Career development

 3h

I'm 47 and quit my job without having anything else lined up. I didn't want to live a life with regrets.


Even though people close to me advised me against quitting, I am excited to pursue meaningful work.

For years, I had wanted to resign from my job as a business school professor at a small private university. Yet I didn't have the courage. My salary was decent, my hours were flexible, and I had friendly coworkers.

From the outside, it made no sense for me to leave my job. I was unhappy, but most... people seem dissatisfied with their work.

With recent news stories about quiet quitting, job-hugging, and significant organizational layoffs, coupled with increased daily living expenses, I knew I should be grateful for employment. As someone who teaches Organizational Learning, Performance, and Change, I knew it was not advisable to leave a job without filling a gap in my résumé by securing another position.

Yet I was unhappy and unfulfilled in my role. When a large round of layoffs occurred over a year ago, many of my peers and friends left the organization, leaving me with an unreasonable workload for one person. In addition, my family had unexpected health issues, and I needed to be more at home.

I got burned out. My work was out of alignment, and my personal values did not align with those of the organization.

I dreamed of flying to another universe on the magical, luck-bringing dragon-like creature from the 1980s movie The NeverEnding Story, or purchasing a ticket to Europe or a beach destination and going on an extended vacation.

Life is short, and many of us are living on autopilot. We dream of retirement, but for most of us, that is many years away. I did not want to look back on my life and have regrets.

So, I quit. When I sent off my resignation letter, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders, and it felt so good.

My husband and I figured out our new budget and made some lifestyle adjustments to allow me to re-energize, spend quality time with my family, and figure out my next professional steps.

I have seen many stories of people who quit their jobs and travel the world. While this sounds dreamy, being a mom of three active kids, having a husband with a non-remote job, and older parents I want to support, the Eat, Pray, Love lifestyle was not in the cards for me.

Since I quit, I have been leaning into work and experiences I enjoy. I am writing my next book, have been teaching as an adjunct, earned a new executive coaching certification, and have done some corporate speaking and consulting. I am relaunching my business and am having fun.

My kids and I have also been doing some budget-friendly traveling. I have a 4th grader, and we have been using the Every Kid Outdoors program, sponsored by the National Parks, which gives 4th graders and their families free entry to national parks.

We visited family in California, drove to Yellowstone National Park, and did some amazing hikes. We also took a road trip to Yellowstone National Park, where we saw Old Faithful and learned about the geothermal activity.

I helped my son publish his first children's book, "Tommy the Tap-Dancing T-Rex," which then inspired my older son to finish his book, too.

While I am not yet earning the same amount of money I earned in my salaried job, I am following the energy of what lights me up.

My new office is at the kitchen table. While my workspace may not be glamorous, I appreciate the flexibility to pick up my kids from school and have my dog by my side.

Change can be scary, but sometimes it's the push we need for growth.

I still struggle with career and identity, juggling both professional and personal identities and supporting my family doing work I enjoy, and being in the role of a parent, daughter, and spouse.

I hope quitting was the right move and am trusting that the right opportunities will reveal themselves as long as I keep showing up and putting in consistent action.

We get this one life, so it's up to us to make the most of it. I am redefining my definition of success to include a life well lived, both professionally and personally. more

Career development

 3h

AWI Report: U.S. Employers Will Lose at Least $1.3 Trillion to Attrition in 2026 as 75% of Workers are Overlooked


The Achievers Workforce Institute (AWI), the research arm of Achievers, the world's most utilized recognition and reward software, today released the eighth edition of its annual Employee Engagement and Retention Report. This edition captures how employees and HR leaders around the world feel about the state of work, uncovering steps employers can take to strengthen culture in 2026 and... beyond.

AWI's study paints a bleak picture for the modern workplace. Only 25% of employees envision a long career with their current company, and 34% say they plan to get a new job in 2026. To put the potential impact of these job-hunting intentions in perspective: if 34% of the U.S. full-time workforce switches jobs next year, the cost of turnover, based on median salary and standard replacement ranges, is estimated between $1.3 trillion and $5.1 trillion. That range does not account for part-time workers in the U.S. and the additional 22% of employees who told AWI that they are considering a new job in 2026. Fortunately, AWI's data also highlights three cultural pillars that can counter high attrition and reduce the broader drag of disengagement: managerial recognition, connection, and rewards.

"This year's Engagement and Retention Report surveyed HR teams and employees around the world and found that, despite our many differences, we are united by a human need to feel known and valued," said Emma Harvie, Global Head of Recognition and Rewards Insights at Achievers. "This need is met when we have peers and managers that we love working with, and we are acknowledged and rewarded for our unique contributions. Sadly, the massive surge in job hunting shows just how much these needs are being overlooked on a global scale."

The problem with overlooking appreciation

AWI finds that just 25% of employees feel appreciated and engaged at work. Employers miss out on critical benefits when 75% of the global workforce gets overlooked, as employees who eel appreciated are 12 times more likely to find their work meaningful and 17 times more likely to see a long-term career at their company.

HR professionals fare slightly better in today's workforce, with 34% feeling appreciated. However, that's still two-thirds who don't. Global HR teams have work to do in 2026 to improve their individual employee experiences and the people they support.

The report also points to a powerful way to strengthen appreciation and retain talent: building strong managers. Weekly recognition from managers makes employees 2.8 times more likely to feel connected to their organization. In contrast, among employees who don't receive regular recognition from their manager, only 1% feel connected to their work, and they are more than twice as likely to leave their jobs in search of a better manager.

The case for rewarding work experiences

Employees who feel fairly paid are 2.5 times more likely to be engaged. That's an important signal in a year when only 17% of employees say they feel fairly compensated. In 2026, organizations will need to revisit compensation strategies and ensure employees earn a living wage, because beyond meeting basic needs, fair pay communicates one thing clearly: employee value.

But paychecks aren't the only thing HR leaders should pay attention to in their compensation and benefits packages. Reward marketplaces, which allow employees to redeem recognition points for meaningful experiences, donations, and products, also deliver measurable impact. Seventy-five percent (75%) of employees say that removing rewards like gift cards, swag, or redeemable points would influence their decision to leave. HR leaders who offer rewards marketplaces report that these systems shape behavior and strengthen belonging, retention, and engagement. Yet 42% of HR leaders say they either don't have a rewards marketplace or restrict who can give points, underscoring that many organizations need to realign their rewards approach with today's best practices.

The science behind work besties

Friends make work a better place to be, it's science: the study finds employees who feel highly connected to their peers are three times more likely to see a long career at their company, 4.7 times more likely to be engaged, and 5.4 times more likely to feel a strong sense of belonging.

Sadly, these feelings are increasingly uncommon in 2025: just 21% of employees feel connected to their peers and only 19% feel connected to their managers. But for anyone hoping to find a work bestie next year, there's hope. When asked what they want their HR tech investments to deliver next year, HR leaders' top priority was strengthening relationships (25%), followed by empowering managers (23%), and driving productivity (21%).

"As HR leaders put the final touches on their 2026 budgets, this study offers an early read on where investment is moving," said Hannah Yardley, Chief People and Culture Officer at Achievers. "In the midst of a broader cultural erosion, HR's top priority is ensuring technology strengthens relationships rather than isolates people. Leaders are also evaluating how their tech stack can elevate manager effectiveness and unlock real productivity gains. What the data makes clear is that recognition, rewards, and connection remain the most powerful predictors of retention and performance, and managers are the linchpin for all three. The opportunity now is for HR to take a science-backed approach to prioritizing these factors, and for the C-suite to fully embrace the hard ROI behind the seemingly soft drivers of friendship, belonging, and appreciation."

To learn how to build a culture that ensures every employee feels appreciated, engaged, and committed to their job, download AWI's 2025 Engagement and Retention report here.

About The Study

Data in this report is based on a survey conducted in October 2025, completed by 2,500 employees and 1,500 HR professionals across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. For more information about the 2025 Employee Engagement and Retention Report, click here.

About Achievers

Achievers recognition and reward software provides powerful tools to help business leaders shape employee behaviors and drive real business results. Visit us at www.achievers.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251203319520/en/ more

Tim Jacobs


Career development 22h
Do you know what is the "coffee test" in a job interview?
They offer you a coffee. Then they watch what you do with the cup.
What they’re looking for: Do you bring the cup back, ask where to put it, or leave it on the table (Oops, no).
It’s meant to reveal things like: basic courtesy, culture fit, and how you handle the tiny, unspoken stuff.
I hope, you got now what to do with the cup.
5   

  • Kevin Efe-Oyibo

    4h

    What are the looking for. What's the tiny unspoken stuff that needs to be handle?

  • T F

    4h

    Request tea.

    1
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Career development

 4h

Why your personal brand matters -- and how an AI CV builder can help you stand out - Talented Ladies Club


Building a strong personal brand has become one of the most important steps for anyone who wants to succeed in today's competitive job market. Recruiters no longer judge candidates only by their experience -- they look at how clearly and confidently those candidates present themselves. A polished, well-structured résumé is often the first impression, and that impression needs to be strong.

