Career development

 5h

43 Accurate Memes That Sum Up Regular 9-To-5 Workplace Culture


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Workplace expert Taylor told Bored Panda that leaving a job can be a stressful proposition. "You've invested a lot of time and energy into it, but now you realize it's time to move to greener pastures." She gave us some advice on what employees can do to move forward if they feel like there are no alternatives out there for them.

"Take heart... You're already halfway there by... deciding to make the move. Many people languish in a state of inertia as they try to make big career or life changes. The employment market is strong and the talent shortage is pervasive. Fortunately, now is still a good time to explore opportunities," she said.

"Touch base with those you admire who have made career changes successfully. Finding a mentor is also helpful in your motivational level. Start networking activities in your professional network. You're likely to discover just how marketable you are after getting feedback," the workplace expert said.

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Taylor also suggested creating a 'kudos file' of your achievements and reviewing it often. "This includes letters of commendation; complimentary emails from bosses, coworkers, clients, and outside colleagues; and a list of accomplishments and awards. Keep it updated. This will also help you prepare a powerful résumé, as you'll be reminded of your skills and successes."

Meanwhile, you should study the going salaries for your position in the market. If you happen to find that you're underpaid, you'll "feel more empowered to move on." Taylor pointed out that life is not a dress rehearsal. "Having a job that's familiar and routine may have given you a sense of comfort. But once you start envisioning your next career phase, it will make it easier to take the leap."

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We also wanted to get the workplace expert's thoughts on constantly being mired in negativity at work. "It's easy to spiral downwards when you're frustrated with your job. Negativity can breed more negativity, but you can 'jam the system' of your repeated patterns with more positive thoughts and practices. Not always simple to do when some habits can die hard," the author of 'Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant' told Bored Panda.

"When you're mired in negativity, your work product suffers and your office life starts spilling into your private life. It's difficult to 'turn off' a bad job, boss or coworker who is making your life miserable. It's human nature to want to resolve these matters, and that often affects you after hours," she said. "The best antidote is to get into the driver's seat with some proactive steps. Create a document that outlines the problem, how and why it's affecting you. Then address the issue(s) with all the options. For example: Your 'terrible two' Boss is demanding too many projects within too short a timeframe. You have choices."

Here are some of your options going forward:

Taylor added: "Of course, if you're in an unbearable job you have many other choices, including new job avenues."

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The 'Work Memes' Facebook group was created at the height of the pandemic in November 2020, and has since amassed a huge following of meme-lovers from around the world. At the time of writing, nearly 564k Facebook users called the group their home.

The founder of the page notes that the focus of the group should be on work memes. However, not all memes have to be work-related. A few off-topic memes here and there are perfectly fine, but if the situation's getting out of control, don't be surprised if some of your more random posts end up being tidied up and removed.

The 'Work Memes' group has absolutely no tolerance for bullying and political posts and comments are not permitted. "We get enough politics crammed down our throat by the media. We do not need it here as well," the founder writes.

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Meanwhile, if you want to be an active and wholesome member of the community, try to "give more than you take to this group." There's no room for self-promotion and spam. But there's a deep and abiding love for witty, silly, and relatable work memes.

As we've covered on Bored Panda very recently, there are a few things that can help memes go viral and have more longevity. Luck is one factor that we can't control: there's an element of randomness as to what content will end up being popular and what will be left by the wayside.

However, some of the things that content creators can control include what the format of the meme is like. For instance, memes that the audience can quickly read and understand are more likely to be successful. Surprising or making your audience happy is also a good way to ensure a meme's popularity.

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Meanwhile, how relatable people find a meme to be is absolutely essential to the content's virality and long-term success. It's natural that we 'vibe' with memes that resonate with us. They build on a sense of belonging and create a relationship between the content creator and all members of the audience.

However, behind all the hilarious, silly, and incredibly relatable memes lie some harsh truths about the workplace. Like burnout. Chronic exhaustion. Lack of growth. Quiet firing and quiet hiring. Unpaid overtime. Having to deal with poor management.

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Some other common problems include feeling like your job has no purpose and you have no control over the direction of your career. Bullying at the workplace. Dealing with nepotism and unfairness. Having someone keep stealing your lunch from the office fridge.

These are just some of the workplace issues that many workers deal with on a daily basis. What all of these things have in common is how the employee sets and enforces boundaries to protect their physical and mental health, as well as maintain their work-life balance.

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The fact of the matter is that you and you alone are responsible for what you're willing to tolerate at work. Yes, you'll likely run into unfair bosses, bad managers, lazy colleagues, and mind-numbingly huge workloads at some point -- it's practically impossible to avoid. However, you can control how you react to all of this.

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One thing that you can do if you constantly find yourself dealing with unfair practices in the workplace is to raise the question with your supervisor, boss, or human resources rep. There is no substitute for diplomatic and open communication. Instead of suffering in silence, have a friendly but frank discussion about the issues that affect you every single day. Propose some solutions and look for a compromise that would make both sides happy. It takes real guts to be the one to shine the spotlight on the problems that everyone sees (but few actually address).

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However, you have to be honest with yourself about whether you'd actually be willing to stay at the company if things were to change for the better, like you want. It could be that you've simply outgrown the place. Or maybe the company's values are completely at odds with your own and there's no real future there at all. Or (and this is quite likely) management doesn't want to consider any of your suggestions at all.

If that's the case, you may want to consider looking for employment elsewhere. No, there's no such thing as a 'perfect' workplace. But it'd be naive to think that every company is equally bad!

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Which of these work memes did you relate to the most, dear Pandas? Were there any that you cheekily forwarded to your fave colleagues? How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance? We'd love to hear what you think, so grab yourself another cup of coffee and swing by the comment section to share your opinions.

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You might also like: "It's A 'Benefit' To My Employer, Not Me": People Are Sharing 28 Insulting Things A Job Has Offered Them more

Career development

 6h

Gift to the graduates


With two grandkids graduating from college last week, graduates are on my mind. Here are a few tips to help young adults conquer the world.

Before your first job interview, learn what you can about the company and ask someone older than you what attire would be appropriate. Keep your shoes polished or clean; well-maintained shoes tell the world you pay attention to detail and have pride in your... appearance. Practice a firm handshake; it shows your self-confidence. Leave your cell phone in the car when you go for interviews. Any job could be the entry stepping stone to a career.

Do not expect praise for doing your job. Be loyal to the company that writes your check; if you speak badly of an employer or company to others, you need to change jobs. Actions show your character best when no one is looking. Consider the turtle; he sticks his head out when necessary. Volunteer, it will make you a better person. Help your neighbors without expecting payment.

If you are not at least 5 to 10 minutes early, consider yourself late. Appreciate breathing. Too much of a good thing at one time is bad -- even sunshine. Read. Read. Read. Read. Learn to make one good soup.

Spelling matters. With the word "its," think his and hers as comparative words; none of these need an apostrophe. A smile is the most noticed accessory you can wear. Everyone is equal in importance. Talk with, and learn from, older people. Avoid narcissists. When a word you do not know appears in print or conversation, look it up, learn the word, and use it so you can expand your vocabulary.

Change your windshield wipers when you notice they are not doing a good job. Check your tire pressure. Keep your gas tank at least half full so you will never be running on fumes. You will save yourself much hassle by doing so.

Be kind. Sleep is not overrated. New socks bring joy to the wearer. Clean up after yourself. Pay cash; if you do not have the money to buy something right now, you cannot afford it. Cheap credit quickly becomes very expensive; ignore credit card offers.

Painted lines in parking lots are not concrete barriers. Pull ahead to the empty space in front of you in a parking lot, then you can drive forward when you leave and will not have to back out; most parking lot accidents happened during backing. Call your parents even when you do not want anything. Email, write or call your grandparents often. Walk instead of driving any time you can. Do not lend your car; the insurance likely only covers you as a driver. Your word is your bond, your reputation depends on that.

Enjoy meaningful, in person talks; texting isn't the same. Keep memories in your heart and enjoy your lives.

Sanders is a national-award winning columnist who writes from the farm in southwest South Dakota. Her internet latchstring is always out at peggy@peggysanders.com. She can be reached through her website at http://www.peggysanders.com. more

Career development

 7h

Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Finalists Gain Workplace Readiness Training


Jobberman Nigeria in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation has trained the Students of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic on employability and workplace readiness skills.

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‎The exercise, which brought together National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) finalists, was aimed at enhancing participants' capacity to compete effectively in the labour market through the acquisition of... critical soft skills and career development knowledge.

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‎Prior to the training, officials of Jobberman Nigeria, led by Mr. Flex Kennedy, accompanied by the Head of Career Services and Skill Development Center, Dr. Joan Okafor, paid a courtesy call to the Rector of the Polytechnic, Engr. Dr. Christopher Okoro Kalu, at the institution's Council Chamber Hall.

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‎Speaking during the visit, Kennedy explained that the intervention is part of a nationwide initiative targeted at preparing young people for emerging opportunities within the digital and broader economic landscape.

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He noted that the programme links learning with opportunities for career progression by exposing students to practical workplace expectations and pathways to internships.

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According to him, the initiative seeks to ensure that graduates possess not only academic qualifications but also the behavioural and interpersonal competencies increasingly demanded by employers.

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‎He further acknowledged the Polytechnic Management for its emphasis on practical education and entrepreneurial development, particularly through support for skill-based programmes in Welding and Fabrication, Fashion Design, and other vocational areas that provide students with opportunities for economic self-sufficiency.

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‎Kennedy urged the students to cultivate confidence in their abilities, stressing that personal achievement often begins with the decision to believe in one's potential.

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‎The participants were engaged on subjects including self-development, effective communication, time management, workplace conduct, overcoming personal limitations, and the application of constructive feedback in professional settings.

‎One of the participants, Mitchell Ihendu, an ND II student from the department of Public Administration, narrated the programme as enriching and relevant to the realities of today's job market.

She commended the facilitators for their methodical approach and the use of pre-training and post-training assessments to evaluate participants' learning outcomes.

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‎She stated that the sessions provided fresh perspectives on professional growth and expanded her understanding of what employers expect from prospective employees.

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‎Ihendu also appreciated the prompt issuance of certificates of participation and expressed gratitude to the Polytechnic Management for approving the programme, which she said offered students valuable exposure beyond the confines of academic coursework.

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‎The training forms part of ongoing efforts by Jobberman Nigeria and the Mastercard Foundation to address youth unemployment by equipping young people with the competencies required to secure meaningful employment and contribute productively to national development. more

Career development

 7h

Oridian Capital Partners Named to Inc.'s 2026 Best Workplaces List for Second Consecutive Year


Oridian Capital Partners, formerly known as HCI Equity Partners, has been recognized on Inc.'s 2026 Best Workplaces list for the second consecutive year, highlighting the firm's continued commitment to fostering a strong workplace culture and employee experience.

