been undergoing a two-month post-college training program/paid internship which is very prestigious and only very few trainees are offered the permanent job. It […] Read the full article →
I accidentally threw condoms all over my interviewer’s desk by Alison Green on August 24, 2021 A reader writes: This week I finally landed my very first Big Post-Pandemic Interview! I studied hard, prepared extensively, and dug my circa-2019 interview clothes out of storage, along with my fancy business satchel and leather binder (the interview required me to bring a portfolio of prior work). I was ready to impress! I sat […] Read the full article →
10 really good questions to ask in a job interview by Alison Green on August 3, 2021 You’re in a job interview, you’ve fielded a couple dozen questions from your interviewer, and now your interviewer asks, “What questions do you have for me?” If you’re like a lot of people, you might end up stumbling around for what to ask. I’ve interviewed probably thousands of job applicants in my career, and I’m […] Read the full article →
am I supposed to remember the details of every job I apply to? by Alison Green on July 20, 2021 A reader writes: I lost my job recently when the small company I worked for went under. I have a little savings buffer, but needless to say, I am job hunting vigorously. I usually put in two to three applications a day and I spend hours trying to write thoughtful and personalized cover letters, so […] Read the full article →
do employers set up secret “gotcha” tests for job candidates? by Alison Green on July 13, 2021 A reader writes: A few years ago, I was applying to a position (entry level, only about a year or so out of college) and I noticed a fairly obvious spelling error in the job posting. It has been a few years so the exact error escapes me now, but it was one that was […] Read the full article →
why haven’t I heard back after my interview? by Alison Green on July 13, 2021 You had a great job interview, seemed to connect with your interviewer, and left feeling good about your chances. The employer told you to expect to hear something in a week … but now two weeks have gone by and you’ve heard nothing. Should you reach back out? Is the silence a bad sign? And […] Read the full article →
why do interviewers expect you to have already researched their company? by Alison Green on July 7, 2021 A reader writes: Why do interviewers put so much emphasis on your knowledge not of the role, but of them as a business? Most companies have quite generic web sites that don’t really tell you much that distinguishes them from their competitors, so it’s actually very difficult to learn much that is meaningful online. But […] Read the full article →