This... is where modern tools like an AI CV builder change the game. Instead of spending hours struggling with wording, formatting, or layout, job seekers can now use intelligent software that helps them present their story in a professional, impactful way.

Most candidates still rely on static PDF CVs. While they work, they don't make you stand out. Today's employers expect clarity, modern design, and easy sharing. A smart resume builder helps you create a document that is visually clean, properly structured, and aligned with current hiring expectations.

More importantly, AI-powered builders improve the content itself. They can refine job descriptions, highlight measurable achievements, and optimize the tone so your experience reads as strong and confident. This gives candidates a level of polish that used to require professional writing services.

Great candidates often struggle to describe their accomplishments effectively. AI can step in and:

This makes your résumé not just better looking -- but more impactful and more persuasive.

Modern personal branding is not only about having a CV -- it's about making your profile accessible. Many platforms today allow you to publish your résumé online and share it through a unique link, which recruiters can open instantly without downloading anything.

Some tools also let you create a digital business card that works like a mini personal website. It showcases your headline, contact details, social links, and key skills. This makes networking easier and gives hiring managers a quick, clear way to understand who you are.

If you want to try a simple tool to create business card online, you can explore it here: https://www.inmyresume.com

Using an AI CV builder or modern resume builder gives you significant advantages:

For job seekers, freelancers, and professionals building their brand, these tools save time and help create a more convincing representation of their abilities.

Your personal brand is no longer just a "nice to have" -- it's the foundation of your professional identity. With AI-driven résumé tools and modern online sharing options, anyone can build a strong, credible, and competitive presence. Whether you're applying for your first job or repositioning yourself in your career, using an AI-supported resume builder can make all the difference. more

Career development

 2d

Six mistakes that could lead to you being ghosted after a job interview


Successfully navigating a job interview can be difficult, even for the most well-prepared candidates.

Job interviews are never easy, and the anticipation of receiving feedback from the potential employer can drive almost any job seeker to the verge of insanity.

In most instances, candidates are unsuccessful because they're simply not the right fit for the job, and this can happen even if... they did all their homework and delivered the perfect presentation to the interviewer.

However, there are many interview mistakes that applicants commonly make without realising it, says Patrick Dillon from marketing agency WISE Digital Partners.

"Candidates often don't realise how certain behaviours signal disengagement or create red flags for hiring managers," Dillon said. "Understanding these missteps gives job seekers the power to keep the process moving forward."

Interviewee ghosting isn't always about the hiring company being rude or dismissive. In many cases, time constraints play a significant role as recruiters are managing dozens of open positions at the same time and providing feedback to every candidate simply isn't feasible.

However, those who put their best foot forward and avoid the common interview pitfalls stand a far greater chance of getting to the next level of the hiring process.

According to Dillon, these are the six most common and significant mistakes that job applicants make:

Showing up unprepared or unenthusiastic

Walking into an interview without having researched the company or the specific role sends a clear message: this opportunity isn't a priority for you. Dillon emphasises that recruiters are acutely aware of candidates' levels of engagement.

If a candidate struggles to answer basic questions about the organisation or seems disinterested, it often leads to missed opportunities.

"Preparation shows respect for the recruiter's time and a genuine interest in the position," Dillon states. Candidates must articulate their reasons for wanting the role to stand out positively.

Failing to respond promptly to communications

In today's fast-paced hiring landscape, timing can be everything. Dillon points out that delays in responses, whether to emails or missed calls without explanation, can signal unreliability to recruiters.

"When someone doesn't respond within 24 hours, it's often interpreted as a lack of interest," he says, adding that recruiters manage multiple candidates and adhere to tight deadlines. Prompt and professional communication is essential to remain in contention.

Providing inconsistent information

Inconsistencies between what is written on a CV and what is stated in an interview can raise immediate red flags regarding a candidate's honesty and accuracy. For instance, if your resume claims you led a team of ten, but you mention three in the interview, doubts arise.

Dillon stresses the importance of trust, explaining that recruiters need to trust the information they're presenting to hiring managers. Consistent information reassures recruiters of a candidate's credibility.

Discussing salary or flexibility too early

Initiating conversations about salary or remote work requirements before establishing your value can undermine your candidacy.

Timing plays a pivotal role in these discussions. Dillon notes that when candidates lead with compensation demands before showcasing their fit for the role, it may come across as transactional rather than collaborative.

Candidates should aim to demonstrate their contributions first before negotiating terms.

Demonstrating poor communication etiquette post-interview

Post-interview communication significantly influences how a recruiter perceives your professionalism. Following up too aggressively, using overly casual language, or failing to acknowledge communications can work against you.

Dillon advises candidates on the importance of maintaining a professional tone: "One thoughtful follow-up within 24 hours strikes the right tone."

Such communication showcases respect and professionalism, setting candidates apart

Missing red flags in your own presentation

Candidates can unintentionally signal concerns about their presentation. Poor punctuality, negative remarks about former employers, or displaying unprofessional behaviour during virtual interviews can severely impact perceptions.

As Dillon adds: "Small details matter more than people realise." Background noise, distractions, or speaking badly of past colleagues can contribute to an overall impression that may dissuade potential employers.

Dillon said the best way to prevent ghosting is to maintain consistent professionalism through every stage of the hiring process.

It is highly recommended that you send a brief thank-you email within 24 hours of your interview, one which reiterates your interest and highlights one or two key points from your conversation. The trick is to remain top of mind without appearing pushy.

"If you haven't heard back within the timeframe the recruiter mentioned, one polite follow-up is appropriate. Keep it brief and professional, simply expressing continued interest and asking if there are any updates. Avoid sending multiple messages or appearing demanding," Dillon says.

"Remember that staying engaged doesn't mean being aggressive. Respect the recruiter's timeline while demonstrating that you're organised, reliable, and genuinely interested in the opportunity. Small actions like these can make the difference between being remembered positively or getting lost in the shuffle." more
4   
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Career development

 4h

Part-Time Accountant Application Preparation


I'm actively preparing to land a part-time position as an accountant, so I need a seasoned writer who understands the finance world as well as modern hiring practices. My goal is to present myself convincingly to employers that hire on a part-time basis -- not full-time or purely contractual roles -- and to stand out in a competitive finance talent pool. Here's what I already have: a basic résumé... in Word, a short cover-letter draft, and a LinkedIn profile that hasn't been updated in a year. What I'm missing is the polish, focus, and keyword optimisation that will resonate with hiring managers and Applicant Tracking Systems in the accounting space. Deliverables I'd like from you: * An ATS-friendly, finance-focused résumé tailored to part-time accountant roles * A concise, persuasive cover letter I can customise for each application * Suggested LinkedIn headline and "About" section copy that aligns with the résumé * A brief set of job-search tips or next steps specific to the Indonesian finance market (optional but appreciated) To succeed at this task, you'll ideally be comfortable with accounting terminology, current ATS formatting standards, and LinkedIn optimisation techniques. If you've placed other professionals in finance or written for CPA candidates before, please mention it when you respond. I'm ready to get started right away and will provide any extra background you need -- career history, achievements, certifications -- so we can iterate quickly. Thanks for helping me make the leap into my next part-time accounting role. more

Career development

 4h

How can this 32-year-old photographer get back into the industry after a retail detour?


Roles targeted: Photographer, videographer, digital content creator, digital media assistant, digital marketing co-ordinator

The job search so far: Since graduating in 2020, Mr. Brown has worked on and off as a photographer. These days, that role requires a multitude of skills, including social media management, launching e-commerce campaigns, creating in-store marketing assets, and video... production across multiple platforms.

This 21-year-old finance grad received 30 job rejections. What should he do to get hired?

In 2022, Mr. Brown left his job as a lead product photographer and social media co-ordinator for a furniture company to work in retail. The move away from his preferred industry was difficult, but he says the pay wasn't enough. "I was basically expected to do the work of about four different departments, and I was only making around $16 an hour, on top of commuting," he says.

In October, he was laid off from his retail job and he's been trying to re-enter the photography field. He's applied to more than 550 jobs this year, through Indeed and similar job-seeking platforms. He has done cold calls, gone to networking events, and tailored his résumé and cover letters for specific job postings. Though he landed two preliminary phone interviews, neither have led to employment.

His main challenge: Mr. Brown feels he's been out of the industry for too long and lacks relevant experience. Though he has strong portfolio pieces, he says some employers have suggested it is not industry-specific.

For example, he has shot commercials and his images have been used on billboards. "But when I've explained that in job interviews, they kind of shrug at me and say, 'Well, that's great, but can you shoot a TikTok for a used car dealership?'" he said.

Betty Xie, a creative career coach based in Toronto, understands Mr. Brown may feel like he's been out of the game for a while, but that's normal among creatives. "Many clients that come to me have worked for 20 years and they still feel like they're starting from scratch," she said. Here's how Mr. Brown can leverage his existing skills to land a job in his field, according to Ms. Xie.