The annual Inc. Best Workplaces program honors U.S. companies that have built exceptional work environments and cultures that support... employee engagement, professional development, and business performance. This year's list recognizes 507 organizations across a wide range of industries.

The selection process included a comprehensive employee survey administered by Quantum Workplace, evaluating key workplace factors such as leadership effectiveness, communication, benefits, career development opportunities, and overall employee satisfaction. Participating companies also underwent a detailed audit of workplace benefits and policies.

"Earning a spot on Inc.'s Best Workplaces list for a second consecutive year is a validating honor for our team," said Doug McCormick, Managing Partner at Oridian Capital Partners. "It demonstrates that our continued efforts to keep abreast of evolving workplace demands, provide competitive compensation, and support professional development are making a real impact. We believe in work-life balance and transparent communication within our firm and across our portfolio companies and consider Oridian a truly great place to work."

Inc. Editorial Director Bonny Ghosh noted that this year's honorees stand out for making sustained investments in their people despite changing labor market conditions.

"This year's Best Workplaces list goes beyond great company culture -- it highlights companies making meaningful and sustained investment in their employees," Ghosh said. "Even in a labor market that favors employers, these companies understand that an intentional and authentic commitment to their teams drives stronger employee retention, engagement, and ultimately, a stronger business overall."

The recognition comes as Oridian continues to expand its presence in the lower middle-market private equity sector. The Washington, D.C.-based firm partners with founder- and family-owned service, distribution, and manufacturing companies, focusing on operational improvement and strategic growth initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions.

The full list of 2026 Inc. Best Workplaces winners is available at Inc.com.

About Oridian Capital Partners

Oridian Capital Partners is a lower middle-market private equity firm that partners with growth-oriented, family- and founder-owned service, distribution, and manufacturing businesses. The firm focuses on large, stable, and fragmented North American markets, pursuing value creation through operational excellence and strategic acquisitions. Oridian is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

About Inc.

Inc. is a leading media brand serving entrepreneurs and business leaders through journalism, rankings, and research focused on innovation, leadership, and company growth. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures alongside Fast Company.

About Quantum Workplace

Quantum Workplace is an Omaha-based human resources technology company that provides employee engagement surveys, performance management tools, leadership assessments, recognition programs, and workforce analytics solutions to organizations across multiple industries. more

Career development

 7h

1 in 3 Workers Turned Down a Promotion in the Past Year, Study Finds


For years, the promotion has been treated as the obvious workplace prize: a better title, a bigger salary, more authority, and the sense that a career is moving in the right direction. But for many workers, climbing the ladder no longer feels like an automatic win.

A new study by Careerminds, a global outplacement and career development firm, suggests that a growing number of employees are... pushing back against promotions when the personal trade-offs feel too steep. The survey of 3,017 employees across the U.S. explored how many workers have turned down a promotion in the past year, and why some now see career advancement as more pressure than reward.

Among employees who had been offered a promotion over the past year, nearly one in three said they turned it down. The figures varied sharply by state. Nevada had the highest share, with 54% of workers who were offered a promotion choosing to decline it, equal to an estimated 44,904 people. New Hampshire followed at 49%, while Colorado, California, and Washington also ranked among the states where workers were most likely to say no.

The findings suggest this is not simply about ambition fading. In many cases, employees appear to be making a practical calculation about whether the next role would genuinely improve their life, or simply bring more stress, longer hours, heavier responsibilities, and greater scrutiny without enough upside.

Work-life balance was the clearest theme. Among those who had turned down a promotion, or said they would seriously consider doing so, nearly one in four said they were happy with their current balance and did not want to disrupt it. Others said the pay increase would not be worth the extra responsibility, that they did not want more stress, or that they were wary of longer hours, managing other people, burnout, or increased performance tracking.

The pay question also revealed how much more employers may need to offer before a stressful promotion feels worthwhile. Very few workers said they would seriously consider accepting a more demanding role for a raise of less than 10%. By contrast, more than half said they would need a pay increase of at least 20% before the trade-off would feel worth it.

For some employees, the hesitation comes from experience. More than a third of respondents said they had previously accepted a promotion and later regretted it. That suggests many workers are not rejecting advancement out of laziness or lack of drive, but because they have already seen what can happen when a better title comes with a worse day-to-day life.

The study also points to a newer workplace anxiety: monitoring. Nearly half of respondents said they would be less likely to accept a promotion if the role came with more AI-driven performance tracking or productivity monitoring. For those workers, advancement may feel less like recognition and more like surveillance.

Views on promotion were mixed overall. While some employees still see moving up as one of the best ways to improve their lives, many now view promotions as conditional. The largest share said promotions are only worth it if the pay increase is substantial, while others said promotions often bring more stress than they are worth, that they are not interested in climbing the career ladder, or that promotions mostly benefit the employer rather than the worker.

The appetite for advancement also appears divided. Compared with five years ago, 35% of respondents said they are now more interested in moving up, while 33% said they are less interested. Another 32% said their interest has stayed about the same.

When workers were asked what would make them more likely to accept a promotion, the answers were revealing. The most attractive perk was not a flashy title or status symbol, but a guaranteed "no weekend work" rule. Other popular sweeteners included Fridays off forever, no people management, a private or quiet workspace, fewer meetings, and the right to ignore emails after 5 p.m.

The language employers use around promotions may also matter. Phrases such as "you'll be managing a challenging team," "the pay bump is modest at first," "you'll be wearing a lot of hats," and "there may be some evening calls" were among the biggest red flags. For many workers, those phrases appear to signal that the promotion may come with unclear duties, difficult expectations, weak compensation, or blurred boundaries.

Taken together, the findings suggest that many employees are no longer dazzled by the idea of moving up for its own sake. A promotion still matters, but workers increasingly want proof that the next step will improve their lives rather than simply absorb more of them.

"Promotions have traditionally been viewed as an automatic win for employees, but these findings suggest many workers are taking a much closer look at what that next step actually means for their day-to-day quality of life," says Amanda Augustine, said Amanda Augustine, a Certified Professional Career Coach and resident career expert for Careerminds.

"A better title alone may not feel worth it if the role also comes with longer hours, higher stress levels, increased monitoring, or a poorer work-life balance.

"For employers, this is an important signal. When employees turn down advancement opportunities, it doesn't necessarily mean they lack ambition. In many cases, it means the role being offered doesn't feel sustainable, clearly defined, or fairly compensated for the level of responsibility involved.

"Employers who want workers to step into leadership roles may need to rethink how those opportunities are structured and communicated. Today's employees are looking beyond salary and title; they also want realistic workloads, healthy boundaries, meaningful support, and long-term career stability." more

Career development

 8h

Steven Bartlett tells job hunters never to wear common thing to an interview


Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett has claimed he would never hire someone who wore one common thing to a job interview - as he sees it as disingenuous

Job seekers typically strive to appear "perfect" at interviews, but entrepreneur Steven Bartlett has suggested this approach might actually harm their chances. When searching for new employment, you've likely attended interviews where you've made every... effort to look polished, hoping to impress the hiring manager and secure the position.

It's widely acknowledged that appearance matters in interviews, whether we like it or not, so many of us choose suits, smart dresses and other formal attire to demonstrate we're suited to the professional environment. However, according to former Dragon's Den star Steven Bartlett, there's one particular item you should avoid wearing to a job interview.

Steven, who founded Social Chain and Flight Story, revealed he would never employ someone who turned up to an interview in a suit, because while it's considered the clothing you "must" wear, he believes it's insincere if you wouldn't ordinarily dress that way.

Speaking on his Diary of a CEO podcast to English-American writer Simon Sinek, he shared: "I flashbacked to an interview I had last week in our company where a young kid walks in wearing a suit, and I thought you have no idea who you are, because that's not you.

"I know that you don't wear a suit. You're 22 years old. You do not wear a suit, so I have no indication ... I have no clues as to who you are, and therefore, I have to figure out if you fit in here.

"What he tried to do there is show up perfect, how he thought perfect was and in some ways, to hide who he actually was."

While Steven had meant to offer useful guidance to job seekers, viewers of an Instagram video featuring the clip weren't particularly impressed. Numerous people highlighted that although Steven might not recruit candidates wearing suits, the majority of employers do, making it questionable advice to suggest people can dress however they please.

One person said: "It's called professionalism and respect, good kid."

Another added: "I am on the side of the guy in the suit. He is not pretending to be something he is not. He took this interview seriously and showed you and the company respect. Good for him."

A third wrote: "A suit is what you normally wear in an interview. Give the guy a break. You should have specified not to wear a suit or to come smart casual?"

Despite these criticisms, some backed Steven's viewpoint, with one supporter suggesting: "It sounds like he felt his outfit was too flashy and not authentic. Many people have been in that situation. It's perfectly fine to wear an affordable suit from a store like Primark or MandS for a first job.

"However, showing up in a £5,000 Armani suit and £10,000 crocodile leather shoes can come across as trying too hard and might give the impression that someone isn't genuine."

The most effective approach to figuring out what to wear to a job interview is to check any information you may have been given when you were invited along. Typically, you'll be informed whether full formal attire is required, or whether smart-casual is perfectly acceptable.

If you haven't been given any guidance and you're keen to make a strong first impression, you can always drop an email to HR or the hiring manager ahead of your interview to enquire. Not only will this give you a definitive answer, but it could also make you stand out from the other candidates as somebody who went above and beyond during their interview process. more

Career development

 1d

Months Of Lies Fall Apart As Guy Is Not Fluent In Spanish Like He Pretends, Drama Escalates To HR


C'mon, let the first person who hasn't lied on their résumé throw the first stone. And if my boss is reading this, no, they aren't, because I actually did not lie on mine (seriously, I didn't). But everyone has told a little white lie at some point.

For instance, saying you're proficient in Excel when, in reality, you've only used it twice during that tech class in high school. And sometimes,... these little white lies will actually land you the job, but the real problem comes later: when they ask you to put that "knowledge" into practice. In today's story, this kind of lie actually ended up involving HR, so here's what happened.

The hilarious story today is told by a hotel staff worker, our Original Poster, who admitted he's in a bit of a work pickle. As it turns out, during the interview process for his job, the manager asked him if he spoke Spanish, since most of the guests were Spanish-speaking. The OP apparently said yes, because he'd taken two years of Spanish in high school, and then indirectly became the hotel's translator.

However, he explains that whenever a guest came in speaking Spanish, he would pull out his best Dora the Explorer impersonation, using basic sentences he'd learned over time and through the show. Still, he was the staff member who knew Spanish best, which ultimately led everyone to believe he was absolutely fluent in the language. Apparently, he knew just enough to be understood by Spanish-speaking guests.