Currently, Mr. Brown has a website with photos he's shot for companies and businesses. It's a scrolling home page without any text. "I saw a spread of photos, but they're not articulating who are the past clients he worked with, and what was the value proposition he brought," Ms. Xie said.

Instead, Ms. Xie suggests portfolio items be regrouped under specific headings, such as product, event or portrait photography. These categories could even have dedicated landing pages, with a selection of images grouped together from a particular campaign.

Crucially, Mr. Brown should add a one-line summary description to each photo set, similar to what one would find on a résumé. For example: "Designed in-store promotional material distributed across 50 retail locations nationwide."

Are you a young Canadian searching for a job? Tell us your story and get advice

Written elements like these will help employers understand areas of expertise and impact. "Make it as easy as possible for your potential employer to immediately understand what your strengths are as a photographer," Ms. Xie said.

"As a creative, employers are hiring you to tell a compelling story, so you've got to do a really good job telling your own story first."

Ms. Xie said the photography industry has changed a lot over the past decade, so Mr. Brown should retool his expectations for target companies. For example, a marketing agency may have switched from hiring in-house photographers to contracts with freelancers. Meanwhile, a university could be looking for a full-time multimedia manager who needs to do photography, edit videos, or manage multimedia assets.

With this in mind, Ms. Xie suggests he move away from the job-seeker mindset. Embodying this entrepreneurial mindset will serve his career well - and boost confidence during the job hunt. Ms. Xie says many working photographers have clients on the side to tap into multiple streams of income, whether it's editorial work, corporate shoots, weddings, events, or portraits.

"Regardless of whether your next job is full-time or part-time, if you want to thrive, think of yourself as both the photographer and your talent manager," she says.

Here's an action Mr. Brown can take today: post on his personal Instagram account that he's looking to update his photography portfolio. He can contact small businesses, such as a local coffee shop or a gym, and offer a discounted rate for high-quality photography services. It's a win-win: businesses get fresh assets, while Mr. Brown has new portfolio items to add to his website - along with that crucial text summarizing the goal or impact.

Mr. Brown can also ask new or existing clients for testimonials to use on his website. This will boost his confidence and serve as an important reminder: he has in-demand technical skills, he's done great work, and a degree in photography. "That's amazing," Ms. Xie said. "And he's not starting from scratch." more

Career development

 5h

6 Examples for Describing Yourself in an Interview (and Why They Work)


Here's the right way to answer when asked how to describe yourself in a job interview.

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Zety.com.

When an interviewer asks, "How would you describe yourself?," they're throwing you a softball. Learn how to describe yourself in an interview so you don't strike out from the start.

Read on to learn how to describe yourself in an interview and... actually impress.

You'll find out the intent behind interviewers asking you to describe yourself and see examples of a great response.

The Intent Behind This Common Interview Question

Many interviews kick off with the hiring manager asking you to describe yourself. At first glance, the question seems like a benign and friendly way for the interviewer to get to know you.

And in many ways, it is. It's a light-hearted question that helps lighten the mood and warm things up before more difficult interview questions.

But that doesn't mean there's no wrong way to answer it. In fact, there are many ways to screw your response up. To figure out what makes a good answer, it helps to know why interviewers so often ask some variation of "Tell me about yourself."

The two main things an HR manager is looking for are:

* To see your interpersonal skills in action.

* To get acquainted with you on a professional level.

The best way to describe yourself will be fulfilling both of those requirements.

First things first, soft skills are important. The key to showing off your soft skills while answering this question, or any interview question, is to appear confident, remain calm, maintain eye contact, listen carefully, and respond succinctly without rambling.

The second key to describing yourself is to make sure you're answering the question in a professional way. You may be a very funny person, but describing yourself as a class clown won't help you land that software engineering job. Instead, use professional words to describe yourself and leave out any personal details.

Examples of How to Describe Yourself in an Interview

Let's get concrete. Here are some real-life examples of how to describe yourself in an interview.

As persistent

Example answer:

"I'm persistent. Once I set my eyes on the prize, I work hard to achieve my goal. In my role as marketing coordinator at Boston & Borris, I organized marketing campaigns with budgets over $250,000.

The bar was set very high for those campaigns in terms of OKRs, but I continuously analyzed our content metrics to suggest new ideas whenever the current strategy wasn't delivering."

Why it works:

Find character traits that give you the opportunity to talk about your biggest career wins and achievements. Bringing up your accomplishments also provides an opportunity for the hiring manager to ask follow-up questions and create a natural flow to the conversation.

As highly organized

Example answer:

"I'm someone who loves to be organized. As the junior project manager at TechBubble, I was constantly creating and modifying existing project procedures to make our processes more efficient. When I saved my team 10 hours of collective work by simplifying the organizational structure in our project management system, I felt warm and fuzzy inside."

Why it works:

The way to hit a home run when describing yourself in an interview is to figure out which skills are most important in the job ad and highlighting the ones you embody. In this example, if one of the requirements was organizational skills, then this answer checked that box without a doubt.

As creative

Example answer:

"I love letting my creative juices flow. When I was the graphic designer at Rainbow Media, I often led brainstorming sessions with clients to come up with new brand logos, icons, typography, and other marketing material.

While there, I developed over 50 complete brand strategies that satisfied even the most demanding clients. If you'd like, I could go into more detail on a few in my portfolio."

Why it works:

Creativity is one of the most difficult job skills to provide proof of, and yet it's a must-have for many professional fields. Using your answer to bring up your portfolio or other pieces of evidence can turn creativity from something airy-fairy to a skill with real-world results.

As dedicated

Example answer:

"I would have to say I'm dedicated. Although this will be my first year teaching full-time, I've been tutoring students one-on-one for over six years. During that time, I've gone above and beyond helping students turn around their grades and receive competitive scores in standardized testing.

The secret to my success is that I am internally motivated to help youth reach their goals."

Why it works:

Describing yourself as passionate or dedicated can tell the interviewer that the job you're applying for is more than just a job to you. With that said, be careful with these terms. This is a trait often implied by candidates, so you can come off as dishonest if the HR manager is unconvinced of your authenticity.

As detail-oriented

Example answer:

"Well, I'm detail-oriented. I have over 5 years of experience in nursing, and in that time I've developed a talent for noticing small details that could be otherwise easily looked over. As you know, this is one of those skills that is quite difficult when you're working in a fast-paced environment like a hospital.

But I think my attention to detail is what allowed me to maintain 96% positive patient scores even while handling up to 10 patients at a time."

Why it works:

Being detail-oriented is crucial for some jobs, and relating to the HR manager is a great way to build rapport and make a good impression. This works especially well when the hiring manager has been in the same role as the one you're applying for. Just remember not to oversell yourself, as an experienced professional is likely to catch a whiff of your exaggerations.

As sociable

Example answer:

"I'm a sociable person. I'm quite extroverted, so I get more energized when I'm in direct contact with people. As a customer service professional at XYZ Inc, I was constantly interacting with clients and I loved it.

Being able to communicate with customers in a casual way was the best part of my day. I think that's part of why I was able to maintain a customer retention rate 25% above the average."

Why it works:

You can't go wrong when describing yourself if you talk about your communication skills. They're the key job skill in many roles. Just remember -- with this character trait, you'll have to walk the talk. You can't talk about your great communication skills while mumbling and looking at the interviewer's feet. more

David Cabot


Career development 1w
I wanted to ask your advice, is this normal practice or am I missing something? A couple of days ago I had an interview for a sales manager position. When we said goodbye, the HR manager told me they would get in touch with me.

Today they called and asked why I didn’t show up to work, because they had sent me a text message yesterday evening. I didn’t see it, of course. Now I’m wondering... whether I should even consider working for a company that handles things this way.

What do you think? Thanks.

 more
3   

  • Kasuubo Esther

    6h

    Go and work. Never know they were desperate and you might turnout to be the best option for them.

  • S Royster

    1d

    Showing my age here, but on the 90s sitcom "Seinfeld" the zany character Kramer did the opposite: he showed up for a job he hadn't been hired for. ... He likes it and is popular for a bit, but he retorts that he doesn't even work there when the boss complains about his output.  more

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Career development

 8h

The Invisible Jury


Derek Mobley thought he was losing his mind. A 40-something African American IT professional with anxiety and depression, he'd applied to over 100 jobs in 2023, each time watching his carefully crafted applications disappear into digital black holes. No interviews. No callbacks. Just algorithmic silence. What Mobley didn't know was that he wasn't being rejected by human hiring managers -- he was... being systematically filtered out by Workday's AI screening tools, invisible gatekeepers that had learned to perpetuate the very biases they were supposedly designed to eliminate.

Mobley's story became a landmark case when he filed suit in February 2023 (later amended in 2024), taking the unprecedented step of suing Workday directly -- not the companies using their software -- arguing that the HR giant's algorithms violated federal anti-discrimination laws. In July 2024, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin delivered a ruling that sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley's algorithmic economy: the case could proceed on the theory that Workday acts as an employment agent, making it directly liable for discrimination.

The implications were staggering. If algorithms are agents, then algorithm makers are employers. If algorithm makers are employers, then the entire AI industry suddenly faces the same anti-discrimination laws that govern traditional hiring.

Welcome to the age of algorithmic adjudication, where artificial intelligence systems make thousands of life-altering decisions about you every day -- decisions about your job prospects, loan applications, healthcare treatments, and even criminal sentencing -- often without you ever knowing these digital judges exist. We've built a society where algorithms have more influence over your opportunities than most elected officials, yet they operate with less transparency than a city council meeting.

As AI becomes the invisible infrastructure of modern life, a fundamental question emerges: What rights should you have when an algorithm holds your future in its neural networks?

We are living through the greatest delegation of human judgment in history. An estimated 99% of Fortune 500 companies now use some form of automation in their hiring process. Banks deploy AI to approve or deny loans in milliseconds. Healthcare systems use machine learning to diagnose diseases and recommend treatments. Courts rely on algorithmic risk assessments to inform sentencing decisions. And platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok use AI to curate the information ecosystem that shapes public discourse.

This delegation isn't happening by accident -- it's happening by design. AI systems can process vast amounts of data, identify subtle patterns, and make consistent decisions at superhuman speed. They don't get tired, have bad days, or harbor conscious prejudices. In theory, they represent the ultimate democratization of decision-making: cold, rational, and fair.

The reality is far more complex. These systems are trained on historical data that reflects centuries of human bias, coded by engineers who bring their own unconscious prejudices, and deployed in contexts their creators never anticipated. The result is what Cathy O'Neil, author of "Weapons of Math Destruction," calls "algorithms of oppression" -- systems that automate discrimination at unprecedented scale.

Consider the University of Washington research that examined over 3 million combinations of résumés and job postings, finding that large language models favored white-associated names 85% of the time and never -- not once -- favored Black male-associated names over white male-associated names. Or SafeRent's AI screening system that allegedly discriminated against housing applicants based on race and disability, leading to a $2.3 million settlement in 2024 when courts found that the algorithm unfairly penalized applicants with housing vouchers. These aren't isolated bugs -- they're features of systems trained on biased data operating in a biased world.

The scope extends far beyond hiring and housing. In healthcare, AI diagnostic tools trained primarily on white patients miss critical symptoms in people of color. In criminal justice, risk assessment algorithms like COMPAS -- used in courtrooms across America to inform sentencing and parole decisions -- have been shown to falsely flag Black defendants as high-risk at nearly twice the rate of white defendants. When algorithms decide who gets a job, a home, medical treatment, or freedom, bias isn't just a technical glitch -- it's a systematic denial of opportunity.

The fundamental challenge with AI-driven decisions isn't just that they might be biased -- it's that we often have no way to know. Modern machine learning systems, particularly deep neural networks, are essentially black boxes. They take inputs, perform millions of calculations through hidden layers, and produce outputs. Even their creators can't fully explain why they make specific decisions.

This opacity becomes particularly problematic when AI systems make high-stakes decisions. If a loan application is denied, was it because of credit history, income, zip code, or some subtle pattern the algorithm detected in the applicant's name or social media activity? If a résumé is rejected by an automated screening system, which factors triggered the dismissal? Without transparency, there's no accountability. Without accountability, there's no justice.

The European Union recognized this problem and embedded a "right to explanation" in both the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the AI Act, which entered force in August 2024. Article 22 of GDPR states that individuals have the right not to be subject to decisions "based solely on automated processing" and must be provided with "meaningful information about the logic involved" in such decisions. The AI Act goes further, requiring "clear and meaningful explanations of the role of the AI system in the decision-making procedure" for high-risk AI systems that could adversely impact health, safety, or fundamental rights.

But implementing these rights in practice has proven fiendishly difficult. In 2024, a European Court of Justice ruling clarified that companies must provide "concise, transparent, intelligible, and easily accessible explanations" of their automated decision-making processes. However, companies can still invoke trade secrets to protect their algorithms, creating a fundamental tension between transparency and intellectual property.

The problem isn't just legal -- it's deeply technical. How do you explain a decision made by a system with 175 billion parameters? How do you make transparent a process that even its creators don't fully understand?

Making AI systems explainable isn't just a legal or ethical challenge -- it's a profound technical problem that goes to the heart of how these systems work. The most powerful AI models are often the least interpretable. A simple decision tree might be easy to explain, but it lacks the sophistication to detect subtle patterns in complex data. A deep neural network with millions of parameters might achieve superhuman performance, but explaining its decision-making process is like asking someone to explain how they recognize their grandmother's face -- the knowledge is distributed across millions of neural connections in ways that resist simple explanation.

Researchers have developed various approaches to explainable AI (XAI), from post-hoc explanation methods like SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) and LIME (Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations) to inherently interpretable models. But each approach involves trade-offs. Simpler, more explainable models may sacrifice 8-12% accuracy according to recent research. More sophisticated explanation methods can be computationally expensive and still provide only approximate insights into model behavior.

Even when explanations are available, they may not be meaningful to the people affected by algorithmic decisions. Telling a loan applicant that their application was denied because "feature X contributed +0.3 to the rejection score while feature Y contributed -0.1" isn't particularly helpful. Different stakeholders need different types of explanations: technical explanations for auditors, causal explanations for decision subjects, and counterfactual explanations ("if your income were $5,000 higher, you would have been approved") for those seeking recourse.

Layer-wise Relevance Propagation (LRP), designed specifically for deep neural networks, attempts to address this by propagating prediction relevance scores backward through network layers. Companies like IBM with AIX360, Microsoft with InterpretML, and the open-source SHAP library have created frameworks to implement these techniques. But there's a growing concern about what researchers call "explanation theater" -- superficial, pre-packaged rationales that satisfy legal requirements without actually revealing how systems make decisions.

It's a bit like asking a chess grandmaster to explain why they made a particular move. They might say "to control the center" or "to improve piece coordination," but the real decision emerged from years of pattern recognition and intuition that resist simple explanation. Now imagine that grandmaster is a machine with a billion times more experience, and you start to see the challenge.

While the EU pushes forward with the world's most comprehensive AI rights legislation, the rest of the world is scrambling to catch up -- each region taking dramatically different approaches that reflect their unique political and technological philosophies. Singapore, which launched the world's first Model AI Governance Framework in 2019, updated its guidance for generative AI in 2024, emphasizing that "decisions made by AI should be explainable, transparent, and fair." Singapore's approach focuses on industry self-regulation backed by government oversight, with the AI Verify Foundation providing tools for companies to test and validate their AI systems.

Japan has adopted "soft law" principles through its Social Principles of Human-Centered AI, aiming to create the world's first "AI-ready society." The Japan AI Safety Institute published new guidance on AI safety evaluation in 2024, but relies primarily on voluntary compliance rather than binding regulations.

China takes a more centralized approach, with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology releasing guidelines for building a comprehensive system of over 50 AI standards by 2026. China's Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) mandates transparency in algorithmic decision-making and enforces strict data localization, but implementation varies across the country's vast technological landscape.

The United States, meanwhile, remains stuck in regulatory limbo. While the EU builds comprehensive frameworks, America takes a characteristically fragmented approach. New York City implemented the first AI hiring audit law in 2021, requiring companies to conduct annual bias audits of their AI hiring tools -- but compliance has been spotty, and many companies simply conduct audits without making meaningful changes. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued guidance in 2024 emphasizing that employers remain liable for discriminatory outcomes regardless of whether the discrimination is perpetrated by humans or algorithms, but guidance isn't law.

This patchwork approach creates a Wild West environment where a facial recognition system banned in San Francisco operates freely in Miami, where a hiring algorithm audited in New York screens candidates nationwide without oversight.

If AI systems are the new infrastructure of decision-making, then AI auditing is the new safety inspection -- except nobody can agree on what "safe" looks like.

Unlike financial audits, which follow established standards refined over decades, AI auditing remains what researchers aptly called "the broken bus on the road to AI accountability." The field lacks agreed-upon practices, procedures, and standards. It's like trying to regulate cars when half the inspectors are checking for horseshoe quality.

Several types of AI audits have emerged: algorithmic impact assessments that evaluate potential societal effects before deployment, bias audits that test for discriminatory outcomes across protected groups, and algorithmic audits that examine system behavior in operation. Companies like Arthur AI, Fiddler Labs, and DataRobot have built businesses around AI monitoring and explainability tools.

But here's the catch: auditing faces the same fundamental challenges as explainability. Inioluwa Deborah Raji, a leading AI accountability researcher, points out that unlike mature audit industries, "AI audit studies do not consistently translate into more concrete objectives to regulate system outcomes." Translation: companies get audited, check the compliance box, and continue discriminating with algorithmic precision.