One day, though, chaos ensued in the hotel lobby. A Spanish-speaking family had their flight canceled and a clogged toilet, so amid all the confusion, they sought help. Obviously, the staff pointed them to the OP, the resident translator, but they weren't the usual happy-go-lucky guests he normally dealt with. They were nervous, talking fast, and expecting answers he simply didn't have.

So when he resorted to his typical one-liners, the family became increasingly upset, thinking they were being made fun of. Eventually, a bilingual guest was forced to intervene, and everyone realized the OP wasn't as fluent as they had thought. After the incident, he was called in to speak with HR, expecting to be promptly fired, but no further updates were given.

If you actually think the OP is in the wrong for lying on his résumé, you might be surprised to learn that studies show 64.2% of Americans have admitted to lying on their résumé at least once in their lives. Apparently, these lies often take the form of exaggeration, such as claiming fluency in a language when they aren't, or embellishing other skills, much like our narrator today.

His two years of Spanish may have also led him to develop what psychologists call the "Dunning-Kruger effect." This phenomenon happens when people overestimate their skills or knowledge in a specific area. In this case, he believed his language skills would never actually be put to use and that he could get away with knowing just the basics, which he did for eight months. But ultimately, everyone got a reality check.

So what exactly could he have done in this situation? Well, he could have tried to actually learn Spanish once he realized he needed it, especially since basic Spanglish phrases wouldn't cut it during a crisis. Linguists point out that while it may take a few years for an English speaker to become fully fluent in Spanish, most people can reach a conversational level within six to seven months of consistent daily practice.

Ultimately, the OP had enough time to improve and polish his Spanish skills, and netizens definitely took note of that. Many questioned whether it had ever crossed his mind to properly learn the language, and in some comments, he admitted he didn't want to because he had been getting by with what he already knew. So, what would you have done in this situation? Come clean immediately, or learn as you go? more
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  • Janice Carter

    9h

    Funny! I worked in education and we had a psychologist in a similar position. She had a Hispanic last name but did not speak Spanish, and just played... along with the HR director who hired her, presuming that she automatically spoke Spanish. Eventually she left the job because it became nerve wracking for her. We often translated for her, all the same, but she dreaded being asked to translate some day without any of us present.  more

Career development

 9h

Steven Barlett says he'd never hire someone wearing common thing to an interview


Dragon's Den star and entrepreneur Steven Bartlett issued a brutal verdict to people who wear one item of clothing to interviews, saying it would make him reject their application

Job hunters often try their best to look "perfect" at job interviews, but entrepreneur Steven Barlett has claimed this could actually cost you a job. If you're looking for a new job, you'll no doubt have been to... interviews where you've tried to scrub up well to impress the hiring manager and hopefully land the job.

We all know that you are judged on your appearance in interviews, even if we wish that weren't the case, so most of us will opt to wear suits, smart dresses, and other formal wear to prove that we belong in the corporate world. But according to former Dragon's Den star Steven Bartlett, there's actually one thing you should never wear to a job interview.

Steven, who is the founder of Social Chain and Flight Story, said he would never hire someone if they came to an interview wearing a suit, because although it's seen as the clothing you "must" wear, he believes it's disingenuous if you're not normally someone who would wear a suit.

Speaking on his Diary of a CEO podcast to English-American writer Simon Sinek, he shared: "I flashbacked to an interview I had last week in our company where a young kid walks in wearing a suit and I thought you have no idea who you are, because that's not you.

"I know that you don't wear a suit. You're 22 years old. You do not wear a suit, so I have no indication ... I have no clues as to who you are, and therefore, I have to figure out if you fit in here.

"What he tried to do there is show up perfect, how he thought perfect was and in some ways, to hide who he actually was."

Although Steven had intended to give helpful advice to those on the hunt for a job, commenters on an Instagram video that shared the clip were less than impressed. Many pointed out that while Steven might not hire people who wear suits, most employers will, so it's bad advice to encourage people to wear whatever they want.

One person said: "It's called professionalism and respect, good kid."

Another added: "I am on the side of the guy in the suit. He is not pretending to be something he is not. He took this interview seriously and showed you and the company respect. Good for him."

A third wrote: "A suit is what you normally wear in an interview. Give the guy a break. You should have specified not to wear a suit or to come smart casual?"

In spite of these criticisms, some defended Steven's perspective, with one advocate suggesting: "It sounds like he felt his outfit was too flashy and not authentic. Many people have been in that situation. It's perfectly fine to wear an affordable suit from a store like Primark or M&S for a first job.

"However, showing up in a £5,000 Armani suit and £10,000 crocodile leather shoes can come across as trying too hard and might give the impression that someone isn't genuine."

The best way to navigate what to wear to a job interview is to look for any information you might have received when you were invited to interview. Usually, you'll be told whether to dress in full formal wear, or if smart-casual is acceptable.

If you haven't been told and you want to make a good impression, you can also email HR or the hiring manager before your interview to ask. Not only will that get you a clear answer, but it may also make your name stick out from the other applicants as someone who went the extra mile in their interview. more

Ralph Lee


Career development 1d
At our company we never get raises or bonuses. Instead, the boss gives us company mugs, bags and notebooks. After a successful deal or project he buys us pizza. I know I'm getting paid what we agreed on, but it would be nice to get some kind of reward once in a while. That never happens.
What do you think? Should I hint that money would be more appreciated than getting a fifth mug with the... company logo on it?

 more
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  • Kassim Mwalimu

    9h

    At least they understand that you must take tea

  • Eliot Feldman

    12h

    You accepted the terms of employment. Your boss is not required to pay you more than what you agreed to. You can meet with your boss and ask for a... raise, be ready to justify why you feel you deserve the increase. You can look for another job,leave or accept that you are there by mutual choice.  more

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Career development

 10h

Next Northern Fairfield Professionals Meeting June 9


The next Northern Fairfield Professionals (NFP) meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, 5:30-8 pm. NFP is a free networking group that hosts a guest speaker whose presentations are geared toward business professionals, focusing on topics relevant to the job search, and ongoing career development. NFP organizers usually include a "Landed Talk," where a former NFP attendee briefly shares their... job-search success story and insights from their journey.

This month's speaker is Mary Ann Gontin, a well-respected and experienced business coach and trainer. She is recognized for her "sixth sense" in working with people. She focuses on communication, strategic thinking, collaboration, effective teamwork, and leadership development.

Gontin's topic is "Assumptions -- The Number One Mistake Made During Interviews and Onboarding a New Job." Most people work hard preparing to answer questions and speak about their strengths and accomplishments during an interview. It is normal to feel anxious and to be focused on "putting our best foot forward" both during interviews as well as during the first few weeks on a new job.

However, it is also normal to "hope for the best" and therefore "hear what we want to hear" during interviews. This presentation will highlight ways applicants can fail to gather clear information needed to assess if a job is the best fit for their skill set and professional/personal needs. There are countless stories of people accepting jobs who later admitted they saw a few "red flags" during the interviews and first few weeks on the job, but they assumed it was not that bad and they could overcome these "small issues." Reality hits hard and they realize they made a mistake in accepting the job.

Gontin will walk attendees through ways to not only "hear more clearly," but also how to ask relevant questions to confirm specifics instead of "assuming" something that turns out not to be true. Typical assumptions include expected working hours, salary and/or bonus, reporting structure, expected amount of business travel, number of direct reports, and scheduling of vacation time.

Gontin's talk will begin at 6 pm. Two 30-minute networking opportunities will be available to attendees from 5:30-6 pm and again from 7:30-8 pm. Meetings are held at the Knights of Columbus building on St Rose of Lima church grounds, 46 Church Hill Road. To receive an NFP Evite e-mail and other information on upcoming NFP meetings, e-mail johnbarryitech@gmail.com. more

Career development

 16h

Your horoscope for June 5-11


Your spot-on horoscope for work, money and relationship from Guru by the Bangkok Post's famously accurate fortune teller. Let's see how you will fare this week and beyond.

* ⏰ is for work, ₿ is for money, ❤️ is for coupled life and ⚤ is for single life

* Previous ones: www.bangkokpost.com/shr/9b6b72ef

♈ Aries

Mar 21 - Apr 19

⏰ Expect a brainwave that cuts through a long-standing block and... simplifies your workflow, helping you move faster and bust through deadlines. A chance to relocate, switch teams or join a new organisation may come but the decision window will be tight. Job hunting? An intriguing offer in a new city or a different time zone is possible.

₿ Your past efforts pay off and it shows in your bank accounts. But your inner CFO will struggle with your Yolo side. Saving sounds smart but splurging sounds fun. If you work in government, watch your back: kickbacks and sweeteners could trigger a shakedown later.

❤️ A canon event will hit your relationship, rewriting the old script. It's the end of one chapter and the messy start of another. Expect real, raw conversations that sting but lead to somewhere necessary. This isn't the end of you two. It's the end of who you used to be together.

⚤ Still emotionally tied to an ex or stuck in a dead-end situationship? A wake-up call or reality check will push you to cut the cord for good and open your heart again. A foreigner or a single parent may cross your path. You'll hit it off, despite language barriers or scheduling hurdles.

♉ Taurus

Apr 20 - May 20

⏰ Handling a tough project? You'll deliver, but there's no time to celebrate. The finish line becomes a new starting point. Your reward will be an even bigger challenge. This next phase will demand deeper strategic thinking and letting go of your old playbook. You'll trade outdated tools for sharper skills. Expect a few dramatic personalities to stir the pot. Stay composed and choose your words wisely.

₿ A side gig or extra income opportunity will pop up, but speed matters; it's first come, first served. Your bills and daily spending will be well under control. Watch out for slick investment pitches. If it promises quick money and smells like Fomo bait, it probably is.

❤️ Familiarity starts to dull the spark. Little habits your partner has, once brushed off, will suddenly feel grating. Before you spiral into a mental list of their flaws, pause. The reasons you've stayed this long and what you once loved about them are still there.

⚤ You won't fall easily. Your standards are high and your walls might be even higher. Staying in your bubble may feel safer than stepping into the dating world. Got an ex who once hurt you? A revenge opportunity will land in your lap. Will you act on it?

♊ Gemini

May 21 - Jun 20

⏰ Work will stack up, but you'll rise, shine and show what you're truly made of. A tempting job offer is coming. Telling this to your boss could trigger a counteroffer. Weigh your options carefully. If you're in any creative field, get ready to ride a tidal wave of inspiration while Lady Luck does a happy dance around you.

₿ Seeds you planted are blooming into real returns. A big sis or kind auntie might drop insider intel or a piece of good news. Don't deny yourself nice things when you don't have to put them on credit cards. Just know that flexing online right now will attract a wave of unwanted DMs asking for loans.

❤️ Work and personal goals will slowly drain the sweetness from your relationship. Tensions might rise as pride keeps score. Comparisons over money, titles and who carries more weight will sting and cold words may cut deeper than intended. Competing egos will start crowding out care.

⚤ Someone picture perfect may slide in, possibly a romance scammer in disguise. A taken or on-a-break friend will turn extra sweet and flirty around you. Flattering and tempting? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely not. Love yourself more than the drama.

♋ Cancer

Jun 21 - Jul 22

⏰ Your consistency is delivering results that are visible, measurable and impossible to ignore. Recognition and laurels are coming, but a packed schedule keeps celebration brief. Higher-ups have a tougher mission waiting, one that could open doors to new connections with government agencies or international firms and reveal strengths you didn't know you had. Job interview? Expect a swift offer and a contract to lock you in.

₿ Your income will match your effort. You stay disciplined when it comes to reaching financial goals. Negotiations will go your way, with deals ready to sign. Struggling with a financial dispute? A fair compromise will likely land.

❤️ You two look picture-perfect to others. But behind closed doors, you're navigating a mismatch in needs and expectations. You'll choose calm over conflict, saving your energy even when their words sting. Boredom may set in, yet attachment, comfort of routine or fear of the unknown will keep you anchored.

⚤ Your main character energy is peaking, attracting new admirers and even a friend wanting more. Yet, your heart isn't in it. You may prefer your own space and solo peace. You may be quietly comparing everyone to the-one-that-got-away and no one's measuring up.

♌ Leo

Jul 23 - Aug 22

⏰ Your main job, side gig and maybe your own business will all demand your unique touch and you'll be happily busy doing it all. Tough challenges won't rattle you and high-maintenance personalities will meet their match in you. You'll be the team's trusted guru, peacekeeper and unofficial therapist all in one. The results will be well worth it.

₿ Earnings will match your output. Financial backing or fundraising you've been chasing could come through. You'll catch onto a money-making trend early, before the crowd does. Money anxiety eases so retail therapy feels guilt-free. A friend may ask for a loan they don't plan to repay. You're not a bank.

❤️ Jealousy might flare up, but you two will talk it through and clear the air. Any friction fades fast, meeting in the middle. Even amid a tiff, the care still shows. When one of you needs backup, the other shows up, no questions, just action.

⚤ A taken friend or colleague who's been supportive may act sweeter toward you, giving off more-than-friends energy. You'll feel the pull, but read the room: they're not leaving their relationship anytime soon. Keep your boundaries firm. Don't hold your breath for a romantic plot twist.

♍ Virgo

Aug 23 - Sept 22

⏰ Your boss will keep sending you in to cool down conflicts and shut down drama. Consider it a practice in people skills. A crisis will become your stage to step up and show your worth. Job seekers, a door into service, healthcare or creative work may open.

₿ Turning your favourite hobby into a side hustle looks very promising. Before signing anything financial, read every single line. Skip risky bets and hypes. If you're drawn to luxe pieces or limited editions, stay mindful since convincing fakes might fool even the most careful collector.

❤️ Disagreements are more common and petty fights could turn toxic. You two may trade sharp words, each trying to win and not to understand the other. Comparing bank accounts or career wins will kill intimacy.

⚤ You and a friend will catch feelings for the same person and yes, this one will sting. Chasing someone who prefers your friend will cost you both the friendship and your dignity. Bowing out gracefully will protect your heart and your self-worth.

Libra

Sept 23 - Oct 22

⏰ You'll blaze through your backlog and clear lingering problems with clean, decisive moves. Solo tasks get done, and in group settings, you'll be the team's backbone, sorting out pseudo-collaboration and communication breakdown before they derail the whole show. Doors will open for strategic ties with government agencies and international firms.

₿ Negotiations will land solid mutual gains. You'll be happily busy stacking income from your main job and side hustle. Finances will feel steady and easy to manage. Investors, market will swing in your favour. Keep money and friendships in separate lanes.

❤️ Love feels more steady than sparky. You two are cruising on routine, no fireworks but no drama either. Shared goals will act as the glue keeping you aligned. When life gets too heavy to handle alone, your partner will step in as your safety net.

⚤ Seeing someone? The thrill is fading.

Conversations will thin out, distance will grow and you'll start feeling like strangers. A familiar face from work or your usual hangout may show up differently, leaning in and looking for a way to get closer to you.

Scorpio

Oct 23 - Nov 21

⏰ You'll run on high-octane energy, powering through solo projects fast and clean. Working with others? Expect friction, competition and slowdowns. Egos will clash, opinions will collide and everyone will want to run the show their way. Frustrating, yes, but this is fate sharpening your professional skills.

₿ A chance to monetise your skills or flip unused items for quick cash will surface. Watch your spending if you have little ones or furry friends -- an urgent expense could come up. Be wary of group investments. Vague terms or hidden details are warning signs.

❤️ Expect more shared laughs, playful moments and the kind of joy that lingers and pull you two closer. You're each other's muses and anchors, drawing in unexpected wins and small gains. Pillow talk could drift toward making a baby, booking a honeymoon or bigger commitments.

⚤ Crushing on someone or trying to rizz them? Confusion fades and a real connection forms.

No one special on your mind? A fresh face with a killer smile will show up and the chemistry will be instant. Get ready to feel the magnetic pull.

Sagittarius

Nov 22 - Dec 21

⏰ Your main job, side gig and maybe your own business will all demand your time and energy. You'll blend your skills with new tech and innovative ways of working. Last-minute meetings and sudden travel are on the cards. Conflict may occur more than usual but your relational intelligence (RQ), diplomatic agility and radical candour will keep everything moving forward.

₿ Your earnings will match your effort and it shows in your bank balance. A kind auntie or big sis might share insider intel or plug you into a money-making opportunity. Scams can hide behind fun and fandom.

❤️ A passion project or high-stakes goal will demand your full attention and your partner may feel pushed into the background. Outside noise from family could stir the pot, money talks will turn tense and the mood could sour in the bedroom. Still, the bond between you two stays strong.

⚤ The person you like has eyes elsewhere; you're not their type. Dates might feel like pouring your money, energy and time into a black hole. Dating fatigue may creep in. Instead of chasing butterflies, you'll choose your peace -- solo but sane.

Capricorn

Dec 22 - Jan 19

⏰ Your boss admires your precision and how you keep things running tight. Expect bigger challenges and more autonomy, pushing you to sharpen your edge. Upskilling is in the cards. If you're sitting for a certification or skill assessment, you'll likely pass. Job hunting? A path in service or education may open up.

₿ Someone whom you once supported may circle back with a money-making opportunity. Expect to overspend on overpriced bites and buys, but they'll feed your soul. Burdened by debt? You'll secure smoother negotiations, favourable restructuring terms and a repayment plan that's easier to manage.

❤️ You and your partner may nitpick one another, but nothing you can't talk through and smooth things over. When things get tough, you'll take turns being the listener, becoming each other's rock and safe harbour. Expect a sweet surprise heading your way.

⚤ Trying to impress someone or stuck in a situationship? You may quietly bow out as they make it obvious their heart is with someone else. It won't sting much; you haven't invested much emotionally. You're happy solo, pouring energy into your glow-up. A friend might play matchmaker.

Aquarius

Jan 20 - Feb 18

⏰ Your solo work will flow smoothly and deliver standout results. Teamwork will feel like a mental battleground, with surprise meetings turning into blamestorming, not brainstorming. More office politics and competition. Watch for idea poachers and credit grabbers. KPI wins and success may cost you emotionally and possibly incur a few frenemies along the way.

₿ Expected cash will still be pending. If you have kids, an urgent expense could hit out of the blue. Negotiations might stall due to missing or messy paperwork. Protect your bag; a younger friend may not be trustworthy. Skip a roll of the dice and risky bets.

❤️ You two may clash over spending styles and splitting household duties. If you have kids, parenting opinions could collide too. Your partner might call you out for being too my-way-or-the-highway. Keep your cool, or small tensions will snowball.

⚤ Your aura will pull in a few fresh faces but your heart won't skip beats. You're too busy loving your independence and freedom. Romance is just a fun distraction, not a priority. If you do go on a date, don't let them treat you like their personal ATM or a free meal ticket.

Pisces

Feb 19 - Mar 20

⏰ Tech glitches and resource delays will test your patience and crossed wires will spark conflict. Someone might twist the facts and take credit for your work. Sudden travel, last-minute meetings and revisions on old tasks or paperwork may arise and keep your schedule tighter than usual. Stay sharp, document everything, and keep receipts.

₿ Travel could lead to a little windfall. A chance to monetise your expertise or make money from your passion might pop up. Money management will feel easy. Expect smart investments in yourself and upgrades that simplify your life. Enjoy conscious splurges you've earned.

❤️ Comparison may creep in through social media and scrolling other couples' highlight reels will drain the joy from your own connection. Mismatched expectations could sour your bond. Money mindsets and who does what around the house might spark arguments. Empathy may get lost in the noise.

⚤ A new connection may come through work or online networks but don't expect an instant click. Their core values, beliefs or maybe politics don't align with yours. You'll approach this situation with your head, not your chest. more

Career development

 18h

What hiring managers get wrong and how they drive talent away


Job adverts featuring buzzwords such as "winner's mindset", "hustle", and "work hard, play hard" are among the most off-putting to candidates.

Hiring managers are facing mounting challenges in securing the right talent, from skills shortages and intense competition to mismatches in company culture. But beyond these external factors, many may overlook a key issue - their own hiring practices.

A... study of 1,092 respondents by StandOut CV found that elements such as job advert content, application processes, and interview experiences can significantly deter candidates. Common "job-hunting icks" include insufficient annual leave allowance, lack of salary transparency, lengthy hiring processes, and even the language used in job descriptions and interviews.