Too often, audits become what critics call "accountability theater" -- elaborate performances designed to satisfy regulators while changing nothing meaningful about how systems operate. It's regulatory kabuki: lots of movement, little substance.

The most promising auditing approaches involve continuous monitoring rather than one-time assessments. European bank ING reduced credit decision disputes by 30% by implementing SHAP models to explain each denial in a personalized way. Google's cloud AI platform now includes built-in fairness indicators that alert developers when models show signs of bias across different demographic groups.

One proposed solution to the accountability crisis is maintaining meaningful human oversight of algorithmic decisions. The EU AI Act requires "human oversight" for high-risk AI systems, mandating that humans can "effectively oversee the AI system's operation." But what does meaningful human oversight look like when AI systems process thousands of decisions per second?

Here's the uncomfortable truth: humans are terrible at overseeing algorithmic systems. We suffer from "automation bias," over-relying on algorithmic recommendations even when they're wrong. We struggle with "alert fatigue," becoming numb to warnings when systems flag too many potential issues. A 2024 study found that human reviewers agreed with algorithmic hiring recommendations 90% of the time -- regardless of whether the algorithm was actually accurate.

In other words, we've created systems so persuasive that even their supposed overseers can't resist their influence. It's like asking someone to fact-check a lie detector while the machine whispers in their ear.

More promising are approaches that focus human attention on high-stakes or ambiguous cases while allowing algorithms to handle routine decisions. Anthropic's Constitutional AI approach trains systems to behave according to a set of principles, while keeping humans involved in defining those principles and handling edge cases. OpenAI's approach involves human feedback in training (RLHF - Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback) to align AI behavior with human values.

Dr. Timnit Gebru, former co-lead of Google's Ethical AI team, argues for a more fundamental rethinking: "The question isn't how to make AI systems more explainable -- it's whether we should be using black box systems for high-stakes decisions at all." Her perspective represents a growing movement toward algorithmic minimalism: using AI only where its benefits clearly outweigh its risks, and maintaining human decision-making for consequential choices.

As AI systems become more sophisticated, the challenge of ensuring accountability will only intensify. Large language models like GPT-4 and Claude can engage in complex reasoning, but their decision-making processes remain largely opaque. Future AI systems may be capable of meta-reasoning -- thinking about their own thinking -- potentially offering new pathways to explainability.

Emerging technologies offer glimpses of solutions that seemed impossible just years ago. Differential privacy -- which adds carefully calibrated mathematical noise to protect individual data while preserving overall patterns -- is moving from academic curiosity to real-world implementation. In 2024, hospitals began using federated learning systems that can train AI models across multiple institutions without sharing sensitive patient data, each hospital's data never leaving its walls while contributing to a global model.

The results are promising: research shows that federated learning with differential privacy can maintain 90% of model accuracy while providing mathematical guarantees that no individual's data can be reconstructed. But there's a catch -- stronger privacy protections often worsen performance for underrepresented groups, creating a new trade-off between privacy and fairness that researchers are still learning to navigate.

Meanwhile, blockchain-based audit trails could create immutable records of algorithmic decisions -- imagine a permanent, tamper-proof log of every AI decision, enabling accountability even when real-time explainability remains impossible.

The development of "constitutional AI" systems that operate according to explicit principles may offer another path forward. These systems are trained not just to optimize for accuracy, but to behave according to defined values and constraints. Anthropic's Claude operates under a constitution that draws from the UN Declaration of Human Rights, global platform guidelines, and principles from multiple cultures -- a kind of algorithmic bill of rights.

The fascinating part? These constitutional principles work. In 2024-2025, Anthropic's "Constitutional Classifiers" reduced harmful AI outputs by 95%, blocking over 95% of attempts to manipulate the system into generating dangerous content. But here's what makes it truly interesting: the company is experimenting with "Collective Constitutional AI," incorporating public input into the constitution itself. Instead of a handful of engineers deciding AI values, democratic processes could shape how machines make decisions about human lives.

It's a radical idea: AI systems that aren't just trained on data, but trained on values -- and not just any values, but values chosen collectively by the people those systems will serve.

Some researchers envision a future of "algorithmic due process" where AI systems are required to provide not just explanations, but also mechanisms for appeal and recourse. Imagine logging into a portal after a job rejection and seeing not just "we went with another candidate," but a detailed breakdown: "Your application scored 72/100. Communications skills rated highly (89/100), but technical portfolio needs strengthening (+15 points available). Complete these specific certifications to increase your score to 87/100 and automatic re-screening."

Or picture a credit system that doesn't just deny your loan but provides a roadmap: "Your credit score of 650 fell short of our 680 threshold. Paying down $2,400 in credit card debt would raise your score to approximately 685. We'll automatically reconsider your application when your score improves."

This isn't science fiction -- it's software engineering. The technology exists; what's missing is the regulatory framework to require it and the business incentives to implement it.

The question isn't whether AI systems should make important decisions about human lives -- they already do, and their influence will only grow. The question is how to ensure these systems serve human values and remain accountable to the people they affect.

This requires action on multiple fronts. Policymakers need to develop more nuanced regulations that balance the benefits of AI with the need for accountability. The EU AI Act and GDPR provide important precedents, but implementation will require continued refinement. The U.S. needs comprehensive federal AI legislation that goes beyond piecemeal state-level initiatives.

Technologists need to prioritize explainability and fairness alongside performance in AI system design. This might mean accepting some accuracy trade-offs in high-stakes applications or developing new architectures that are inherently more interpretable. The goal should be building AI systems that are not just powerful, but trustworthy.

Companies deploying AI systems need to invest in meaningful auditing and oversight, not just compliance theater. This includes diverse development teams, continuous bias monitoring, and clear processes for recourse when systems make errors. But the most forward-thinking companies are already recognizing something that many others haven't: AI accountability isn't just a regulatory burden -- it's a competitive advantage.

Consider the European bank that reduced credit decision disputes by 30% by implementing personalized explanations for every denial. Or the healthcare AI company that gained regulatory approval in record time because they designed interpretability into their system from day one. These aren't costs of doing business -- they're differentiators in a market increasingly concerned with trustworthy AI.

Individuals need to become more aware of how AI systems affect their lives and demand transparency from the organizations that deploy them. This means understanding your rights under laws like GDPR and the EU AI Act, but also developing new forms of digital literacy. Learn to recognize when you're interacting with AI systems. Ask for explanations when algorithmic decisions affect you. Support organizations fighting for AI accountability.

Most importantly, remember that every time you accept an opaque algorithmic decision without question, you're voting for a less transparent future. The companies deploying these systems are watching how you react. Your acceptance or resistance helps determine whether they invest in explainability or double down on black boxes.

Derek Mobley's lawsuit against Workday represents more than one man's fight against algorithmic discrimination -- it's a test case for how society will navigate the age of AI-mediated decision-making. The outcome will help determine whether AI systems remain unaccountable black boxes or evolve into transparent tools that augment rather than replace human judgment.

The choices we make today about AI accountability will shape the kind of society we become. We can sleepwalk into a world where algorithms make increasingly important decisions about our lives while remaining completely opaque, accountable to no one but their creators. Or we can demand something radically different: AI systems that aren't just powerful, but transparent, fair, and ultimately answerable to the humans they claim to serve.

The invisible jury isn't coming -- it's already here, already deliberating, already deciding. The algorithm reading your resume, scanning your medical records, evaluating your loan application, assessing your risk to society. Right now, as you read this, thousands of AI systems are making decisions that will ripple through millions of lives.

The question isn't whether we can build a fair algorithmic society. The question is whether we will. The code is being written, the models are being trained, the decisions are being made. And for perhaps the first time in human history, we have the opportunity to build fairness, transparency, and accountability into the very infrastructure of power itself.

The invisible jury is already deliberating on your future. The only question left is whether you'll demand a voice in the verdict.

Tim explores the intersections of artificial intelligence, decentralised cognition, and posthuman ethics. His work, published at smarterarticles.co.uk, challenges dominant narratives of technological progress while proposing interdisciplinary frameworks for collective intelligence and digital stewardship.

His writing has been featured on Ground News and shared by independent researchers across both academic and technological communities. more

Career development

 8h

Part-Time Job Search Support


I'm ready to move into a reliable part-time position and would like an experienced recruitment or career-coaching professional to guide me from start to finish. That includes sharpening my résumé, optimising my online profiles, scouting roles that fit my background, and preparing me to interview with confidence. I'm open to opportunities across administrative, technical or creative areas, so feel... free to suggest openings where my transferable skills can add value. Here's what I need from you: * A fully polished résumé and brief cover-letter template tailored for part-time applications * A curated list of at least ten suitable part-time vacancies with direct application links * Practical interview prep sessions -- question drills, feedback and confidence-building tips I'll share my current CV and availability as soon as we begin, and I'm happy to collaborate through video calls, chat or shared documents -- whatever keeps us both on track. If you have a proven track record placing candidates in part-time roles, let's connect and get my next opportunity locked in. more

Career development

 9h

No college degree, no problem? Not so fast


On a bus headed downtown, Cherri McKinney opened a compact mirror and -- even as the vehicle rattled and blinding morning sun filled the window -- skillfully applied eyeliner.