The findings showed that job adverts offering only the minimum annual leave allowance are the biggest turn-off, cited by 65.5% of respondents. Other major deterrents include:

* Required or heavily encouraged applicants to like other employees' social media content (i.e. on Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.) (64.6%)

* No salary information available (63.8%)

* 'About us' page or company's board lacks diversity (62.7%)

* If a job advert or interviewer said "we're like a family" (62.5%)

* Cash-in-hand pay (62.4%)

* Pay isn't monthly (61.7%)

* Received an email from them out of hours (57.7%)

Certain phrases commonly used in job adverts were also found to be particularly unappealing. The most off-putting job advert buzzwords are:

* Winner's mindset (36.7%)

* Hustle (36.3%)

* Work hard, play hard (35.4%)

* Wear many hats (31.6%)

* Fast-paced environment (30.2%)

* Entrepreneurial spirit (28.5%)

* Self-starter (16.9%)

* Team player (12.3%)

* Proactive (5.6%)

Candidate experience during interviews also plays a significant role in shaping perceptions. The most off-putting behaviours include:

* The interviewer smelt unpleasant (76.8%)

* A group interview (multiple candidates) (70.2%)

* Interviewer misnames you (68.1%)

* Interviewer shortened your name without asking (63.3%)

* If a job advert or interviewer said "we're like a family" (62.5%)

* The interviewer made a joke or tried to banter with you (49.1%)

* The company didn't offer you a drink (44.1%)

Virtual interviews, however, are not always a safer option - they can present their own challenges. Candidates cited the following behaviours as particularly irritating:

* Interviewer speaking to someone else during the interview (50.7%)

* Interviewer having the camera switched off (48.1%)

* Interviewer's family in the background (43.3%)

* Interviewer joining the call late (42.1%)

* Interviewer not dressed appropriately (41.0%)

* Interviewer jumping in when you're answering a question (36.1%)

* Interviewer not in an office (18.3%)

Lengthy and complex hiring processes also deter applicants. Around 60% of job seekers said they had rejected a job application due to its complexity. Three rounds is generally considered too many (30.2%), followed by four rounds (23%).

To attract candidates, clear and transparent job advertisements are essential. Providing relevant and practical information upfront can significantly improve engagement and application rates. The most sought-after information includes: more

Career development

 19h

Summer Interns Bring Fresh Energy to Office Building - Archynewsy


The Evolving Role of Summer Internships in Shaping Future Leaders

Summer internships have long been a cornerstone of career development, offering students and young professionals a bridge between academic learning and real-world application. In recent years, however, the landscape of internship programs has shifted dramatically, influenced by technological advancements, evolving workplace... dynamics, and a growing emphasis on skill-based hiring. For companies, these programs are no longer just about filling temporary roles -- they're strategic investments in talent pipelines and innovation. For interns, they represent a critical opportunity to gain experience, build networks, and test career aspirations.

Why Summer Internships Matter in 2024

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 66% of employers prioritize candidates with internship experience when making hiring decisions. This statistic underscores the growing importance of internships in a competitive job market. Beyond resume-building, these programs allow students to develop soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving -- competencies that are increasingly valued by employers.

For organizations, internships serve as a dual-purpose initiative. They provide access to fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, often from a generation that has grown up with digital tools and platforms. A 2023 report by Deloitte found that 78% of interns contributed to projects that directly impacted their company's operations, highlighting their potential to drive value from day one.

Key Takeaways: The Benefits of Internships

* Career Exploration: Internships help students test their interest in a field before committing to a long-term career path.

* Networking Opportunities: Building relationships with mentors and colleagues can open doors to future opportunities.

* Practical Skills Development: Hands-on experience complements classroom learning, making graduates more job-ready.

Challenges and Opportunities in Modern Internship Programs

While the benefits are clear, modern internships also face challenges. The rise of remote work has forced companies to rethink how to engage interns effectively. A 2024 study by LinkedIn found that 42% of interns felt their remote experience lacked mentorship and collaboration. To address this, many organizations are adopting hybrid models, combining virtual tasks with in-person team-building activities.

Another trend is the shift toward skills-based internships. Companies like Google and Microsoft have launched programs focused on specific technical skills, such as AI development or data analysis, to align with industry needs. These initiatives not only benefit interns but also help firms address talent gaps in emerging fields.

How to Make the Most of Your Internship

For interns, the key to success lies in proactive engagement. Here are some strategies:

* Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to achieve -- whether it's mastering a software tool or understanding a company's operations.

* Seek Feedback: Regularly ask for input to refine your performance and demonstrate initiative.

* Build Relationships: Connect with colleagues across departments to gain a holistic view of the organization.

The Future of Internships: Trends to Watch

As the workforce evolves, so too will internships. One emerging trend is the rise of "micro-internships," short-term projects that allow students to gain experience without committing to a full summer. Platforms like Indeed and Upwork are increasingly offering these opportunities, catering to a generation that values flexibility and diversity in work experiences.

there's a growing emphasis on inclusivity. Companies are recognizing the need to create internships that are accessible to underrepresented groups. Initiatives like Goldman Sachs' "10,000 Small Businesses" program and Apple's internship diversity goals reflect this shift toward equitable opportunities.

Conclusion: Internships as a Catalyst for Growth

Summer internships remain a vital stepping stone for students and a strategic asset for companies. As the job market continues to prioritize adaptability and innovation, these programs will play an even greater role in shaping the next generation of leaders. For interns, the experience is not just about gaining skills -- it's about discovering their potential and understanding how they can contribute to a rapidly changing world.

As one intern put it, "This isn't just a job -- it's a chance to see what I'm capable of and where I want to go." In an era defined by uncertainty, that kind of clarity is invaluable. more

Career development

 1d

People Share 36 Major Job Interview Red Flags They Saw


The person doing the interview asked me what position I applied for. He was shocked to find out it was his position. The interview didn't go well.

User , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

I once had an interview in a restaurant. It was outside of their opening hours and when I arrived the lights were off, the doors were closed (not doors with a doorknob but those automatic sliding ones), no doorbell... existing, and there was seemingly nobody inside.

I called them a few times, got only voicemail, and sent them an email. After waiting for an hour without any response I left.

A few hours later I got a rather annoyed sounding email back. They said that it should have been absolutely obvious that the door was not locked. That I should have pried the sliding doors open to enter and walked to the back to find someone and that it was very unprofessional of me to just leave.

I never would have thought that breaking and entering was the obvious way to go.

Chemical_Emu7819 , Jack Sparrow Report

They stopped the online interview recording to tell me that what they were trying to say in a roundabout way, is that they do not hire fat or lazy people.

I was completely shell shocked. I was incredibly surprised when they offered me the job, but also with a salary less than they were advertising for.

I declined.

heresmy20cents , Anna Shvets Report

Nobody knows exactly what a recruiter might be hiding from them or what things about the company they might be covering up. It's difficult to understand that in the first meeting itself, but certain words or phrases might give an indication as to the true nature of the organization.

It's just important to know what to look out for, for example, when companies call their employees a 'family.' To understand why this phrase has such a negative connotation, Bored Panda reached out to Peter Duris, who's the CEO and Co-founder of Kickresume.

He said that "when companies say 'we are a family,' even if the person saying it really does have good intentions and has close relationships with their colleagues, it can be a sign that this might be an unhealthy working environment."

"Saying that your employees are your family puts too much pressure on them. It can sound as if companies are saying they should prioritize their job over other things that are important to them, like their real family at home."

"It also blurs the line between professional and personal relationships and can even come across as emotionally manipulative. If your manager asks you to go above and beyond all the time and says things like 'we need to support each other because we're a family here,' you might feel guilt-tripped into overworking to the point of burnout."

"Lastly, even if your employer says you're family to them, unfortunately, you could still end up losing your job in a restructuring somewhere down the line," he explained.

Interviewer asked me why I am the way that I am after one of my responses, lol. I answered. They ask "But why?" and it was clear this person was not interested in my skills but examining me like a specimen. Was desperate and ended up taking the job offer I really didn't think I'd get. Turned out to be a horrifically manipulative, invasive, toxic office. Go figure.

Soup-Mother5709 , Christina Morillo Report

Made me wait in the lobby for 45 minutes.

After I was hired, I was on the team that interviewed prospects. It was our VPs policy to make candidates wait to see how much they really wanted the job.

It was a toxic place to work. I actually saw coworkers crying at their desk.

I was pretty jaded by that point in my career, so I was able to put up with their shenanigans until a plum offer came along.

They had no clue why turnover was so high.

Fair-Literature8300 , Donald Tong Report

I was in a first interview that had to ask if I would be okay working in a environment that would involve some woman employees. Would I have a problem working with or even being instructed by them.

The fact that they would even have to ask tells me there's a harsh restructuring of the good Ole boy office underway. Dodged that dumpster fire.

SpeedinIan , Vlada Karpovich Report

Going in for an interview can be a nerve-wracking thing, and there's a reason for that. People often feel intensely scrutinized or sometimes like they are being continuously tested. That's why surveys have found that around 51% of professionals have had a bad experience during a job interview process.

This can either be due to interviewers who are demanding, aggressive, or not prepared enough. Around 33% of folks have even found the process to be too long and tiresome. This means that recruiters do not fully understand the needs of the candidate and push on ahead despite peoples' discomfort or lack of interest.

This list itself shows that companies need to be honest with people about their requirements and not demand or expect too much extra from them. They also need to revamp their interview process to make it easier for the folks who come for it.

A guy excused himself during the interview to get himself a cup of coffee. Didn't offer me one. I surreptitiously followed him out of the room, he turned left, I turned right and walked out the door and into the parking lot.

Imaginary-Orange-849 , cottonbro studio Report

Being told the company is like a 'family' is always a red flag 🚩 -- usually code for unpaid overtime and blurred boundaries. Another one is when they dodge questions about career growth or salary. If they can't respect your time during an interview, imagine how it'll be on the job!

West_Description_984 , Kindel Media Report

I interviewed with the two doctors whose office I was potentially being hired to run. They were nice, we hit it off, the interview went well. They called the next day to have me come in for a follow-up interview. It was with their wives. (Who had nothing at all to do with the business.) I did NOT get that job. Thankfully.

ph8drus , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

This list of interview red flags might seem pretty obvious, but there are also other subtle signs that you must look out for. That's why we asked Peter Duris what warning signs candidates should be aware of and how they can set boundaries.

He said, "if the company or the recruiter won't tell you the salary range you can expect, especially after you have been interviewed, it's fine to push back and tell them you need to know or to share the salary range you'd be looking for. If you are looking for a hybrid or remote job opportunity, watch out for adverts that list the job as hybrid but require 4 or even 4.5 days a week on-site."

"You can also tell a lot about a company based on how they come across in the interview. If the hiring manager and other interviewers seem stressed and unhappy themselves, this might be a sign that the working environment at this company isn't great."

"Similarly, if the company seems to have a rapid turnover and has new job adverts up all the time, this might be a sign that employees are joining the company, getting stressed and burned out, and leaving rapidly. This is why it's always good to ask questions like 'What do you like about your job?' and 'Can you tell me about the culture here?' when you have an interview," he added.

Had to go in after 6 o clock to interview and most employees were still there. Start time was 8AM. Ended up taking job and worked 70+ hour weeks until I left.

Asked me to go in for interview on a Saturday.

Another place had a piece of trash in the lobby on the floor that only if a candidate picked it up they "acted as an owner" and would move on to next round.

Valuable_Designer_48 , Resume Genius Report

Manager said the best part of my interview was my skin color.

LorZod , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

Interviewing for SpaceX. The phrases "work-life balance" and "i love nature" were both extreme trigger words for them. I was told 15 hrs days were to be expected. I got a call 2 days later saying I wasn't being considered, shocker.

anon , SpaceX Report

If you've gone in for an interview and not come across any of these red flags, it means that the organization may probably be a good one. Everyone wants to land a great role, but it isn't necessary that they get the same job they try out for.

If you ever feel that you've botched an interview it's important not to be too hard on yourself. Rather than going into a negative spiral, it's better to reflect on everything you did during the process and figure out what you can do better next time.

Incase you haven't heard from the recruiter for a long time, you can also send them an email asking them for feedback on the process or thanking them for taking the time to interview you. It's best not to get too hung up on missing out on a particular job, because your next best role might be just around the corner.

I had an interview for a program that had rotating schedules every 3 months that included day shifts(7-4, 9-6), as well as late shifts (12-9, 1-10). When I asked the manager for the role if those late shifts were sporadic or typically allowed for days off, he snarkily replied, "well, like you were explained, the shifts rotate every 3 months. That means you get a day shift, then 3 months later a late shift, then a day shift again, etc. I would hope that's something you can understand."

Manager already classifying basic questions as "not understanding"? Thanks but no thanks dude. I left the interview then and there lol.

hola-mundo , Cheung Gnaiq Report

Interviewer: "What brings you in today?"

Me: "The interview we scheduled..".

User Report

When i asked the director if she has a work life balance and she said "i do now since i had a baby".

that basically told me that she didn't before.

i turned the offer down bc i value my work life balance.

Donut-sprinkle , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

The next time you go in for an interview, all of these red flags will probably be on your mind. Although it might be a helpful guide to keep you out of toxic workplaces, it's also important to listen to your gut and go with what feels right. No company may be a 100% right fit for you, but if you like most of what they do, you may end up loving the rest in the end.

What are some of the interview warning signs that you've come across? Do share your experience in the comments.

Showed up on-site for an interview. There was a recruiter there that gave me a friendly greeting, then the guy that was supposed to be interviewing me walked right up to the recruiter (not acknowledging my presence AT ALL) and told her "this isn't going to work, we need to reschedule," then turned around and left, leaving the recruiter to apologize to me and do damage control.

KevineCove , Timur Weber Report

The boss/interviewer kept calling me the wrong name...the third time I just didn't correct him. No one's ever been thrown off my name either, pretty common name.

Murrpph2411 , RDNE Stock project Report

For anyone reading this, if any of interviewers make you feel uncomfortable don't come back.

Had the interviewer keep repeating the same question after I answered it, he kept asking it again as if he's not convinced by the answer I provided.

I should have known he's crazy.

High_Mountain_Snow , Kampus Production Report

Personal questions that have nothing to do with the role, ie if my kids are old enough to care for themselves if I was asked to travel/work ot, etc. They don't need to know how many times I've been married or what my weekend hobbies are...anything that could cause even a hint of discrimination. Work is not your family, but some orgs still try to pitch it that way in an attempt to create one-sided loyalty.

Triple_Nickel_325 , Sora Shimazaki Report

I was told i had a job, phone interviews etc. i relocated 1000 miles, scheduled the official interview. Person interviewing me was off-putting, and eventually asked me why I wanted to work there. It was then that I told them that I just moved 1000 miles because I was told I had the job. Immediately I could see a realization come over their face, and the tone quickly changed. It also defined the next three years of my life while working there.

StNic54 Report

I did an interview few years ago. It went really well on my end. At the end, I got the opportunity to ask 3 questions. I asked 3 very simple questions about work and team. But the manager for the team I was interviewing for refused outright to answer my questions which was unbelievable. Another manager (higher) stepped and answered my 3 questions very easily. That was a major red flag. I took the job and it turned out the team manager that didn't answer questions proved difficult to work with and a complete control freak.

MonduTT10 , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

They called me at 20:00. I missed the call because I had no reception in that parking lot. They left a voicemail saying "Call us back."

I called them back and they said, "Because you didn't immediately answer your phone, we've decided not to continue with your application. We need people we can rely on." lol.

Outrageous-Ebb1874 Report

I asked if there would be formal training on their computer system, and the interviewer looked at me like I was an idiot. "Of course there will be training. There's always training at a new job." She said it so condescendingly.

The last two jobs I was at had no training. They just sat you next to someone to watch them work. I wanted to correct her assumption but didn't waste my breath. This was obviously a place I would not want to work.

FlaKiki , Product School Report

Went for a lead role and the manager wanted to pay me as a lead but not make official, I was to follow the current lead for a while to pick up all I could then they would fire her and then make me lead.

POS manager, POS company.

karenskygreen , yanalya Report

Got invited to an interview at a local branch location by the central corporate office. When I showed up there, noone at the branch knew anything about an interview and the manager wasn't even in that day. They told me to come back the next day when the manager would be in. When I arrived at the same time the next day, the manager told me she had just hired someone else for the position.

channilein Report

The whole team was so excited about bringing me on board! I thought that was a good thing until I saw the actual situation. Everyone was extremely overextended. The company has finally agreed to one new low level team member. However, what they needed were five more people, not one. They expected hiring one person would solve all the team's problems, and when I didn't I got s**t for it.

notreallylucy , Azwedo L.LC Report

The lady told me about how employees can and should make comment cards about other employees when they do things we don't like so they can have meetings to solve the issues. She said "it sounds like tattling but it's not lol. Well a little lol but don't look at it like that. Do you have any questions" "yeah, can you tell me what my job would entail?" Like I was f*****g shocked and grateful she dropped that comment card card thing on my right away. Literally before anything even about the job I was applying for lol.

mirrrje , cottonbro studio Report

There are just so many red flags in the recruitment process, but one thing I've been noticing lately is particularly concerning for remote positions: when they ask you to complete a test that requires creating a long piece of content. I've experienced this twice, and afterward, the recruiter simply disappeared. I feel that some recruiters may be using this tactic to collect free ideas, so I've decided not to participate in these types of assessments anymore.

Apart from this, other red flags include:

* They make you wait for a long time

* The office doesn't look good and the people don't look happy

* They are unfriendly in the interview

* They ask you stupid questions like "How do you see yourself 5 years from now?".

CQ_2023 , Peter Olexa Report

I had an interview at a coffee shop instead of the office. And they didn't want to call it an "interview" but just getting to know each other (should've been my first clue).

Anyway the first day I saw the office was on my first day, it was over a cigar shop and my office smelt like cigars all day long that it started giving me regular headaches. It looked like they had just moved in with lights not working/nothing hung on the walls.

When I asked if they just moved in, they said no they've been there for years. Ended up being one of the most toxic environments I ever worked.

User , Nafinia Putra Report

They were bothered I didn't have immediate access to high school transcripts while I pointed out I have a Masters degree.

Fabulous_Yesterday77 Report

He kept asking me when did I really f*** something up, what makes me explode at work, why me being organised would lead to issues (because of course it has to have something f****d up) basically was a whole hour of what's wrong with you. Felt like a very weird psychological evaluation. In the middle the scientific interviewer kept asking why I was in 2 programs that have woman in the title (digitalisation and mentoring programs) and why that must mean that I am a radical feminist and so on ...

Ok-Cookie6564 , teksomolika Report

I had an interview in another time zone so got up early to prepare, have coffee, have breakfast, go for a walk, review my notes, etc.

Show up on the zoom call early, nobody joins. Stay on for maybe 20-30 more minutes hoping that they were just running late. Still nothing. I had to find their HQ number and call in to request to talk to the HR person and they just forgot and had to reschedule.

I got the job and it ended up being disorganized (shocker), but one of the coolest jobs I've ever had, so no regrets.

Alikese , Diva Plavalaguna Report

I was told midway through an on-site (by someone in leadership) that I probably wasn't getting the job. It seemed rude to just walk out so I figured I'd get some practice and finish out the day. Afterwards they sent me an offer. I think either one guy didn't want to hire me and was trying to throw me off, or they say this to everyone to gauge their response.

ownhigh Report

Changing the role I was interviewing for half way through the interview should have been that red flag unfortunately It was right at the start of my career. The job changed every week I was there and they never followed through with any of their contractually agreed requirements including pay (they had a collective agreement that outlined pay scale quite clearly that was changed through union negotiations half way through my employment, they decided not to honour it. I decided to tell them to shove it)

I now work externally as a stakeholder in their business and see them regularly.

User , pressfoto Report

I had a supervisor tell people she "rubbed people the wrong way" in an interview. I left shortly after that. We were re-organized and put in her group and I couldn't even stand her for 2 months after being at the company 10 years.

Filmy-Reference Report

I was doing a mock QBR, and one of the interviewers, who would have been my boss, started yelling objections, literally yelling, and abruptly left the Zoom in the middle of me talking. I was told it was a test because "that's how QBR's go.".

BoisterousBanquet , rawpixel.com Report

You might also like: "It's A 'Benefit' To My Employer, Not Me": People Are Sharing 28 Insulting Things A Job Has Offered Them more

Career development

 1d

Japanese University Students Face Stress Despite 98% Employment Rate


Early recruitment and 'owahara' pressure challenge students amid high job market success

The Nikkei Shimbun reported on the 2nd that 80% of fourth-year university students in Japan have already secured employment offers. Although graduation (next March) is still nine months away, most have already decided on the companies they will join.

In Japan, where there is a severe shortage of job seekers,... "early recruitment" to secure new employees in advance is active. The government has even created a schedule guideline urging companies to start promotions in March, conduct interviews from June, and extend offers from October to prevent excessive early recruitment. However, this guideline is ineffective in the field. Most students receive offers during their third year, and recently, there are even stories of second-year and even first-year students securing offers.

Companies engage in a fierce competition to attract university students every year. After securing talent, they sometimes provide various short-term internship opportunities or group training programs. While the stated purpose is to foster a sense of belonging, there is also an underlying intention to familiarize students with company tasks and gain their fresh ideas.

With a 98% employment rate, Japanese university students do not engage in "building up their specs" like their South Korean counterparts. Not only is there no time to build specs due to early job hunting activities, but companies also do not require it. Japanese companies select candidates based on "potential" such as academic background, communication skills, and personality, and then mold them into the desired talent.

However, Japanese university students also face significant stress. While they are not particularly worried about not finding employment, there is considerable pressure to engage in early job hunting to join their desired companies. In particular, many have their employment decided before they have sufficiently explored their aptitudes.