McKinney is a licensed aesthetician. She went into bookkeeping after graduating from high school in 1992, then ran a waxing salon for years. Later she shifted into human resources at a homeless shelter. But stepping off the... bus, she started her work day as a benefits and leave administrator for Colorado's Department of Labor and Employment.

She wouldn't have made it past some hiring managers.

"My background is kind of all over the place," McKinney said. "You might have looked at my résumé and thought, 'Wow, this girl doesn't have a college education.'"

In fact, Colorado's state government was looking for workers just like her. In 2022, Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order directing state agencies to embrace "skills-based hiring" -- evaluating job seekers based on abilities rather than education level -- and to open more positions to applicants without college diplomas. When McKinney interviewed with the state in the summer of 2024, she said, she was asked practical questions about topics like the Family Medical Leave Act, not about her academic background.

For a decade, workforce organizations, researchers and public officials have pushed employers to stop requiring bachelor's degrees for jobs that don't need them. That's a response to a hiring trend that began during the Great Recession, when job seekers vastly outnumbered open positions and employers increased their use of bachelor's degree requirements for many jobs -- like administrative assistants, construction supervisors and insurance claims clerks -- that people without college diplomas had capably handled. The so-called "paper ceiling," advocates say, locks skilled workers without degrees out of good-paying jobs. Degree requirements hurt employers, too, advocates argue, by screening out valuable talent.

In recent years, at least 26 states, along with private companies like IBM and Accenture, began stripping degree requirements and focusing hiring practices on applicants' skills. A job seeker's market after Covid, plus labor shortages in the public sector, boosted momentum. Seven states showed double-digit percentage increases in job listings without a degree requirement between 2019 and 2024, according to the National Governors Association. A 2022 report from labor analytics firm Burning Glass (recently renamed Lightcast) found degree requirements disappearing from private sector listings too.

But less evidence has emerged of employers actually hiring nondegreed job seekers in substantial numbers, and a crumbling economic outlook could stall momentum. Last year, Burning Glass and Harvard Business School found that less than 1 in 700 hires in 2023 benefited from the shift to skills-based hiring. Federal layoffs and other cuts pushing more workers with degrees into the job hunt could tempt employers to return to using the bachelor's as a filtering mechanism.

"I think it's a sort of do-or-die moment" for skills-based hiring, said Amanda Winters, who advises state governments on skills-based hiring at the nonprofit National Governors Association.

Winters said the shift to hiring for skills requires time-consuming structural changes. Human resource departments must rewrite job descriptions, and hiring managers must be trained to change their approach to interviewing to assess candidates for skills, among other steps. And even then, said Winters, there's no reason for managers not to prefer applicants with college degrees if they indeed have the skills.

Colorado is trying to push employers, both public and private, to make this shift. Polis' 2022 order devoted $700,000 and three staffers to institutionalizing skills-based hiring in state government. According to a case study by the National Governors Association and the nonprofit Opportunity@Work, the state is working with human resources departments at individual agencies, training them to rewrite job descriptions to spell out skills (for example, "active listening and interpersonal skills"). When posting a job, hiring managers are encouraged to click a box that reads: "I have considered removing the degree requirement for this role."

Polis' team also built a dashboard to track progress toward "Wildly Important Goals" related to skills-based hiring -- like boosting the share of job applicants without a bachelor's degree by 5 percent by summer 2026. State officials say about 80 percent of job classifications (categories of jobs with specific pay scales and responsibilities -- for example, Human Resources Specialist III or Accountant I) now emphasize skills over degrees.

All told, the state says, 25 percent of hires within those job classifications in 2024 -- 1,588 in total -- were people without degrees, roughly the same share as in 2023, when the state began collecting this information. Similar data from other states on their success in hiring skilled, nondegreed workers is scarce. State officials from Maryland and Pennsylvania, two of the first states with executive orders dropping degree requirements, said they track education levels of applicants but not of new hires.

To spark skills-based hiring in the private sector, the Colorado Workforce Development Council, a quasi-governmental group appointed by the governor, encourages local workforce boards to help assess employers' needs and job seekers' skills.

One of those boards -- Pikes Peak Workforce Center in Colorado Springs -- conducts workshops for local businesses on skills-based hiring and helps them write job descriptions that emphasize skills. When a company registers for a job fair, said CEO Traci Marques, the center asks both what positions are open and which skills are needed for them.

The center also teaches job seekers to identify their skills and show employers how they apply in different fields. A recent high school graduate who served on student council, Marques said, might discuss what that role taught them about time management, conflict resolution and event planning.

The goal is for skills to become the lingua franca between employers and job seekers. "It's really that matchmaking where we fit in," Marques said.

One new matchmaking tool is learning and employment records, or LERs. These digital records allow job seekers to verify their degrees, credentials and skills with former schools and workplaces and then share them with potential employers. Two years ago, a philanthropic coalition granted the Colorado Workforce Development Council $1.4 million to create LER systems.

LERs are still in the early stages of development, but advocates say they could eventually allow more precise matching of employers' needs with job seekers' skills.

Once nondegreed workers get in the door, employers can also see payoffs, said Cole Napper, vice president of research, innovation and talent insights at Lightcast. His research shows that workers hired for skills get promoted at almost the same rate as education-based hires and stay at their jobs longer.

But as the labor market cools, the question now is whether people without four-year degrees will get in the door in the first place. Nationally, job growth has slowed. Maryland and Colorado froze hiring this summer for state positions.

At a recent job fair at Pikes Peak, single mother Yvette Stanton made her way around the tables, some featuring placards that read "Skills-Based Hiring." After a few months at a sober living facility, Stanton had lined up day care and was ready to work. She clutched a green folder with a résumé documenting certifications vouching for her skills in phlebotomy and medication administration. "When you have more certifications, there are better job opportunities," said Stanton.

She approached a table for the Colorado Department of Corrections. Human resources specialist Jack Zeller told her that prisons do need workers with medical certifications, and he said she could also apply to be a corrections officer. But, he said -- holding out his phone to show her the job application site -- she should wait until Jan. 1.

"If the hiring freeze ends like it's supposed to," he said, "there's gonna be a billion jobs going up on the website."

Colorado works not just on the demand side, pushing employers to seek out workers based on their skills, but also on the supply side, to arm people who might not choose college with marketable skills and help them find jobs in in-demand industries.

The Polis administration encourages high schools and community colleges to make available industry-recognized credentials -- including certified nursing assistant, certified associate in project management and the CompTIA cybersecurity certification -- that can earn students credits while giving them skills for better-paying jobs. The governor is also making a big bet on work-based learning opportunities in high school and community college, especially apprenticeships.

If employers meet talented workers who lack degrees, they'll grow more comfortable hiring for skills, said Sarah Heath, who directs career and technical education for the Colorado Community College System. "You've got to prove it to people to get them to buy into it," she said.

At Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood, a suburb of Denver, President Landon Pirius has set a goal of eventually providing a work-based learning experience to every graduate. Earlier this year, the college hired a work-based learning coordinator and an apprenticeship coordinator, and it partners with Northrop Grumman on a registered apprenticeship that lets cybersecurity students earn money while getting technical instruction and on-the-job learning.

In his frequent discussions with regional employers, Pirius said, "the message is consistently skill-based hiring." He added: "Our manufacturers are like, 'I don't even care about a degree. I just want to know that they can do X, Y, Z skills. So when you're teaching our students, make sure you teach them these things.'"

Colorado community colleges also see opportunities to equip students with skills in fields like aerospace, quantum computing, behavioral addiction treatment and mental health counseling, where there's a growing demand for workers and some jobs can be handled without a four-year degree. In 2022, Colorado gave its community college system $15 million to create pathways to behavioral health careers that don't require a Master of Social Work degree or even a B.A.

Colorado's skill-based talent pipeline extends to high school. In a "Computer Science and Cybersecurity" class at Warren Tech, a high school in Lakewood, Zachary Flower teaches in-demand "soft skills" like problem solving, teamwork and communication.

"The people who get hired are more often the ones who are better communicators," said Flower, a software developer who was a director of software engineering and hiring manager for a travel company before he started teaching. Communication skills are half of the grade in Flower's capstone project: Students communicate independently throughout the year with local industry sponsors, and at the end they present to a panel of engineers and developers.

Despite the emphasis on skills-based hiring, a 2023 study projected that more than 4 in 10 job openings in Colorado from 2021 through 2031 would require at least a bachelor's degree -- the second-highest proportion of any state in the country -- because many industries there, like engineering, health care and business services, require higher education, according to Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce."But there's still a significant amount of opportunity for people with less than a bachelor's degree," said Nicole Smith, chief economist at the center.

People, in other words, like Cherri McKinney, who couldn't afford college and didn't want to spend four years finding her path. McKinney plans to stay in state government, where she believes she can develop more skills and advance without a college degree. Indeed, a 2023 executive order demanded that every state agency develop at least two work-based learning programs by the end of this year.

Gov. Polis, who championed workers like McKinney, ends his second term in January 2027 and cannot run for reelection. State budgets are fragile in the Trump era. McKinney's colleagues call often, nervous about their benefits in a time of hiring freezes and government shutdowns.

McKinney isn't worried.

"When I made my first career switch from bookkeeping to aesthetics, what I realized was I am the eye of this storm," she said. "Things swirl around me, and if I bring myself in my way that I do to my jobs, that's what is going to create the stability for me."

Contact editor Caroline Preston at 212-870-8965, via Signal at CarolineP.83 or on email at [email protected]. more

Career development

 10h

Exclusive: AI Hires More Men Than Women Even With Gender-Blind Résumés, Says AnitaB.org India Head


Bengaluru: Artificial Intelligence picks more men than women candidates, even when it sorts through gender blind résumés, says Shreya Krishnan, India Head at AnitaB.org, a nonprofit organisation aimed at advancing women in technology.

Speaking exclusively to ETV Bharat during the 2025 Grace Hopper Celebration India (GHCI), in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Shreya said that over time, AI has learnt how... women write their résumés differently from men and knows how to spot them.

"AI models have hired more men than women despite having gender blind résumés. AI is very smart. It has learnt to find that woman write their résumés differently. So it starts discriminating at that level," she said.

Hosted by AnitaB.org, GHCI 2025 is Asia's largest conference for women and allies in technology. This year's theme is 'Unbound', which "challenges you to break barriers and imagine the impossible". Marking its 13th edition, GHCI 2025 brings together thousands of tech professionals for keynotes, practical workshops, mentorship, and career and networking opportunities.

Shreya spoke on how AI systems can be built to be innovative, inclusive, ethical, and free from gender bias, and emphasised that addressing bias requires going far deeper than surface-level fixes.

"You cannot have responsible or ethical AI; you can only have responsible and ethical people who build, train, and deploy AI. AI is a tool we create and wield, and its integrity depends on us," Shreya said.

AI, she said, is just a tool that people wield. "You cannot hold a knife responsible for chopping vegetables or taking a life. The knife is in your hands. The accountability is yours. So who are the people wielding this power? That is an important question to ask," she said.

Current AI systems, she said, are trained on datasets already embedded with societal biases related to gender, race, caste, culture, or other inequities. "As a result, AI often mirrors and amplifies these issues, as seen in several well-documented 'black box' examples where AI outputs have been ethically flawed," she said.

Shreya suggested organisations to ensure diverse participation in AI development and decision-making, create neutral, inclusive datasets that reflect the full spectrum of society, and enable grassroots-level skilling so women and marginalised groups can shape AI rather than be shaped by it.

"Only then can AI evolve into a tool that serves everyone fairly," she said.

Brenda Darden Wilkerson, President & CEO of AnitaB.org, also shared her insights with ETV Bharat and discussed efforts in promoting an impartial and sustainable tech industry.

She highlighted the importance of equitable innovation, stronger women leadership, and placing women at the centre of the next era of technology by using their voices to shape innovation, policy, and product creation. more

Taofeeq Oyelade
Career development 2w
Why Your Resume Might Be Working Against You — Even When You’re Qualified

Hi everyone — I’ve read through many honest and powerful posts here: people who feel qualified, experienced, and ready — but still getting rejected or ghosted. I want to share a few common resume issues that aren’t about lack of skill or experience — but about how your strengths are being communicated, and that might be... what’s holding you back.

1. Your resume isn’t telling your story.
It’s not just about listing your tasks and roles. Recruiters — and even hiring systems — want to see impact. What changed because of you? What problem did you help solve? When your resume shows that, it suddenly feels more real, more valuable.

2. ATS systems are filtering out strong candidates.
Unfortunately, many companies use automated tracking systems before a human ever sees your application. This isn’t just a numbers game — it means real, capable people are being passed over simply because their resumes aren’t perfectly tailored for the system. It’s not a reflection of your potential — it’s a limitation of the process.

3. Your choice of words matters.
I’ve seen resumes full of “helped,” “assisted,” or “worked on” — and while those are honest words, they don’t show the scale of your contribution. Using verbs like “led,” “implemented,” “optimized,” or “designed” helps hiring teams understand the real weight of your work.

4. The way your resume is formatted makes a difference.
Even a powerful experience can be missed if the layout is confusing — too many tables, odd graphics, or clutter. A clean, simple, and readable structure works best. It helps both the ATS and real people see what you actually did.

If any of this resonates — if you feel like your resume is good but isn’t doing its job — I’d be very happy to review one sentence or bullet point from it (or your LinkedIn headline) and give you a honest tip. Just drop it below, and I’ll respond. more
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Career development

 1d

Simple Techniques for Overcoming Interview Nerves


While your CV, experience, abilities, and education are all crucial in getting a job, the interview is often the company's first true impression of you. In a job interview, it's critical to present oneself effectively, but interview jitters may make this difficult. In this post, we'll show you how to overcome interview anxiety.

What does it mean to be nervous during an interview?

Nerves are the... body's natural reaction to being in an unfamiliar environment. Interview nerves occur when your body's stress reaction is triggered, and your body prepares to fight or escape in response to the perceived threat of a job interview. Physical responses such as fast heartbeat, quick breathing, pale or flushed skin, dilated pupils, or shaking may occur throughout this procedure.

These are automatic responses, and while they might be useful in a threatening situation, it's better to keep your cool before heading to an interview. Fortunately, you may attempt a variety of activities and strategies to help you overcome your interview anxiety.

There are numerous things you may do during a job interview to help you relax. Try these strategies the next time you're worried before an interview:

Keeping your hands busy might aid in the channeling of anxious energy. If you're sat in front of a computer and can't see your hands, try twiddling your thumbs to relax. Keep a tiny object in your hands, such as a pencil, but be mindful that toying with it may draw attention to your hands. You will be less likely to fidget throughout the interview if your hands are engaged.

The S.T.O.P. approach is a mental strategy for dealing with stressful situations. This technique's steps are as follows:

The S.T.O.P. technique encourages you to slow down and be aware of what you're doing and feeling at any given time. It helps you recall that your actions and ideas are under your control.

Focus on your breathing while you're not answering questions. You'll be less worried if you don't let your mind wander. Pause for a moment and take a deep breath before speaking. It's easier to stay cool if you pay attention to your breathing, and stopping before speaking gives you more time to think of the ideal answer.

While anxiousness is normal, changing your perspective on an interview might help you relax. Remind yourself that a job interview is nothing more than a dialogue between you and another person about yourself. All you have to do is respond to the interviewer's questions and be true to yourself. In an interview, you are not obligated to do anything else.

Sit or stand confidently during your interview. Your physical posture can have a soothing impact on your thoughts. Smiling can also fool your mind into thinking you're pleased, allowing you to unwind a bit more.

Here are a few more suggestions to help you relax before a job interview:

Exercise releases happy neurochemicals, and being outside is excellent for your mental health. To help clear your mind, go for a 15-minute stroll before your job interview or take five minutes to wander about before entering the building.

Anxiety can be reduced by feeling prepared. Prepare for the interview by researching the firm, practicing with a buddy, and having your resume and notes available. There are several resources available on the internet to help you prepare.Especially, if you're being interviewed for a developer job, you may want to check out react js interview questions.

If you know the name of the person who will be interviewing you, find out all you can about them. Make a list of any questions you have, as well as any details about yourself that you'd like the firm to know, and any other notes that will help you stay focused. Knowing what to expect will make you feel more relaxed and at ease.

If you keep to your schedule and whatever plans you may have, your day will be more productive. If at all feasible, schedule your job interview during the morning to avoid being anxious and waiting all day. Make sure you get enough sleep the night before so you can function and be attentive. Make a plan to do something enjoyable or interesting following the interview, and you'll have something to look forward to.

Talking to a positive friend or family member may considerably increase your self-assurance. It's simpler to listen to someone else's good words than it is to speak your own, and receiving praise from a loved one may help you relax.

Before your interview, have a healthy breakfast to ensure you have the energy you require. Worry and stress can be exacerbated by hunger. To improve your mood, choose one of your favorite dishes. more
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  • anthony nyaga

    12h

    something sweet taken before the interview also helps deal with dry mouth and the resulting inconvinience when answering questions verbally.