The phenomenon of "post-offer blues," where students fall into depression after receiving offers, also occurs. This is due to anxiety about their choices and the pressure of becoming a member of society. Many students continue job hunting while holding offers from 3-4 companies in search of better welfare, salaries, and a better fit for their aptitudes.

Companies employ various methods to prevent offer recipients from leaving. HR personnel frequently contact the recipients, organize meetings for them, and even invite parents to company briefings as part of "offer recipient follow-up" activities. Some companies exert pressure by demanding, "Sign a pledge to end job hunting" or "Cancel other interviews if you want to accept our offer." This harassment to stop job hunting is called "owahara" (終わハラ).

Owahara negatively impacts corporate images. Therefore, recent companies are offering various "carrots" such as Okinawa resort invitation ceremonies, hotel dinners with executives, overseas site visits, and laptop distributions. more

Career development

 1d

Indeed's CMO wants marketers to get AI-smart without losing the human touch


Searching for a job can be brutal. Finding the right talent in a sea of résumés is an HR headache. Neither employers nor workers are happy with the status quo, which is the tension behind Indeed's new brand campaign, "Jobs Need People".

Produced with creative agency 72andSunny, the campaign features warm images of workers in a wide range of job functions engaging with customers and colleagues.... Indeed's message is focused on its AI-powered matching tools that it says help people and companies find each other.

"Jobs Need People" is a reminder that while AI can streamline the process, hiring must always remain fundamentally human," wrote the company's chief marketing officer, James Whitemore, in a blog post announcing the new creative.

Whitemore recorded a video interview with Business Insider when the campaign was still under wraps. He spoke then about the balance between the tech and the human -- about how his marketing team is unlocking the benefits of AI for refining and tailoring content for its audiences, and arming the sales teams with AI tools to help strategize deals.

"I want my team to be able to be fluent in AI, to have the right skills they need for AI, and help them build their career as a digital AI-savvy marketer," he said.

Whitemore also talked about the power of fandom across the brand's sports partnerships. Soon, as part of the company's broader initiative, Indeed and FOX Sports will announce the winner of its job search for the FIFA Men's World Cup Watcher, a real employee who will earn a $50,000 salary to watch every game from a cube in New York's Times Square.

The following transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

There are really three areas I'm focused on right now in artificial intelligence for marketing. First, it's about helping us refine our audiences, tailor our content for those audiences, and use our media and campaign dollars as effectively as possible.

We serve hundreds of millions of people across multiple countries and multiple industry segments. The more targeted I can get, the better: using AI to take our first-party data, along with the first-party data from our partners and our media companies, and really building hyper-targeted audiences is the first objective.

The second is to strengthen the relationship between sales and marketing. We're giving our selling teams AI tools that allow them to understand what types of engagements their customers are having with marketing, content, and programs -- and suggest next actions for them, and follow-ups for them in response to that. It really changes the whole concept of what a lead is, to become real-time signals and alerts.

The third area I feel very strongly about is helping the marketing teams develop their own AI skills. Marketing is one of the professions that is being impacted most significantly by AI, and I want my team to be able to be fluent in AI, to have the right skills they need, and help them build their career as a digital AI-savvy marketer.

Fandoms as the FIFA World Cup approaches

The concept of a fandom is something I'm very passionate about. Fandoms exist across sports, across entertainment, and in many other areas. Basically, it's a community of like-minded people who are very passionate about a specific topic. And those audiences have a very high propensity to engage with content and share content and generate content themselves. The ability to tap into those fandoms is core to the way I think as a CMO.

The partnerships that we have with F1 are really interesting. F1 taps into billions of people in the fandom. In Premier League soccer, the partnerships that we have with teams like Brentford FC and FC Utrecht and Eintracht Frankfurt will become a lot bigger this summer with the World Cup in the U.S.

We also announced some very interesting partnerships with FOX Sports, where we will be hiring their official FIFA World Cup viewer for the entire duration of the tournament.

Pivoting a career in sales to marketing

I started my career in sales. I got into marketing because I was always the mouthy, pushy salesperson who was telling the marketing teams that I didn't like their content, that it wasn't working, that it wasn't resonating with customers.

Eventually, when I was working with IBM, somebody said, "Well, if you're so good at marketing, you should come work in marketing." So I went and joined the product marketing team at IBM.

When I look back at that, I think I should have been more confident in my ability to tell a story and translate complex technologies into something that resonates with the people that you are actually talking to -- especially customers who may not be technologists. It took me quite some time to believe in myself and my ability to tell those stories. more

Darrell Jewell


Career development 6d
My coworker is always borrowing money from people until payday. The amounts are small, but he does it all the time. Sometimes he even borrows money from one coworker to pay back another. I never kept track of exactly how much I lent him or how much he paid back, but I got sick of it and finally said no when he asked again.
Since then, he's been talking badly about me to other coworkers and... spreading rumors. I don't know how to end this situation. Is there a way to get him to leave me alone and stop bothering me?

 more
4   

  • Rosalind Dobson

    1d

    Are you serious? Confront him in "public", and let him know you're not his personal piggyback. As for your reputation, it's better to have... SELF-respect.  more

  • Joshua Milks

    2d

    What are all of these comments?
    1) Escalate to your manager and to HR
    1a) tell them the employee has been pressuring other employees and myself... repeatedly for X months and won’t give it up or take no for an answer. It is very distracting and hard to get work done while this is going on.
    1B) tell them the employee has also now been spreading rumors about me since I have told the employee that I wasn’t going to loan money again.      more

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Career development

 1d

Is LinkedIn Entering Its Post-Cringe Era?


A few months ago, I opened my LinkedIn account to stalk an old colleague. What I saw surprised me:

* A video interview with Lisa Rinna, the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, giving career advice

* A day-in-the-life video of a man's morning commute, sponsored by a podcast company

* A writer ranting about A.I.

* A founder of a data platform raving about A.I.

* A selfie from a stranger... announcing that his father had died

I put stalking to the side as a different thought arose: Was LinkedIn getting more interesting?

The platform began in 2003 with the mission of "connecting the world's professionals." In the years since, users have relied on it to network, stay up-to-date with job listings and share their résumés. As on other social networking sites, users could post thoughts, links and photos, though the focus was decidedly on careers.

That hasn't changed, at least according to the people who help run the site. LinkedIn is not trying to be a "normal social media network," said Daniel Roth, its editor in chief. "The idea is: help people connect to economic opportunity."

LinkedIn would not disclose the number of users who are active monthly, unlike some social media platforms. But a 2026 survey by Statista, a market data and research company, reported that 18 percent of about 60,000 people used the site regularly -- far below the amount of regular users on Instagram but on par with Reddit.

Still, browsing LinkedIn today can turn up the kind of videos, sponsored content and memes reminiscent of other media platforms. Has all this expanded its appeal, or undermined its central mission?

Either way, the platform is inarguably huge; since 2020 it has doubled its membership to over 1.3 billion users, and has raised its revenue to more than $19 billion annually, the site said. Video content is growing on the site, and 18- to 29-year-olds are its fastest growing demographic.

"Few places are structured around the 'official life story' the way that LinkedIn is," said Bernie Hogan, an associate professor at the Oxford Internet Institute, adding that the site is a "welcome environment" for people who are highly focused on their careers. (Some users say the site's lack of anonymity distinguishes it from other parts of the internet. Over 100 million users are now verified.)

Now, celebrities, athletes and other content creators are leaning into their LinkedIn presence, and the usual business executives and "thought leaders" more associated with it are getting more personal. One top executive at Blackstone even posts while jogging.

During a recent book campaign, Ms. Rinna announced that she was creating a LinkedIn account because "hustle is a lifestyle." In recent years, athletes like Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry have begun to visibly push their business endeavors, joining entertainer-slash-entrepreneurs like Snoop Dogg and Paris Hilton. (LinkedIn has said that it works with high-profile users to help shape their content, and pays some users to market LinkedIn on the site and other platforms.)

Influencers who have built followings on LinkedIn, as on other social media sites, are brokering lucrative deals to market products like A.I. tools and jets. Others, tired of tech-y jargon and performative professionalism, hope to bring a more intimate quality to the site. The resulting hodgepodge suggests another question: If the central mission is to boost your career, can you be authentic on LinkedIn?

A New Wave

Two years ago, Brooke Sweedar, a 30-year-old based in Baton Rouge, La., wanted to pivot from her job in recruiting to become a software engineer. She had no industry connections, so she fired up an inactive LinkedIn account to network and share her coding insights.

"I had this perception that LinkedIn was very stuffy, you know, very corporate," Ms. Sweedar said. "And I kind of found myself injecting a lot of my real personality."

Ms. Sweedar brands herself as the "tech baddie," and shares selfies, memes and cat videos between jokes about coding. "I show up like the multifaceted human being that I am," she said, adding that she hoped it gave others permission to do the same.

That approach has gained her job interviews, almost 30,000 followers and even, she said, offers from tech companies like Notion to post about their products.

"We all have to make a living and pay our bills," she said. "And it's really, really hard to attract people when you sound like a corporate drone."

Many influencers on LinkedIn have built niches on corporate-friendly topics like mastering A.I., business-to-business marketing and office politics. Others share health advice, writing tips and satirical videos that might look more at home on TikTok. Those like Ms. Sweedar who amass a following can turn being a LinkedIn influencer into a full-time career. The number of such creators has surged, the site said.

LinkedIn has aggressively pursued influencers and creators, said Brooke Erin Duffy, an associate professor of communication at Cornell University. But, she added, "what does it mean for the rest of us who are living, working and spending our time in these sites where everything we see has this ethos of self promotion?"

"Like every brand, we pay creators as part of our marketing efforts, and that content shows up on LinkedIn and other platforms," a spokeswoman said.

Optimizing the 'Cringe'

Amid all these shifts, trying to stand out on LinkedIn can backfire.

There's the colloquial language of the site itself: Rapid line breaks, corporate lingo and storytelling have fused into a genre some have labeled "bro-etry" or "LinkedIn-ese." Alongside that, critics have derided the inappropriate exploitation of personal events for professional gain -- fodder for Reddit boards like LinkedIn Lunatics. And users have gone viral for unintended reasons, including a chief executive who was widely criticized as tone-deaf for posting a teary-eyed selfie after staff layoffs.

"It's this dystopian, rah-rah-rah, back-patting circle that encourages this really inauthentic behavior," said John Hickey, a creative director who runs "Best of LinkedIn," an account mocking posts. The site, he acknowledged, was "unparalleled" for networking. "It's just the extra 40 percent noise on top that I can't stand," he said, "and I think a lot of people can't stand."

"The problem is sincerity," Dr. Hogan said, adding that people's intentions were compromised under the eye of potential employers or clients. "That withers people, because if you can't be sincere, then you can't fully understand other people's intentions."

Juliana Chan, a founder of a branding business in Singapore, has translated LinkedIn-ese on her account, and said her content had helped her find clients and collaborators. "People who like what you're saying will not find you cringe," she added.

Elsewhere, unconventional professionals are optimizing that cringe. Ken Cheng, a comedian based in London with 220,000 followers on LinkedIn, has found a niche parodying overly devoted corporate types. His bio declares, with a smiley face, that he wants to "connect with you, emotionally."

He was struck by the tension people feel between their dislike of workplace politics and their sense that participation was essential to survive. "It's quite weird just seeing everyone become this corporate shell in order to operate in this world," he said.

As he has gained popularity, some companies have paid Mr. Cheng to poke fun at them on LinkedIn for publicity, or have hired him to perform at conferences. He charges up to $4,000 for a post.

'Brands Are Getting It'

Power users of the site, even self-deprecating ones like Mr. Cheng, are still relatively rare. Many people prefer to lurk, stepping in only to share job updates or congratulate colleagues on promotions.

The site's most discussed topics, according to internal data, may still sound more familiar in conference rooms than on social media: A.I.'s place in work, leadership development, the start-up founder journey, and crypto trends.

"I think LinkedIn is just getting started because they have not prioritized it as a social platform until very recently," said Shama Hyder, a Miami-based founder of a marketing agency who shares her business insights to some 672,000 followers.

Ms. Hyder describers herself as a longtime "power-user-slash-thought-leader" of the site and believes users are more likely to engage with the profiles of people they find credible than they are the profiles of brands. She makes paid content for sponsors on the platform -- with her rates beginning at $20,000 for one post -- and said she had worked with brands like Adobe.

"Brands are getting it," she said. "They're waking up to this."

LinkedIn is adding even more ways for influencers to make money, and has expanded its own "paid creator partnerships," the site said. That wave, who use the hashtag #LinkedInpartners, included Fernando Mendoza, a football player who celebrated being the first overall pick for the 2026 N.F.L. draft with a LinkedIn post.

Dr. Hogan, however, is skeptical that this broadening engagement will keep audiences on LinkedIn long-term. "It will work in the short term until people get fatigue" he said.

Power-users like Ms. Hyder also do not want LinkedIn to lose its professional utility. "I think they will lose folks if they continue to have a lot of the same content that you can find on other platforms," she said.

After so many calls with influencers, I couldn't stop dwelling on my LinkedIn presence. I took the advice of some coaches and:

* Added a banner image to my profile

* Shared a vulnerable story about my past

* Reposted a senior editor

* Let myself use exclamation marks and an emoji!!

Only a few people liked my posts, including a friend and a former teacher. But I could see that more users were engaging with my profile each week; the site suggested I keep commenting and posting for even more reach.

I reached back out to Mr. Cheng, the comedian, who was recently paid to host a marketing conference. "I've become the thing I seek to destroy," Mr. Cheng said, jokingly. Since our last conversation, he had raised his rates, he said, and expected to raise them again.

Matt Yan contributed reporting.

Isabella Kwai is a Times reporter based in London, covering breaking news and other trends.

The post Is LinkedIn Entering Its Post-Cringe Era? appeared first on New York Times. more

Career development

 1d

Worried About AI Job Loss? Don't Wait For Certainty


You updated your résumé. You scanned the job boards. Maybe you enrolled in another course because everyone keeps saying AI is changing work and you don't want to be left behind.

And yet the same questions keep returning: What skills should you learn? How do you stay employable when AI is changing jobs? How do you future-proof your career when nobody seems to agree on which jobs will exist five... years from now?

Whether you've already been laid off or you're simply worried that your experience may become less valuable, the uncertainty feels the same. The career advice most people grew up with was built for a labor market where the destination was knowable. Identify a growing field, build the required skills, and move toward the opportunity.

For most of the last century, that sequence worked.

Today, the destination keeps shifting before you arrive.

Your advantage will not come from knowing exactly where AI is taking work. Nobody knows that yet. Your advantage comes from becoming the kind of person who acts before the answers are obvious. more

Career development

 1d

The Question Every AI Job Search Tool Gets Wrong


I applied to more than 200 jobs over nine months.

I had an ATS resume optimizer, an AI cover letter generator, a spreadsheet to track every application, and a set of prompts I'd refined over months. I had a workflow and prompts for tailoring resumes, and AI-generated cover letters that hit every keyword in every job description. By every measurable input, I was doing it right.

And yet somewhere... around month six, something started to feel off. Not the rejection rate -- that's just how job searching works. Something else. I'd get deep into an application process, two rounds of interviews in, doing the research that should have happened weeks earlier, and realize: I don't actually want this job.

The AI didn't cause that problem. But it made it faster and cheaper to get there -- which turns out to be a different kind of problem.

The assumption baked into every tool

Every AI job search product is built on the same premise: help the applicant look more attractive to the employer.

Match scores tell you how well your resume fits the job description. Resume tailoring surfaces the right keywords to pass ATS screeners. Cover letter generators produce keyword-optimized outreach in seconds -- polished on the surface, but rarely reflecting who you actually are or what you actually want. All of it optimizes for one question: Will they want me?

That's not wrong. It's just incomplete -- and the gap it leaves is consequential.

None of these tools ask the question on the other side of the table: Do I want them?

That sounds obvious when you say it out loud. Of course you should want the job you're applying to. But here's what actually happens in a job search, especially one that's gone on longer than you expected: you stop evaluating and just apply to roles you're mostly qualified for. The goal quietly shifts from "find a good fit" to "get an offer." The more refined your application process and tools become, the faster that shift happens.

The sunk-cost trap, accelerated

There's a psychological dynamic that job search tools have unintentionally made worse.

Once you've spent two hours tailoring your resume, researching the company, and writing a cover letter that actually sounds like you -- you're invested. That investment creates a bias toward continuing. You're not just a candidate anymore; you're someone who has worked for this. Pulling out now means that work was wasted.

This is the sunk-cost trap, and it's been part of job searching forever. What AI changes is the speed at which you get there.

When it took four hours to put together a strong application, the investment itself served as a natural filter. You didn't apply unless you were reasonably sure you wanted the job, because the cost of being wrong was visible and immediate.

When it takes forty minutes -- or twenty, with a good workflow -- the filter disappears. You can be deep into a second-round interview before you've ever seriously asked yourself whether this role is one you even want to be pursuing. The AI didn't make you want the wrong job. It just made it cheaper to chase it.

What a real mutual-fit analysis actually surfaces

When I finally started evaluating job descriptions as carefully as I was tailoring my materials to them, I noticed patterns I'd been ignoring.

Role scope that spans three jobs. Job descriptions that list responsibilities across strategy, execution, and operations, with no indication of team support, are often describing a position where you'll be doing all of it, often at a salary that doesn't reflect the scope. That's not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it's a negotiation -- and you should know that going in.

Culture language with no specifics. "We're collaborative and fast-moving" and "We value transparency" appear in nearly every job posting. Neither really tells you anything. What tells you something is when culture language is specific: how decisions get made, what teams you'd interface with, what the definition of success looks like at 90 days. When the language is all values and no mechanics, that's a signal worth noting.

Title and scope that don't match. A "Senior Manager" title with no direct reports and a deliverables list that reads like a junior IC role is describing something different than the title implies. A "Director" posting with a team of one and a budget of zero is a different job than you'd expect. These mismatches are readable before you apply -- in the org chart context, the reporting structure, the scope of the responsibilities. The title alone doesn't tell you what you're walking into. The description does.

Warning signs that get ignored in scarcity mode. When you're in the middle of a long search and a recruiter is responsive and the interview goes well, you start projecting. The ambiguous answer about career growth sounds like an opportunity. The company that describes itself as "moving fast" takes six weeks to schedule your second interview. The things you're explaining away are often worth taking seriously.

None of this is analysis that takes hours. It takes fifteen minutes and a framework for what to look for. The problem is that nothing in your current tooling ecosystem was helping you do it.

Why you can't evaluate clearly from inside a search

Here's what makes this hard: a job search puts you in the worst possible mental state for clear evaluation, especially if you're job searching as a result of a layoff and need to land something before your severance (if you were lucky enough to get any) or your measly unemployment benefits run out.

When applications aren't converting, every opportunity feels high-stakes. Saying no to anything feels reckless. The rational part of your brain knows that a bad fit is a bad fit regardless of market conditions -- but the part of your brain running on three months of rejection and savings fumes doesn't fully agree.

That mental state is why the evaluation has to happen before you're deep in the process, not during it. By the time you're in a second-round interview, you're invested. The bias is already working. You need something external -- a framework, a tool, a coach, a trusted person -- to interrupt the pattern before it gets that far.

The mental model shift that changes everything

A job application is a mutual evaluation, not a one-sided audition.

The employer is assessing whether you can do the work and whether you'll fit the team. You are assessing whether the work is interesting to you, whether the team is one you want to be part of, and whether the trade-offs -- compensation, scope, growth, culture -- are ones you're willing to make. Both of those evaluations matter equally.

When you internalize that framing, the whole process changes.

You ask different questions in interviews -- not to impress, but to actually find out: how decisions get made, what's broken and why, whether this manager is someone you'd want to work for. You pay attention to how the interviewer describes challenges, not just opportunities. You notice when things that should be clear are vague. You make decisions instead of hoping the employer will make them for you.

And when you walk away from a process that isn't right, it doesn't feel like failure. It feels empowering because you're saving that time and effort for an opportunity that is the right fit -- not only for the employer but for you as well.

Why I built AppliCraft around this

I spent over nine months applying to 200+ applications using AI prompts to produce polished applications. What I didn't have was anything helping me answer the question that actually mattered at the front of the process: Is this worth pursuing?

The mutual fit analysis I kept doing manually -- reading between the lines of job descriptions, checking my own motivations, asking myself what I'd be trading off -- wasn't being supported by any of the tools I was using. They were all optimized for the same direction. Apply better. Apply faster. Apply more.

Those were the two gaps I kept running into: nothing helping me decide whether a role was worth pursuing, and nothing streamlining the application work once I decided it was. Every tool was optimized for volume. None of them were built for judgment.

That's what AppliCraft was built to address. The mutual fit analysis I kept doing manually is now built into the workflow -- before you start tailoring your resume, before you write a word of your cover letter. And when you do decide a role is worth pursuing, the tailoring work is faster and more focused because you already know why you want it.

The goal isn't a better application. It's a better outcome. Those are related, but different things -- and the difference starts with a question most people never stop to ask.

Erin Orstrom is a Product Consultant, Fractional PM, and the founder of AppliCraft -- an AI job application tool she built after spending nine months and 200+ applications on the wrong side of a broken job search process. more