  • Jeremy Singer

    10
    1d

    The most basic issue is: Be prepared.
    Be familiar with what is in your own resume. Your resume is talking points.
    Try to find out who will be... talking with you, and find out as much as you can about them. Linkedin can help with this.
    Review the requirement you are seeking to fill. How does your CV and application letter address that?
    Be a little bit early.
    In the interview, pay attention. It's not all about you, its about how you respond.
    What you want to do is respond to what is actually most important to the people you will be working with, which may not match, exactly, what is in the requirement. How you interact with the people you are talking with is the most important thing in the interview.
    What makes you good to work with? What do you bring to the engagement that fulfills their needs?
    Focus on them, not yourself. That will relieve some of your nervousness.     more

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Anonymous member


Career development 1w
An employee took a bigger salary without asking permission from employer. Her daughter iz processing salaries. She said she rewarded herself for working overtime. What shall the employer do?
1   

  • ayiko vincent

    12h

    sometimes the process is delayed she did good if u wait it won't come .......fortune favors the bold

  • Eliot Feldman

    6d

    This is probably a serious violation of company policy and would probably lead to termination, criminal complaint and civil action. All this will... depend on the amount and length of time that this activity has been taking place. more

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Career development

 15h

How AI is reshaping talent acquisition | Chattanooga Times Free Press


You don't have to look far to find headlines touting the ways artificial intelligence is "revolutionizing" everything from art to analytics and manufacturing to medicine. But with a glut of hype and no shortage of bold claims, it's hard to separate the reality from the ridiculous -- especially in recruiting and talent acquisition. The question isn't whether AI has potential (that's already been... proven); it's whether it has practical value for your team today.

And while there are countless applications of this technology, focusing on operational impact is the most helpful way to determine whether AI deserves a place on your talent acquisition team. Two of the most practical, high-value deployments today are chatbots and autonomous AI agents -- each playing a different but complementary role in the recruiting process. Both have proven applications, deliver measurable ROI across industries, and signal where the technology is headed in the years ahead.

The place where most organizations first encounter AI is through familiar ChatGPT-style chatbots -- or large language models -- that help polish emails and draft presentations. In recruiting, chatbots are already transforming how teams communicate with candidates: managing routine interactions, answering questions, scheduling interviews, providing updates and guiding applicants through early screening. They can even engage with potential candidates to build a fuller picture of their skills, goals and fit beyond what's captured in a résumé or cover letter.

Here in Chattanooga, at Apprenticeship Works, we've been able to leverage a customized AI chatbot -- Celeste, developed by our technology partners at BuildWithin -- to uncover talent that traditional screening methods might miss. Apprenticeship Works helps local companies build sustainable external pipelines through modern apprenticeships while also creating upskilling pathways to retain and grow existing employees. We focus on attributes we know drive long-term success: high-value transferable skills, strong retention potential and an above-average capacity to learn on the job.

With more job seekers pivoting careers to improve their prospects, identifying transferable skills across industries can be a monumental task. For a small team like ours, doing it manually would require hundreds of hours of interviews, research and notes. With Celeste's support, we've been able to identify promising candidates more efficiently and with greater confidence -- surfacing people whose experience and potential align with what our employer partners truly need.

Celeste conducts individual conversations with every applicant, asking follow-up questions, answering role-specific inquiries and even redirecting candidates toward positions that might be a better fit. The results have been eye-opening. One applicant, for instance, neglected to list his Spanish fluency on his résumé. Through conversation, Celeste uncovered it, and we were able to place him with an employer actively seeking bilingual talent. We've also seen early-career applicants open up more to an AI chatbot than to a recruiter -- sharing experiences and aspirations they might hold back in a traditional interview.

For us, it's mission-critical to look beyond the résumé and find the attributes that predict success. With Celeste on our team, we've been able to deliver stronger candidates to our employer partners -- people who not only fit the job but also grow within it. The gains are both qualitative and measurable: better matches, faster placements and higher retention.

Success naturally raises the bar. If chatbots can streamline conversations, what happens when AI doesn't just respond but actively seeks out, engages and evaluates candidates? That's the promise of autonomous AI agents, the next phase of recruiting technology. These aren't smarter chatbots; they're systems that can manage entire workflows with minimal human input -- sourcing candidates across platforms, conducting adaptive screening conversations, scheduling interviews and even conducting salary negotiations.

Job seekers benefit from the use of these tools as well. Applicants can receive individualized interview preparation tips, timely feedback and personalized communications about their application. Once hired, the same AI agents can help design personalized development plans and learning resources to help people continuously grow and reach their career goals.

According to industry research, over 70% of employers now use AI somewhere in HR, and many are exploring semi-autonomous recruiting tools to reduce time-to-hire and free recruiters to focus on relationships and strategy. Early adopters are already seeing measurable productivity gains and stronger candidate experiences.

Whether your team is large or small, these tools can deliver a meaningful ROI in a surprisingly short time. They lighten the administrative load, improve candidate engagement and help recruiters focus on what humans do best -- build relationships and making great judgment calls. The organizations seeing the most success aren't replacing recruiters; they're amplifying them.

The real opportunity isn't about keeping pace with technology; it's about keeping pace with potential. AI won't replace the human side of hiring, but it will raise expectations for speed, accuracy and fairness. The teams that win this next chapter of talent acquisition will be the ones that know how to blend the two -- using machines to handle the routine, and people to handle what matters.

Walton Robinson is executive director of the Chattanooga Apprenticeship Innovation Hub, where he partners with local employers to build tech-enabled workforce programs and talent pipelines using the modern apprenticeship model. more

Janis Hawthorne


Career development 5d
Hi! During my lunch break I was talking with a coworker and kind of daydreaming about how nice it would be to move to a big city and rent a decent apartment there. The boss’s secretary overheard us and 2 hours later my boss called me in and asked why I’d decided to quit and move to the district center.

Of course, I explained everything to him, but now I’m not sure how to work normally knowing... that his secretary reports everything she hears to him.

 more
1   

  • Victor Turner

    15h

    I agree with Shelby and Shelia! Yep, I could have just liked their comments but typing their names seems way cooler. All to say don't take your job... too seriously, after all we are all human. On the other hand, your boss is the one reacting to "work gossip" and has some maturing to do. more

  • Captain bulemu Ezra

    1d

    It is a lesson that you just not talk without considering who is around you secondly do things within the means of your take home

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Mila Penrose


Career development 6d
We’re a small company, and in the kitchen there’s always tea, coffee, sugar, and creamer. If you need office supplies, you can go to the storage room and take what you need.

But I’ve noticed that a coworker often leaves with a jar of coffee, a pack of sugar, or even a pack of printer paper in his backpack. Should I tell my boss about it, or is it none of my business?

Thanks for the... advice.

 more

  • Moses Baya

    16h

    Get to know the rules and regulations of that company.
    Understand every worker.
    Probable the guy's contract has a clause that allows him carry... whatever he does and the management is aware. more

  • Adetola AjaoOjo

    1d

    You don't need to tell your boss call him and advise him not to do it anymore , if persists on doing the bad abity then you can now tell the boss

Load more...

Career development

 17h

Top Associate Interview Tips to Stand Out


Law students preparing for competitive summer associate positions now have access to a valuable new resource. A recently released guide delivers practical, step-by-step Associate Interview Tips that help candidates stand out from the application stage to the final handshake.

As law firms refine their hiring processes, students must approach summer associate recruitment with strategy,... professionalism, and confidence. This updated guidance explains exactly how they can do that.

Learn more from this guide: How to Get -- and Ace -- Your Law Firm Summer Associate Interview

The path to a successful interview begins long before firms schedule meetings. The guide encourages students to create polished résumés and compelling, customized cover letters. Because firms screen out generic submissions quickly, targeted applications remain essential. Students should highlight meaningful experiences, legal interests, and skills that align with each firm's priorities. Moreover, they should avoid templates that sound repetitive or vague.

The guide urges candidates to view their application through a hiring partner's perspective. What makes one résumé memorable among hundreds? Often, clarity, structure, and authenticity create the strongest impression.

Once an interview invitation arrives, preparation becomes even more important. The guide stresses that strong academic credentials are not enough. Students must prepare with intention, presence, and awareness.

The guide advises candidates to research the firm thoroughly recent cases, major clients, practice areas, and attorney profiles. When students understand a firm's identity and achievements, they ask better questions and show genuine interest. Interviewers notice this preparation immediately, and it often sets candidates apart.

A successful interview begins as soon as a candidate walks through the door. Professional attire, punctuality, and courteous communication shape the first impression. Additionally, the guide emphasizes positive interactions with support staff. Many firms seek feedback from receptionists and coordinators because they value respectful candidates.

Instead of relying on memorized answers, candidates should aim for a natural, focused conversation. Clear, concise responses paired with thoughtful follow-up questions reveal maturity and curiosity. Students who show enthusiasm for the firm's work while staying humble often build stronger rapport.

The summer associate hiring process grows more competitive each year. Although grades matter, the guide explains that preparation, initiative, and strong interpersonal skills often elevate top candidates. When students display genuine interest in contributing to a firm, rather than focusing solely on personal benefits, they create a lasting impression.

By applying these Associate Interview Tips, students position themselves not only to secure interviews but also to excel during them. This new guide ultimately reinforces a timeless truth: preparation and professionalism remain the cornerstones of a successful legal career launch. more